Patents by Inventor Norihiko Kobayashi

Norihiko Kobayashi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11820280
    Abstract: A lamp system is mounted on a vehicle provided with a HUD system. A variable light distribution lamp irradiates a beam to a road surface with a variable light intensity distribution so as to draw a pattern. A controller controls the variable light distribution lamp in cooperation with a HUD system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20230331143
    Abstract: A lamp system includes a variable light distribution lamp. The variable light distribution lamp 110 irradiates a beam having a variable light intensity distribution to a road surface. A light distribution controller controls the variable light distribution lamp. In response to the start of a predetermined event, the light distribution controller draws a pattern that corresponds to the event. In response to the end of the event, the light distribution controller extinguishes the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11731554
    Abstract: A vehicle departure notification display device includes a road surface rendering unit which uses light to render a departure notification display having a prescribed shape on a road surface in the direction of travel of a vehicle, and a control unit which determines whether the departure notification display is required when the vehicle departs, controls the road surface rendering unit to render the departure notification display when determined to be required, and again controls the road surface rendering unit to stop the rendered departure notification display upon determining that notification of the departure notification display is to stop, wherein the control unit causes the road surface rendering unit to render the departure notification display upon detecting information indicating that a brake with which the vehicle is provided has switched from ON to OFF, serving as a determination that the departure notification display is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11505110
    Abstract: Each of a pair of left and right vehicle head lamps includes a plurality of optical units in a lamp chamber. A variable light distribution type optical unit that changes a light distribution mode of a high beam depending on a surrounding state and a traveling state of a vehicle is disposed in a first vehicle head lamp on a passenger seat side, and a figure drawing optical unit capable of forming a desired figure on a road surface in front of the vehicle by emitted light is disposed at a position symmetrical to the variable light distribution type optical unit in a second vehicle head lamp on a driver seat side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11506357
    Abstract: A vehicle head lamp includes a spatial light modulator and a control device. The vehicle head lamp forms a desired light distribution pattern by radiating light forward via the spatial light modulator, a high luminous intensity region and a low luminous intensity region adjacent to an outer edge of the high luminous intensity region are formed in the desired light distribution pattern to be irradiated by controlling the spatial light modulator, the low luminous intensity region is configured such that the luminous intensity decreases gradationally from the outer edge of the high luminous intensity region toward an outside of the low luminous intensity region, and the control device controls the spatial light modulator so as to relatively change at least one of sizes, luminous intensities, and positions of the high luminous intensity region and the low luminous intensity region based on a traveling condition of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11465553
    Abstract: When a pedestrian who is crossing a road or is about to cross a road is detected and it is determined that there is a risk of the own vehicle coming into contact with the pedestrian, a figure rendering forming optical unit provided in a housing of a head lamp emits a spot of light having a predetermined width and a predetermined length to a road surface ahead in a crossing direction including the pedestrian or the like. Accordingly, the pedestrian or the like knows the presence of an approaching vehicle and a driver knows the presence of the pedestrian or the like who is crossing a road or is about to cross a road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20220219599
    Abstract: A vehicle departure notification display device includes a road surface rendering unit which uses light to render a departure notification display having a prescribed shape on a road surface in the direction of travel of a vehicle, and a control unit which determines whether the departure notification display is required when the vehicle departs, controls the road surface rendering unit to render the departure notification display when determined to be required, and again controls the road surface rendering unit to stop the rendered departure notification display upon determining that notification of the departure notification display is to stop, wherein the control unit causes the road surface rendering unit to render the departure notification display upon detecting information indicating that a brake with which the vehicle is provided has switched from ON to OFF, serving as a determination that the departure notification display is required.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20220034469
    Abstract: A vehicle head lamp includes a spatial light modulator and a control device. The vehicle head lamp forms a desired light distribution pattern by radiating light forward via the spatial light modulator, a high luminous intensity region and a low luminous intensity region adjacent to an outer edge of the high luminous intensity region are formed in the desired light distribution pattern to be irradiated by controlling the spatial light modulator, the low luminous intensity region is configured such that the luminous intensity decreases gradationally from the outer edge of the high luminous intensity region toward an outside of the low luminous intensity region, and the control device controls the spatial light modulator so as to relatively change at least one of sizes, luminous intensities, and positions of the high luminous intensity region and the low luminous intensity region based on a traveling condition of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka MOCHIZUKI, Naoki TATARA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20220001790
    Abstract: A pair of left and right vehicle headlights (1R, 1L) having a bilaterally symmetrical arrangement of optical units therein. A variable-light-distribution optical unit (ADB) is arranged inside the vehicle headlight (1R) on the passenger side and makes the high beam light distribution mode variable in accordance with the surroundings and travel state of the vehicle. A graphic drawing optical unit (RM) capable of forming a desired graphic on the road surface ahead of the vehicle, by using emitted light, is arranged at a position inside the vehicle front light (1L) on the driver side, said position corresponding to the arrangement position of the variable-light-distribution optical unit. As a result, distortion in graphics drawn on the road surface is suppressed and the impact of pitching can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka MOCHIZUKI, Naoki TATARA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210347294
    Abstract: When a pedestrian who is crossing a road or is about to cross a road is detected and it is determined that there is a risk of the own vehicle coming into contact with the pedestrian, a figure rendering forming optical unit provided in a housing of a head lamp emits a spot of light having a predetermined width and a predetermined length to a road surface ahead in a crossing direction including the pedestrian or the like. Accordingly, the pedestrian or the like knows the presence of an approaching vehicle and a driver knows the presence of the pedestrian or the like who is crossing a road or is about to cross a road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara, Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11126491
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes sensors for detecting a plurality of types of errors. The information processing apparatus identifies a type of an error detected by one of the sensors, acquires a result of diagnostic processing corresponding to the identified type of the error, and outputs error information indicating the identified type of the error, and diagnostic information about a component corresponding to the result of the diagnostic processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihiko Kobayashi, Kimito Kasahara, Kaori Nishiyama, Naoto Watanabe, Keisuke Aizono, Satoshi Seki, Masahiro Mutsuno, Takuma Yasukawa, Yuki Suetani, Toshiyuki Miyake
  • Publication number: 20210239492
    Abstract: A server holds a blockchain in which transaction information related to an inspection of each of the plurality of vehicles is recorded in a chain manner; selects a target vehicle of inspection from the plurality of vehicles and adds transaction information related to an inspection of the selected target vehicle to the blockchain; and transmits an execution instruction of a transaction related to the inspection to the target vehicle. The server registers an inspection result in the added transaction information related to the inspection of the target vehicle based on an execution result of the transaction related to the inspection of the target vehicle based on the execution instruction and an execution result of a transaction related to the inspection of a peripheral vehicle other than the target vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takanao YANO, Nobuhiro FUKUDA, Makoto HINATA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210206316
    Abstract: A lamp system is mounted on a vehicle provided with a HUD system. A variable light distribution lamp irradiates a beam to a road surface with a variable light intensity distribution so as to draw a pattern. A controller controls the variable light distribution lamp in cooperation with a HUD system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka MOCHIZUKI, Naoki TATARA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20210206312
    Abstract: A lamp system includes a variable light distribution lamp. The variable light distribution lamp 110 irradiates a beam having a variable light intensity distribution to a road surface. A light distribution controller controls the variable light distribution lamp. In response to the start of a predetermined event, the light distribution controller draws a pattern that corresponds to the event. In response to the end of the event, the light distribution controller extinguishes the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyotaka MOCHIZUKI, Naoki TATARA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11054821
    Abstract: In a remote-operation apparatus, a communication circuit receives, from an autonomous vehicle via a network, detection data indicating circumstances of an area around the autonomous vehicle. A display displays an image of the area around the autonomous vehicle generated based on the received detection data. The communication circuit transmits, via the network to the autonomous vehicle that is being remotely operated, a control command including an amount of operation obtained by correcting, based on characteristics of the autonomous vehicle, an amount of operation applied to an operation accepter by a remote operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Kobayashi, Junichi Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210177909
    Abstract: The present invention provides a composition having a metabolism-improving action, which comprises a supernatant of brown adipocytes or a purified product thereof. The present invention also provides a method of preparing the supernatant without using a culture solution comprising a high concentration of glucose. The present invention also provides a method of producing brown adipocytes using pluripotent stem cells, which are useful for preparing the supernatant of brown adipocytes. The present invention has succeeded in obtaining a supernatant having a metabolism-improving action from brown adipocytes. It was also possible to obtain the supernatant without using a culture solution comprising a high concentration of glucose. The present invention has also succeeded in producing brown adipocytes from pluripotent stem cells using a feeder-free culture system without adding a cytokine cocktail or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Kumiko SAEKI, Norihiko KOBAYASHI, Masako OKA, Kazunori MATSUMURA, Miwako NISHIO, Tsugumine SHU, Toyotaka MORI
  • Patent number: 10935209
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a vehicle illuminating device including a lamp housing that functions as a heat sink, a light emitting element disposed in the lamp housing, and a control board that controls the light emitting element. A protruding portion is formed to have an internal space in the lamp housing, and at least a part of the control board is disposed in the internal space. Since the light emitting element is disposed in the lamp housing functioning as a heat sink, and at least a part of the control board is disposed in the internal space of the protruding portion, heat generated in the light emitting element and heat generated in the control board hardly affect each other, and the generation positions of the heat are apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Norihiko Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20210012261
    Abstract: A self-driving control device mountable on a vehicle configured to communicate with a server device. The self-driving control device includes: a processor; and a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: generating a route to a destination; controlling traveling during self-driving of the vehicle to the destination based on information of the route to the destination; and receiving information of a guidance route to a place satisfying the demand transmitted from the server device in response to input operation of a demand on an order of a user. In generating the route to the destination, the processor generates information of a route obtained by merging the guidance route with the route to the destination as the information of the route to the destination in response to approval operation of the user with respect to the place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro FUKUDA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI, Keiji NISHIHARA, Matthew John LAWRENSON, Julian Charles NOLAN
  • Publication number: 20210009157
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus performs a delinquent driving detection process. The delinquent driving detection process includes: inquiring of an external database, using information on one or more other vehicles in a vicinity of the vehicle and/or area information including a point where the vehicle is positioned, about whether there is a delinquent driving vehicle that has performed delinquent driving among the one or more other vehicles; detecting presence or absence of delinquent driving by the one or more other vehicles based on an inquiry result from the database; generating, in response to detection of the presence of the delinquent driving, delinquent driving vehicle information including ID information of a delinquent driving vehicle that performs the delinquent driving and traveling trajectory information of the delinquent driving vehicle and the vehicle; and requesting the database that the delinquent driving vehicle information be registered or updated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro FUKUDA, Norihiko KOBAYASHI, Keiji NISHIHARA, Matthew John LAWRENSON, Julian Charles NOLAN
  • Patent number: 10847035
    Abstract: A demand responsive operation system includes: a user terminal; an on-demand vehicle that operates based on a use request from the user terminal; and an operation management center that manages an operation of the on-demand vehicle. The operation management center includes a use receiver and an operation plan generator. The use receiver receives the use request from the user terminal. The operation plan generator generates an operation plan within a permissible range of a reference operation schedule based on the reference operation schedule and the use request received by the use receiver, the reference operation schedule having an operation section, a departure place departure time and a final destination arrival time preset, and provides the generated operation plan to the on-demand vehicle and the user terminal. The user terminal presents this operation plan to a user, and the on-demand vehicle operates according to this operation plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Kobayashi, Hiroki Kawahara