Patents by Inventor Norio Imai

Norio Imai 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: 11884262
    Abstract: Provided is a parking assist apparatus for a vehicle, the parking assist apparatus including a first module configured to set, as a movement path, a path along which the vehicle is movable to a target position, and determine movement assist information for moving the vehicle along the movement path; and a second module configured to execute parking assist control such that the vehicle moves in accordance with the determined movement assist information, the second module being further configured to, when an occupant performs a first operation before the vehicle has reached the target position, stop the vehicle, and execute pause processing for maintaining the movement assist information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Kota Inoue, Takuya Nakagawa, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Norio Imai, Nozomu Maeda
  • Patent number: 11872982
    Abstract: A parking assistance device performs parking assistance control including steering angle control for changing a steering angle of a vehicle, driving force control for controlling a driving force of the vehicle, and braking force control for controlling a braking force of the vehicle. The parking assistance device notifies an occupant of a driving operation to be performed by the occupant, including a moving operation on a shift lever and an operation on a brake pedal when the vehicle reaches a switching position where a traveling direction of the vehicle is to be switched during performing the parking assistance control. When the driving operation is performed by the occupant, the parking assistance device restarts the parking assistance control at a timing when the occupant stops the operation on the brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Inoue, Yuki Minase, Takuya Nakagawa, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Norio Imai, Nozomu Maeda
  • Publication number: 20230093819
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes an obstacle detection unit configured to detect an obstacle around a vehicle, a boundary detection unit configured to detect a boundary of a parking section, and a target position determination unit configured to determine a target position of a movement route of the vehicle based on the detected boundary. The target position determination unit recognizes, as a wheel stopper, the obstacle detected in a detection area that is set at a position in the parking section on a back side of an entrance and exit of the parking section based on the detected boundary, regardless of a height of the obstacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicants: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki INAGAKI, Yusuke Kiyokawa, Norio Imai, Takuya Nakagawa, Motonari Obayashi
  • Publication number: 20230101882
    Abstract: A parking assistance control device detects a parkable area, where a host vehicle can be parked, based on target information, causes the vehicle to move from the initial position, which is the vehicle's position when the parkable area is detected, to the parkable area by controlling a driving device, braking device, and steering device and, when the target information indicates that a stopper is installed in the parkable area, causes the vehicle to stop with its position and direction with respect to the stopper matching a predetermined position and direction. The parking assistance control device causes the vehicle to stop with the distance between the vehicle's predetermined first reference point and the stopper matching a first predetermined value so that the vehicle is forward-parked in the state where the front end of a part, provided on the vehicle's front side and lower than the stopper, is separated from the stopper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya NAKAGAWA, Asuka Shimizu, Norio Imai
  • Patent number: 11511804
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus obtains a target travelling route from a present position of a vehicle to a target parking position and controls the vehicle such that the vehicle moves along the target travelling route. The target travelling route is obtained such that the vehicle moves backward to reach the target parking position and the vehicle is moves in a region on the target parking position side of a travelling boundary line. The travelling boundary line is a straight line which is in front of the vehicle located at the target parking position and which is away from a reference position by a boundary distance. The reference position is a position at a front end and at a center in a lateral direction of the vehicle located at the target parking position. The boundary distance is a configurable value changed by a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Takuya Nakagawa, Junji Horiguchi, Norio Imai
  • Patent number: 11485355
    Abstract: The parking assist apparatus comprises a first vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping a vehicle, a controller configured to be capable of performing parking assist control for parking a vehicle in a parking position and to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing a driver of the vehicle to operate the first vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the first vehicle stop apparatus, and a second vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping the vehicle. When it is determined while the parking assist control is being performed that there is a malfunction in an apparatus for detecting whether or not operation of the first vehicle stop apparatus has been performed, the controller is configured to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing the driver to operate the second vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the second vehicle stop apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Nakagawa, Yuki Minase, Junji Horiguchi, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20220097686
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes a central processing unit. The central processing unit detects the size of a parking space. The central processing unit sets the size of an extra space to be secured at a minimum between a vehicle and an object around the parking space while changing that size according to the detected size of the parking space. Based on the set size of the extra space, the central processing unit provides assistance in parking the vehicle into the parking space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicants: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke KIYOKAWA, Norio IMAI, Yuki MINASE, Takuya NAKAGAWA
  • Patent number: 11273822
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus is configured to execute parking assist control including steering angle automatic control, driving force automatic control and braking force automatic control, the parking assist apparatus being programmed to notify an occupant of an operation request requesting a driving operation of the vehicle to be performed for the parking assist control; and terminate the parking assist control and notify the occupant that the parking assist control is terminated when the driving operation corresponding to the operation request has not been performed by the occupant within a predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keisuke Oyama, Yuki Minase, Shinya Sannodo, Miyuki Omori, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20210107463
    Abstract: The parking assist apparatus comprises a first vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping a vehicle, a controller configured to be capable of performing parking assist control for parking a vehicle in a parking position and to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing a driver of the vehicle to operate the first vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the first vehicle stop apparatus, and a second vehicle stop apparatus operated for a purpose of stopping the vehicle. When it is determined while the parking assist control is being performed that there is a malfunction in an apparatus for detecting whether or not operation of the first vehicle stop apparatus has been performed, the controller is configured to finish the parking assist control by performing control for instructing the driver to operate the second vehicle stop apparatus or by controlling the second vehicle stop apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya NAKAGAWA, Yuki MINASE, Junji HORIGUCHI, Norio IMAI
  • Publication number: 20210107460
    Abstract: Accuracy of acquired parking space information on a parking space having a target parking range set therein is increased when the parking space information is registered. A vehicle parking assist apparatus (10) has a registration mode for registering the information on the parking space having the target parking range set therein, and a plurality of vehicle speed modes having different travel speeds of a vehicle (100) during execution of parking travel processing. The plurality of vehicle speed modes include two or more vehicle speed modes, one of which is selectable by a user. When the registration mode is not selected, during the execution of the parking travel processing, the vehicle parking assist apparatus (10) causes the vehicle (100) to travel in the vehicle speed mode selected by the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki MINASE, Takuya NAKAGAWA, Junji HORIGUCHI, Norio IMAI
  • Publication number: 20210107562
    Abstract: The parking assist apparatus comprises an imaging apparatus, a controller capable of performing parking assist control including registration mode and parking assist mode, and a door opening/closing sensor. The registration mode includes parking position setting processing for temporarily setting a parking position in a registration-planned-region, and parking position correction processing for registering a corrected parking position under a state where the vehicle is stopped in the parking position as a registered parking position in association with feature points already extracted from a captured image including the registration-planned-region. The parking assist mode includes parking assist processing for detecting the feature point(s) from a captured image and thereby calculating the registered parking position, and parking the vehicle in the registered parking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junji HORIGUCHI, Yuki Minase, Takuya Nakagawa, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20210107564
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus obtains a target travelling route from a present position of a vehicle to a target parking position and controls the vehicle such that the vehicle moves along the target travelling route. The target travelling route is obtained such that the vehicle moves backward to reach the target parking position and the vehicle is moves in a region on the target parking position side of a travelling boundary line. The travelling boundary line is a straight line which is in front of the vehicle located at the target parking position and which is away from a reference position by a boundary distance. The reference position is a position at a front end and at a center in a lateral direction of the vehicle located at the target parking position. The boundary distance is a configurable value changed by a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki MINASE, Takuya NAKAGAWA, Junji HORIGUCHI, Norio IMAI
  • Publication number: 20210107563
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus obtains a target travelling route from a present position of a vehicle to a target parking position when it is determined that a predetermined route obtaining condition is satisfied. In addition, the parking assistance apparatus executes a travelling assistance processing for controlling at least a steering angle of the vehicle such that the vehicle travels along the target travelling route when a predetermined assist starting condition is satisfied. The target travelling route is obtained such that a distance between the vehicle and the object is kept larger than the threshold distance while the vehicle travels along that target travelling route The threshold distance is stored in the parking assistance apparatus and a configurable value which can be changed by a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Takuya Nakagawa, Junji Horiguchi, Satoshi Kozai, Norio Imai
  • Patent number: 10926797
    Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus includes: a control unit configured to: perform a steering control processing that controls steering of a vehicle and a vehicle speed control processing that controls a traveling speed of the vehicle when the vehicle enters or exits from a parking space; terminate a first processing that is one of the steering control processing and the vehicle speed control processing when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the vehicle starts to enter or exit from the parking space; and continue a second processing that is one of the steering control processing and the vehicle speed control processing other than the first processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaya Kato, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20200298839
    Abstract: A parking assistance device performs parking assistance control including steering angle control for changing a steering angle of a vehicle, driving force control for controlling a driving force of the vehicle, and braking force control for controlling a braking force of the vehicle. The parking assistance device notifies an occupant of a driving operation to be performed by the occupant, including a moving operation on a shift lever and an operation on a brake pedal when the vehicle reaches a switching position where a traveling direction of the vehicle is to be switched during performing the parking assistance control. When the driving operation is performed by the occupant, the parking assistance device restarts the parking assistance control at a timing when the occupant stops the operation on the brake pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kota Inoue, Yuki Minase, Takuya Nakagawa, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Norio Imai, Nozomu Maeda
  • Patent number: 10774412
    Abstract: A hot-dip galvanized cold-rolled steel sheet has a tensile strength of 750 MPa or higher, a composition consisting, in mass percent, C: more than 0.10% and less than 0.25%, Si: more than 0.50% and less than 2.0%, Mn: more than 1.50% and 3.0% or less, and optionally containing one or more types of Ti, Nb, V, Cr, Mo, B, Ca, Mg, REM, and Bi, P: less than 0.050%, S: 0.010% or less, sol. Al: 0.50% or less, and N: 0.010% or less, and a main phase as a low-temperature transformation product and a second phase as retained austenite. The retained austenite volume fraction is more than 4.0% and less than 25.0% of the whole structure, and has an average grain size of less than 0.80 ?m. A number density of retained austenite grains having a grain size of 1.2 ?m or more is 3.0×10?2/?m2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norio Imai, Masayuki Wakita, Takuya Nishio, Jun Haga, Kengo Hata, Yasuaki Tanaka, Mitsuru Yoshida, Hiroshi Takebayashi, Suguhiro Fukushima, Toshiro Tomida
  • Publication number: 20200282975
    Abstract: Provided is a parking assist apparatus for a vehicle, the parking assist apparatus including a first module configured to set, as a movement path, a path along which the vehicle is movable to a target position, and determine movement assist information for moving the vehicle along the movement path; and a second module configured to execute parking assist control such that the vehicle moves in accordance with the determined movement assist information, the second module being further configured to, when an occupant performs a first operation before the vehicle has reached the target position, stop the vehicle, and execute pause processing for maintaining the movement assist information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Kota Inoue, Takuya Nakagawa, Hiroyuki Tachibana, Norio Imai, Nozomu Maeda
  • Patent number: 10710198
    Abstract: Provided is a laser processing device that performs laser processing on a workpiece to which a protective film has been attached, wherein a determination is made as to whether or not a common part for which laser marking processing is necessary for cutting the protective film is present on the basis of processing information including a processing program, and when a common part for which laser marking processing is necessary for cutting the protective film is present, the laser marking processing process for that common part is added to the processing program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: AMADA HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norio Imai, Hiroshi Takano, Takahiro Shibata, Ko Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10676081
    Abstract: A driving control apparatus includes: a movement control unit that controls movement of a vehicle in accordance with a first movement path indicating a movement trajectory to a first target position that is a movement destination of the vehicle; and a movement path calculating unit that calculates a second movement path as a movement path to a second target position from a position after the vehicle moves from a current position of the vehicle for a predetermined period of time along the first movement path, wherein the movement control unit controls movement of the vehicle to the second target position in accordance with the second movement path after causing the vehicle to move along the first movement path for the predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motokatsu Tomozawa, Norio Imai, Yusuke Kiyokawa, Masaya Kato, Yuichi Ukai
  • Patent number: 10618526
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes: a driving assistance unit configured to control a braking unit which decelerates a moving body, and assist driving of the moving body by automatic driving; and a switching unit configured to perform instructing a driver of the moving body to operate the braking unit which is under control by the driving assistance unit, and switching from the automatic driving to manual driving by transferring an authority of driving to the driver when receiving an operation of the braking unit by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norio Imai, Masaya Kato, Yusuke Kiyokawa, Motokatsu Tomozawa, Yuichi Ukai