Patents by Inventor Shinya Kawamata

Shinya Kawamata 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).

  • Publication number: 20240336241
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus comprises a sensor that obtains object information on an object that is present in front of a vehicle; a regenerative brake device that applies a regenerative brake force to a wheel; a friction brake device that applies a friction brake force to the wheel; and a control unit that performs a deceleration control to control at least one of the regenerative brake device and the friction brake device, when an execution condition is satisfied, in such a manner that a total of the regenerative brake force and the friction brake force becomes equal to a target brake force. The control unit is configured to make a maximum regenerative brake force smaller when a friction condition is satisfied than when the friction condition is not satisfied. The friction condition is satisfied when it is predicted that the target brake force will become greater than a predetermined force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2024
    Publication date: October 10, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo ITO, Kumiko KONDO, Shinya KAWAMATA
  • Patent number: 12103528
    Abstract: A driving assistance device configured to execute deceleration assistance for a driver's vehicle when the driver's vehicle turns right or left at an intersection is configured to recognize, based on a detection result from an external sensor of the driver's vehicle, an adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the driver's vehicle, determine whether the adjacent vehicle turns in the same direction of the driver's vehicle at the intersection based on the detection result from the external sensor when the adjacent vehicle is recognized and the driver's vehicle turns right or left at the intersection, and execute the deceleration assistance to cause a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the driver's vehicle and the adjacent vehicle to reach a distance equal to or larger than a target driver's vehicle-to-adjacent vehicle distance when the driving assistance device determines that the adjacent vehicle turns in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Kohei Tochigi, Kumiko Kondo, Shinya Kawamata
  • Publication number: 20240227809
    Abstract: The driving support apparatus performs deceleration control of the vehicle. The driving support apparatus includes: a sensitivity setting unit configured to set an actuation sensitivity of a deceleration control; a deceleration execution unit configured to execute the deceleration control based on the actuation sensitivity; and a brake operation detection unit configured to detect a brake operation by a driver. The sensitivity setting unit changes the actuation sensitivity based on a control execution count which is the number of executions of the deceleration control and a driver operation count which is the number of operations of the brake operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kumiko KONDO, Shinya Kawamata, Shogo Ito
  • Publication number: 20240132074
    Abstract: The driving support apparatus performs deceleration control of the vehicle. The driving support apparatus includes: a sensitivity setting unit configured to set an actuation sensitivity of a deceleration control; a deceleration execution unit configured to execute the deceleration control based on the actuation sensitivity; and a brake operation detection unit configured to detect a brake operation by a driver. The sensitivity setting unit changes the actuation sensitivity based on a control execution count which is the number of executions of the deceleration control and a driver operation count which is the number of operations of the brake operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kumiko KONDO, Shinya Kawamata, Shogo Ito
  • Publication number: 20220340131
    Abstract: A driving assistance device configured to execute deceleration assistance for a driver's vehicle when the driver's vehicle turns right or left at an intersection is configured to recognize, based on a detection result from an external sensor of the driver's vehicle, an adjacent vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to a traveling lane of the driver's vehicle, determine whether the adjacent vehicle turns in the same direction of the driver's vehicle at the intersection based on the detection result from the external sensor when the adjacent vehicle is recognized and the driver's vehicle turns right or left at the intersection, and execute the deceleration assistance to cause a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the driver's vehicle and the adjacent vehicle to reach a distance equal to or larger than a target driver's vehicle-to-adjacent vehicle distance when the driving assistance device determines that the adjacent vehicle turns in the same direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo Ito, Kohei Tochigi, Kumiko Kondo, Shinya Kawamata
  • Patent number: 10949683
    Abstract: A recognition support system for a vehicle includes an image recognition sensor including a camera configured to capture an image of a periphery of a host vehicle while alternately repeating an exposure period and a non-exposure period; an irradiation device configured to irradiate light to the periphery of the host vehicle; an object recognition unit configured to recognize an object existing in the periphery of the host vehicle by using the image recognition sensor; and a light irradiation control unit configured to, when the object recognized by the object recognition unit is an alert target object, carry out intermittent irradiation of light to the alert target object by using the irradiation device, the intermittent irradiation being carried out such that an irradiation period of light and a non-irradiation period of light are alternately repeated and the non-irradiation period overlaps with at least part of the exposure period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kawamata, Fumio Sugaya
  • Patent number: 10421389
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes: a lighting device that emits a first light and a second light to a periphery of an own vehicle, the second light having a higher directivity than the first light; a camera to acquire image information; a detector to emit an electromagnetic wave and acquire a reflection wave; and an electronic control unit configured to detect a physical body using the image information, detect the physical body using information of the reflection wave, control the lighting device such that the first light is emitted to the physical body detected by the reflection wave, determine whether the physical body detected using the image information in a state where the first light is being emitted is an target object, and control the lighting device such that the lighting device emits the second light toward a predetermined range around the target object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Nagata, Shinya Kawamata, Kazuyuki Fujita, Minami Sato
  • Publication number: 20190095726
    Abstract: A recognition support system for a vehicle includes an image recognition sensor including a camera configured to capture an image of a periphery of a host vehicle while alternately repeating an exposure period and a non-exposure period; an irradiation device configured to irradiate light to the periphery of the host vehicle; an object recognition unit configured to recognize an object existing in the periphery of the host vehicle by using the image recognition sensor; and a light irradiation control unit configured to, when the object recognized by the object recognition unit is an alert target object, carry out intermittent irradiation of light to the alert target object by using the irradiation device, the intermittent irradiation being carried out such that an irradiation period of light and a non-irradiation period of light are alternately repeated and the non-irradiation period overlaps with at least part of the exposure period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya KAWAMATA, Fumio SUGAYA
  • Patent number: 9987979
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes a first detection unit that detects a moving body around a host vehicle, a first determination unit that determines whether the moving body is a target to which an alert should be sent, a projection unit that can project a first pattern, which indicates first information on the host vehicle, in a predetermined range around the target, a second determination unit that determines whether another vehicle is projecting a second pattern, which indicates second information on the other vehicle, and a control unit that controls the projection unit such that the first pattern is projected at the predetermined range around the target and the first pattern does not overlap with the second pattern or such that the first pattern is not projected, when the other vehicle is projecting the second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kawamata, Shinichi Nagata, Kazuyuki Fujita, Minami Sato
  • Patent number: 9855968
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a controller configured to, when a collision of a host vehicle with another vehicle traveling in a direction that intersects with a front-rear direction of the host vehicle is predicted (Yes in S20), when the collision with the other vehicle is unavoidable (No in S70) and when the other vehicle comes into collision with the host vehicle in the intersecting direction, automatically turn a steered wheel of the host vehicle before the host vehicle collides with the other vehicle. The controller is configured to vary a direction of the steered wheel that is turned by the controller (S100 or S110) in response to whether there is a target, other than the other vehicle, around the host vehicle (Yes or No in S90).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9785042
    Abstract: A vehicular lighting apparatus is provided with: a detector configured to detect a movable body around a self-vehicle; a deteminator configured to determine whether or not the movable body is an object whose attention is to be called; and a projector configured to project predetermined visual information by using illumination light in a predetermined range around the object if it is determined by the determinator that the movable body is the object. The predetermined visual information includes first information to be presented to a driver of the self-vehicle and second information to be presented to the object. The predetermined visual information is visualized as the first information by the driver of the self-vehicle and is visualized as the second information by the object, depending on a viewpoint difference between the driver of the self-vehicle and the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Fujita, Shinya Kawamata, Shinichi Nagata, Minami Sato
  • Publication number: 20170259728
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes: a lighting device that emits a first light and a second light to a periphery of an own vehicle, the second light having a higher directivity than the first light; a camera to acquire image information; a detector to emit an electromagnetic wave and acquire a reflection wave; and an electronic control unit configured to detect a physical body using the image information, detect the physical body using information of the reflection wave, control the lighting device such that the first light is emitted to the physical body detected by the reflection wave, determine whether the physical body detected using the image information in a state where the first light is being emitted is an target object, and control the lighting device such that the lighting device emits the second light toward a predetermined range around the target object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi NAGATA, Shinya KAWAMATA, Kazuyuki FUJITA, Minami SATO
  • Publication number: 20170253177
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes a first detection unit that detects a moving body around a host vehicle, a first determination unit that determines whether the moving body is a target to which an alert should be sent, a projection unit that can project a first pattern, which indicates first information on the host vehicle, in a predetermined range around the target, a second determination unit that determines whether another vehicle is projecting a second pattern, which indicates second information on the other vehicle, and a control unit that controls the projection unit such that the first pattern is projected at the predetermined range around the target and the first pattern does not overlap with the second pattern or such that the first pattern is not projected, when the other vehicle is projecting the second pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya KAWAMATA, Shinichi NAGATA, Kazuyuki FUJITA, Minami SATO
  • Publication number: 20170255093
    Abstract: A vehicular lighting apparatus is provided with: a detector configured to detect a movable body around a self-vehicle; a determinator configured to determine whether or not the movable body is an object whose attention is to be called; and a projector configured to project predetermined visual information by using illumination light in a predetermined range around the object if it is determined by the determinator that the movable body is the object. The predetermined visual information includes first information to be presented to a driver of the self-vehicle and second information to be presented to the object. The predetermined visual information is visualized as the first information by the driver of the self-vehicle and is visualized as the second information by the object, depending on a viewpoint difference between the driver of the self-vehicle and the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuyuki FUJITA, Shinya KAWAMATA, Shinichi NAGATA, Minami SATO
  • Patent number: 9679474
    Abstract: An other-vehicle detection apparatus includes: a sound source device mounted on a first vehicle and configured to output a non-audible region sound of a predetermined frequency range set in advance; a sound collection device mounted on the first vehicle and configured to collect sound information around the first vehicle; and a distinction device configured to distinguish a second vehicle based on a non-audible region sound included in the sound information collected by the sound collection device of the first vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Kaminade, Shinya Kawamata, Osamu Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9669760
    Abstract: A warning device includes: a host vehicle information acquisition unit; a moving object information acquisition unit that acquires moving object information around the host vehicle; an intersection determination unit that determines whether a course of the host vehicle and a course of the moving object intersect; a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance from the host vehicle to an intersection position; an estimated crossing-time calculation unit that calculates a time that elapses before the moving object arrives at the intersection position; a threshold setting unit; and a warning unit that alerts a driver when the time is smaller than a threshold, wherein the threshold is set larger as the distance becomes larger, and is set larger when the host vehicle speed vehicle is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed than when the host vehicle speed is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyoto Hanita, Shinya Kawamata
  • Patent number: 9664804
    Abstract: An approaching vehicle detection apparatus includes: a sound information detection unit configured to detect sound information around an own vehicle; a sound source detection unit configured to detect a sound source around the own vehicle based on the detected sound information; an approaching vehicle determination unit configured to determine whether the sound source is a vehicle approaching the own vehicle; and a vehicle state changing unit configured to change a vehicle state of the own vehicle to a vehicle state where the own vehicle sound is able to be suppressed when the own vehicle sound generated from the own vehicle is able to be suppressed by changing the vehicle state of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Kaminade, Shinya Kawamata, Osamu Ozaki, Akira Nagae
  • Patent number: 9514648
    Abstract: An alerting apparatus issues an alert regarding a moving obstacle to a driver of a host vehicle when the host vehicle enters an intersection of a crossroad that is connected to a traveling road on which the host vehicle is traveling, and the traveling road, in a left-hand traffic jurisdiction. This alerting apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to issue the alert regarding the moving obstacle when it is determined that a path of the moving obstacle intersects with an intersect determination range, and set the intersect determination range to be shorter in length in a front-rear direction of the host vehicle when the traveling direction of the host vehicle is a left turn than when the traveling direction of the host vehicle is a right turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kawamata, Kiyoto Hanita
  • Publication number: 20160280266
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a controller configured to, when a collision of a host vehicle with another vehicle traveling in a direction that intersects with a front-rear direction of the host vehicle is predicted (Yes in S20), when the collision with the other vehicle is unavoidable (No in S70) and when the other vehicle comes into collision with the host vehicle in the intersecting direction, automatically turn a steered wheel of the host vehicle before the host vehicle collides with the other vehicle. The controller is configured to vary a direction of the steered wheel that is turned by the controller (S100 or S110) in response to whether there is a target, other than the other vehicle, around the host vehicle (Yes or No in S90).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya KAWAMATA
  • Publication number: 20160274253
    Abstract: An approaching vehicle detection apparatus includes: a sound information detection unit configured to detect sound information around an own vehicle; a sound source detection unit configured to detect a sound source around the own vehicle based on the detected sound information; an approaching vehicle determination unit configured to determine whether the sound source is a vehicle approaching the own vehicle; and a vehicle state changing unit configured to change a vehicle state of the own vehicle to a vehicle state where the own vehicle sound is able to be suppressed when the own vehicle sound generated from the own vehicle is able to be suppressed by changing the vehicle state of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya KAMINADE, Shinya KAWAMATA, Osamu OZAKI, Akira NAGAE