Patents by Inventor Shoji Muramatsu

Shoji Muramatsu 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: 8903603
    Abstract: An environment recognizing device for a vehicle is provided that can correctly detect a preceding vehicle in a scene, such as for instance the dusk, which is under an illumination condition different from that in the daytime. The device detects a vehicle external shape while detecting vehicle taillights, and determines a region in which the vehicle external shape and the vehicle taillights move in synchronization, as a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehito Ogata, Shoji Muramatsu, Takashi Tsutsui, Katsuyuki Nakamura, Mitsutoshi Morinaga
  • Patent number: 8885888
    Abstract: An in-vehicle running-environment recognition apparatus including an input unit for inputting an image signal from in-vehicle imaging devices for photographing external environment of a vehicle, an image processing unit for detecting a first image area by processing the image signal, the first image area having a factor which prevents recognition of the external environment, an image determination unit for determining a second image area based on at least any one of size of the first image area, position thereof, and set-up positions of the in-vehicle imaging devices having the first image area, an environment recognition processing being performed in the second image area, the first image area being detected by the image processing unit, and an environment recognition unit for recognizing the external environment of the vehicle based on the second image area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Yuji Otsuka, Takeshi Shima, Kimiyoshi Machii, Shoji Muramatsu, Kota Irie, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 8873803
    Abstract: Disclosed is a road-shoulder detecting device including a distance-information calculating portion for calculating the presence of a physical object and the distance from the subject vehicle to the object from input three-dimensional image information relating to an environment around the vehicle, a vehicular road surface detecting portion for detecting a vehicular road surface with the subject vehicle from a distance image, a height difference calculating portion for measuring height difference between the detected vehicular road and an off-road region, and a road shoulder decision portion for deciding height difference as to whether the road shoulder is boundary between the surface and the region in a case where there is an off-road region lower than the vehicular road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shima, Mirai Higuchi, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Takuya Naka
  • Publication number: 20140300731
    Abstract: Disclosed is an onboard environment-recognition device 100, capable of finding a recognition result with high precision in a state where alarm and vehicle-control are ready for actuation, and realizing recognition of the ambient environment of a vehicle with higher accuracy, that is, for recognizing the ambient environment of the driver's own vehicle on the basis of an image taken by an imaging unit 110. The onboard environment-recognition device includes respective detection units 211 through 213 for detecting plural preset detection elements from the image, and a process-load adjust unit 320 for adjusting detection accuracy of at least one of the plural detection elements according to the state of the driver's own vehicle. Thereby, correction of control timing according to the state of the vehicle by an alarm and vehicle-control unit 400, enhancement in stability, and higher precision of estimated accuracy and calculation accuracy are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Takeshi Shima, Masao Sakata
  • Patent number: 8832704
    Abstract: An in-car-use multi-application execution device is provided that ensures safety while maintaining convenience by securing operation of a plurality of applications and suppressing occurrence of a termination process within a limited processing capacity without degrading a real-time feature. The in-car-use multi-application execution device dynamically predicts a processing time for each application, and schedules each application on the basis of the predicted processing time. If it is determined that an application failing to complete a process in a prescribed cycle exists as a result of the scheduling, a process is executed that terminates the application or degrades the function of the application on the basis of a preset priority order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Isao Furusawa, Shinya Ohtsuji, Takeshi Shima
  • Patent number: 8818026
    Abstract: An object recognition device includes; an image-capturing unit mounted to a mobile body; an image generation unit that converts images captured by the image-capturing unit at different time points to corresponding synthesized images as seen vertically downwards from above; a detection unit that compares together a plurality of the synthesized images and detects corresponding regions; and a recognition unit that recognizes an object present upon the road surface from a difference between the corresponding regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kiyohara, Kota Irie, Naoki Kourogi, Tatsuhiko Monji, Yoshitaka Takahashi, Shoji Muramatsu
  • Publication number: 20140118504
    Abstract: Provided is a camera device capable of estimating a road shape ahead of a target vehicle or determining whether or not the target vehicle needs to be decelerated by controlling a brake before a curve, even in the situation where a white line of a traveling road or a roadside three-dimensional object is difficult to detect. A camera device 105 including a plurality of image capturing units 107 and 108 which take images of a traveling road ahead of a target vehicle 106, includes: a three-dimensional object ahead detection unit 114 which detects three-dimensional objects ahead 101 existing in a vicinity of a vanishing point of the traveling road 102 based on the taken images; and a road shape estimation unit 113 which estimates a road shape on a distant portion of the traveling road 102 based on a detection by the three-dimensional object ahead detection unit 114.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi SHIMA, Mirai HIGUCHI, Shoji MURAMATSU, Tatsuhiko MONJI
  • Publication number: 20140078305
    Abstract: An image pickup device that acquires images is controlled by an image pickup device controller that accepts image acquisition requests from multiple application programs, and an application scheduler selects application programs to be executed. Information indicative of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates required for each of the multiple application programs is stored and used to select multiple concurrently executable application programs on the basis of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates. An image acquisition scheduler determines the timing and intervals at which the multiple executable application programs repeat receiving image data from the image pickup device, without overlapping in terms of time. In addition, an operations section, which explicitly presents concurrently executable application programs to a user and commands the startup of these programs, is displayed on a navigation screen menu.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Yuuji Otsuka, Hiroshi Takenaga, Tatsuhiko Monji, Jiro Takezaki, Isao Furusawa
  • Patent number: 8675047
    Abstract: A detection device of a planar area is provided. The detection device includes an image obtaining section for obtaining a left image and a right image; a planar area aligning section for setting given regions of interest to the obtained left image and the right image, and through use of a geometric transform function that matches the region of interest of the right image with the region of interest of the left image, performing geometric transform to generate a geometric transform image; and a planar area detecting section for detecting a planar area based on the geometric transform image and the region of interest of the right image. The planar area aligning section sets the planar area detected by the planar area detecting section as a given region of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morihiko Sakano, Mirai Higuchi, Takeshi Shima, Shoji Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8630793
    Abstract: A vehicle controller is provided capable of expanding an application range of departure prevention control while suppressing erroneous control. The vehicle controller includes: a vehicle-mounted camera 600 that captures an image in front of a vehicle; and an ECU 610 that decides one vehicle control method from a plurality of vehicle control methods and controls an actuator with the decided vehicle control method. The vehicle-mounted camera includes an area-specific confidence calculation section 400 that divides the image captured into a plurality of areas on a basis of an acquired image by the capturing and a recognized lane, calculates confidence for each divided area and outputs area-specific confidence information, and the ECU decides a vehicle control method in accordance with the area-specific confidence information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Isao Furusawa, Shinya Ohtsuji, Takeshi Shima
  • Publication number: 20140009618
    Abstract: A lane departure warning device includes: a compartment line detection unit that detects a compartment line in an image of a running lane on which a vehicle is traveling, the image being captured by an image capturing device which the vehicle has; a dirtiness detection unit that detects dirtiness on any one of a lens of the image capturing device or a partition between an outside of a vehicle interior of the vehicle and the image capturing device; a departure judgment unit that judges whether or not the vehicle departs from the compartment line; and a warning judgment unit that when it is judged that the vehicle departs from the compartment line, outputs a warning signal based on a degree of the dirtiness detected. A position of the vehicle with respect to the compartment line when the warning signal is output varies depending on the degree of the dirtiness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Masato IMAI, Masayuki TAKEMURA, Shoji MURAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20140009617
    Abstract: An environment recognition device includes: an image acquisition unit; a light spot feature amount extraction unit that extracts a feature amount of a light spot from the image; a lens dirtiness judgment unit that judges dirt adhering to a surface of a lens of the imaging unit; a headlight detection condition setting unit that sets, based on result of judgment by the lens dirtiness judgment unit, in a parameter that is preliminarily related, a detection condition under which a light spot extracted by the light spot feature amount extraction unit is judged to be a headlight; an approaching headlight judgment unit that judges a particular light spot out of the light spots that corresponds to the parameter as an approaching headlight based on the parameter; and a vehicle annunciation signal outputting unit that outputs a vehicle annunciation signal based on detection result of the approaching headlight judgment unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Akira UTAGAWA, Masayuki TAKEMURA, Shoji MURAMATSU, Masahiro KIYOHARA
  • Publication number: 20140010408
    Abstract: A lens-attached matter detector includes an edge extractor configured to create an edge image based on an input image, divide the edge image into a plurality of areas including a plurality of pixels, and extract an area whose edge intensity is a threshold range as an attention area, a brightness distribution extractor configured to obtain a brightness value of the attention area and a brightness value of a circumference area, a brightness change extractor configured to obtain the brightness value of the attention area and the brightness value of the circumference area for a predetermined time interval, and obtain a time series variation in the brightness value of the attention area based on the brightness value of the attention area, and an attached matter determiner configured to determine the presence or absence of attached matter based on the time series variation in the brightness value of the attention area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Kota IRIE, Shoji MURAMATSU, Kenji KATO, Masahiro KIYOHARA
  • Publication number: 20140002654
    Abstract: A white turbid state diagnostic apparatus has an imaging part installed on a vehicle and configured to convert a light signal from a periphery of the vehicle into an image signal, a region detection part configured to detect a region from the image signal, the region being constituted by pixels having brightness values over a predetermined brightness and being in a substantially circular shape having a predetermined area or more, a brightness gradient calculation part configured to calculate a brightness gradient on a line which is directed from a predetermined position in a predetermined direction based on brightness values of pixels on the line in the region, and a white turbid level calculation part configured to calculate a white turbid level of the lens based on the brightness gradient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Kota IRIE, Shoji MURAMATSU, Shunsuke KONDOU, Masahiro KIYOHARA
  • Patent number: 8620025
    Abstract: In order to perform vehicle control, a warning process, and the like which do not give a driver an uncomfortable feeling in speed adjustment, a warning process, and the like corresponding to a road shape such as a curve, it is necessary to recognize not only a near road shape but also a far road shape with high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Ryo Ota, Takuya Naka, Morihiko Sakano, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 8548226
    Abstract: In stereo matching based on standard area matching, in order to suppress a decrease in matching accuracy, it is effective to adaptively change a matching area in accordance with the local properties of an image. However, this requires high calculation costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Morihiko Sakano, Mirai Higuchi, Takuya Naka, Takeshi Shima, Shoji Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8538141
    Abstract: A classifier learning image production program, method, and system are provided which are capable of efficiently acquiring learning images to be employed in development of a discrimination application, or more particularly, efficiently acquiring initial learning images to be employed in an early stage of development of a discrimination algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sakimura, Hiroto Morizane, Shoji Muramatsu
  • Publication number: 20130235201
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle peripheral area observation system that can, with a simple configuration, detect a pedestrian who has a possibility of hitting against the vehicle by removing an appearance motion due to water vapor or a light source fluctuation. A water vapor region is detected from motion information and luminance information from videos captured with an on-vehicle camera, and recognition of a moving object in the water vapor region is invalidated for a given period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: CLARION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro KIYOHARA, Yoshitaka UCHIDA, Shoji MURAMATSU, Kota IRIE
  • Publication number: 20130147948
    Abstract: It is possible to provide an image processing apparatus capable of carrying out calibration easily and precisely without requiring a special facility and provide an imaging apparatus making use of the image processing apparatus. The imaging apparatus comprises at least two cameras 4a and 4b. The image processing apparatus or the image processing apparatus comprises a corresponding-area computing section 23 for finding a relation between areas on images taken by the cameras 4a and 4b; a coincidence-degree computing section 24 for finding a degree of coincidence of information obtained from corresponding areas on the images taken by the cameras 4a and 4b; and a camera-parameter computing section 25 for finding camera parameters on the basis of the coincidence degree computed by the coincidence-degree computing section 24.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Morihiko Sakano, Takeshi Shima, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 8452056
    Abstract: An image pickup device that acquires images is controlled by an image pickup device controller that accepts image acquisition requests from multiple application programs, and an application scheduler selects application programs to be executed. Information indicative of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates required for each of the multiple application programs is stored and used to select multiple concurrently executable application programs on the basis of the image data volumes and image data acquisition rates. An image acquisition scheduler determines the timing and intervals at which the multiple executable application programs repeat receiving image data from the image pickup device, without overlapping in terms of time. In addition, an operations section, which explicitly presents concurrently executable application programs to a user and commands the startup of these programs, is displayed on a navigation screen menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Yuuji Otsuka, Hiroshi Takenaga, Tatsuhiko Monji, Jiro Takezaki, Isao Furusawa