Patents by Inventor Takao Kojima

Takao Kojima 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: 20240087777
    Abstract: A thermistor layer of the present invention is configured to be disposed in an electrical current path. The thermistor layer comprises a thermosensitive particle, a plurality of electro-conductive particles covering a surface of the thermosensitive particle, and a binder adhering the electro-conductive particles, the electro-conductive particles form an electro-conductive network, at least the surface of the thermosensitive particle is made of a thermoplastic resin, the thermoplastic resin softens at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the binder softens, and the thermistor layer is provided to become highly resistive due to softening and deformation of the thermoplastic resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Nobuhiro TSUJI, Manabu MURATA, Hisashi KAWAKAMI, Yasuto IMAI, Yoshiro KOJIMA, Takao FUKUNAGA
  • Patent number: 11247677
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle on the basis of inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to a preceding vehicle and a trailing vehicle. The vehicle control device is equipped with: a target inter-vehicle spacing calculation unit which calculates target inter-vehicle spacing information on the basis of inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to the preceding vehicle and inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to a trailing vehicle. The vehicle control device is configured to control the speed of the vehicle such that the calculated target inter-vehicle spacing information is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Imai, Takao Kojima, Kiyoshi Yorozuya, Jun Kezuka
  • Patent number: 11163310
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control device in which it is possible to modify the travel trajectory of a vehicle in response to the presence of an obstruction in the vehicle perimeter. In the present invention, the vehicle control device 1 recognizes the surroundings of the vehicle, detects a first branching point in a first route that is preset on a road, and in cases in which a prescribed condition is met by the presence of an obstruction detected from the recognized surroundings when the vehicle is to move along a travel trajectory that is based on at least one second route from among a plurality of second routes that branch from the first branching point, generates a virtual route which branches from the first route at a second branching point differing from the first branching point toward the selected second route, and modifies the travel trajectory on the basis of the generated virtual route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Imai, Takao Kojima, Kentaro Yoshimura, Kiyoshi Yorozuya
  • Patent number: 10845809
    Abstract: Achieving safety and natural automatic driving needs a control platform using intelligence (such as learning function and artificial intelligence), but it is difficult to ensure operations suited for the behavior of a vehicle by the output of intelligence. An automatic driving device according to the present invention includes a control program for inputting outside information and vehicle information, and outputting a target control value for a vehicle. The control program has a first program for generating a first target control amount on the basis of a dynamically changing algorithm (which outputs operations based on learning function or artificial intelligence), and a second program for generating a second target control amount on the basis of a prescribed algorithm (which outputs operations according to traffic rules or driving morals).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Imai, Takao Kojima, Kentaro Yoshimura, Kiyoshi Yorozuya
  • Publication number: 20200189587
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control device which is capable of controlling a vehicle on the basis of inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to a preceding vehicle and a trailing vehicle. A vehicle control device 10 for controlling a vehicle C1 so as to maintain an inter-vehicle spacing with respect to a preceding vehicle C0 is equipped with: a target inter-vehicle spacing calculation unit 13 which calculates target inter-vehicle spacing information on the basis of inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to the preceding vehicle C0 and inter-vehicle spacing information with respect to a trailing vehicle C2; and a vehicle control unit 14 which controls the speed of the vehicle C1 such that the calculated target inter-vehicle spacing information is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato IMAI, Takao KOJIMA, Kiyoshi YOROZUYA, Jun KEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20190317499
    Abstract: Achieving safety and natural automatic driving needs a control platform using intelligence (such as learning function and artificial intelligence), but it is difficult to ensure operations suited for the behavior of a vehicle by the output of intelligence. An automatic driving device according to the present invention includes a control program for inputting outside information and vehicle information, and outputting a target control value for a vehicle. The control program has a first program for generating a first target control amount on the basis of a dynamically changing algorithm (which outputs operations based on learning function or artificial intelligence), and a second program for generating a second target control amount on the basis of a prescribed algorithm (which outputs operations according to traffic rules or driving morals).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Masato IMAI, Takao KOJIMA, Kentaro YOSHIMURA, Kiyoshi YOROZUYA
  • Publication number: 20190278280
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control device in which it is possible to modify the travel trajectory of a vehicle in response to the presence of an obstruction in the vehicle perimeter. In the present invention, the vehicle control device 1 recognizes the surroundings of the vehicle, detects a first branching point in a first route that is preset on a road, and in cases in which a prescribed condition is met by the presence of an obstruction detected from the recognized surroundings when the vehicle is to move along a travel trajectory that is based on at least one second route from among a plurality of second routes that branch from the first branching point, generates a virtual route which branches from the first route at a second branching point differing from the first branching point toward the selected second route, and modifies the travel trajectory on the basis of the generated virtual route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato IMAI, Takao KOJIMA, Kentaro YOSHIMURA, Kiyoshi YOROZUYA
  • Publication number: 20190031193
    Abstract: The present invention provides a travel control device which is capable, even if map information differs from an actual environment, of generating an appropriate travel route on the basis of a travel environment. Provided is a travel control device for a vehicle, comprising: a travel route computation means which computes a travel route of a host vehicle on the basis of acquired map information; a travel environment recognition means which detects a travel environment in the vicinity of the host vehicle; a travel trajectory computation means which computes a travel trajectory of another vehicle which is detected with the travel environment recognition means; and a route planning means which plans a target route which the host vehicle travels. The route planning means comprises a correction means which, if the travel route differs from the travel environment, corrects the target route on the basis of the travel trajectory of the other vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Takao KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20150258897
    Abstract: In order to prevent cell batteries from reaching a regeneration inhibiting voltage in an initial period of regeneration braking and to ensure that a large amount of regeneration can be secured even if characteristics of cell batteries are varied, when a vehicle braking request is received (S2-2), a first limit of regeneration power (S2-8) for which the amount of regeneration is relatively small is performed, and while regeneration control is being performed, information about the cell batteries such as voltage across terminals is acquired from a battery monitoring device to identify a cell battery of which the voltage across terminals becomes the highest among the multiple cell batteries. After the determination is completed (S2-5), the process proceeds to a second regeneration control (S2-9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Okada, Hideki Miyazaki, Kazuto Oyama, Takao Kojima
  • Patent number: 9043116
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for performing driving assistance for a controlled vehicle, involving determining a first longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a lateral acceleration of the controlled vehicle, determining a second longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a target speed of the controlled vehicle, determining a third longitudinal acceleration target value based on a minimum value of the first longitudinal acceleration target value and the second longitudinal acceleration target value, and controlling a longitudinal acceleration of the controlled vehicle on the basis of the determined third longitudinal acceleration target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junya Takahashi, Heiko Altmannshofer, Makoto Yamakado, Takao Kojima
  • Publication number: 20150094927
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for performing driving assistance for a controlled vehicle, involving determining a first longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a lateral acceleration of the controlled vehicle, determining a second longitudinal acceleration target value on the basis of a target speed of the controlled vehicle, determining a third longitudinal acceleration target value based on a minimum value of the first longitudinal acceleration target value and the second longitudinal acceleration target value, and controlling a longitudinal acceleration of the controlled vehicle on the basis of the determined third longitudinal acceleration target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junya TAKAHASHI, Heiko ALTMANNSHOFER, Makoto YAMAKADO, Takao KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 8738210
    Abstract: A battery temperature control device for an electric vehicle is provided which is capable of maintaining both the range of the electric vehicle and the battery life at a high level without drastically reducing either of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Sato, Takao Kojima, Hitoshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8682533
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention device includes departure prevention control means that performs control to prevent deviation from a lane based on a result of detection means such as sensors and a camera, driver's intention determination means that determines driver's steering intention and actuator activation limiting means that limits activation of an actuator based on the driver's steering intention from the driver's intention determination means. The driver's intention determination means calculates a variation ?Th in the steering torque detected and a variation ?Ts in the control command value to a steering actuator, and determines that, when |?Th|?|?Ts| is a threshold or more, driver's operational intention is present and limits the activation of the departure prevention control. This can avoid the interruption of departure prevention control in response to activation of an actuator for lane departure avoidance that a driver does not intend because of erroneous detection that a driver intends as such.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kojima, Toshiharu Sugawara
  • Patent number: 8613844
    Abstract: A gas sensor (1a) having a laminate including an alumina substrate (11) having a heating resister (115) embedded in the alumina substrate (11); a first oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer (131) containing zirconia and alumina and partly constituting an oxygen-detecting cell (13) and the first solid electrolyte layer (131) being laminated with said alumina substrate (11); a second oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer (121) containing zirconia and alumina and partly constituting an oxygen-pumping cell (12); an ion-leakage preventing ceramic spacer (143) for preventing oxygen-ions from leaking from the second oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer (121) to the first oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layer (131), the spacer (143) being laminated between the first and second oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte layers (131, 121); and a gas-diffusion space (141) formed between an electrode (133) of the oxygen-detecting cell (13) and an electrodes (126) of the oxygen-pumping cell (
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Ando, Takao Kojima, Shigeki Mori
  • Patent number: 8536809
    Abstract: A controller for vector-controlled motor of vehicle judges whether a battery needs to be warmed up in accordance with an output of a battery temperature sensor, and when the battery needs to be warmed up, in situation (i) where the vehicle is stopped, sets a q-axis current value of the motor at zero, or when a brake is released from the situation (i), sets a q-axis current at a value corresponding to a drive torque for a vehicle creep operation, and sets a d-axis current at a value for battery warm-up. When the battery needs to be warmed up in situation (ii) where the vehicle is running, the controller sets a q-axis current at a value corresponding to a drive torque of vehicle running and sets a d-axis current at a value for the battery warm-up in relation to the q-axis current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kojima, Atsushi Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20120239255
    Abstract: A lane departure prevention device includes departure prevention control means that performs control to prevent deviation from a lane based on a result of detection means such as sensors and a camera, driver's intention determination means that determines driver's steering intention and actuator activation limiting means that limits activation of an actuator based on the driver's steering intention from the driver's intention determination means. The driver's intention determination means calculates a variation ?Th in the steering torque detected and a variation ?Ts in the control command value to a steering actuator, and determines that, when |?Th|?|?Ts| is a threshold or more, driver's operational intention is present and limits the activation of the departure prevention control. This can avoid the interruption of departure prevention control in response to activation of an actuator for lane departure avoidance that a driver does not intend because of erroneous detection that a driver intends as such.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kojima, Toshiharu Sugawara
  • Patent number: 8268113
    Abstract: A bonded-substrate fabricating apparatus capable of reducing defective bonded substrates fabricated. A transfer robot sucks the outer edge area of the bottom surface of a substrate and spouts gas toward the bottom surface of the substrate to carry the substrate into a vacuum process chamber of a press machine while keeping the substrate horizontally. A press plate holds the substrate, which is held by the transfer robot, by suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Muramoto, Takuya Ohno, Tsukasa Adachi, Koji Hashizume, Yosimasa Miyajima, Takao Kojima
  • Publication number: 20120200241
    Abstract: A controller for vector-controlled motor of vehicle judges whether a battery needs to be warmed up in accordance with an output of a battery temperature sensor, and when the battery needs to be warmed up, in situation (i) where the vehicle is stopped, sets a q-axis current value of the motor at zero, or when a brake is released from the situation (i), sets a q-axis current at a value corresponding to a drive torque for a vehicle creep operation, and sets a d-axis current at a value for battery warm-up. When the battery needs to be warmed up in situation (ii) where the vehicle is running, the controller sets a q-axis current at a value corresponding to a drive torque of vehicle running and sets a d-axis current at a value for the battery warm-up in relation to the q-axis current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao KOJIMA, Atsushi YOKOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20110214807
    Abstract: A bonded-substrate fabricating apparatus capable of reducing defective bonded substrates fabricated. A transfer robot sucks the outer edge area of the bottom surface of a substrate and spouts gas toward the bottom surface of the substrate to carry the substrate into a vacuum process chamber of a press machine while keeping the substrate horizontally. A press plate holds the substrate, which is held by the transfer robot, by suction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Muramoto, Takuya Ohno, Tsukasa Adachi, Koji Hashizume, Yosimasa Miyajima, Takao Kojima
  • Patent number: 7963308
    Abstract: A bonded-substrate fabricating apparatus capable of reducing defective bonded substrates fabricated. A transfer robot sucks the outer edge area of the bottom surface of a substrate and spouts gas toward the bottom surface of the substrate to carry the substrate into a vacuum process chamber of a press machine while keeping the substrate horizontally. A press plate holds the substrate, which is held by the transfer robot, by suction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Muramoto, Takuya Ohno, Tsukasa Adachi, Koji Hashizume, Yosimasa Miyajima, Takao Kojima