Patents by Inventor Takao Muramatsu
Takao 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).
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Patent number: 11964608Abstract: A vehicular lamp system includes a light distribution control device that controls a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit. The light distribution control device forms a combined high-illuminance pattern in a region where no target is present. Meanwhile, the light distribution control device forms a combined shading pattern in regard to a forward vehicle. Furthermore, in regard to a specific target, the light distribution control device controls the first lamp unit so as to form an illuminance fixed pattern, controls the second lamp unit so as to form an illuminance fixed pattern or to form an illuminance adjusted pattern, and forms a combined mid-illuminance pattern by superposing the light distribution patterns that the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit form.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2023Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Yuta Maruyama, Yuichi Watano
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Patent number: 11897382Abstract: A vehicle lamp control device includes: an imaging unit that takes an image ahead of a host vehicle; a target analysis unit that detects target objects ahead of the host vehicle based on the information obtained from an imaging unit configured to take an image ahead of the host vehicle; and a tracking unit that determines a specific target object from the target objects detected by the target analysis unit and to detect displacement of the specific target object based on a detection result of an luminance analysis unit configured to detect luminance of each of a plurality of individual areas ahead of the host vehicle based on information obtained from the imaging unit. A light distribution pattern to be formed by a light source unit of a vehicle lamp is determined based on the detection result of the luminance analysis unit and a detection result of the tracking unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20240017663Abstract: A vehicular lamp system includes a light distribution control device that controls a first lamp unit and a second lamp unit. The light distribution control device forms a combined high-illuminance pattern in a region where no target is present. Meanwhile, the light distribution control device forms a combined shading pattern in regard to a forward vehicle. Furthermore, in regard to a specific target, the light distribution control device controls the first lamp unit so as to form an illuminance fixed pattern, controls the second lamp unit so as to form an illuminance fixed pattern or to form an illuminance adjusted pattern, and forms a combined mid-illuminance pattern by superposing the light distribution patterns that the first lamp unit and the second lamp unit form.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao MURAMATSU, Yuta MARUYAMA, Yuichi WATANO
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Publication number: 20230415637Abstract: A light distribution control device controls formation of a light distribution pattern by a light distribution variable lamp. The light distribution control device controls the light distribution variable lamp so as to reduce an illuminance of light that illuminates a non-traveling road when a vehicle reaches a first location a predetermined distance before a forked road, while a normal light distribution pattern is formed that includes, in an illumination range thereof, a side illuminating a traveling road of the vehicle at the forked road and a side illuminating the non-traveling road, and to form a guiding light distribution pattern in which an illuminance of light that illuminates the traveling road is higher than the illuminance of the light that illuminates the non-traveling road.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hirohiko OSHIO, Yuichi WATANO, Koji ISHIHARA, Takashi TERAYAMA, Tatsuma KITAZAWA, Takao MURAMATSU, Shuji MATSUURA
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Publication number: 20230415638Abstract: A vehicle lamp system includes an illuminance variable lamp, a lamp-mounted camera, and a lamp control unit. After acquiring position information of a low accuracy region from a vehicle control unit, the lamp control unit acquires illuminance of the low accuracy region by referring to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Takao MURAMATSU
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Patent number: 11787330Abstract: A vehicle lamp system includes an illuminance variable lamp, a lamp-mounted camera, and a lamp control unit. After acquiring position information of a low accuracy region from a vehicle control unit, the lamp control unit acquires illuminance of the low accuracy region by referring to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera, controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to increase the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is less than a threshold, and/or controls the illuminance variable lamp so as to decrease the illuminance of the low accuracy region if the illuminance of the low accuracy region is equal to or greater than the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2019Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Takao Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20230322154Abstract: A light distribution control device controls, using an image based on an imaging device for imaging an area in front of a vehicle, a variable light distribution lamp capable of irradiating the area in front with a variable intensity distribution visible light beam. The light distribution control device defines a light irradiating the area in front corresponding to a predetermined high-brightness pixel included in the image to be a subject light, adjusts an illuminance of the subject light so that a brightness value presented by the high-brightness pixel gradually approaches a predetermined target low brightness, and, during adjustment, varies the illuminance by a smaller amount of change when increasing the illuminance than when decreasing the illuminance.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki SUMITANI, Takao MURAMATSU
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Patent number: 11729875Abstract: A scanning light source includes a light source, and scans the output light of the light source ahead of a lamp. A control apparatus controls the lighting on/off state of the semiconductor light source in synchronization with the scanning operation of the scanning light source. The control apparatus judges the presence or absence of an abnormal state with at least one from among (i) a timing immediately before switching from a lighting-on state to a lighting-off state and (ii) a timing immediately before switching from a lighting-off state to a lighting-on state as a judgment timing.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2020Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Kentarou Murakami, Toshiyuki Tsuchiya, Takao Muramatsu, Shohei Yanagizu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20230017893Abstract: An imaging system includes a light emitter that emits light toward the surroundings of a vehicle, an imager that captures an image of a range including a region that is illuminated with light emitted by the light emitter, and a difference image generator that generates (n?1) difference images from n captured images captured by the imager (n is an integer no smaller than 3). The difference image generator generates a difference image based on an image included in the n captured images and captured while the light emitter is on and an image included in the n captured images and captured while the light emitter is dimmed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao MURAMATSU, Kazutaka KITAMURA, Tsukasa TOKIDA
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Patent number: 11454539Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a first light source configured to irradiate visible light; a second light source configured to emit infrared light; a rotating reflector configured to be rotated while reflecting the visible light and the infrared light, and scan the visible light and the infrared light along a horizontal direction on a virtual vertical screen; a light receiving unit configured to receive the infrared light emitted from the second light source and reflected by a target object; and a controller configured to control an irradiation area of the visible light based on the infrared light received by the receiving unit. When determined that there is an abnormality in at least one of the second light source or the light receiving unit, the controller is configured to control the irradiation area based on the surrounding information of the vehicle obtained from outside the vehicle lamp.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2020Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Fahin Syed Ahmed, Takao Muramatsu, Hitoshi Gotoh
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Patent number: 11252338Abstract: A left infrared camera module includes a left infrared irradiation unit configured to emit infrared toward a left side region of a vehicle, a left infrared camera configured to acquire infrared image data indicative of a surrounding environment in the left side region of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the left infrared irradiation unit. The control unit is configured to change an intensity of the infrared to be emitted from the left infrared irradiation unit, in correspondence to a condition relating to a traveling state of the vehicle. The left infrared camera module configured as described above can detect the surrounding environment in the side region of the vehicle without causing an uncomfortable feeling to other vehicle, a pedestrian and the like.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Masaaki Sato, Akinobu Kubota
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Publication number: 20220014650Abstract: A left infrared camera module provided in a vehicle includes: a left infrared emitting unit configured to emit infrared rays toward an outside, and a left infrared camera configured to acquire infrared image data indicating a surrounding environment of the vehicle. The left infrared emitting unit and the left infrared camera are mounted on a left C-pillar of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao MURAMATSU, Shigeyuki WATANABE, Masaaki SATO, Akinobu KUBOTA
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Publication number: 20210402915Abstract: A vehicle lamp system (100) comprises an illuminance-variable lamp (42), a lamp-mounted camera (44), and a lamp control unit (43). When acquiring positional information of a low-accuracy region from a vehicle control unit (3), the lamp control unit (43) acquires illuminance of the low-accuracy region with reference to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera (44), controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is increased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is less than a threshold value, and/or controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is decreased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is the threshold value or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2019Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Takao MURAMATSU
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Publication number: 20210370820Abstract: A vehicle lamp control device includes: an imaging unit that takes an image ahead of a host vehicle; a target analysis unit that detects target objects ahead of the host vehicle based on the information obtained from an imaging unit configured to take an image ahead of the host vehicle; and a tracking unit that determines a specific target object from the target objects detected by the target analysis unit and to detect displacement of the specific target object based on a detection result of an luminance analysis unit configured to detect luminance of each of a plurality of individual areas ahead of the host vehicle based on information obtained from the imaging unit. A light distribution pattern to be formed by a light source unit of a vehicle lamp is determined based on the detection result of the luminance analysis unit and a detection result of the tracking unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11097653Abstract: A vehicle lamp system includes an imaging unit that takes an image ahead of a host vehicle, a luminance analyzer that detects luminance of each of areas ahead of the host vehicle, a target analyzer that detects objects ahead of the host vehicle, a tracking unit that determines a specific object from the detected objects and detects displacement of the specific object based on a detection result of the luminance; a setting unit that sets, based on the detection result of the luminance and a detection result of the displacement, an illuminance value for each area, which includes a specific illuminance for a specific area determined according to a position where the specific target is present, and a controller that controls the light source the illuminance of the light to be radiated from a light source to each area based on the illuminance values set by the setting unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
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Patent number: 11001194Abstract: A vehicular lamp system includes: an imager; a luminance analyzer that detects a luminance of each of multiple individual regions; an illuminance setting unit that determines an illuminance value of light emitted to each individual region, based on a detection result from the luminance analyzer; a light source unit; and a light source controller that controls the light source unit. The illuminance setting unit uses different functions to determine the illuminance value for an individual region that falls within a certain first luminance range, and the illuminance value for an individual region that falls within a certain second luminance range.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
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Patent number: 10993297Abstract: A lighting circuit controls lighting/extinguishing of a light source. A driving circuit generates a driving current which is to be supplied to the light source. A clamp circuit clamps a voltage between both ends of the light source to a clamp level in a period in which the light source is to be turned off. The clamp level is defined to be higher than zero and lower than a critical pressure when the light source is turned on/off.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2017Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Takao Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20210031675Abstract: A vehicle lamp system includes an imaging unit that takes an image ahead of a host vehicle, a luminance analyzer that detects luminance of each of areas ahead of the host vehicle, a target analyzer that detects objects ahead of the host vehicle, a tracking unit that determines a specific object from the detected objects and detects displacement of the specific object based on a detection result of the luminance; a setting unit that sets, based on the detection result of the luminance and a detection result of the displacement, an illuminance value for each area, which includes a specific illuminance for a specific area determined according to a position where the specific target is present, and a controller that controls the light source the illuminance of the light to be radiated from a light source to each area based on the illuminance values set by the setting unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2018Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshinori Shibata, Takao Muramatsu
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Publication number: 20200339034Abstract: A scanning light source includes a light source, and scans the output light of the light source ahead of a lamp. A control apparatus controls the lighting on/off state of the semiconductor light source in synchronization with the scanning operation of the scanning light source. The control apparatus judges the presence or absence of an abnormal state with at least one from among (i) a timing immediately before switching from a lighting-on state to a lighting-off state and (ii) a timing immediately before switching from a lighting-off state to a lighting-on state as a judgment timing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2020Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Satoshi KIKUCHI, Kentarou MURAKAMI, Toshiyuki TSUCHIYA, Takao MURAMATSU, Shohei YANAGIZU, Tomoyuki ICHIKAWA
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Publication number: 20200333182Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a first light source configured to irradiate visible light; a second light source configured to emit infrared light; a rotating reflector configured to be rotated while reflecting the visible light and the infrared light, and scan the visible light and the infrared light along a horizontal direction on a virtual vertical screen; a light receiving unit configured to receive the infrared light emitted from the second light source and reflected by a target object; and a controller configured to control an irradiation area of the visible light based on the infrared light received by the receiving unit. When determined that there is an abnormality in at least one of the second light source or the light receiving unit, the controller is configured to control the irradiation area based on the surrounding information of the vehicle obtained from outside the vehicle lamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Fahin Syed Ahmed, Takao Muramatsu, Hitoshi Gotoh