Patents by Inventor Takeshi Shima

Takeshi Shima 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: 9077907
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus that can implement image recognition processing on all of objects to be recognized, and can reduce a load of capturing and transferring images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Masahiro Kiyohara, Takeshi Shima, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 9074906
    Abstract: A road shape recognition device capable of accurately recognizing the road shape of a road that lies ahead in the travel direction of a vehicle is provided. A road shape recognition device 1 detects a road region of the road based on an image capturing a scene ahead in the travel direction of the vehicle, and estimates the shape of the road based on that road region. Thus, it is possible to accurately recognize road shapes over distances ranging from short to long.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Morihiko Sakano, Takeshi Shima, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 9064418
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted environment recognition apparatus including a simple pattern matching unit which extracts an object candidate from an image acquired from a vehicle-mounted image capturing apparatus by using a pattern shape stored in advance and outputs a position of the object candidate, an area change amount prediction unit which calculates a change amount prediction of the extracted object candidate on the basis of an object change amount prediction calculation method set differently for each area of a plurality of areas obtained by dividing the acquired image, detected vehicle behavior information, and an inputted position of the object candidate, and outputs a predicted position of an object, and a tracking unit which tracks the object on the basis of an inputted predicted position of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Isao Furusawa, Shinya Ohtsuji, Takeshi Shima, Yuji Otsuka, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • Patent number: 9041778
    Abstract: To obtain an image processing device and a method of processing an image that improve distance accuracy and is capable of performing accurate distance even about an object at a greater distance than before, when a distance to an object is measured, one image object region 302 including an image of an object is extracted from one image of a pair of images imaged by a pair of imaging elements at the same time in the same direction. The degree of background that is likelihood of whether either an object image configuration part 304 or a background image configuration part 303 is calculated for each of a plurality of image configuration parts that configures the one image object region 302. Then, the other image object region 503 having an image similar to the one image object region 302 is extracted from the other image 501 using the degree of background, and a parallax between the one image object region 302 and the other image object region 503 is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kakegawa, Hiroto Mitoma, Akira Oshima, Haruki Matono, Takeshi Shima
  • Publication number: 20150015384
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to attain an object detection device that enables tracking travel control that does not cause a driver to experience a feeling of discomfort. An object detection device 104 of the present invention is an object detection device 104 that detects a subject 102 in front of the host vehicle on the basis of an image in which outside of the vehicle is captured from imaging devices 105 and 106 mounted in the host vehicle 103, and detects a relative distance or a relative speed with respect to the subject 102, having a risk factor determination unit 111 that, on the basis of the image, determines whether or not there is a risk factor that is a travel risk for the host vehicle 103.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Shima, Mirai Higuchi, Haruki Matono, Taisetsu Tanimichi
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140320612
    Abstract: To obtain an image processing device and a method of processing an image that improve distance accuracy and is capable of performing accurate distance even about an object at a greater distance than before, when a distance to an object is measured, one image object region 302 including an image of an object is extracted from one image of a pair of images imaged by a pair of imaging elements at the same time in the same direction. The degree of background that is likelihood of whether either an object image configuration part 304 or a background image configuration part 303 is calculated for each of a plurality of image configuration parts that configures the one image object region 302. Then, the other image object region 503 having an image similar to the one image object region 302 is extracted from the other image 501 using the degree of background, and a parallax between the one image object region 302 and the other image object region 503 is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Shinji Kakegawa, Hiroto Mitoma, Akira Oshima, Haruki Matono, Takeshi Shima
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20140028873
    Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus that can implement image recognition processing on all of objects to be recognized, and can reduce a load of capturing and transferring images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Masahiro Kiyohara, Takeshi Shima, Tatsuhiko Monji
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130033600
    Abstract: An image processing device which performs a tracking control with respect to a moving object which is travelling forward, based on the controlled variable of the own vehicle includes, an image processing unit which specifies an area of a moving object from an input image, sets the specified area of the moving object as a reference image area after starting tracking control, and sets an area of the moving object after a predetermined time as a comparison image area; a comparison unit which compares the set reference image area and the comparison image area with each other, and calculates travelling information relating to the moving object; and a controlled variable calculation unit which calculates a controlled variable of the own vehicle from travelling information which is calculated in the comparison unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mirai HIGUCHI, Takehito Ogata, Takeshi Shima
  • Publication number: 20130027511
    Abstract: To provide an onboard environment recognition system capable of preventing, with a reduced processing load, erroneous recognition caused by light from a headlight of a vehicle in the surroundings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki TAKEMURA, Shoji Muramatsu, Takeshi Shima, Masao Sakata
  • Publication number: 20120327189
    Abstract: A stereo camera apparatus which carries out distance measuring stably and with high accuracy by making measuring distance resolution variable according to a distance to an object is provided. A stereo camera apparatus 1 takes in two images, changes resolution of a partial area of each image that is taken in, and calculates a distance from a vehicle to an object that is imaged in the partial area, based on disparity of the partial area of each image in which resolution is changed. Thus, even when the object exists at a long distance and is small in size, distance measuring processing can be carried out stably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Mirai Higuchi, Tatsuhiko Monji, Soichiro Yokota, Morihiko Sakano, Takeshi Shima
  • Publication number: 20120327188
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted environment recognition apparatus including a simple pattern matching unit which extracts an object candidate from an image acquired from a vehicle-mounted image capturing apparatus by using a pattern shape stored in advance and outputs a position of the object candidate, an area change amount prediction unit which calculates a change amount prediction of the extracted object candidate on the basis of an object change amount prediction calculation method set differently for each area of a plurality of areas obtained by dividing the acquired image, detected vehicle behavior information, and an inputted position of the object candidate, and outputs a predicted position of an object, and a tracking unit which tracks the object on the basis of an inputted predicted position of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Isao Furusawa, Shinya Ohtsuji, Takeshi Shima, Yuji Otsuka, Tatsuhiko Monji