Patents by Inventor Tatsuhiko Monji
Tatsuhiko Monji 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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Publication number: 20170221188Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing an imaging device that prevents mismatching in image matching for parallax calculation even if the sharpnesses of an end part and center part of a processing area differ. An imaging device 1 according to the present invention is provided with a means for equalizing the sharpnesses of the processing areas of a reference image and a comparison image.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2015Publication date: August 3, 2017Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Toshiyuki AOKI, Takeshi SHIMA, Tatsuhiko MONJI, Hiroshi KURODA, Keiichi BETSUI, Seiji MURATA
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Patent number: 9704047Abstract: To provide a moving object recognition apparatus that earlier detects a moving object crossing a road, the moving object recognition apparatus includes a left imaging unit 101, a right imaging unit 102, a moving object detection unit that detects a moving object based on images imaged by the left imaging unit and the right imaging unit, wherein, suppose that non-overlap regions in which an imaging region of the left imaging unit 101 and an imaging region of the right imaging unit 102 do not overlap are first regions 203, 204 and an overlap region in which the imaging region of the left imaging unit and the imaging region of the right imaging unit overlap is a second region 205, the moving object detection unit uses different methods of detecting the moving object between the first regions and the second region.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2013Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Shima, Haruki Matono, Hiroto Morizane, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Publication number: 20170039434Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to obtain an external environment-recognizing apparatus with which it is possible to obtain detection results having a necessary accuracy when a plurality of target objects from a captured image are detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2015Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Takeshi SHIMA, Toshiyuki AOKI, Haruki MATONO, Tatsuhiko MONJI, Rikiya KASHIMURA, Yasuto ARAKAKI
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Patent number: 9456199Abstract: Although a conventional method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay. According to this invention, mounting surfaces for mounting left and right imaging elements to a stay are provided to directly position left and right imaging elements to the stay, whereby built-up tolerance between components is reduced and the positional mounting precision between imaging elements is improved.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ken Ohsumi, Masaaki Fukuhara, Tatsuhiko Monji, Norio Koike
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Patent number: 9443313Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Mirai Higuchi, Tatsuhiko Monji, Soichiro Yokota, Morihiko Sakano, Takeshi Shima
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Publication number: 20150339825Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Shoji MURAMATSU, Mirai HIGUCHI, Tatsuhiko MONJI, Soichiro YOKOTA, Morihiko SAKANO, Takeshi SHIMA
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Publication number: 20150235093Abstract: To provide a moving object recognition apparatus that earlier detects a moving object crossing a road, the moving object recognition apparatus includes a left imaging unit 101, a right imaging unit 102, a moving object detection unit that detects a moving object based on images imaged by the left imaging unit and the right imaging unit, wherein, suppose that non-overlap regions in which an imaging region of the left imaging unit 101 and an imaging region of the right imaging unit 102 do not overlap are first regions 203, 204 and an overlap region in which the imaging region of the left imaging unit and the imaging region of the right imaging unit overlap is a second region 205, the moving object detection unit uses different methods of detecting the moving object between the first regions and the second region.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2013Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Takeshi Shima, Haruki Matono, Hiroto Morizane, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 9077907Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Masahiro Kiyohara, Takeshi Shima, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 9074906Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 23, 2010Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Morihiko Sakano, Takeshi Shima, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Vehicle-mounted environment recognition apparatus and vehicle-mounted environment recognition system
Patent number: 9064418Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 13, 2010Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Isao Furusawa, Shinya Ohtsuji, Takeshi Shima, Yuji Otsuka, Tatsuhiko Monji -
Patent number: 9058746Abstract: Provided are an information processing device and a processing method both of which are capable of executing processing in response to a traveling situation of a vehicle, thereby securing safety at the time of emergency while securing convenience.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Masayuki Takemura, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 9042604Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 26, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Yuuji Otsuka, Hiroshi Takenaga, Tatsuhiko Monji, Jiro Takezaki, Isao Furusawa
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Patent number: 8885888Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Mirai Higuchi, Yuji Otsuka, Takeshi Shima, Kimiyoshi Machii, Shoji Muramatsu, Kota Irie, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 8878935Abstract: In the present invention, images at a front side or a rear side of a vehicle are obtained from a plurality of image capturing devices and a disparity and a distance to the captured object are calculated from the images, if the disparity is not sufficiently obtained, pattern light is irradiated onto a capturing object and an image of the object onto which the pattern light is irradiated is obtained again from the plurality of image capturing devices and the disparity and the distance to the captured object are calculated. Therefore, it is possible to provide an in-vehicle camera and system that recognizes an obstacle even in a situation where it is difficult to obtain the disparity of the obstacle around the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2012Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Kourogi, Tatsuhiko Monji
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Patent number: 8873803Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 9, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Shima, Mirai Higuchi, Shoji Muramatsu, Tatsuhiko Monji, Takuya Naka
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Patent number: 8818026Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: August 26, 2014Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Kiyohara, Kota Irie, Naoki Kourogi, Tatsuhiko Monji, Yoshitaka Takahashi, Shoji Muramatsu
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Patent number: 8730325Abstract: A traveling lane detector according to the present invention includes: an imaging unit mounted on a vehicle to take a road surface image; and an image processor performing image processing on the image to detect lane marks on the road surface. The image processor judges whether the vehicle is crossing the lane marks, and, when the vehicle is not crossing any of the lane marks, defines first and second windows, in the image, for detecting the lane marks located respectively on left and right parts of a road surface in front of or behind the vehicle, performs image processing on the image in each of the windows to detect the lane marks, and, when the vehicle is crossing any of the lane marks, defines a third window including the currently-crossed lane mark in the image, performs image processing on the image in the third window to detect the lane mark.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Otsuka, Masayuki Takemura, Tatsuhiko Monji, Isao Furusawa
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Publication number: 20140132739Abstract: Although a conventional method can eliminate a mounting position deviation when left and right camera units only are taken into consideration, a problem is posed that deviation again occurs due to poor machining precision and assembly precision at the mounting surface between a camera unit and a member when a camera unit is mounted to a stay. According to this invention, mounting surfaces for mounting left and right imaging elements to a stay are provided to directly position left and right imaging elements to the stay, whereby built-up tolerance between components is reduced and the positional mounting precision between imaging elements is improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2014Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Ken OHSUMI, Masaaki FUKUHARA, Tatsuhiko MONJI, Norio KOIKE
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Publication number: 20140118504Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2014Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi SHIMA, Mirai HIGUCHI, Shoji MURAMATSU, Tatsuhiko MONJI
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Publication number: 20140078305Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Muramatsu, Yuuji Otsuka, Hiroshi Takenaga, Tatsuhiko Monji, Jiro Takezaki, Isao Furusawa