Patents by Inventor Teppei Ohta

Teppei Ohta 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: 10970870
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes: a camera; a map database; a radar sensor; and an electronic control unit configured to detect a first object in a camera image, detect a first relative position of the first object relative to the road structure in the camera image, detect a second object based on a result received by the radar sensor, detect a second relative angle and a relative distance between the host vehicle and the second object, estimate a second relative position of the second object relative to the road structure, determine, based on the first relative angle, the first relative position, the second relative angle, and the second relative position, whether the first and second objects belong to the same object, and recognize the first and second of as the same object, when it is determined that the first and second objects belong to the same object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Ozawa, Teppei Ohta, Yoshitaka Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10829112
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a target information acquisition device, a vehicle state information acquisition device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a specific condition which is set so as to be established when vehicle control is needed in accordance with a result of comparison between an index value and a predetermined threshold is established, perform the vehicle control for avoiding contact of the host vehicle with an obstacle or abnormal proximity of the host vehicle to the obstacle when the specific condition is determined to be established, and change at least one of the predetermined threshold and the index value based on a lateral distance so that the specific condition has more of a tendency to be established as the lateral distance decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Patent number: 10777082
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle includes an imaging device, an ECU, and a head-up display device. When a position in which a straight line connecting a predetermined position and a position of a particular object intersects with a position estimating plane that is a virtual plane position on the same plane as a virtual display area is defined as a particular object estimation position, an indicator is a motion indicator moving such that a tip end of the indicator approaches the estimation position along a virtual straight line set in the virtual display area with lapse of time, and the ECU is configured to perform control such that a position shift amount of the estimation position shifted from the virtual straight line in a width direction of a vehicle on the position estimating plane is equal to or less than a predetermined value in a predetermined pre-collision time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Patent number: 10710502
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes an object information acquiring unit, a vehicle status information acquiring unit, a display unit, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit determines whether or not an alert target exists outside a field of view of a driver, and displays, as an alert screen, a single display screen when one alert target is selected, a whole display screen when two alert targets are selected and all of the two alert targets are determined to exist within the field of view of the driver, and an individual display screen when two alert targets are selected and an alert target having the highest alert degree is determined to exist outside the field of view of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Publication number: 20200098126
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes: a camera; a map database; a radar sensor; and an electronic control unit configured to detect a first object in a camera image, detect a first relative position of the first object relative to the road structure in the camera image, detect a second object based on a result received by the radar sensor, detect a second relative angle and a relative distance between the host vehicle and the second object, estimate a second relative position of the second object relative to the road structure, determine, based on the first relative angle, the first relative position, the second relative angle, and the second relative position, whether the first and second objects belong to the same object, and recognize the first and second of as the same object, when it is determined that the first and second objects belong to the same object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Ozawa, Teppei Ohta, Yoshitaka Oikawa
  • Patent number: 10589673
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert device includes: an alert object detection device; a display apparatus; and a control device configured to: cause the display apparatus to display a first display when an alert object is detected in a first direction, the first display guiding a line of sight of a driver toward the first direction, cause the display apparatus to display a second display when the alert object is detected in a second direction that is different from the first direction, the second display guiding the line of sight of the driver toward the second direction, and cause the display apparatus to display a third display when the alert object is detected in both the first direction and the second direction, the third display prompting the driver to pay attention over a whole vehicle-width direction in a host vehicle traveling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Takahiko Murano, Teppei Ohta
  • Patent number: 10486593
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The ECU configured to estimate a predicted traveling course of a center point in a vehicle width direction of a host vehicle based on vehicle status information, extract an object having a possibility of colliding with the host vehicle as an obstacle, calculate an index value that is changed in accordance with a degree of need for an alert operation which alerts a driver to each extracted obstacle, select a processing target obstacle from the extracted obstacles by using the index value calculated for each extracted obstacle, determine whether a specific condition is established in accordance with a result of comparison between the index value for the processing target obstacle and a predetermined threshold, and display an alert screen on a display unit when the specific condition is determined to be established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Patent number: 10366603
    Abstract: A recognition support device for a vehicle includes: an irradiation device which is configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light and has an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and circuitry configured to recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor, to irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device and to drive the actuator, when the specific object advances into a second area which is larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area before advancing into the first area, such that the irradiation direction of the light from the irradiation device faces the specific object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Publication number: 20190103017
    Abstract: A recognition support device for a vehicle includes: an irradiation device which is configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light and has an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and circuitry configured to recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor, to irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device and to drive the actuator, when the specific object advances into a second area which is larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area before advancing into the first area, such that the irradiation direction of the light from the irradiation device faces the specific object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Patent number: 10124812
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes a camera sensor, a radar sensor, a display unit, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit specifies a position and a relative speed of an object by selectively using any of a fusion method and a camera-alone method. The electronic control unit extracts an obstacle and calculates a margin time period in which the obstacle reaches a tip end region of a host vehicle. The electronic control unit displays an alert screen that guides driver's line of sight in a direction of the obstacle having the margin time period less than or equal to a threshold. The electronic control unit prohibits display of a new alert screen while a first predetermined time period elapses from switching to the camera-alone method, and while a second predetermined time period elapses from switching to the fusion method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei Ohta
  • Patent number: 10049579
    Abstract: The vehicle driving assist apparatus of the invention provides a display device with an attention display command when an attention condition that a time predicted for a vehicle to reach a target is larger than a lower limit threshold time and smaller than or equal to a display start threshold time is satisfied. The lower limit threshold time is larger than or equal to a display time required for one attention display operation to be completed. The display start threshold time is larger than the lower limit threshold time. When the attention display condition is not satisfied, the apparatus does not provide the display device with the attention display command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Teppei Ohta
  • Publication number: 20180178784
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a target information acquisition device, a vehicle state information acquisition device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether a specific condition which is set so as to be established when vehicle control is needed in accordance with a result of comparison between an index value and a predetermined threshold is established, perform the vehicle control for avoiding contact of the host vehicle with an obstacle or abnormal proximity of the host vehicle to the obstacle when the specific condition is determined to be established, and change at least one of the predetermined threshold and the index value based on a lateral distance so that the specific condition has more of a tendency to be established as the lateral distance decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180178811
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes a camera sensor, a radar sensor, a display unit, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit specifies a position and a relative speed of an object by selectively using any of a fusion method and a camera-alone method. The electronic control unit extracts an obstacle and calculates a margin time period in which the obstacle reaches a tip end region of a host vehicle. The electronic control unit displays an alert screen that guides driver's line of sight in a direction of the obstacle having the margin time period less than or equal to a threshold. The electronic control unit prohibits display of a new alert screen while a first predetermined time period elapses from switching to the camera-alone method, and while a second predetermined time period elapses from switching to the fusion method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180178722
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes an electronic control unit. The ECU configured to estimate a predicted traveling course of a center point in a vehicle width direction of a host vehicle based on vehicle status information, extract an object having a possibility of colliding with the host vehicle as an obstacle, calculate an index value that is changed in accordance with a degree of need for an alert operation which alerts a driver to each extracted obstacle, select a processing target obstacle from the extracted obstacles by using the index value calculated for each extracted obstacle, determine whether a specific condition is established in accordance with a result of comparison between the index value for the processing target obstacle and a predetermined threshold, and display an alert screen on a display unit when the specific condition is determined to be established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180170257
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert apparatus includes an object information acquiring unit, a vehicle status information acquiring unit, a display unit, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit determines whether or not an alert target exists outside a field of view of a driver, and displays, as an alert screen, a single display screen when one alert target is selected, a whole display screen when two alert targets are selected and all of the two alert targets are determined to exist within the field of view of the driver, and an individual display screen when two alert targets are selected and an alert target having the highest alert degree is determined to exist outside the field of view of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180174463
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus for a vehicle includes an imaging device, an ECU, and a head-up display device. When a position in which a straight line connecting a predetermined position and a position of a particular object intersects with a position estimating plane that is a virtual plane position on the same plane as a virtual display area is defined as a particular object estimation position, an indicator is a motion indicator moving such that a tip end of the indicator approaches the estimation position along a virtual straight line set in the virtual display area with lapse of time, and the ECU is configured to perform control such that a position shift amount of the estimation position shifted from the virtual straight line in a width direction of a vehicle on the position estimating plane is equal to or less than a predetermined value in a predetermined pre-collision time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20180096604
    Abstract: The vehicle driving assist apparatus of the invention provides a display device with an attention display command when an attention condition that a time predicted for a vehicle to reach a target is larger than a lower limit threshold time and smaller than or equal to a display start threshold time is satisfied. The lower limit threshold time is larger than or equal to a display time required for one attention display operation to be completed. The display start threshold time is larger than the lower limit threshold time. When the attention display condition is not satisfied, the apparatus does not provide the display device with the attention display command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi MORIMURA, Teppei OHTA
  • Publication number: 20170225617
    Abstract: An in-vehicle alert device includes: an alert object detection device; a display apparatus; and a control device configured to: cause the display apparatus to display a first display when an alert object is detected in a first direction, the first display guiding a line of sight of a driver toward the first direction, cause the display apparatus to display a second display when the alert object is detected in a second direction that is different from the first direction, the second display guiding the line of sight of the driver toward the second direction, and cause the display apparatus to display a third display when the alert object is detected in both the first direction and the second direction, the third display prompting the driver to pay attention over a whole vehicle-width direction in a host vehicle traveling direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Takahiko Murano, Teppei Ohta