Patents by Inventor Tomoaki MASAKAWA

Tomoaki MASAKAWA 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: 11970159
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control system for avoiding a collection between a right-turning vehicle and a straight-through vehicle without decreasing comfort for an occupant. In the system, a first vehicle V1 and a second vehicle V2 retain high-precision map data for identifying a traveling lane. When the first vehicle V1 traveling in an autonomous driving mode intends to turn right from a right turn lane at an intersection ahead based on the high-precision map data, the first vehicle V1 transmits a right turn notification indicating the intention to turn right to nearby vehicles using vehicle-to-vehicle communications. When the second vehicle V2 traveling in an autonomous driving mode intends to travel straight at an intersection ahead, the second vehicle V2 recognizes a right-turning vehicle in an oncoming lane at the intersection upon receiving the right turn notification from the right-turning vehicle, and performs a predetermined control for collision avoidance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Patent number: 11938961
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a map processing unit that creates local map data based on high accuracy map data and a position of an own vehicle; and an autonomous driving control unit that creates a travel plan for autonomous traveling of the own vehicle based on the local map data and controls traveling of the own vehicle according to the travel plan. The map processing unit creates multiple pieces of transmission data by dividing the local map data so as to correspond to regions on a map and transmits the multiple pieces of transmission data to the autonomous driving control unit. The map processing unit changes a shape and a size of the region on the map corresponding to each piece of transmission data based on selection information which decides a travel mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Patent number: 11913803
    Abstract: A data compression method is used for compressing data indicating a gradient of a route. The data compression method includes: acquiring a gradient table that shows gradient values in respective sections arranged between a starting point of the route and an ending point thereof, the sections including one section and an adjacent section adjacent to the one section: ranking the gradient values; and in a case where the gradient value of the one section and the gradient value of the adjacent section are in a same rank, integrating the gradient value of the one section and the gradient value of the adjacent section and generating a compressed gradient table that shows a distance and a corresponding rank of the section having the same rank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Patent number: 11879748
    Abstract: A map information system includes: at least one vehicle; and a map server configured to communicate with the vehicle and store a high-precision map, wherein the vehicle includes: a turn signal lever sensor configured to detect a turn signal operation by a driver; an external environment sensor configured to acquire information on surroundings of the vehicle; an own vehicle position identifying device configured to identify a position of the vehicle; and a controller configured to transmit, to the map server, the turn signal operation, the position of the vehicle, and the information on the surroundings, and the map server updates the high-precision map based on the information acquired by the external environment sensor when comparing the high-precision map stored in the map server with the turn signal operation and determining that a branching route is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Patent number: 11788863
    Abstract: A map information system includes: a vehicle configured to store at least one piece of map information and travel autonomously based on the map information; and a map server configured to provide the vehicle with the map information, wherein the vehicle includes: an external environment sensor configured to acquire surrounding information on the vehicle; and a controller configured to store the map information and execute travel control to cause the vehicle to travel autonomously, the controller is configured to determine whether the travel control based on the map information and the surrounding information can be executed based on whether the map information matches the surrounding information, and the controller notifies the map server of a position of the vehicle and notifies the map server that the map information should be updated upon determining that the travel control cannot be executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Patent number: 11721212
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a controller configured to communicate with a map server; and a vehicle position acquiring device configured to acquire own vehicle position information. The controller includes: a vehicle position determining unit configured to determine a lane in which an own vehicle is traveling based on the own vehicle position information; a storage unit configured to store an attendant circumstance of the own vehicle; and a recommended lane determining unit configured to determine a recommended lane. The recommended lane determining unit is configured to set a priority of each lane based on map information, determine the lane having a highest priority as the recommended lane, and exclude a travel prohibited lane, in which travel of the own vehicle is prohibited, from a candidate for the recommended lane based on restriction information and the attendant circumstance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Chikamori, Kazumasa Nakamura, Hitoshi Konishi, Takuji Harayama, Tomoaki Masakawa, Naofumi Aso, Ryo Matsuzawa, Zhaoqi Wang
  • Publication number: 20220223038
    Abstract: Provided is a system for properly avoiding a waiting-for-entrance congestion caused by vehicles that stop on a road to enter a facility along the road. A map server 3 is configured to: acquire probe information for identifying a traveling lane in which each vehicle is traveling; acquire, based on the probe information, a congestion occurrence condition when traffic congestion repeatedly occurs in a specific lane at a specific location with a predetermined regularity; and generate, based on the congestion occurrence condition, specific lane congestion information about a congestion status in the specific lane. A control device of a vehicle acquires the specific lane congestion information delivered from the map server, and controls, based on the specific lane congestion information, traveling of the vehicle so as to avoid traffic congestion that is predicted to occur in the specific lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221299
    Abstract: In an update method of map data executed by a map information system provided in a vehicle, wherein the map data includes multiple pieces of block data separated so as to correspond to blocks on a map and stored in a storage device of the map information system, the map information system decides pieces of block data to be updated based on at least one of a passage history and a future expected route when the vehicle is in a sleep state, communicates with a map server having a latest version of the map data and downloads update data corresponding to the pieces of block data to be updated from the map server, and updates the pieces of block data stored in the storage device based on the downloaded update data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Zhaoqi WANG, Ryo MATSUZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220219722
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a map processing unit that creates local map data based on high accuracy map data and a position of an own vehicle by extracting data of regions near the own vehicle; and an autonomous driving control unit that receives the local map data from the map processing unit, creates a travel plan for autonomous traveling of the own vehicle based on the local map data, and controls traveling of the own vehicle according to the travel plan. The map processing unit creates multiple pieces of transmission data by dividing the local map data so as to correspond to regions on a map and transmits the multiple pieces of transmission data to the autonomous driving control unit. The map processing unit changes a data amount of each piece of transmission data based on road traffic information contained in the high accuracy map data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG, Takuji HARAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220221290
    Abstract: A route data conversion method is used for acquiring a second route on a second map that matches a first route on a first map. The first route is expressed as route nodes and route links, the route nodes being defined by latitude, longitude, and altitude, the route links connecting the route nodes. The second map includes a lane expressed as lane nodes and lane links, the lane nodes being defined by the latitude, longitude, and altitude, the lane links connecting the lane nodes. The route data conversion method includes: extracting the lane nodes whose latitude, longitude, and altitude match the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the route nodes respectively; and acquiring the second route by connecting the extracted lane nodes by the lane links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221284
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a map processing unit that creates local map data based on high accuracy map data and a position of an own vehicle; an autonomous driving control unit that creates a travel plan based on the local map data and controls traveling of the own vehicle according to the travel plan; and a map guidance unit that, based on a set destination, sets a route to the destination. The map processing unit creates multiple pieces of transmission data by dividing the local map data so as to correspond to regions on a map, selects pieces of transmission data corresponding to regions located within a prescribed distance from the own vehicle and including the route to the destination as first transmission data, and transmits the first transmission data to the autonomous driving control unit with a higher priority than other pieces of transmission data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220219723
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a map processing unit that creates local map data based on high accuracy map data and a position of an own vehicle; and an autonomous driving control unit that creates a travel plan for autonomous traveling of the own vehicle based on the local map data and controls traveling of the own vehicle according to the travel plan. The map processing unit creates multiple pieces of transmission data by dividing the local map data so as to correspond to regions on a map and transmits the multiple pieces of transmission data to the autonomous driving control unit. The map processing unit changes a shape and a size of the region on the map corresponding to each piece of transmission data based on selection information which decides a travel mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220222060
    Abstract: In an update method of map data executed by a map information system provided in a vehicle, wherein the map data includes multiple pieces of block data separated corresponding to blocks on a map and stored in a storage device of the map information system, the map information system decides priority orders of pieces of block data to be updated based on at least one of a position of an own vehicle, a route to a destination, and a passage history, communicates with a map server having a latest version of the map data and downloads update data of the pieces of block data to be updated from the map server in accordance with the priority order, and updates the pieces of block data stored in the storage device based on the downloaded update data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220219701
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a controller configured to communicate with a map server; and a vehicle position acquiring device configured to acquire own vehicle position information. The controller includes: a vehicle position determining unit configured to determine a lane in which an own vehicle is traveling based on the own vehicle position information; a recommended lane determining unit configured to determine a recommended lane; and a storage unit configured to store preference of an occupant including preference for a timing of a lane change of the occupant. The recommended lane determining unit is configured to set a priority of each lane based on map information, determine the lane having a highest priority as the recommended lane, and adjust a switching point of the recommended lane according to the preference stored in the storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Naofumi ASO, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221305
    Abstract: A map information system includes: a vehicle configured to store at least one piece of map information and travel autonomously based on the map information; and a map server configured to provide the vehicle with the map information, wherein the vehicle includes: an external environment sensor configured to acquire surrounding information on the vehicle; and a controller configured to store the map information and execute travel control to cause the vehicle to travel autonomously, the controller is configured to determine whether the travel control based on the map information and the surrounding information can be executed based on whether the map information matches the surrounding information, and the controller notifies the map server of a position of the vehicle and notifies the map server that the map information should be updated upon determining that the travel control cannot be executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221306
    Abstract: Provided is a system that can reduce the processing load on a map server when map data is delivered and the communication load on a communication path between the map server and a vehicle. In a map update system for updating map data used in a vehicle for travel control, with map data provided from a map server 3, a service vehicle Va, which retains the map data provided from the map server, provides the retained map data to a general vehicle Vb located nearby when the retained map data meets a predetermined provision condition. In particular, the service vehicle provides the retained map data to the general vehicle through vehicle-to-vehicle communications. The map data retained by the service vehicle meets the predetermined provision condition when the map data retained by the service vehicle is newer than map data used in the general vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220223036
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a controller configured to communicate with a map server; and a vehicle position acquiring device configured to acquire own vehicle position information. The controller includes: a vehicle position determining unit configured to determine a lane in which an own vehicle is traveling based on the own vehicle position information; a storage unit configured to store an attendant circumstance of the own vehicle; and a recommended lane determining unit configured to determine a recommended lane. The recommended lane determining unit is configured to set a priority of each lane based on map information, determine the lane having a highest priority as the recommended lane, and exclude a travel prohibited lane, in which travel of the own vehicle is prohibited, from a candidate for the recommended lane based on restriction information and the attendant circumstance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221298
    Abstract: Provided is a system for generating a recommended driving lane based on a general-purpose map with improved real-time property for updating. A vehicle control system 1 for controlling a vehicle 2 during autonomous driving thereof, comprises a vehicle control unit 3 and a mobile terminal 5. The vehicle control unit 3 acquires travel control map data from a first map server 4 and transmits position data of the vehicle 2 to the mobile terminal 5. The mobile terminal 5 acquires navigation map data containing lane information on lanes forming each road section from a second map server 6, generates, based on the lane information and the position data of the vehicle 2, driving route information including a recommended driving lane which should be selected on a priority basis as a driving lane for the vehicle, and transmits the driving route information to the vehicle control unit 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220223041
    Abstract: A vehicle system includes: a controller configured to communicate with a map server; and a vehicle position acquiring device configured to acquire own vehicle position information. The controller includes: a vehicle position determining unit configured to determine a lane in which an own vehicle is traveling based on the own vehicle position information; and a recommended lane determining unit configured to determine a recommended lane. The recommended lane determining unit is configured to set a priority of each lane based on map information, determine the lane having a highest priority as the recommended lane, calculate a congestion degree of each lane based on traffic state information and/or a statistic, and adjust a switching point of the recommended lane according to the congestion degree of the lane to be switched to the recommended lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG
  • Publication number: 20220221302
    Abstract: A data compression method is used for compressing data indicating a gradient of a route. The data compression method includes: acquiring a gradient table that shows gradient values in respective sections arranged between a starting point of the route and an ending point thereof, the sections including one section and an adjacent section adjacent to the one section: ranking the gradient values; and in a case where the gradient value of the one section and the gradient value of the adjacent section are in a same rank, integrating the gradient value of the one section and the gradient value of the adjacent section and generating a compressed gradient table that shows a distance and a corresponding rank of the section having the same rank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetoshi CHIKAMORI, Kazumasa NAKAMURA, Hitoshi KONISHI, Takuji HARAYAMA, Tomoaki MASAKAWA, Naofumi ASO, Ryo MATSUZAWA, Zhaoqi WANG