Patents by Inventor Tomohiko Nagao
Tomohiko Nagao 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: 11921516Abstract: Provided is a driving assistance system using a magnetic marker capable of providing more pieces of information. In the driving assistance system for assisting driving of a vehicle, a magnetic marker (1) including a magnet sheet (11) serving as a magnetism generating unit which generates a magnetic field and also an RFID tag (15) as an information providing unit which provides information to a vehicle side is laid on a travelling road of the vehicle, and the vehicle includes a magnetic sensor serving as a magnetism detecting unit which magnetically detects the magnetic marker (1) and also a tag reader as an information acquiring unit which acquires the information provided by the RFID tag (15) included in the magnetic marker (1).Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11875675Abstract: A vehicle including a magnetic detecting part for detecting a magnetic marker disposed in a road is configured to acquire marker state information indicating the state of the magnetic marker from an external server apparatus via wireless communication and diagnose the state of the magnetic detecting part by using a result of detection of the magnetic marker in which the state of the magnetic marker indicated by the marker state information is good, thereby allowing inspection cost and cost of maintenance of the magnetic detecting part for detecting the magnetic marker to be suppressed.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Publication number: 20240011231Abstract: A work system (1) including a work vehicle (11) which, as moving on a road (1R) where magnetic markers (10) are laid, detects the magnetic marker (10) to conduct work of preparation, maintenance, or management of the road (1R) has a control unit (13) which identifies a relative position of the work vehicle (11) with respect to the magnetic marker (10) and identifies a point to be worked on by the work vehicle (11) based on the relative position. With the work vehicle (11) conducting work at the point identified by the control unit (13), work regarding the traveling road where the magnetic markers are laid can be efficiently conducted.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2021Publication date: January 11, 2024Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Publication number: 20240010189Abstract: An automatic parking system which controls a vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to be moved to a parking place and accommodated in a parking frame provided in the parking place includes a route where magnetic marker is laid so as to be detectable by using a magnetic sensor array provided to the vehicle, RFID tag providing tag information capable of identifying laying position of the magnetic marker, and a control server device which identifies a vehicle position based on the laying positions of the magnetic markers, allowing highly-accurate identification of the position of the vehicle to be forwarded and allowing operation with high reliability.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2023Publication date: January 11, 2024Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Patent number: 11862014Abstract: In a magnetic marker system including a magnetic marker disposed in a travel environment so as to be detectable by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle and a server apparatus which acquires detection information of the magnetic marker from each vehicle, the detection information uploaded from a vehicle side to the server apparatus includes marker information, which is identification information of a corresponding magnetic marker, and the server apparatus estimates the state of the magnetic marker based on the detection information from each vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11808000Abstract: A sheet-shaped magnetic marker to be laid on a road surface so as to be able to be detected by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle to achieve assist for driving operation of the vehicle by a driver or control on a vehicle side to achieve automatic driving independently from operation of the driver has a magnet sheet (11) as a magnetism generation source and a wireless tag (2) which outputs information via wireless communication to the vehicle side. In the magnetic marker, the wireless tag (2) is interposed between a sheet (11A) and a sheet (11B) configuring the magnet sheet (11), and the entire wireless tag (2) is accommodated inside the magnet sheet (11).Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2020Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Masaaki Nakada, Ryota Fujimura
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Patent number: 11801827Abstract: An automatic parking system which controls a vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to be moved to a parking place and accommodated in a parking frame provided in the parking place includes a route where magnetic marker is laid so as to be detectable by using a magnetic sensor array provided to the vehicle, RFID tag providing tag information capable of identifying laying position of the magnetic marker, and a control server device which identifies a vehicle position based on the laying positions of the magnetic markers, allowing highly-accurate identification of the position of the vehicle to be forwarded and allowing operation with high reliability.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2019Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Publication number: 20230271630Abstract: In an operation system (1) for a bus (5) including a connection point database which stores identification information of a magnetic marker (10) positioned so as to correspond to a connection point (13) between a dedicated lane (111) having magnetic markers (10) laid thereon and a general lane (112), the connection point (13) is set so as to correspond to the magnetic marker (10) according to identification information stored in a connection point database, thereby allowing flexibility in changing a route to be improved in the operation system which causes a vehicle to operate along a route defined in advance.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2021Publication date: August 31, 2023Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Publication number: 20230259140Abstract: In a vehicle-oriented system (1) for providing information to a vehicle (5) side by using an information providing area (11) provided on a plane where a vehicle (5) moves, a magnetic distribution indicating the information by a plurality of N-pole magnetic markers (10N) is formed in the information providing area (11), and a sign (100) for identifying a position and orientation of the information providing area (11) is provided in the information providing area (11). Therefore, information can be provided by a magnetic method irrespective of a forwarding direction of the vehicle (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Publication number: 20230250598Abstract: In a marker system (1) which includes a plurality of magnetic markers (10) disposed on a road surface for driving assist control of a vehicle (5) including automatic traveling control and in which a wireless tag is affixed to a partial magnetic marker (10A) of the plurality of magnetic markers (10), a sign (1M) for distinguishing between a partial magnetic marker (10A) with a wireless tag affixed thereto and another magnetic marker (10B) without a wireless tag affixed thereto is provided. Thus, it is possible to associate the detected magnetic marker (10) and the wireless tag as a transmission source of tag waves with each other with high reliability.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: August 10, 2023Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Patent number: 11687088Abstract: A vehicular system where a vehicle moves in a traveling area in which magnetic markers are arranged so that magnetic polarities form a predetermined pattern and a wireless tag is annexed correspondingly to some of the magnetic markers, the wireless tag outputting, by wireless communication, tag information allowing a position of the magnetic marker to be identified, includes a first position identifying part which identifies a vehicle position where the vehicle is located based on the position of the magnetic marker identified by using the tag information and a second position identifying part which identifies, on a route after the vehicle passes over the magnetic marker serving as a reference when the first position identifying part identifies the vehicle position, a magnetic marker newly detected by the vehicle based on detection history of magnetic markers and identifies the vehicle position based on the position of the identified magnetic marker.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2019Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11631111Abstract: A driving support system including an information acquiring part which acquires, from a vehicle side detecting a magnetic marker laid in a road and capable of acquiring marker identification information for identifying the magnetic marker detected, upload information including the marker identification information, an information providing part which provides the vehicle side as a transmission source of the upload information with support information, a configuration which provides information acquisition right which is a right to receive the support information to the vehicle, and a transmission source management area for registering the identification information of the vehicle as a provision destination of the support information by recording the identification information of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Publication number: 20220412024Abstract: A sheet-shaped magnetic marker to be laid on a road surface so as to be able to be detected by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle to achieve assist for driving operation of the vehicle by a driver or control on a vehicle side to achieve automatic driving independently from operation of the driver has a magnet sheet (11) as a magnetism generation source and a wireless tag (2) which outputs information via wireless communication to the vehicle side. In the magnetic marker, the wireless tag (2) is interposed between a sheet (11A) and a sheet (11B) configuring the magnet sheet (11), and the entire wireless tag (2) is accommodated inside the magnet sheet (11).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2020Publication date: December 29, 2022Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Masaaki NAKADA, Ryota FUJIMURA
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Publication number: 20220340202Abstract: A control system (1) for letting a vehicle travel by automatic steering is a system which includes a vehicle control part (112) which controls the vehicle so that a subject point set for the vehicle passes through a predetermined route, a subject-point selection processing part (113) which selects a subject point, and a subject-point updating processing part (114) which updates the subject point as a control subject as appropriate by setting the subject point newly selected by the subject-point selection processing part (113) as the control subject, and a highly-versatile system capable of automatic steering irrespective of the type of the vehicle or the shape of the route.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2020Publication date: October 27, 2022Applicant: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
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Publication number: 20220316159Abstract: A magnetic marker is embedded in a road, and is configured to be detected by a magnetic sensor provided in a vehicle. The magnetic marker is provided with a case accommodating a magnet and a protective material covering the magnet, and an anchor that is provided protruding downward from the case and that is configured to expand in diameter in a state of being embedded in the road.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiro TASAKA, Keizo Fukushima, Toshiyasu Takakuwa, Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11454516Abstract: In a method of calibrating a gyro sensor mounted on a vehicle for measuring an angular velocity in a rotating direction generated about an axis of a vertical direction, a lateral shift amount detection process of detecting lateral shift amounts of the vehicle with respect to magnetic markers laid in a road, an azimuth estimation process of estimating, when the vehicle passes over a laying location where two magnetic markers are laid, an azimuth of the vehicle by a calculation process with the lateral shift amounts with respect to the two magnetic markers taken as input values, and a calibration process of calibrating the gyro sensor by using the azimuth of the vehicle estimated by the azimuth estimation process, are performed.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11356822Abstract: Provided is a driving assistance system capable of providing more pieces of information to a vehicle side by using magnetic markers. A driving assistance system (1A) is a system including magnetic markers (1) laid on a travelling road so as to be magnetically detectable and also be able to provide code information to a vehicle side, a vehicle (5) configured to be able to magnetically detect the magnetic markers (1) and also read the code information, and a base station (6) configured to make a reply with corresponding information when receiving the code information from the vehicle (5) reading the code information.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2021Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11347236Abstract: In a marker detection method in which a sensor unit (11) that includes a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in a vehicle width direction is used to detect magnetic markers (10) laid in a road, a feature value that represent symmetry of magnetic distribution, which is the distribution of magnetic measurement values obtained by each magnetic sensor included in the sensor unit (11) is generated, and threshold process regarding the feature value is executed to determine the possibility of the presence of magnetic generation source other than magnetic marker (10), that causes disturbance, and hence to suppress erroneous detection.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2018Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
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Patent number: 11339543Abstract: An installation system has a laser range finder set at a reference position to measure a distance to a target, an installation cart which performs operation for laying a magnetic marker in a road, and an arithmetic unit which identifies a position relation of a laying position where the magnetic marker is laid with respect to the reference position. When operation for laying the magnetic marker in a road is performed, by taking the installation cart during performing the operation of laying the magnetic marker in the road as a target, based on a distance to the installation cart measured by the laser range finder, the position relation of the laying position with respect to the reference position is identified by the arithmetic unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2018Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Aichi Steel CorporationInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama, Masayoshi Fujiya, Shin Takeuchi, Hideto Takeishi, Taizo Nishiyama
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Patent number: 11334087Abstract: In an installation method for laying magnetic markers (10) in a road for driving assist control on a vehicle side, a laying work vehicle (2) sequentially lays the magnetic markers (10) while moving along the road without performing a prior survey or the like of laying positions, and then by using a positioning work vehicle (3) including a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetism, the laid magnetic markers (10) are detected and the laying positions are identified to generate position data regarding the magnetic markers (10), thereby allowing reduction of cost of laying the magnetic markers (10).Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama