Patents by Inventor Tomonori Ohtsubo

Tomonori Ohtsubo 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: 11912284
    Abstract: An alighting assistance device D of the present disclosure may be a device moving a driver seat rearward in a case where a determination may be made that an occupant seated on the driver seat of a vehicle alights. The device may include a height changer which changes a height of a steering wheel, a sitting height acquirer which acquires a sitting height of the occupant, and a steering wheel controller 33 as one example of a height controller which controls the height changer such that the height of the steering wheel becomes lower as the sitting height acquired by the sitting height acquirer may be higher in the case where a determination is made that the occupant alights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshito Hirata, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Hiroki Uemura, Kengo Iwata, Masato Maeda, Hiroaki Matsuda, Masahito Kashihara, Chieko Nakagami
  • Patent number: 11772523
    Abstract: An alighting assistance device D of the present disclosure may be a device moving a driver seat rearward in a case where a determination is made that an occupant seated on the driver seat of a vehicle alights. The device may include a reclining mechanism as one example of an angle changer which changes an angle of a seat back of the driver seat with respect to a horizontal plane, a sitting height acquirer which acquires a sitting height of the occupant, and a seat controller as one example of an angle controller which controls the angle changer such that the angle of the seat back becomes closer to be perpendicular as the sitting height acquired by the sitting height acquirer is higher in the case where a determination is made that the occupant alights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshito Hirata, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Hiroki Uemura, Kengo Iwata, Masato Maeda, Hiroaki Matsuda, Masahito Kashihara, Chieko Nakagami
  • Publication number: 20230166637
    Abstract: A seat control system for setting a driving posture and a seat control method is provided, in which body shape information indicating a body shape is input. Posture range information corresponding to the input body shape information is extracted from body shape posture range correspondence information, in which the body shape information and posture range information indicating a posture range of a vehicle seat corresponding to a driving posture range correspond to each other. A posture of the vehicle seat is controlled such that the posture of the vehicle seat falls within the posture range of the vehicle seat indicated by the extracted posture range information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomonori OHTSUBO, UEMURA Hiroki, Yoshito HIRATA
  • Patent number: 11601621
    Abstract: A vehicular display system shows a view image including a blind area with superior visibility. Embodiments include an imaging unit that captures an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle; an image processing unit that converts the image into a view image of the surrounding area of the vehicle seen from inside a cabin; and a display unit. The image processing unit generates a rear-view image acquired when an area behind the vehicle is seen from a first virtual viewpoint located in the cabin, and a front-view image acquired when an area in front of the vehicle is seen from a second virtual viewpoint located behind the first virtual viewpoint in the cabin. The display unit shows the rear-view image when the vehicle travels backward, the front-view image when the vehicle travels forward, and shows both of the view images at substantially the same angle of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daichi Sugawara, Koichi Murata, Erika Hori, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Yoshiaki Matsuba
  • Publication number: 20220388429
    Abstract: A body-size class specification device of the present invention comprises a class feature-quantity information memorizing section to memorize class feature-quantity information to correlate plural classes for classifying a body size according to a dimension ratio of prescribed parts of a body with plural prescribed feature quantities for characterizing the plural classes, a first input section as an example of a feature-quantity acquiring section to acquire feature quantity of an object person to be specified for the class, an eye-height measuring section and an upper-body-length-ratio processing section, and a class specifying section to specify the class corresponding to the feature quantity of the object person acquired by the feature-quantity acquiring section based on the class feature-quantity information memorized by the class feature-quantity information memorizing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke NOGUCHI, Yoshito HIRATA, Hiroki UEMURA, Tomonori OHTSUBO
  • Patent number: 11465503
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interior structure (1, 100, 200) for a vehicle, which comprises a vehicle interior structural component (12, 114, 216) arranged within a field-of-view of a driver, wherein at least one outline (12a, 114a, 216a) of the vehicle interior structural component is approximately coincident with an axis line (Ab, Af, Ad) oriented toward a vehicle interior of the vehicle, among a plurality of axis lines radially extending from a vanishing point (P) defined when the driver visually views forwardly while being seated in a driver seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seishi Nakamura, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Taro Oike, Masaki Chiba
  • Patent number: 11434990
    Abstract: A shift device comprises a shift lever and a shift knob. A driver moves the shift knob in a longitudinal direction when a shift change is conducted between plural traveling positions. The driver moves the shift knob, in a lateral direction, toward a driver's side when the shift change is conducted from a R position to a P position. When viewed from a vehicle rear side, the shift lever located at the traveling positions takes a first position where the shift lever is inclined, relative to its upright state, in a direction of separating its upper end portion with the shift knob from a driver's seat, whereas the shift lever located at the P position takes a second position where the shift lever is in the upright state or in a state which is closer to the upright state than the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Uemura, Yoshito Hirata, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Masanori Taguchi, Kouji Tokunaga, Akira Michinaga
  • Publication number: 20220212674
    Abstract: An alighting assistance device D of the present disclosure may be a device moving a driver seat rearward in a case where a determination may be made that an occupant seated on the driver seat of a vehicle alights. The device may include a height changer which changes a height of a steering wheel, a sitting height acquirer which acquires a sitting height of the occupant, and a steering wheel controller 33 as one example of a height controller which controls the height changer such that the height of the steering wheel becomes lower as the sitting height acquired by the sitting height acquirer may be higher in the case where a determination is made that the occupant alights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshito HIRATA, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Hiroki UEMURA, Kengo IWATA, Masato MAEDA, Hiroaki MATSUDA, Masahito KASHIHARA, Chieko NAKAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20220212572
    Abstract: An alighting assistance device D of the present disclosure may be a device moving a driver seat rearward in a case where a determination is made that an occupant seated on the driver seat of a vehicle alights. The device may include a reclining mechanism as one example of an angle changer which changes an angle of a seat back of the driver seat with respect to a horizontal plane, a sitting height acquirer which acquires a sitting height of the occupant, and a seat controller as one example of an angle controller which controls the angle changer such that the angle of the seat back becomes closer to be perpendicular as the sitting height acquired by the sitting height acquirer is higher in the case where a determination is made that the occupant alights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshito HIRATA, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Hiroki UEMURA, Kengo IWATA, Masato MAEDA, Hiroaki MATSUDA, Masahito KASHIHARA, Chieko NAKAGAMI
  • Publication number: 20220086400
    Abstract: A vehicular display system shows a view image including a blind area with superior visibility. Embodiments include an imaging unit that captures an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle; an image processing unit that converts the image into a view image of the surrounding area of the vehicle seen from inside a cabin; and a display unit. The image processing unit generates a rear-view image acquired when an area behind the vehicle is seen from a first virtual viewpoint located in the cabin, and a front-view image acquired when an area in front of the vehicle is seen from a second virtual viewpoint located behind the first virtual viewpoint in the cabin. The display unit shows the rear-view image when the vehicle travels backward, the front-view image when the vehicle travels forward, and shows both of the view images at substantially the same angle of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daichi SUGAWARA, Koichi MURATA, Erika HORI, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Yoshiaki MATSUBA
  • Publication number: 20220086368
    Abstract: A vehicular display system shows an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle in a superior visibility mode. Embodiments include an imaging unit that captures an image of the surrounding area of the vehicle; an image processing unit that converts the image captured by the imaging unit into a view image of the area seen from a predetermined virtual viewpoint in the cabin; and a display unit that shows the view image generated by the image processing unit. The image processing unit can generate, as the view image, a first view image acquired when a first direction is seen from the virtual viewpoint, and a second view image acquired when a second direction differing from the first direction is seen from the virtual viewpoint. Each of the first and second view images is shown at a horizontal angle of view that corresponds to a stable visual field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daichi SUGAWARA, Koichi MURATA, Erika HORI, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Yoshiaki MATSUBA
  • Publication number: 20210199193
    Abstract: A shift device comprises a shift lever and a shift knob. A driver moves the shift knob in a longitudinal direction when a shift change is conducted between plural traveling positions. The driver moves the shift knob, in a lateral direction, toward a driver's side when the shift change is conducted from a R position to a P position. When viewed from a vehicle rear side, the shift lever located at the traveling positions takes a first position where the shift lever is inclined, relative to its upright state, in a direction of separating its upper end portion with the shift knob from a driver's seat, whereas the shift lever located at the P position takes a second position where the shift lever is in the upright state or in a state which is closer to the upright state than the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki UEMURA, Yoshito HIRATA, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Masanori TAGUCHI, Kouji TOKUNAGA, Akira MICHINAGA
  • Patent number: 10994665
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle display system (1) for displaying an image of surroundings of a vehicle. The vehicle display system (1) includes: a display (18a) configured to display an image thereon; a camera (4, 6, 8, 10) mounted on the vehicle and configured to image surroundings of the vehicle; and a display control unit (20) configured to subject an image captured by the camera to mask processing, using a mask image (MR, MF) including a semi-transparent portion (M3, M4, M14, M16) corresponding to a vehicle body, and a portion (M8, M18, M19) corresponding to a window of the vehicle and having a transmittance lower than that of the portion corresponding to the vehicle body, to generate a masked image (D), and cause the masked image to be displayed on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Matsuba, Tomonori Ohtsubo
  • Publication number: 20210031631
    Abstract: Disclosed is an interior structure (1, 100, 200) for a vehicle, which comprises a vehicle interior structural component (12, 114, 216) arranged within a field-of-view of a driver, wherein at least one outline (12a, 114a, 216a) of the vehicle interior structural component is approximately coincident with an axis line (Ab, Af, Ad) oriented toward a vehicle interior of the vehicle, among a plurality of axis lines radially extending from a vanishing point (P) defined when the driver visually views forwardly while being seated in a driver seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seishi NAKAMURA, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Taro OIKE, Masaki CHIBA
  • Publication number: 20200238921
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle display system (1) for displaying an image of surroundings of a vehicle. The vehicle display system (1) includes: a display (18a) configured to display an image thereon; a camera (4, 6, 8, 10) mounted on the vehicle and configured to image surroundings of the vehicle; and a display control unit (20) configured to subject an image captured by the camera to mask processing, using a mask image (MR, MF) including a semi-transparent portion (M3, M4, M14, M16) corresponding to a vehicle body, and a portion (M8, M18, M19) corresponding to a window of the vehicle and having a transmittance lower than that of the portion corresponding to the vehicle body, to generate a masked image (D), and cause the masked image to be displayed on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki MATSUBA, Tomonori OHTSUBO
  • Patent number: 10696231
    Abstract: Disclosed is an in-vehicle image display device equipped in a vehicle to support driving of a driver. The in-vehicle image display system comprises: a side camera installed to a lateral portion of an exterior of the vehicle to face outwardly and configured to take an image of an area lateral to the vehicle by using a wide-angle lens; a processing unit configured to correct a wide-angle image taken by the side camera to generate a planar image, and process the planar image to generate a processed image; and a display unit configured to display the processed image transmitted from the processing unit on a screen, wherein the processing unit is operable to execute a secondary processing of the planar image so as not to include an image region located outward from the reachable position in a vehicle-width direction, in order to generate the processed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Matsuba, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Seishi Nakamura, Naotomo Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10668835
    Abstract: In a seat for a vehicle which comprises a seat body, a slide mechanism, and a lift mechanism, the lift mechanism is configured such that a hip point of a specified physique occupant seated on the seat body draws a track which is approximated to a virtual rotational track of the hip point around a heel point when viewed from a vehicle side, whereby a change quantity of an ankle's angle is restricted below a first threshold and a change quantity of a knee's angle is restricted below a second threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshito Hirata, Hiroki Uemura, Hiroaki Matsubara, Tomonori Ohtsubo
  • Publication number: 20200010019
    Abstract: Disclosed is an in-vehicle image display device equipped in a vehicle to support driving of a driver. The in-vehicle image display system comprises: a side camera installed to a lateral portion of an exterior of the vehicle to face outwardly and configured to take an image of an area lateral to the vehicle by using a wide-angle lens; a processing unit configured to correct a wide-angle image taken by the side camera to generate a planar image, and process the planar image to generate a processed image; and a display unit configured to display the processed image transmitted from the processing unit on a screen, wherein the processing unit is operable to execute a secondary processing of the planar image so as not to include an image region located outward from the reachable position in a vehicle-width direction, in order to generate the processed image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Yoshiaki MATSUBA, Tomonori OHTSUBO, Seishi NAKAMURA, Naotomo HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10464471
    Abstract: A switching device for a vehicle headlight of a vehicle having an Adaptive LED Headlight (ALH) mode. The switching device may include a steering column lever switch supported on a steering column of the vehicle so as to be movable between an initial position and a predetermined moved position by a moving operation input, an ALH switch configured to receive a switching operation input that sets the ALH mode, and a controller configured to change the irradiation mode of the headlight according to a position of the lever switch and the switching operation input received by the ALH switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Sueishi, Manabu Yamaoka, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Keiichi Sato, Keiichirou Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20190291633
    Abstract: A switching device for a vehicle headlight of a vehicle having an Adaptive LED Headlight (ALH) mode. The switching device may include a steering column lever switch supported on a steering column of the vehicle so as to be movable between an initial position and a predetermined moved position by a moving operation input, an ALH switch configured to receive a switching operation input that sets the ALH mode, and a controller configured to change the irradiation mode of the headlight according to a position of the lever switch and the switching operation input received by the ALH switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Katsuya Sueishi, Manabu Yamaoka, Tomonori Ohtsubo, Keiichi Sato, Keiichirou Yamamoto