Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Zaitsu
Tomoyuki Zaitsu 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: 9786169Abstract: An on-vehicle information providing device for providing information to a driver based on information sent from an information providing center is disclosed. When a vehicle leaves an off-street facility having multiple exits to enter a road, the on-vehicle information providing device performs a first process of sending the information providing center vehicle-side information including information obtained based on starting time and exiting time of the vehicle and information identifying one of the exits selected for the vehicle to leave the facility; and performs a second process of receiving from the information providing center exit status information including exit time lengths calculated for the respective exits by the information providing center based on the vehicle-side information received from multiple vehicles and providing information to the driver based on the received exit status information.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2008Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshio Inoguchi, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Yasuhiro Tooyama
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Patent number: 8983758Abstract: Conventionally, different traffic information cannot be sent in accordance with an output reason of a request to send. According to the present invention, a request to send traffic information, which is output in response to an instruction given by a user operation or an automatically given instruction, is acquired, an output reason of the request to send is determined, and a communication unit is controlled so that the traffic information on different areas is sent depending on the cases where the output reason is the instruction given by the user operation or the automatically given instruction.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Denso CorporationInventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinji Kachi, Kenji Nagase, Tsuyoshi Iwata, Takahisa Ozaki, Masamiki Andoh, Toshio Inoguchi, Kazunori Watanabe, Teruhide Hayashida
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Patent number: 8744735Abstract: An embodiment provides a traffic information generating method for generating traffic information about a road on which a vehicle travels. A vehicle speed is detected by a vehicle speed sensor at predetermined distance or time intervals. By referring to a prescribed speed, a prescribed distance, and a link determination distance, a congestion degree associated with the vehicle speed is detected.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2007Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Inoguchi, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinichi Yamada, Kazutaka Yoshikawa
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Patent number: 8666646Abstract: A vehicle guidance device includes: an inter- vehicle distance specification unit that specifies an inter-vehicle distance, which is an inter-vehicle distance in a prescribed lane, between vehicles up to a reference point of a lane change; a recommended section specification unit that ,based on the specified inter-vehicle distance, specifies a recommended section in which a lane change to the prescribed lane should be made before reaching the reference point; and a communication unit that, based on the specified recommended section, outputs guidance information pertaining to the lane change to the prescribed lane.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2010Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso CorporationInventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kenji Nagase, Kazunori Watanabe, Tooru Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8600650Abstract: When a vehicle passes through an intersection that is stored in a collection target intersection database and for which direction-specific probe information is collected, a CPU of a navigation device generates a plurality of direction-specific probe information (entry link, exit link, section travel time, and the like) from a plurality of unit distance section information that is collected within a direction-specific traffic information acquisition section until the vehicle passes through the intersection, an entry link traveled before entering the intersection; and an exit link traveled after passing through the intersection, and transmits these to an information distribution center.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2010Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinji Kachi, Kenji Nagase, Tsuyoshi Iwata, Toshio Inoguchi, Kazunori Watanabe, Teruhide Hayashida
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Patent number: 8452530Abstract: A navigation device divides a pathfinding range into plural areas and performs pathfinding in consideration of congestion information. The navigation device includes a forecast congestion information generating unit configured to generate forecast congestion information corresponding to a predetermined time based on traffic information; and a forecast congestion information applying unit configured to apply, to each of the areas, the forecast congestion information corresponding to a time when a vehicle arrives in each of the areas. The navigation device includes an area setting unit configured to set regions divided by concentric circles centering around a present location, as the plural areas. The radius of the concentric circles is incremented by a fixed length that is set beforehand for each region or each time zone.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2007Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Inoguchi, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu
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Patent number: 8433504Abstract: A traffic information generation method for generating traffic information for each link includes a vehicle speed detection step of detecting a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals using a vehicle speed sensor; and a traffic jam degree detection step of referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed. When a link length falls within a predetermined range, information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link is allocated to the link.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.Inventors: Teruhide Hayashida, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Kenji Nagase, Hiroki Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20120265428Abstract: According to the present invention, information which is associated with a motion of a vehicle can be acquired even in the case where no vehicle travels on a road. Motion information, which is associated with the motion of the vehicle on the road where the vehicle traveled, is acquired along with time information. Reference traffic information, which is traffic information on the road at a reference time which is specified by the time information, is acquired from a traffic information providing device which constantly provides the traffic information. A correlation between the motion information and the reference traffic information is specified.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2010Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinji Kachi, Kenji Nagase, Tsuyoshi Iwata, Toshio Inoguchi, Kazunori Watanabe, Teruhide Hayashida
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Publication number: 20120245833Abstract: A vehicle guidance device includes: an inter- vehicle distance specification unit that specifies an inter-vehicle distance, which is an inter-vehicle distance in a prescribed lane, between vehicles up to a reference point of a lane change; a recommended section specification unit based on the specified inter-vehicle distance, specifies a recommended section in which a lane change to the prescribed lane should be made before reaching the reference point; and a communication unit that, based on the specified recommended section, outputs guidance information pertaining to the lane change to the prescribed lane.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2010Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kenji Nagase, Kazunori Watanabe, Tooru Yamazaki
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Patent number: 8255145Abstract: A travel time calculation server is provided which comprises: a probe data reception part 31 configured to receive travel time data of an intersection node 6 through which a vehicle 3 passes as well as a traffic event of each of links 1-4 connecting to the intersection node; and a right and left turn cost generating part 33 configured to store a table, which stores the travel time data of the intersection node 6 associated with combinations of traffic events of the links 1-4, in storage means 35.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2008Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Murata, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kenji Nagase, Hiroki Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20120041669Abstract: Conventionally, different traffic information cannot be sent in accordance with an output reason of a request to send. According to the present invention, a request to send traffic information, which is output in response to an instruction given by a user operation or an automatically given instruction, is acquired, an output reason of the request to send is determined, and a communication unit is controlled so that the traffic information on different areas is sent depending on the cases where the output reason is the instruction given by the user operation or the automatically given instruction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinji Kachi, Kenji Nagase, Tsuyoshi Iwata, Takahisa Ozaki, Masamiki Andoh, Toshio Inoguchi, Kazunori Watanabe, Teruhide Hayashida
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Publication number: 20110276257Abstract: When a vehicle passes through an intersection that is stored in a collection target intersection database and for which direction-specific probe information is collected, a CPU of a navigation device generates a plurality of direction-specific probe information (entry link, exit link, section travel time, and the like) from a plurality of unit distance section information that is collected within a direction-specific traffic information acquisition section until the vehicle passes through the intersection, an entry link traveled before entering the intersection; and an exit link traveled after passing through the intersection, and transmits these to an information distribution center.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2010Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Shinji Kachi, Kenji Nagase, Tsuyoshi Iwata, Toshio Inoguchi, Kazunori Watanabe, Teruhide Hayashida
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Publication number: 20110246052Abstract: In a congestion level display apparatus for a vehicle, a correlation between a traveling speed and a congestion level sent from a traffic center is learnt when the vehicle is travelling within a home area. When the vehicle is traveling outside the home area, the learned correlation is used, by the congestion level display apparatus and in relation to the traveling speed, to display a learned congestion level, instead of the congestion level sent from the traffic center.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventor: Tomoyuki ZAITSU
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Patent number: 7797100Abstract: Systems, methods, and programs determine whether it is possible to generate statistical values based on a number of pieces of travel history information and a degree of contingency of traffic information in the travel history information. Systems, methods, and programs display, if a predicted travel time is greater than a typical travel time, at least one of a predicted travel time, a predicted arrival time, or a route in a manner that indicates that the predicted travel time is greater than the typical travel time; or display, if the predicted travel time is less than the typical travel time, at least one of the predicted travel time, a predicted arrival time, or the route in a manner that indicates that the predicted travel time is less than the typical travel time.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2005Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Hiroki Ishikawa
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Patent number: 7739029Abstract: A navigation apparatus and method store traffic information and searches for a guidance route to a specified destination. The apparatus and method calculate congestion degrees for the guidance route based on a factor by time period and the stored traffic information and display the guidance route and the congestion degrees by time period.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2005Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ishikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Masao Kawai
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Publication number: 20100138141Abstract: Disclosed is a traffic information generation method for generating traffic information for each link, the method including a vehicle speed detection step of detecting a vehicle speed at predetermined distance intervals or at predetermined time intervals using a vehicle speed sensor; and a traffic jam degree detection step of referring to a specified speed and a specified distance prescribed in association with a traffic jam degree representing a level of a traffic jam and a connection determination distance prescribed in accordance with a road type to detect the traffic jam degree corresponding to the vehicle speed. When a link length falls within a predetermined range, information on the traffic jam degree corresponding to a fastest vehicle speed within a prescribed starting point distance from a beginning of the link is allocated to the link.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2008Publication date: June 3, 2010Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Teruhide Hayashida, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Kenji Nagase, Hiroki Ishikawa
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Patent number: 7672775Abstract: Systems, methods, and data structures for correcting traffic information data may accumulate traffic information data including, for each link, a link travel time during at least one trip time. The systems, methods, and data structures may convert the link travel time into a vehicle speed and correct the converted vehicle speed if a the vehicle speed or a first speed change amount is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ishikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu
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Publication number: 20100049428Abstract: A travel time calculation server is provided which comprises: a probe data reception part 31 configured to receive travel time data of an intersection node 6 through which a vehicle 3 passes as well as a traffic event of each of links 1-4 connecting to the intersection node; and a right and left turn cost generating part 33 configured to store a table, which stores the travel time data of the intersection node 6 associated with combinations of traffic events of the links 1-4, in storage means 35.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2008Publication date: February 25, 2010Inventors: Kenichi Murata, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu, Kenji Nagase, Hiroki Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20100010735Abstract: A navigation device divides a pathfinding range into plural areas and performs pathfinding in consideration of congestion information. The navigation device includes a forecast congestion information generating unit configured to generate forecast congestion information corresponding to a predetermined time based on traffic information; and a forecast congestion information applying unit configured to apply, to each of the areas, the forecast congestion information corresponding to a time when a vehicle arrives in each of the areas. The navigation device includes an area setting unit configured to set regions divided by concentric circles centering around a present location, as the plural areas. The radius of the concentric circles is incremented by a fixed length that is set beforehand for each region or each time zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2007Publication date: January 14, 2010Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshio Inoguchi, Kazutaka Yoshikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu
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Patent number: RE42547Abstract: Navigation apparatus, methods, and programs merge and correct a plurality of types of past traffic information. The apparatus, methods, and programs may store a plurality of types of past traffic information, each type of past traffic information having a priority and may merge the stored past traffic information in accordance the priorities. The apparatus, methods, and programs may detect adjacency relationships among the plurality of links; and, if a detected link number indicates that the corresponding link is not adjacent to adjacent links, replaces the detected link number for the link, the replaced link number indicating that the link is adjacent to the adjacent links.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Ishikawa, Tomoyuki Zaitsu