Patents by Inventor Toshikazu HIOKI

Toshikazu HIOKI 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).

  • Publication number: 20230109715
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a manual like a POV mode that is set when a VP is turned on, a manual with VO mode in which the VP is under the control by an operator, and an autonomy with VO mode in which the VP is under the control by an ADS. A processor of a VCIB is configured 1) to receive an operator command for transition of the vehicle from the manual like a POV mode to the manual with VO mode from the ADS and 2) to provide an autonomy ready signal indicating that autonomous driving of the VP is ready to the ADS and receive an autonomy request for transition of the vehicle from the manual with VO mode to the autonomy with VO mode from the ADS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eisuke ANDO, Toshikazu HIOKI
  • Publication number: 20230116293
    Abstract: A VCIB interfaces between an autonomous driving kit (ADK) and a vehicle platform (VP). The VP includes as vehicle modes, a manual mode in which the VP is under the control by a driver and an autonomous mode in which the VP is under the control by the ADK. When a first condition is satisfied in the manual mode, the VCIB has the vehicle mode make transition from the manual mode to the autonomous mode. The first condition includes (1) a condition that the VCIB has authenticated the ADK, (2) a condition that a power mode status signal indicates “drive mode,” (3) a condition that a readiness-for-autonomization signal indicates “Ready for Autonomous Mode,” and (4) a condition that a vehicle mode request indicates “Request for Autonomy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Eisuke ANDO, Toshikazu HIOKI
  • Publication number: 20230110042
    Abstract: A VP includes a base vehicle and a VCIB. The VCIB interfaces between the VP and an ADS. The VCIB is configured to receive a power mode command that requests control of a power mode of the VP from the ADS. The power mode includes a sleep mode in which a vehicle power is in an off condition, a wake mode in which the VCIB is awake, an ignition on mode in which the vehicle is in an ignition on state, and a drive mode in which the vehicle power is in an on condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke YAMAMOTO, Toshikazu HIOKI
  • Publication number: 20230115003
    Abstract: When a power status of a vehicle makes transition regardless of control by an autonomous driving system while the autonomous driving system is controlling a power mode of a vehicle platform, the autonomous driving system is notified that transition was caused by a driver input. A VP is configured such that an ADS is mountable thereon. The VP includes a base vehicle and a VCIB. The VCIB interfaces between the base vehicle and the ADS. Then, the VCIB provides a signal that indicates a driver input onto a start/stop button for switching between on and off of the base vehicle to the ADS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshikazu HIOKI
  • Patent number: 8686833
    Abstract: The control system has a structure in which sensor apparatuses each having a data communication function are connected to an electronic control apparatus through a common communication line, and the sensors of the sensor apparatuses are connected to the electronic control apparatus through separate individual signal lines to transmit sensor signals to the electronic control apparatus. The electronic control apparatus is configured to, prior to transmitting communication data to one of the sensor apparatuses through the communication line, set the signal line connected to the selected sensor apparatus in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is outside a variation range corresponding to a voltage range of the sensor signal, and set the signal lines connected to the other sensor apparatuses to each of which the communication data is not addressed in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is within the variation range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Hioki, Housyo Yukawa, Masayuki Kaneko, Fumitaka Sugimoto, Hirohumi Isomura
  • Patent number: 8451091
    Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, a control system having sensor units and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a transmission controlling means which sets a signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is a destination of communication data, to a first state, sets the signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is not the destination, to a second state, and transmits the communication data to the destination via a communication line. The sensor unit includes a reception controlling means which determines a state of the signal line connecting a sensor to the electronic control unit. When determining that the signal line of the sensor unit is in the first state, the reception controlling means receives the communication data and performs a predetermined process. When determining that the signal line is in the second state, the reception controlling means discards the communication data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Hioki, Takeshi Iwai, Housyo Yukawa, Fumitaka Sugimoto, Hirofumi Isomura
  • Publication number: 20110313640
    Abstract: The control system has a structure in which sensor apparatuses each having a data communication function are connected to an electronic control apparatus through a common communication line, and the sensors of the sensor apparatuses are connected to the electronic control apparatus through separate individual signal lines to transmit sensor signals to the electronic control apparatus. The electronic control apparatus is configured to, prior to transmitting communication data to one of the sensor apparatuses through the communication line, set the signal line connected to the selected sensor apparatus in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is outside a variation range corresponding to a voltage range of the sensor signal, and set the signal lines connected to the other sensor apparatuses to each of which the communication data is not addressed in a state in which the voltage of the signal line is within the variation range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Hioki, Housyo Yukawa, Masayuki Kaneko, Fumitaka Sugimoto, Hirohumi Isomura
  • Publication number: 20100161080
    Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, a control system having sensor units and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit includes a transmission controlling means which sets a signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is a destination of communication data, to a first state, sets the signal line connected to the sensor unit, which is not the destination, to a second state, and transmits the communication data to the destination via a communication line. The sensor unit includes a reception controlling means which determines a to state of the signal line connecting a sensor to the electronic control unit. When determining that the signal line of the sensor unit is in the first state, the reception controlling means receives the communication data and performs a predetermined process. When determining that the signal line is in the second state, the reception controlling means discards the communication data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu HIOKI, Takeshi Iwai, Housyo Yukawa, Fumitaka Sugimoto, Hirofumi Isomura