Patents by Inventor Toshikazu Tomono

Toshikazu Tomono 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: 11325528
    Abstract: A rear turn lamp has a structure formed of divided components, i.e., a first lamp unit provided to a fixed portion of a vehicle body and a second lamp unit provided to a movable portion of the vehicle body. The first lamp unit is provided with a controller. A first lighting circuit turns on multiple first light sources. A second lighting circuit turns on multiple second light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Miyashita, Masashi Yamazaki, Toshikazu Tomono, Shinji Ohta
  • Publication number: 20210039550
    Abstract: A rear turn lamp has a structure formed of divided components, i.e., a first lamp unit provided to a fixed portion of a vehicle body and a second lamp unit provided to a movable portion of the vehicle body. The first lamp unit is provided with a controller. A first lighting circuit turns on multiple first light sources. A second lighting circuit turns on multiple second light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi MIYASHITA, Masashi YAMAZAKI, Toshikazu TOMONO, Shinji OHTA
  • Patent number: 10899269
    Abstract: A common lamp driving circuit is configured to supply current. A switching circuit is configured to selectively supply the current to either a first lamp or a second lamp that are of different types. A processor is configured to control the switching circuit such that a state in which the current is supplied to the first lamp and a state in which the current is supplied to the second lamp are repeated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Tomono, Yasushi Noyori
  • Publication number: 20200148096
    Abstract: A common lamp driving circuit is configured to supply current. A switching circuit is configured to selectively supply the current to either a first lamp or a second lamp that are of different types. A processor is configured to control the switching circuit such that a state in which the current is supplied to the first lamp and a state in which the current is supplied to the second lamp are repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Tomono, Yasushi Noyori
  • Patent number: 8858046
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle lamp is provided with a reception section (228L1, 228R1), a control section (228, 228L, 228R) and a transmission section (228L3, 228R3). The reception section (228L1, 228R1) receives a tilt angle of a vehicle relative to a horizontal plane from a tilt detection device (316). The control section (228, 228L, 228R) corrects the tilt angle obtained from the tilt detection device (316) based on correction information obtained from a first pre-recorded reference acceleration vector information (S1) of the vehicle being in a first state and a second pre-recorded reference acceleration vector information (S2) of the vehicle being in a second state different from the first state only in a pitch angle, and also determines an optical axis position of the vehicle lamp. The transmission section (228L3, 228R3) transmits the determined optical axis position to an optical axis adjustment section (236).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Yamazaki, Kazuo Goto, Toshikazu Tomono
  • Patent number: 8820986
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a vehicle lamp provided in a vehicle. The device includes: a receiver configured to receive an inclination angle of the vehicle with respect to a horizontal plane from an inclination detector; a controller configured to: i) generate a first control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to adjust an optical axis of the vehicle lamp in response to a change of the inclination angle, when the vehicle has already stopped; and ii) generate a second control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to maintain the optical axis of the vehicle lamp, when the vehicle is traveling on a road surface; and a transmitter configured to transmit the first control signal or the second control signal to an optical axis adjuster provided in the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Yamazaki, Kazuo Goto, Toshikazu Tomono
  • Publication number: 20120002430
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for controlling a vehicle lamp provided in a vehicle. The device includes: a receiver configured to receive an inclination angle of the vehicle with respect to a horizontal plane from an inclination detector; a controller configured to: i) generate a first control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to adjust an optical axis of the vehicle lamp in response to a change of the inclination angle, when the vehicle has already stopped; and ii) generate a second control signal instructing the vehicle lamp to maintain the optical axis of the vehicle lamp, when the vehicle is traveling on a road surface; and a transmitter configured to transmit the first control signal or the second control signal to an optical axis adjuster provided in the vehicle lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi YAMAZAKI, Kazuo GOTO, Toshikazu TOMONO
  • Publication number: 20110317439
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle lamp is provided with a reception section (228L1, 228R1), a control section (228, 228L, 228R) and a transmission section (228L3, 228R3). The reception section (228L1, 228R1) receives a tilt angle of a vehicle relative to a horizontal plane from a tilt detection device (316). The control section (228, 228L, 228R) corrects the tilt angle obtained from the tilt detection device (316) based on correction information obtained from a pre-recorded first reference tilt angle (S1) of the vehicle in a first state and a pre-recorded second reference tilt angle (S2) of the vehicle in a second state different from the first state only in a pitch angle, and also determines an optical axis position of the vehicle lamp. The transmission section (228L3, 228R3) transmits the determined optical axis position to an optical axis adjustment section (236).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi YAMAZAKI, Kazuo GOTO, Toshikazu TOMONO
  • Patent number: 7329994
    Abstract: A lighting system for a vehicle includes a lamp and a deciding circuit to detect the number of abnormal light emitting elements or the abnormal elements in the lamp. The deciding circuit may be connected to a disconnection detecting circuit by one signal line to detect an abnormality of a particular one light emitting element, wherein the disconnection detecting circuit is adapted to provide to the signal line a potential corresponding to the particular light emitting element whose disconnection is detected and the deciding circuit is adapted to identify the abnormal light emitting element on the basis of the potential of the signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hideki Uchida, Toshikazu Tomono
  • Publication number: 20060181889
    Abstract: A lighting system for a vehicle includes a lamp and a deciding circuit to detect the number of abnormal light emitting elements or the abnormal elements in the lamp. The deciding circuit may be connected to a disconnection detecting circuit by one signal line to detect an abnormality of a particular one light emitting element, wherein the disconnection detecting circuit is adapted to provide to the signal line a potential corresponding to the particular light emitting element whose disconnection is detected and the deciding circuit is adapted to identify the abnormal light emitting element on the basis of the potential of the signal line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Atsushi Toda, Hideki Uchida, Toshikazu Tomono