Patents by Inventor Yasuhiko Mukai

Yasuhiko Mukai 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: 20190054919
    Abstract: A driving mode switching device includes a determination section, a notification section, a detection section, and a control section. The determination section is configured to determine whether a state has occurred in which automatic driving needs to be terminated. The notification section is configured to notify a driver of the instruction for performing a switching operation as a predetermined operation of a vehicle in the case of determining, by the determination section, that the state has occurred in which the automatic driving needs to be terminated. The detection section is configured to detect the switching operation. The control section is configured to switch travelling from automatic driving to manual driving in the case of detecting the switching operation by the detection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Noriyasu NOTO, Yasuhiko MUKAI, Hisaya AKATSUKA, Daisuke TOKUMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20190039610
    Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a travel information acquisition unit, a first information acquisition unit, a second information acquisition unit, a first determination unit, a second determination unit, a first avoidance-amount setting unit, a second avoidance-amount setting unit, and a driving control unit. The second avoidance-amount setting unit sets, when the second avoidance-amount setting unit sets a control amount of a driving control as a second avoidance amount for performing a second avoidance driving action, the control amount smaller than a control amount that is set as a first avoidance amount by the first avoidance-amount setting unit, and sets, when the second avoidance-amount setting unit sets a start timing of the driving control as the second avoidance amount for performing the second avoidance driving action, the start timing later than a start timing that is set as the first avoidance amount by the first avoidance-amount setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Yasuhiko MUKAI, Noriyasu NOTO, Tetsuya TOKUDA, Masanobu YAMAGUCHI, Yasunobu SUGIURA
  • Patent number: 10112609
    Abstract: A collision avoidance apparatus includes a control unit that is configured to perform a collision avoidance process. The control unit determines whether or not an object is present ahead of the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that an object ahead is present, the control unit determines whether or not there is a likelihood of a collision between the object ahead and the own vehicle and whether or not a corner is present ahead of the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that a corner is not present and when a predetermined collision avoidance condition is established, the control unit is capable of changing a travelling direction of the own vehicle to avoid collision between the object ahead and the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that a corner is present, the control unit does not perform a travelling direction change of the own vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Publication number: 20180162395
    Abstract: A driving support control unit of a driving support apparatus executes driving support control for supporting at least part of driving by a driver. A support determining unit determines whether or not predetermined conditions for terminating the driving support control are satisfied. A physical amount acquiring unit acquires a physical amount corresponding to a curviness degree of a driving lane on which an own vehicle drives. A curviness degree determining unit determines whether or not a curviness degree indicated by the physical amount acquired by the physical amount acquiring unit is smaller than a predetermined degree in the case where the predetermined conditions for terminating the driving support control are satisfied. A termination command unit commands the driving support control unit to terminate the driving support control if the curviness degree determining unit determines that the curviness degree is smaller than the predetermined degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Hiroaki Ooshima, Hitoshi Wada
  • Publication number: 20180154893
    Abstract: A drive assist apparatus includes a position acquisition unit that acquires a position of an own vehicle, a position of a tollgate present ahead of the position of the own vehicle, and a position of a target lane in a road present ahead of the tollgate, a scheduled traveling route creation unit that creates a scheduled traveling route from the position of the own vehicle to the position of the target lane through the position of the tollgate, and a travel control unit that controls the own vehicle so as to travel along the scheduled traveling route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Hideshi Izuhara, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Publication number: 20180151074
    Abstract: The likelihood of a collision of a vehicle colliding with an object in front of an own vehicle is determined, and an emergency braking control for avoiding a collision with the object is started in accordance with the determination results. A determination is made as to whether travel environment conditions have been established, from the location at which the vehicle is currently travelling, the situation behind the vehicle, and, the travel state of the vehicle, and the braking control is released when the likelihood of a collision dropped to a predetermined safety level during the period from the start of the emergency braking control until the own vehicle stops, and when the travel environment conditions have been established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Noriyasu NOTO, Tetsuya TOKUDA, Yasuhiko MUKAI
  • Publication number: 20180141492
    Abstract: A collision avoidance apparatus provided with object recognition means, collision determination means, and notification means. The object recognition means identifies an object around an own vehicle. The collision determination means determines the possibility of a collision between an object identified by the object recognition means and the own vehicle. The notification means notifies the outside of the own vehicle about the movement direction of the vehicle if the collision determination means determines that the target object is an object having the potential for collision with the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Tetsuya Tokuda, Takeshi Miura, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Publication number: 20180114443
    Abstract: In a collision avoidance apparatus (1), a first information acquisition unit (7) generates first information that includes the position, speed and advancement direction of a first mobile body, and obtains first information from a first information transmitting unit (1) having a transmitting function. A second information acquisition unit (9) obtains second information that includes the position, speed and advancement direction of a second mobile body. A first mobile body prediction unit (11) predicts positions (P1) of the first mobile body at future time points T, based on the first information, and a second mobile body prediction unit (13) predicts the positions (P2) of the second mobile body at the time points T, based on the second information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Masanobu Yamaguchi, Takeshi Miura, Hiroaki Ohshima
  • Publication number: 20170361848
    Abstract: A traveling assistance apparatus recognizes a travel road on which a vehicle is traveling, acquires a traveling state of the vehicle, and determines whether or not the vehicle will deviate from the travel road based on the recognition result of the travel road and the traveling state of the vehicle. The apparatus determines whether to perform, as a prevention method for preventing from the travel road, a method in which either of steering control and brake control of the vehicle is performed, or a method in which a period over which either of the steering control and the brake control is performed and a period over which both of the steering control and the brake control are performed are set. The apparatus sets a steering amount for the steering control and a brake amount for the brake control when the deviation prevention control is performed based on the prevention method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Noriyasu NOTO, Masanobu YAMAGUCHI, Tetsuya TOKUDA, Yasuhiko MUKAI, Yosuke HATTORI
  • Publication number: 20170344001
    Abstract: A portable device is applied to a vehicle having an automatic parking function of allowing the vehicle to run and park automatically in a predetermined position in a state where a user is out of the vehicle. The portable device includes a forward button member which is operated by the user when moving the vehicle forward, and a backward button member which is operated by the user when moving the vehicle backward. The portable device further includes a signal output unit having a function of outputting an automatic parking instruction signal for setting the vehicle in an automatic parking mode by touch-operating both the forward and backward button members. In this configuration, the forward button member has a forward arrow light emitting portion, and the backward button member has a backward arrow light emitting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventor: Yasuhiko MUKAI
  • Patent number: 9821838
    Abstract: A control section of a steering controller calculates a steer angle which is a turning angle of a first column shaft based on a first detection value detected by a steer angle sensor, and calculates a second shaft turning angle which is a turning angle of a second column shaft based on a second detection value detected by a second shaft rotation angle sensor. A steering torque detection value is calculated based on a third detection value detected by a torque sensor. An abnormality determination part determines abnormalities of the steering torque detection value based on the steer angle and the second shaft turning angle. Thereby, abnormalities of the steering torque detection value are detected without multiplexing the steering torque detection value. Further, if the steering torque detection value is multiplexed, an abnormal steering torque detection value can be specifically identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Hori, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Patent number: 9796410
    Abstract: A motor controller has an assist controller that generates an assist instruction AC to generate an assist torque for lightening a steering load based on a detected value of a steering torque, and a follow controller obtaining a target value of a physical quantity regarding a steering operation and generating a follow instruction TC of a follow control. Further, an intervention detector in the motor controller detects an intervention of a driver or of a system, and a restrictor restricts an internal value that is used by the assist controller or by the follow controller, so that a ratio of the assist torque against the automatic steering torque is changed, which makes it possible to switch a control to the driver or to a system without a causing a wrong feeling to the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisaya Akatsuka, Motoaki Kataoka, Daisuke Tokumochi, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Patent number: 9783229
    Abstract: A control system calculates inputs to a control target that has m inputs and n outputs (m=n, each of m and n is a natural number that is more than one), while designating a plurality of combinations of the inputs and the outputs. A feedback controller calculates, with respect to each designated combination, a control input to a non-interference controller based on a difference between a target value and a current value of the control quantity to make the current value follow the target value. The non-interference controller executes, with respect to each designated combination, a non-interference control to reduce influence due to mutual interference between n control quantities. This reduces the number of combinations of the inputs and the outputs, the combinations whose mutual interference needs considering; thereby, the non-interference control may be easily achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION NAGOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Yoshifumi Morita, Hiroyuki Ukai, Makoto Iwasaki, Takeshi Wada
  • Publication number: 20170217477
    Abstract: A motor controller has an assist controller that generates an assist instruction AC to generate an assist torque for lightening a steering load based on a detected value of a steering torque, and a follow controller obtaining a target value of a physical quantity regarding a steering operation and generating a follow instruction TC of a follow control. Further, an intervention detector in the motor controller detects an intervention of a driver or of a system, and a restrictor restricts an internal value that is used by the assist controller or by the follow controller, so that a ratio of the assist torque against the automatic steering torque is changed, which makes it possible to switch a control to the driver or to a system without a causing a wrong feeling to the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Hisaya Akatsuka, Motoaki Kataoka, Daisuke Tokumochi, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Publication number: 20170203758
    Abstract: A collision avoidance apparatus includes a control unit that is configured to perform a collision avoidance process. The control unit determines whether or not an object is present ahead of the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that an object ahead is present, the control unit determines whether or not there is a likelihood of a collision between the object ahead and the own vehicle and whether or not a corner is present ahead of the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that a corner is not present and when a predetermined collision avoidance condition is established, the control unit is capable of changing a travelling direction of the own vehicle to avoid collision between the object ahead and the own vehicle. When the control unit determines that a corner is present, the control unit does not perform a travelling direction change of the own vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventor: Yasuhiko MUKAI
  • Patent number: 9586619
    Abstract: A motor controller has an assist controller generating an assist instruction for a generation of an assist torque based on a detection value of a steering torque, a follow controller obtaining a target value of a physical quantity regarding a steering operation and generating a follow instruction, and a motor driver driving, according to a sum of the assist instruction and the follow instruction, a motor that generates the assist torque and an automatic steering toque. In addition, the follow controller changes, according to a degree of intervention by a driver that is detected by an intervention detector, responsiveness of the follow control, making it possible to naturally hand over a motor control to the driver or to a system when the driver or the system intervenes a current control of the motor that generates the assist torque and/or the steering torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisaya Akatsuka, Motoaki Kataoka, Yasuhiko Mukai
  • Patent number: 9467078
    Abstract: A rotating electric machine driver apparatus and an electric power steering apparatus using the same includes a controller section that obtains a detected current value and generates a high-side instruction signal and a low-side instruction signal to switch an upper arm element and a lower arm element based on the detected current value. An abnormality detector determines a simul-OFF abnormality which is an abnormality of a pair made up of the high-side and low-side instruction signals being simultaneously switched off based on a condition that switching off of the high-side instruction signal for the upper arm element and the low-side instruction signal for the lower arm element pair continues for at least a simul-OFF abnormality determination time. In such manner, the simul-OFF abnormality of the instruction signals is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Hideki Kabune
  • Publication number: 20150367883
    Abstract: A control system calculates inputs to a control target that has m inputs and n outputs (m=n, each of m and n is a natural number that is more than one), while designating a plurality of combinations of the inputs and the outputs. A feedback controller calculates, with respect to each designated combination, a control input to a non-interference controller based on a difference between a target value and a current value of the control quantity to make the current value follow the target value. The non-interference controller executes, with respect to each designated combination, a non-interference control to reduce influence due to mutual interference between n control quantities. This reduces the number of combinations of the inputs and the outputs, the combinations whose mutual interference needs considering; thereby, the non-interference control may be easily achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuhiko MUKAI, Yoshifumi MORITA, Hiroyuki UKAI, Makoto IWASAKI, Takeshi WADA
  • Patent number: 9213678
    Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a transfer function of at target object having divided systems is disclosed. The apparatus acquires an estimation equation to estimate the transfer function of the target object, and determines, for each arithmetic operation in the estimation equation, whether the arithmetic operation is an addition or a multiplication. For the multiplication, the apparatus performs the multiplication of frequency response characteristics in the frequency domain. For addition, the apparatus converts the frequency response characteristics into time response characteristics, performs the addition of the time response characteristics in the time domain, and reconverts a result of the addition into the frequency domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION NAGOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mukai, Yoshifumi Morita, Hiroyuki Ukai, Makoto Iwasaki, Hiroyasu Otake, Ryo Kano
  • Publication number: 20150353133
    Abstract: A collision avoidance apparatus is mounted to an own vehicle and controls the own vehicle to avoid collision with an object that is present ahead of the own vehicle. In the collision avoidance apparatus, when an object ahead is detected, a travelling direction of the own vehicle is changed to avoid collision between the object ahead and the own vehicle if a predetermined first collision avoidance condition is established. The first collision avoidance condition indicates that the own vehicle is in a state in which a travelling direction of the own vehicle is required to be changed. The collision avoidance apparatus determines whether or not a corner is present ahead on a road on which the own vehicle is travelling. When determined that the corner is present, the collision avoidance apparatus is prohibited from changing the travelling direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: YASUHIKO MUKAI