Patents by Inventor Youhei Masui

Youhei Masui 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: 20160009282
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target of the preceding vehicle. A target-pair distance is a distance between the target and a non-target reflection point that is closer to the subject vehicle than the target. A corrected distance calculator is configured to, in the presence of the target-pair distance being recognized, calculate a first corrected distance by subtracting the target-pair distance from a detected distance between the target and the subject vehicle, and in the absence of the target-pair distance being recognized, calculate a second corrected distance by subtracting an offset that is the previously set target-pair distance from the detected distance. A controller is configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on the first or second corrected distance depending on the presence or absence of the target-pair distance being recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Publication number: 20160009281
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, a controller is configured to implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle acquired from the detected distance. A control switcher is configured to, when target information for identifying the rear end of the preceding vehicle becomes unacquirable during implementation of the inter-vehicle distance control, suspend the inter-vehicle distance control and make a switch to the direct operation by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Publication number: 20160009283
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a subject vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle based on reflected waves from a target that is a reflecting portion of the preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, a distance estimator is configured to calculate an estimated distance as an inter-vehicle distance between a rear end of the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle based on an inter-vehicle distance variation calculated based on a relative speed of the target. A target determiner is configured to determine whether or not the target is displaced forward of the rear end of the preceding vehicle. A controller is configured to, when the target of the preceding vehicle is displaced forward of the rear end of the preceding vehicle, implement the inter-vehicle distance control based on the estimated distance calculated by the distance estimator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori
  • Publication number: 20160009280
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus for implementing inter-vehicle distance control of a vehicle carrying the apparatus behind a preceding vehicle. In the apparatus, an offset storage is configured to calculate an offset that is a difference between detected distances to first and second targets, and store the offset associated with the first target forward of the second target. The inter-vehicle distance control may be implemented based on a distance calculated by subtracting the offset from the detected distance to the first target. An offset eraser is configured to, based on the presence or absence of relative displacement between the first and second targets, determine whether or not the first and second targets belong to different vehicles, and when the first and second targets belong to different vehicles, erase the offset stored by the offset storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Youhei Masui, Minoru Nakadori