Patents by Inventor Yuichi Watano

Yuichi Watano 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: 20220316678
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a lamp housing; a lamp cover covering an opening of the lamp housing; an illumination unit disposed in a lamp chamber formed by the lamp housing and the lamp cover; a radar configured to acquire radar data indicating surroundings of a vehicle by emitting an electromagnetic wave outside the vehicle; and a concealing part that faces the radar to conceal the radar from the outside of the vehicle and is configured to let the electromagnetic wave emitted from the radar through. The concealing part is formed integrally with the lamp cover. A boundary between the concealing part and the lamp cover is out of a field of view of the radar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Maruyama, Yoshihiro Katsurada, Yuichi Watano, Osamu Kuboyama
  • Publication number: 20220268923
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a lamp housing; a lamp cover; an illumination unit disposed in a lamp chamber; a radar configured to acquire radar data indicating surroundings of a vehicle by emitting an electromagnetic wave outside the vehicle; a concealing part that faces the radar to conceal the radar from the outside of the vehicle and is configured to let the electromagnetic wave emitted from the radar through; a support member that is fixed to a vehicle body and is configured to support and fix the radar; and a positioning part that is disposed between the concealing part and the support member and is configured to position the radar to the concealing part. The concealing part is formed integrally with the lamp cover. The positioning part is fixed to the concealing part and is configured to engage with the support member elastically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Katsurada, Yuichi Watano, Osamu Kuboyama, Yuta Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20220242430
    Abstract: Provided is an information displaying technology for a vehicle that makes it possible to protect the privacy and security of a user who is outside of the vehicle when information is displayed to the user. A vehicle information display system (101) is provided with a plurality of display units (114) comprised of a display (116), drawing lights (117), and a road surface (119), and a control unit (111) for controlling the display units (114), and the control unit (111) includes a display destination selection unit (113) that selects a display unit (114) according to the information to be displayed. Furthermore, a sensor (121) is provided that measures the environment on which information is displayed. The display destination selection unit (113) selects the drawing lights (117) as the display destinations when information to be displayed includes information concerning the user U's security or privacy, and selects the display (116) when the condition of the road surface (119) is not suitable for display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Naohisa Tatara
  • Publication number: 20220113427
    Abstract: Provided is a LiDAR sensor unit in which even when a lens element is provided, measurement data is less likely to be affected by the lens element. A LiDAR sensor unit has: a LiDAR sensor; a lens element that is provided on an optical path of light emitted from the LiDAR sensor; and a processing unit that outputs measurement data which has been measured by the LiDAR sensor and which includes the orientation and the distance of a measurement subject. The processing unit is configured to not output measurement data of a specific orientation which is the same but the distance corresponding thereto differs before and after attachment of the lens element under the same environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Shunsuke Okamura, Yoshiaki Fushimi
  • Patent number: 11248767
    Abstract: A first camera unit (111) acquires an image including at least an area ahead of a vehicle based on a first optical axis (X1). A second camera unit (112) acquires an image including at least an area on the left of the vehicle based on a second optical axis (X2). When viewed from an up-down direction of the vehicle, the first optical axis (X1) and the second optical axis (X2) intersect with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Yukio Nomura, Yoshiyuki Nakanishi, Teppei Muramatsu, Yichao Xie
  • Publication number: 20210402915
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp system (100) comprises an illuminance-variable lamp (42), a lamp-mounted camera (44), and a lamp control unit (43). When acquiring positional information of a low-accuracy region from a vehicle control unit (3), the lamp control unit (43) acquires illuminance of the low-accuracy region with reference to information acquired by the lamp-mounted camera (44), controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is increased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is less than a threshold value, and/or controls the illuminance-variable lamp (42) such that the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is decreased if the illuminance of the low-accuracy region is the threshold value or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Takao MURAMATSU
  • Publication number: 20210341354
    Abstract: A sensor system (100) is equipped with a light emitting element that emits detecting light (L1), a translucent cover (120) that allows passage of the detecting light (L1), and a scanning mechanism that changes an emitting direction of the detecting light (L1) at least in a first direction (D1). A light receiving device (210) is equipped with a plurality of inspection light receiving elements (211a to 211g) arranged at least along the first direction, and adapted to be disposed on an optical path of the detecting light (L1) that has passed through the translucent cover (120). An inspection processor (220) is configured to output a determination result (R) as to whether an abnormality is present in the translucent cover (120) on the basis of a determination as to whether each of the inspection light receiving elements (211a to 211g) has normally received the detecting light (L).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki WATANABE, Yuichi WATANO, Shunsuke OKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210229638
    Abstract: A camera unit is configured to capture an image of an outside area of a vehicle. A translucent cover covers the camera unit. A first air cleaner is configured to jet gas toward an area on the translucent cover located within an angle of view of the camera unit. The first cleaner is located above the area in an up-down direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Shigeyuki WATANABE, Akinobu KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 10955553
    Abstract: A sensor system mounted on a vehicle includes: a first sensor configured to acquire information on a first area outside the vehicle; a second sensor configured to acquire information on a second area that partially overlaps with the first area outside the vehicle; and a controller configured to change an information acquisition rate of the first sensor and an information acquisition rate of the second sensor, in which when the information acquisition rate of one of the first sensor and the second sensor falls below a predetermined value, the controller increases the information acquisition rate of the other sensor to be higher than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20210025560
    Abstract: A first camera unit (111) acquires an image including at least an area ahead of a vehicle based on a first optical axis (X1). A second camera unit (112) acquires an image including at least an area on the left of the vehicle based on a second optical axis (X2). When viewed from an up-down direction of the vehicle, the first optical axis (X1) and the second optical axis (X2) intersect with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Yukio Nomura, Yoshiyuki Nakanishi, Teppei Muramatsu, Yichao Xie
  • Patent number: 10836305
    Abstract: A marker lamp system includes a sensor configured to detect information around a vehicle, a projector configured to project an image onto a road surface around the vehicle, a controller configured to control the projector based on a detecting result of the sensor, and a marker lamp having a light emitting area surrounding the sensor and the projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobutaka Tezuka, Yuichi Watano, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20200209385
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a lamp chamber, an automatic operation marker lamp unit, and a sensor device. The lamp chamber includes a lamp body and an outer lens, and the automatic operation marker lamp unit and the sensor device are integrated in the lamp chamber. The automatic operation marker lamp unit informs surroundings that a vehicle is being driven automatically, and a sensor device detects information around the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Nobutaka Tezuka, Yuichi Watano, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20200207258
    Abstract: A marker lamp system includes a sensor configured to detect information around a vehicle, a projector configured to project an image onto a road surface around the vehicle, a controller configured to control the projector based on a detecting result of the sensor, and a marker lamp having a light emitting area surrounding the sensor and the projector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Nobutaka Tezuka, Yuichi Watano, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20190355133
    Abstract: An input interface is configured to receive at least one sensor signal corresponding to information of the exterior of the vehicle sensed by at least one sensor. A processor is configured to, based on the sensor signal, generate: a first data corresponding to first information sensed in a first area; and a second data corresponding to second information sensed in a second area located outside the first area. An output interface is configured to output the first data and the second data independently from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki WATANABE, Yuichi WATANO
  • Publication number: 20190353783
    Abstract: A sensor system mounted on a vehicle includes: a first sensor configured to acquire information on a first area outside the vehicle; a second sensor configured to acquire information on a second area that partially overlaps with the first area outside the vehicle; and a controller configured to change an information acquisition rate of the first sensor and an information acquisition rate of the second sensor, in which when the information acquisition rate of one of the first sensor and the second sensor falls below a predetermined value, the controller increases the information acquisition rate of the other sensor to be higher than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20190351913
    Abstract: A sensor system mounted on a vehicle includes: a first sensor configured to detect information on a first area outside the vehicle; a second sensor configured to detect information on a second area that partially overlaps with the first area outside the vehicle; a memory configured to store a positional relationship between the first sensor and the second sensor based on information detected in an overlapped area between the first area and the second area; and a processor configured to generate positional displacement information of the sensor system with respect to the vehicle, based on the information detected by at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor and the positional relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Yuichi Watano
  • Publication number: 20190188494
    Abstract: A vehicle driving assist device which is mounted on a vehicle, includes an instruction recognition device which is configured to recognize operation instruction information for a vehicle displayed on a road surface. The vehicle on which the vehicle driving assist device is mounted is operated based on the operation instruction information. An instruction display device is mounted on a vehicle and is configured to display operation instruction information for another vehicle on a road surface with near-infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sawa, Yuichi Watano
  • Patent number: 9969321
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle lamp device includes a reception unit and a control unit. The control unit includes a timing determination unit configured to determine a driving timing of an actuator configured to change a posture of the vehicle lamp device. The timing determination unit drives the actuator when an acquisition number of the output values of the acceleration sensor reaches a first number while a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, and drives the actuator when the acquisition number of the output values of the acceleration sensor reaches a second number smaller than the first number while the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Watano, Takahisa Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20170151902
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle lamp device includes a reception unit and a control unit. The control unit includes a timing determination unit configured to determine a driving timing of an actuator configured to change a posture of the vehicle lamp device. The timing determination unit drives the actuator when an acquisition number of the output values of the acceleration sensor reaches a first number while a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, and drives the actuator when the acquisition number of the output values of the acceleration sensor reaches a second number smaller than the first number while the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Takahisa NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 7751539
    Abstract: In order to provide a telecommunication control system for determining the most appropriate connection configuration according to a connection configuration requested by a caller terminal and a receiver terminal, the telecommunication control system comprises a caller priority call category judgment unit for generating a first priority call category identifier by judging a priority call category from first connection configuration information; a priority call category identifier notification unit for notifying a receiver side telecommunication control system of the first priority call category identifier; a requested call category judgment unit for judging a requested call category from a first priority call category identifier; a requested call category notification unit for notifying the receiver terminal of the requested call category; a receiver priority call category judgment unit for generating a second priority call category identifier from second connection configuration information; a connection call
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yuichi Watano