Takeshi Shima

US Patent:

7782179, Aug 24, 2010

Filed:

Nov 16, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/941259

Inventors:

Kimiyoshi Machii - Novi MI, US
Mirai Higuchi - Hitachi, JP
Yuji Otsuka - Hitachinaka, JP
Takeshi Shima - Pittsburgh PA, US
Shoji Muramatsu - Hitachinaka, JP

Assignee:

Hitachi, Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

B60Q 1/00

US Classification:

340435, 340436, 340937

Abstract:

An obstacle detection apparatus more accurately detects a moving obstacle present around a motor vehicle. With this system, desired feature quantities of an obstacle present in a coverage of a first sensor are calculated and then stored into a storage device, and when the obstacle moves from the coverage of the first sensor to a coverage of a second sensor, a relative distance to the obstacle is calculated from the above-stored feature quantities of the obstacle and from the desired feature quantities of the obstacle, obtained by analyzing the recognition results of the second sensor that have been processed by a processor which processes the recognition results.

US Patent:

8204276, Jun 19, 2012

Filed:

Jan 23, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/018649

Inventors:

Mirai Higuchi - Hitachi, JP
Yuji Otsuka - Hitachinaka, JP
Takeshi Shima - Pittsburgh PA, US
Kimiyoshi Machii - Novi MI, US
Shoji Muramatsu - Hitachinaka, JP
Kota Irie - Hitachinaka, JP
Tatsuhiko Monji - Hitachinaka, JP

Assignee:

Hitachi, Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

G06K 9/00

US Classification:

382104, 382100, 382325

Abstract:

An in-vehicle running-environment recognition apparatus including an input unit for inputting an image signal from in-vehicle imaging devices for photographing external environment of a vehicle, an image processing unit for detecting a first image area by processing the image signal, the first image area having a factor which prevents recognition of the external environment, an image determination unit for determining a second image area based on at least any one of size of the first image area, position thereof, and set-up positions of the in-vehicle imaging devices having the first image area, an environment recognition processing being performed in the second image area, the first image area being detected by the image processing unit, and an environment recognition unit for recognizing the external environment of the vehicle based on the second image area.

US Patent:

20080084165, Apr 10, 2008

Filed:

Oct 3, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/866458

Inventors:

Yuji OTSUKA - Hitachinaka, JP
Shoji MURAMATSU - Hitachinaka, JP
Takeshi SHIMA - Pittsburgh PA, US
Tatsuhiko MONJI - Hitachinaka, JP

Assignee:

Hitachi, Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

B60Q 1/14

US Classification:

315082000

Abstract:

The present invention provides a headlight control apparatus which suppresses a feeling of strangeness given to a driver of an own vehicle by hunting due to reflector light while preventing a preceding vehicle and an on-coming vehicle from being dazzled, based on a video image obtained by a camera. The headlight is controlled by detecting the position of a light spot in the image captured by the camera to perform irradiation with a pattern which reduces the light quantity of a certain area above the detected light spot. Thereby, even if hunting occurs due to the reflector light, the irradiation light quantity of an entire irradiation area of the headlight does not vary, but only the irradiation light quantity for a partial area above a reflector varies, and therefore, the feeling of strangeness given to the driver can be suppressed.

US Patent:

20120224747, Sep 6, 2012

Filed:

May 18, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/474750

Inventors:

Mirai HIGUCHI - Hitachi, JP
Yuji Otsuka - Hitachinaka, JP
Takeshi Shima - Pittsburgh PA, US
Kimiyoshi Machii - Novi MI, US
Shoji Muramatsu - Hitachinaka, JP
Kota Irie - Hitachinaka, JP
Tatsuhiko Monji - Hitachinaka, JP

Assignee:

Hitachi, Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

G06K 9/62

US Classification:

382103

Abstract:

An in-vehicle running-environment recognition apparatus including an input unit for inputting an image signal from in-vehicle imaging devices for photographing external environment of a vehicle, an image processing unit for detecting a first image area by processing the image signal, the first image area having a factor which prevents recognition of the external environment, an image determination unit for determining a second image area based on at least any one of size of the first image area, position thereof, and set-up positions of the in-vehicle imaging devices having the first image area, an environment recognition processing being performed in the second image area, the first image area being detected by the image processing unit, and an environment recognition unit for recognizing the external environment of the vehicle based on the second image area.