Masaki Furukawa

Title: Masaki Furukawa: Innovator in Parking Assistance Technology

Introduction

Masaki Furukawa is a notable inventor based in Kariya, Japan. He has made significant contributions to the field of automotive technology, particularly in parking assistance devices. With a total of 5 patents to his name, Furukawa's work reflects his commitment to enhancing vehicle safety and convenience.

Latest Patents

Furukawa's latest patents include innovative parking assistance devices designed to improve the parking experience for drivers. One of his patents describes a parking assistance device that features a candidate line detection unit. This unit detects a candidate line that may serve as a boundary line in image data obtained from imaging the vehicle's surroundings. The device includes a boundary line recognition unit that determines whether the difference in luminance between areas outside the candidate line meets a specific threshold. If the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold, the candidate line is not recognized as a boundary line. Conversely, if the difference is less than the threshold, it is recognized as a boundary line.

Another patent outlines a parking assistance device that includes a captured image acquisition unit. This unit images the road surface around the vehicle, while an end detector identifies the end of a ground object within the detection area of the captured image. A position calculator then calculates the positional relationship of the end of the ground object. The boundary line determiner assesses whether the ground object is a boundary line defining a parking slot. Additionally, a removal unit determines if the rear end of the ground object is within a removal range, excluding it from being recognized as a boundary line if it is.

Career Highlights

Furukawa has worked with prominent companies in the automotive industry, including Aisin Corporation and Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha. His experience in these organizations has allowed him to develop and refine his innovative ideas in parking assistance technology.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Furukawa has collaborated with talented individuals such as Yoji Inui and Yuya Shimohira. These collaborations have contributed to the advancement of his projects and the successful development of his patents.

Conclusion

Masaki Furukawa is a distinguished inventor whose work in parking assistance technology has made a significant impact on automotive safety and convenience. His innovative patents and collaborations reflect his dedication to improving the driving experience.