Patents Assigned to Mazda Motor Corporation
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Patent number: 11833984Abstract: To reduce software development man-hours when vehicle models are developed an in-vehicle equipment controller includes a CPU and memory. The CPU has, as a software configuration, an application layer, a middleware layer, and a device driver. In the middleware layer, a first communication packet on the application side and a second communication packet on a device driver side are installed. In the middleware layer, a communication path between the application layer and the device driver is generated based on a mapping table stored in the memory.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2021Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Yusuke Nakaya
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Patent number: 11835001Abstract: A control system for an engine including intake and exhaust valve phase variable devices and a control device is provided. At an engine temperature below a first determination temperature, the control is performed so that an exhaust valve close timing is at or retarded from the exhaust top dead center, an intake valve open timing is retarded from the exhaust valve close timing, and the fuel supply to the combustion chamber starts in an intake stroke on a retarding side of the exhaust valve close timing. At the engine temperature above the first determination temperature and below a second determination temperature, the control is performed so that a negative overlap with both the exhaust and intake valves closed during a period including the exhaust top dead center, or a positive overlap with both the exhaust and intake valves opened during a period including the exhaust top dead center, occurs.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2023Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Takeaki Kudo, Junki Hori, Masatoshi Seto, Tatsuya Fujikawa, Masahisa Yamakawa
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Patent number: 11834981Abstract: To meet both a request to improve the thermal efficiency in the medium load operation of an engine and a request to suppress knocking in the high load and high rotation operation of the engine, the engine includes a main combustion chamber including a cylinder block, a cylinder head, and a piston; a pre-chamber having a plurality of injection holes that are open into the main combustion chamber; and a spark plug that ignites an air-fuel mixture in the pre-chamber. A compression ratio of the main combustion chamber is not less than 14 and not more than 24. A second index that is a product between a volume of the pre-chamber and the compression ratio is not less than 1.03 cm3 and not more than 5.92 cm3.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuji Harada, Kenji Uchida, Ryohei Ono, Masayuki Kidokoro, Kazuhiro Nagatsu
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Patent number: 11834028Abstract: A vehicle gear-shifting control apparatus is equipped with an engine, a motor, an automatic transmission, a friction brake system, and a controller which executes, during deceleration during which the friction brake system is distributing a braking force to front and rear wheels, a regeneration control of imparting a regenerative braking torque to the rear wheels and a gear-shifting control of changing a shift stage of the automatic transmission by outputting a gear-shifting signal in accordance with the rotation speed of an input shaft to the transmission. When the controller determines an oversteered state of the vehicle during the regeneration control, the controller increases an input torque of the input shaft so that the regenerative braking torque decreases while maintaining the regeneration operation of the motor and, at the same time, interrupts motive power transmission between the input shaft and an output shaft of the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2023Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Makoto Yamada, Tooru Uematsu, Atsushi Yamasaki
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Publication number: 20230382298Abstract: A driver state determination apparatus detects the decline of the physical function of a driver and confirms the determination of an abnormal state before the driver becomes unable to drive. A vibration apparatus vibrates a steering wheel; a vibration detector detects the vibration of the steering wheel; and a controller controls the vibration apparatus. The controller provides vibration at a predetermined excitation frequency to the steering wheel by the vibration apparatus, calculates a steering torque level at the excitation frequency based on the vibration detected by the vibration detector, and determines that a driver is in an abnormal state when an average value of the steering torque level while the vibration is being provided is equal to or more than a first threshold value, and/or a standard deviation of the steering torque level while the vibration is being provided is equal to or more than a second threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Wataru YOSHIDA, Akira KAINO
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Publication number: 20230380741Abstract: A driver state determination apparatus detects decline of the physical function of a driver and confirms an abnormal state before the driver becomes unable to drive. A vibration apparatus vibrates a steering wheel; a vibration detector detects vibration of the steering wheel; a steering angle sensor detects a steering angle of the steering wheel; and a controller controls the vibration apparatus. The controller provides vibration at a predetermined excitation frequency to the steering wheel by the vibration apparatus, calculates a steering torque level at the excitation frequency based on the vibration detected by the vibration detector, and determines that the driver is in an abnormal state when a correlation coefficient between a time variation of a steering torque level while the vibration is being provided and a time variation of a steering angle while the vibration is being provided is equal to or more than a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Akira Kaino, Yoshitaka Fujihara, Yoko Hoshino
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Publication number: 20230387713Abstract: A smoothing capacitor is forcibly discharged, in a state where a battery is disconnected from a high-voltage circuit, first discharge control is initiated to consume electric charges of the smoothing capacitor by an in-vehicle component via a DC/DC converter. Thereafter, when a voltage of the smoothing capacitor is reduced and reaches a specified threshold, second discharge control is executed to forcibly discharge the electric charges in an active discharge circuit. In the case where continuous forced discharge occurs, delay control to delay execution timing of the second discharge control is further executed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuta Otsuka, Haruki Yamane, Takashi Yoshizaki, Shosuke Morimoto, Sho Kawanari, Hiroaki Kashihara, Yusuke Kame
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Publication number: 20230382218Abstract: A vehicle fuel tank structure capable of suppressing transmission of a vibration of a fuel pump to a vehicle body without depending on a rubber mount includes a fuel tank provided below floor panels; a fuel pump which is provided inside the fuel tank and which is fixed by being pressed against a tank bottom surface of the fuel tank; and a reinforcement member fixed to a vehicle-exterior side of the tank bottom surface against which the fuel pump is pressed, in which the reinforcement member includes a first fixation portion which is fixed to the fuel tank at a position overlapping with a section against which the fuel pump is pressed in a plan view; and second fixation portions which are fixed to the fuel tank at positions not overlapping with the section against which the fuel pump is pressed in a plan view.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Tsuyoshi FURUNO, Yusuke AKASAKI, Ryuichi UEDA, Takuya FUJIMOTO
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Patent number: 11830254Abstract: A recognition processor performs recognition processing to recognize an external environment of a mobile object, based on image data acquired by an imaging unit that takes an image of an external environment of the mobile object. The recognition processor includes a plurality of arithmetic cores. The plurality of arithmetic cores include a recognition processing core that performs the recognition processing, and an abnormality detection core that detects an abnormality of a data processing system including the imaging unit and the recognition processor, based on the abnormality of the output from the recognition processing core.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Daisuke Horigome
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Patent number: 11831718Abstract: The present disclosure relates to reducing software development man-hours when vehicle models are developed. In an in-vehicle equipment controller, a control section has, as a software configuration: an application layer in which an application for in-vehicle equipment is implemented; a device driver; and a middleware layer in which a communication path is generated between the application and the device driver. The middleware layer includes a physical quantity conversion module that converts physical quantity data according to a specified conversion rule, the physical quantity data being included in data transferred through the communication path.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Yusuke Nakaya
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Patent number: 11827205Abstract: A vehicle gear-shifting control apparatus is equipped with an engine, a motor, an automatic transmission, a friction brake system, and a controller which executes, during deceleration of an automobile, a gear-shifting control of changing a shift stage of the automatic transmission by outputting a gear-shifting signal in accordance with the rotation speed of an input shaft and a regeneration control of performing regeneration by at least one of distributing a braking force by the friction brake system and imparting a regenerative braking torque to rear wheels by causing the motor to perform a regeneration operation. The controller executes a first coordinated gear-shifting control of reducing hydraulic pressure in the friction brake system and, at the same time, changing the shift stage while continuing the regeneration operation during brake regeneration and executes a second coordinated gear-shifting control of changing the shift stage after increasing an input torque during non-brake regeneration.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2023Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Makoto Yamada, Tooru Uematsu, Atsushi Yamasaki
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Patent number: 11827211Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, which includes a driving force source configured to generate torque for driving drive wheels, a steering wheel, a steering angle sensor, and a controller. Based on the detected steering angle, the controller reduces the driving torque to add deceleration to the vehicle when the steering wheel is being turned in one direction, and increases the torque to add acceleration when the steering wheel is being turned back in the other direction. The controller controls the torque, when the steering wheel is being turned in the returning direction from a state where it is turned in the one direction, so as to add forward acceleration until the steering wheel returns to a neutral position, and when the steering wheel is then being turned in the other direction after passing through the neutral position, so as not to add the forward acceleration.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu
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Publication number: 20230373566Abstract: A side sill in a lower part and on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle and forms, in its inner part, a closed cross section that extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; the side sill includes a side sill outer that has a front end and a main body located behind the front end, an outer-side reinforcement member that has a shape extending along a front face part and a side face part of the front end of the side sill outer is joined to the front end from inside or outside the closed cross section, a front end of the main body is opposed to a rear end of a side face part of the outer-side reinforcement member in the front-rear direction, and the main body has a protrusion part that protrudes to the inner side of the closed cross section.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Ippei KURODA, Masaya NISHIMOTO
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Patent number: 11825145Abstract: A communication management method includes: flag transmission of transmitting, to an on-vehicle communication device, identification flag information for identifying a function to be enabled among a plurality of functions of a vehicle, using a management server; port assignment of assigning different dedicated source ports for respective functions to be enabled based on the identification flag information, using the on-vehicle communication device, upon receipt of the identification flag information; and data communications for the respective functions assigned to the dedicated source ports in the port assignment via the dedicated source ports to allow a communication carrier to accumulate data traffic for the respective functions, using the on-vehicle communication device.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Motoki Oishi, Satoshi Nakao, Yoshiki Maekawa, Eiji Okazaki, Hiroshi Ariki
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Patent number: 11820432Abstract: A side load-transmitting member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and transmitting a load applied to a vehicle-inward side from a vehicle-outward side toward the vehicle-inward side is provided inside a side sill. A lower portion of the side sill is provided to overlap a battery case in a vehicle side view. The side load-transmitting member comprises a first vertical wall portion provided to overlap a floor-side cross member in the vehicle side view and a second vertical wall portion provided to overlap the battery case in the vehicle side view.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Takehiro Kamei, Takayuki Kimura
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Patent number: 11821832Abstract: An anticorrosion test method for a coated metallic material may include: a preparation step of adding an artificial flaw at two positions of the coated metallic material; a first measurement step of measuring a size of the artificial flaw; a connection step of electrically connecting the artificial flaws at the two positions by an external circuit via water-containing materials; an energization step of energizing a steel sheet to produce a bulge of an electrodeposition coating film; a second measurement step of measuring size of the bulge of the electrodeposition coating film; a calculation step of calculating a degree of progress of corrosion of the coated metallic material; and a correction step of correcting the degree of the progress of the corrosion.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Teruaki Asada, Katsunobu Sasaki, Tsutomu Shigenaga
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Patent number: 11821353Abstract: To meet both a request to improve the thermal efficiency in medium load operation of an engine and a request to suppress knocking in high load operation of the engine, the engine includes a main combustion chamber including a cylinder block, a cylinder head, and a piston; a pre-chamber having a plurality of injection holes that open into the main combustion chamber; and a spark plug that ignites an air-fuel mixture in the pre-chamber. A compression ratio of the main combustion chamber is not less than 14 and not more than 24, an aperture ratio, which is the ratio of a total cross-sectional area of the plurality of injection holes to a volume of the pre-chamber, is not less than 0.0078 mm?1 and not more than 0.0145 mm?1, and the volume of the pre-chamber 15 is not less than 0.0430 cm3 and not more than 0.5631 cm3.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuji Harada, Kenji Uchida, Ryohei Ono
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Patent number: 11820194Abstract: A vehicle suspension system smoothly changes a vehicle posture with respect to a steering force and a steering angle by minimizing a kinematic roll at an initial turning stage, thereby allowing a driver to obtain the sensation of maneuvering the vehicle well. The suspension system includes a front suspension having geometry satisfying that a caster angle is +3° to +5°, a caster trail is +20 to +30 mm, an intersection point between a kingpin axis and ground is located on an inner side in a vehicle width direction of a center of a tire contact patch, and an anhedral angle of a lower arm is +2.8° to +7.2°. A rear suspension includes five links and has geometry satisfying that a virtual kingpin axis extends near the center of a tire contact patch of a rear wheel assembly and extends vertically at ?2° to 0°.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2022Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okuyama, Masaya Hiramatsu, Yoshitada Toyoshima
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Patent number: 11807095Abstract: A vehicle may include a propeller shaft that extends from a transmission toward a vehicle rear side and left and right battery units disposed below floor panels disposed on the left and right sides of a floor tunnel. The propeller shaft may include a first shaft portion connected to the transmission and a second shaft portion connected to the first shaft portion via a universal joint. The left and right battery units may have inner side surface portions that face the inner side in the vehicle width direction, respectively. Planar protectors that cover the portions of the inner side surface portions on the vehicle rear side of the universal joint may be mounted to the battery units, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shintaro Harugaichi, Sho Yoshida, Yosuke Sawada, Yasushi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11807363Abstract: An on-vehicle aircraft control system includes a winding device provided on a landing platform, a connecting member connecting the winding device and an aircraft and wound up or drawn out by the winding device, and a controller controlling the winding device and the aircraft. Upon receipt of a landing request to land the aircraft on the landing platform, the controller winds up the connecting member by the winding device and controls an attitude of the aircraft so as to land the aircraft with a photographing unit provided on the aircraft facing in a specified photographing direction determined in advance.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2021Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hironobu Hashiguchi, Akira Yasutake, Tsuyoshi Arinaga