Patents by Inventor Andrew Sata

Andrew Sata 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).

  • Patent number: 11987149
    Abstract: A system for reducing overconsumption of power in a vehicle includes a power source including a battery having a state of charge (SOC), and a fuel cell stack that generates electricity. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the power source and designed to receive a power request corresponding to a requested amount of power from the power source. The ECU is further designed to determine a fuel cell power amount corresponding to an amount of the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack to achieve the requested amount of power. The ECU is further designed to determine an overconsumption event when a current power consumption corresponding to a total amount of power being drawn from the power source is greater than the power request. The ECU is further designed to increase the fuel cell power amount in response to determining the overconsumption event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Folick, Christopher M. Bulpitt, Jared Farnsworth, Andrew Sata
  • Publication number: 20230170508
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for modularizing a system. Parallel power systems having electronically isolated high voltage systems facilitate modulization. A control system is provided that optimizes the distribution of a power demand and/or a torque request so as to keep the efficiency, durability, drivability and/or safety of the system within an optimum range. In some cases, the distribution of power is uneven, so as to extend the battery life, while in other cases, the power draw on battery systems are kept equal and constant so as to properly manage the state of charge of the parallel power systems. In still other cases, the chosen power distribution keeps the power demand and/or torque request between minimum and maximum levels/capacity, and the power distribution avoids on/off of an individual power system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER M. BULPITT, DANIEL CHARLES FOLICK, JARED FARNSWORTH, ANDREW SATA, ARLO C. EITZER, LAURA E. BOWER, DANIEL K. LIM, JONATHAN J. SANDER, LUKE A. RIPPELMEYER, SCOTT A. FRIEDMAN, TAKEHITO YOKOO
  • Publication number: 20230055154
    Abstract: A system for reducing overdraw of power in a vehicle includes a power source having a battery and a fuel cell circuit. The system further includes an ECU that transmits a power limit signal to a vehicle controller, the power limit signal corresponding to an instantaneous maximum amount of power of the power source. The ECU also determines a battery allowed power corresponding to an amount of power available to be drawn from the battery to cause the SOC of the battery to remain above a lower SOC threshold. The ECU also determines a current battery power draw from the battery corresponding to an instantaneous amount of power being drawn from the battery. The ECU is designed to reduce the instantaneous maximum amount of power in the power limit signal when the current battery power draw is greater than the battery allowed power, reducing the current battery power draw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Folick, Christopher M. Bulpitt, Jared Farnsworth, Andrew Sata
  • Publication number: 20230060085
    Abstract: A system for reducing overconsumption of power in a vehicle includes a power source including a battery having a state of charge (SOC), and a fuel cell stack that generates electricity. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the power source and designed to receive a power request corresponding to a requested amount of power from the power source. The ECU is further designed to determine a fuel cell power amount corresponding to an amount of the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack to achieve the requested amount of power. The ECU is further designed to determine an overconsumption event when a current power consumption corresponding to a total amount of power being drawn from the power source is greater than the power request. The ECU is further designed to increase the fuel cell power amount in response to determining the overconsumption event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Folick, Christopher M. Bulpitt, Jared Farnsworth, Andrew Sata
  • Patent number: 9002597
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system may include at least one primary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and/or the steering column. The system also includes at least one auxiliary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel, the steering column and/or the at least one primary paddle shifter. The primary paddle shifter may engage a primary function, such as one sequential gear shift up or down and the auxiliary paddle shifter may engage a secondary function, such as an optimal gear shift up or down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata
  • Patent number: 8996261
    Abstract: A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle. The system including a steering wheel, first and second paddle shifters coupled to the steering wheel or column, a switch having an activate state and a deactivate state and coupled to the steering wheel, a center console, an instrument panel, or an integrated display, and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second paddle shifters to inhibit movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the deactivate state and to allow movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the activate state as a stand-alone lock out method or integrated with an electronic lock out method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata
  • Patent number: 8996260
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel and a detent mechanism having an idle location, a first location, and a second location, the detent mechanism is coupled to the steering wheel. The system also includes a paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and the detent mechanism, the paddle shifter having an idle position with no associated function when the paddle shifter is in the idle location, a first operating position with an associated first function when the paddle shifter is in the first location, and a second operating position with an associated second function when the paddle shifter is in the second location. The associated first function is different from the associated second function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata
  • Publication number: 20140116179
    Abstract: A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle. The system including a steering wheel, first and second paddle shifters coupled to the steering wheel or column, a switch having an activate state and a deactivate state and coupled to the steering wheel, a center console, an instrument panel, or an integrated display, and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second paddle shifters to inhibit movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the deactivate state and to allow movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the activate state as a stand-alone lock out method or integrated with an electronic lock out method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata
  • Publication number: 20140121913
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system may include at least one primary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and/or the steering column. The system also includes at least one auxiliary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel, the steering column and/or the at least one primary paddle shifter. The primary paddle shifter may engage a primary function, such as one sequential gear shift up or down and the auxiliary paddle shifter may engage a secondary function, such as an optimal gear shift up or down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata
  • Publication number: 20140116178
    Abstract: A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel and a detent mechanism having an idle location, a first location, and a second location, the detent mechanism is coupled to the steering wheel. The system also includes a paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and the detent mechanism, the paddle shifter having an idle position with no associated function when the paddle shifter is in the idle location, a first operating position with an associated first function when the paddle shifter is in the first location, and a second operating position with an associated second function when the paddle shifter is in the second location. The associated first function is different from the associated second function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Sata