Patents by Inventor Hiroki Furuta

Hiroki Furuta 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: 11766910
    Abstract: A vehicle control method includes a step of executing preview vibration damping control for controlling a control force generating apparatus, when a wheel passes a predicated passage position, on the basis of a target control force computed by using a road surface displacement related value at the predicated passage position. The control method further includes a step of determining whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied, the predetermined condition being satisfied when a time series change of the road surface displacement related value on a predicted route of the wheel falls within a controllable range of the control force generating apparatus, and a step of executing a particular process for reducing the magnitude of the road surface displacement related value at the predicted passage position when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 11733396
    Abstract: A position estimation device includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to estimate the position of a vehicle using at least a traveled distance of the vehicle. The ECU calculates correction factors for a reference tire rolling radius and stores the correction factors in a storage device. Each of the correction factors is set for a corresponding one of a plurality of vehicle speed ranges. The ECU calculates the traveled distance of the vehicle based on a rotation parameter and the corrected reference tire rolling radius obtained by correcting the reference tire rolling radius using the correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 11712939
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first actuator, one or more second actuators, and an electronic control unit. The first actuator is configured to control a stroke of a suspension for a control target wheel. The one or more second actuators is configured to control the stroke of the suspension and more responsive than the first actuator. The electronic control unit is configured to: execute a calculation process to calculate a required control amount for at least one of roll control and pitch control of the vehicle; and execute a command process to distribute and command the required control amount to the first actuator and the one or more second actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230125985
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension control device includes: an actuator configured to apply a control force in a vertical direction between an unsprung structure and a sprung structure; and an electronic control unit configured to control the actuator so as to generate the control force according to a required control amount for reducing vibration of the sprung structure. The required control amount includes at least two control terms of a displacement term, a velocity term, and an acceleration term related to displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the sprung structure. The electronic control unit calculates a magnitude of a frequency component of each of a plurality of frequency bands included in road surface vibration information, and determines a control gain of each of the at least two control terms so as to change based on the magnitude of the frequency component of each of the plurality of frequency bands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230102687
    Abstract: A vehicle roll control apparatus comprises a pair of left and right active suspensions for applying vertical forces in opposite phases to left and right wheels of a rear axle of the vehicle, and a controller for controlling the active suspensions. The controller increases control amounts of the active suspensions so as to increase roll stiffness of the rear axle in accordance with an increase in a lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle. When the lateral acceleration increases beyond the low acceleration range to the high acceleration range, the controller decreases the gain of the control amounts of the active suspensions with respect to the lateral acceleration in accordance with the increase in the lateral acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20230097516
    Abstract: A behavior control device for a vehicle includes: a first actuator configured to apply a vertical control force to a left wheel on a first axle, the first axle being a front axle or a rear axle of the vehicle; a second actuator configured to operate independently of the first actuator and to apply a vertical control force to a right wheel on the first axle; and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a required value of a behavior parameter representing a behavior of the vehicle, convert the required value of the behavior parameter to a first required force for the first actuator and a second required force for the second actuator, and control the first actuator such that the vertical control force applied to the left wheel on the first axle becomes the first required force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230081887
    Abstract: A vehicle position estimation method includes: acquiring time-series data of a parameter related to a vertical motion of a wheel while the vehicle is traveling; acquiring the parameter around the vehicle, as a reference parameter, from a parameter map indicating a correspondence relationship between the parameter and a position; estimating a vehicle position based on a comparison between the time-series data of the parameter and time-series data of the reference parameter. Meanwhile, road surface roughness around the vehicle in a lateral direction and a lateral position of the vehicle in a road are recognized by using a recognition sensor installed on the vehicle. When the road surface roughness is less than a threshold, a lateral position component of the estimated vehicle position is replaced with the lateral position recognized by using the recognition sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230083410
    Abstract: Map data regarding a vertical motion parameter related to a vertical motion of a wheel of a vehicle are provided. The map data have a data structure for a specific area. The data structure for the specific area includes at least one of: first layer map data indicating a correspondence relationship between a first vehicle traveling direction included in a first direction range, a position, and the vertical motion parameter; and second layer map data indicating a correspondence relationship between a second vehicle traveling direction included in a second direction range not overlapping the first direction range, a position, and the vertical motion parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230077687
    Abstract: Map data regarding a vertical motion parameter related to a vertical motion of a wheel of a vehicle are provided. The map data have a data structure for a specific area in which a first road and a second road cross with being separated vertically. The data structure for the specific area includes at least one of: first layer map data indicating a correspondence relationship between a horizontal position, a vertical position, and the vertical motion parameter of the first road; and second layer map data indicating a correspondence relationship between a horizontal position, a vertical position, and the vertical motion parameter of the second road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20230072130
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first actuator, one or more second actuators, and an electronic control unit. The first actuator is configured to control a stroke of a suspension for a control target wheel. The one or more second actuators is configured to control the stroke of the suspension and more responsive than the first actuator. The electronic control unit is configured to: execute a calculation process to calculate a required control amount for at least one of roll control and pitch control of the vehicle; and execute a command process to distribute and command the required control amount to the first actuator and the one or more second actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Patent number: 11584183
    Abstract: A damping control apparatus has a control unit that controls an active actuator that generates a control force to damp a sprung, and a storage device for storing a unsprung displacement acquired based on a vertical motion state quantity of a vehicle when the vehicle travels, and the control unit determines a predicted wheel passage position where a wheel is predicted to pass, calculates a time derivative value of an unsprung displacement at the predicted wheel passage position acquired by a preview sensor, calculates a target control force based on a sum of a first control component proportional to the time derivative value and a second control component proportional to an unsprung displacement at the predicted wheel passage position acquired from the storage device, and controls a control force generating device so that a control force when the wheel passes the predicted wheel passage position becomes the target control force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20220185292
    Abstract: An update system for related value information, comprises a first vehicle and a storage device which stores related value information. The first vehicle provides, to the storage device, travel information formed by associating a sensor value for identifying a road surface displacement-related value, and a measurement position at which the sensor value is measured, with each other, in a period from a time at which a predetermined measurement start condition is satisfied to a time at which a predetermined measurement end condition is satisfied. The storage device updates the related value information based on based on the road surface displacement-related values from which a low frequency component is removed. The storage device updates related value information based on the road surface displacement-related values obtained by excluding, at least one of start-stage related values or end-stage related values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20220134833
    Abstract: A vibration damping control apparatus of a vehicle obtains first data from a road surface information in which position information, a road surface displacement related value, and speed information are rerated to one another. The first data represents a time series change of the road surface displacement related value on a predicted route of a wheel. The vibration damping control apparatus obtains speed information at a predicted passage position from the road surface information. In the case where the speed of the vehicle at the present point in time is higher than a speed represented by the speed information, the vibration damping control apparatus executes a first process (low-pass filter process) on the first data, obtains preview information from the first data having been subjected to the first process, and controls a control force generating apparatus on the basis of a target control force computed by using the preview information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20220135021
    Abstract: A control method of a vehicle includes determining a look-ahead time, calculating a predicted passage position by using specific vehicle information having at least a position of a wheel at the current time point, velocity of the vehicle, and the proceeding direction of the vehicle, acquiring a road surface displacement-associated value at the predicted passage position, calculating a final target control force based on the road surface displacement-associated value at the predicted passage position, and controlling a control force generator based on the final target control force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20220134832
    Abstract: A damping control system comprises a first vehicle, a second vehicle, and a storage device. The first vehicle provides, to the storage device, travel information including a change value of a road surface, position information, and position reliability of the position information. The storage device executes first update processing of updating related value information based on a road surface displacement-related value identified based on the change value, when the position reliability is equal to or higher than a threshold reliability, and executes second update processing of updating the related value information, when the position reliability is lower than the threshold reliability. The second vehicle executes preview damping control using a target control force calculated based on a control related value being a road surface displacement-related value at a predicted passing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20220126642
    Abstract: The cloud includes a server and a storage device. The storage device includes a road surface information map. When a first sampling distance is equal to or longer than a first distance threshold, the server performs re-sampling to interpolate data in such a manner that sampling positions located at a second sampling distance and unsprung mass member displacements of the respective sampling positions exist so as to produce re-sampled data-for-producing-map. The server stores a sub-sectional unsprung mass displacement in a storage area corresponding to a sub-section of the road surface information map, based on the re-sampled data-for-producing-map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20220118984
    Abstract: In a method of creating a database for preview vibration damping control, road surface displacement-associated information detected by a detection device is acquired, positional information capable of identifying a position where the road surface displacement-associated information is detected is acquired, a road surface displacement-associated value associated with a vertical displacement of a road surface is calculated based on the road surface displacement-associated information, and a set of data obtained by linking the road surface displacement-associated value and the positional information with each other is stored into a storage device as part of a database. When it is determined that the magnitude of the road surface displacement-associated value exceeds a permissible reference value set in advance, the magnitude of the road surface displacement-associated value is corrected in a reducing manner, prior to the step of storing the set of data into the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20220118811
    Abstract: A vehicle control method includes a step of executing preview vibration damping control for controlling a control force generating apparatus, when a wheel passes a predicated passage position, on the basis of a target control force computed by using a road surface displacement related value at the predicated passage position. The control method further includes a step of determining whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied, the predetermined condition being satisfied when a time series change of the road surface displacement related value on a predicted route of the wheel falls within a controllable range of the control force generating apparatus, and a step of executing a particular process for reducing the magnitude of the road surface displacement related value at the predicted passage position when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventor: Hiroki Furuta
  • Publication number: 20220111695
    Abstract: A vibration damping control apparatus of a vehicle executes preview vibration damping control for controlling a control force generating apparatus on the basis of a final target control force including a first target control force computed by using preview information. When the vibration damping control apparatus determines that the probability that a road surface condition has changed after a past point in time is high, the vibration damping control apparatus executes particular control for setting the magnitude of the first target control force to become smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20220105771
    Abstract: A damping force control apparatus for a vehicle in which road surface displacement-related information detected by an in-vehicle detection device is transmitted to a preview reference database control device together with detection position information, a preview reference database including road surface displacement-related values is made, preview damping control that reduces vibration of a sprung of the vehicle is performed using the road surface displacement-related values in the preview reference database, and it is assumed that a road surface displacement-related value in a predetermined adjacent region located in a direction crossing a traveling direction of the vehicle with respect to a point where the road surface displacement-related information was detected by the in-vehicle detection device is the same as the road surface displacement-related value at the above point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki FURUTA