Patents by Inventor Hiromoto Shimizu

Hiromoto Shimizu 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: 10578069
    Abstract: In an information providing method and device for a vehicle, an engine of the vehicle is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The driver is notified of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation. A vehicle stop keeping control generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases. The notification of the support information is stopped when it is determined that the brake operation has been released and a notification continuation time has elapsed since the brake operation was released during a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Okitsu, Hiromoto Shimizu, Haruki Satou, Tadafumi Noji, Tetsuya Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10550817
    Abstract: When a permission condition which is set in advance is satisfied in a state in which a vehicle is stopped by an operation of a brake pedal by the driver, an engine mounted on the vehicle is automatically stopped; and when the engine is automatically stopped, while a vehicle stop maintaining control to generate a braking force capable of maintaining a stop state of the vehicle is operated even when a brake operation is reduced, there is started notification to the occupant of the vehicle about ignition information which indicates that a state of an ignition switch of the vehicle is on when a parking brake is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Okitsu, Hiromoto Shimizu, Haruki Satou
  • Patent number: 10451021
    Abstract: In an information providing method and device for a vehicle, an engine of the vehicle is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The driver is notified of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation. A vehicle stop keeping control generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases. The notification of the support information is stopped when it is determined that the driver does not wish to automatically stop the engine in a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Okitsu, Hiromoto Shimizu, Haruki Satou, Tadafumi Noji, Tetsuya Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20190309722
    Abstract: In an information providing method and device for a vehicle, an engine of the vehicle is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The driver is notified of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation. A vehicle stop keeping control generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases. The notification of the support information is stopped when it is determined that the brake operation has been released and a notification continuation time has elapsed since the brake operation was released during a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Yuta OKITSU, Hiromoto SHIMIZU, Haruki SATOU, Tadafumi NOJI, Tetsuya SHINOHARA
  • Patent number: 10252728
    Abstract: In an information providing method for a vehicle, an engine is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The permission condition is a brake operation amount of a brake having reached a predetermined brake operation amount. The driver is notified of support information prompting the driver to increase the brake operation amount when the permission condition is not satisfied after a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle was stopped. A braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stop state is generated by a vehicle stop keeping control. The driver is notified of the support information when the brake operation amount decreases before the predetermined time has elapsed in a state in which the vehicle has been stopped by the brake operation and the vehicle stop keeping control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Okitsu, Hiromoto Shimizu, Haruki Satou, Tadafumi Noji, Tetsuya Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20180312171
    Abstract: In an information providing method for a vehicle, an engine is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The permission condition is a brake operation amount of a brake having reached a predetermined brake operation amount. The driver is notified of support information prompting the driver to increase the brake operation amount when the permission condition is not satisfied after a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle was stopped. A braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stop state is generated by a vehicle stop keeping control. The driver is notified of the support information when the brake operation amount decreases before the predetermined time has elapsed in a state in which the vehicle has been stopped by the brake operation and the vehicle stop keeping control is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Yuta OKITSU, Hiromoto SHIMIZU, Haruki SATOU, Tadafumi NOJI, Tetsuya SHINOHARA
  • Publication number: 20180306128
    Abstract: When a permission condition which is set in advance is satisfied in a state in which a vehicle is stopped by an operation of a brake pedal by the driver, an engine mounted on the vehicle is automatically stopped; and when the engine is automatically stopped, while a vehicle stop maintaining control to generate a braking force capable of maintaining a stop state of the vehicle is operated even when a brake operation is reduced, there is started notification to the occupant of the vehicle about ignition information which indicates that a state of an ignition switch of the vehicle is on when a parking brake is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta OKITSU, Hiromoto SHIMIZU, Haruki SATOU
  • Publication number: 20180298866
    Abstract: In an information providing method and device for a vehicle, an engine of the vehicle is stopped automatically when a predetermined permission condition is satisfied in a state in which the vehicle is stopped by a brake operation executed by a driver. The driver is notified of support information for satisfying the permission condition when the permission condition is not satisfied in the state in which the vehicle is stopped by the brake operation. A vehicle stop keeping control generates a braking force capable of maintaining a vehicle stopped state even when the brake operation decreases. The notification of the support information is stopped when it is determined that the driver does not wish to automatically stop the engine in a state in which the support information is being notified and the vehicle stop keeping control is in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Yuta OKITSU, Hiromoto SHIMIZU, Haruki SATOU, Tadafumi NOJI, Tetsuya SHINOHARA
  • Patent number: 9920732
    Abstract: An engine starting device is provided with a battery, a starter motor, an inrush current limit circuit and a control unit. The inrush current limit circuit has a resistor and a bypass relay connected in parallel. The inrush current limit circuit is interposed between the battery and the starter motor. The bypass relay has a normally open contact that is configured to be closed at a time of engine startup. The control unit is programmed to include a fault identification unit that identifies a location of fault occurrence in the inrush current limit circuit based on a minimum voltage of the battery existing while the starter motor is determined to be in operation and an amount of decrease in voltage of the battery existing while the normally open contact is determined to be actuated in a closing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromoto Shimizu, Takayuki Iwasaki, Ryo Sano, Motoyuki Hattori, Yuuichi Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9714049
    Abstract: When an engine is to be restarted, a power-steering mechanism is reactivated once a battery voltage has reached at least a predetermined voltage at which the power-steering mechanism normally operates after the resistance of a power supply circuit is switched by the circuit switching device, after startup of the engine has been initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hosaka, Yuuichi Fukuyama, Shota Miyoshi, Michiharu Gunji, Hiromoto Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9664169
    Abstract: An engine start control system includes a manual transmission, an upper switch, a lower switch, and an engine start control unit. The upper switch detects a pedal depression start operation by detecting a resting foot state from a foot released state. The lower switch detects a pedal depression terminating operation when the clutch pedal is depressed to an end position. The engine start control unit is configured to start the engine from a stopped state when signals of the upper switch indicates the pedal depression start operation and of the lower switch indicates the pedal depression terminating operation, and the engine start control unit being configured to prohibit starting of the engine, when the signal of the upper switch indicates switching from the foot released state to the pedal depression start operation, in response to detection of the signal of the lower switch indicating the pedal depression terminating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hosaka, Hiromoto Shimizu, Munemitsu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9574506
    Abstract: A current is supplied to a driving relay that drives a bypass relay when restarting an engine after idle reduction, and the current supply to the driving relay is interrupted when the engine is started for the first time based on operation of a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Hattori, Yuuichi Hosaka, Masaya Furushou, Toshihiko Ootsuka, Hiromoto Shimizu, Ryo Sano
  • Patent number: 9488148
    Abstract: An engine starting device is basically provided with a resistor, a bypass circuit and a switch. The resistor is configured to be disposed in series between a starter motor and a battery. The bypass circuit is disposed in parallel with respect to the resistor. The switch is configured to selectively open and close the bypass circuit, the switch opening the bypass circuit in response to commencement of engine startup, and closing the bypass circuit in response to the battery voltage approaches a maximum value during engine startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hosaka, Motoyuki Hattori, Masaya Furushou, Toshihiko Ootsuka, Hiromoto Shimizu, Ryo Sano
  • Publication number: 20160230736
    Abstract: An engine start control system includes a manual transmission, an upper switch, a lower switch, and an engine start control unit. The upper switch detects a pedal depression start operation by detecting a resting foot state from a foot released state. The lower switch detects a pedal depression terminating operation when the clutch pedal is depressed to an end position. The engine start control unit is configured to start the engine from a stopped state when signals of the upper switch indicates the pedal depression start operation and of the lower switch indicates the pedal depression terminating operation, and the engine start control unit being configured to prohibit starting of the engine, when the signal of the upper switch indicates switching from the foot released state to the pedal depression start operation, in response to detection of the signal of the lower switch indicating the pedal depression terminating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Yuuichi HOSAKA, Hiromoto SHIMIZU, Munemitsu WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20150260142
    Abstract: When an engine is to be restarted, a power-steering mechanism is reactivated once a battery voltage has reached at least a predetermined voltage at which the power-steering mechanism normally operates after the resistance of a power supply circuit is switched by the circuit switching device, after startup of the engine has been initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hosaka, Yuuichi Fukuyama, Shota Miyoshi, Michiharu Gunji, Hiromoto Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20150007695
    Abstract: An engine starting device is basically provided with a resistor, a bypass circuit and a switch. The resistor is configured to be disposed in series between a starter motor and a battery. The bypass circuit is disposed in parallel with respect to the resistor. The switch is configured to selectively open and close the bypass circuit, the switch opening the bypass circuit in response to commencement of engine startup, and closing the bypass circuit in response to the battery voltage approaches a maximum value during engine startup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Hosaka, Motoyuki Hattori, Masaya Furushou, Toshihiko Ootsuka, Hiromoto Shimizu, Ryo Sano
  • Publication number: 20140372013
    Abstract: An engine starting device is provided with a battery, a starter motor, an inrush current limit circuit and a control unit. The inrush current limit circuit has a resistor and a bypass relay connected in parallel. The inrush current limit circuit is interposed between the battery and the starter motor. The bypass relay has a normally open contact that is configured to be closed at a time of engine startup. The control unit is programmed to include a fault identification unit that identifies a location of fault occurrence in the inrush current limit circuit based on a minimum voltage of the battery existing while the starter motor is determined to be in operation and an amount of decrease in voltage of the battery existing while the normally open contact is determined to be actuated in a closing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromoto Shimizu, Takayuki Iwasaki, Ryo Sano, Motoyuki Hattori, Yuuichi Hosaka