Patents by Inventor Kazuki Makino

Kazuki Makino 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: 11964620
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device to be equipped in a vehicle includes an electric storage unit group, an inverter, a driving motor, a converter, an electric device group, a first switch, and a second switch. The electric storage unit group includes first and second electric storage units. The driving motor is to be coupled to the electric storage unit group via the inverter. The electric device group is to be coupled to the electric storage unit group via the converter. The first switch is to be controlled between a state where the first electric storage unit is coupled to the inverter and a state where the first electric storage unit is coupled to the converter. The second switch is to be controlled between a state where the second electric storage unit is coupled to the inverter and a state where the second electric storage unit is coupled to the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komuro, Takashi Kono, Shinya Sagawa, Kazuki Makino
  • Publication number: 20240100988
    Abstract: A management system includes a controller that selects a power transmission vehicle from an electrified vehicle group. A storage amount of an electricity storage device loaded in each electrified vehicle increases or decreases between maximum and minimum storage amounts. When the maximum storage amount and a current storage amount currently stored in the electricity storage device are a first storage amount and a second storage amount, a reference storage amount set between the maximum and minimum storage amounts is a third storage amount, a surplus storage amount obtained by subtracting the third storage amount from the second storage amount is a fourth storage amount, and a ratio of the fourth storage amount to the first storage amount is a surplus storage amount ratio, the controller determines a rank of each electrified vehicle in descending order of the surplus storage amount ratio and selects the power transmission vehicle based on the rank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO
  • Patent number: 11891000
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device includes an inverter, a converter, a driving motor, an electric device group, a first electric storage unit to be coupled to the driving motor via the inverter, a second electric storage unit to be coupled to an electric device group via the converter, an electric power converter, first and second switches, and a switch controller. The electric power converter is provided between the two electric storage units and couples them in parallel with each other. The first switch is provided between the first electric storage unit and the electric power converter and is controllable between on and off states. The second switch is provided between the second electric storage unit and the electric power converter and is controllable between on and off states. The switch controller controls the first and second switches based on a state of charge of the first electric storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komuro, Takashi Kono, Kazuki Makino, Shinya Sagawa
  • Publication number: 20230214946
    Abstract: A management system used in a charging facility for performing non-contact charge to electric vehicles running in a charge zone includes a control apparatus including a processor and a memory and configured to select one or more charge permitted vehicles for which charge is permitted from an electric vehicle group including electric vehicles running in a determination area including at least part of the charge zone. The control apparatus is configured to calculate an upper-limit number of the charge permitted vehicles based on a target vehicle speed indicated to the charge permitted vehicles, to order the electric vehicles in the electric vehicle group in an ascending order of mileages based on the mileage of each electric vehicle composing the electric vehicle group, and to select the charge permitted vehicle from the electric vehicle group based on a result of ordering the electric vehicles and the upper-limit number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO
  • Patent number: 11654881
    Abstract: A control apparatus is configured to control a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine, a generator configured to generate electric power by using motive power outputted from the engine, and a drive motor coupled to a drive wheel. The engine, the generator, and the drive motor are coupled to each other via a planetary gear mechanism. The control apparatus includes a processor configured to diagnose a state of at least one of the engine, the generator, or the drive motor on the basis of a relationship between a rotational speed of the engine, a rotational speed of the generator, and a rotational speed of the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Itaru Seta, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komuro, Shinya Sagawa, Takashi Kono, Kazuki Makino
  • Patent number: 11641125
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device to be applied to a vehicle includes an electric storage unit group, a charger, first and second switches, and a switch controller. The electric storage unit group includes a first electric storage unit and a second electric storage unit having higher internal resistance than the first electric storage unit. The charger is coupled to the electric storage unit group and charges one or both of the first electric storage unit and second electric storage unit. The first switch is provided between the first electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The second switch is provided between the second electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The switch controller controls the first and second switches based on a temperature of the electric storage unit group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komura, Takashi Kono, Kazuki Makino, Shinya Sagawa
  • Patent number: 11607959
    Abstract: An on-board electrical system includes a motor generator, a high-voltage battery, an electric power acquirer, an auxiliary subsystem, first and second step-down units, and a controller. The electric power acquirer is able to acquire electric power during travel of a vehicle, and able to feed acquired electric power to the high-voltage battery. The auxiliary subsystem includes an auxiliary battery and auxiliary machinery. The controller determines whether or not magnitude of a load on the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than predetermined magnitude. On the condition that the magnitude of the load is equal to or greater than the predetermined magnitude, the controller allows electric power from the electric power acquirer to be fed to the auxiliary subsystem through the second step-down unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinnosuke Sakata, Kazuki Makino
  • Patent number: 11541767
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply includes an electric accumulator pack, an electric motor, first and second switches, an output determiner, and a switch controller. The electric accumulator pack includes first and second electric accumulators. The first and second switches are controlled between on- and off-states. The output determiner determines whether the first electric accumulator is in a first output state or a second output state, and whether the second electric accumulator is in the first output state or the second output state. If at least one of the first electric accumulator or the second electric accumulator is in the first output state, the switch controller controls either one of the first and second switches to the on-state, and the other switch to the off-state. If both the first and second electric accumulators are in the second output state, the switch controller controls both the first and second switches to the on-state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuki Makino, Itaru Seta, Yosuke Ohtomo, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Takashi Kono, Shinya Sagawa, Masaki Komuro, Masakazu Yoshino
  • Publication number: 20220297559
    Abstract: A power feeding management system includes a management apparatus and a plurality of on-vehicle apparatuses. The management apparatus communicates with the on-vehicle apparatuses of first and second vehicles to assist the first and second vehicles with first inter-vehicle power feeding to the first vehicle from the second vehicle. The management apparatus decides a price on the power-receiver side of the first inter-vehicle power feeding on the basis of a common power price and an amount of fed power in the first inter-vehicle power feeding. The management apparatus decides a return on the power-sender side of the first inter-vehicle power feeding on the basis of the amount of fed power in the first inter-vehicle power feeding and a power price for external charging carried out by the second vehicle before the first inter-vehicle power feeding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO
  • Patent number: 11325582
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a determination processor and a regeneration controller. During traveling in a first travel mode, the determination processor determines a timing at which a regenerative braking force based on a motor regenerative force is to be increased under the condition that an accelerator-off operation period is equal to or less than a predetermined period. During traveling in a second travel mode, the determination processor refrains from determining the timing at which the regenerative braking force is to be increased under the sole condition that the accelerator-off operation period is equal to or less than the predetermined period. The regeneration controller performs control that increases the motor regenerative force as the determination processor determines the timing at which the regenerative braking force is to be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki Makino
  • Publication number: 20220118964
    Abstract: A control apparatus is configured to control a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine, a generator configured to generate electric power by using motive power outputted from the engine, and a drive motor coupled to a drive wheel. The engine, the generator, and the drive motor are coupled to each other via a planetary gear mechanism. The control apparatus includes a processor configured to diagnose a state of at least one of the engine, the generator, or the drive motor on the basis of a relationship between a rotational speed of the engine, a rotational speed of the generator, and a rotational speed of the drive motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SUZUKI, Itaru SETA, Yosuke OHTOMO, Masaki KOMURO, Shinya SAGAWA, Takashi KONO, Kazuki MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20220089051
    Abstract: A vehicle power supply includes an electric accumulator pack, an electric motor, first and second switches, an output determiner, and a switch controller. The electric accumulator pack includes first and second electric accumulators. The first and second switches are controlled between on- and off-states. The output determiner determines whether the first electric accumulator is in a first output state or a second output state, and whether the second electric accumulator is in the first output state or the second output state. If at least one of the first electric accumulator or the second electric accumulator is in the first output state, the switch controller controls either one of the first and second switches to the on-state, and the other switch to the off-state. If both the first and second electric accumulators are in the second output state, the switch controller controls both the first and second switches to the on-state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Kazuki Makino, Itaru Seta, Yasuke Ohtomo, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Takashi Kono, Shinya Sagawa, Masaki Komuro, Masakazu Yoshino
  • Publication number: 20220085639
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device to be applied to a vehicle includes an electric storage unit group, a charger, first and second switches, and a switch controller. The electric storage unit group includes a first electric storage unit and a second electric storage unit having higher internal resistance than the first electric storage unit. The charger is coupled to the electric storage unit group and charges one or both of the first electric storage unit and second electric storage unit. The first switch is provided between the first electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The second switch is provided between the second electric storage unit and the charger and controlled between an on state and an off state. The switch controller controls the first and second switches based on a temperature of the electric storage unit group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Itaru SETA, Hiroyuki SUZUKI, Yosuke OHTOMO, Masaki KOMURA, Takashi KONO, Kazuki MAKINO, Shinya SAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20220080909
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device includes an inverter, a converter, a driving motor, an electric device group, a first electric storage unit to be coupled to the driving motor via the inverter, a second electric storage unit to be coupled to an electric device group via the converter, an electric power converter, first and second switches, and a switch controller. The electric power converter is provided between the two electric storage units and couples them in parallel with each other. The first switch is provided between the first electric storage unit and the electric power converter and is controllable between on and off states. The second switch is provided between the second electric storage unit and the electric power converter and is controllable between on and off states. The switch controller controls the first and second switches based on a state of charge of the first electric storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komuro, Takashi Kono, Kazuki Makino, Shinya Sagawa
  • Publication number: 20220080908
    Abstract: A vehicular power supply device to be equipped in a vehicle includes an electric storage unit group, an inverter, a driving motor, a converter, an electric device group, a first switch, and a second switch. The electric storage unit group includes first and second electric storage units. The driving motor is to be coupled to the electric storage unit group via the inverter. The electric device group is to be coupled to the electric storage unit group via the converter. The first switch is to be controlled between a state where the first electric storage unit is coupled to the inverter and a state where the first electric storage unit is coupled to the converter. The second switch is to be controlled between a state where the second electric storage unit is coupled to the inverter and a state where the second electric storage unit is coupled to the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Itaru Seta, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Yosuke Ohtomo, Masaki Komuro, Takashi Kono, Shinya Sagawa, Kazuki Makino
  • Publication number: 20220076509
    Abstract: A malfunction diagnosing system includes a data acquirer, an appropriate range setter, and a malfunction determiner. The data acquirer is configured to acquire traveling environment data and actual traveling result data in association with each other for a target vehicle to be subjected to malfunction diagnosis. The traveling environment data includes at least driving operation data indicating a driving operation. The actual traveling result data indicates an actual traveling result based on the traveling environment data. The appropriate range setter is configured to derive an appropriate range of actual traveling results based on the traveling environment data for vehicles the models of which are identical to a model of the target vehicle. The malfunction determiner is configured to determine whether the target vehicle has a malfunction by determining whether the actual traveling result data falls within the appropriate range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KOMURO, Hiroyuki SUZUKI, Yosuke OHTOMO, Takumi HOSHI, Takashi KONO, Kazuki MAKINO, Masakazu YOSHINO, Itaru SETA, Shinya SAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20210387535
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes an information acquiring unit and a determining unit. The information acquiring unit is configured to acquire a target value of a power storage amount in an onboard battery mounted on a vehicle. The determining unit is configured to determine one or more charging implementation lanes out of charging lanes that are traveling lanes provided on a travel route of the vehicle to an expected arrival location, apart from each other along a direction of the travel route, and configured to charge the onboard battery while the vehicle is traveling. The one or more charging implementation lanes are part of the charging lanes to implement charging of the onboard battery. The determining unit is configured to determine, on the basis of the target value of the power storage amount, the one or more charging implementation lanes to minimize a number of times of the charging of the onboard battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20210146882
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes an in-vehicle apparatus. The in-vehicle apparatus includes a drive device, an authentication unit, a determining unit, and an operation detecting unit. The authentication unit is configured to perform authentication of a mobile device on the basis of a wireless communication. The determining unit is configured to determine whether a vehicle is in a predetermined driving state. The operation detecting unit is configured to detect presence of an operation of the mobile device by receiving a signal transmitted from the mobile device. The in-vehicle apparatus is configured to execute a predetermined safety control, on a condition that the drive device is unlocked as a result of success in the authentication performed by the authentication unit, the vehicle is determined by the determining unit as being in the predetermined driving state, and the operation of the mobile device is detected by the operation detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20200207210
    Abstract: An on-board electrical system includes a motor generator, a high-voltage battery, an electric power acquirer, an auxiliary subsystem, first and second step-down units, and a controller. The electric power acquirer is able to acquire electric power during travel of a vehicle, and able to feed acquired electric power to the high-voltage battery. The auxiliary subsystem includes an auxiliary battery and auxiliary machinery. The controller determines whether or not magnitude of a load on the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than predetermined magnitude. On the condition that the magnitude of the load is equal to or greater than the predetermined magnitude, the controller allows electric power from the electric power acquirer to be fed to the auxiliary subsystem through the second step-down unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinnosuke SAKATA, Kazuki MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20200164861
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a determination processor and a regeneration controller. During traveling in a first travel mode, the determination processor determines a timing at which a regenerative braking force based on a motor regenerative force is to be increased under the condition that an accelerator-off operation period is equal to or less than a predetermined period. During traveling in a second travel mode, the determination processor refrains from determining the timing at which the regenerative braking force is to be increased under the sole condition that the accelerator-off operation period is equal to or less than the predetermined period. The regeneration controller performs control that increases the motor regenerative force as the determination processor determines the timing at which the regenerative braking force is to be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventor: Kazuki MAKINO