Patents by Inventor Koji Aso
Koji Aso 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).
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Patent number: 8442742Abstract: The prevention of the occurrence of a shock during acceleration is enabled without impairing acceleration response as to a control apparatus for a vehicle driving unit. By changing a control amount of a specific one or specific ones of the plurality of the control elements when a torque-up request is issued, the output torque of the vehicle driving unit is increased toward a target output torque. In this case, a torque gradient upon changing the control amount of the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements is estimated and calculated on the basis of a current output torque of the vehicle driving unit according to a calculation rule formulated in advance. The control amounts of the respective control elements including the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements are set such that the estimated torque gradient coincides with a predetermined target torque gradient.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Aso
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Patent number: 8423265Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine in which a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel which is easier to burn than ammonia are used as fuels. An ammonia ratio is usually set to a reference ammonia ratio which is determined in advance in accordance with an operating state of an engine. At the time when feed of the fuel is restarted after suspension of feed of the fuel at the time of deceleration, the ammonia ratio is temporarily made lower than the reference ammonia ratio in accordance with the operating state of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2010Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Takahiko Fujiwara, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8370049Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine in which as fuel, a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel easier to burn than ammonia are used. These two types of fuel are burned in the combustion chamber. A basic ammonia ratio is set in accordance with an engine load and engine speed. The set basic ammonia ratio is corrected based on at least one of a combustion state, knocking strength, temperature of an exhaust gas or temperature of a catalyst arranged in an engine exhaust passage, NOx concentration in the exhaust gas, actual compression ratio, air-fuel ratio, and fuel properties.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2010Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Rio Shimizu, Yasuyuki Irisawa, Koji Aso, Tomojiro Sugimoto, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8225771Abstract: In a startup operation of an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is started by supplying fuel to only a first cylinder group formed of a portion of cylinders, from among a plurality of cylinders that make up the internal combustion engine, when a startup condition of the internal combustion engine has been satisfied, and then fuel starts to be supplied to a second cylinder group formed of the remaining cylinders after the internal combustion engine has started. Meanwhile, in a stopping operation of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is stopped when a shutoff condition of the internal combustion engine is satisfied, by first stopping the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group and then stopping the supply of fuel to the first cylinder group after the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group has been stopped.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8141541Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an abnormality detection device that is used with an internal combustion engine having a valve drive mechanism capable of halting the drive of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and able to detect the abnormalities of a valve drive halt function. The internal combustion engine includes a knock sensor capable of sensing the seating sound of the intake valve and/or the exhaust valve. An ECU detects whether a control signal given to the valve drive mechanism is a valve drive signal or a valve halt signal. In accordance with the result of detection by the ECU and the presence of the seating sound in an output of the knock sensor, the abnormality detection device judges whether or not the valve drive mechanism is abnormal.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2009Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Kazuhiro Wakao, Takashi Nishikiori
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Publication number: 20110283684Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine in which a first fuel of ammonia and a second fuel which is easier to burn than ammonia are used as fuels. An ammonia ratio is usually set to a reference ammonia ratio which is determined in advance in accordance with an operating state of an engine. At the time when feed of the fuel is restarted after suspension of feed of the fuel at the time of deceleration, the ammonia ratio is temporarily made lower than the reference ammonia ratio in accordance with the operating state of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2010Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji ASO, Takahiko Fujiwara, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20110283959Abstract: An ammonia burning internal combustion engine in which, in addition to ammonia, a reformed gas reformed at a reformer is fed into a combustion chamber. When a reforming ability of the reformer is less than a predetermined reforming ability, an ammonia ratio is increased to a ratio more than the ammonia ratio after completion of engine warmup set in advance in accordance with an operation state of the engine, and secondary air is fed from a secondary air feeding device into an engine exhaust passage upstream of an exhaust purification catalyst.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2010Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji ASO, Takahiko Fujiwara, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20110203552Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine starts the internal combustion engine by initiating combustion in cylinders belonging to a first cylinder group, from among a plurality of cylinders that make up the internal combustion engine. The control apparatus monitors a change in an amount of negative pressure generated in an intake pipe when the internal combustion engine is started, and obtains information related to an alcohol concentration of fuel used in the internal combustion engine. The control apparatus also calculates a fuel injection quantity necessary to initiate combustion in cylinders belonging to a second cylinder group, based on the amount of negative pressure generated in the intake pipe and the alcohol concentration of the fuel, and initiates combustion in each cylinder belonging to the second cylinder group when the necessary fuel injection quantity enters a range of quantities that are able to be injected by corresponding injectors.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8005607Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program that includes: calculating a median value and a standard deviation based on a calculated value based on the detected vibration of the engine; and subtracting a product of the standard deviation and a coefficient from the median value to calculate a magnitude of mechanical vibration specific to the engine. Knocking determination is carried out by comparing a knock magnitude calculated by dividing the magnitude value of the peak magnitude of the detected vibration of the engine by the magnitude of mechanical vibration specific to the engine with a predetermined determination value. Based on the knocking determination result, ignition timing of the engine is controlled.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2006Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Kasashima, Rihito Kaneko, Koji Aso, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
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Publication number: 20110197860Abstract: An internal combustion engine is started by performing fuel supply into part of a plurality of cylinders included in the internal combustion engine. After the magnitude of the negative pressure produced in intake piping of the internal combustion engine exceeds a predetermined reference value, fuel supply into the remaining cylinder(s) is started.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8000884Abstract: A device and associated method for controlling ignition timing of an internal combustion engine are provided. By comparing a determination value and knock magnitude, determination of knocking is made, and ignition timing is advanced or retarded. The device includes an operation unit that sets a correction amount of the determination value to a value corresponding to a degree of change of the determination value over time. The operation unit calculates, at a first timing, a first value related to an average value of the determination values; and calculates, at a second timing later than the first timing, a second value related to the average value of the determination values. The degree of change of the determination value is calculated as a difference between the first value and the second value.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Koji Aso, Kenji Kasashima, Rihito Kaneko, Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
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Publication number: 20110174256Abstract: In a startup operation of an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is started by supplying fuel to only a first cylinder group formed of a portion of cylinders, from among a plurality of cylinders that make up the internal combustion engine, when a startup condition of the internal combustion engine has been satisfied, and then fuel starts to be supplied to a second cylinder group formed of the remaining cylinders after the internal combustion engine has started. Meanwhile, in a stopping operation of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is stopped when a shutoff condition of the internal combustion engine is satisfied, by first stopping the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group and then stopping the supply of fuel to the first cylinder group after the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group has been stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2011Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20110132327Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an abnormality detection device that is used with an internal combustion engine having a valve drive mechanism capable of halting the drive of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and able to detect the abnormalities of a valve drive halt function. The internal combustion engine includes a knock sensor capable of sensing the seating sound of the intake valve and/or the exhaust valve. An ECU detects whether a control signal given to the valve drive mechanism is a valve drive signal or a valve halt signal. In accordance with the result of detection by the ECU and the presence of the seating sound in an output of the knock sensor, the abnormality detection device judges whether or not the valve drive mechanism is abnormal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2009Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Aso, Kazuhiro Wakao, Takashi Nishikiori
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Patent number: 7937211Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine including a throttle valve for adjusting the intake air amount that affects on the torque of the internal combustion engine, when a request for acceleration of the internal combustion engine is made, a torque gradient, which is a change in the torque of the internal combustion engine per unit time during the acceleration, is predicted based on an operating condition of the internal combustion engine before the acceleration, and the operation of the throttle valve is controlled based on the predicted torque gradient during the acceleration of the internal combustion engine.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Aso
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Publication number: 20110087408Abstract: In a torque control device for an internal combustion engine, a driving-system torque calculation unit calculates a driving-system torque operating on a driving system, based on a requested torque at a time of acceleration. A torque control unit executes torque control so that a gradient of the driving-system torque becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, based on the driving-system torque calculated by the driving-system torque calculation unit. Thereby, since an amount of twist of the driving system can be maintained equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, repetitive shock can be suppressed, and acceleration shock can be effectively suppressed, too. Response deterioration and fuel consumption deterioration at the time of acceleration can be prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2009Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Aso
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Publication number: 20100241335Abstract: The prevention of the occurrence of a shock during acceleration is enabled without impairing acceleration response as to a control apparatus for a vehicle driving unit. By changing a control amount of a specific one or specific ones of the plurality of the control elements when a torque-up request is issued, the output torque of the vehicle driving unit is increased toward a target output torque. In this case, a torque gradient upon changing the control amount of the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements is estimated and calculated on the basis of a current output torque of the vehicle driving unit according to a calculation rule formulated in advance. The control amounts of the respective control elements including the specific one or the specific ones of the control elements are set such that the estimated torque gradient coincides with a predetermined target torque gradient.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2008Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Koji Aso
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Publication number: 20100212634Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program that includes the steps of: calculating (S204) a median value V(50) and a standard deviation s based on a calculated magnitude value LOG(V); and subtracting (S206) a product of the standard deviation s and a coefficient U(3) from the median value V(50) to calculate BGL. Knocking determination is carried out by comparing a knock magnitude N calculated by dividing the magnitude value LOG(P) by the BGL with a predetermined determination value V(VK). Based on the knocking determination result, ignition timing of the engine is controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2006Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.Inventors: Masatomo Yoshihara, Kenji Kasashima, Rihito Kaneko, Koji Aso, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe
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Patent number: 7779673Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating an absolute value ?S(I) of the deviation of the vibration waveform detected by a knock sensor and a knock waveform model from each other at each crank angle; when ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is present and the number of ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is equal to or smaller than Q(1), correcting the vibration waveform; calculating a correlation coefficient K which is a value related to the deviation of the corrected vibration waveform and the knock waveform model from each other; and when the number of ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is greater than predetermined number Q(1), calculating the correlation coefficient K without correcting the vibration waveform. Based on the correlation coefficient K, whether knocking is present or absent is determined.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2006Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Rihito Kaneko, Kenji Kasashima, Masatomo Yoshihara, Koji Aso, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe, Kiyoshi Iwade
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Publication number: 20100162794Abstract: An engine ECU executes a program including the steps of: calculating an absolute value ?S(I) of the deviation of the vibration waveform detected by a knock sensor and a knock waveform model from each other at each crank angle; when ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is present and the number of ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is equal to or smaller than Q(1), correcting the vibration waveform; calculating a correlation coefficient K which is a value related to the deviation of the corrected vibration waveform and the knock waveform model from each other; and when the number of ?S(I) greater than threshold value ?S(0) is greater than predetermined number Q(1), calculating the correlation coefficient K without correcting the vibration waveform. Based on the correlation coefficient K, whether knocking is present or absent is determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2006Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.Inventors: Rihito Kaneko, Kenji Kasashima, Masatomo Yoshihara, Koji Aso, Kenji Senda, Yuichi Takemura, Shuhei Oe, Kiyoshi Iwade
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Publication number: 20100108028Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine including a throttle valve for adjusting the intake air amount that affects on the torque of the internal combustion engine, when a request for acceleration of the internal combustion engine is made, a torque gradient, which is a change in the torque of the internal combustion engine per unit time during the acceleration, is predicted based on an operating condition of the internal combustion engine before the acceleration, and the operation of the throttle valve is controlled based on the predicted torque gradient during the acceleration of the internal combustion engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Aso