Patents by Inventor Masato Aoki

Masato Aoki 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: 10381964
    Abstract: There is provided a motor driving control device and a motor driving control method capable of quickly activating a motor. The motor driving control device comprises a motor driving unit, a control circuit unit and a position detector. The motor driving unit selectively energizes coils Lu, Lv, Lw of a plurality of phases of the motor. The control circuit unit outputs a driving control signal C1 to the motor driving unit to switch, in a predetermined order, an energization phase of the coils Lu, Lv, Lw of the plurality of phases to be energized by the motor driving unit. The position detector outputs a position signal corresponding to a position of a rotor of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventor: Masato Aoki
  • Publication number: 20190229651
    Abstract: A motor driving system has a first motor, a first motor driving control device for driving the first motor, a second motor, a second motor driving control device for driving the second motor, a controller performing communication with the first motor driving control device and the second motor driving control device, a first communication line for connecting a common terminal of the controller and the first motor driving control device; a second communication line for connecting the common terminal and the second motor driving control device, and a switch unit capable of switching each of the first and second communication lines between an enable state in which communication is possible by the communication line and an disable state in which communication is impossible under control of the controller. The controller controls the switch unit to set either the first or the second communication line to the enable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI, Xiao ZHOU, Mitsunari TERADA
  • Publication number: 20190190410
    Abstract: A motor driving control device has a motor driving unit that has a plurality of switching elements and supplies a drive current to three-phase coils of a motor, a control circuit unit for sequentially switching energization patterns of the three-phase coils by outputting a drive control signal for operating the plurality of switching elements to the motor driving unit, and a current detection circuit for detecting a voltage value corresponding to a magnitude of the drive current. the control circuit unit includes a voltage comparison unit for comparing the magnitude of the drive current with a predetermined current threshold value based on the voltage value each time switching of the energization patterns is performed, and a disconnection determination unit for determining whether any one phase of the motor is in a disconnection state, based on a comparison result of the voltage comparison unit for the plurality of energization patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Masato AOKI
  • Publication number: 20190166719
    Abstract: A motor driving control device, together with a controller, included in a motor driving system, has a control circuit controlling drive of a motor according to instruction information transmitted from the controller. The control circuit has a first acquisition unit acquiring setting reference information related to assignment of identification information for the motor driving control device itself, the setting reference information being input from outside, a setting unit setting the motor driving control device's identification information based on a magnitude of a setting voltage input from the outside and the setting reference information, and a second acquisition unit acquiring the instruction information based on the identification information set by the setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 30, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI
  • Patent number: 10236804
    Abstract: The control circuit includes a current detecting part detecting a driving current of the motor, a set duty generating part generating a set duty for outputting the driving control signal based on the speed command information and the actual rotational frequency information, a limit value determining part determining a current limit value based on the set duty and an instructed duty corresponding to the speed command information and a limiting part limiting the driving current of the motor based on the driving current of the motor detected by the current detecting part and the current limit value determined by the limit value determining part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaidu, Youhei Serizawa, Masato Aoki, Xiao Zhou
  • Publication number: 20190068092
    Abstract: A motor driving control device includes a motor driving unit to drive the motor, a rotational position detecting circuit for generating rotational position information, and a controller. The controller outputs, to the motor driving unit, a first drive control signal for controlling an adjustment at a time of energization switching to reduce resonance between a natural frequency of the motor and a rotational component of the motor based on the rotational position information when an actual rotational speed of the motor is equal to or higher than a predetermined rotational speed lower than a target rotational speed, and outputs, to the driving unit, a second drive control signal for controlling regular energization switching without performing the adjustment at the time of energization switching when the actual rotational speed is less than the predetermined rotational speed and a set duty is within an error range of a maximum value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI
  • Patent number: 10218295
    Abstract: A motor drive controller includes: a motor drive unit; and a lock energization control circuit configured to control the motor drive unit to cause a lock current for holding the rotor at a predetermined lock position to flow from the motor drive unit to the drive coils for lock energization duration before rotation of the motor is started. The lock energization control circuit includes: a first lock energization unit that controls the motor drive unit such that a magnitude of the lock current becomes a first predetermined value when first predetermined duration has elapsed after the lock energization duration is started; and a second lock energization unit that controls the motor drive unit such that the magnitude of the lock current becomes a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value when the lock energization duration is terminated after the first predetermined duration has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Masato Aoki, Hiroyuki Kaidu, Youhei Serizawa
  • Publication number: 20190028045
    Abstract: Provided is a motor drive control device capable of activating a motor in a particular direction rapidly and reliably even when an abnormal condition (in the abnormal condition the motor is rotated in reverse) has occurred. The control circuit unit is configured to output a drive control signal to the motor drive unit to switch six energization patterns for energizing the three-phase coils by use of the motor drive unit in a predetermined order according to a variation of the phase of the position signal. During an activation period of the motor, the control circuit unit performs activation control so that an energization time of one or more particular energization patterns corresponding to a rotational direction of the motor is shorter than an energization time of each of the other energization patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventor: Masato AOKI
  • Publication number: 20190028046
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a motor drive control device includes a motor drive unit having a plurality of switch elements connected to a power supply source and supplying a driving current to a plurality of phase coils of a motor, a control circuit unit outputting, to the motor drive unit, a drive control signal for operating the plurality of switch elements to sequentially switch energization patterns for the plurality of phase coils, and a current detecting circuit for detecting a voltage value corresponding to a magnitude of the driving current, wherein the control circuit unit includes a first determination unit determining whether a state of overcurrent where a magnitude of the driving current exceeds a predetermined overcurrent threshold occurs based on the voltage value each time an energization pattern is switched, and a second determination unit determining whether driving of the motor is in an abnormal condition based on a determination result of the first determination unit f
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Masato AOKI, Hiroyuki KAIDU
  • Patent number: 10153715
    Abstract: A motor driving control device includes: a motor driving unit for selectively energizing coils of a plurality of phases of a motor; a control circuit unit for outputting a driving control signal to the motor driving unit to control an operation of the motor driving unit; and a position detector corresponding to one phase out of the plurality of phases, the position detector outputting a position signal having a phase varying according to a position of a rotor of the motor, wherein when starting activation of the motor, the control circuit unit executes first control for causing the motor to perform short-circuit braking, and second control for starting a first lock operation in which the rotor is locked by energizing coils of a predetermined energization phase out of the plurality of phases with a first current value after the first control is executed, and when executing the first control, the control unit performs the short-circuit braking from the start of the short-circuit braking of the motor until varia
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventor: Masato Aoki
  • Publication number: 20180351488
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes: a control circuit unit for outputting a drive control signal for performing advance-angle control of a motor to drive the motor; a motor driving unit for outputting a drive signal to the motor with a phase based on the drive control signal output from the control circuit unit to drive the motor; and a current detecting circuit for detecting a voltage value corresponding to a drive current of the motor, wherein the control circuit unit detects a cross-timing between the voltage value detected by the current detecting circuit and each of two or more reference voltage values, and performs the advance-angle control based on a detection result of the cross-timing to adjust a phase of the drive current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI, Youhei SERIZAWA, Zhou XIAO
  • Publication number: 20180337618
    Abstract: Provided is a motor drive control device capable of accurately and speedily detecting an abnormal condition of a motor. When the motor is started, the control circuit section determines the commanded rotational speed in accordance with an actual rotational speed calculated based on the position signal, the control circuit section determines whether or not the motor is in an abnormal condition based on a predetermined determination condition for a predetermined period, upon determining that the motor is in the abnormal condition, the control circuit section outputs the drive control signal to the motor drive section to stop the motor, and the abnormal condition includes a reversely rotating state. In the reversely rotating state the motor rotating in a direction opposite to a rotating direction when the motor is successfully started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Masato AOKI, Hiroyuki KAIDU
  • Publication number: 20180248499
    Abstract: The control circuit includes a current detecting part detecting a driving current of the motor, a set duty generating part generating a set duty for outputting the driving control signal based on the speed command information and the actual rotational frequency information, a limit value determining part determining a current limit value based on the set duty and an instructed duty corresponding to the speed command information and a limiting part limiting the driving current of the motor based on the driving current of the motor detected by the current detecting part and the current limit value determined by the limit value determining part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Youhei SERIZAWA, Masato AOKI, Xiao ZHOU
  • Publication number: 20180234042
    Abstract: There is provided a motor driving control device and a motor driving control method capable of quickly activating a motor. The motor driving control device comprises a motor driving unit, a control circuit unit and a position detector. The motor driving unit selectively energizes coils Lu, Lv, Lw of a plurality of phases of the motor. The control circuit unit outputs a driving control signal C1 to the motor driving unit to switch, in a predetermined order, an energization phase of the coils Lu, Lv, Lw of the plurality of phases to be energized by the motor driving unit. The position detector outputs a position signal corresponding to a position of a rotor of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Masato AOKI
  • Publication number: 20180234038
    Abstract: A motor driving control device includes: a motor driving unit for selectively energizing coils of a plurality of phases of a motor; a control circuit unit for outputting a driving control signal to the motor driving unit to control an operation of the motor driving unit; and a position detector corresponding to one phase out of the plurality of phases, the position detector outputting a position signal having a phase varying according to a position of a rotor of the motor, wherein when starting activation of the motor, the control circuit unit executes first control for causing the motor to perform short-circuit braking, and second control for starting a first lock operation in which the rotor is locked by energizing coils of a predetermined energization phase out of the plurality of phases with a first current value after the first control is executed, and when executing the first control, the control unit performs the short-circuit braking from the start of the short-circuit braking of the motor until varia
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventor: Masato Aoki
  • Publication number: 20180159450
    Abstract: A motor drive controller includes: a motor drive unit; and a lock energization control circuit configured to control the motor drive unit to cause a lock current for holding the rotor at a predetermined lock position to flow from the motor drive unit to the drive coils for lock energization duration before rotation of the motor is started. The lock energization control circuit includes: a first lock energization unit that controls the motor drive unit such that a magnitude of the lock current becomes a first predetermined value when first predetermined duration has elapsed after the lock energization duration is started; and a second lock energization unit that controls the motor drive unit such that the magnitude of the lock current becomes a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value when the lock energization duration is terminated after the first predetermined duration has elapsed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Masato Aoki, Hiroyuki Kaidu, Youhei Serizawa
  • Publication number: 20180138847
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a motor drive control device driving a motor using position information detected by one sensor includes: a current detection unit detecting a magnitude of a coil current flowing through a coil of the motor; a rotation position detection unit detecting a rotation position of the motor based on the position information; and a hunting determination unit determining, based on the magnitude of the coil current, the rotation position of the motor, and a driving command for driving the motor, whether or not the motor is in a hunting condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI, Youhei SERIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9834087
    Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a cooling device, an air guide member, and a horn. The cooling device is cooled with a flow of moving air which a vehicle receives while traveling. The air guide member guides the moving air into the cooling device. The air guide member has a single opening in a front of the vehicle. The horn is disposed at a side of the air guide member. The cooling device and the horn are arranged in a vehicle-width direction. The cooling device and the horn face the single opening viewed form the front of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masato Aoki
  • Patent number: 9748879
    Abstract: A motor drive controller is provided with: a motor drive circuit that drives a motor and having a position detector that detects a position of a rotor of the motor and outputs a position detection signal; a motor control circuit that generates a rotation pulse signal based on the position detection signal output by the motor drive circuit; and a microcomputer that is provided with at least one timer and outputs a conversion signal that is obtained by multiplying the rotation pulse signal by n, where n is a natural number equal to or greater than two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaidu, Masato Aoki
  • Patent number: 9742327
    Abstract: A motor drive controller includes: a motor driver that applies a voltage to each phase of a motor to rotate; a rotational position detector that detects rotational position of the motor and generates rotational position information indicating the rotational position; and a controller that outputs, to the motor driver, driving control signals for repeatedly adjusting an advance angle and a lag angle at energization switching of the each phase of the motor in a prescribed pattern based on the rotational position information generated by the rotational position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaidu, Yuji Omura, Kouji Kebukawa, Masato Aoki