Patents by Inventor Michihisa Yokono

Michihisa Yokono 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: 10815918
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine capable of assisting the insufficient part of supercharging pressure supercharged by the turbocharger, with a good responsiveness by the electric compressor, using simple calculation, even though using a plurality of superchargers. The controller for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine calculates, as a target intermediate supercharging pressure, a value subtracting, from the target supercharging pressure, a pressure difference subtracting the actual intermediate supercharging pressure from the actual supercharging pressure; calculates a pressure ratio of the target intermediate supercharging pressure and the actual atmospheric pressure; calculates a target rotational speed of the electric compressor based on the pressure ratio and the actual intake air flow rate; and controls the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 10167790
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for an internal combustion engine capable of reducing the calculation error of recirculation exhaust gas amount due to changes with time of the internal combustion engines, and humidity change of intake air, and also capable of reducing the calculation error of recirculation exhaust gas amount at transient operation. The controller and the control method for the internal combustion engine calculates humidity detecting EGR rate based on intake-air humidity and manifold humidity, calculates humidity detecting opening area which realizes humidity detecting recirculation flow rate calculated based on humidity detecting EGR rate, calculates learned opening area corresponding to present opening degree of EGR valve using learning value of opening area calculated based on humidity detecting opening area, and calculates flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas for control based on learned opening area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Hagari, Michihisa Yokono
  • Patent number: 10156212
    Abstract: There is provided an internal combustion engine controller and a control method thereof that can accurately estimate an EGR rate even when the humidity of intake air (the atmospheric air) changes. In the internal combustion engine controller and the control method thereof, an EGR rate is calculated based on an inner-manifold water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on a manifold pressure, a manifold temperature, and a manifold humidity and an inner-intake-air water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on an intake-air pressure, an intake-air temperature, and an intake-air humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 10138831
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for an internal combustion engine capable of learning the individual difference and the aging change of the flow characteristic of the EGR valve, by a method which is hardly influenced by the individual difference and the aging change of the internal combustion engine body, and improving the estimation accuracy of the flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas. The controller for an internal combustion engine calculates an oxygen concentration detecting EGR rate Regr based on the inner-manifold oxygen concentration; calculates an oxygen concentration detecting recirculation flow rate based on the oxygen concentration detecting EGR rate and the intake air flow rate, and calculates a learning value of the opening area of EGR valve; and calculates a flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas for control based on the learned opening area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Publication number: 20180258869
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for an internal combustion engine capable of learning the individual difference and the aging change of the flow characteristic of the EGR valve, by a method which is hardly influenced by the individual difference and the aging change of the internal combustion engine body, and improving the estimation accuracy of the flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas. The controller for an internal combustion engine calculates an oxygen concentration detecting EGR rate Regr based on the inner-manifold oxygen concentration; calculates an oxygen concentration detecting recirculation flow rate based on the oxygen concentration detecting EGR rate and the intake air flow rate, and calculates a learning value of the opening area of EGR valve; and calculates a flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas for control based on the learned opening area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Patent number: 10006383
    Abstract: In a control device and method for an internal combustion engine with a supercharger, a first/second temperature sensor and a first/second air pressure sensor are respectively provided on an upstream/downstream side of a supercharging path from a compressor to a throttle valve. A control portion calculates an inflow air mass to the supercharging path and an outflow air mass from the supercharging path, calculates a throttle upstream air mass in a high operational load state from those air masses, calculates a throttle upstream air mass in a low operational load state from outputs of the first temperature sensor and the first air pressure sensor, selects either one of the throttle upstream air masses depending on an operational load state of the engine, and calculates a throttle upstream pressure based on the upstream air mass selected and a second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 9964027
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a controller for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine and a control method that can reduce man-hours for data measurement and matching, which are required to perform while the internal combustion engine and the supercharger are combined. In a controller, a target turbine flow rate for realizing a target compressor driving force is calculated; a target wastegate flow rate is calculated based on an exhaust gas flow rate and the target turbine flow rate; a target turbine-upstream pressure is calculated based on a target before/after-turbine pressure ratio for realizing the target compressor driving force and a turbine-downstream pressure; a target gate effective opening area is calculated based on the target wastegate flow rate, the target before/after-turbine pressure ratio, and the target turbine-upstream pressure; then, a gate valve control value is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Hagari, Takuo Watanuki, Michihisa Yokono, Takafumi Nishio
  • Publication number: 20180100456
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine capable of assisting the insufficient part if supercharging pressure supercharged by the turbocharger, with a good responsiveness by the electric compressor, using simple calculation, even though using a plurality of superchargers. The controller for supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine calculates, as a target intermediate supercharging pressure, a value subtracting, from the target supercharging pressure, a pressure difference subtracting the real intermediate supercharging pressure from the real supercharging pressure; calculates a pressure ratio of the target intermediate supercharging pressure and the real atmospheric pressure; calculates a target rotational speed of the electric compressor based on the pressure ratio and the real intake air flow rate; and controls the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Patent number: 9897024
    Abstract: In an engine control device, a saturated water vapor pressure Ps is calculated from an intake temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor. A water vapor partial pressure is worked out from the saturated water vapor pressure and humidity detected by a humidity sensor. A specific humidity q and a molar fraction are worked out from the water vapor partial pressure and an atmospheric pressure detected by an atmospheric pressure sensor. A moist air amount is calculated from an intake air amount detected by an AFS on the basis of the molar fraction, and a dry air amount is calculated from this moist air amount on the basis of the specific humidity. A fuel injection amount, an ignition timing, and a target throttle opening are then calculated on the basis of various operation information, using the moist air amount, the dry air amount, and the specific humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 9863347
    Abstract: The control device includes an operation state detector, an intake manifold pressure detector, an air humidity detector, an air temperature detector, an atmospheric pressure detector, and a controller that controls the engine output on the basis of detection results of the detectors. The controller generates humidity information on the air which is taken in by the internal combustion engine, from the humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure, calculates a dry air partial pressure by correcting the pressure detected by the intake manifold pressure detector, by using the humidity information, and controls the engine output by taking the pressure detected by the intake manifold pressure detector as a wet air pressure and selecting, according to a control element, either one of the wet air pressure and the dry air partial pressure as a pressure to be used for the engine output control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 9856802
    Abstract: There is provided a controller, for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine, that can accurately estimate a supercharging pressure, without providing a pressure sensor for detecting the supercharging pressure. In a controller for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine, a correction value for correcting a supercharging pressure estimation value is changed so that an effective opening area estimation value, estimated based on a supercharging pressure estimation value and the like, approaches a preliminarily set effective opening area default value corresponding to a throttle opening degree detection value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Publication number: 20170284323
    Abstract: To provide a controller and a control method for an internal combustion engine capable of reducing the calculation error of recirculation exhaust gas amount due to changes with time of the internal combustion engines, and humidity change of intake air, and also capable of reducing the calculation error of recirculation exhaust gas amount at transient operation. The controller and the control method for the internal combustion engine calculates humidity detecting EGR rate based on intake-air humidity and manifold humidity, calculates humidity detecting opening area which realizes humidity detecting recirculation flow rate calculated based on humidity detecting EGR rate, calculates learned opening area corresponding to present opening degree of EGR valve using learning value of opening area calculated based on humidity detecting opening area, and calculates flow rate of recirculation exhaust gas for control based on learned opening area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki HAGARI, Michihisa YOKONO
  • Publication number: 20170204814
    Abstract: There is provided an internal combustion engine controller and a control method thereof that can accurately estimate an EGR rate even when the humidity of intake air (the atmospheric air) changes. In the internal combustion engine controller and the control method thereof, an EGR rate is calculated based on an inner-manifold water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on a manifold pressure, a manifold temperature, and a manifold humidity and an inner-intake-air water vapor partial pressure ratio calculated based on an intake-air pressure, an intake-air temperature, and an intake-air humidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Publication number: 20170101949
    Abstract: The control device includes an operation state detector, an intake manifold pressure detector, an air humidity detector, an air temperature detector, an atmospheric pressure detector, and a controller that controls the engine output on the basis of detection results of the detectors. The controller generates humidity information on the air which is taken in by the internal combustion engine, from the humidity, temperature, and atmospheric pressure, calculates a dry air partial pressure by correcting the pressure detected by the intake manifold pressure detector, by using the humidity information, and controls the engine output by taking the pressure detected by the intake manifold pressure detector as a wet air pressure and selecting, according to a control element, either one of the wet air pressure and the dry air partial pressure as a pressure to be used for the engine output control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Patent number: 9605608
    Abstract: In the control device, a relationship of a throttle-upstream pressure with respect to an exhaust-gas amount is used in a state where a supercharge pressure becomes the lowest by a WG-instruction value with respect to a WGV-control component 220 for driving a WGV 33a provided at a bypass passage 33 bypassing a turbocharger 32, and a relationship of a throttle-upstream pressure with respect to an aperture of a throttle valve 23, a rotational speed of an engine, and an intake-manifold pressure is used, and any of the throttle-upstream pressures, whichever is higher, being calculated in accordance with each of the relationship, is defined as a throttle-upstream-estimation value, whereby the throttle-upstream pressure is estimated by a cheap means with high accuracy so as to control the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa Yokono, Hideki Hagari
  • Publication number: 20170082047
    Abstract: In an engine control device, a saturated water vapor pressure Ps is calculated from an intake temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor. A water vapor partial pressure is worked out from the saturated water vapor pressure and humidity detected by a humidity sensor. A specific humidity q and a molar fraction are worked out from the water vapor partial pressure and an atmospheric pressure detected by an atmospheric pressure sensor. A moist air amount is calculated from an intake air amount detected by an AFS on the basis of the molar fraction, and a dry air amount is calculated from this moist air amount on the basis of the specific humidity. A fuel injection amount, an ignition timing, and a target throttle opening are then calculated on the basis of various operation information, using the moist air amount, the dry air amount, and the specific humidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Publication number: 20170051662
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a controller for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine and a control method that can reduce man-hours for data measurement and matching, which are required to perform while the internal combustion engine and the supercharger are combined. In a controller, a target turbine flow rate for realizing a target compressor driving force is calculated; a target wastegate flow rate is calculated based on an exhaust gas flow rate and the target turbine flow rate; a target turbine-upstream pressure is calculated based on a target before/after-turbine pressure ratio for realizing the target compressor driving force and a turbine-downstream pressure; a target gate effective opening area is calculated based on the target wastegate flow rate, the target before/after-turbine pressure ratio, and the target turbine-upstream pressure; then, a gate valve control value is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki HAGARI, Takuo WATANUKI, Michihisa YOKONO, Takafumi NISHIO
  • Patent number: 9541012
    Abstract: In a turbocharged internal combustion engine, an amount of cylinder suction air is calculated with sufficiently high accuracy to suitably control the internal combustion engine in consideration of influences of an exhaust pressure on a volumetric efficiency equivalent value without requiring a huge memory capacity, in fewer adaptive man hours, and under a low operation load. A correction calculation parameter is calculated using an exhaust pressure, an exhaust pressure for pre-correction volumetric efficiency equivalent value, and an intake manifold pressure, and a post-corrected volumetric efficiency equivalent value is calculated by correcting a pre-correction volumetric efficiency equivalent value using the correction calculation parameter. An amount of air entering a cylinder from an intake manifold is calculated on the basis of the post-correction volumetric efficiency equivalent value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Saito, Michihisa Yokono, Tomokazu Makino
  • Publication number: 20160377004
    Abstract: There is provided a controller, for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine, that can accurately estimate a supercharging pressure, without providing a pressure sensor for detecting the supercharging pressure. In a controller for a supercharger-equipped internal combustion engine, a correction value for correcting a supercharging pressure estimation value is changed so that an effective opening area estimation value, estimated based on a supercharging pressure estimation value and the like, approaches a preliminarily set effective opening area default value corresponding to a throttle opening degree detection value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI
  • Publication number: 20160084176
    Abstract: In a control device and method for an internal combustion engine with a supercharger, a first/second temperature sensor and a first/second air pressure sensor are respectively provided on an upstream/downstream side of a supercharging path from a compressor to a throttle valve. A control portion calculates an inflow air mass to the supercharging path and an outflow air mass from the supercharging path, calculates a throttle upstream air mass in a high operational load state from those air masses, calculates a throttle upstream air mass in a low operational load state from outputs of the first temperature sensor and the first air pressure sensor, selects either one of the throttle upstream air masses depending on an operational load state of the engine, and calculates a throttle upstream pressure based on the upstream air mass selected and a second temperature detected by the second temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michihisa YOKONO, Hideki HAGARI