Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiko Watanabe

Mitsuhiko Watanabe 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).

  • Publication number: 20240126528
    Abstract: Provided is a redundant system capable of executing a start request received during update of a microcomputer control program even when an external nonvolatile memory is employed in a redundant system in which one load is controlled by a plurality of control circuits having a redundant configuration, the redundant system being low in cost and excellent in responsiveness. In the redundant system that controls one load by a plurality of control systems having a redundant configuration, when an update program signal for the plurality of control systems is received, update of a control program for each of the plurality of control systems in a predetermined order is individually executed, and when a start request of the load is received during the execution of the update of a control program of one predetermined system, the load is controlled by a system other than the one predetermined system, and during the control, the update of the control program of the one predetermined system is continued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki MIZUHASHI, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Yoshitaka ABE, Mamoru OGURA
  • Patent number: 11128523
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic controller and the like capable of identifying the order of communication apparatuses connected to a bus while minimizing manufacturing cost. In the present invention, bus wiring 2 has one end connected to a port 111 and the other end connected to a port 112. A plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304 are connected to the bus wiring 2. A current sensor CS measures current Is1 flowing through the port 111 and current Is2 flowing through the port 112 by applying current to the bus wiring 2 from each of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304. The higher controller 12 identifies the order of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304 on the bus wiring 2 on the basis of the current Is1 and the current Is2 which are measured for each of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iwasawa, Teppei Hirotsu, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11079730
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control device having versatility and extensibility of a load driving circuit. A control device includes a processor and an IC, in which the IC includes: a communication circuit that transmits a control signal from the processor; a first drive circuit that drives a first load; a second drive circuit that drives a second load and is provided outside the IC separately from the first drive circuit; and a third drive circuit that controls the second drive circuit, the processor transmits channel information corresponding to the number of switches of the second drive circuit to the IC, and the communication circuit changes the number of channels of the third drive circuit on the basis of the channel information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Oyama, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Takeshi Konno, Yasushi Sugiyama, Chihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 10886970
    Abstract: A load drive system for driving a load supplied with power from a power line includes a control unit which controls switching between the power line and the load and a communication unit which communicates using voltage and current of the power line. When performing the switching, the control unit controls, based on a width of a transition period of the power-line current, the transition period being attributable to the switching, timing of the switching so as to move the transition period away from a center of a period corresponding to a symbol communicated by the communication unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Yano, Hiroki Yamashita, Taizo Yamawaki, Atsushi Arata, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Ryusuke Sahara, Kenichi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10787193
    Abstract: Provided is a drive control device for an electric motor in which the number of terminals and the number of wires can be reduced. The drive control device includes: an inverter circuit that drives an electric motor having a plurality of phases; a drive circuit including drivers; a control circuit that outputs a control signal to control the drive circuit; and a signal line that connects the control circuit to the drive circuit to transmits a control signal from the control circuit to the drive circuit, in which the number of signal lines is fewer than the number of the phases of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hirayama, Yoshitaka Abe, Tomonobu Koseki, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Atsushi Arata
  • Publication number: 20200140642
    Abstract: This composition for a soft polyurethane foam contains a polyol component, an isocyanate component, a foaming agent, a cell opening agent, and a catalyst. The catalyst is a C11 or higher amine and the cell opening agent is a polyol in which the content of ethylene oxide is more than 50 mol %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji SANEFUJI, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Hideharu SEGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10587263
    Abstract: Provided are a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip using DTI for inter-element separation is mounted, the load drive apparatus being capable of diagnosing a dielectric strength voltage of the DTI and highly reliable and a failure diagnosis method of the load drive apparatus. There is provided a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip is mounted. The semiconductor chip includes a load drive output unit formed on a semiconductor substrate. The load drive output unit has a first region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a second region insulated and separated by DTI from the first region and includes a first leakage current detection element provided in the first region, a second leakage current detection element provided in the second region, and a failure detection unit that determines a failure of the load drive output unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawata, Yoichiro Kobayashi, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20200014424
    Abstract: A load drive system for driving a load supplied with power from a power line includes a control unit which controls switching between the power line and the load and a communication unit which communicates using voltage and current of the power line. When performing the switching, the control unit controls, based on a width of a transition period of the power-line current, the transition period being attributable to the switching, timing of the switching so as to move the transition period away from a center of a period corresponding to a symbol communicated by the communication unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko YANO, Hiroki YAMASHITA, Taizo YAMAWAKI, Atsushi ARATA, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Ryusuke SAHARA, Kenichi HOSHINO
  • Patent number: 10525913
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problems of: providing a power supply system that does not cause a microcontroller to reset even when an abnormality occurs in the output of a third power supply within a battery voltage range in which an electronic control device ensures operation; and achieving said power supply system at low cost. An electronic control device is provided with: a first power supply circuit that outputs a predetermined voltage; a second power supply circuit that is disposed downstream from the first power supply circuit and that outputs a predetermined voltage; and a third power supply circuit that is disposed downstream from the first power supply circuit and that outputs a predetermined voltage. The electronic control device is characterized by comprising a means that makes it possible to switch the circuit operation state of the third power supply circuit in accordance with the states of the first to third power supply circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kurimoto, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20190319834
    Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic controller and the like capable of identifying the order of communication apparatuses connected to a bus while minimizing manufacturing cost. In the present invention, bus wiring 2 has one end connected to a port 111 and the other end connected to a port 112. A plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304 are connected to the bus wiring 2. A current sensor CS measures current Is1 flowing through the port 111 and current Is2 flowing through the port 112 by applying current to the bus wiring 2 from each of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304. The higher controller 12 identifies the order of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304 on the bus wiring 2 on the basis of the current Is1 and the current Is2 which are measured for each of the plurality of lower ECUs 301 to 304.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi IWASAWA, Teppei HIROTSU, Mitsuhiko WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20190300046
    Abstract: Provided is a drive control device for an electric motor in which the number of terminals and the number of wires can be reduced. The drive control device includes: an inverter circuit that drives an electric motor having a plurality of phases; a drive circuit including drivers; a control circuit that outputs a control signal to control the drive circuit; and a signal line that connects the control circuit to the drive circuit to transmits a control signal from the control circuit to the drive circuit, in which the number of signal lines is fewer than the number of the phases of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroshi HIRAYAMA, Yoshitaka ABE, Tomonobu KOSEKI, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Atsushi ARATA
  • Publication number: 20190305772
    Abstract: Provided are a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip using DTI for inter-element separation is mounted, the load drive apparatus being capable of diagnosing a dielectric strength voltage of the DTI and highly reliable and a failure diagnosis method of the load drive apparatus. There is provided a load drive apparatus in which a semiconductor chip is mounted. The semiconductor chip includes a load drive output unit formed on a semiconductor substrate. The load drive output unit has a first region where an MOSFET that controls load driving is formed and a second region insulated and separated by DTI from the first region and includes a first leakage current detection element provided in the first region, a second leakage current detection element provided in the second region, and a failure detection unit that determines a failure of the load drive output unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro KAWATA, Yoichiro KOBAYASHI, Mitsuhiko WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20190294134
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control device having versatility and extensibility of a load driving circuit. A control device includes a processor and an IC, in which the IC includes: a communication circuit that transmits a control signal from the processor; a first drive circuit that drives a first load; a second drive circuit that drives a second load and is provided outside the IC separately from the first drive circuit; and a third drive circuit that controls the second drive circuit, the processor transmits channel information corresponding to the number of switches of the second drive circuit to the IC, and the communication circuit changes the number of channels of the third drive circuit on the basis of the channel information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya OYAMA, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Takeshi KONNO, Yasushi SUGIYAMA, Chihiro SATO
  • Patent number: 10393051
    Abstract: An internal-combustion-engine fuel injection control device which can accurately control a boosted voltage applied to a fuel injection valve during fuel injection and can control a variation in a fuel injection amount without increasing a size or a cost of the fuel injection control device even when a width of a fuel injection driving pulse to drive the fuel injection valve is small is provided. A fuel injection control device includes a boosting operation control unit configured to start a boosting operation at predetermined timing regardless of an amount of a detected voltage when the detected voltage is higher than a threshold voltage for starting boosting and is lower than a threshold voltage for stopping boosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Fukuda, Hideyuki Sakamoto, Masahiro Toyohara, Yoshihisa Fujii, Osamu Mukaihara, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Takeshi Konno
  • Patent number: 10197037
    Abstract: The invention, while reducing noise, suppresses a load increase in a processor and a delay in drive control. An engine control unit includes a processor, a driving circuit including a switching element to drive a load such as a fuel injector and an ignition device, and a communication circuit that transmits control signals from the processor to the driving circuit via serial communication. The control signals each include a command frame for controlling the driving circuit and a data frame for driving the load. If a predetermined bits in each of the data frames received from the processor at predetermined time intervals are determined to be the same twice in succession, the engine control unit changes a state of a driving signal ‘Drive’ for driving the load and thereby changes an operating state of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Oyama, Chihiro Sato, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20180106232
    Abstract: The invention, while reducing noise, suppresses a load increase in a processor and a delay in drive control. An engine control unit includes a processor, a driving circuit including a switching element to drive a load such as a fuel injector and an ignition device, and a communication circuit that transmits control signals from the processor to the driving circuit via serial communication. The control signals each include a command frame for controlling the driving circuit and a data frame for driving the load. If a predetermined bits in each of the data frames received from the processor at predetermined time intervals are determined to be the same twice in succession, the engine control unit changes a state of a driving signal ‘Drive’ for driving the load and thereby changes an operating state of the switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya OYAMA, Chihiro SATO, Mitsuhiko WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9831770
    Abstract: Downsizing of an inductor is achieved while reducing radiation noise of an inductor current. A boosting power supply unit is, for example, provided in an ECU mounted in a vehicle or the like. The boosting power supply unit has a boosting coil, a switching element and a current control unit 16. The current control unit 16 controls the switching element 12 to turn on and off by using a clock signal CK1 with a higher frequency than a pulse signal SPL in a clamping period when the inductor current flowing in the boosting coil is clamped at a preset peak setting current, and controls the switching element to turn on and off by using the pulse signal SPL in periods other than the clamping period. By controlling the switching element to turn on and off in this manner, the inductor current flowing in the boosting coil is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ming Liu, Kenichi Osada, Takuya Mayuzumi, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Goichi Ono
  • Publication number: 20170222551
    Abstract: Downsizing of an inductor is achieved while reducing radiation noise of an inductor current. A boosting power supply unit is, for example, provided in an ECU mounted in a vehicle or the like. The boosting power supply unit has a boosting coil, a switching element and a current control unit 16. The current control unit 16 controls the switching element 12 to turn on and off by using a clock signal CK1 with a higher frequency than a pulse signal SPL in a clamping period when the inductor current flowing in the boosting coil is clamped at a preset peak setting current, and controls the switching element to turn on and off by using the pulse signal SPL in periods other than the clamping period. By controlling the switching element to turn on and off in this manner, the inductor current flowing in the boosting coil is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming LIU, Kenichi OSADA, Takuya MAYUZUMI, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Goichi ONO
  • Patent number: 9719481
    Abstract: The invention, while reducing noise, suppresses a load increase in a processor and a delay in drive control. An engine control unit includes a processor, a driving circuit including a switching element to drive a load such as a fuel injector and an ignition device, and a communication circuit that transmits control signals from the processor to the driving circuit via serial communication. The control signals each include a command frame for controlling the driving circuit and a data frame for driving the load. If a predetermined bits in each of the data frames received from the processor at predetermined time intervals are determined to be the same twice in succession, the engine control unit changes a state of a driving signal ‘Drive’ for driving the load and thereby changes an operating state of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Oyama, Chihiro Sato, Mitsuhiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20170190307
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problems of: providing a power supply system that does not cause a microcontroller to reset even when an abnormality occurs in the output of a third power supply within a battery voltage range in which an electronic control device ensures operation; and achieving said power supply system at low cost. An electronic control device is provided with: a first power supply circuit that outputs a predetermined voltage; a second power supply circuit that is disposed downstream from the first power supply circuit and that outputs a predetermined voltage; and a third power supply circuit that is disposed downstream from the first power supply circuit and that outputs a predetermined voltage. The electronic control device is characterized by comprising a means that makes it possible to switch the circuit operation state of the third power supply circuit in accordance with the states of the first to third power supply circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi KURIMOTO, Mitsuhiko WATANABE