Patents by Inventor Nobufusa Kobayashi

Nobufusa Kobayashi 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: 8392076
    Abstract: In a control of a vehicular automatic transmission, an engaging device provided in a power transmission path between an engine and driving wheels is brought into a slipping state or a release state when a certain neutral control condition is satisfied while a shift lever is placed in a running position, the engaging device is engaged so as to increase a torque transmission capacity thereof when a certain neutral control cancellation condition is satisfied during neutral control under which the engaging device is in the slipping state or the release state, and an engaging pressure of the engaging device is held at a constant pressure level for a given period of time when an accelerator pedal is depressed while the engaging device is engaged so as to increase the torque transmission capacity thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Yoshio Hasegawa, Naoto Komeno, Norihiro Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20120316028
    Abstract: A power transmission controlling apparatus of a vehicle includes a clutch capable of connecting/disconnecting power transmission between an engine and a motor/generator, and a torque converter enabling power transmission between the engine or/and the motor/generator and an automatic transmission. When the engine is started by motoring torque with engagement of the clutch during rotation of the motor/generator, the power transmission controlling apparatus sets a torque compensation amount by the motor/generator based on an estimated torque capacity of the clutch, and suppresses torque fluctuations on a power transmission path accompanying engagement of the clutch by power of the motor/generator containing the torque compensation amount. The power transmission controlling apparatus corrects the torque capacity or the torque compensation amount based on input torque of the torque converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Hideaki Otsubo, Yukihiko Ideshio, Terufumi Miyazaki, Shingo Eto
  • Patent number: 8287431
    Abstract: When shifting an automatic transmission into a higher gear, it is determined that an inertia phase has started when an input rotation speed of the automatic transmission has started to decrease. Here, if throttle opening amount reduction control is being performed to reduce the output torque of the engine when it is determined that the inertia phase has started, it is highly likely that that determination is erroneous because that control causes the input rotation speed of the automatic transmission (i.e., the engine speed) to decrease. When it is highly likely that the determination that the inertia phase has started is erroneous in this way, learning of a hydraulic pressure command value is prohibited. As a result, erroneous learning of the hydraulic pressure command value can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Toshio Sugimura, Tomohiro Asami, Takaaki Tokura, Yoshio Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8024096
    Abstract: When an automatic transmission is shifted from neutral to a forward gear, an ECU calculates the appropriate target gear. If the target gear speed is the second forward gear or higher, a target command pressure of a first engagement element is immediately increased to a maximum pressure regardless of an input torque, and a target command pressure of a second engagement element is gradually increased in accordance with the input torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoto Moriya, Yoshio Hasegawa, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7925406
    Abstract: A first input torque value estimated when it is determined that an inertia phase has started is stored as an input torque value. Then, the input torque value is updated to a value determined based on the first input torque value and a second input torque value estimated when it is determined that the accelerator pedal has been operated by at least a predetermined amount. When the second input torque value is smaller than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to a value that is equal to or greater than the first input torque value. When the second input torque value is equal to or greater than the first input torque value, the stored input torque value is updated to the second input torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Asami, Toshio Sugimura, Takaaki Tokura, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7900533
    Abstract: A controller of an automatic transmission can be set to be in a first control mode and a second control mode for controlling a transmission gear ratio of the automatic transmission. The controller in the second control mode automatically changes the transmission gear ratio. The controller obtains an index value and upper limit speed of rotation speed of a transmission output shaft. The controller in the first control mode allows the transmission gear ratio to be changed when an operation member is operated to increase the transmission gear ratio and the index value is equal to or lower than the upper limit speed. The controller has a setting section that sets the upper limit speed. The setting section sets the upper limit speed based on vehicle acceleration when the controller is in the first control mode and the operation member is operated to increase the transmission gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Shiiba, Seiji Kuwahara, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Ichiro Kitaori, Toshihiro Fukumasu, Atsushi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7894969
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes a torque-boost control portion that boosts torque output from the engine, and corrects the operation amount of an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the amount of air taken into the engine to increase the amount of air during a torque phase when the automatic transmission upshifts; and an inertia-phase determination portion that determines whether an inertia phase has started. The torque-boost control portion includes a torque-boost end control portion that executes a torque-boost end control that gradually decreases a correction amount, by which the operation amount is corrected, to zero when the inertia-phase determination portion determines that the inertia phase has started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Asami, Toshio Sugimura, Takaaki Tokura, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100305823
    Abstract: An ECU controls an automatic transmission that can be manually shifted. The ECU executes a program that includes i) the step of, when there are a plurality of allowed gears that are allowed at the time of a downshift operation (i.e., YES in S150), continuously determining whether the engine speed NE after a downshift will be in a preset overspeed region for each allowed gear when the second and subsequent allowed gears are lower than an output gear (YES in S152; S151), and when there is an allowed gear that will result in the engine speed NE being in the overspeed region, ii) the step of cancelling that allowed gear (S158). Thus this control appropriately suppresses overspeeding of the engine while executing a manual shift in response to an operation by the driver without bothering the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Inventors: Ichiro Kitaori, Hiroyuki Sawada, Yoshio Hasegawa, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Toshihiro Fukumasu, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Seiji Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 7824291
    Abstract: When a determination for a second shift is made during a first shift process, if the turbine speed is the variety of the synchronous rotational speed for the speed to which the automatic transmission is to be shifted in the second shift and the hydraulic pressure command value for the first brake, which is engaged in the second shift, is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the multiple shift portion immediately switches the shift control from the first shift control to the second shift control so that the hydraulic pressure command value for the first brake, which is engaged in the second shift, increase at a specific rate and the hydraulic pressure command value for the third brake, which is released in the second shift, decreases at a specific rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Tokura, Toshio Sugimura, Tomohiro Asami, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Yoshio Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7785231
    Abstract: A gear shift controlling apparatus of an automatic transmission for a vehicle has a synchronization-time engagement pressure correcting device that, before synchronization of gear-shifting, makes an increase correction of an engagement pressure of the disengaged-side engaging element by a first prescribed amount, to cause an input shaft rotational speed immediately before synchronizing of the automatic transmission to approach a rotational speed calculated by multiplying an output shaft rotational speed by a gear ratio of a gear after gear-shifting the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Toshio Sugimura, Tomohiro Asami, Takaaki Tokura, Tomohiro Kondo, Masami Kondo, Masaharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100211276
    Abstract: In order to realize favorable transmission characteristics in power-off upshift in clutch-to-clutch shift, an ECU detects an upshift request in a power-off state (request of clutch-to-clutch shift), and then outputs a control signal to a hydraulic circuit such that an on-coming clutch is engaged. When the on-coming clutch torque capacity becomes larger than 0 to have transmission torque, a sweep-down control signal is output to the hydraulic circuit such that an off-going clutch is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Takaaki Tokura, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Tomohiro Asami, Hideaki Otsubo
  • Publication number: 20100211275
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicular automatic transmission determines, during shifting to a first target gear position, whether the transmission should be shifted to a second target gear position that is remote from the current gear position than the first target gear position, and determines whether a gearshift to the first target gear position was executed during shifting to a third target gear position. If it is determined that the transmission should be shifted to the second target gear position during a multiple gearshift to the first target gear position which is started during shifting to the third target gear position, a multiple gearshift to the second target gear position is inhibited. If it is determined that the transmission should be shifted to the second target gear position during a single gearshift to the first target gear position, the multiple gearshift to the second target gear position is permitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobufusa KOBAYASHI, Yoshio Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20100204892
    Abstract: In a control of a vehicular automatic transmission, an engaging device provided in a power transmission path between an engine and driving wheels is brought into a slipping state or a release state when a certain neutral control condition is satisfied while a shift lever is placed in a running position, the engaging device is engaged so as to increase a torque transmission capacity thereof when a certain neutral control cancellation condition is satisfied during neutral control under which the engaging device is in the slipping state or the release state, and an engaging pressure of the engaging device is held at a constant pressure level for a given period of time when an accelerator pedal is depressed while the engaging device is engaged so as to increase the torque transmission capacity thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Yoshio Hasegawa, Naoto Komeno, Norihiro Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20100191430
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program that includes: a step of outputting a shift stage after a power-on down shift; a step of, when a turbine rotation speed NT does not increase to a synchronized rotation speed corresponding to the shift stage after the shift after an accelerator is deactivated, executing sweep control; and a step of, in a state that the shift stage after the shift is not formed, when the accelerator is activated, executing sweep control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Tomohiro Asami
  • Patent number: 7731629
    Abstract: An engagement-pressure control portion and a first torque decrease control portion are provided. The engagement-pressure control portion controls an engagement pressure for a friction engagement element to be engaged when an automatic transmission upshifts so that the engagement pressure increases to a standby pressure at which an inertia phase does not start on the condition that torque output from a power source is equal to a first predetermined value, and then the engagement pressure is maintained at the standby pressure. The first torque decrease control portion controls the torque output from the power source so that the torque gradually decreases from the first predetermined value after the engagement pressure for the friction engagement element is maintained at the standby pressure, and a predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Asami, Toshio Sugimura, Takaaki Tokura, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7731628
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an engagement-pressure control portion that increases the engagement pressure to a predetermined pressure for a friction engagement element to be engaged during a torque phase of an upshift in an automatic transmission. When the inertia phase starts, the control apparatus increases the engagement pressure at a predetermined gradient. The control apparatus also includes a torque-boost control portion that executes a torque-boost control that boosts the torque output from the power source during the torque phase; and a torque-boost permission portion that determines whether the torque-boost control should be restricted. When it is determined that the torque-boost control should not be restricted, the predetermined pressure is set to a greater value, and the predetermined gradient is set to a smaller value than when it is determined that the torque-boost control should be restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Asami, Toshio Sugimura, Takaaki Tokura, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7727113
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program sets a driver requested torque based on the accelerator operation amount, and sets a torque-boost amount so that the torque-boost amount increases as the driver requested torque increases, until the driver requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque T(0). When the driver requested torque exceeds the predetermined torque T(0), the torque-boost amount decreases as the driver requested torque increases. However, the torque obtained by adding the torque-boost amount to the driver requested torque increases as the accelerator operation amount increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Tokura, Toshio Sugimura, Tomohiro Asami, Nobufusa Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100056332
    Abstract: When shifting an automatic transmission (3) into a higher gear, it is determined that an inertia phase has started when an input rotation speed of the automatic transmission (3) has started to decrease. Here, if throttle opening amount reduction control is being performed to reduce the output torque of the engine (2) when it is determined that the inertia phase has started, it is highly likely that that determination is erroneous because that control causes the input rotation speed of the automatic transmission (3) (i.e., the engine speed) to decrease. When it is highly likely that the determination that the inertia phase has started is erroneous in this way, learning of a hydraulic pressure command value (Pt) is prohibited. As a result, erroneous learning of the hydraulic pressure command value (Pt) can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobufusa Kobayashi, Toshio Sugimura, Tomohiro Asami, Takaaki Tokura, Yoshio Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20100004094
    Abstract: A controller (30) of an automatic transmission (13) can be set to be in a first control mode and a second control mode for controlling a transmission gear ratio (SR) of the automatic transmission (13). The controller (30) in the second control mode automatically changes the transmission gear ratio (SR). The controller (30) obtains an index value and upper limit speed (Lim) of rotation speed (Nout) of a transmission output shaft. The controller (30) in the first control mode allows the transmission gear ratio (SR) to be changed when an operation member (22) is operated to increase the transmission gear ratio (SR) and the index value is equal to or lower than the upper limit speed (Lim). The controller (30) has a setting section (S13) that sets the upper limit speed (Lim). The setting section (S13) sets the upper limit speed (Lim) based on vehicle acceleration (AR) when the controller (30) is in the first control mode and the operation member (22) is operated to increase the transmission gear ratio (SR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Shiiba, Seiji Kuwahara, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Ichiro Kitaori, Toshihiro Fukumasu, Atsushi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090312924
    Abstract: When an automatic transmission is shifted from neutral to a a forward gear, an ECU calculates the appropriate target gear. If the target gear speed is the second forward gear or higher, a target command pressure of a first engagement element is immediately increased to a maximum pressure regardless of an input torque, and a target command pressure of a second engagement element is gradually increased in accordance with the input torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoto Moriya, Yoshio Hasegawa, Nobufusa Kobayashi