Patents by Inventor Toshimichi Minowa

Toshimichi Minowa 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: 20040249986
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a control unit for vehicle where increase in number of input/output and upgrading of function can easily be performed and, in addition to this, changing of a program in a control unit can easily be performed even when a single-chip micro-computer is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Minowa, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Junichi Ishii, Shigeki Morinaga, Hiroshi Katayama, Mitsuo Kayano, Kenichiro Kurata
  • Patent number: 6796399
    Abstract: An automobile which is designed to be able to drive wheel tires by making use of a double series differential gear device 15 provided with both a first series gear constituted by a first ring gear 22A and a first drive gear 23A and a second series gear constituted by a second ring gear 22B and a second drive gear 23B, thereby, a back-up for an abnormal situation can be prepared and a high reliability is maintained, accordingly, with the use of highly reliable differential gear mechanism, an automobile in which a stable braking force is always obtained without being affected by its environmental conditions is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Satou, Toshimichi Minowa, Satoru Kuragaki, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Tatsuya Ochi
  • Patent number: 6792344
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling an automotive vehicle are disclosed, in which a control amount for securing safety of the vehicle and the control amount for achieving a state intended for by the driver of the vehicle are switched in such a manner as to reduce the shock due to the change in the torque generated from the power train, thereby accomplishing both safety and maneuverability at the same time. A first target value is set for controlling at least selected one of the driving torque, the driving force and the acceleration/deceleration rate. A second target value is calculated in accordance with the drive mode intended for by the driver or the driving environment ahead of the vehicle. In the case where a deviation exceeding a predetermined value develops between the first target value and the second target value, the fluctuations of at least one of the driving torque, the driving force and the acceleration/deceleration rate are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Minowa, Tatsuya Ochi, Satoru Kuragaki, Mitsuo Kayano, Tokuji Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20040159183
    Abstract: The power transmission of the car comprises an engine, a gearbox, a rotary electric unit which transmits power through the gearbox, and a clutch which is provided between the input shaft and the output shaft of said gearbox to control the torque between the input shaft and the output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakamoto, Toshimichi Minowa, Mitsuo Kayano
  • Publication number: 20040153233
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling an automotive vehicle are disclosed, in which a control amount for securing safety of the vehicle and the control amount for achieving a state intended for by the driver of the vehicle are switched in such a manner as to reduce the shock due to the change in the torque generated from the power train, thereby accomplishing both safety and maneuverability at the same time. A first target value is set for controlling at least selected one of the driving torque, the driving force and the acceleration/deceleration rate. A second target value is calculated in accordance with the drive mode intended for by the driver or the driving environment ahead of the vehicle. In the case where a deviation exceeding a predetermined value develops between the first target value and the second target value, the fluctuations of at least one of the driving torque, the driving force and the acceleration/deceleration rate are suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Minowa, Tatsuya Ochi, Satoru Kuragaki, Mitsuo Kayano, Tokuji Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6768417
    Abstract: An on-vehicle emergency report apparatus, an emergency communication apparatus and an emergency report system are disclosed. The emergency report apparatus includes an emergency situation prediction unit for predicting the possibility of a vehicle involved encountering an emergency situation, a report control unit and a communication unit. The communication is established based upon the determination of the emergency situation prediction unit, which predicts the possibility of the vehicle encountering an emergency situation a predetermined time later, based on at least one of the feature quantities including the distance between the vehicle involved and the vehicle running immediately ahead, the relative speed, the relative acceleration, the speed of the vehicle involved, the brake pedal stroke, the steering wheel angle and the expression of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kuragaki, Kazuhiko Sato, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Takao Kojima, Toshimichi Minowa
  • Publication number: 20040138802
    Abstract: In a vehicular control device, it is necessary to measure or calculate six physical quantities-forward-reverse speed, left-right speed, vertical speed, pitch angle, roll angle, and angle of sideslip-representing vehicular movement and to control the braking force of each wheel and/or the damping coefficient of each suspension shock absorber in order to further shorten braking distance particularly at the time of braking and to prevent spin at that time. In this case, it is necessary to furnish sensors to measure speed and angle directly. In the present invention, four radar sensors are used in order to directly measure the forward-reverse speed and the left-right speed. Also, the vertical speed, the pitch angle, the roll angle, and the angle of sideslip are indirectly measured from the output of the radar sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kuragaki, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Shiho Izumi, Hiroshi Kuroda, Takao Kojima, Toshimichi Minowa, Toshio Manaka, Nobuyuki Ueki, Kazuaki Takano
  • Publication number: 20040116248
    Abstract: At the time of the change-speed, by correcting the torque reducing portion of an output shaft during the change-speed, the revolution number of an input shaft is controlled on the basis of the corrected torque reduction correcting value. Also, the torque of said input shaft is adjusted at the end of the change-speed on the basis of said torque correcting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakamoto, Toshimichi Minowa, Takashi Okada, Mitsuo Kayano, Tatsuya Ochi
  • Publication number: 20040116249
    Abstract: In an automatic transmission provided with a plurality of torque transmission means between the input shaft and output shaft of a gear-type shifting means, in which said torque transmission means for at least one shifting stage is a multi-disc clutch and the torque transmission means for all other shifting stages are claw clutches and said multi-disc clutch is controlled to accomplish smooth shifting from one shifting stage to another shifting stage, the torque capacity of the multi-disc clutch is increased above the maximum output shaft torque of the transmission and the torque of the multi-disc clutch is generated so that the output shaft torque does not change significantly during shifting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kayano, Toshimichi Minowa, Hiroshi Sakamoto, Tatsuya Ochi, Hiroshi Ohnishi
  • Patent number: 6738705
    Abstract: The present invention can realize a vehicle running control apparatus including ACC function and map information data recording medium to obtain effective information for safety driving capable for running control meeting a driver's feeling. The first running speed is decided on the basis of the distance between the vehicles and the relative speed. The position detecting means detects the position of own vehicle on a map. The map information getting means gets road information, the width of the road, the radius of curvature, and slope on the basis of the map information. The visible distance estimating means estimates the visible distance on the basis of the map information, deciding the second running safety speed with the estimated visible distance. The running control means decides the object running speed of smallest one of the set speed, the first running speed, and the second running speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kojima, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Kazuhiko Satou, Satoru Kuragaki, Shiho Izumi, Toshimichi Minowa
  • Publication number: 20040087413
    Abstract: An automatic transmission controller and method therefor, comprising: a plurality of torque transmission means provided between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear-drive transmission, so that at least one gear ratio of the torque transmission means is formed by a friction clutch while the other gear ratios of the torque transmission means are formed by dog clutches, and the friction clutch is controlled when gearshifting is carried out from one gear ratio to another gear ratio; wherein gearshifting time is controlled to be shorter when a depress stroke of an accelerator pedal increases after a gearshifting start request, than that when the depress stroke of the accelerator pedal is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ozaki, Tetsuo Matsumura, Toshimichi Minowa, Takashi Okada, Tatsuya Ochi
  • Patent number: 6722230
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power transmission apparatus of motor vehicles which has an engine and an electric rotary machine. The power transmission apparatus has an engine, a gear change apparatus, an electric rotary machine to which a power is transmitted via the gear change apparatus, and a clutch provided between an input shaft and an output shaft of the gear change apparatus and adjusting a transmission torque between the input shaft and the output shaft, whereby a speed change shock can be mechanically reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakamoto, Toshimichi Minowa, Mitsuo Kayano
  • Patent number: 6724321
    Abstract: An on-vehicle emergency report apparatus, an emergency communication apparatus and an emergency report system are disclosed. The emergency report apparatus includes an emergency situation prediction unit for predicting the possibility of a vehicle involved encountering an emergency situation, a report control unit and a communication unit. The communication is established based upon the determination of the emergency situation prediction unit, which predicts the possibility of the vehicle encountering an emergency situation a predetermined time later, based on at least one of the feature quantities including the distance between the vehicle involved and the vehicle running immediately ahead, the relative speed, the relative acceleration, the speed of the vehicle involved, the brake pedal stroke, the steering wheel angle and the expression of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kuragaki, Kazuhiko Sato, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Takao Kojima, Toshimichi Minowa
  • Patent number: 6711964
    Abstract: A control device for an automatic transmission has a torque transmission provided between an input shaft and an output shaft of a gear-type transmission The torque transmission in at least one change gear stage is a friction clutch. When performing a change gear from one change gear stage to another change gear stage, the friction clutch is controlled. A transfer torque capacity detector detects or computes transfer torque of the friction clutch when performing a change gear to a predetermined change gear stage, and a clutch release timing determining apparatus determines a timing when releasing the claw-type clutch into a neutral state based on the value detected or computed by the torque capacity detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ochi, Toshimichi Minowa, Takashi Okada, Mitsuo Kayano, Hiroshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6705971
    Abstract: A control apparatus of an automatic transmission capable of achieving a smooth change of output shaft torque to torque which can be generated by a friction clutch, thus enabling a smooth gear change even if the output shaft torque is high at the gear change. If the output shaft torque exceeds limit transmission output shaft torque obtained by multiplying a torque capacity of the friction clutch by a gear ratio provided for the friction clutch when a gear change command is issued in the automatic transmission, engine torque is controlled so as to make the output shaft torque decreased to the limit transmission output shaft torque, and then the engine torque control is switched when the output shaft torque decreased to the limit transmission output shaft torque to start the gear change operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kayano, Toshimichi Minowa, Tatsuya Ochi, Hiroshi Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6692405
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power transmission apparatus for an automobile comprising an engine 1, a generator 15 driven by an output of the engine 1, and a motor 29 driven by a generation output of the generator 15 and a discharge output of a battery 47, wherein a clutch mechanism 23 is provided between an output shaft of the engine 1 and an output shaft of the generator 15. In a hybrid vehicle, a loss caused by an inertia torque of the generator can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Minowa, Ryoso Masaki, Toshiyuki Innami, Yuzo Kadomukai
  • Patent number: 6685591
    Abstract: The present invention provides a driving apparatus for a vehicle comprising an engine for providing a primary driving force to a driving shaft and an auxiliary power plant connected with the engine through a transmission the transmission comprising an input shaft for inputting the primary driving force from the engine and an output shaft connected to the input shaft for transmitting the primary driving force to the driving shaft wherein the auxiliary power plant provides a secondary driving force to the driving shaft during a shifting in speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Hanyu, Masahiko Amano, Masahiko Ibamoto, Toshimichi Minowa, Yasuo Morooka
  • Publication number: 20040019411
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control apparatus which makes it possible to share information by a plurality of devices and which can improve controllability. An OS switching means (OS-CH) switches a plurality of operating system (OS1, OS2). A shared object (CO) has a memory resource which can be referred to from the plurality of operating systems. The shared object (CO) shares at least road information, and the road information registered by the application of one of the operating systems can be referred to from the application of the other operating system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Kuragaki, Jiro Takezaki, Kimio Nishino, Toshimichi Minowa, Tokuji Yoshikawa, Yoshinori Endo
  • Patent number: 6679133
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission system has a gear-type transmission with a plurality of gears and a plurality of claw clutches which transmits a torque between an input shaft of said gear-type transmission and an output shaft of said gear-type transmission. The transmission changes transmission courses by engaging with and/or disengaging from the gears and the claw clutches, and forms another transmission course via a torque controller between the input shaft of the gear-type transmission and the output shaft of said gear-type transmission during a period between a first transmission course and a second transmission course formed by the gears and the claw clutches. A torque capacity of the torque controller is greater than the maximum output shaft torque of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kayano, Toshimichi Minowa, Hiroshi Sakamoto, Tatsuya Ochi, Hiroshi Ohnishi
  • Publication number: 20030217617
    Abstract: In a transmission, a transmission stage is formed by a mating pair of a first driving gear rotationally fixed to an input shaft and a first driven gear mounted on an output shaft in a rotatable manner and releasably connectable rotationally to the output shaft by a first clutch, and another transmission stage is formed by another mating pair of a second driving gear rotationally fixed to a supplemental shaft and a second driven gear mounted on the output shaft in a rotatable manner and releasably connectable rotationally to the output shaft by a second clutch while the supplemental shaft is rotationally driven by the input shaft by a supplemental gear rotationally fixed to the supplemental shaft and mating with the first driven gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sakamoto, Toshimichi Minowa, Takashi Okada, Mitsuo Kayano, Tatsuya Ochi