Patents by Inventor Toshio Hori

Toshio Hori 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: 7549284
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20090125212
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an engine control apparatus that can perform combustion pattern changeover at a time point where fuel injection can be performed plural times in an engine operating state where fuel injection is performed plural times in each combustion. Each cylinder of the engine having an injector 112 performs fuel injection from the injector a predetermined number of times for each cylinder combustion. The control unit 200 controls fuel injection from the injector and the ignition timing from a spark plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikuni KURASHIMA, Toshio Hori, Hiroshi Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20090082939
    Abstract: There is provided a control apparatus for a cylinder injection internal combustion engine which suppresses fuel pulsation caused by cam phase deviation and thereby prevents internal combustion engine exhaust deterioration, so that the reliability of a high-pressure fuel system using a high-pressure fuel pump is improved. The control apparatus for a cylinder injection internal combustion engine includes a high-pressure fuel pump that raises the pressure of fuel and discharges the fuel to a fuel rail, and a fuel pressure sensor that detects a pressure of fuel stored in the fuel rail. The control apparatus controls the high-pressure fuel pump based on the fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7489997
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising an adjusting device for adjusting a burning condition, a correction device for estimating or detecting an input or an output to and from the internal combustion engine so as to correct at least one of a throttle opening degree, a fuel injection pulse width, a fuel injection timing, an ignition timing and an exhaust gas recirculation quantity, a recording device for recoding a controlled correction value from the correction device at every predetermined time, and a fuel consumption evaluation means for evaluating a fuel consumption of the engine, being based upon the recorded data or log data as to the recorded data, wherein a deterioration of fuel consumption caused by an abnormality of the engine can been soon detected with no affection by an operating condition of the engine and unevenness of component parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20090012673
    Abstract: Any anomaly in energy transfer is appropriately diagnosed in a vehicle. The energy transfer system of a vehicle is provided with: an input energy computation means (e.g., the chemical energy of fuel computation means) for determining the input energy of the energy transfer system; an output energy computation means (e.g., the vehicle kinetic energy computation means) for determining the energy output of the energy transfer system; and a comparing means (e.g., the comparing means) for comparing the input energy with the output energy. Any anomaly in the energy transfer system (e.g., any anomaly in fuel efficiency) is determined based on the result of comparison by the comparing means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Yoichi Ilhoshi, Shin Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7454281
    Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus for sensors in an apparatus system has at least three sensors which detect different physical quantities for one physical phenomenon which vary in correlation with one another, the sensors outputting signals indicating the detected physical quantities, wherein outputs from the at least three sensors are converted into one identical physical quantity in accordance with the correlations so that the resulting identical physical quantity can be used to determine whether or not each of the sensors is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Hori
  • Patent number: 7441554
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Youichi Iihoshi, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori
  • Publication number: 20080236548
    Abstract: The present invention reduces exhaust emissions at startup, provides improved fuel pressure control performance in a low-load region, and detects high-pressure fuel system abnormalities. Disclosed is a high-pressure fuel system control device which includes a high-pressure pump for pressurizing fuel and discharging the pressurized fuel to a fuel rail, an injector for injecting the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and a fuel pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of the fuel stored in the fuel rail, and controls the high-pressure pump and the injector in accordance with an output generated from the fuel pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi IIHOSHI, Yoshikuni Kurashima, Toshio Hori, Shin Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20080119328
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a vehicle control apparatus which can achieve a smooth start without generating any engine stall even if general drivers perform a rough starting operation in an MT vehicle, and can execute an engine torque operation having no sense of discomfort with respect to an accelerator operation. A rotating speed drop of an engine generated together with a clutch connection is detected so as to be set to a trigger of a control start, an engine rotating speed at a time of issuing the trigger is set to a target rotating speed, and a rotating speed feedback control having an engine torque as an operation amount is carried out. As an operating means for the engine torque, an ignition retard and a fuel cut are employed in addition to an intake air amount operation by an electronically controlled throttle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Satou, Toshio Hori, Mamoru Nemoto
  • Publication number: 20080086257
    Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising an adjusting device for adjusting a burning condition, a correction device for estimating or detecting an input or an output to and from the internal combustion engine so as to correct at least one of a throttle opening degree, a fuel injection pulse width, a fuel injection timing, an ignition timing and an exhaust gas recirculation quantity, a recording device for recoding a controlled correction value from the correction device at every predetermined time, and a fuel consumption evaluation means for evaluating a fuel consumption of the engine, being based upon the recorded data or log data as to the recorded data, wherein a deterioration of fuel consumption caused by an abnormality of the engine can been soon detected with no affection by an operating condition of the engine and unevenness of component parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20080028828
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Patent number: 7308961
    Abstract: A maximum permissible acceleration is calculated so as to take into account vehicle stability, driver's comfort, road surface information and traffic information, driver's specific taste in acceleration and deceleration, and the like. An acceleration limiting process is carried out, in which a feedback gain in vehicle speed feedback control is corrected as may be necessary based on a relationship between the maximum permissible acceleration and actual acceleration information so as to keep the actual acceleration within the maximum permissible acceleration. The present invention thereby makes it possible to control a vehicle speed within a desired acceleration range even under conditions, in which there is a large vehicle speed deviation as in a resume mode, causing an excessively large acceleration or deceleration to tend to occur. Auto cruise control offering an outstanding safety and comfort can thus be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Satou, Toshio Hori
  • Publication number: 20070250230
    Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine which determines the abnormality of a linear A/F sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of a catalyst of the engine and detects the A/F of exhaust gas, the apparatus includes a response/gain deterioration detection unit that separately detects the response deterioration in which the response of the linear A/F sensor is delayed and the gain deterioration in which the detection sensitivity of the linear A/F sensor is abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi IIHOSHI, Shin YAMAUCHI, Toshio HORI, Yoshikuni KURASHIMA
  • Patent number: 7267100
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine controller, is used with a fuel-based torque-on-demand control type, multi-cylinder, direct-injection internal combustion engine, to provide an air flow rate control that excels in response and convergence. The internal combustion engine controller includes a section for computing a target throttle opening from operating conditions, which in turn includes a first computing section for determining a target throttle opening by feedback control in accordance with operating conditions including an intake air flow rate; a second computing section for determining a target throttle opening by feed-forward control in accordance with operating conditions; and a third computing means for determining a target throttle opening based on the target throttle opening value determined by the first computing means and the second computing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Minoru Oosuga, Masami Nagano, Mamoru Nemoto, Toshio Hori
  • Patent number: 7266942
    Abstract: A diagnostic device and method of an engine exhaust purifying system, which perform active control of an air-fuel ratio and can make diagnosis of air-fuel ratio sensors, catalysts, etc. in the engine exhaust purifying system with high accuracy and reliability while avoiding a worsening of exhaust emissions, an increase of revolution variations, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Publication number: 20070207640
    Abstract: A structure for clamping the harnesses, enabling the harnesses attached to the substrate or the harnesses around the substrate to be clamped by using parts that have been usually used. An assembly having the structure for clamping the harnesses comprises a circuit board on which parts are mounted on one side thereof; a shielding plate arranged on the other surface side thereof; and an insulating sheet arranged between the other surface of the circuit board and the shielding plate; wherein the harnesses are extending around the circuit board. The insulating sheet forms a clamp protruding outward beyond the circuit board, and the harnesses are engaged with a protruding piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Kotaro Kawasaki, Toshio Hori, Shinji Ito, Kiyonori Yamamoto, Naoki Yamane
  • Publication number: 20070186914
    Abstract: The invention provides an engine controller, which can determine a deterioration mode (gain deterioration or response deterioration) of an air/fuel (A/F) ratio sensor, can detect a degree of the deterioration with high accuracy, and can optimize A/F ratio feedback control in accordance with the diagnosis result. The controller includes a unit for computing frequency response characteristics in a range from an A/F ratio adjusting unit to the A/F ratio sensor, and it diagnoses the A/F ratio sensor based on a gain characteristic and a response characteristic given by the computed frequency response characteristics. In accordance with the diagnosis result, parameters (P- and I-component gains) used in A/F ratio feedback control (PI control) are optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji NAKAGAWA, Youichi IIHOSHI, Yoshikuni KURASHIMA, Toshio HORI
  • Patent number: 7255093
    Abstract: Pressure detection means detects the pressure of an evaporation purge system that includes a fuel tank and a communicating tube, which connects a canister for adsorbing and retaining fuel vapor to an intake pipe. Shutout means shuts out the evaporation purge system from atmospheric air. A pump is driven for pressurization or depressurization purposes while the shutout means shuts out the evaporation purge system from atmospheric air. The pump is stopped when the pressure detected by the pressure detection means reaches a predetermined level. A leak judgment is formulated in accordance with pump drive time and a pressure change after pump stoppage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Akira Hikichi
  • Patent number: 7254474
    Abstract: In a diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine which determines the abnormality of a linear A/F sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of a catalyst of the engine and detects the A/F of exhaust gas, the apparatus includes a response/gain deterioration detection unit that separately detects the response deterioration in which the response of the linear A/F sensor is delayed and the gain deterioration in which the detection sensitivity of the linear A/F sensor is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Iihoshi, Shin Yamauchi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Patent number: 7246486
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device for, in a lean-burn internal combustion engine provided with a three-way catalyst and a lean NOx catalyst in an exhaust system, optimizing an air/fuel ratio in a rich mode from the viewpoints of both better fuel economy and exhaust emission control when NOx having been stored in a lean NOx catalyst during a lean operation is desorbed and cleaned by switching to a rich operation. An internal combustion engine control device for controlling an air/fuel ratio during the rich operation to be changed between a period of desorbing O2 stored in the three-way catalyst and a period of desorbing and cleaning NOx stored in the lean NOx catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Toshio Hori, Mamoru Nemoto, Masami Nagano