Patents by Inventor Atsushi Ayabe

Atsushi Ayabe 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: 7544149
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission that executes a torque reduction control when the transmission downshifts in response to a downshift determination made during an upshift. The shift control apparatus includes a multiple shift execution unit that starts the downshift in response to the downshift determination, and a torque reduction control execution unit that determines whether the rotational speed of the input member is at least a control start-up rotational speed, after the downshift operation starts, and executes a torque reduction control of the power source when the rotational speed of the input member is increased to at least the control start-up rotational speed. This allows the rotational speed of the input shaft to be quickly changed to the appropriate synchronous rotational speed. Thus, the desired driving force is provided upon completion of the downshift without overspeeding the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Toshinari Suzuki, Hisashi Ishihara, Yosuke Takaie
  • Patent number: 7468017
    Abstract: An ECT_ECU of the present invention executes a program including the step of setting a determination time T for determining the completion of an upshift in an accelerator off mode to a short determination time T (X) when a slip value NS (NS=NE?NT) between an engine revolution NE and a turbine revolution NT is smaller than a predetermined slip value NS (0) (when the difference between NT and NE is large, and the step of setting the determination time T to a long determination time T (Y) when the slip value NS (NS=NE?NT) is larger than the predetermined slip value NS (0) (when the difference between NT and NE is small).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Sugimura, Toshinari Suzuki, Tatsuya Kawamura, Atsushi Ayabe
  • Patent number: 7374512
    Abstract: When it is decided that it is impossible to shift the automatic transmission directly to the target speed position according to the second shifting-action decision made during a shifting control to shift the automatic transmission to a target speed according to a first shifting-action decision, one of a plurality of candidate intermediate speed positions to which the automatic transmission can be shifted directly is determined as an intermediate speed position. The determined intermediate speed position is established with the largest amount of change of an engine speed NE, and accordingly with the longest time required for completion of the change of the engine speed NE during which a hydraulic pressure of a clutch to be engaged to establish the intermediate speed position can be raised, whereby the clutch engaging pressure can be changed at a rate low enough to reduce a shifting shock of the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7366601
    Abstract: When a downshift instruction has been detected, the oil pressure of a lookup clutch is controlled, and the state of operation of the automatic transmission is detected. If a starting condition has been met, a slip rotation speed of the lockup clutch is calculated, and if the calculated slip rotation speed is greater than or equal to a reference rotation speed, the calculated slip rotation speed is set as a target slip rotation speed. If a condition for converging the target slip rotation speed has been met, the target slip rotation speed is then converged to a steady target rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Tatsuya Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20070129214
    Abstract: In a shift control device and a shift control method of a vehicular automatic transmission that performs a coast downshift by engagement switch between a release-side engagement element and an element-side engagement element at a time of deceleration of a vehicle, it is determined whether or not there is a driver's intention to decelerate the vehicle during the coast downshift. If an affirmative determination is made regarding the intention to decelerate the vehicle, the rise of engagement pressure of the engagement-side engagement element is stopped so as to cause the coast downshift not to progress. If a negative determination is made regarding the intention to decelerate the vehicle while the rise of the engagement pressure has been stopped, the engagement pressure of the engagement-side engagement element is raised again so as to cause the coast downshift to progress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kondo, Yoji Takanami, Atsushi Ayabe, Masami Kondo, Masaharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20070117676
    Abstract: A shift control device of a vehicular automatic transmission that establishes a plurality of gear steps of different speed change ratios by selectively engaging a plurality of friction engagement devices ends the shift control by making an engagement end determination regarding an engagement-side friction engagement device if it has been determined continuously for a predetermined time that the input shaft rotation speed of the automatic transmission is in the vicinity of the synchronous rotation speed of the post-shift gear step. The predetermined time is set at a first time if the downshift is a power-on downshift due to a shift judgement in a power-on state, and is set at a second time that is shorter than the first time if the downshift is a power-off?on downshift selected in connection with a change to the power-on state during a power-off shift due to the shift judgment in a power-off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Ayumu Sagawa, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hisashi Ishihara, Kazuhiro Iketomi, Yosuke Takaie
  • Publication number: 20070117677
    Abstract: A shift control device of a vehicular automatic transmission, if during a first shift in a power-off state, a second shift judgment for a second shift that is a power-on downshift is made, performs a second shift control of lowering an input shaft rotation speed to a synchronous rotation speed of a post-second shift gear step through an engagement control of the friction engagement devices, and when the second shift is performed, performs a control of reducing a throttle valve opening degree of the engine to a predetermined degree that causes the engine to output a torque that is able to bring the input shaft rotation speed to a rotation speed that is higher than the synchronous rotation speed of the post-second shift gear step. The control device also executes a retardation control of retarding an ignition timing of the engine when the input shaft rotation speed is dropped through the second shift control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hisashi Ishihara, Kazuhiro Iketomi, Yosuke Takaie
  • Publication number: 20070093357
    Abstract: An ECT_ECU of the present invention executes a program including the step of setting a determination time T for determining the completion of an upshift in an accelerator off mode to a short determination time T (X) when a slip value NS (NS=NE?NT) between an engine revolution NE and a turbine revolution NT is smaller than a predetermined slip value NS (0) (when the difference between NT and NE is large), and the step of setting the determination time T to a long determination time T (Y) when the slip value NS (NS=NE?NT) is larger than the predetermined slip value NS (0) (when the difference between NT and NE is small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Sugimura, Toshinari Suzuki, Tatsuya Kawamura, Atsushi Ayabe
  • Publication number: 20070093358
    Abstract: In a shift control device and a shift control method of an automatic transmission that establishes a plurality of gear steps of different speed change ratios by selectively engaging a plurality of friction engagement devices, one of a shift start time point and an inertia phase start time point is used as a reference time. In a power-off shift, the shift action is compulsorily ended when the elapsed time from the reference time exceeds a first time. In a power-on shift, the shift action is compulsorily ended when the elapsed time from the reference time exceeds a second time that is set shorter than the first time. If a switch from the power-off shift to the power-on shift occurs halfway through the power-off shift, the shift action is compulsorily ended when the elapsed time from the time point of the switch exceeds a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hisashi Ishihara, Kazuhiro Iketomi, Yosuke Takaie
  • Publication number: 20070049458
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission, that executes a torque reduction control when the transmission executes a second downshift in response to a second downshift determination made during first downshift. The shift control apparatus includes a multiple shift execution unit that starts the second downshift operation in response to the second downshift determination, and a torque reduction control execution unit that executes a torque reduction control when the rotational speed of the input member is increased to at least a predetermined first determination speed, which is determined in accordance with a shift ratio of a gear stage after the second downshift operation, after the second downshift starts. This allows the rotational speed of the input shaft to be quickly changed to the appropriate synchronous rotational speed. Thus, the desired driving force is provided upon completion of the second downshift without overspeeding the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Ayumu Sagawa, Toshio Sugimura, Toshinari Suzuki, Hisashi Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20070026996
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shift control apparatus for an automatic transmission that executes a torque reduction control when the transmission downshifts in response to a downshift determination made during an upshift. The shift control apparatus includes a multiple shift execution unit that starts the downshift in response to the downshift determination, and a torque reduction control execution unit that determines whether the rotational speed of the input member is at least a control start-up rotational speed, after the downshift operation starts, and executes a torque reduction control of the power source when the rotational speed of the input member is increased to at least the control start-up rotational speed. This allows the rotational speed of the input shaft to be quickly changed to the appropriate synchronous rotational speed. Thus, the desired driving force is provided upon completion of the downshift without overspeeding the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura, Toshinari Suzuki, Hisashi Ishihara, Yosuke Takaie
  • Publication number: 20060154780
    Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in shifting control to shift an automatic transmission directly to a target speed position according to a second shifting-action decision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 7074158
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus of an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle to which torque is transmitted from an engine via a fluid coupling device is provided. In the automatic transmission including a plurality of hydraulically operated friction elements, a clutch-to-clutch downshift is carried out during coasting of the vehicle by releasing one of the friction elements and engaging another friction element. A controller of the shift control apparatus detects a difference between input and output rotation speeds of the fluid coupling device, and increases an engine speed by a controlled amount based on the difference between the input and output rotation speeds when the clutch-to-clutch downshift is carried out during coasting of the vehicle, so that the vehicle is brought into a minimal driving state in which the engine speed is slightly higher than the output rotation speed of the fluid coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Watanabe, Toshimitsu Sato, Atsushi Ayabe, Shinji Kato, Naoyuki Sakamoto, Hiromichi Kimura, Noboru Shibata, Mitsuhiro Nakamura, Hideaki Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 6962552
    Abstract: A duty ratio for controlling an engagement force of a friction engagement device on the side of upshift engagement is corrected by an amount corresponding to an intermediate correction control value in the course of the shift. In addition, on a prerequisite condition that learning correction of a constant standby pressure control value at the start of the shift is converged, learning correction is performed for the intermediate correction control value according to a gradient of a turbine speed. Thus, a shift shock is prevented from occurring due to abrupt engagement of the friction engagement device and the like at the completion of the shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Sakamoto, Kazuyuki Watanabe, Toshimitsu Sato, Atsushi Ayabe, Hiromichi Kimura, Hideaki Ogasawara, Noboru Shibata, Mitsuhiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6931315
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission provided with a fuel cut apparatus which cuts off fuel supplied to an engine when an engine speed exceeds a predetermined value during deceleration of a vehicle, and an automatic transmission in which a gear shift is achieved with a clutch-to-clutch downshift in which a hydraulic friction device to be released is released and a hydraulic friction device to be applied is applied, further includes a controller. The controller corrects, through learning control, an apply pressure of at least one of the hydraulic friction devices to be operated for the clutch-to-clutch downshift such that an amount of drop in a rotational speed of an input shaft of the automatic transmission decreases when that amount of drop exceeds a predetermined value during the clutch-to-clutch downshift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 6929583
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for a vehicular automatic transmission provided with a fuel cut apparatus which cuts off fuel supplied to an engine when an engine speed exceeds a predetermined value during deceleration of a vehicle, and an automatic transmission in which a gearshift is achieved with a clutch-to-clutch downshift in which a hydraulic friction device to be released is released and a hydraulic friction device to be applied is applied, further includes a controller. The controller corrects, through learning control, an apply pressure of at least one of the hydraulic friction devices to be operated for the clutch-to-clutch downshift such that an amount of drop in a rotational speed of an input shaft of the automatic transmission increases when that amount of drop is less than a predetermined value during the clutch-to-clutch downshift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 6908413
    Abstract: In the case where a signal for coasting time downshifting is output while fuel cut is performed and fuel supply is stopped, and a hydraulic pressure PC1 of a low speed side frictional engagement device is being gradually increased and an engine speed NE is being increased, when the fuel cut is cancelled and the fuel supply is restarted, the hydraulic pressure PC1 is reduced to a hydraulic pressure value immediately before an amount of torque is applied to the low speed side frictional engagement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 6907860
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted internal combustion engine has a variable lift mechanism for varying the valve lift of an intake valve. During deceleration of the vehicle, an ECU performs fuel cutoff control for temporarily stopping supply of fuel to the engine. During the fuel cutoff control, the ECU performs throttle opening increase control as necessary to set the opening degree of a throttle valve greater than a usual target opening degree that is set when an acceleration pedal is not depressed. If the throttle opening increase control is being performed when resumption of the fuel supply is required during the fuel cutoff control, the ECU controls the variable lift mechanism such that the valve lift is reduced compared to a situation where the throttle opening increase control is not being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayasu Mizobuchi, Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura
  • Patent number: 6860833
    Abstract: A driving control apparatus for a vehicle which includes an engine which generates power by fuel combustion; a transmission which changes engagement/disengagement states of plural frictional engagement devices so as to realize plural shift speeds whose gear ratios are different from each other; a fuel cut device which stops fuel supply to the engine when a predetermined fuel cut condition including a condition that the vehicle is coasting with a throttle valve of the engine being fully closed is satisfied; a coasting time disengagement restricting device which maintains a high speed side frictional engagement device in an engagement state until a low speed side frictional engagement device obtains a predetermined torque capacity at the time of automatic downshifting of the transmission during coasting; and a disengagement restriction stop device which stops control by the coasting time engagement restricting device so as to reduce a torque capacity of the high speed side frictional engagement device, when con
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsushi Ayabe
  • Publication number: 20040250792
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted internal combustion engine has a variable lift mechanism for varying the valve lift of an intake valve. During deceleration of the vehicle, an ECU performs fuel cutoff control for temporarily stopping supply of fuel to the engine. During the fuel cutoff control, the ECU performs throttle opening increase control as necessary to set the opening degree of a throttle valve greater than a usual target opening degree that is set when an acceleration pedal is not depressed. If the throttle opening increase control is being performed when resumption of the fuel supply is required during the fuel cutoff control, the ECU controls the variable lift mechanism such that the valve lift is reduced compared to a situation where the throttle opening increase control is not being performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayasu Mizobuchi, Atsushi Ayabe, Toshio Sugimura