Patents by Inventor Atsushi Matsubara

Atsushi Matsubara 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: 6334499
    Abstract: An output control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of preventing stopping of the engine at the time of recovering from a deceleration fuel cut and improving the acceleration capability. In a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine, a motor for assisting the driving power of the engine, and a battery for supplying electric power for the motor, the output control apparatus comprises an engine speed sensor, an idle stop execution judgement flag F_FCEX, and a motor ECU for judging whether the output assistance by the motor is to be executed, and the motor ECU comprises a deceleration fuel cut returning time permission judgement device (S026) for permitting the output assistance by the motor, when it is judged to return from the deceleration fuel cut by the flag value of the idle stop execution judgement flag F_FCEX, and when it is detected that the engine speed at the time of returning from the deceleration fuel cut is lower than a predetermined engine speed #NEMGMOT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Asao Ukai, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6334079
    Abstract: A determination method and apparatus for permitting deceleration regeneration or charge of a hybrid vehicle, by which erroneous determination relating to the clutch operation can be prevented. The method includes a first determination step of detecting clutch operation performed by a driver and determining a connection state of the clutch; a second determination step of determining a connection state of the clutch based on a correspondence relationship between vehicle speed and engine speed; and a permission determining step of permitting the deceleration regeneration or charge by the motor when it is determined that the clutch is connected both in the first and second determination steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kan Nakaune, Takashi Iwamoto, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6329775
    Abstract: A control apparatus applied to a hybrid vehicle is disclosed, by which the output assist by the motor with respect to the engine output can be limited or stopped in the high speed driving mode. The control apparatus comprises a section for stopping the operation of the motor from assisting the engine output when the engine output is assisted by the motor and the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined first threshold value; and a section for starting the regenerating operation of the motor when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Hideyuki Oki, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20010042648
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided, which executes charging of a capacitor when a depth-of-discharge of a capacitor exceeds a predetermined depth-of-discharge which is set based on a vehicle speed. The control device of the hybrid vehicle, provided with an engine, a motor for assisting the output of the engine, and a capacitor for supplying electric power to the motor and for storing regenerative energy, comprises a depth-of-discharge detecting device (S063) for detecting a depth-of-discharge DOD of the capacitor, wherein when the depth-of-discharge DOD of the capacitor falls below the depth-of-discharge limit value DODLMT (053), the capacitor is charged so as to recover the depth-of-discharge of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki
  • Publication number: 20010040437
    Abstract: In order to effectively prevent generation of a counter electromotive voltage during cruising, the present invention provides a control system of a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine, motor, and a capacitor, including an engine rotational speed sensor for detecting the engine rotational speed NE, a target voltage setting device for setting a charge target voltage (target capacitor voltage), and a motor ECU for controlling the charge of said power storage unit. A target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD is set based on the detected engine rotational speed NE (step S300), and when the capacitor voltage VCAP<the target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD (step S311 is “YES”), a charging operation is executed until the target capacitor voltage VCAPCMD≦the capacitor voltage VCAP. Thereby, it is possible to maintain the counter electromotive voltage<the capacitor voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6290012
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle including an engine for outputting a propulsion force for the vehicle, a motor for assisting the output from the engine, and a storage unit for storing generated energy when the motor is used as a generator under the output from the engine and regenerated engine obtained from regenerative braking of the motor at the time of vehicle deceleration. Moreover, the control device includes an engine output detection device for detecting a change in output from the engine, and a motor control device for, in the case where an increase in output from the engine is detected at the time of vehicle traveling when the motor is not assisting the output from the engine, simultaneous with the increase in output, converting the increase amount in output into the generated energy using the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Takashi Kiyomiya, Teruo Wakashiro, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20010004888
    Abstract: An engine idling control device includes a secondary air supply device, an intake gauge pressure detecting unit and a secondary air supply control unit. The secondary air supply device is disposed on a bypass intake passage communicating with an intake pipe and bypassing a throttle valve. The intake gauge pressure detecting unit detects an intake gauge pressure on the intake pipe side. The secondary air supply control unit controls the secondary air supply device so as to open and close the bypass intake passage when an engine is in an idling state. The secondary air supply device is controlled to obtain the optional opening value. The secondary air supply control unit controls such that the secondary air supply device increases the opening value when the intake gauge pressure becomes higher than a predetermined low load condition in an idling state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Atsushi Izumiura, Asao Ukai, Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20010005807
    Abstract: There is provided a control device for an engine including an automatic stop and start function, wherein detected data taken prior to an engine stop or results of an operation carried out based on the detected data are retained in executing an engine automatic stop control. In particular, in a case where the technology is applied to an engine including a thermostat proper operation determination function, a thermostat proper operation determination process is constructed so as to continue to be executed in executing an engine automatic stop control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Publication date: June 28, 2001
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Atsushi Matsubara, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20010003978
    Abstract: An evaporating fuel processing apparatus of an internal combustion engine is disclosed, which can reliably determine the presence or absence of leakage even if stopping and restarting operations of the internal combustion engine are alternately repeated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Oki, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20010004203
    Abstract: This invention relates to an engine stall prevention apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. This engine stall prevention apparatus comprises a clutch operation detection device which detects an operation of a clutch; a clutch state determination device which determines the state of the clutch based on the relationship between the vehicle speed and the engine speed; a throttle opening degree determination device which determines the degree of throttle opening of the engine; a first engine speed modification device (S010) which modifies a charging/regeneration allowing lower limit engine speed value above which deceleration regeneration by the electric motor is allowed; and a half-engaged clutch determination maintaining device (S008) which outputs a determination signal indicating that the clutch is half-engaged for a predetermined period of time when the throttle is completely closed and the clutch is determined to be half-engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Publication number: 20010003982
    Abstract: The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises: a fuel supply device for supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine; a fuel tank for retaining fuel; a purge device for purging fuel vapor, produced in the fuel tank, into an intake system of the internal combustion engine; a purge correction amount updating device for calculating a purge correction amount for correcting an amount of fuel to be supplied by the fuel supply device, depending on the amount of fuel vapor purged by the purge device; a target air-fuel ratio setting device for setting a target air-fuel ratio depending on a running state of the internal combustion engine; and an update amount setting device for updating the purge correction amount depending on the target air-fuel ratio set by the target air-fuel ratio setting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Fumihiko Konno, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Hideyuki Takahashi, Hironao Fukuchi, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20010003981
    Abstract: The present invention increases the frequency of the LAF sensor deterioration determination in the case that air-fuel ratio control is being carried out while the deterioration of the LAF sensor is being monitored. When the monitor conditions are no longer satisfied during the deterioration determination of the LAF sensor (as shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. 6), the LAF prohibition timer is operated (as shown in (c) of FIG. 6), and switching to a lean burn is prohibited for a predetermined time interval (for example, 7 seconds), and in addition, after the LAF sensor deterioration determination has completed, after passage of a time interval shorter than this predetermined time interval (for example, 2 seconds) (as shown in figures (c) and (d) of FIG. 6), a lean burn is permitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Matsubara, Asao Ukai, Hideyuki Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20010003979
    Abstract: In order to prevent an occurrence of dieseling phenomenon, and to prevent engine rotation speed from decreasing during idle operation or the idle operation from being stopped, in step S111, it is determined whether the flag value of an idle stop flag F_IDLSTP is “1” or not. If it is determined that the determination result is “YES”, that is, if it is determined that the internal combustion engine body is stopped, 0% is set to a target purge control valve drive duty value PGCMD (step S105), and 0 is set to the target purge flow rate QPGC (step S106). If it is determined that the determination result is “NO”, that is, when the internal combustion engine body is in operation, PGCMD calculation processing is executed (step S112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Asao Ukai, Shinichi Kitajima, Hironao Fukuchi, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Izumiura
  • Patent number: 6234932
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having a dynamotor which operates as a motor for assisting the output of an internal combustion engine and which operates as a generator for regenerating the running energy of the vehicle. The control apparatus, in accordance with operating conditions of the vehicle, controls an assist operation for supplying electric power from a storage device to the dynamotor and a regenerative operation for charging the storage device by the generated power of the dynamotor, and determines an acceleration mode for performing an assist operation or a cruising mode for selectively performing the assist operation and a regenerative operation, in accordance with an engine rotational speed and a throttle valve opening degree, or a vehicle speed of the vehicle and the throttle valve opening degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Kenji Nakano, Hideyuki Takahashi, Takashi Kiyomiya, Teruo Wakashiro, Youichi Iwata, Keisuke Uchida, Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Asao Ukai, Yasuo Nakamoto, Fumihiko Konno
  • Patent number: 6216465
    Abstract: A control system is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a motor, and a power storage unit. The control system comprises: an assist trigger threshold value setting device for setting a throttle opening state when the motor starts assist for the output from the engine; a throttle opening state lower limit setting device for setting a lower limit by subtracting a predetermined value from the threshold value obtained by the assist trigger threshold value setting device; a generation reduction device for gradually reducing the generation by the motor between the lower limit and the threshold value so that the generation finally becomes zero when the present throttle opening state reaches the threshold value, when the vehicle shifts from a generation state, in which the motor acts as a generator and the output is supplied only from the engine, to an output assist state in which the motor assists the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6166517
    Abstract: The control system of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine and a motor, which are power sources, and a power storage unit for storing energy generated by the output from the engine and regenerative energy produced by regeneration of the motor when the vehicle decelerates. Based on monitoring the state of charge of the power storage unit, when the stored energy is discharged so that the remaining charge is decreased from an initial state of charge, which was detected when the vehicle started running, by a predetermined amount, the function of the motor is switched from the discharging of the power storage unit to the charging of the power storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 5345258
    Abstract: A videophone at e.g., a called location, receives sound signals, video signals and control signals through a communication circuit from a communication line and originating at, e.g., a calling videophone. A start signal detecting means, within the called videophone detects a storage start requesting signal from received control signals originating at a calling videophone. At the time of such detection, a coding circuit within the called videophone again encodes the video signals, that are received by the communication circuit and continuously decoded by a decoding circuit, and transmitted by the calling videophone but only by one frame therefrom and stores the frame into a storage circuit. After storing the one frame, a change-over circuit in the called videophone switches to the storage circuit to continuously store the subsequent incoming coded video and sound signals for eventual playback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Yoshinori Saito, Seiji Kato, Yoshinobu Yamakita
  • Patent number: 5220904
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, which detects the actual air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine, detects operating conditions of the engine, calculates a desired air-fuel ratio based on the detected operating conditions of the engine, and calculates an air-fuel ratio correction value applied for feedback-controlling the actual air-fuel ratio to the calculated desired air-fuel ratio. A change rate at which the air-fuel ratio correction value is to be changed, is set such that when a change has occurred in the operating mode of the engine, the change rate is set to and held at a smaller value than a value assumed when no change has occurred in the operating mode, over a predetermined time period from the time the change occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Miyashita, Hiroshi Mifune, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 5144932
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method for an internal combustion engine. The air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine is feedback-controlled to a desired air-fuel ratio in response to output from an exhaust gas ingredient concentration sensor. When the desired air-fuel ratio is to be changed in a leaning direction from a value equal to or leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, it is changed at a larger rate until it reaches a predetermined value than after it has reached the predetermined value. The predetermined value is set to a value slightly leaner than an air-fuel ratio at which the amount of emission of NO.sub.X increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Miyashita, Hiroshi Mifune, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 5144931
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method for an internal combustion engine, in which the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine is feedback-controlled to a desired air-fuel ratio in response to output from an exhaust gas ingredient concentration sensor. When the engine is in a predetermined accelerating condition, fuel supply to the engine is increased. The rate of correction of the air-fuel ratio of the mixture by the feedback control is set to a smaller value when the engine is in the predetermined accelerating condition, than values to be set when the engine is in other operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukio Miyashita, Hiroshi Mifune, Atsushi Matsubara, Kunio Noguchi