Patents by Inventor Atsushi Tabata

Atsushi Tabata 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: 11566966
    Abstract: There is provided a method of specifying a location of occurrence of an abnormal sound, the method including: storing mapping data in a storage device, the mapping data prescribing mapping that receives, as inputs, a sound variable that matches a sound detected in a vehicle and a state variable of a drive-system device of the vehicle synchronized with the sound, and that outputs a location as a main cause of the sound; executing a sound signal acquisition process of acquiring a sound signal output from a microphone that detects a sound; a state variable acquisition process of acquiring the state variable of the drive-system device; and a specifying process of specifying the location of occurrence of the sound corresponding to the sound signal using the sound variable and the state variable as inputs to the mapping. There are also provided a non-transitory storage medium and an in-vehicle device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Kota Fujii, Ken Imamura
  • Publication number: 20230012315
    Abstract: A software update system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is configured to update software used in a vehicle based on update data of the software, the update data being transmitted to the vehicle from an external device that is communicably connected to the vehicle. The software update system includes: a software update unit configured to update the software based on the update data; a vehicle data acquisition unit configured to acquire respective pieces of second vehicle data about states of the vehicle before and after the software update by the update unit; and an effect evaluation unit configured to evaluate an effect of the software update based on the respective pieces of second vehicle data before and after the software update.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi YAMAMOTO, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Yuki MAKINO
  • Patent number: 11548384
    Abstract: When evacuation travel is performed using only a drive power from one drive power source of an engine and a rotary machine, a drive power distribution device is prohibited from switching to a four-wheel-drive state and thus evacuation travel is performed in a two-wheel-drive state in which a loss in a power transmission device is relatively small. Accordingly, in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is possible to increase an evacuation-travelable distance when evacuation travel is performed using only the drive power from one drive power source of the engine and the rotary machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Masato Nakano, Yuki Makino
  • Patent number: 11548371
    Abstract: A drive system including first and second power sources, first and second output shafts, a differential mechanism, and an electronic control unit, and a control method therefor are provided. The differential mechanism is configured such that the second power source is connected to a first rotating element, one output shaft of a vehicle is connected to a second rotating element, and the other output shaft of the vehicle is connected to a third rotating element so as to be able to be connected to or disconnected from the third rotating element by a connect-disconnect mechanism, and includes at least one of an engagement element that selectively engages any two of the three rotating elements and an engagement element that selectively engages the third rotating element to a fixing member. The electronic control unit is configured to, during turning, prohibit switching between a first drive mode and a second drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Koji Takaira, Akinori Homan, Yosuke Akiyama, Akira Ijichi, Kunihiko Usui
  • Publication number: 20230004373
    Abstract: A software update system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a software update system configured to update software used in a vehicle based on update data of the software, the update data being transmitted to the vehicle from a distribution server that is communicably connected to the vehicle. The software update system includes: a notification unit configured to notify, when the update data is present, the presence of the update data to a user of the vehicle, along with information about an effect provided by the software update based on the update data; and an update unit configured to update the software based on the update data, when a predetermined input is accepted from the user after the notification by the notification unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi YAMAMOTO, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Yuki MAKINO
  • Patent number: 11541869
    Abstract: There are provided a controller and a control method for a hybrid vehicle including an engine with a supercharger serving as a drive power source for travel, a rotary machine serving as a drive power source for travel, and a power storage device configured to transmit and receive electric power to and from the rotary machine. The controller determines whether an operation of the supercharger is limited, compensates for a torque shortage of the engine due to limitation of the operation of the supercharger by a torque of the rotary machine when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited, and curbs a decrease in an amount of electric power stored in the power storage device more when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited than when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is not limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Publication number: 20220410868
    Abstract: It is determined whether fuel efficiency of a vehicle is improved by operating a first rotating machine to generate electricity to such an extent that an electrical path amount becomes a desired electrical path amount for controlling an operating point of an engine to a desired operating point and driving and operating a second rotating machine as a second power source, the electrical path amount being a magnitude of electric power in an electrical path through which the electric power is transferred between the first rotating machine and the second rotating machine. When the electronic control device determines that the fuel efficiency of the vehicle is improved, the first rotating machine is operated to generate electricity to such an extent that the electrical path amount becomes the desired electrical path amount and the second rotating machine is driven and operated as the second power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Koji TAKAIRA, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Yohei HABATA
  • Publication number: 20220402348
    Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus includes: an engine; a fluid transmission device; first and second rotary electric machines; an output shaft for receiving a power transmitted through a first power transmission path and outputting the power to one of a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels; and a control device for controlling an engine operation point by adjusting an electrical path amount between the first and second rotary electric machines. The second rotary electric machine outputs the power to the other of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels, through a second power transmission path. The control device obtains a target electrical path amount enabling the engine operation point to become a target operation point, and causes a speed change device provided in the second power transmission path to establish a gear ratio enabling the target electrical path amount to be attainable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Takaira, Yohei Habata, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Masato Nakano
  • Publication number: 20220402358
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes: a first power source; a fluid transmission device; a first output shaft for receiving a power transmitted from the fluid transmission device through a first power transmission path and outputting the power to drive wheels of a vehicle; a rotary electric machine connected to the first output shaft and/or the drive wheels, through a second power transmission path; and a control device. When the vehicle is stopped or running at an extremely low speed, with a rotary-electric-machine driving mode being established, the control device is configured, upon determination that a drive request amount is larger than a threshold amount value, to place a direct clutch of the fluid transmission device into an engaged state and to place the first power transmission path into a power transmittable state so as to cause the power of the first power source to be outputted to the first output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Koji TAKAIRA, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Yohei HABATA
  • Publication number: 20220388493
    Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus includes: an engine; a first rotary electric machine; first and second output shafts; a power distribution device for distributing a power between the first and second output shafts; and a control device for controlling an electric-power generation torque of a second rotary electric machine such that a power distribution ratio between the first and second output shafts becomes a target distribution ratio, and controlling a total torque of the engine and the first rotary electric machine such that a requested drive torque is obtained. The control device executes an electric-power consuming control to supply at least a part of a generated electric power generated by the second rotary electric machine, to the first rotary electric machine without via a power storage device, and to drive the first rotary electric machine, such that an operation state of the engine is brought close to a fuel-economy optimum state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Koji TAKAIRA, Yuuki MAKINO, Akinori HOMAN, Yosuke AKIYAMA, Akira IJICHI, Kunihiko USUI
  • Patent number: 11519495
    Abstract: A heat load estimation device for a friction engaging element that estimates a heat load when at least one of a temperature, a heat generation amount, and presence or absence of seizure in the friction engaging element at a time of shifting of the transmission is regarded as the heat load, includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device stores mapping data defining mapping. The mapping includes, as an input variable, a speed variable that is a variable indicating a relative rotation speed of members of the friction engaging element and a hydraulic pressure variable that is a variable indicating hydraulic pressure during the shifting of the transmission, and includes, as an output variable, the heat load. The execution device executes a calculation process for calculating a value of the output variable and a change process for changing an execution mode of the calculation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura, Hideaki Bunazawa, Keita Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20220379714
    Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus includes: an engine; first and second rotary electric machines; a fluid transmission device including an input-side rotary element to which the engine and the first rotary electric machine are connected; and a control device configured to control an operation point of the engine by adjusting an electrical path amount in an electrical path between the first and second rotary electric machines. When a certain running mode is established, the control device is configured to correct the electrical path amount to an increased electrical path amount while maintaining an power of the engine requested by an operation of a vehicle driver, and to drive the second rotary electric machine, while controlling an output torque of the first rotary electric machine such that the electrical path amount transferred from the first rotary electric machine to the second rotary electric machine becomes the increased electrical path amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Yohei HABATA, Koji TAKAIRA
  • Publication number: 20220383675
    Abstract: A plurality of driving force transmitting components of the same kind is categorized into a plurality of groups depending on a frequency range with the loudest operation sound. A component selection device stores mapping data that is data that defines mapping learned by machine learning. When the user-related information is input as an input variable, the mapping outputs a value corresponding to the input variable as an output variable. The vehicle component selection method causes the component selection method to execute: an input process inputting the user-related information into the mapping as the input variable; a selection process selecting the group corresponding to the output variable output by the mapping from the groups; and a determination process determining the driving force transmitting component categorized into the group selected in the selection process as a component to be installed in the vehicle for the user identified by the user-related information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 11479235
    Abstract: When a speed difference between a maximum rotation speed and an engine rotation speed, that is, an actual rotation speed difference, is equal to or less than a margin rotation speed difference, an engine operating point is changed such that the actual rotation speed difference becomes greater than the margin rotation speed difference. Accordingly, the speed difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed is prevented from becoming equal to or less than the margin rotation speed difference. As a result, since a relatively sufficient margin is secured in the difference between the maximum rotation speed and the engine rotation speed, it is possible to prevent the engine rotation speed from falling into a high-rotation state in which the engine rotation speed exceeds the maximum rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Takahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 11479234
    Abstract: An MG1 torque at a time of decreasing an engine speed of an engine is made larger when a turbocharging pressure by a turbocharger is higher than when the turbocharging pressure is lower. In this way, even if the losses of pumps of the engine differ due to the remaining turbocharging pressure during a transition of stopping the engine in turbocharging, it is possible to appropriately reduce the engine speed. Therefore, when the engine is being brought to a stop, it is possible to appropriately suppress vibration generated in the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Yasutaka Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 11472399
    Abstract: A controller for a hybrid vehicle predicts whether necessary discharging electric power from a power storage device which is required to perform downshift in a transmission exceeds upper-limit discharging electric power of the power storage device when downshift in the transmission is performed in a hybrid vehicle travel mode and controls a compressor rotation speed such that a rate of increase of the compressor rotation speed of a supercharger at the time of performing downshift in the transmission increases as the upper-limit discharging electric power decreases when it is predicted that the necessary discharging electric power exceeds the upper-limit discharging electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Omuro, Atsushi Tabata, Tetsuya Kono, Koichi Okuda
  • Publication number: 20220317991
    Abstract: A central ECU includes a download execution feasibility determination unit that determines whether or not execution of download of data from an external distribution server of a vehicle is feasible based on position information of the vehicle, a download execution unit that executes the download in a case where the download execution feasibility determination unit determines that the execution of the download is feasible, and a transmission unit that records execution failure result information including position information of the vehicle when the download is executed by the download execution unit and fails, in an external monitoring server of the vehicle, in which the download execution feasibility determination unit determines whether or not the execution of the download is feasible based on the execution failure result information recorded in the distribution server and the current position information of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Masafumi YAMAMOTO, Yuki MAKINO, Shotaro SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11458952
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a first motor, a differential unit, a second motor, a driving force split device, and a controller, the controller is configured to control the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels with the engine rotating within a range of an allowable maximum rotational speed for control or less. In this case, the controller is configured to set the allowable maximum rotational speed such that the allowable maximum rotational speed is higher when a main-side ratio is lower than when the main-side ratio is higher. The main-side ratio is a ratio of a driving force that is transmitted to main drive wheels to the total driving force that is transmitted from a drive shaft to the main drive wheels and sub drive wheels via the driving force split device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Atsushi Tabata, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Yuuki Makino
  • Publication number: 20220297545
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device and a control method therefor are provided. The vehicle drive device includes: a power source including a first rotating electrical machine; a second rotating electrical machine; a differential unit including three rotating elements to which a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and the second rotating electrical machine are connected; and an electronic control device. The electronic control device regeneratively controls the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine in such a manner that negative torque is applied to the first output shaft and the second output shaft, when performing regenerative control by the second rotating electrical machine in a drive mode in which torque from the power source is distributed to the first output shaft and the second output shaft by controlling torque of the second rotating electrical machine during deceleration of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Koji TAKAIRA, Yuki MAKINO, Akinori HOMAN, Yosuke AKIYAMA, Akira IJICHI, Kunihiko USUI
  • Patent number: 11447110
    Abstract: When braking of the electric vehicle is performed, the braking is controlled based on a target braking split ratio which is a target value of the ratio of the braking force that is applied to the rear wheels to a total braking force that is applied to the front and rear wheels. In this case, an initial value of the target braking split ratio is set to a value within an allowable range about a transmission split ratio when braking of the electric vehicle is started while the electric vehicle is being braked by the motor, the transmission split ratio being the ratio of a braking force that is transmitted from a drive shaft to the rear wheels via a driving force split device to a total braking force that is transmitted from the drive shaft to the front and rear wheels via the driving force split device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Yuuki Makino