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).

  • Publication number: 20220063585
    Abstract: An in-vehicle system that is to be provided in a vehicle. The in-vehicle system includes: (a) a control apparatus; (b) a first battery configured to supply an electric power to devices that are to be provided in the vehicle; and (c) a second battery provided apart from the first battery. The in-vehicle system is constructed such that rewriting of a software of the control apparatus is executable when an electric power switch of the vehicle is in an OFF state, and such that the rewriting of the software is executed with supply of the electric power from the second battery to the control apparatus when the electric power switch of the vehicle is in the OFF state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi Okuda, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yuuki Makino, Shotaro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20220042597
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure calculation apparatus is applied to a gear shifting system including a transmission configured to switch between a connected state and a disconnected state of a friction engagement element depending on a hydraulic pressure supplied from a hydraulic circuit, and a hydraulic controller configured to control the hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic pressure calculation apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores pieces of mapping data of a plurality of phases obtained by dividing a period from a start to an end of switching between the connected state and the disconnected state of the friction engagement element. Each piece of the mapping data defines a mapping. The processor is configured to output, as an output variable, an estimated hydraulic pressure variable indicating an estimated value of an actual hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic circuit to the friction engagement element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220042557
    Abstract: An apparatus to be applied to a vehicle including a transmission configured to execute a gear shifting operation for changing a gear ratio by engaging or disengaging friction engagement elements having friction members pushed by a piston that moves through hydraulic pressure supply to an oil chamber, the apparatus including: a memory storing mapping data for defining mapping, the mapping including a pressure variable and a period variable as input variables, the mapping including a stroke amount as an output variable, the pressure variable indicating a waiting pressure, the period variable indicating a waiting period; and a processor configured to: acquire values of the input variables, and calculate a value of the output variable by inputting, to the mapping, the acquired values of the input variables.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Kota FUJII, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220042595
    Abstract: A temperature estimation device for friction engaging elements including an execution device and a storage device is provided. The storage device stores mapping data that defines mapping. The mapping includes, as an input variable, a heat amount variable that is a variable indicating an amount of heat generated by the friction engaging elements during the shifting of the transmission and a shifting variable indicating the friction engaging elements to be engaged at the time of the shifting of the transmission, and, as an output variable, the temperature. The execution device executes an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable and a calculation process of inputting the value of the input variable acquired by the acquisition process into the mapping to calculate a value of the output variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220042594
    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: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11242928
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a learning control portion configured to execute a learning control operation, and to limit a learning value obtained through the learning control operation, by a guard value, and an update control portion configured to obtain a new guard value from an external device, and to update the guard value to the new guard value. The update control portion limits the learning value by the new guard value, prior to execution of the learning control operation, such that the learning value is rewritten, by the update control portion, to a value within a new guard-value range defined by the new guard value in a case in which the learning value is deviated from the new guard-value range, and such that the learning value is kept unchanged by the update control portion in a case in which the learning value is within the new guard-value range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Hiromasa Tatsushiro, Kota Fujii
  • Publication number: 20220034398
    Abstract: A gear-shift control data generation method executed by an execution device in a state where relational regulation data used for regulating a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable associated with an operation of a transmission is stored includes a process for acquiring the vehicle state, a process for operating the transmission, a process for assigning, based on the vehicle state, a higher reward when a characteristic of the vehicle satisfies a criterion than when the characteristic does not satisfy the criterion, and a process for updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the vehicle state, a value of the action variable, and a reward corresponding to the operation. The update mapping outputs the relational regulation data that is updated to increase an expected profit for the reward when the transmission is operated according to the relational regulation data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11236819
    Abstract: A gear-shift control data generation method executed by an execution device in a state where relational regulation data used for regulating a relationship between a state of a vehicle and an action variable associated with an operation of a transmission is stored includes a process for acquiring the vehicle state, a process for operating the transmission, a process for assigning, based on the vehicle state, a higher reward when a characteristic of the vehicle satisfies a criterion than when the characteristic does not satisfy the criterion, and a process for updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the vehicle state, a value of the action variable, and a reward corresponding to the operation. The update mapping outputs the relational regulation data that is updated to increase an expected profit for the reward when the transmission is operated according to the relational regulation data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Ken Imamura, Hideaki Bunazawa, Keita Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20220024472
    Abstract: A control apparatus provided with first and second control devices, and configured to execute vehicle control and to execute update processing for updating a vehicle control software that is to be used for the vehicle control. The control apparatus includes: a first storage device included in the first control device and configured to store therein the vehicle control software; a second storage device included in the second control device and configured to store therein a new software to which the vehicle control software is to be updated; an update processing portion configured to execute the update processing for updating the vehicle control software by writing the new software stored in the second storage device, into the first storage device; and a backup processing portion configured, prior to the update processing by the update processing portion, to write the vehicle control software into the second storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isamu HACHISUWA, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yuuki Makino
  • Publication number: 20220018433
    Abstract: An oil pressure learning method of an automatic transmission includes acquiring a state of a vehicle in a state where relational regulation data is stored, supplying oil to the automatic transmission such that the value of the oil pressure is set to an oil pressure command value, calculating, as a specific variable, a variable representing an amount in which a detected input rotation speed exceeds a target input rotation speed, or the like, calculating a reward in a manner in which it has a larger value when the specific variable satisfies a criterion than when it does not satisfy the criterion, updating the relational regulation data by inputting, to an update mapping, the reward and the oil pressure command value, and calculating a torque variable having a value that is increased as an amount of change in an input torque is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220018431
    Abstract: A device for a vehicle including: a memory configured to store mapping data including machine learning data defining a mapping that uses an estimation variable that is a variable indicating a vehicle operation status of the vehicle and a detection value of a sensor detecting an oil temperature of a power transmission device as input variables, and uses an element corresponding to the input variables as an output variable; and a processor configured to: acquire the input variables; use the mapping to acquire the element as the output variable of the mapping corresponding to the input variables; and determine based on the element whether the detection value becomes equal to or higher than a threshold value due to occurrence of an abnormality in the power transmission device or a mode of vehicle operation by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220018825
    Abstract: A deterioration estimation device includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store mapping data defining a mapping that outputs an output variable indicating the degree of deterioration of oil when an input variable is input. The mapping includes, as the input variable, a color variable that is a variable indicating a color of the oil and a hydrogen ion variable that is a variable indicating a hydrogen ion concentration of the oil. The execution device is configured to execute an acquisition process that is a process of acquiring the input variable and a calculation process of inputting the input variable acquired through the acquisition process to the mapping to output a value of the output variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Koichi OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20210403000
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a processor and memory. The memory stores relation-defining data for defining a relation between a state of a vehicle and an action variable that is a variable relating to operations of a transmission installed in the vehicle. The processor is configured to execute acquisition processing, operation processing, reward calculation processing, updating processing, counting processing, and limiting processing. The processor is configured to output the relation-defining data updated so that an expected income is increased when the transmission is operated following the relation-defining data, based on an updating map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210404551
    Abstract: A fault evaluation device for an automatic transmission evaluates a fault of the automatic transmission. The fault evaluation device is used for a vehicle having the automatic transmission and a control device configured to execute a learning process for correcting a target pressure for oil to be supplied to the automatic transmission such that variations in acceleration of the vehicle during shifting of the automatic transmission are small. The fault evaluation device includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores mapping data that prescribe mapping. The processor is configured to output an output variable, which is an evaluation value that indicates the presence or absence of the fault of the automatic transmission, when an input variable is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kota FUJII, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210403014
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a storage device that stores relation-defining data that is data for defining a relation between a state of a vehicle and an action variable; and an executing device configured to acquire the state, operate a drivetrain device based on a value of the action variable, derive a reward such that the reward is larger when the state of the drivetrain device based on the acquired state satisfies a predetermined criterion, perform an updating of the relation-defining data using an updating map, and restrict the updating of the relation-defining data such that an updating amount of the relation-defining data is smaller when the drivetrain device is subject to a predetermined restriction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki BUNAZAWA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Kota FUJII, Keita SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11209081
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a linear solenoid valve configured to regulate a hydraulic pressure in a vehicle transmission. The control apparatus includes a hydraulic control portion configured to output a control command signal that is applied to a solenoid of the linear solenoid valve. The hydraulic control portion outputs, as the control command signal, a regulating control command signal by which the hydraulic pressure is to be regulated to a regulated pressure value that is dependent on a vehicle driving state. When the regulated pressure value is in a certain pressure range in which vibration-based noise is likely to be generated by vibration of the linear solenoid valve that is operated with the regulating control command signal being applied to the solenoid, the hydraulic control portion outputs, as the control command signal, a noise-restraining command signal by which generation of the vibration-based noise is restrained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuma Naito, Atsushi Tabata, Kota Fujii
  • Publication number: 20210394739
    Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: a drive-power distribution device for distributing a drive power from an engine to main and auxiliary drive wheels with a drive-power distribution ratio between the main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels; and a control apparatus for controlling an electric motor such that the drive-power distribution ratio becomes a target distribution ratio value, by setting an electric-current command value for driving an electric motor. The control apparatus is configured, in a drive-power transmitted state in which the drive power is transmitted to the drive-power distribution device, to execute a command-value reduction control operation for causing the electric motor to be driven with the electric-current command value being set to a value smaller than in a drive-power non-transmitted state in which the drive power is not being transmitted to the drive-power distribution device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Koji TAKAIRA, Akinori TAKAHASHI, Yuuki MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20210388897
    Abstract: A control device provided in a gear shifting device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit determines whether an abnormality of the gear shifting device has occurred, performs a fail-safe process of switching the frictional engagement element corresponding to an abnormality to a disengaged state and fixing the gear shift ratio of the gear shifting device when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred, determines whether the abnormality has been relieved based on a behavior of an input signal at the time of operating a drive device of the frictional engagement element corresponding to an abnormality on condition that the frictional engagement element is maintained in the disengaged state after it is determined that the abnormality has occurred, and releases the fail-safe process when it is determined that the abnormality has been relieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Kota FUJII, Ken IMAMURA
  • Publication number: 20210390801
    Abstract: An abnormality cause determining device that is applied to a vehicle including an electromagnetic actuator includes a storage device and an execution device. The storage device is configured to store map data which is data for defining a map. The map includes a current variable which is a variable indicating a current flowing actually in the electromagnetic actuator as an input variable and includes a cause variable which is a variable indicating a cause of an abnormality of an onboard unit including the electromagnetic actuator as an output variable. The execution device is configured to perform an acquisition process of acquiring a value of the input variable based on a detection value from a sensor which is mounted in the vehicle and a calculation process of calculating a value of the output variable by inputting the value of the input variable to the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Ken IMAMURA, Shinichi ITO, Kota FUJII
  • Publication number: 20210380111
    Abstract: A four-wheel drive vehicle includes: (a) main drive wheels and auxiliary drive wheels; (b) a rotating machine as a drive power source; (c) a drive-power distribution clutch configured to allocate a part of a drive power outputted to the main drive wheels from the drive power source, to the auxiliary drive wheels, so as to distribute the drive power to the main drive wheels and the auxiliary drive wheels with a drive-power distribution ratio between the auxiliary drive wheels and the main drive wheels, such that the drive-power distribution ratio is variable with an engaging force of the drive-power distribution clutch being controlled; and (d) a control apparatus configured, when determining that a heat load of the drive-power distribution clutch is large during deceleration running of the vehicle, to limit a regenerative torque of the rotating machine, as compared with when determining that the heat load is small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Yuuki MAKINO