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).
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Publication number: 20210039626Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tooru MATSUBARA, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura
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Publication number: 20210039628Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes: a drive control unit that calculates required drive power which is required for a hybrid vehicle based on an accelerator opening when an accelerator return operation is performed, calculates a target engine output which changes slowly with respect to a required engine output for realizing the required drive power through slow change processing, and controls an engine, a first rotary machine, and a second rotary machine such that an engine output reaches the target engine output; and a smoothing rate setting unit that changes a smoothing rate which is used for the slow change processing based on a supercharging pressure and sets the smoothing rate to a smaller value when the supercharging pressure is high than when the supercharging pressure is low.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Yasuhiro HIASA, Yasutaka TSUCHIDA
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Publication number: 20210039622Abstract: A vehicle includes driving wheels, driven wheels, a drive device connected to a drive shaft, a drive force distribution device, and an electronic control unit configured to execute a moderate change process on a required torque required for the drive shaft to set a target torque to be output to the drive shaft when the torque output to the drive shaft changes and crosses a value of zero. The electronic control unit is configured to control the drive device such that the target torque is output to the drive shaft, and set the target torque such that a change in the target torque with respect to a change in the required torque is more moderate when the driving side distribution ratio is small compared with the change in the target torque with respect to the change in the required torque when the driving side distribution ratio is large.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Yuuki MAKINO, Keisuke OMURO
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Publication number: 20210031746Abstract: When an engine during rotation stop is started, a target cranking speed is set to a value at which a first rotating machine MG1 is maintained in an electric power generation state when a request engine power is an output that needs a turbocharging pressure and which is higher than when the request output is not the output that needs the turbocharging pressure, and even after the engine is brought into the operating state, an MG1 cranking torque is controlled to apply a torque for increasing an engine speed of the engine to the target cranking speed to the engine. In this way, it is possible to increase the engine speed after an autonomous operation more quickly while suppressing power consumption of the first rotating machine MG1.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Yasuhiro HIASA, Yasutaka TSUCHIDA
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Publication number: 20210034074Abstract: An electronic control unit of a vehicle includes (a) a target operating point setting unit that calculates a request driving force requested for a vehicle, and set a target engine operating point through a slow change process for obtaining an engine output that slowly changes with respect to a request engine output implementing the request driving force, (b) a smoothing factor setting unit that changes a smoothing factor used for the slow change process according to an amount of change in a turbocharging pressure in the engine and sets the smoothing factor to a smaller value when the amount of change in the turbocharging pressure is smaller than when the amount of change in the turbocharging pressure is larger, and (c) a drive controller that controls the engine and the continuously variable transmission such that the engine operating point is the target engine operating point.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yasuhiro HIASA, Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA
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Publication number: 20210031745Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Yasuhiro HIASA, Yasutaka TSUCHIDA
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Publication number: 20210031747Abstract: When an acceleration request is issued, an electronic control unit for a hybrid vehicle performs control for producing an acceleration feeling of setting a target engine rotation speed to an initial rotation speed (=basic initial value+initial value correction value) which is lower than an optimal-fuel-efficiency rotation speed at which required engine power is able to be most efficiently output and increasing the engine rotation speed from the initial rotation speed to the optimal-fuel-efficiency rotation speed at a rotation speed increase rate (=basic increase rate+increase rate correction value) based on the elapse of time. When the target supercharging pressure is high, the initial value correction value is set to a greater value and the increase rate correction value is set to a greater value than when the target supercharging pressure is low.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Yasuhiro HIASA, Yasutaka TSUCHIDA
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Patent number: 10906524Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system includes a power transmission switching portion configured to selectively establish a first drive mode by placing one of the first and second coupling elements in an engaged state, a second drive mode by placing the other of the first and second coupling elements in an engaged state, or a third drive mode by placing both of the first and second coupling elements in the engaged states. The power transmission switching portion switches the vehicular power transmitting system between the first and second drive modes through the third drive mode, where a predetermined condition is not satisfied, and switches the vehicular power transmitting system between the first and second drive modes with concurrent engaging and releasing actions of the first and second coupling elements, where the predetermined condition is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masafumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Koichi Okuda, Kota Fujii
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Publication number: 20210025346Abstract: A controller and a control method for a vehicle including an engine with a supercharger and an automatic transmission provided in a power transmission path between the engine and driving wheels are provided. The controller is configured to perform learning control of learning a command value associated with gear shifting of the automatic transmission. The controller is configured to limit a supercharging pressure of the supercharger when the automatic transmission is performing gear shifting to be equal to or less than a predetermined pressure until initial learning which is performed by the learning control unit in a predetermined period after the vehicle has been manufactured is completed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Hiromasa TATSUSHIRO, Kenta KUMAZAKI
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Patent number: 10894538Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that includes an engine serving as a drive force source, an electric motor serving as a drive force source, drive wheels, a storage battery for supplying and receiving an electric power to and from the electric motor, a transmission mechanism for transmitting a drive force supplied from each of the drive force sources toward the drive wheels. During running of the hybrid vehicle by a drive force of the electric motor with the engine being stopped, the control apparatus is configured to determine whether the engine is to be started. When determining that the engine is to be started during the running of the hybrid vehicle, the control apparatus is configured to cause a gear ratio of the transmission mechanism to be changed and to cause the engine to be started after the gear ratio of the transmission mechanism has been changed.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeshi Kitahata, Tooru Matsubara, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Koichi Okuda, Atsushi Tabata
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Publication number: 20210010410Abstract: A rotation adjusting device is controlled such that an engine speed rising rate at the time of acceleration request is made smaller when a turbocharging pressure is lower than the turbocharging pressure is higher. Therefore, an engine speed can be increased at such a low speed that a rising delay in the turbocharging pressure hardly occurs, in a low turbocharging pressure region. Further, when the rotation adjusting device is controlled such that the engine speed rising rate at the time of the acceleration request is set to a value corresponding to the turbocharging pressure, an MG2 torque is controlled to compensate for an insufficient drive torque of an actual engine torque for a request engine torque. Therefore, even when the engine torque is increased slowly by increasing the engine speed at a slow speed, the insufficient drive torque is compensated for by the MG2 torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Takahiro KIMURA, Yasutaka TSUCHIDA
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Patent number: 10851889Abstract: While automatic driving control is being performed, traveling in a driving state of a vehicle corresponding to an unconverged region (including an unperformed region and a performed region) is preferentially selected between the traveling in the driving state of the vehicle corresponding to the unconverged region, and traveling in the driving state of the vehicle corresponding to a converged region. As such, learning control that corrects an amount of operation associated with control of the vehicle is performed more easily throughout the entire learning regions regardless of a usage state of the vehicle by a driver. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an appropriate traveling state at an early stage by the learning control that corrects the amount of operation associated with control of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2019Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Tetsuya Kono, Koichi Okuda
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Patent number: 10836373Abstract: A control system for hybrid vehicles configured to improve energy efficiency by controlling a speed difference in a coupling. The hybrid vehicle comprises: a power split mechanism; an engine connected to a first rotary element; a first motor connected to the second rotary element; a second motor connected to the third rotary element; drive wheels to which a torque is delivered from the third rotary element; and a coupling comprising a drive member and a driven member. A controller is configured to change the speed difference in the coupling, and to change a speed or a torque of at least one of the first motor and the second motor after changing the speed difference in the coupling.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Atsushi Tabata
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Publication number: 20200256460Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an electronic control unit configured to perform an automatic driving control, to determine whether there is a possibility that a start control of an engine and a gear shift control of an automatic transmission are concurrently executed in a future traveling under the automatic driving control, during execution of the automatic driving control, and to first execute one control of the start control of the engine and the gear shift control of the automatic transmission in the future traveling and execute the other control after the one control finishes, when the electronic control unit determines that there is the possibility that the start control of the engine and the gear shift control of the automatic transmission are concurrently executed in the future traveling under the automatic driving control.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2019Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shuma NAITO, Atsushi TABATA, Tetsuya KONO, Kouichi OKUDA, Kota FUJII
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Publication number: 20200208736Abstract: While automatic driving control is being performed, traveling in a driving state of a vehicle corresponding to an unconverged region (including an unperformed region and a performed region) is preferentially selected between the traveling in the driving state of the vehicle corresponding to the unconverged region, and traveling in the driving state of the vehicle corresponding to a converged region. As such, learning control that corrects an amount of operation associated with control of the vehicle is performed more easily throughout the entire learning regions regardless of a usage state of the vehicle by a driver. Therefore, it is possible to achieve an appropriate traveling state at an early stage by the learning control that corrects the amount of operation associated with control of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kota Fujii, Atsushi Tabata, Tetsuya Kono, Koichi Okuda
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Publication number: 20200191262Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shuma NAITO, Atsushi TABATA, Kota FUJII
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Patent number: 10676076Abstract: A control device includes an electronic control unit configured to selectively execute traveling in a first traveling mode and traveling in a second traveling mode, the first traveling mode being a traveling mode in which in a state where one engagement device is controlled so as to be engaged, a differential state is controlled by a first rotating machine to transmit torque of an engine, and the second traveling mode being a traveling mode in which in a state where the other engagement device is controlled so as to be engaged, a differential state is controlled to transmit torque of the engine, and perform switching to traveling in the second traveling mode in a case where a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined vehicle speed when engine stop control that stops the engine is executed during traveling in the first traveling mode.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masafumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Koichi Okuda
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Patent number: 10668800Abstract: A vehicle drive unit to prevent a single phase lock of a motor as a prime mover to limit damage is provided. The drive unit includes: a first transmission route to deliver drive force of an engine to drive wheels; and a second transmission route to deliver drive force of a motor to the drive wheels. The second transmission route comprises an intermediate shaft that transmits the drive force of the motor to the first transmission route. A fluid coupling is disposed between the motor and the intermediate shaft. A lockup clutch is arranged parallel to the fluid coupling between the motor and the intermediate shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2015Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Keita Imai
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Publication number: 20200132059Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a first rotating machine, a power transmission device, a differential mechanism, a lock mechanism, a mechanical oil pump, and an electric oil pump, the control device comprises: a hybrid control portion; a state determining portion; and a flow rate control portion prohibiting the double drive motor running to cause the hybrid vehicle to run in the single drive motor running and controlling the first rotating machine to rotate the mechanical oil pump to cause the mechanical oil pump to discharge the hydraulic oil at the flow rate required for the power transmission device when it is determined that the electric oil pump is in the state of insufficient capacity at the time of running in the motor running mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kouji IKEMOTO, Atsushi TABATA, Tetsuya KONO, Koichi OKUDA
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Publication number: 20200131955Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a power transmission device, a mechanical oil pump, an electric oil pump, a first rotating machine, and a second rotating machine, the control device comprises: a hybrid control portion; and a pump control portion controlling the first rotating machine to rotate the mechanical oil pump so as to cause the mechanical oil pump to discharge the hydraulic oil when it is determined that the temperature of the hydraulic oil is lower than the predetermined oil temperature, and controlling the motor dedicated to the electric oil pump to cause the electric oil pump to discharge the hydraulic oil when it is determined that the temperature of the hydraulic oil is higher than the predetermined oil temperature, at the time of running in the motor running mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2019Publication date: April 30, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi OKUDA, Atsushi TABATA, Tetsuya KONO, Kouji IKEMOTO