Patents by Inventor Fumio Asakura

Fumio Asakura 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: 9083197
    Abstract: A DC power supply apparatus includes a charging circuit, which charges a secondary battery of a vehicle from an AC power source device or a DC power source device. The charging circuit includes a non-insulating converter circuit and an insulating converter circuit. A breaker relay disconnects the AC power source device and the charging circuit in an initial charging period to supply a large charging current to the secondary battery by the non-insulating converter circuit. As a result, charging can be performed with high efficiency without the insulation transformer. The breaker relay connects the AC power source device and the charging circuit after the initial charging period. Only the insulating converter circuit supplies the charging current to the secondary battery. Thus, adverse effect of stray capacitance of a circuit of the vehicle can be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignees: NIPPON SOKEN, INC., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumio Asakura, Kenji Ochi, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8975862
    Abstract: In a power supply apparatus, a power source generates electric power at a predetermined source voltage. The first converter circuit converts the source voltage into a first voltage or a second voltage. The secondary battery is charged with electric power at the first voltage when the first converter circuit outputs electric power at the first voltage. The second converter circuit converts the first voltage of the electric power outputted from the first converter circuit or the secondary battery into the second voltage. The electric load device is supplied with electric power at the second voltage outputted from the second converter circuit. The direct power supply circuit directly supplies electric power at the second voltage outputted from the first converter circuit to the electric load device without passing through the second converter circuit when the first converter circuit outputs the electric power at the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Asakura, Kenji Ochi, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8879285
    Abstract: A power converter includes a booster circuit, an inverter circuit, a hysteresis control circuit, and a proportional-integral control circuit. The booster circuit boosts DC power of a DC power source. The inverter circuit converts the DC power outputted from the booster circuit into AC power and outputs the AC power to a system. The hysteresis control circuit controls the inverter circuit by hysteresis control so that the AC power can be outputted to the system when an AC voltage of the system is less than a DC voltage of the power source. The proportional-integral control circuit controls the booster circuit by proportional-integral control so that the AC power can be outputted to the system when the AC voltage of the system is larger than the DC voltage of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Asakura, Kenji Ochi, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8693221
    Abstract: An electric power converter apparatus includes an inverter circuit having a plurality of upper arm elements and a plurality of lower arm elements, a feedback controlling module calculating a voltage command value in order to control an output from the inverter circuit in a feedback control manner and a compensating module compensating the voltage command value with a compensation amount and outputting a compensated voltage command value. Each of the plurality of upper arm elements and the plurality of lower arm elements is operated to switch over based on a control signal that is set according to the compensated voltage command value and a dead time. The compensation amount is set by the compensating module in order to compensate a fluctuation in the output current due to the dead time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Ochi, Fumio Asakura, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120201064
    Abstract: A power converter includes a booster circuit, an inverter circuit, a hysteresis control circuit, and a proportional-integral control circuit. The booster circuit boosts DC power of a DC power source. The inverter circuit converts the DC power outputted from the booster circuit into AC power and outputs the AC power to a system. The hysteresis control circuit controls the inverter circuit by hysteresis control so that the AC power can be outputted to the system when an AC voltage of the system is less than a DC voltage of the power source. The proportional-integral control circuit controls the booster circuit by proportional-integral control so that the AC power can be outputted to the system when the AC voltage of the system is larger than the DC voltage of the power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Fumio ASAKURA, Kenji Ochi, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120181990
    Abstract: A DC power supply apparatus includes a charging circuit, which charges a secondary battery of a vehicle from an AC power source device or a DC power source device. The charging circuit includes a non-insulating converter circuit and an insulating converter circuit. A breaker relay disconnects the AC power source device and the charging circuit in an initial charging period to supply a large charging current to the secondary battery by the non-insulating converter circuit. As a result, charging can be performed with high efficiency without the insulation transformer. The breaker relay connects the AC power source device and the charging circuit after the initial charging period. Only the insulating converter circuit supplies the charging current to the secondary battery. Thus, adverse effect of stray capacitance of a circuit of the vehicle can be eliminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Fumio ASAKURA, Kenji OCHI, Hiroshi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20120106221
    Abstract: An electric power converter apparatus includes an inverter circuit having a plurality of upper arm elements and a plurality of lower arm elements, a feedback controlling module calculating a voltage command value in order to control an output from the inverter circuit in a feedback control manner and a compensating module compensating the voltage command value with a compensation amount and outputting a compensated voltage command value. Each of the plurality of upper arm elements and the plurality of lower arm elements is operated to switch over based on a control signal that is set according to the compensated voltage command value and a dead time. The compensation amount is set by the compensating module in order to compensate a fluctuation in the output current due to the dead time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicants: NIPPON SOKEN, INC, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Ochi, Fumio Asakura, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120081071
    Abstract: In a power supply apparatus, a power source generates electric power at a predetermined source voltage. The first converter circuit converts the source voltage into a first voltage or a second voltage. The secondary battery is charged with electric power at the first voltage when the first converter circuit outputs electric power at the first voltage. The second converter circuit converts the first voltage of the electric power outputted from the first converter circuit or the secondary battery into the second voltage. The electric load device is supplied with electric power at the second voltage outputted from the second converter circuit. The direct power supply circuit directly supplies electric power at the second voltage outputted from the first converter circuit to the electric load device without passing through the second converter circuit when the first converter circuit outputs the electric power at the second voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumio ASAKURA, Kenji Ochi, Hiroshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6756697
    Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting accessories on a designed interior member in a vehicle compartment includes a plurality of mounting portions. Each of the mounting portions includes a non-contact type power sending terminal and a vehicle-side antenna. The mounting portion transmits power from the battery of the vehicle via the non-contact type power sending terminal, and further transmits a multiplex signal that includes all the control signals required for controlling a plurality of accessories via the vehicle-side antenna. A user can mount an accessory arbitrarily selected from the plurality of accessories on any of the mounting portions without newly installing the required wiring, and therefore readily replace the accessories mounted on the mounting portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc., The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Kazushi Shikata, Yoshio Shinoda, Shigeto Tsuge, Ikuo Hayashi, Fumio Asakura, Yuichi Watanabe, Yutaka Matsuda
  • Patent number: 6640090
    Abstract: A synchronization circuit modulates a data signal with an amplitude shift keying (ASK) modulation method using an ASK modulation signal to output a modulated signal under the condition that the ASK modulation system and data signal are synchronized with each other. A drive circuit executes a push-pull operation based on the modulated signal and a resonance circuit resonates, under the push-pull operation of the drive circuit, to transmit a transmission signal in a radio wave. The synchronous signal controls a switching device to cut off a connection between the resonance circuit and the ground in synchronization with the modulated signal. Thereby, the transmission signal is generated sharply in the signal transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takahide Kitahara, Mitsugi Ohtsuka, Noritoshi Furuta, Fumio Asakura
  • Patent number: 6490226
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sonar has a transceiver equipped with an ultrasonic oscillator. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the transceiver. The ultrasonic wave reflected from an obstacle is received by the ultrasonic oscillator to detect the obstacle. The transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave is set to be different from the reverberation frequency. When the obstacle is detected, a microcomputer converts the analog signal received by the ultrasonic oscillator into a digital signal, performs a frequency transform of this signal by Fourier transform to extract only the transmission frequency component, and performs an inverse transform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Kani, Takeo Tsuzuki, Tanemichi Chiba, Fumio Asakura
  • Publication number: 20020158512
    Abstract: A mounting structure for mounting accessories on a designed interior member in a vehicle compartment includes a plurality of mounting portions. Each of the mounting portions includes a non-contact type power sending terminal and a vehicle-side antenna. The mounting portion transmits power from the battery of the vehicle via the non-contact type power sending terminal, and further transmits a multiplex signal that includes all the control signals required for controlling a plurality of accessories via the vehicle-side antenna. A user can mount an accessory arbitrarily selected from the plurality of accessories on any of the mounting portions without newly installing the required wiring, and therefore readily replace the accessories mounted on the mounting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizutani, Kazushi Shikata, Yoshio Shinoda, Shigeto Tsuge, Ikuo Hayashi, Fumio Asakura, Yuichi Watanabe, Yutaka Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20010012238
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sonar has a transceiver equipped with an ultrasonic oscillator. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the transceiver. The ultrasonic wave reflected from an obstacle is received by the ultrasonic oscillator to detect the obstacle. The transmission frequency of the ultrasonic wave is set to be different from the reverberation frequency. When the obstacle is detected, a microcomputer converts the analog signal received by the ultrasonic oscillator into a digital signal, performs a frequency transform of this signal by Fourier transform to extract only the transmission frequency component, and performs an inverse transform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Kani, Takeo Tsuzuki, Tanemichi Chiba, Fumio Asakura
  • Patent number: 6234654
    Abstract: A height sensor has an exciting coil for generating an alternating magnetic field and a pickup coil for detecting the magnetic field. The exciting coil is fixed to a suspension arm and the pickup coil is fixed to a body so as to face each other. Distance between these coils is determined by a voltage outputted from the pickup coil, and a height of the vehicle is calculated from the distance between these coils by taking the mounting position of the pickup coil on the suspension arm into account. The height sensor is readily fixed and a detection accuracy is improved by setting the mounting position of the pickup coil in a range of {fraction (1/10)} to ½ of a length of the suspension arm from a connecting portion between the suspension arm and the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okuchi, Takahide Kitahara, Fumio Asakura
  • Patent number: 6218929
    Abstract: In a vehicular entry control system, a code signal transmitter of a card carried by a driver modulates by a card-specific code a signal received from a transmitter/receiver of a control unit mounted in a vehicle and transmits the modulated signal to the control unit in return. The transmitter/receiver demodulates the modulated signal and a microcomputer automatically unlocks a vehicle door when the demodulated signal is correct indicating that the card is carried into a demodulating area. The microcomputer locks the door upon a driver's manual operation on a locking switch of the card. The microcomputer prohibits the automatic unlocking as long as the card is within the demodulating area after the locking in response to the manual operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignees: Nippon Soken Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Noritoshi Furuta, Fumio Asakura, Hiroto Uesaka, Yuji Kato, Mitsugi Ohtsuka
  • Patent number: 6198385
    Abstract: In an entering detecting system for vehicles, a received ultrasonic signal is amplified by an amplifier circuit so that a Doppler signal may be generated from an amplified signal and a transmission signal for detecting an entering of unauthorized person into a vehicle compartment. An operational amplifier circuit of the amplifier circuit has an output limiter circuit. The output limiter circuit has diode series circuits which are connected to a feedback resistor of an operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kani, Fumio Asakura, Tadashi Nakamura, Toru Yoshida, Takeo Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 5982295
    Abstract: A controller drives a key interlock solenoid to lock a key so that the key cannot be pulled out of a key cylinder when a shift lever is not at a parking position or while an identification code is being sent to a transponder mounted in the key. Thus, the key cannot be pulled out of the key cylinder during the writing of the identification code in the transponder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Goto, Ikuo Hayashi, Takahide Kitahara, Fumio Asakura, Ryozo Okumura, Kiyokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5835010
    Abstract: The power feeding efficiency and the communicable range of an automatic answering system are improved in an automatic answering system using a transponder which performs code communication using amplitude modulation of a carrier with an electromagnetic coupling transponder mounted in a key or the like. In a transceiver for performing the code communication with the transponder via an antenna coil, a circuit for driving the antenna coil in a transceiver based on clock is implemented by a bridge-type complementary circuit of transistors. Thereby, driving current is increased. Meanwhile, a circuit for controlling the driving mode based on a write signal is implemented by a parallel circuit of a transistor to which a power-supply voltage is applied and a resistor. Thereby, a current corresponding to a resistance of the resistor flows through the antenna coil even during the minimum driving when the transistor is turned off, thus improving the power feeding efficiency and the communicable range of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Asakura, Masahiro Goto, Takahide Kitahara, Ryozo Okumura, Kiyokazu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4898462
    Abstract: A device for detecting a transmissivity of a substance utilizing a transmitted light value, which comprises a light emitting element and a photo detecting element. The light emitting element and the photo detecting element are spaced from each other at a predetermined distance so that a transmitted light value of a substance passing through the space is detected as an amount of light transmitted therethrough. The photo detecting element further comprises a photo oscillator circuit including the photo detecting element as one component thereof and outputs a signal having characteristics selected from a cycle and a frequency corresponding to the transmitted light value, and when the condition of a substance exceeds a predetermined reference level, such information is displayed at a display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Numata, Fumio Asakura, Yoshiyuki Kago, Masaei Nozawa, Takahiro Shibakawa, Hajime Akado, Hideharu Kato