Patents by Inventor Hidetoshi MAKINO

Hidetoshi MAKINO 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: 20220283115
    Abstract: A sensor system (1, 1S) including a current DA converter (42) outputting a control current (Ip) of a sensor element (3S), a control unit (4C) generating a control current instruction value (Ipcmd) corresponding to magnitude of the control current and inputting this instruction value to the current DAC, an instruction value sequence generating unit (47) generating, instead of the control current instruction value, an inspection instruction value sequence (RChcmd) in which predetermined inspection current instruction values (Chcmd) inputted to the current DAC are arranged in order and by which failure of the current DAC can be detected, an inspection current detection unit (71) detecting an inspection current value (Ichv) of an inspection current (Ich) outputted from the current DAC, and a failure detection unit (8) detecting failure of the current DAC from an inspection current value sequence (RIchv) in which the inspection current values are arranged in order of detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuzo HIGUCHI, Yuji OI, Satoru TODA, Satoru ABE, Junichiro MITSUNO, Hidetoshi MAKINO
  • Patent number: 10830729
    Abstract: In a sensor control device which controls a sensor, a first filter unit extracts a first filtered signal obtained by attenuating a frequency component higher than a first cutoff frequency from a digital signal indicating a current-application control value for a pump current, and a second filter unit extracts a second filtered signal obtained by attenuating a frequency component higher than a second cutoff frequency from the first filtered signal. A cutoff frequency setting unit sets at least one of the first cutoff frequency and the second cutoff frequency such that the sensor control device can control at least two types of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Mitsuno, Satoru Abe, Chihiro Tomimatsu, Hidetoshi Makino
  • Patent number: 10669963
    Abstract: An anomaly determination apparatus determines an anomaly of a current control apparatus which supplies a control current to a control target and includes a current anomaly determination section. The current anomaly determination section is configured to compare a normal numerical range within which a state quantity changing with the control current falls in a particular state with a particular state quantity which is the state quantity corresponding to the control current generated by the control current generation section in the particular state, and determine that at least one of the reference resistor, the reference current generation section, and the control current generation section is in an anomalous state in the case where the particular state quantity has deviated from the normal numerical range. By using the current anomaly determination section, the anomaly determination apparatus can determine an anomaly of the current control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Mitsuno, Satoru Abe, Chihiro Tomimatsu, Hidetoshi Makino
  • Publication number: 20180335400
    Abstract: In a sensor control device which controls a sensor, a first filter unit extracts a first filtered signal obtained by attenuating a frequency component higher than a first cutoff frequency from a digital signal indicating a current-application control value for a pump current, and a second filter unit extracts a second filtered signal obtained by attenuating a frequency component higher than a second cutoff frequency from the first filtered signal. A cutoff frequency setting unit sets at least one of the first cutoff frequency and the second cutoff frequency such that the sensor control device can control at least two types of sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro MITSUNO, Satoru ABE, Chihiro TOMIMATSU, Hidetoshi MAKINO
  • Publication number: 20180306136
    Abstract: An anomaly determination apparatus determines an anomaly of a current control apparatus which supplies a control current to a control target and includes a current anomaly determination section. The current anomaly determination section is configured to compare a normal numerical range within which a state quantity changing with the control current falls in a particular state with a particular state quantity which is the state quantity corresponding to the control current generated by the control current generation section in the particular state, and determine that at least one of the reference resistor, the reference current generation section, and the control current generation section is in an anomalous state in the case where the particular state quantity has deviated from the normal numerical range. By using the current anomaly determination section, the anomaly determination apparatus can determine an anomaly of the current control apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro MITSUNO, Satoru ABE, Chihiro TOMIMATSU, Hidetoshi MAKINO