Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Itoyama

Hiroyuki Itoyama 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: 6253127
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle is provided with an engine (2), a first motor (1) for starting the engine (2), a generator (1) for driving the engine (2), drive wheels (8) connected to the engine (2) via a clutch (3), and a second motor (4) for driving the drive wheels (8). A battery (15) connected to the first motor (1), second motor (4) and generator (1) is further provided. A control device which controls the engine startup by the first motor (1) comprises a sensor (27) which detects a rotation speed of the engine (2), a sensor (26) which detects the charge amount of the battery (15), a power controller (11) which varies the current supplied to the first motor (1) from the battery (15) according to a signal, and a microprocessor (16) which outputs the signal. The microprocessor (16) calculates a target output torque of the first motor (1) according to the charge amount of the battery (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Yasuhiko Kitajima, Yoshitaka Deguchi
  • Patent number: 6247311
    Abstract: An exhaust passage (2) of a diesel engine (1) is connected to an intake passage (3) via an exhaust gas recirculation passage (4) provided with an exhaust gas recirculation valve (6). A turbine (52) of a variable capacity turbocharger (50) is provided in the exhaust passage (2). The controller (41) controls the opening of the exhaust gas recirculation valve (6), and the opening of a nozzle (53) of the turbine (52). A controller (41) first calculates a target exhaust gas recirculation valve opening surface area based on a target exhaust gas recirculation flowrate, and controls the exhaust gas recirculation valve opening to the target exhaust gas recirculation valve opening surface area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Takashi Shirakawa, Manabu Miura
  • Patent number: 6230697
    Abstract: An integrated internal combustion engine control system in combination with an automotive emission control system, comprises an exhaust-gas recirculation valve (EGR valve) employed in an EGR system. A target EGR amount is calculated as a function of an intake-air flow rate measured by an air-flow meter and a target EGR rate based on engine operating conditions such as engine speed and engine load. The opening of the EGR valve is adjusted by a command from a control unit so that the target EGR amount is attained. The target EGR rate is preferably calculated depending on an intake pressure as well as the engine speed and the engine load. In combination with the above-mentioned EGR control, a throttle valve disposed in the induction system is effectively controlled in response to an actual valve lift of the EGR valve and a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and the intake pressure. A fuel-injection amount is accurately controlled in consideration of a variation of an excess-air factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Kaname Naganuma
  • Patent number: 6233508
    Abstract: A target drive torque is calculated based on a detected value for vehicle speed and a detected value for an accelerator pedal depression amount. A generator torque is calculated for a motor(1,4) based on a battery SOC. An engine(2) is controlled to a torque value which achieves a target drive torque and a generator torque as a target engine torque. The motor(1,4) is controlled to a value which is the difference of a target drive torque and an engine torque estimation value as a target motor torque. In this way, a required generator amount may be achieved under steady-state conditions and it is possible to satisfy charge conditions of the battery(15). In addition, required drive force by the driver can be achieved during transition running and responsive acceleration and deceleration can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Deguchi, Hiroyuki Itoyama, Yasuhiko Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6170469
    Abstract: An integrated internal combustion engine control system in combination with an automotive emission control system, comprises an exhaust-gas recirculation valve (EGR valve) employed in an EGR system. A target EGR amount is calculated as a function of an intake-air flow rate measured by an air-flow meter and a target EGR rate based on engine operating conditions such as engine speed and engine load. The opening of the EGR valve is adjusted by a command from a control unit so that the target EGR amount is attained. The target EGR rate is preferably calculated depending on an intake pressure as well as the engine speed and the engine load. In combination with the above-mentioned EGR control, a throttle valve disposed in the induction system is effectively controlled in response to an actual valve lift of the EGR valve and a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and the intake pressure. A fuel-injection amount is accurately controlled in consideration of a variation of an excess-air factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Kaname Naganuma
  • Patent number: 6167342
    Abstract: At least an engine speed, an opening of an accelerator and an amount of an intake air are detected as an engine operating condition. A standard volume for injecting fuel oil is calculated on the basis of at least the engine speed and the opening of the accelerator. A target injection timing of fuel is set on the basis of the engine speed and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An actual fuel injection timing is detected. A standard target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the engine speed, the amount of the intake air and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An amount of adjustment of a target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the standard volume for injecting fuel oil, the target fuel injection timing and the actual fuel injection timing. A final target EGR rate is set on the basis of the standard target EGR rate and the amount of adjustment. An EGR is controlled on the basis of the final target EGR rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Hiroyuki Aizawa
  • Patent number: 6155954
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle wherein an engine (2) and a motor/generator (1) are connected in a state wherein they can be driven mutually, and the engine (2) is connected to drive wheels (8) via a motor (4) via a clutch (3), the output torque of the engine is precisely controlled. A control device to perform this control comprises a mechanism (39, 40) which increases and decreases the output torque of the engine (2), a sensor (11) which detects the output of the motor/generator (1), and a microprocessor (16) programmed to control the output torque increase and decrease mechanism (39, 40) so that the output of the motor/generator (1) is zero when the engine is in the idle running state and the clutch (3) is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Yasuhiko Kitajima, Yoshitaka Deguchi
  • Patent number: 6112723
    Abstract: Even when an engine rotates in the inverse direction immediately before stopping, the engine can be accurately activated. In an engine which injects fuel sequentially on the basis of an ignition order of each cylinder, a crank angle of the terminal position of the engine is stored. On the first fuel injection timing after engine activation, fuel is simultaneously injected into a cylinder which is determined from the terminal stored position and into a cylinder in a fixed positional relationship with the first cylinder. In this way, even when an engine rotates in the inverse direction immediately before stopping, fuel injection can be accurately performed at least on a cylinder into which fuel should be injected and the engine can be accurately activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Takashi Tsuneyoshi, Minoru Arimitsu, Shojiro Sato
  • Patent number: 6083139
    Abstract: A hybrid drive system for a vehicle comprises a first electric motor in driving relationship to at least one driven wheel, a heat engine, a second electric motor in driving connection to the engine, and a clutch to engage and disengage the engine to and from the driven wheel. Immediately after or upon a command to engage the clutch, a controller retrieves, based on a measure of speed of the driven wheel, data of maximum input torque, which the second motor is capable of absorbing from the engine and data of maximum output torque, which the first motor is capable of producing. The controller compares the torque request command with the retrieved data and selects one of a plurality of different protocols for operation of the first and second electric motors and the heat engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Deguchi, Hiroyuki Itoyama, Yasuhiko Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6032656
    Abstract: An integrated internal combustion engine control system in combination with an automotive emission control system, comprises an exhaust-gas recirculation valve (EGR valve) employed in an EGR system. A target EGR amount is calculated as a function of an intake-air flow rate measured by an air-flow meter and a target EGR rate based on engine operating conditions such as engine speed and engine load. The opening of the EGR valve is adjusted by a command from a control unit so that the target EGR amount is attained. The target EGR rate is preferably calculated depending on an intake pressure as well as the engine speed and the engine load. In combination with the above-mentioned EGR control, a throttle valve disposed in the induction system is effectively controlled in response to an actual valve lift of the EGR valve and a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and the intake pressure. A fuel-injection amount is accurately controlled in consideration of a variation of an excess-air factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Kaname Naganuma
  • Patent number: 6026790
    Abstract: The present invention provides improvements in EGR control system of a diesel engine by limiting the maximum fuel, in amount, to be drawn into the engine cylinder and EGR rate in response to result of monitoring performance of EGR control. When the actual performance of EGR control falls outside of a predetermined window around the normal performance of EGR control, the maximum fuel is reduced and a throttle valve in the air intake path is fully opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 6019094
    Abstract: In an engine exhaust recirculation device, a target exhaust recirculation rate is determined based on an engine running state. The required flowpath cross-sectional area of the exhaust recirculation passage to obtain a target exhaust recirculation rate is calculated from the target exhaust recirculation rate, fresh air amount, an intake pressure and an exhaust pressure. By determining a target opening of the exhaust recirculation valve from the required flowpath cross-sectional area of the exhaust recirculation passage and a predetermined coefficient specifying a relation between the required flowpath cross-sectional area and the opening area of the exhaust recirculation valve, the precision of controlling the exhaust recirculation amount is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 6012431
    Abstract: At least an engine speed, an opening of an accelerator and an amount of an intake air are detected as an engine operating condition. A standard volume for injecting fuel oil is calculated on the basis of at least the engine speed and the opening of the accelerator. A target injection timing of fuel is set on the basis of the engine speed and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An actual fuel injection timing is detected. A standard target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the engine speed, the amount of the intake air and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An amount of adjustment of a target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the standard volume for injecting fuel oil, the target fuel injection timing and the actual fuel injection timing. A final target EGR rate is set on the basis of the standard target EGR rate and the amount of adjustment. An EGR is controlled on the basis of the final target EGR rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Hiroyuki Aizawa
  • Patent number: 5918582
    Abstract: An integrated internal combustion engine control system in combination with an automotive emission control system, comprises an exhaust-gas recirculation valve (EGR valve) employed in an EGR system. A target EGR amount is calculated as a function of an intake-air flow rate measured by an air-flow meter and a target EGR rate based on engine operating conditions such as engine speed and engine load. The opening of the EGR valve is adjusted by a command from a control unit so that the target EGR amount is attained. The target EGR rate is preferably calculated depending on an intake pressure as well as the engine speed and the engine load. In combination with the above-mentioned EGR control, a throttle valve disposed in the induction system is effectively controlled in response to an actual valve lift of the EGR valve and a differential pressure between an exhaust pressure and the intake pressure. A fuel-injection amount is accurately controlled in consideration of a variation of an excess-air factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Kaname Naganuma
  • Patent number: 5529043
    Abstract: This invention relates to a signal processor for processing a signal and outputting a processed value. The processor comprises a mechanism for determining whether or not the signal exceeds a preset value, a mechanism for outputting the signal as the processed value when the signal does not exceed the preset value, and a mechanism for outputting the preset value as the processed value when the signal exceeds the preset value. This invention further provides a mechanism for computing a difference between the signal and the preset value when the signal exceeds the preset value, a memory for storing this difference as a postponed correction amount, and a mechanism for adding the postponed correction amount to said signal when the signal no longer exceeds the preset value. In this way, by compensating at a later time for errors arising from modifications made when the signal exceeded said preset value, the precision of operations and controls based on the processed value is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1996
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hatsuo Nagaishi, Kenji Ohta, Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 5282450
    Abstract: An engine wherein a target air-fuel ratio is changed over according to the running conditions is provided with a device for computing a target throttle opening area based on the accelerator operation and a selected air-fuel ratio. It also includes a device for correcting the throttle opening such that the throttle opening area is equal to a target throttle opening area, a device for computing a fuel amount to be provided to the engine based on the target air-fuel ratio, intake air volume and engine speed, and a device for regulating the fuel supply to the computed amount. In this way, the throttle valve opening is corrected when the air-fuel ratio is changed, fluctuations in the torque generated by the engine are smoothed out, and torque shock due to the air-fuel ratio change-over is thereby prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1994
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Uchida, Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 5168851
    Abstract: A power controller is provided for a variable cam engine wherein an economy cam and power cam are changed over according to the running condition of the engine. To control engine power, the engine is provided with a throttle valve whose opening basically corresponds to the accelerator depression, but which can be varied freely independently of same. When a change-over is made between cams, the throttle valve is controlled to a target throttle opening such that the torque generated before and after the change-over is the same. At the same time, to prevent the occurrence of a torque shock when the economy cam is changed over to a power cam, the throttle valve is throttled to the target opening before the change-over is acutally made and the ignition timing is retarded taking account of the change-over period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Hiroshi Komatsu
  • Patent number: 5152267
    Abstract: A variable cam engine with a valve driven by cams which rotate in synchronism with the engine revolution comprises a power cam which provide large torque, an economy cam which provides good fuel cost performance, a setting device to set a cam change-over region according to an engine running condition, and a cam change-over mechanism which changes over from one cam to another at the set change-over regions and transmits the motion of the cam selected by the change-over to the valve. It further comprises a device to correct the throttle opening such that the torque generated before and after making a cam change-over is the same. It may further comprise a device to retard the engine ignition period at the same time as the throttle opening is corrected when the cam change-over is made. This arrangement prevents the occurrence of a torque step when a change-over is made from the power cam to the economy cam and vice versa, and prevents shock or impairment of exhaust gas composition due to the cam change-over.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Komatsu, Makoto Nakamura, Kunifumi Sawamoto, Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 5115779
    Abstract: An engine knocking detecting system is disclosed, which comprises an engine vibration sensing device which produces a signal which represents a vibration of an engine; an engine speed sensing device which produces a signal which represents the speed of the engine; parallelly arranged band-pass filters to which the vibration representative signal from the engine vibration sensing device is fed simultaneously, the band-pass filters having respective pass-bands which are not overlapped; and a knocking judging device for judging whether the engine is under knocking or not by analyzing the output signals issued from the band-pass filters and the engine speed representative signal from the engine speed sensing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Itoyama