Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Kodama

Hiroyuki Kodama 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: 8239097
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus for a vehicle having a power source for generating power, and drive shafts for transferring the power to driving wheels of the vehicle, and a traction control device for controlling braking torque applied to the wheels. The apparatus comprises a detection device for detecting the braking torque applied to the wheels, a calculation device for calculating a driving force difference between the wheels, on the basis of the detected braking torque, a power source state detection device for detecting an actuating state of the power source, and a control device for controlling steering torque created by the steering wheel, and applying torque steer reducing torque to the steering wheel. A desired value of the torque steer reducing torque is determined, based on the driving force difference and the actuating state of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Hiroyuki Kodama, Kenji Asano, Toshihisa Kato
  • Patent number: 8214124
    Abstract: In a cruise control system for a vehicle, a cruise ECU calculates a cornering resistance applied to the vehicle based upon a steering angle, when a vehicle turns. The cruise ECU calculates a speed reduction amount as a correction vehicle speed based upon the cornering resistance. The cruise ECU subtracts the correction vehicle speed from a set vehicle speed to set a target vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed becomes lower as the cornering resistance is larger. The cruise ECU controls the vehicle speed to be within a permissible speed range of the target vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kumabe, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Shotaro Fukuda, Masayoshi Takeda, Hiroyuki Kodama
  • Publication number: 20120162610
    Abstract: An illumination optical system includes a first compression system configured to compress a light flux on each of first and second sections, a second compression system configured to compress the light flux on the first section, a polarization converter arranged so that a section that contains a normal of the second polarization splitting surface and the optical axis becomes the second section, and configured to convert non-polarized light into linearly polarized light, a first lens array arranged in front of the polarization converter along an optical path, and a second lens array arranged between the first lens array and the polarization converter along the optical path. Both of the first lens array and the second lens array have no optical power on the second section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuuki Maeda, Takashi Sudo, Hiroyuki Kodama, Yu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8204666
    Abstract: Factor information is acquired that indicates at least one factor that imposes a psychological effect on a driver of a host vehicle when the host vehicle is traveling on a road with a descending slope ahead of the host vehicle. An overall psychological effect that is imposed on the driver when the host vehicle is traveling on the road with the descending slope is acquired based on the factor information. The vehicle speed is controlled in a vehicle speed control section in accordance with the overall psychological effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Takeuchi, Takayuki Miyajima, Fumiharu Ogawa, Hideaki Koto, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masaki Maruyama
  • Patent number: 8195371
    Abstract: A motion control device for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed obtaining means for obtaining a speed of the vehicle, a curve shape obtaining means for obtaining a shape of a curve existing ahead of the vehicle on a road on which the vehicle is traveling, a position obtaining means for obtaining a relative position of the vehicle to the curve, a determining means for determining an appropriate vehicle speed for the vehicle to travel through the curve based on the shape of the curve obtained by the curve shape obtaining means, and a speed reduction controlling means for performing a speed reduction control on the vehicle based on the appropriate vehicle speed determined by the determining means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd, Aisin AW Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Keita Nakano, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masaki Maruyama, Takayuki Miyajima, Yoshito Kondo, Atsushi Takeuchi, Motoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8155854
    Abstract: A vehicle automatic operation control device includes a target required torque calculating part (31) which determines the target required torque from the respective calculated values of a feed-forward calculated value and a feedback calculated value, and an automatic operation control part D which causes the vehicle to operate automatically on the basis of the determined target required torque, and which performs slip suppression control that suppresses slip of the wheels when any of the wheels of the vehicle slip. In cases where slip suppression control is performed by the automatic operation control part (D), the target required torque calculating part (31) holds the feedback calculated value based on the deviation between the target acceleration and actual acceleration, and determines the target required torque from the respective calculated values of the held feedback calculated value and feed-forward calculated value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Osaki, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Syotarou Fukuda, Hajime Kumabe, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa
  • Patent number: 8150594
    Abstract: A target vehicle speed at a predetermined position ahead of a host vehicle is obtained, and a plurality of deceleration patterns with different deceleration schemes is obtained for decelerating the host vehicle to the target vehicle speed. Based on a driving operation for controlling speed of the host vehicle, a deceleration pattern is selected from the plurality of deceleration patterns. Using the selected deceleration pattern as a reference, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is reduced to the target vehicle speed before the host vehicle reaches the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Miyajima, Fumiharu Ogawa, Atsushi Takeuchi, Masaki Maruyama, Hiroyuki Kodama, Hideaki Koto
  • Publication number: 20120061122
    Abstract: A conductor for electric wire that has excellent strength and excellent weldability, and an electric wire for automobile including the conductor. The conductor for electric wire contains a copper alloy having an oxygen content of 50 mass parts per million or less, the copper alloy containing 0.1 to 0.6 mass % Mg, and a balance of copper and an unavoidable impurity. It is preferable that the copper alloy further contains one or a plurality of material elements selected from the group consisting of Ag, In, Sr and Ca, the selected one or plurality of material elements being 0.0005 to 0.3 mass % in total. It is preferable that the copper alloy further contains 0.2 to 0.75 mass % Sn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kodama, Yasuyuki Otsuka, Misato Kusakari, Taichirou Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8035758
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a polarization conversion element which converts second color light of unpolarized light emitted from a light source into a first linear polarized light, and a light path separation element which separates the second color light emitted from the first and third color light; and performs image display by illuminating a first, a second and a third liquid crystal display elements with the first, second and third color light that pass through the light path separation element, wherein the light path separation element leads a first linear polarized light component of the second color light to the second liquid crystal display element, and wherein the light path separation element leads a second linear polarized light component whose direction of polarization is orthogonal to the first linear polarized light component of the second color light, in a direction different from any of the liquid crystal display elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kodama
  • Patent number: 8019520
    Abstract: A vehicle drive control device includes an initially determined request acceleration calculation means for calculating an initially determined request acceleration, an automatic drive control means for receiving the initially determined request acceleration and applying a predetermined torque to each wheel, a torque calculation means for calculating an allowable torque not causing a slip at each wheel when the allowable torque is applied thereto, on the basis of a vertical load applied to thereto and a friction coefficient of a road surface, a limit acceleration calculation means for calculating a limit acceleration acting on the vehicle in a case where the calculated allowable torque is applied to each wheel, and a request acceleration determination means for obtaining a request acceleration on the basis of the limit acceleration and the initially determined request acceleration, and for outputting the request acceleration, replacing the initially determined request acceleration, to the automatic drive contr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Osaki, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Yasuhiro Nakai, Hajime Kumabe, Shotaro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20110178689
    Abstract: After a vehicle has entered a curve, a deviation (Sch) between a target turning state quantity Td and an actual turning state quantity Ta is computed. In a stage in which Sch does not reach a predetermined value after the vehicle has entered the curve, the possibility of the vehicle traveling in the curve is judged to be low, and the reliability of the curve information Rc, Pc is judged to be low. In this case, a determination for prohibiting execution of control (So=0) is made. In a stage after Sch has reached the predetermined value, the possibility of the vehicle traveling in the curve is judged to be high, and the reliability of the curve information Rc, Pc is judged to be high. In this case, a determination for permitting execution of the control (So=1) is made. Deceleration control is started and executed only when a control start condition is satisfied, and the determination for permission is made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicants: ADVICS CO., LTD., AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Motoshi Suzuki, Hideaki Koto, Kazutake Noro, Hiroyuki Kodama, Manabu Tanaka, Yakayuki Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7980701
    Abstract: A color combining optical system includes a first polarization splitting surface for light in a first wavelength range, and a second polarization splitting surface for light in a second and third wavelength range. The first polarization splitting surface guides illumination light in the first wavelength range to a first liquid crystal display (LCD) element and guides image light reflected from the first LCD element to a direction different from the illumination light. The second polarization splitting surface separates illumination light in the second and third wavelength range from each other, guides them to a second and third LCD element, respectively, and combines image light reflected from the second LCD element with image light reflected from the LCD element to guide combined light to the first polarization splitting surface which combines the image light reflected from the first LCD element with the combined light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kodama, Yu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7970513
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus is provided for a vehicle having a steering wheel for steering its steered wheels, a power source for generating power, and drive shafts for transferring the power to the wheels, to be served as driving wheels of the vehicle, and a traction control device for controlling braking torque applied to the wheels. The apparatus comprises a detection device for detecting the braking torque applied to the wheels, a calculation device for calculating a driving force difference between the wheels, on the basis of the detected braking torque, a power source state detection device for detecting an actuating state of the power source, and a control device provided for controlling steering torque created by the steering wheel, and applying torque steer reducing torque to the steering wheel. A desired value of the torque steer reducing torque is determined, on the basis of the driving force difference and the actuating state of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Hiroyuki Kodama, Kenji Asano, Toshihisa Kato
  • Publication number: 20110149250
    Abstract: An illumination optical system includes first and second lamp units, a light combining portion that combines a light beam from the first lamp unit and a light beam from the second lamp unit, at least one light returning portion disposed between the first lamp unit and the light combining portion, or between the second lamp unit and the light combining portion, or both, the or each of the at least one light returning portion dividing a part of light emitted from the corresponding lamp unit into a light beam to be returned to the lamp and a light beam to be led to the light combining portion, and a condenser lens that condenses light from the light combining portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Sudo, Hiroyuki Kodama
  • Patent number: 7935920
    Abstract: An optical system for image projection is disclosed which is easy to be manufactured and designed and capable of projecting a bright image with high contrast. The optical system includes an illumination optical system introducing a luminous flux emitted from a light source to an image-forming element through an optical surface having a light-splitting function, and a projection optical system projecting the luminous flux from the image-forming element through the optical surface onto a projection surface. The illumination optical system includes a conversion system which respectively converts the widths of the luminous flux in first and second cross-sections into widths different from those before entering thereinto. Conversion rates in the first and second cross-sections are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Yamauchi, Atsushi Okuyama, Hiroyuki Kodama, Takashi Sudo
  • Publication number: 20110043767
    Abstract: An illumination optical system and a projection display apparatus include a beam combining portion and a condensing lens condensing a beam from the beam combining portion. The beam combining portion combines beams from first and second lamp units each including a lamp and a concave mirror, the lamp having a cathode and an anode arranged along an optical axis of the concave mirror. The beam combining portion includes a first reflective section disposed on an optical axis of the first lamp unit and off the optical axis of the second lamp unit and a second reflective section disposed off the optical axis of the first lamp unit. The first and second reflective sections reflect a beam that is emitted from the second lamp unit and that is off an optical axis thereof to combine the beams from the first and second lamp units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kodama, Takashi Sudo, Yuuki Maeda
  • Publication number: 20100332096
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an acceleration control apparatus, according to which accuracy for feed-forward torque may not be decreased even when a calculating accuracy for an estimated-slope torque would be decreased. Reliability of estimated slope is calculated and feedback torque is corrected, in such a manner that a gain for a feedback control portion is increased when the reliability of the estimated slope becomes lower. It is, therefore, possible to compensate a possible decrease of the accuracy of the feed-forward torque by correcting the feedback torque in accordance with the reliability of the estimated slope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicants: ADVICS CO., LTD., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi HANZAWA, Masayoshi TAKEDA, Hiroyuki KODAMA, Hajime KUMABE
  • Patent number: 7765085
    Abstract: An estimated gradient value of a road is calculated based on a vehicle acceleration “A” and a time varying portion “A?” of a wheel speed. In a case that an acceleration corresponding value “Ggrad0” for the estimated gradient value is not regarded as indicating an exact figure, due to influences of disturbances, the acceleration corresponding value “Ggrad0” is corrected by a limiting value for rate-of-change with regard to the road gradient depending on respective vehicle speed, and by a limiting value for the road gradient. As a result, the acceleration corresponding value “Ggrad” for the estimated gradient value can be more exactly obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignees: Advics Co., Ltd., Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Osaki, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Hajime Kumabe, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Syotarou Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20100185375
    Abstract: A reliability for a power-train feed-forward torque may be decreased when a degree of reliability for an estimated braking torque is decreased due to disturbance factors. A power-train feedback torque is corrected based on a degree of reliability for a power-train torque, for which a reliability for a braking condition is taken into account. In a similar manner, a brake feedback torque is corrected based on a degree of reliability for a braking torque, for which a reliability for a power-train condition is taken into account. Accordingly, it is possible to compensate the decrease of reliability for the power-train feed-forward torque or brake feed-forward torque by the correction for the power-train feedback torque or the brake feedback torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicants: ADVICS CO., LTD., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Hanzawa, Masayoshi Takeda, Hiroyuki Kodama, Hajime Kumabe
  • Patent number: 7743874
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus is provided for a vehicle having a steering wheel for steering steered wheels of the vehicle, a power source for generating power, and drive shafts for transferring the power to the steered wheels, to be served as driving wheels of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises an accelerating operation detection device for detecting accelerating operation amount by a vehicle driver, and a steering torque control device for controlling steering torque created by the steering wheel, and applying torque steer reducing torque to the steering wheel. The steering torque control device is adapted to reduce torque steer, which is transiently created on the steering wheel due to characteristics of the drive shafts, when the accelerating operation amount detected by the accelerating operation detection device becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yasui, Hiroyuki Kodama, Kenji Asano, Toshihisa Kato