Patents by Inventor HISAO HIRAGI

HISAO HIRAGI 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: 11962183
    Abstract: A backup power system according to the present disclosure includes a battery, a charging circuit, power storage, a first load, a second load, and a controller that controls the charging circuit. The controller causes an input current at the charging circuit to increase at a first rate of change in response to a start signal. When the controller detects an increase in a charging voltage at the power storage up to a first voltage at which driving of the first load is possible, the controller controls the charging circuit to cause the input current at the charging circuit to increase at a second rate of change lower than the first rate of change. The charging circuit is controlled by the controller to cause the input current to increase at the second rate of change, and the charging voltage at the power storage increases up to a second voltage at which driving of both the first load and the second load is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Takenaka, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Youichi Kageyama, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu, Hiroki Nishinaka, Shinichi Tanida
  • Patent number: 11658558
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a switch element connected to an input end, a coupling capacitor connected to the switch element at a first node, a first inductor connected to the coupling capacitor at a second node and connected to an output end at a third node, a control circuit that controls the switch element, a second inductor connected to the first node and a ground, a first diode connected to the second node and the ground, a smoothing capacitor connected to the third node and the ground, a comparator, a second diode connected to the second node and the comparator to supply a power voltage powering the comparator, and an output capacitor connected to the second diode and the ground. The comparator compares a voltage at the output end with a reference voltage so as to output a comparison result to the control circuit. This DC-DC converter operates stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Takenaka, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Youichi Kageyama, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu, Hiroki Nishinaka
  • Publication number: 20220224148
    Abstract: A backup power system according to the present disclosure includes a battery, a charging circuit, power storage, a first load, a second load, and a controller that controls the charging circuit. The controller causes an input current at the charging circuit to increase at a first rate of change in response to a start signal. When the controller detects an increase in a charging voltage at the power storage up to a first voltage at which driving of the first load is possible, the controller controls the charging circuit to cause the input current at the charging circuit to increase at a second rate of change lower than the first rate of change. The charging circuit is controlled by the controller to cause the input current to increase at the second rate of change, and the charging voltage at the power storage increases up to a second voltage at which driving of both the first load and the second load is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: KAZUO TAKENAKA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU, HIROKI NISHINAKA, SHINICHI TANIDA
  • Publication number: 20220166074
    Abstract: A power storage system includes a storage unit, a charging circuit configured to supply a charging current to the storage unit, and a controller connected to the storage unit. The storage unit includes plural capacitor elements connected in series to one another each having both ends, plural resistors connected to the capacitor elements, and plural switch elements connected to the capacitor elements and the resistors. One of both ends of each capacitor element of the plural capacitor elements is connected to one end of a corresponding resistor of the plural resistors. Another of the both ends of the each capacitor element is connected to one end of a corresponding switch element of the plural switch elements. Another end of the corresponding resistor is connected to another end of the corresponding switch element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, KAZUO TAKENAKA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU, HIROKI NISHINAKA, TSUKASA ONODERA
  • Patent number: 11192464
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted power source device includes: a power storage unit; a charging unit; a discharging unit; and a control unit which controls operations of the charging unit and the discharging unit in accordance with an activation signal. When the control unit receives the activation signal, the terminal voltage of the power storage unit becomes the first voltage through a charging operation of the charging unit, and when the control unit finishes receiving the activation signal, the discharging unit starts a discharging operation, and the terminal voltage of the power storage unit is reduced to a second voltage lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Hiroki Nishinaka, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Kazuo Takenaka, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu
  • Publication number: 20210351692
    Abstract: ADC-DC converter includes a switch element connected to an input end, a coupling capacitor connected to the switch element at a first node, a first inductor connected to the coupling capacitor at a second node and connected to an output end at a third node, a control circuit configured to control the switch element, a second inductor connected to the first node and a ground, a first diode connected to the second node and the ground, a smoothing capacitor connected to the third node and the ground, a comparator, a second diode connected to the second node and the comparator to supply a power voltage powering the comparator, and an output capacitor connected to the second diode and the ground. The comparator is configured to compare a voltage at the output end with a reference voltage so as to output a comparison result to the control circuit. This DC-DC converter operates stably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: KAZUO TAKENAKA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU, HIROKI NISHINAKA
  • Patent number: 11084439
    Abstract: When the output voltage of a vehicle battery is lower than a lower limit value of an activation voltage, a power storage is charged with electric power supplied from the outside to a contactless power receiver, and thus the electric power stored in the power storage is supplied to a controller via a discharger to enable the controller to be activated. After the controller is activated, the controller causes a battery relay to be connected using the electric power supplied from the power storage via the discharger. Electric power is supplied from a high voltage battery to the vehicle battery to enable the vehicle battery to output a voltage higher than or equal to the lower limit value and enable a plurality of relays to be connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Kazuo Takenaka, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu, Hiroki Nishinaka
  • Patent number: 11059371
    Abstract: An on-vehicle power supply device according to the present disclosure includes an electricity storage, a charge circuit, a discharge circuit, an input unit, an output unit and a controller. When the controller decides that an emergency operation condition is satisfied, the controllers causes the charge circuit to stop charging power to the electricity storage, then sets an output instruction voltage that is a target voltage value of an output of the discharge circuit to a first voltage value, the controller further causes the discharge circuit to discharge the power charged in the electricity storage, and, when the power output from the discharge circuit becomes higher than a power threshold, the controller lowers an output instruction voltage from a first voltage value to a second voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Katsunori Atago, Kazuo Takenaka, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu, Takashi Higashide
  • Patent number: 11059439
    Abstract: An in-vehicle power supply device according to the present disclosure includes an input terminal, a charge-discharge circuit connected to the input terminal, a first output terminal connected to the charge-discharge circuit via a first switch unit and a first cut-off unit, a second output terminal connected to the charge-discharge circuit via a second switch unit and a second cut-off unit, and a controller connected to the input terminal, the first output terminal, and the second output terminal. The controller controls the charge-discharge circuit, the first switch unit, the first cut-off unit, the second switch unit, and the second cut-off unit. When the controller detects that a voltage of the first output terminal becomes lower than the first load threshold voltage, the first cut-off unit changes from a connected state to a cut-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Kazuo Takenaka, Yugo Setsu, Hisao Hiragi, Katsunori Atago, Takashi Higashide
  • Patent number: 11053714
    Abstract: A door latch power supply device includes an electricity storage unit, a charger, a discharger, a contactless power receiver, an input port configured to be connected to an external power supply, an output port configured to be connected to an actuator, and an operation signal receiver configured to receive an operation signal sent in response to an operation for opening a door. While an input voltage input to the input port is higher than or equal to a first input threshold, the charger operates using power supplied from the external power supply so as to cause a storage voltage of the electricity storage unit to become a first storage voltage value, and the discharger outputs power in the electricity storage unit to the output port to place the actuator in the unlatched state in response to the operation signal received by the operation signal receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Kazuo Takenaka, Hisao Hiragi, Yugo Setsu
  • Patent number: 11046264
    Abstract: An in-vehicle emergency power supply device includes a power storage unit including an electric double-layer capacitor, a charging circuit charging the power storage unit, a discharging circuit discharging the power storage unit, and a controller controlling the charging circuit and the discharging circuit. When the charging circuit charges the power storage unit, the controller determines a set full charging voltage of the power storage unit, determines a correction charging voltage lower than the set full charging voltage based on the set full charging voltage, and controls the charging circuit to charge the power storage unit until a stored voltage reaches the correction charging voltage. This in-vehicle emergency power supply device stabilizes an output voltage thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Hisao Hiragi, Kazuo Takenaka, Yugo Setsu
  • Publication number: 20200369228
    Abstract: When the output voltage of a vehicle battery is lower than a lower limit value of an activation voltage, a power storage is charged with electric power supplied from the outside to a contactless power receiver, and thus the electric power stored in the power storage is supplied to a controller via a discharger to enable the controller to be activated. After the controller is activated, the controller causes a battery relay to be connected using the electric power supplied from the power storage via the discharger. Electric power is supplied from a high voltage battery to the vehicle battery to enable the vehicle battery to output a voltage higher than or equal to the lower limit value and enable a plurality of relays to be connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, KAZUO TAKENAKA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU, HIROKI NISHINAKA
  • Publication number: 20200331356
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted power source device includes: a power storage unit; a charging unit; a discharging unit; and a control unit which controls operations of the charging unit and the discharging unit in accordance with an activation signal. When the control unit receives the activation signal, the terminal voltage of the power storage unit becomes the first voltage through a charging operation of the charging unit, and when the control unit finishes receiving the activation signal, the discharging unit starts a discharging operation, and the terminal voltage of the power storage unit is reduced to a second voltage lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, HIROKI NISHINAKA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, KAZUO TAKENAKA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU
  • Patent number: 10780851
    Abstract: A power source device of present disclosure includes: a first power storage element; a second power storage element that is connected in parallel to the first power storage element and that has a lower internal resistance than an internal resistance of the first power storage element and a lower storage capacity than a storage capacity of the first power storage element; an opening and closing part that is connected between the first power storage element and the second power storage element and that switches between a disconnection state and a connection state; a charge circuit that is connected to an input route of the first power storage element and that performs a step-down operation; a discharge circuit that is connected to an output route of the second power storage element and that performs a step-up operation; and a controller that controls operations of the opening and closing part, the charge circuit, and the discharge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Youichi Kageyama, Takashi Higashide, Katsunori Atago, Yugo Setsu, Hisao Hiragi
  • Publication number: 20200263460
    Abstract: A door latch power supply device includes an electricity storage unit, a charger, a discharger, a contactless power receiver, an input port configured to be connected to an external power supply, an output port configured to be connected to an actuator, and an operation signal receiver configured to receive an operation signal sent in response to an operation for opening a door. While an input voltage input to the input port is higher than or equal to a first input threshold, the charger operates using power supplied from the external power supply so as to cause a storage voltage of the electricity storage unit to become a first storage voltage value, and the discharger outputs power in the electricity storage unit to the output port to place the actuator in the unlatched state in response to the operation signal received by the operation signal receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, KAZUO TAKENAKA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU
  • Publication number: 20200086814
    Abstract: An in-vehicle power supply device according to the present disclosure includes an input terminal, a charge-discharge circuit connected to the input terminal, a first output terminal connected to the charge-discharge circuit via a first switch unit and a first cut-off unit, a second output terminal connected to the charge-discharge circuit via a second switch unit and a second cut-off unit, and a controller connected to the input terminal, the first output terminal, and the second output terminal. The controller controls the charge-discharge circuit, the first switch unit, the first cut-off unit, the second switch unit, and the second cut-off unit. When the controller detects that a voltage of the first output terminal becomes lower than the first load threshold voltage, the first cut-off unit changes from a connected state to a cut-off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, KAZUO TAKENAKA, YUGO SETSU, HISAO HIRAGI, KATSUNORI ATAGO, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE
  • Publication number: 20200055472
    Abstract: An in-vehicle emergency power supply device includes a power storage unit including an electric double-layer capacitor, a charging circuit charging the power storage unit, a discharging circuit discharging the power storage unit, and a controller controlling the charging circuit and the discharging circuit. When the charging circuit charges the power storage unit, the controller determines a set full charging voltage of the power storage unit, determines a correction charging voltage lower than the set full charging voltage based on the set full charging voltage, and controls the charging circuit to charge the power storage unit until a stored voltage reaches the correction charging voltage. This in-vehicle emergency power supply device stabilizes an output voltage thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, HISAO HIRAGI, KAZUO TAKENAKA, YUGO SETSU
  • Publication number: 20200016981
    Abstract: An on-vehicle power supply device according to the present disclosure includes an electricity storage, a charge circuit, a discharge circuit, an input unit, an output unit and a controller. When the controller decides that an emergency operation condition is satisfied, the controllers causes the charge circuit to stop charging power to the electricity storage, then sets an output instruction voltage that is a target voltage value of an output of the discharge circuit to a first voltage value, the controller further causes the discharge circuit to discharge the power charged in the electricity storage, and, when the power output from the discharge circuit becomes higher than a power threshold, the controller lowers an output instruction voltage from a first voltage value to a second voltage value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, KATSUNORI ATAGO, KAZUO TAKENAKA, HISAO HIRAGI, YUGO SETSU, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE
  • Patent number: 10480222
    Abstract: A door latching device includes a latch motor connection switch, a converter line which includes a converter power supply, a latch motor and a latch. The latch motor connection switch has an input side connected with the converter line, and an output side connected with the latch motor. The latch is caused to perform an opening operation when the latch motor is driven. Based on an instruction for causing the latch to perform the opening operation, the latch motor connection switch is closed, and the converter power supply is activated to step up an input voltage to the converter power supply and output the input voltage to the latch motor connection switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Funahashi, Hisao Hiragi
  • Publication number: 20190184921
    Abstract: A power source device of present disclosure includes: a first power storage element; a second power storage element that is connected in parallel to the first power storage element and that has a lower internal resistance than an internal resistance of the first power storage element and a lower storage capacity than a storage capacity of the first power storage element; an opening and closing part that is connected between the first power storage element and the second power storage element and that switches between a disconnection state and a connection state; a charge circuit that is connected to an input route of the first power storage element and that performs a step-down operation; a discharge circuit that is connected to an output route of the second power storage element and that performs a step-up operation; and a controller that controls operations of the opening and closing part, the charge circuit, and the discharge circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: YOUICHI KAGEYAMA, TAKASHI HIGASHIDE, KATSUNORI ATAGO, YUGO SETSU, HISAO HIRAGI