Patents by Inventor Isao NAMIKAWA

Isao NAMIKAWA 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: 12103617
    Abstract: A vehicle control system controls a steer-by-wire type vehicle. The vehicle control system executes: reaction force control that applies a steering reaction force to a steering wheel; and driving assist control that assists driving of the vehicle. The reaction force control includes road information transmission control that applies a steering reaction force component corresponding to an oscillation caused by road surface unevenness to the steering wheel. The vehicle control system deactivates the road information transmission control when a deactivation condition is satisfied. The deactivation condition is that the driving assist control is in operation and a steering parameter reflecting a driver's steering intention is less than a threshold. As another example, the deactivation condition is that the driving assist control that vibrates the steering wheel for notifying the driver of a possibility of a lane departure is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Akatsuka, Yoshio Kudo, Isao Namikawa, Takashi Kodera, Koji Anraku, Junya Miyake
  • Publication number: 20240308574
    Abstract: In a motor control device for a steer-by-wire steering device, the motor control device having a redundant system consisting of two systems, a first turning current command value is calculated in a first system, and a second turning current command value is calculated in a second system. A third processor outputs the first turning current command value when the two current command values are not divergent and outputs the second turning current command value when the two current command values are divergent. When a determination of a rapid steering operation is made, the third processor outputs the first turning current command value regardless of whether or not the two current command values are divergent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Shibata, Koichi Nishimura, Takahito Ishino, Ryo Yamazaki, Hiroyasu Inoue, Isao Namikawa, Nobuyori Nakajima, Hiroki Tomizawa, Takuya Maegawa
  • Patent number: 12054192
    Abstract: An abnormality detection device includes a processing circuit configured to perform an abnormality detecting process. The abnormality detecting process includes a first state quantity acquiring process, a second state quantity acquiring process, a difference calculating process of calculating a difference between a first state quantity and a second state quantity, and a determination process of comparing an absolute value of the difference with a difference threshold value. The abnormality detecting process is a process of detecting an abnormality of a turning unit when the absolute value of the difference is greater than the difference threshold value, and the processing circuit is configured not to perform the determination process when an absolute value of an actual current value is greater than a current threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Anraku, Isao Namikawa, Takuji Yoshida
  • Patent number: 12037055
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to calculate a target rotation angle of a shaft rotating with a turning operation of turning wheels based on a steering angle of a steering wheel acquired from a rotation angle of a reaction motor, to calculate a command value based on the target rotation angle and a steering torque acquired from a torsion angle of a torsion bar twisting with an operation of the steering wheel, and to compensate for the torsion angle by adding the torsion angle as a compensation value to the steering angle. The electronic control unit is configured to change a value of the torsion angle that is added to the steering angle according to a degree of change of a state variable used to calculate the command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroto Suzuki, Isao Namikawa, Yoshio Kudo, Yuki Suehiro, Kosuke Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 12024174
    Abstract: A control device includes control circuits of a plurality of systems. When a transition condition is established, the control circuits of the systems make transition of a driving mode from a first driving mode to a second driving mode, and when a return condition is established in a state in which the driving mode has transitioned to the second driving mode, the control circuits of the systems make transition of the driving mode from the second driving mode to the first driving mode while gradually changing the current command values of the control circuits' own systems toward the current command values before the adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma Hasegawa, Yuji Fujita, Takashi Kodera, Isao Namikawa, Atsushi Ishihara, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenji Shibata, Yuko Goto, Hiroki Tomizawa, Nobuyori Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20240149940
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a processor configured to execute a reaction force control process. The reaction force control process includes a reaction force torque calculation process of calculating a reaction force torque operation amount. The reaction force torque calculation process includes a deviation compensation calculation process of calculating a deviation-compensating component. The deviation compensation calculation process includes a process of calculating a positional deviation, a process of calculating the deviation-compensating component based on the positional deviation, and a process of switching among a plurality of calculation states for calculating the deviation-compensating component. The process of switching among the calculation states is a process of permitting switching among the calculation states on the condition that a permission condition is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi MATSUDA, Isao NAMIKAWA, Koji ANRAKU, Tomoyuki IIDA, Kenji SHIBATA
  • Publication number: 20240067257
    Abstract: A turning control device includes a first processor, a second processor, a third processor, and a fourth processor. The first processor calculates a torque command value based on a difference between a target pinion angle and a pinion angle. The second processor calculates a compensation value compensating resistance of a turning mechanism based on a difference between a target pinion angular velocity and a pinion angular velocity. The third processor limits a variation range of the torque command value based on a limit value of the torque command value and limits a variation range of the compensation value based on a limit value of the compensation value. The fourth processor calculates a turning torque command value by subtracting the compensation value from the torque command value. The third processor changes the limit values based on a traveling state of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya MIYAKE, Isao NAMIKAWA, Shunsuke YOSHIDA, Yoshio KUDO, Hidetsugu TOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11897552
    Abstract: The steering control system of a steer-by-wire vehicle includes a turning angle calculation unit for calculating a target turning angle based on a steering angle of a steering wheel, and a reaction torque calculation unit for calculating a target reaction torque based on a state of the vehicle. When an alert request is issued, the reaction torque calculation unit calculates a basic reaction torque based on the steering angle, calculates an alert reaction torque for notifying a vehicle state, and calculates the target reaction torque obtained by summing the basic reaction torque and the alert reaction torque. In a process of calculating the target turning angle from the steering angle, the turning angle calculation unit calculates the target turning angle by excluding a steering angle or a turning angle corresponding to the alert reaction torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya Morino, Yoshio Kudo, Isao Namikawa, Takashi Kodera
  • Patent number: 11891137
    Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering system for a vehicle, including: an operating device including a steering operating member, a counterforce applying mechanism configured to apply, to the steering operating member, an operation counterforce by a counterforce motor, and an operating controller configured to control the operation counterforce; a steering device including a steering actuator configured to steer a wheel by a steering motor and a steering controller configured to control an amount of steering of the wheel by the steering actuator; and a communication line communicably connecting the operating controller and the steering controller, wherein the steering controller is configured to: determine a status code based on a status of the steering device; and transmit the status code to the operating controller via the communication line; and wherein the operating controller is configured to change a magnitude of the operation counterforce in accordance with the status code received by the operating controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Iida, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenji Shibata, Yuji Fujita, Takashi Kodera, Isao Namikawa, Satoshi Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11840296
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control unit configured to control at least an operation of a steering-side motor. The control unit is configured to calculate a target reaction torque; calculate a difference axial force that is used to limit steering for turning the turning wheels in a predetermined direction, the difference axial force being reflected in the target reaction torque; and set a reference angle to one of a steering angle and a turning angle, set a converted angle to an angle obtained by converting another of the steering angle and the turning angle according to a steering angle ratio, and calculate the difference axial force based on a difference between the reference angle and the converted angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Namikawa, Satoshi Matsuda, Tomoyuki Iida, Yoshio Kudo, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenji Shibata
  • Patent number: 11787465
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus is configured to control a steering system having a structure in which a power transmission path between a steering mechanism and a steering operation mechanism including a motor configured to generate a motor torque is separated. The steering control apparatus includes a controller configured to control driving of the motor. The controller detects an abnormality of the steering operation mechanism when a value indicating a variation in the motor torque is a value indicating a state in which a steering operation shaft is presumed to be immovable though the motor torque is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Anraku, Isao Namikawa, Takuji Yoshida, Masahide Nitano
  • Patent number: 11702132
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a torque command value calculating unit configured to calculate a torque command value which is a target value of a motor torque when operation of a motor is controlled such that the motor torque is generated. The torque command value calculating unit includes a first component calculating unit configured to calculate a first component, a second component calculating unit configured to calculate a second component, and a torque component calculating unit configured to calculate a torque component. The first component calculating unit is configured to add a calculational hysteresis component to the first component such that hysteresis characteristics with respect to change of a specific state variable are provided. The torque component calculating unit is configured to perform calculation in a first calculation situation and calculation in a second calculation situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Inden, Isao Namikawa, Yuki Suehiro, Yoshio Kudo
  • Patent number: 11702128
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a mechanism configured to turn turning wheels of a vehicle; a motor configured to generate drive force that is applied to the mechanism; and a controller configured to control the motor in accordance with a steering state. The controller includes a determination circuit configured to determine whether or not one of the turning wheels is in contact with an obstacle based on at least a value of electric current that is supplied to the motor and a vehicle speed. The controller is configured to, when one of the turning wheels is in contact with the obstacle, notify a driver that one of the turning wheels is in contact with the obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Isao Namikawa, Koji Anraku, Yusuke Kakimoto, Yoshio Kudo
  • Patent number: 11661103
    Abstract: A steering control device for a steering system includes an electronic control unit configured to: calculate target torque that is a target value of the motor torque; control operation of the motor; calculate a vehicle speed basic axial force based on a detected vehicle speed; calculate another state quantity basic axial force based on a state quantity other than the detected vehicle speed; calculate a distributed axial force by adding the vehicle speed basic axial force and the other state quantity basic axial force at individually set distribution ratios; calculate the target torque based on the distributed axial force; and reduce the distribution ratio of the vehicle speed basic axial force when the detected vehicle speed is abnormal as compared to when the detected vehicle speed is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kodera, Isao Namikawa, Yusuke Kakimoto, Yoshio Kudo
  • Patent number: 11661107
    Abstract: A steering control device includes control circuitry configured to perform synchronization control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Uchino, Yusuke Kakimoto, Koji Anraku, Isao Namikawa, Kenji Shibata, Takafumi Sato
  • Publication number: 20230125769
    Abstract: A control device includes control circuits of a plurality of systems. When a transition condition is established, the control circuits of the systems make transition of a driving mode from a first driving mode to a second driving mode, and when a return condition is established in a state in which the driving mode has transitioned to the second driving mode, the control circuits of the systems make transition of the driving mode from the second driving mode to the first driving mode while gradually changing the current command values of the control circuits’ own systems toward the current command values before the adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma HASEGAWA, Yuji FUJITA, Takashi KODERA, Isao NAMIKAWA, Atsushi ISHIHARA, Masaharu YAMASHITA, Kenji SHIBATA, Yuko GOTO, Hiroki TOMIZAWA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 11608110
    Abstract: A steering system to steer wheels by a movement of a steering shaft, including: the steering shaft; an electric motor; a converter configured to convert a rotational motion of the motor into the movement of the steering shaft; a motor rotation angle obtainer configured to obtain a motor rotation angle from a zero point position; a movement-amount-related-amount obtainer configured to obtain a movement-amount-related amount that is a movement amount of the steering shaft from a neutral position or a physical amount in a one-to-one correspondence with the movement amount; and a controller including a malfunction detector configured to detect a presence or absence of a malfunction of the converter in a mode that differs depending on a temperature state of the steering system, based on the motor rotation angle from the zero point position obtained by the motor rotation angle obtainer and the movement-amount-related amount obtained by the movement-amount-related-amount obtainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Yoshida, Masahide Nitano, Isao Namikawa, Koji Anraku
  • Publication number: 20230033288
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a base axial force calculator, a limiting axial force calculator, and a final axial force calculator. The limiting axial force calculator includes a steering angle holder, a reference angle calculator, a final difference calculator, and an axial force calculator. The steering angle holder is configured to hold a steering angle at the time of limiting a turning operation of the turning wheels when the turning operation is limited. The reference angle calculator is configured to calculate a reference angle. The final difference calculator is configured to calculate a final difference which is a final difference between the reference angle and the current steering angle. The axial force calculator is configured to calculate a limiting axial force based on a value of the final difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi MATSUDA, Isao NAMIKAWA, Koji ANRAKU, Tomoyuki IIDA, Masaharu YAMASHITA, Kenji SHIBATA
  • Publication number: 20230011119
    Abstract: A steering control device controls, as a target, a steering device including a steering actuator and a turning actuator that has a structure with a power transmission path cut off from the steering actuator, and can reflect a state of an automated driving command. A control unit is configured to execute: turning-side synchronization control when the absolute value of a deviation amount is a value within a first range; steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation mount is a value within a second range that is a larger value than a value within the first range; and at least one of the turning-side synchronization control and the steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation amount is a value within a third range that is a value between a value within the first range and a value within the second range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki UCHINO, Isao NAMIKAWA, Takashi KODERA, Kenji SHIBATA, Takafumi SATO
  • Publication number: 20220388569
    Abstract: A steering control device controls, as a target, a steering device including a steering actuator and a turning actuator that has a structure with a power transmission path cut off from the steering actuator. The steering control device includes a control unit. The control unit is configured to execute; turning-side synchronization control when the absolute value of a deviation amount is a value within a first range; steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation mount is a value within a second range that is a larger value than a value within the first range; and at least one of the turning-side synchronization control and the steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation amount is a value within a third range that is a value between a value within the first range and a value within the second range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki UCHINO, Isao NAMIKAWA, Kenji SHIBATA, Takafumi SATO