Patents by Inventor Kanako Shimojo

Kanako Shimojo 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: 7593805
    Abstract: To provide a control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of attaining both the securing of excellent drivability and the reduction of impact occurring when a movable part abuts against a restriction part at the same time. The control system 1 includes a variable valve lift mechanism 50 that changes a valve lift Liftin, and includes a restriction part 67a for having a movable part 65 abut thereagainst for restricting the valve lift Liftin such that it does not exceed a predetermined limit lift Liftin_L, and a variable intake air amount mechanism 11 that changes the intake air amount. The control system calculates a control input ULiftin for control of the variable valve lift mechanism 50, with a predetermined control algorithm including a disturbance suppression parameter POLE_lf (step 54), such that the valve lift Liftin follows up the target valve lift Liftin_cmd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7520255
    Abstract: A control for avoiding interference between a valve and a piston of an engine is provided. The engine has a variable lift mechanism that is capable of changing a lift amount of the valve and a variable phase mechanism that is capable of changing a phase of the valve. A predicted value of the phase is calculated. A first determination of whether or not the predicted value has exceeded a first predetermined value is made. If it is determined that the predicted value has exceeded the first predetermined value, at least one of the lift amount and the phase is changed to avoid the interference between the valve and the piston. By using the predicted value, the interference can be avoided without delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Publication number: 20090070013
    Abstract: To provide a control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of attaining both the securing of excellent drivability and the reduction of impact occurring when a movable part abuts against a restriction part at the same time. The control system 1 includes a variable valve lift mechanism 50 that changes a valve lift Liftin, and includes a restriction part 67a for having a movable part 65 abut thereagainst for restricting the valve lift Liftin such that it does not exceed a predetermined limit lift Liftin_L, and a variable intake air amount mechanism 11 that changes the intake air amount. The control system calculates a control input ULiftin for control of the variable valve lift mechanism 50, with a predetermined control algorithm including a disturbance suppression parameter POLE_lf (step 54), such that the valve lift Liftin follows up the target valve lift Liftin_cmd.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7502681
    Abstract: There is provided a control method for sufficiently compensating the non-linear characteristic for a plant having a strong non-linear characteristic and satisfying the follow-up and stability for a plant having a large control amount fluctuation. There is provided a plant control device using modulation algorithm. The control device includes: means for calculating a temporary control input for controlling the plant output to a target value; means for dividing the temporary control input into a plurality of components; means for modulating at least one of the components; and means for adding the modulated component to another component so as to generate a control input. Thus, it is possible to minimize the input fluctuation caused by modulation while maintaining the compensation ability of the non-linear characteristic such as plant friction and hysteresis attributed to the conventional modulation algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Patent number: 7439700
    Abstract: A control system which is capable of avoiding an overloaded state of an actuator without using sensors or the like. An ECU 2 of the control system 1 calculates a lift control input U_Liftin to a variable valve lift mechanism 50 with an algorithm expressed by equations (2) to (5), such that the valve lift Liftin follows up a target valve lift Liftin_cmd, calculates a cumulative value Simot by cumulative calculation of the product of the value Imot of electric current flowing through the variable valve lift mechanism 50 and a sampling time period Stime, and when SImot?Simot_J1 holds, sets two parameters pole_f_lf and ploe_lf to respective predetermined failure-time parameters pole_f_lf_J1 and ploe_lf_J1 which cause the lift control input U_Liftin to become smaller than when Simot<Simot_J1 holds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7363891
    Abstract: A plant control includes determining a control input into the plant to cause a control output of the plant to converge to a desired value. A value of at least one parameter for adjusting a speed of change of the control output relative to change of the desired value is determined in accordance with a plant condition. The control input is determined based on the parameter having the value thus determined. The parameter includes a first parameter for changing a speed of change of the control input relative to change of the desired value. The parameter can also include a second parameter for changing the relative speed via a corrected desired value that is determined by correcting the desired value. The second parameter can further include a gradient parameter and a gradually-approaching characteristic parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7350433
    Abstract: A transmission control system for maintaining good positioning performance even if a dynamic characteristic of a transmission is out of a predicted range. A sliding mode controller provided in a shift controller has two degrees of freedom and can independently specify a follow-up characteristic of an actual shift arm position to follow a target position in a shifting direction and a disturbance suppressing characteristic respectively. The sliding mode controller determines a control input to be supplied to a shift motor of a shifting device. A sliding mode controller provided in a selection controller has two degrees of freedom and can independently specify a follow-up characteristic of an actual shift arm position to follow a target position in a selecting direction and a disturbance suppressing characteristic, respectively. This sliding mode controller determines a control input to be supplied to a selection motor of a selecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20080059042
    Abstract: There is provided a control method for sufficiently compensating the non-linear characteristic for a plant having a strong non-linear characteristic and satisfying the follow-up and stability for a plant having a large control amount fluctuation. There is provided a plant control device using modulation algorithm. The control device includes: means for calculating a temporary control input for controlling the plant output to a target value; means for dividing the temporary control input into a plurality of components; means for modulating at least one of the components; and means for adding the modulated component to another component so as to generate a control input. Thus, it is possible to minimize the input fluctuation caused by modulation while maintaining the compensation ability of the non-linear characteristic such as plant friction and hysteresis attributed to the conventional modulation algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Patent number: 7340336
    Abstract: A plant control system using response specifying control that makes it possible to independently set a follow-up behavior for an output value of a plant when a target output value of the plant changes and a convergent behavior for a difference between a target output value and an output value when the output value of the plant changes. The control system has a controller for determining a clutch stroke on the basis of a model equation of a clutch device such that a target rotational speed and an actual rotational speed of the clutch device coincide with each other. The controller includes a target value filter for carrying out filtering computation on a target rotational speed to calculate a filtering target value that converges to the target rotational speed with a response delay, and a response specifying control unit that determines the clutch stroke by response specifying control such that the filtering target value and the clutch rotational speed coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20070290648
    Abstract: A control system which is capable of avoiding an overloaded state of an actuator without using sensors or the like. An ECU 2 of the control system 1 calculates a lift control input U_Liftin to a variable valve lift mechanism 50 with an algorithm expressed by equations (2) to (5), such that the valve lift Liftin follows up a target valve lift Liftin_cmd, calculates a cumulative value Simot by cumulative calculation of the product of the value Imot of electric current flowing through the variable valve lift mechanism 50 and a sampling time period Stime, and when SImot?Simot_J1 holds, sets two parameters pole_f_lf and ploe_lf to respective predetermined failure-time parameters pole_f_lf_J1 and ploe_lf_J1 which cause the lift control input U_Liftin to become smaller than when Simot<Simot_J1 holds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7305297
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controller for controlling a modeled plant robustly against disturbance. The controller comprises an estimator and a control unit. The estimator estimates disturbance applied to the plant. The control unit determines an input to the plant so that an output of the plant converges to a desired value. The input to the plant is determined to include a value obtained by multiplying the estimated disturbance by a predetermined gain. Since estimated disturbance is reflected in the input to the plant, control having robustness against disturbance is implemented. The controller may comprise a state predictor. The state predictor predicts the output of the plant based on the estimated disturbance and dead time included in the plant. The control unit determined the input to the plant so that the predicted output converges to a desired value. Since the state predictor allows for the dead time, the accuracy of the control is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eiji Hashimoto, Yshihisa Iwaki
  • Patent number: 7292927
    Abstract: A control system which controls a control amount via a movable mechanism, such that it is possible to reduce impact occurring when a movable part of the movable mechanism is driven to a limit of the movable range, and time required for the driving, in a compatible manner. An ECU 2 of a control system 1 calculates, when Liftin<Liftin_ VPL or Liftin_ VPH <Liftin holds, a switching function-setting parameter POLE_ lf as a value toward a predetermined value POLE_ lf2 which is close to a value of ?1 (step 25), and calculates a lift control input Uliftin for controlling a variable valve lift mechanism 50 by equations (3) to (10) using the calculated value (step 26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Patent number: 7260463
    Abstract: A plant control system provides an enhanced capability of compensation for disturbance that abruptly changes. A controller includes a disturbance predictor for calculating a predicted value of disturbance on the basis of a drag force of a release spring and an assisting force of a compensation spring that are predicted on the basis of a clutch stroke, an adaptive disturbance observer for calculating an estimated value of disturbance on the basis of the estimated value of disturbance, a voltage to be applied to a motor, and the clutch stroke, and a sliding mode controller, which determines the voltage to be applied to the motor by carrying out control for making the clutch stroke follow a clutch stroke target value by determining the voltage to be applied to the motor by sliding mode control on the basis of the clutch stroke, the predicted value of disturbance, and the estimated value of disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Patent number: 7231844
    Abstract: A transmission control system is capable of promptly compensating for a disturbance attributable to a mechanical interference that takes place in a selecting operation so as to quickly complete the selecting operation. An adaptation disturbance observer provided in a selection controller calculates a disturbance component term in a model equation of a selecting mechanism for each control cycle of the selection controller. An equivalent control input calculator of a sliding mode controller uses the disturbance component term calculated by the adaptation disturbance observer to calculate an equivalent control input. An adder adds a reaching law input calculated by a reaching law input calculator and the equivalent control input to calculate a control value of a voltage to be applied to a selection motor of the selecting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20070100535
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controller for controlling a modeled plant robustly against disturbance. The controller comprises an estimator and a control unit. The estimator estimates disturbance applied to the plant. The control unit determines an input to the plant so that an output of the plant converges to a desired value. The input to the plant is determined to include a value obtained by multiplying the estimated disturbance by a predetermined gain. Since estimated disturbance is reflected in the input to the plant, control having robustness against disturbance is implemented. The controller may comprise a state predictor. The state predictor predicts the output of the plant based on the estimated disturbance and dead time included in the plant. The control unit determined the input to the plant so that the predicted output converges to a desired value. Since the state predictor allows for the dead time, the accuracy of the control is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eiji Hashimoto, Yshihisa Iwaki
  • Patent number: 7203586
    Abstract: A controller for a contact mechanism for preventing a lack of a pressing force applied from a contacting member to a contacted member when determining a control input to an actuator moving the contacting member by a position control. The controller sets a target position of the contacting member, grasps an actual position of the contacting member, determines a control input to the actuator (so as to increase an output of the actuator along with an increase in a difference between the target position and the actual position of the contacting member to eliminate the difference), and detects that the contacting member contacts the contacted member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7200484
    Abstract: The present invention provides a controller for controlling a modeled plant robustly against disturbance. The controller comprises an estimator and a control unit. The estimator estimates disturbance applied to the plant. The control unit determines an input to the plant so that an output of the plant converges to a desired value. The input to the plant is determined to include a value obtained by multiplying the estimated disturbance by a predetermined gain. Since estimated disturbance is reflected in the input to the plant, control having robustness against disturbance is implemented. The controller may comprise a state predictor. The state predictor predicts the output of the plant based on the estimated disturbance and dead time included in the plant. The control unit determined the input to the plant so that the predicted output converges to a desired value. Since the state predictor allows for the dead time, the accuracy of the control is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eiji Hashimoto, Yshihisa Iwaki
  • Patent number: 7181330
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for ensuring a high-level control resolution and a high control accuracy even when a plant exhibits strong and varying non-linear characteristics with a varying sensitivity of a control amount to a control input. The control apparatus for controlling a cam phase through a cam phase varying mechanism comprises an ECU. The ECU calculates an SLD control input for controlling a cam phase to converge to a target cam phase in accordance with a predetermined control algorithm, and calculate a control input to the cam phase varying mechanism by modulating the SLD control input in accordance with a predetermined modulation algorithm. The ECU also sets an amplitude setting value in accordance with the cam phase, an engine rotational speed, an oil pressure, and an oil temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Publication number: 20060243232
    Abstract: A plant control includes determining a control input into the plant to cause a control output of the plant to converge to a desired value. A value of at least one parameter for adjusting a speed of change of the control output relative to change of the desired value is determined in accordance with a plant condition. The control input is determined based on the parameter having the value thus determined. The parameter includes a first parameter for changing a speed of change of the control input relative to change of the desired value. The parameter can also include a second parameter for changing the relative speed via a corrected desired value that is determined by correcting the desired value. The second parameter can further include a gradient parameter and a gradually-approaching characteristic parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7120530
    Abstract: A low cost control apparatus of a contact mechanism resolving a disadvantage caused when a contact body is moved to make contact with a contacted body by an actuator. A synchronizing mechanism, which a coupling sleeve rotatably and integrally provided with an input shaft is pushed against a synchronizer ring disposed between the coupling sleeve and a synchronized gear, thereby synchronizing rotational speeds of both the components to engage them, is modeled as a collision between an inertia system object and an elastic system object. A computation coefficient (VPOLE, f in FIG. 9) of a switching function for sliding mode control having a deviation between an actual position of the coupling sleeve (Psc, d in FIG. 9) and a target position (Psc_cmd, e in FIG. 9) as a state variable is changed depending on the actual position (Psc), and thereby changing a control ability of the model against a disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro