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).

  • Publication number: 20060217871
    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: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 7071638
    Abstract: An actuator control apparatus is provided, capable of causing a state value which changes according to the action of an actuator to match a prescribed target value. A synchronizing mechanism is modeled as the collision of an inertial system object and an elastic system object, and taking as a state amount the deviation between the actual position (Psc) of a coupling sleeve and the target position (Psc_cmd), a computation coefficient (VPOLE) of a switching function used in sliding mode control which takes the state amount as a variable is, in a first process until the coupling sleeve makes contact with a synchronizer ring, set according to the actual position (Psc) of the coupling sleeve, and in a process until the coupling sleeve engages a synchronized gear, is set such that the pressing force of the coupling sleeve matches a target pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
  • Publication number: 20060047350
    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: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20060027196
    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: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Patent number: 6992453
    Abstract: An actuator control system restrains hindrance to an object under control by an interfering substance that exists on its traveling path when the object is moved toward a target position on one axis while the object has been positioned at a target position on the other axis. A selection controller sets a switching function setting parameter (VPOLE_sl) so that a disturbance suppressing capability level is lower at a set value (VPOLE_sl_l) at time (t31˜) when a shift arm is moved in a shifting direction by a shift controller than at a set value (VPOLE_sl_h) at time (˜t31) when the shift arm is moved in a selecting direction to be set at a certain gearshift position (|VPOLE_sl_h|<|VPOLE_sl_l|).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20050234625
    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 means of a position control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanako Shimojo, Yuji Yasui
  • Publication number: 20050132832
    Abstract: A transmission control system is capable of 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 is a controller having two degrees of freedom that makes it possible to independently specify a follow-up characteristic of an actual position of a shift arm 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 is a controller having two degrees of freedom that makes it possible to independently specify a follow-up characteristic of an actual position of a shift arm to follow a target position in a selecting direction and a disturbance suppressing characteristic, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20050110449
    Abstract: An actuator control system restrains hindrance to an object under control by an interfering substance that exists on its traveling path when the object is moved toward a target position on one axis while the object has been positioned at a target position on the other axis. A selection controller sets a switching function setting parameter (VPOLE_sl) so that a disturbance suppressing capability level is lower at a set value (VPOLE_sl_l) at time (t31˜) when a shift arm is moved in a shifting direction by a shift controller than at a set value (VPOLE_sl_h) at time (˜t31) when the shift arm is moved in a selecting direction to be set at a certain gearshift position (|VPOLE_sl_h|<|VPOLE_sl_|).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20050078516
    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: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20050015193
    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: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20040260412
    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: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo
  • Publication number: 20040236492
    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: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eiji Hashimoto, Yoshihisa Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20040145321
    Abstract: An actuator control apparatus is provided, capable of causing a state value which changes according to the action of an actuator to match a prescribed target value. A synchronizing mechanism is modeled as the collision of an inertial system object and an elastic system object, and taking as a state amount the deviation between the actual position (Psc) of a coupling sleeve and the target position (Psc_cmd), a computation coefficient (VPOLE) of a switching function used in sliding mode control which takes the state amount as a variable is, in a first process until the coupling sleeve makes contact with a synchronizer ring, set according to the actual position (Psc) of the coupling sleeve, and in a process until the coupling sleeve engages a synchronized gear, is set such that the pressing force of the coupling sleeve matches a target pressing force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
  • Publication number: 20040138801
    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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro