Patents by Inventor Kazunori Kadowaki

Kazunori Kadowaki 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: 8676461
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls acceleration of a vehicle provided with a motive power generation apparatus and brake apparatuses. For the control, the control apparatus comprises calculation and actuating blocks. The calculation block calculates torque to be requested, based on a difference between an actual value of the acceleration and a target value thereof and a gain for feedback controlling the actual value of the acceleration to the target value thereof. The gain is differentiated in value between in a first case in which the brake apparatuses are used for the feedback control and a second case in which the brake apparatuses are not used for the feedback control. The actuating block actuates the motive power generation apparatus and the brake apparatuses based on the calculated torque. The value of the gain in the first case is made larger than the value of the gain in the second case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakai, Hajime Kumabe, Shotaro Fukuda, Satoshi Niwa, Hiroyuki Kodama, Kazunori Kadowaki, Shintaro Osaki
  • Patent number: 8370042
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control device calculates a desired axle torque for maintaining a speed of a vehicle to a set speed, and conducts cruise control. Specifically, the vehicle speed control device calculates a drive force including a feedforward component corresponding to the set speed and a travel resistance against the travel of the vehicle, and a feedback component corresponding to a deviation of the set speed from the actual speed of the vehicle as a desired axle torque. The vehicle speed control device interrupts the cruise control when a requested drive axle torque requested by an accelerator operation during the cruise control exceeds the desired axle torque, and restarts the cruise control when the requested drive axle torque becomes lower than the desired axle torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Hajime Kumabe, Syotarou Fukuda, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Shintaro Osaki, Kazunori Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 8204660
    Abstract: An apparatus controls automatic travel of a vehicle equipped with a motive power generator. In the apparatus, information indicating a road surface on which a vehicle is present currently is acquired. It is determined whether or not a command for shifting the vehicle from its stopped state to its traveling state is issued. When the command is issued, automatic shift of the vehicle is made from its stopped state to its traveling state by controlling drive of the motive power generator based on the acquired information. It is further determined whether or not, of a component of gravity applied to the vehicle, there is a force component applied in a direction opposite to a travel direction of the vehicle. When there is the force component, the operation applied to the motive power generator is continued even if the brake pedal is pressed by the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakai, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 8190347
    Abstract: A control apparatus controlling anteroposterior acceleration of a vehicle by controlling a motive power generation apparatus mounted on the vehicle, which is also provided with a staged transmission apparatus that operates on gear ratios. The motive power generation apparatus has an output shaft producing a rotation force in response to a command to be requested. The rotation force is transmitted to the drive wheels via the staged transmission apparatus. A feedback manipulated variable is calculated to control the production of the rotation force of the motive power generation apparatus so that an actual value of anteroposterior acceleration of the vehicle is controlled at a target value thereof. The calculated feedback manipulated variable is used as the command. When the staged transmission apparatus is in the switchover control of the gear ratios, the manipulated variable is is limited from being calculated (for example, stopped from being calculated).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakai, Shotaro Fukuda, Satoshi Niwa, Hajime Kumabe, Shintaro Osaki, Kazunori Kadowaki
  • Patent number: 8180542
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control system starts an automatic decelerating operation with a maximum permissible decelerating physical amount “Gmax”, when an electronic control unit determines that a necessary decelerating physical amount for decreasing a vehicle speed “v” to a target vehicle speed “vt” at a curve starting point becomes larger than the maximum permissible decelerating physical amount “Gmax”. The vehicle speed control system terminates the automatic decelerating operation, when required decelerating physical amount by a braking operation during the automatic decelerating operation becomes larger than an actual control decelerating physical amount for the automatic decelerating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Shintaro Osaki, Syotarou Fukuda, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Hajime Kumabe
  • 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: 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
  • 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: 20090076699
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle automatic operation control device that can perform automatic operation of a vehicle while the actual acceleration favorably tracks the target acceleration. The device comprises 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Inventors: Shintaro OSAKI, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Syotarou Fukuda, Hajime Kumabe, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa
  • Publication number: 20090062068
    Abstract: An apparatus controls automatic travel of a vehicle equipped with a motive power generator. In the apparatus, information indicating a road surface on which a vehicle is present currently is acquired. It is determined whether or not a command for shifting the vehicle from its stopped state to its traveling state is issued. When the command is issued, automatic shift of the vehicle is made from its stopped state to its traveling state by controlling drive of the motive power generator based on the acquired information. It is further determined whether or not, of a component of gravity applied to the vehicle, there is a force component applied in a direction opposite to a travel direction of the vehicle. When there is the force component, the operation applied to the motive power generator is continued even if the brake pedal is pressed by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro NAKAI, Masayoshi TAKEDA, Kazunori KADOWAKI
  • Publication number: 20090055068
    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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Shintaro OSAKI, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Yasuhiro Nakai, Hajime Kumabe, Shotaro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20090048755
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control device calculates a desired axle torque for maintaining a speed of a vehicle to a set speed, and conducts cruise control. Specifically, the vehicle speed control device calculates a drive force including a feedforward component corresponding to the set speed and a travel resistance against the travel of the vehicle, and a feedback component corresponding to a deviation of the set speed from the actual speed of the vehicle as a desired axle torque. The vehicle speed control device interrupts the cruise control when a requested drive axle torque requested by an accelerator operation during the cruise control exceeds the desired axle torque, and restarts the cruise control when the requested drive axle torque becomes lower than the desired axle torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tokimasa, Hajime Kumabe, Syotarou Fukuda, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Shintaro Osaki, Kazunori Kadowaki
  • Publication number: 20090048751
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls acceleration of a vehicle provided with a motive power generation apparatus and brake apparatuses. For the control, the control apparatus comprises calculation and actuating blocks. The calculation block calculates torque to be requested, based on a difference between an actual value of the acceleration and a target value thereof and a gain for feedback controlling the actual value of the acceleration to the target value thereof. The gain is differentiated in value between in a first case in which the brake apparatuses are used for the feedback control and a second case in which the brake apparatuses are not used for the feedback control. The actuating block actuates the motive power generation apparatus and the brake apparatuses based on the calculated torque. The value of the gain in the first case is made larger than the value of the gain in the second case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakai, Hajime Kumabe, Shotaro Fukuda, Satoshi Niwa, Hiroyuki Kodama, Kazunori Kadowaki, Shintaro Osaki
  • Publication number: 20090043466
    Abstract: A control apparatus controlling anteroposterior acceleration of a vehicle by controlling a motive power generation apparatus mounted on the vehicle, which is also provided with a staged transmission apparatus that operates on gear ratios. The motive power generation apparatus has an output shaft producing a rotation force in response to a command to be requested. The rotation force is transmitted to the drive wheels via the staged transmission apparatus. A feedback manipulated variable is calculated to control the production of the rotation force of the motive power generation apparatus so that an actual value of anteroposterior acceleration of the vehicle is controlled at a target value thereof. The calculated feedback manipulated variable is used as the command. When the staged transmission apparatus is in the switchover control of the gear ratios, the manipulated variable is is limited from being calculated (for example, stopped from being calculated).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, ADVICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakai, Shotaro Fukuda, Satoshi Niwa, Hajime Kumabe, Shintaro Osaki, Kazunori Kadowaki
  • Publication number: 20090024354
    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: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Shintaro Osaki, Hiroyuki Kodama, Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Hajime Kumabe, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Syotarou Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20090005945
    Abstract: A vehicle speed control system starts an automatic decelerating operation with a maximum permissible decelerating physical amount “Gmax”, when an electronic control unit determines that a necessary decelerating physical amount for decreasing a vehicle speed “v” to a target vehicle speed “vt” at a curve starting point becomes larger than the maximum permissible decelerating physical amount “Gmax”. The vehicle speed control system terminates the automatic decelerating operation, when required decelerating physical amount by a braking operation during the automatic decelerating operation becomes larger than an actual control decelerating physical amount for the automatic decelerating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Shintaro Osaki, Syotarou Fukuda, Yasuhiro Nakai, Satoshi Niwa, Hajime Kumabe
  • Publication number: 20070010929
    Abstract: In order to ensure that traction control is not initiated when an engine stalling tendency exists, no engine stalling tendency is set as a condition for initiating traction control. Furthermore, in order to ensure that an accurate determination of the engine stalling tendency can be made after the initiation of traction control, an engine speed threshold value used to determine whether the engine stalling tendency exists is changed in accordance with a vehicle status. Thus, the engine stalling tendency can be more accurately determined in comparison to when the engine speed threshold value is set as a constant value (a predetermined speed). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent frequent prohibition of traction control even when the possibility of engine stalling is low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Masayoshi Takeda, Kazunori Kadowaki, Shigeru Saito