Patents by Inventor Keiichi Hiwatashi

Keiichi Hiwatashi 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: 11433879
    Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises: an engine (4); an accelerator position sensor (10) configured to detect the position of an accelerator pedal; a steering device; a PCM (14) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle to control the attitude of the vehicle, when a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of the steering device increases; and a brake unit (16) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle, independently of reduction of an output torque of the engine, wherein the PCM is configured to generates the deceleration by means of the reduction of the output torque of the engine when a depression of the accelerator pedal is detected by the accelerator position sensor, and to generate the deceleration by the brake unit (16) when the depression of the accelerator pedal is not detected by the accelerator position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Patent number: 11091150
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine (10), an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM (50) that performs vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. When a driver performs an accelerator operation for reducing an accelerator opening during execution of vehicle posture control, the PCM (50) suppresses reduction of a generated torque of the engine due to the accelerator operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Patent number: 11046324
    Abstract: A control device for a multi-stage automatic transmission-equipped vehicle includes a hydraulic power controller, a combustion controller configured to, if a predetermined combustion stop condition is satisfied when the vehicle is traveling, perform deceleration-period combustion stop control, and limit combustion restart triggered by a reduction in rotational speed of an internal combustion engine, during execution of the deceleration-period combustion stop control, and a motoring controller configured to control the rotational drive of the internal combustion engine by a motor during execution of the deceleration-period combustion stop control so that the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is maintained at a predetermined rotational speed during a period of time from the time that the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine decreases to the predetermined rotational speed until downshifting to a predetermined gear ratio is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Yanagisawa, Ryohei Yasutomi, Hidemasa Tomiyori, Hisanobu Okada, Tatsuya Matsukawa, Yukihiro Soeda, Tatsuo Sasaki, Daisaku Shiraishi, Tetsutaka Shibata, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Yuichiro Akiya
  • Patent number: 11041450
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine 10 capable of switching between reduced-cylinder operation and all-cylinder operation, an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM 50 that executes vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. In addition, this PCM 50 permits the execution of the vehicle posture control when an engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a first rotation speed Ne1 and permits the execution of the reduced-cylinder operation of the engine 10 when the engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a second rotation speed Ne2 that is more than the first rotation speed Ne1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Publication number: 20200339107
    Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises: an engine (4); an accelerator position sensor (10) configured to detect the position of an accelerator pedal; a steering device; a PCM (14) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle to control the attitude of the vehicle, when a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of the steering device increases; and a brake unit (16) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle, independently of reduction of an output torque of the engine, wherein the PCM is configured to generates the deceleration by means of the reduction of the output torque of the engine when a depression of the accelerator pedal is detected by the accelerator position sensor, and to generate the deceleration by the brake unit (16) when the depression of the accelerator pedal is not detected by the accelerator position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisaku OGAWA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Chikako OHISA, Yuichiro AKIYA, Atsushi YAMASAKI, Keiichi HIWATASHI, Daisuke UMETSU
  • Patent number: 10767582
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided, which includes an engine, an engine control mechanism configured to control torque generated by the engine, and a processor configured to execute a vehicle attitude controlling module to perform a vehicle attitude control in which the engine control mechanism is controlled to reduce the torque so as to decelerate the vehicle, when a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value that is related to a steering angle of a steering device increases is satisfied, and a preventing module to prevent a combustion frequency of the engine per unit time from falling below a given value while the vehicle attitude controlling module executes the vehicle attitude control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi
  • Publication number: 20200238994
    Abstract: A control device for a multi-stage automatic transmission-equipped vehicle includes a hydraulic power controller, a combustion controller configured to, if a predetermined combustion stop condition is satisfied when the vehicle is traveling, perform deceleration-period combustion stop control, and limit combustion restart triggered by a reduction in rotational speed of an internal combustion engine, during execution of the deceleration-period combustion stop control, and a motoring controller configured to control the rotational drive of the internal combustion engine by a motor during execution of the deceleration-period combustion stop control so that the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is maintained at a predetermined rotational speed during a period of time from the time that the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine decreases to the predetermined rotational speed until downshifting to a predetermined gear ratio is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Kentaro YANAGISAWA, Ryohei YASUTOMI, Hidemasa TOMIYORI, Hisanobu OKADA, Tatsuya MATSUKAWA, Yukihiro SOEDA, Tatsuo SASAKI, Daisaku SHIRAISHI, Tetsutaka SHIBATA, Keiichi HIWATASHI, Yuichiro AKIYA
  • Patent number: 10688999
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a drive source for generating torque as driving force that causes a vehicle to travel, a drive source control mechanism for controlling the torque generation by the drive source, a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting the torque to vehicle wheels, an engageable element provided in the transmission mechanism, and a processor configured to execute an engagement state change control in which an engagement state of the engageable element is changed, a vehicle attitude controlling module for controlling attitude of the vehicle by driving the drive source control mechanism to reduce the torque so as to decelerate the vehicle, when a condition is satisfied, the condition being that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value increases, and an engagement state change restricting module for restricting the execution of the engagement state change control while the vehicle attitude control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Chikako Ohisa
  • Patent number: 10669953
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises: an engine 10 capable of switching between a reduced-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is stopped in a part of a plurality of cylinders 2 and an all-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is performed in all the plurality of cylinders 2; and a PCM 50 configured to stop fuel supply to the cylinders 2 when a given fuel cut-off condition is satisfied. The PCM 50 is operable, during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the reduced-cylinder operation mode to a state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied, to stop the fuel supply to the cylinders 2 at a timing earlier than that during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the all-cylinder operation mode to the state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Hiroyuki Morioka, Yuto Sakasegawa, Kenichi Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20200070813
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine (10), an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM (50) that performs vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. When a driver performs an accelerator operation for reducing an accelerator opening during execution of vehicle posture control, the PCM (50) suppresses reduction of a generated torque of the engine due to the accelerator operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisaku OGAWA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Chikako OHISA, Yuichiro AKIYA, Atsushi YAMASAKI, Keiichi HIWATASHI, Daisuke UMETSU
  • Patent number: 10562537
    Abstract: The vehicle control device is designed to control a vehicle equipped with an engine, and an automatic transmission comprising a torque converter with a lockup clutch. The vehicle control device comprises a controller configured to perform control of changing an engagement degree of the lockup clutch and to, when such a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of a steering apparatus of the vehicle increases is satisfied, reduce an output torque of the engine to generate a deceleration of the vehicle to thereby execute a torque reduction control for controlling an attitude of the vehicle. The controller is configured to reduce the output torque of the engine, in accordance with the engagement degree of the lockup clutch controlled by a lockup control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Takahiro Kawamura, Chikako Ohisa
  • Patent number: 10525962
    Abstract: A vehicle control device comprises: a downshift control part (51) configured, upon issuance of a downshift request for downshifting an automatic transmission (200), to execute a downshift control of downshifting the automatic transmission (200) and driving an engine torque regulating mechanism to increase an output torque of an engine (10); a vehicle attitude control part (53) configured, upon satisfaction of a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value pertaining to a steering angle of a steering device increases, to execute a vehicle attitude control of reducing the output torque of the engine (10) to generate deceleration of the vehicle so as to control vehicle attitude; and a downshift suppression part (55) configured, when the vehicle attitude control is executed, to suppress the execution of the downshift control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Daisaku Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20190390612
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine 10 capable of switching between reduced-cylinder operation and all-cylinder operation, an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM 50 that executes vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. In addition, this PCM 50 permits the execution of the vehicle posture control when an engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a first rotation speed Ne1 and permits the execution of the reduced-cylinder operation of the engine 10 when the engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a second rotation speed Ne2 that is more than the first rotation speed Ne1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisaku OGAWA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Chikako OHISA, Yuichiro AKIYA, Atsushi YAMASAKI, Keiichi HIWATASHI, Daisuke UMETSU
  • Patent number: 10465614
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control device which is applied to a vehicle equipped with an engine (10) and an engine torque adjustment mechanism for adjusting an output torque (engine torque) of the engine (10). The vehicle control device comprises a PCM (50) configured, upon satisfaction of a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value relevant to a steering angle of a steering device is increasing, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to reduce the engine torque so as to generate vehicle deceleration to control vehicle attitude. The PCM (50) is further configured to gradually ease the condition, as the number of times of combustion per unit time in the engine (10) becomes smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Chikako Ohisa, Koichi Kimoto
  • Patent number: 10414400
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: an engine (10); an engine torque adjustment mechanism; and a PCM (50) configured to execute vehicle attitude control for, upon satisfaction of a vehicle attitude control executing condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value is increasing, reducing the engine torque to thereby generate deceleration of the vehicle. The PCM (50) is configured, upon satisfaction of a given terminating condition for terminating the vehicle attitude control, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to restore the reduced engine torque to an original state before the execution of the vehicle attitude control. The PCM (50) sets a rate of change in the engine output torque being restored, such that it becomes larger as the number of times of combustion per unit time becomes smaller, and restores the engine torque according to the rate of change set in the above manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Chikako Ohisa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Koichi Kimoto, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa
  • Patent number: 10408146
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided, which includes an engine, an engine control mechanism configured to control torque generated by the engine, a steering device, and a processor. The processor determines whether a vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value that is related to a steering angle of the steering device increases, executes a control of the engine control mechanism to reduce the torque when the vehicle is determined to be traveling and the steering angle related value is determined to increase, determines whether a combustion frequency of the engine per unit time is lower than a given value, executes the control for reducing the torque when the combustion frequency is determined to be higher than the given value, and prevents the execution of the control for reducing the torque when the combustion frequency is determined to be lower than the given value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi
  • Patent number: 10407070
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: an engine (10); an engine torque adjustment mechanism for adjusting an output torque of the engine; and a PCM (50) configured, upon satisfaction of a vehicle attitude control executing condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value is increasing, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to reduce the engine torque to thereby generate deceleration of the vehicle so as to control vehicle attitude. The PCM (50) is further configured to set a rate of change in the engine output torque being reduced, such that the rate of change becomes larger as the number of times of combustion per unit time in the engine (10) becomes smaller, and to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to reduce the engine output torque according to the rate of change set by the torque reduction change rate-setting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Koichi Kimoto, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Chikako Ohisa
  • Patent number: 10407071
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: an engine (10); an engine torque adjustment mechanism; and a PCM (50) configured, upon satisfaction of a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle-related value is increasing, to control the engine torque adjustment mechanism to reduce the engine torque to thereby execute a vehicle attitude control for generating deceleration of the vehicle, and, upon satisfaction of a given terminating condition for terminating the vehicle attitude control, to restore the reduced engine output torque to an original state before the execution of the vehicle attitude control. The PCM (50) sets a time period from the satisfaction of the terminating condition through until start of restoration of the engine torque, such that it becomes longer as the number of times of combustion per unit time becomes larger, and starts to restore the engine torque when the set time period has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Koichi Kimoto, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Chikako Ohisa
  • Publication number: 20190249609
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises: an engine 10 capable of switching between a reduced-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is stopped in a part of a plurality of cylinders 2 and an all-cylinder operation mode in which combustion is performed in all the plurality of cylinders 2; and a PCM 50 configured to stop fuel supply to the cylinders 2 when a given fuel cut-off condition is satisfied. The PCM 50 is operable, during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the reduced-cylinder operation mode to a state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied, to stop the fuel supply to the cylinders 2 at a timing earlier than that during a transition from a state in which the engine 10 is operated in the all-cylinder operation mode to the state in which the fuel cut-off condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiichi HIWATASHI, Hiroyuki MORIOKA, Yuto SAKASEGAWA, Kenichi OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 10351164
    Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided, which includes a drive source configured to generate torque as driving force of a vehicle, a transmission torque control mechanism configured to control transmission torque to drive wheels according to the generated torque, and a processor configured to execute a vehicle attitude controlling module to perform a vehicle attitude control by controlling the transmission torque control mechanism to reduce the transmission torque so as to decelerate the vehicle when a starting condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value increases is satisfied, and then, when a given terminating condition is satisfied, controlling the mechanism to resume the transmission torque back to the torque before being reduced. The transmission torque is controlled so as to cause a yaw rate that occurs in the vehicle while the vehicle attitude control is performed, to be lower than an upper limit yaw rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi