Patents by Inventor Keiichi Minamiura
Keiichi Minamiura 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).
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Publication number: 20220294256Abstract: A vehicle includes a motor configured to generate electric power, an energy storage device configured to store the electric power generated by the motor, a drive device electrically connected to the energy storage device and the motor and configured to drive the motor, and a processor configured to control the drive device to cause the motor to generate less power when a circulating current occurs than when there is no circulating current. The circulating current is a current that does not flow into the drive device but circulates in the energy storage device or that circulates between inside and outside of the energy storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2022Publication date: September 15, 2022Inventors: Keiji Kaita, Keiichi Minamiura, Takahiko Hirasawa
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Patent number: 10843522Abstract: When a device temperature (Tb) of an electrical storage device (10) is higher than or equal to a reference temperature, a fan (22) is driven at an air quantity larger than or equal to a reference air quantity. On the other hand, when the device temperature is lower than the reference temperature, air that has received heat from the electrical storage device is guided to a discharge chamber by driving the fan at an air quantity smaller than the reference air quantity on the basis of the fact that an air-conditioning system is operating and an outside air temperature is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature. When the air-conditioning system is operating and the outside air temperature is lower than or equal to the predetermined temperature, it is assumed that there is a temperature difference between a passenger compartment and the discharge chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Minamiura, Yoshiaki Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20200298726Abstract: A control device of a vehicle integrates an amount of degradation of positive electrode capacity of a storage battery during drive of a first predetermined distance. When an integrated value of the amount of degradation is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, the control device performs a degradation suppressing control to suppress charging and discharging of the storage battery in a low state of charge range where a state of charge of the storage battery is lower than a predetermined ratio that accelerates degradation of the positive electrode capacity, compared with charging and discharging of the storage battery in the low state of charge range in an ordinary control.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Jun SATOH, Keiichi MINAMIURA, Manabu KATOH
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Patent number: 10744902Abstract: A cooling device for a battery that is mounted in a vehicle includes: a cooling fan that is configured to suck air in a vehicle interior, and to blow the sucked air to the battery; an intake air temperature sensor that is configured to detect a temperature of the air sucked by the cooling fan; and an electronic control unit that is configured (i) to control the cooling fan, and (ii) to prohibit the cooling fan from being operated when a detected value of the intake air temperature sensor is lower than a first temperature.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyohito Machida, Nobuyuki Tanaka, Teruo Ishishita, Keiichi Minamiura
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Patent number: 10239417Abstract: An electronic control unit performs a control routine including a step of setting SOC_u(1) as an upper limit value of an SOC and a step of setting SOC_l(1) as a lower limit value when a battery temperature TBs is higher than a first threshold value TBs(1) and a step of setting SOC_u(2) as the upper limit value and a step of setting SOC_l(2) as the lower limit value when the battery temperature TBs is lower than a second threshold value TBs(2).Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2017Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shuichi Nagata, Keiichi Minamiura, Takahiro Hirano
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Patent number: 10086823Abstract: After an alkaline secondary battery is determined to be in an over-discharge state, a battery pack is discharged while an electrolytic solution contained in the alkaline secondary battery in the over-discharge state is decomposed so that traveling using power of a motor is performed. The electrolytic solution remains in the alkaline secondary battery even when the alkaline secondary battery is in the over-discharge state. The alkaline secondary battery in the over-discharge state can be discharged and a vehicle can be allowed to travel by decomposing the electrolytic solution. In this manner, a traveling distance available during evacuation traveling of the vehicle can be increased.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Minamiura, Hikokazu Akimoto, Yohei Ogawa
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Patent number: 10011188Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to a) control operation of the power generation mechanism such that a state of charge of the secondary battery is kept at a predetermined control target; b) calculate an estimated actual state of charge of the secondary battery based on an integrated current value and a state of charge decrease amount due to self-discharge of the secondary battery, the integrated current value being obtained by integrating an input current and an output current of the secondary battery; and c) when the estimated actual state of charge has decreased below a predetermined first lower limit state of charge, raise the control target.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2016Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keiichi Minamiura
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Patent number: 9981568Abstract: An ECU of an electric vehicle supplies a target rotation speed RT having a value corresponding to the temperature TB of a main battery to a cooler, controls a main DC/DC converter such that the SOC of an auxiliary battery is in a predetermined range SOCL to SOCH less than 100% when a cooling fan in the cooler is driven at the target rotation speed (RT), and controls the main DC/DC converter such that the SOC of the auxiliary battery is 100% when the cooling fan is not driven at the target rotation speed (RT).Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2015Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Minamiura, Takuro Hayashi
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Patent number: 9947974Abstract: A heating system includes: an alkaline secondary battery and a controller. The alkaline secondary battery includes: a power generating element configured to be charged or discharged; and a battery case that accommodates the power generating element in a hermetically sealed state. The controller is configured to control charging and discharging of the alkaline secondary battery, and, when an internal pressure of the alkaline secondary battery is higher than or equal to a first threshold, execute a heating process for heating the alkaline secondary battery by decreasing the internal pressure through discharging of the alkaline secondary battery. The heating process is a process of raising a temperature of the alkaline secondary battery.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2014Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keiichi Minamiura
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Publication number: 20180099577Abstract: An electronic control unit performs a control routine including a step of setting SOC_u(1) as an upper limit value of an SOC and a step of setting SOC_l(1) as a lower limit value when a battery temperature TBs is higher than a first threshold value TBs(1) and a step of setting SOC_u(2) as the upper limit value and a step of setting SOC_l(2) as the lower limit value when the battery temperature TBs is lower than a second threshold value TBs(2).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2017Publication date: April 12, 2018Inventors: Shuichi Nagata, Keiichi Minamiura, Takahiro Hirano
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Patent number: 9840127Abstract: A temperature regulation system includes: an electric storage device, installed in a vehicle and configured to perform charge and discharge; an intake duct that leads air of a vehicle interior to the electric storage device; a fan configured to cause the air to be taken into the intake duct; a filter that is provided inside the intake duct and that prevents passage of foreign matter; and a controller that estimates a clogging amount of the foreign matter on the filter. The controller is configured to increase the estimated clogging amount as there increases a total amount of the air that is supplied to the electric storage device accompanying driving of the fan, and the number of times that the vehicle is brought to a state in which air is allowed to flow into and flow out of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2013Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Minamiura, Kimihito Nakamura, Toyotaka Maeda, Yoshiaki Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20170305292Abstract: An ECU of an electric vehicle supplies a target rotation speed RT having a value corresponding to the temperature TB of a main battery to a cooler, controls a main DC/DC converter such that the SOC of an auxiliary battery is in a predetermined range SOCL to SOCH less than 100% when a cooling fan in the cooler is driven at the target rotation speed (RT), and controls the main DC/DC converter such that the SOC of the auxiliary battery is 100% when the cooling fan is not driven at the target rotation speed (RT).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2015Publication date: October 26, 2017Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Keiichi MINAMIURA, Takuro HAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170240065Abstract: A cooling device for a battery that is mounted in a vehicle includes: a cooling fan that is configured to suck air in a vehicle interior, and to blow the sucked air to the battery; an intake air temperature sensor that is configured to detect a temperature of the air sucked by the cooling fan; and an electronic control unit that is configured (i) to control the cooling fan, and (ii) to prohibit the cooling fan from being operated when a detected value of the intake air temperature sensor is lower than a first temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: August 24, 2017Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kiyohito MACHIDA, Nobuyuki TANAKA, Teruo ISHISHITA, Keiichi MINAMIURA
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Publication number: 20170036665Abstract: After an alkaline secondary battery is determined to be in an over-discharge state, a battery pack is discharged while an electrolytic solution contained in the alkaline secondary battery in the over-discharge state is decomposed so that traveling using power of a motor is performed. The electrolytic solution remains in the alkaline secondary battery even when the alkaline secondary battery is in the over-discharge state. The alkaline secondary battery in the over-discharge state can be discharged and a vehicle can be allowed to travel by decomposing the electrolytic solution. In this manner, a traveling distance available during evacuation traveling of the vehicle can be increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2015Publication date: February 9, 2017Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi Minamiura, Hikokazu Akimoto, Yohei Ogawa
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Publication number: 20170028868Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to a) control operation of the power generation mechanism such that a state of charge of the secondary battery is kept at a predetermined control target; b) calculate an estimated actual state of charge of the secondary battery based on an integrated current value and a state of charge decrease amount due to self-discharge of the secondary battery, the integrated current value being obtained by integrating an input current and an output current of the secondary battery; and c) when the estimated actual state of charge has decreased below a predetermined first lower limit state of charge, raise the control target.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Keiichi MINAMIURA
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Publication number: 20160159194Abstract: When a device temperature (Tb) of an electrical storage device (10) is higher than or equal to a reference temperature, a fan (22) is driven at an air quantity larger than or equal to a reference air quantity. On the other hand, when the device temperature is lower than the reference temperature, air that has received heat from the electrical storage device is guided to a discharge chamber by driving the fan at an air quantity smaller than the reference air quantity on the basis of the fact that an air-conditioning system is operating and an outside air temperature is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature. When the air-conditioning system is operating and the outside air temperature is lower than or equal to the predetermined temperature, it is assumed that there is a temperature difference between a passenger compartment and the discharge chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2014Publication date: June 9, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi MINAMIURA, Yoshiaki KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20160149275Abstract: A heating system includes: an alkaline secondary battery and a controller. The alkaline secondary battery includes: a power generating element configured to be charged or discharged; and a battery case that accommodates the power generating element in a hermetically sealed state. The controller is configured to control charging and discharging of the alkaline secondary battery, and, when an internal pressure of the alkaline secondary battery is higher than or equal to a first threshold, execute a heating process for heating the alkaline secondary battery by decreasing the internal pressure through discharging of the alkaline secondary battery. The heating process is a process of raising a temperature of the alkaline secondary battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2014Publication date: May 26, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHKI KAISHAInventor: Keiichi MINAMIURA
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Publication number: 20150333380Abstract: A temperature regulation system includes: an electric storage device, installed in a vehicle and configured to perform charge and discharge; an intake duct that leads air of a vehicle interior to the electric storage device; a fan configured to cause the air to be taken into the intake duct; a filter that is provided inside the intake duct and that prevents passage of foreign matter; and a controller that estimates a clogging amount of the foreign matter on the filter. The controller is configured to increase the estimated clogging amount as there increases a total amount of the air that is supplied to the electric storage device accompanying driving of the fan, and the number of times that the vehicle is brought to a state in which air is allowed to flow into and flow out of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2013Publication date: November 19, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Keiichi MINAMIURA, Kimihito NAKAMURA, Toyotaka MAEDA, Yoshiaki KIKUCHI
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Patent number: 8829857Abstract: A controller 50 for estimating a maximum internal temperature of a battery pack 14 processes battery pack input/output limitations. The controller 50 estimates: a difference between a surface temperature and an internal temperature of the battery pack 14; a temperature difference that is dependent on different internal resistances of unit cells 12; a temperature difference that is dependent on contact states of a plurality of temperature sensors 32 with the battery pack 14; and a temperature difference that is dependent on different detection characteristics between the temperature sensors 32. The controller 50 further limits the input/output electric power of the battery pack 14 based on the estimated maximum internal temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2009Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Keiichi Minamiura
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Charge and discharge control apparatus and charge and discharge control method for secondary battery
Patent number: 8704490Abstract: A charge and discharge control apparatus for a secondary battery, which uses feedforward control and feedback control in combination to execute charge and discharge control over the secondary battery, includes: a feedforward control unit that executes the feedforward control; a feedback control unit that executes the feedback control; and a control mode changing unit that changes a control mode between the feedforward control and the feedback control. The feedforward control unit controls at least one of a charging electric power and a discharging electric power on the basis of a predetermined permissible electric power value. When the permissible electric power value is lower than or equal to a predetermined value, the control mode changing unit prohibits the feedforward control, and changes the control mode so as to control at least one of the charging electric power and the discharging electric power through the feedback control.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2010Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Keiichi Minamiura