Patents by Inventor Keitaro Ezumi

Keitaro Ezumi 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: 11518386
    Abstract: A vehicle system comprises an engine, a motor-generator and a controller. The engine has a combustion mode in which a part of an air-fuel mixture is combusted by spark ignition, and then the remaining air-fuel mixture is combusted by self-ignition. The controller sets a target additional deceleration based on a steering angle, when a steering wheel is turned, and sets an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture to either one of a first air-fuel ratio and a second air-fuel ratio which is on a lean side, based on an operating state, when the engine performs the combustion mode. The controller controls an ignition timing so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the first air-fuel ratio, and controls a regenerative electric power generation of the motor-generator so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the second air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Keitaro Ezumi, Akira Tsuda, Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu
  • Patent number: 11002209
    Abstract: An engine control device is provided, which includes an engine body where a cylinder is formed, an exhaust passage through which exhaust gas discharged from the engine body circulates, a NOx sensor disposed in the exhaust passage and configured to detect a concentration of NOx in the exhaust gas, an injector configured to change an air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder, an in-cylinder temperature changer configured to change a temperature inside the cylinder, and a controller configured to control the injector and the exhaust shutter valve. The controller controls the injector based on a detection value of the NOx sensor to variably set the air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder, and when a particular condition that the air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder is leaner than a preset upper limit is satisfied, and causes the in-cylinder temperature changer to raise the temperature inside the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kota Maekawa, Takeatsu Ito, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Keitaro Ezumi
  • Publication number: 20200377093
    Abstract: A vehicle system comprises an engine, a motor-generator and a controller. The engine has a combustion mode in which a part of an air-fuel mixture is combusted by spark ignition, and then the remaining air-fuel mixture is combusted by self-ignition. The controller sets a target additional deceleration based on a steering angle, when a steering wheel is turned, and sets an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture to either one of a first air-fuel ratio and a second air-fuel ratio which is on a lean side, based on an operating state, when the engine performs the combustion mode. The controller controls an ignition timing so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the first air-fuel ratio, and controls a regenerative electric power generation of the motor-generator so as to generate the target additional deceleration in the second air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Yuichiro AKIYA, Chikako OHISA, Keitaro EZUMI, Akira TSUDA, Daisaku OGAWA, Daisuke UMETSU
  • Publication number: 20200141345
    Abstract: An engine control device is provided, which includes an engine body where a cylinder is formed, an exhaust passage through which exhaust gas discharged from the engine body circulates, a NOx sensor disposed in the exhaust passage and configured to detect a concentration of NOx in the exhaust gas, an injector configured to change an air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder, an in-cylinder temperature changer configured to change a temperature inside the cylinder, and a controller configured to control the injector and the exhaust shutter valve. The controller controls the injector based on a detection value of the NOx sensor to variably set the air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder, and when a particular condition that the air-fuel ratio inside the cylinder is leaner than a preset upper limit is satisfied, and causes the in-cylinder temperature changer to raise the temperature inside the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Kota Maekawa, Takeatsu Ito, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Keitaro Ezumi
  • Patent number: 10612474
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control device for a multi-cylinder engine having a combustion chamber (19) to which an intake port (16) and an exhaust port (17) are connected. The control device comprises: an intake-side variable valve operating mechanism (71) for controlling a lift timing of two intake valves (21a, 21b) of the intake port (16); an exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) for controlling a lift timing of an exhaust valve (22a); and an exhaust-side valve operating mechanism (73) for driving an exhaust valve (22b) at a fixed timing. The control device is operable, when executing cylinder deactivation in a low engine load and low engine speed operating range, to cause the exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) to open the exhaust valve (22a) during downward movement of a piston (14) in a cylinder (18) being subjected to the cylinder deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitaro Ezumi, Kazuhiro Takemoto, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Atsushi Inoue, Akitomo Takagi, Masanari Sueoka, Masami Nishida, Kazufumi Kumakura, Kota Matsumoto, Tomohiro Hasegawa, Tadasu Hashiguchi, Toshiaki Takahashi, Masatoshi Hidaka
  • Patent number: 10480479
    Abstract: A control device for an engine in which partial compression-ignition combustion including SI combustion performed by forcibly combusting a portion of mixture gas inside a cylinder followed by CI combustion performed by causing the rest of the mixture gas inside the cylinder to self-ignite is executed within a part of an operating range of the engine, is provided. The device includes a detector configured to detect a parameter related to noise caused by the combustion inside the cylinder, a memory configured to store a characteristic defining a relationship between a start timing of the CI combustion and a combustion noise index, and a processor configured to specify a given combustion noise index value based on the detection value of the detector, and control the start timing of the CI combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakashima, Keitaro Ezumi, Yuichiro Tsumura, Daisuke Tanaka, Taiki Maiguma, Takuji Okumura, Kensuke Ashikaga, Masayoshi Higashio
  • Publication number: 20190101064
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control device for a multi-cylinder engine having a combustion chamber (19) to which an intake port (16) and an exhaust port (17) are connected. The control device comprises: an intake-side variable valve operating mechanism (71) for controlling a lift timing of two intake valves (21a, 21b) of the intake port (16); an exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) for controlling a lift timing of an exhaust valve (22a); and an exhaust-side valve operating mechanism (73) for driving an exhaust valve (22b) at a fixed timing. The control device is operable, when executing cylinder deactivation in a low engine load and low engine speed operating range, to cause the exhaust-side variable valve operating mechanism (72) to open the exhaust valve (22a) during downward movement of a piston (14) in a cylinder (18) being subjected to the cylinder deactivation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitaro EZUMI, Kazuhiro TAKEMOTO, Tomokuni KUSUNOKI, Atsushi INOUE, Akitomo TAKAGI, Masanari SUEOKA, Masami NISHIDA, Kazufumi KUMAKURA, Kota MATSUMOTO, Tomohiro HASEGAWA, Tadasu HASHIGUCHI, Toshiaki TAKAHASHI, Masatoshi HIDAKA
  • Publication number: 20190063394
    Abstract: A control device for an engine in which partial compression-ignition combustion including SI combustion performed by forcibly combusting a portion of mixture gas inside a cylinder followed by CI combustion performed by causing the rest of the mixture gas inside the cylinder to self-ignite is executed within a part of an operating range of the engine, is provided. The device includes a detector configured to detect a parameter related to noise caused by the combustion inside the cylinder, a memory configured to store a characteristic defining a relationship between a start timing of the CI combustion and a combustion noise index, and a processor configured to specify a given combustion noise index value based on the detection value of the detector, and control the start timing of the CI combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakashima, Keitaro Ezumi, Yuichiro Tsumura, Daisuke Tanaka, Taiki Maiguma, Takuji Okumura, Kensuke Ashikaga, Masayoshi Higashio
  • Patent number: 10197036
    Abstract: An operation status value detection unit detects two or more operation status values indicating an operation status of an internal combustion engine. A filtering processing unit applies filtering processing to the detected operation status values, and an operation status value difference calculation unit calculates the difference between the filter-processed operation status value and the corresponding non-filter-processed operation status value so as to calculate two or more operation status value differences. An operation status value difference normalization unit normalizes the two or more operation status value differences, based on predetermined reference values for the two or more operation status values, so as to calculate two or more normalized operation status value differences; and a transient correction unit corrects a control amount for controlling output of the internal combustion engine, based thereon, when the engine is in a transient-operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Hagari, Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki
  • Publication number: 20170058817
    Abstract: A control apparatus that is applied to a gasoline engine including cylinders is provided. The apparatus includes a controller for controlling the engine to perform a compression self-ignition operation within a first operating range, and perform a forced-ignition operation within a second operating range. Within a third operating range where the engine load is above the first range and below the second range, the controller executes a combined operation control in which a first cylinder performs the compression self-ignition operation and a second cylinder performs the forced-ignition operation, and the controller causes the first cylinder to generate a torque that is the same or lower than a torque before the control, and causes the second cylinder to generate a torque that is higher than a torque before the control, the first cylinder being one or some of the cylinders, the second cylinder being the rest of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Yuichiro Tsumura, Keitaro Ezumi
  • Publication number: 20170058816
    Abstract: A control apparatus that is applied to a gasoline engine including cylinders is provided, which includes a controller for controlling the engine to perform a compression self-ignition operation within a first operating range, and perform a forced-ignition operation within a second operating range. Within a third operating range where an engine load is above the first range and below the second range, the controller executes a combined operation control in which a first cylinder performs the compression self-ignition operation and a second cylinder performs the forced-ignition operation, and the controller causes a change rate of a torque from the first cylinder to be lower than that of a torque from the second cylinder, the rates being taken in relation to a change of a requested load of the engine, the first cylinder being one or some of the cylinders, the second cylinder being the rest of the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Yuichiro Tsumura, Keitaro Ezumi
  • Patent number: 9422909
    Abstract: An automatic stop device for a vehicle engine includes: an automatic stop control unit which performs automatic engine stop when a predetermined automatic stop initiating condition is established while the vehicle is stopped, and prohibits automatic engine stop when the automatic stop initiating condition is not established; a restart control unit which performs automatic engine restart when a predetermined automatic stop cancelling condition is established after the engine is automatically stopped; and a storage unit which stores a cause of prohibiting automatic engine stop when automatic stop of the engine is prohibited while the vehicle is stopped, or a cause of performing automatic engine restart when the engine that has been automatically stopped is automatically restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitaro Ezumi, Michio Ito
  • Patent number: 9394836
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes a pseudo knock determination unit that determines whether or not a pseudo knock has been produced in a knock detection window, based on at least one of the frequency, a status amount indicating a rotation speed of the internal combustion engine, a status amount indicating a load of the internal combustion engine, and a status amount indicating an air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine; and a moving-average processing unit that sets a second period to a period that is approximately the same as a first period, in the case where it has been determined that the pseudo knock was not produced, and that does not implement moving-averaging or sets the second period to a period that is narrower than the first period, in the case where it has been determined that a pseudo knock was produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Saito, Takahiko Ono, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Atsushi Inoue, Hiroki Morimoto
  • Publication number: 20150211468
    Abstract: An automatic stop device for a vehicle engine includes: an automatic stop control unit which performs automatic engine stop when a predetermined automatic stop initiating condition is established while the vehicle is stopped, and prohibits automatic engine stop when the automatic stop initiating condition is not established; a restart control unit which performs automatic engine restart when a predetermined automatic stop cancelling condition is established after the engine is automatically stopped; and a storage unit which stores a cause of prohibiting automatic engine stop when automatic stop of the engine is prohibited while the vehicle is stopped, or a cause of performing automatic engine restart when the engine that has been automatically stopped is automatically restarted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitaro Ezumi, Michio Ito
  • Patent number: 8965666
    Abstract: A knock control device is provided in which erroneous knock detection can be reduced by suppressing sudden knock signal changes due to noise, without causing any increase in the number of matching steps, deterioration in the S/N in knock detection and decrease in detection performing frequency. In the knock control device, an open gain is applied to the detected signal only during a knock detection window set in advance by a knock window setting means. The window corresponds to a period in which vibration due to knock arises. During other periods, either a closed gain or an interpolated gain value is applied to the detected signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8949006
    Abstract: A knock control apparatus for internal combustion engine includes: a knock signal normalization unit that normalizes a knock signal extracted from an output signal of a knock sensor; a knock determination threshold setting unit that sets a knock determination threshold on the basis of the normalized knock signal; a knock intensity computation unit that calculates knock intensity on the basis of the normalized knock signal and the set knock determination threshold; a knock determination unit that determines a presence or absence of a knock on the basis of the calculated knock intensity; and a knock correction amount computation unit that calculates a knock correction amount to correct the calculated knock intensity in a case where an occurrence of a knock is determined. The knock signal normalization unit normalizes a standard deviation of the knock signal by dividing the knock signal by an average value of the knock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Hideki Hagari, Toshikatsu Saito, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 8924134
    Abstract: In a knock control device of an internal combustion engine equipped with a control unit which updates a background level based on an output signal from a knock sensor and detects the generation of a knock by comparing a variation of the background level with a knock determination value, a determination as to whether the knock is generated is performed by ((variation of first filter value of peak hold value)>((1?filter coefficient)/(1+filter coefficient)×(predetermined value larger than maximum value of variation of peak hold value in case where knock is not generated))).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Tanaka, Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Atsushi Inoue, Hiroki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8924135
    Abstract: There are provided a combustion start determination unit that determines whether or not the inner-cylinder state of an internal combustion engine has changed from a non-combustion state to a combustion state; and a filter coefficient changing demand unit that outputs a filter coefficient changing demand until a predetermined filter coefficient changing period elapses from the time instant when the combustion start determination unit determines that the inner-cylinder state of the internal combustion engine has changed from the non-combustion state to the combustion state to the time instant. Based on the filter coefficient changing demand, at least one of a background level calculation unit and a standard deviation calculation unit changes the value of a filter coefficient utilized in a filtering operation to the one with which a filtering effect is weakened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Ono, Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Atsushi Inoue, Hiroki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8909459
    Abstract: A knock control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a knock signal normalization portion that normalizes a knock signal using base statistics calculated on the basis of the knock signal. The knock signal normalization portion calculates base statistics on the basis of a last value and a current value of the knock signal and normalizes the knock signal using a base statistic interpolated according to an operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki, Atsushi Inoue, Hiroki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8694229
    Abstract: A knock correction amount computation portion computes, on the basis of intensity of a knock in a case where the presence of an occurrence of the knock is determined, a knock correction amount by which to move a spark timing of the internal combustion engine to be on a retard side and returns the knock correction amount to be back on an advance side in a case where the absence of an occurrence of a knock is determined. In a case where a value of the knock correction amount to be on the retard side becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined value, the knock correction amount computation portion limits and holds the knock correction amount at the predetermined value and returns the limited knock correction amount to be back on the advance side in a case where the absence of an occurrence of a knock is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Hagari, Yuhei Matsushima, Keitaro Ezumi, Tomokuni Kusunoki