Patents by Inventor Ken Koibuchi

Ken Koibuchi 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: 9254758
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle having an idle stop function includes a measurement unit that measures the characteristic of a battery provided in the vehicle, an identification unit that identifies the type of the battery based on the measured characteristic, and a control unit that stops the idle stop function in a case where the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for an idle-stop vehicle, and permits execution of the idle stop function in a case where the execution of the idle stop function is permitted by an input of a predetermined signal from an external terminal even when the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for the idle-stop vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Hiroaki Tabuchi, Ken Koibuchi, Masato Chiba, Kazuhiko Sakakibara, Nobuyuki Okabe
  • Patent number: 9074544
    Abstract: In a vehicle control apparatus that changes the travel characteristic of a vehicle on the basis of a change of the acceleration of the vehicle, when the travel characteristic is to be changed because the acceleration has changed, the amount of change of the travel characteristic to be changed is adjusted on the basis of the pre-change travel characteristic that is present immediately prior to the change of the acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9067604
    Abstract: In a control device for a vehicle that controls a revolution speed of a drive power source or a gear ratio of a transmission coupled to an output side of the drive power source in the vehicle equipped with the drive power source and the transmission, the control device is configured to determine an index that is based on a running state of the vehicle, and to control a required revolution speed of the drive power source or a required gear ratio for the transmission on the basis of the index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Kaiji Itabashi, Ken Koibuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara
  • Patent number: 8977461
    Abstract: When the operating speed of an accelerator pedal is higher than a given operating speed, a target acceleration as a target output value is multiplied by a gain so that an absolute value of the target acceleration is increased; therefore, a large acceleration requested by the driver can be achieved. The gain by which the target acceleration is multiplied is set to 1 when the target acceleration is about zero, so as to resume a condition where the absolute value of the target acceleration is not increased. Thus, when the control of increasing the absolute value of the target acceleration with the gain is stopped, an elevation change is less likely or unlikely to occur in the actual acceleration. Consequently, a desired acceleration is generated without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable during driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Matsushita, Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi
  • Patent number: 8972087
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a controller that configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of a vehicle and that configured to vary a running characteristic of the vehicle on the basis of the index, wherein the controller is configured to relatively delay a variation in the index in response to a variation in the running condition when the variation in the index decreases quickness of a behavior of the vehicle as compared with when the variation in the index increases the quickness of the behavior of the vehicle, and to correct the running characteristic on the basis of the index so that energy efficiency of a driving force source of the vehicle varies within a predetermined range depending on control over power output from the driving force source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Patent number: 8954232
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a control portion configured to determine a single parameter based on a running condition of a vehicle, and determine control amounts for a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle based on the parameter. A relation of the control amount for each of the plurality of actuators to the parameter is predetermined. The control portion is configured to, when the parameter is determined, determine the control amounts for the respective actuators based on the parameter, and control the actuators based on the determined control amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Youji Kanehara, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Tomohide Kawasaki, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Patent number: 8909386
    Abstract: In a vehicle control system, an index used to set a running characteristic of a vehicle is obtained based on a running condition of the vehicle. A change of the index that makes behavior of the vehicle crisper is more likely to occur than a change of the index that makes the behavior of the vehicle milder. When it is determined that the vehicle is in a turning condition, the change of the index or a change of the miming characteristic based on the index is less likely to occur than when it is determined that the vehicle is not in the turning condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara
  • Patent number: 8903619
    Abstract: In a vehicle control system that obtains an index based on a running condition of a vehicle and changes a running characteristic of the vehicle according to the index, includes index setting means for making a change in the index in response to a change in the running condition in a direction toward crisp running of the vehicle, faster than a change in the index in response to a change in the running condition in such a direction as to reduce crispness with which the vehicle is running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara
  • Patent number: 8775040
    Abstract: A vehicle control system obtains an index indicating a running condition of a vehicle on the basis of a vehicle parameter indicating a motion of the vehicle and then sets a running characteristic of the vehicle in accordance with the index. The vehicle control system includes a noise reduction unit that is configured to obtain the index on the basis of the vehicle parameter of which a fluctuating component that fluctuates because of a driver's driving operation or the influence of a running road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara, Kaiji Itabashi
  • Publication number: 20140091739
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle having an idle stop function includes a measurement unit that measures the characteristic of a battery provided in the vehicle, an identification unit that identifies the type of the battery based on the measured characteristic, and a control unit that stops the idle stop function in a case where the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for an idle-stop vehicle, and permits execution of the idle stop function in a case where the execution of the idle stop function is permitted by an input of a predetermined signal from an external terminal even when the identified type of the battery indicates that the battery is not for the idle-stop vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi SATO, Hiroaki TABUCHI, Ken KOIBUCHI, Masato CHIBA, Kazuhiko SAKAKIBARA, Nobuyuki OKABE
  • Patent number: 8566008
    Abstract: A control device for an internal-combustion engine designed to ensure that required responsiveness is obtained as actual torque responsiveness with respect to a torque demand even when the torque responsiveness with respect to the actuation of a particular actuator is affected by the operating conditions. A response compensating filter is provided at a preceding stage to an air inverse model, and the target torque which has been corrected by the response compensating filter is converted by the air inverse model to obtain a target opening degree of a throttle. A time constant of the response compensating filter is set on the basis of the operating conditions of the internal-combustion engine so that the responsiveness of actual torque with respect to the torque demand reaches a preset standard responsiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Soejima, Ken Koibuchi, Hirotada Otake, Keisuke Kawai
  • Patent number: 8521338
    Abstract: A vehicle control system capable of improving drivability by reflecting driving environment and driving preference accurately on driving characteristics. The vehicle control system is configured to change an index for setting driving characteristics of the vehicle. When accelerations Gx and Gy are changed, a sportiness index is changed in a different manner depending on a detail of an operation for changing accelerations Gx and Gy executed by a driver, thereby reflecting the driving preference of the driver appearing on the operation can be reflected on sportiness of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara
  • Publication number: 20130166121
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes: a controller that configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of a vehicle and that configured to vary a running characteristic of the vehicle on the basis of the index, wherein the controller is configured to relatively delay a variation in the index in response to a variation in the running condition when the variation in the index decreases quickness of a behavior of the vehicle as compared with when the variation in the index increases the quickness of the behavior of the vehicle, and to correct the running characteristic on the basis of the index so that energy efficiency of a driving force source of the vehicle varies within a predetermined range depending on control over power output from the driving force source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Publication number: 20130166101
    Abstract: In a vehicle control apparatus that changes the travel characteristic of a vehicle on the basis of a change of the acceleration of the vehicle, when the travel characteristic is to be changed because the acceleration has changed, the amount of change of the travel characteristic to be changed is adjusted on the basis of the pre-change travel characteristic that is present immediately prior to the change of the acceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8473154
    Abstract: A vehicle control system, which is configured to obtain an index on the basis of a running condition of a vehicle and to change at least any one of a driving force control characteristic and a vehicle body support characteristic of a suspension mechanism in response to the index, is configured to acquire information associated with a friction coefficient of a road surface on which the vehicle runs, and to correct the at least any one of the driving force control characteristic and the vehicle body support characteristic, which is changed in response to the index, on the basis of the information associated with the friction coefficient of the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Toshio Tanahashi
  • Publication number: 20130151074
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a control portion configured to determine a single parameter based on a running condition of a vehicle, and determine control amounts for a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle based on the parameter. A relation of the control amount for each of the plurality of actuators to the parameter is predetermined. The control portion is configured to, when the parameter is determined, determine the control amounts for the respective actuators based on the parameter, and control the actuators based on the determined control amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Takeuchi, Youji Kanehara, Toshio Tanahashi, Yoshimitsu Agata, Tomohide Kawasaki, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Shin Noumura
  • Patent number: 8423262
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: an accessory that adjusts torque that is output from an internal combustion engine, by giving load to the internal combustion engine; an ignition timing control portion that is provided so as to adjust ignition timing of the internal combustion engine, and that adjusts the torque output from the internal combustion engine by performing a retardation control of the ignition timing; an accessory load adjustment portion that adjusts an accessory load that is the load given from the accessory to the internal combustion engine; and a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine. The ignition timing control portion reduces the retardation of the ignition timing with increase in temperature of the catalyst. The accessory load adjustment portion increases the accessory load with increase in the temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Matsushita, Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaoru Ohtsuka, Shinichi Soejima
  • Publication number: 20120296541
    Abstract: When the operating speed of an accelerator pedal is higher than a given operating speed, a target acceleration as a target output value is multiplied by a gain so that an absolute value of the target acceleration is increased; therefore, a large acceleration requested by the driver can be achieved. The gain by which the target acceleration is multiplied is set to 1 when the target acceleration is about zero, so as to resume a condition where the absolute value of the target acceleration is not increased. Thus, when the control of increasing the absolute value of the target acceleration with the gain is stopped, an elevation change is less likely or unlikely to occur in the actual acceleration. Consequently, a desired acceleration is generated without causing the driver to feel uncomfortable during driving of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Matsushita, Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi
  • Publication number: 20120221228
    Abstract: In a vehicle control system that obtains an index based on a running condition of a vehicle and changes a running characteristic of the vehicle according to the index, includes index setting means for making a change in the index in response to a change in the running condition in a direction toward crisp running of the vehicle, faster than a change in the index in response to a change in the running condition in such a direction as to reduce crispness with which the vehicle is running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Ken Koibuchi, Kaiji Itabashi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara
  • Publication number: 20120179342
    Abstract: In a control device for a vehicle that controls a revolution speed of a drive power source or a gear ratio of a transmission coupled to an output side of the drive power source in the vehicle equipped with the drive power source and the transmission, the control device is configured to determine an index that is based on a running state of the vehicle, and to control a required revolution speed of the drive power source or a required gear ratio for the transmission on the basis of the index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Noumura, Kaiji Itabashi, Ken Koibuchi, Toshio Tanahashi, Keisuke Takeuchi, Hiroyuki Hanamura, Yoji Takanami, Norimi Asahara