Patents by Inventor Kenta Kumazaki

Kenta Kumazaki 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).

  • Publication number: 20230415726
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to estimate whether or not a driver is attempting to begin vehicle travel after a vehicle has been activated, based on a photographed image of an area near a driving seat, and to control an electrical oil pump to supply a second hydraulic pressure that is lower than a first hydraulic pressure which allows operation of a transmission having a frictional engagement element that can be engaged and disengaged by hydraulic pressure, when it has been estimated that the driver is not attempting to begin vehicle travel, or to control the electrical oil pump to supply the first hydraulic pressure to the transmission, when it has been estimated that the driver is attempting to begin vehicle travel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230406339
    Abstract: A device for proposing autonomous driving includes a processor configured to identify an autonomously travelable section in which a vehicle is capable of traveling under autonomous driving control, make a proposal for travel under autonomous driving control to a driver of the vehicle via a notification device when a proposal determination value corresponding to the length of the identified autonomously travelable section satisfies a first proposal criterion, stop proposing travel through the autonomously travelable section under autonomous driving control to the driver when the proposal determination value corresponding to the length of the identified autonomously travelable section does not satisfy the first proposal criterion, and add a predetermined addition value to the proposal determination value corresponding to the length of the identified autonomously travelable section when an action of the driver to consent to the proposal for travel under autonomous driving control to the driver is not detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230322201
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to determine whether or not a driver is attempting to move a vehicle from a traveling lane in which the vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane, based on a monitor image taken of an area near a driving seat, and to activate the engine when it has been determined that the driver is attempting to move the vehicle from the traveling lane to the adjacent lane and the engine is stopped with drive power being obtained using the electric motor, wherein the vehicle is accelerated using the drive power of the engine when the engine is activated, if movement of the vehicle from the traveling lane to the adjacent lane has been requested by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenta Kumazaki
  • Publication number: 20230322229
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to set a reference lane change start zone on a traveling lane, determine a target lane change start zone on the traveling lane, based on the reference lane change start zone and a current correction value, count a number of requests as number of times a vehicle lane change has been requested by the driver at a different location than a start location of the target lane change start zone, and calculate a new correction value for the reference lane change start zone, based on a correction coefficient determined based on the number of requests, and distance between the start location of the target lane change start zone and request location where the vehicle lane change has been requested, wherein the next target lane change start zone is determined based on the reference lane change start zone and the new correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230322258
    Abstract: A vehicle control device comprises a processor configured to set a reference lateral position, based on an intervehicular distance between the vehicle and another vehicle traveling on an adjacent lane, determine a target lateral position based on the reference lateral position and a current correction value for the reference lateral position, when the intervehicular distance falls below a predetermined reference distance, count a number of times that the lateral position of the vehicle in the traveling lane has been changed from the target lateral position, and calculate a new correction value based on a correction coefficient determined based on the number of changes and an amount of change in the lateral position of the vehicle that has changed from the target lateral position, wherein the next target lateral position is determined based on the reference lateral position and the new correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230311914
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to set a target torque as a target for driver torque at which generation of anti-torque on a steering wheel is to be initiated, based on a reference torque as a reference for driver torque at which generation of anti-torque is to be initiated against the driver torque produced by operation of the steering wheel by a driver, and a current correction value for the reference torque, to count a number of deviations from a lane marking line of a lane in which the vehicle is traveling while the driver torque exceeds the target torque, and to calculate a new correction value for the reference torque based on a correction coefficient that is set based on the number of deviations, wherein the next target torque is set based on the reference torque and the new correction value for the reference torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230249549
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to set a reference curve speed when a vehicle is traveling on a curved road based on the speed of the vehicle and the curvature radius of the road, determine a target curve speed based on the reference curve speed and a current correction value, count the number of changes the speed of the vehicle has been changed from the target curve speed by driver operation and calculate a new correction value for the reference curve speed based on a correction coefficient determined each time the number of changes has been counted and the amount of change in the speed of the vehicle that has changed from the target curve speed by driver operation, wherein the subsequent target curve speed is determined based on the reference curve speed and the new correction value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230242113
    Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to determine a set speed for a vehicle representing a target speed based on a speed limit of a road, and a current correction value corresponding to the speed limit of the road, count a number of changes the set speed for the vehicle has been changed by a driver, and calculate a new correction value for the set speed for the vehicle based on a correction coefficient determined based on the number of changes, and speed difference between the set speed for the vehicle after change and the speed limit of the road, each time the number of changes has been counted, wherein the next set speed for the vehicle is determined based on the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is traveling and the new correction value corresponding to the speed limit of the road.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20230174044
    Abstract: A transmission controller includes a processor configured to set acceleration/deceleration start timing at which a vehicle starts accelerating or decelerating, based on at least one of a sensor signal representing the situation around the vehicle, the current position of the vehicle, a map including information on a road being traveled by the vehicle, and operation of the vehicle by a driver, downshift a second transmission of a power train including two motors and an engine before the acceleration/deceleration start timing, and control the power train to vary first and second gear ratios of a first transmission so as to keep the RPM of the engine constant. The first transmission is capable of steplessly varying the first and second gear ratios, which are gear ratios between one of the motors and the engine and between the other motor and the engine, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventor: Kenta Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 11541869
    Abstract: There are provided a controller and a control method for a hybrid vehicle including an engine with a supercharger serving as a drive power source for travel, a rotary machine serving as a drive power source for travel, and a power storage device configured to transmit and receive electric power to and from the rotary machine. The controller determines whether an operation of the supercharger is limited, compensates for a torque shortage of the engine due to limitation of the operation of the supercharger by a torque of the rotary machine when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited, and curbs a decrease in an amount of electric power stored in the power storage device more when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited than when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is not limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Patent number: 11273845
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle having a step-variable transmission. The control apparatus includes: a shift control portion to temporarily increase an input torque of the step-variable transmission beyond a required value, the shift control portion commanding an engaging-side coupling device which is the coupling device placed in a released state, to be brought into an engaged state, when the input speed has been raised to a predetermined value; and a torque increasing amount setting portion to set an amount of increase of the input torque of the step-variable transmission beyond the required value, such that the amount of increase is smaller when a rate of change of a running speed of the vehicle is relatively low than when the rate of change is relatively high, the rate of change of the running speed having a negative value in a decelerating state of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Sasade, Kenta Kumazaki, Jun Goto, Koji Sugiyama, Takahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 11247658
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle provided, with a step-variable transmission, includes: a feedback control portion; an input torque resetting control portion; a target input torque setting portion operated upon an increase of the accelerator pedal operation amount in the process of the shift-down action in a power-off state of the vehicle, to restrict an amount of increase of the input torque target value with respect to an amount of increase of an operator-required input torque value, so as to keep the target value not larger than an upper limit value until termination of the input torque resetting control; and an actual input torque increasing portion operated upon the increase of the accelerator pedal operation amount prior to initiation of the inertia phase, to implement an input torque increasing control to control the input torque so as to be larger than the target value, prior to the inertia phase initiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Aisin AW CO., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Tooru Matsubara, Daisuke Suyama, Mitsuru Maeda, Tomoyasu Kimura
  • Patent number: 11021076
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes an electronic control unit configured to selectively execute a first operation control for traveling based on a driving operation of a driver and a second operation control for traveling by setting a target traveling state independently of the driving operation of the driver and automatically performing acceleration or deceleration based on the target traveling state, and set an input voltage of an inverter set in the second operation control to be lower than the input voltage of the inverter set in the first operation control when an operating state of a rotating device represented by an output torque and a rotational speed of the rotating device is not changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Gotoh, Kenta Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 10982613
    Abstract: A controller and a control method for a vehicle including an engine with a supercharger and an automatic transmission provided in a power transmission path between the engine and driving wheels are provided. The controller is configured to perform learning control of learning a command value associated with gear shifting of the automatic transmission. The controller is configured to limit a supercharging pressure of the supercharger when the automatic transmission is performing gear shifting to be equal to or less than a predetermined pressure until initial learning which is performed by the learning control unit in a predetermined period after the vehicle has been manufactured is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Hiromasa Tatsushiro, Kenta Kumazaki
  • Publication number: 20210039626
    Abstract: There are provided a controller and a control method for a hybrid vehicle including an engine with a supercharger serving as a drive power source for travel, a rotary machine serving as a drive power source for travel, and a power storage device configured to transmit and receive electric power to and from the rotary machine. The controller determines whether an operation of the supercharger is limited, compensates for a torque shortage of the engine due to limitation of the operation of the supercharger by a torque of the rotary machine when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited, and curbs a decrease in an amount of electric power stored in the power storage device more when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is limited than when it is determined that the operation of the supercharger is not limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru MATSUBARA, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yasutaka Tsuchida, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Publication number: 20210025346
    Abstract: A controller and a control method for a vehicle including an engine with a supercharger and an automatic transmission provided in a power transmission path between the engine and driving wheels are provided. The controller is configured to perform learning control of learning a command value associated with gear shifting of the automatic transmission. The controller is configured to limit a supercharging pressure of the supercharger when the automatic transmission is performing gear shifting to be equal to or less than a predetermined pressure until initial learning which is performed by the learning control unit in a predetermined period after the vehicle has been manufactured is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Koichi OKUDA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Hiromasa TATSUSHIRO, Kenta KUMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 10882530
    Abstract: A vehicle allocation system includes for allocating, through autonomous driving, an allocation vehicle selected from a plurality of selection target vehicles is provided. Each of the plurality of selection target vehicles includes an electronic controller configured to perform hydraulic pressure control learning and autonomous driving control of a power transmission device in which a plurality of shift stages are established by combination of a plurality of hydraulic engaging devices. The at least one processing circuitry is configured to select a vehicle in which a progress degree of the hydraulic pressure control learning is low as the allocation vehicle from the selection target vehicles, based on progress degrees of the hydraulic pressure control learning before the vehicle allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Kumazaki
  • Patent number: 10843681
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus selects one of a power-on control and a power-off control for execution of a shift-down action in a transmission of a vehicle, and implements the selected power-on or power-off control. When a running speed of the vehicle is not lower than a predetermined value, the control apparatus selects one of the power-on control and the power-off control, based on a target input torque that is to be inputted to the transmission. When the vehicle running speed is lower than the predetermined value, the control apparatus selects one of the power-on control and the power-off control, based on an actual input torque that is actually inputted to the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Goto, Kenta Kumazaki, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Tooru Matsubara, Masato Yoshikawa, Kazuomi Okasaka, Atsushi Kayukawa, Daisuke Suyama, Mitsuru Maeda
  • Patent number: 10793139
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for a vehicle that includes (i) an engine serving as a drive power source, (ii) a motor/generator serving as the drive power source and (iii) a mechanically-operated transmission mechanism that constitutes a part of a power transmitting path between the drive power source and drive wheels of the vehicle. The control apparatus includes a shift control portion is configured, when an input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is to be controlled in process of a coasting shift-down action executed in the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism, to determine an upper limit value of the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism in the process of the coasting shift-down action, such that the determined upper limit value is lower during operation of the engine than during stop of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Goto, Kenta Kumazaki, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Tooru Matsubara, Masato Yoshikawa, Takahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 10766477
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to make an engine start-up threshold at a time of second operation control smaller than an engine start-up threshold at a time of first operation control. Therefore, the engine stop time at the time of the first operation control can be made long. In consequence, the vehicle efficiency can be enhanced in a vehicle in which the first operation control and the second operation control can be selectively performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kohno, Kenta Kumazaki