Patents by Inventor Masaaki Yamaoka
Masaaki Yamaoka 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: 20160107687Abstract: A driving support apparatus has a controller that performs a lane keeping assist that controls a vehicle such that the lateral position of the vehicle is a target lateral position in a running lane, recognizes a lane change operation by the driver for a lane change of the vehicle from the running lane to an adjacent lane, and, when it is determined that steering torque in a lane change direction by the driver has changed from a predetermined threshold or more to less than the predetermined threshold after the lane change operation is recognized and before it is determined that a previously set lane change operation termination condition has been met, sets the lateral position of the vehicle at the time of the determination as the target lateral position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2015Publication date: April 21, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaaki YAMAOKA
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Patent number: 9180885Abstract: A drive assist apparatus which performs driving assistance in a predetermined interval having a gradient, includes average gradient information acquisition means for acquiring average gradient information of the predetermined interval; driving status information acquisition means for acquiring driving status information of a host vehicle; and gradient estimation means for estimating a gradient of a certain point within the predetermined interval or an average gradient of a certain interval within the predetermined interval, based on the average gradient information acquired by the average gradient information acquisition means and the driving status information of the host vehicle that is acquired by the driving status information acquisition means, and performs driving assistance in the predetermined interval, using the gradient that is estimated by the gradient estimation means.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirotada Otake, Masaaki Yamaoka
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Publication number: 20150224995Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes: an estimation unit configured to estimate a brake-on vehicle speed as a vehicle speed at which a driver of a vehicle starts a brake operation, based on information related to deceleration of the vehicle and vehicle-speed information; a deceleration-operation-point calculation unit configured to calculate location information of a deceleration-operation point where the driver of the vehicle starts a deceleration operation, based on the brake-on vehicle speed; and an information presentation unit configured to present driving assistance information for prompting the driver of the vehicle to perform the deceleration operation, corresponding to the calculated location information of the deceleration-operation point and a running position of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2013Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaaki Yamaoka
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Patent number: 8620844Abstract: Using variable neuron thresholds and extended Hebb's rule in a neural network, a neuron device for simulating a nerve cell includes a threshold storage unit storing a threshold variable ? and threshold coefficients ??1 and ??2; an input reception unit receiving one or more input signal values at predetermined time intervals; an output unit outputting an output signal value “1” indicating that the neuron device is firing when the sum total s of received input signal values is equal to or greater than the value of the stored threshold variable ?, or a value “0” indicating that the neuron device is resting; and a threshold updating unit calculating ??1X+??2(X?1) using the output signal value X and the stored threshold coefficients ??1 and ??2 and updating the value of the threshold variable ? stored in the threshold storage unit by increasing it by the calculation result.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2008Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignees: Riken, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shingo Shimoda, Hidenori Kimura, Masaaki Yamaoka, Hideki Kajima
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Publication number: 20130338852Abstract: A drive assist apparatus which performs driving assistance in a predetermined interval having a gradient, includes an average gradient information acquisition unit that acquires average gradient information of the predetermined interval, a driving status information acquisition unit that acquires driving status information of a host vehicle, and a gradient estimation unit that estimates a gradient of a certain point within the predetermined interval or an average gradient of a certain interval within the predetermined interval, based on the average gradient information acquired by the average gradient information acquisition unit and the driving status information of the host vehicle that is acquired by the driving status information acquisition unit, and performs driving assistance in the predetermined interval, using the gradient that is estimated by the gradient estimation unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2011Publication date: December 19, 2013Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hirotada Otake, Masaaki Yamaoka
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Patent number: 8151912Abstract: A wheeled inverted pendulum mobile unit having: a driving wheel; a body that is tiltable about an axle of the driving wheel with respect to a vertical direction; a plurality of support members that extend downward from the body in the vertical direction, wherein the bottom ends of the plurality of support members are in contact with a ground before and behind the axle of the driving wheel, and the bottom ends moves up and down, with respect to the body, as the body tilts with respect to the vertical direction; and a lock mechanism that locks positions of the bottom ends of the support members with respect to the body.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2009Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mitsuo Koide, Kazutoshi Sukigara, Yuji Tsusaka, Takashi Izuo, Masaaki Yamaoka, Koji Yamada
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Patent number: 7984775Abstract: A legged robot that can ensure a large step length while keeping the height of a body trunk at a low position without increasing a moment that is generated due to the gravitational force acting on the trunk and acting on roll joints of legs when standing on one leg is realized. In the legged robot, a pair of legs is connected so as to be able to rotate around a pitch axis (Y-axis) at lateral surfaces of a trunk. Thereby, it is possible to make the height H1 high while keeping the height of the trunk low. It is possible to ensure a large step length while keeping the height of the trunk at a low position. Legs have a structure in which roll joints are positioned below a bottom surface. Thereby, the length L1 in the pitch axis direction between the rotation axis C1 of these joints and the center of mass G of the trunk is limited. The moment acting on the roll joints of the grounding leg when standing on one leg is not increased.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2007Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Keisuke Suga, Masaaki Yamaoka
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Patent number: 7823676Abstract: The present invention provides, in connection with a coaxial two-wheeled inverted pendulum type moving vehicle, a technique which allows sudden braking without making a vehicle body to tilt significantly backward. The coaxial two-wheeled inverted pendulum type moving vehicle of the present invention comprises a pair of wheels, a chassis for supporting the pair of wheels coaxially and rotatably, wheel actuators for rotating the wheels with respect to the chassis, a vehicle body supported by the chassis, and an inverted pendulum control unit for controlling the wheel actuators so as to maintain the balanced state of the chassis. In this moving vehicle, the vehicle body is shiftable supported by the chassis in a manner that the vehicle body may shift in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the moving vehicle with respect to the chassis.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2007Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Yamada, Masaaki Yamaoka, Toshio Fuwa, Mitsuo Koide
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Publication number: 20100217733Abstract: In order to utilize variable neuron thresholds and extended Hebb's rule in a neural network for proper control, a neuron device (101) for simulating a nerve cell comprises a threshold storage unit (102) storing a threshold variable ? and two threshold coefficients ??1 and ??2; an input reception unit (103) receiving one or multiple input signal values at predetermined time intervals; an output unit (104) outputting, as an output signal value, a value “1” for indicating that the neuron device (101) is firing when the sum total s of received input signal values is equal to or greater than the value of the stored threshold variable ?, and otherwise a value “0” for indicating that the neuron device (101) is resting; and a threshold updating unit (105) calculating ??1X+??2(X?1) using the output signal value X and the stored threshold coefficients ??1 and ??2 and updating the value of the threshold variable ? stored in the threshold storage unit (102) by increasing it by the calculation result.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2008Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicants: RIKEN, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shingo Shimoda, Hidenori Kimura, Masaaki Yamaoka, Hideki Kajima
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Publication number: 20090223728Abstract: A wheeled inverted pendulum mobile unit having: a driving wheel; a body that is tiltable about an axle of the driving wheel with respect to a vertical direction; a plurality of support members that extend downward from the body in the vertical direction, wherein the bottom ends of the plurality of support members are in contact with a ground before and behind the axle of the driving wheel, and the bottom ends moves up and down, with respect to the body, as the body tilts with respect to the vertical direction; and a lock mechanism that locks positions of the bottom ends of the support members with respect to the body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2009Publication date: September 10, 2009Inventors: Mitsuo KOIDE, Kazutoshi Sukigara, Yuji Tsusaka, Takashi Izuo, Masaaki Yamaoka, Koji Yamada
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Publication number: 20090051136Abstract: The present invention provides, in connection with a coaxial two-wheeled inverted pendulum type moving vehicle, a technique which allows sudden braking without making a vehicle body to tilt significantly backward. The coaxial two-wheeled inverted pendulum type moving vehicle of the present invention comprises a pair of wheels, a chassis for supporting the pair of wheels coaxially and rotatably, wheel actuators for rotating the wheels with respect to the chassis, a vehicle body supported by the chassis, and an inverted pendulum control unit for controlling the wheel actuators so as to maintain the balanced state of the chassis. In this moving vehicle, the vehicle body is shiftable supported by the chassis in a manner that the vehicle body may shift in a direction parallel to the moving direction of the moving vehicle with respect to the chassis.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2007Publication date: February 26, 2009Inventors: Koji Yamada, Masaaki Yamaoka, Toshio Fuwa, Mitsuo Koide
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Publication number: 20090009124Abstract: A legged robot that can ensure a large step length while keeping the height of a body trunk at a low position without increasing a moment that is generated due to the gravitational force acting on the trunk and acting on roll joints of legs when standing on one leg is realized. In the legged robot, a pair of legs is connected so as to be able to rotate around a pitch axis (Y-axis) at lateral surfaces of a trunk. Thereby, it is possible to make the height H1 high while keeping the height of the trunk low. It is possible to ensure a large step length while keeping the height of the trunk at a low position. Legs have a structure in which roll joints are positioned below a bottom surface. Thereby, the length L1 in the pitch axis direction between the rotation axis C1 of these joints and the center of mass G of the trunk is limited. The moment acting on the roll joints of the grounding leg when standing on one leg is not increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2007Publication date: January 8, 2009Inventors: Keisuke Suga, Masaaki Yamaoka
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Patent number: 6660244Abstract: The invention constructs a system which vaporizes a liquid raw material in a vaporizing section and steam-reforms the vaporized raw material in a reforming section to generate hydrogen. A pressure regulating valve for regulating the pressure in the vaporizing section is disposed at anywhere from the vaporizing section to downstream of the reforming section. When a hydrogen requirement is increased, the pressure regulating valve is controlled to decrease the pressure in the vaporizing section. The pressure reduction makes it possible to promote vaporization in the vaporizing section such that the rate of generation of steam can be improved. Moreover, during start-up of the system, the control mode is changed to open the pressure regulating valve, thereby limiting the rate of increase in pressure just after the generation of reformed gas has started.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshimasa Negishi, Masaaki Yamaoka, Kyo Hattori, Kazumasa Takada, Hiromi Tanaka, Shigeto Kajiwara
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Patent number: 6638652Abstract: A fuel cell control apparatus for controlling the supply amount of oxidizing gas to a fuel cell for producing electric energy by reaction between fuel gas and oxidizing gas includes a smoother for smoothing the output related quantity of the fuel cell, and an oxidizing gas feed determining device for determining the supply amount of the oxidizing gas on the basis of the output related quantity smoothed by the smoother, and therefore when controlling the amounts of the fuel gas and oxidizing gas depending on the output demand of the fuel cell, the substantial power generation efficiency is enhanced and the output is stabilized at the same time.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1999Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshikazu Motozono, Masashi Yamashita, Masaaki Yamaoka, Kiyomi Nagamiya, Iwao Maeda
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Patent number: 6630109Abstract: A control apparatus for a reformer and a method of controlling the reformer are provided. The reformer gasifies a reformate fuel by a reforming reaction, supplies the obtained reformate gas to an energy converter to convert the reformate gas into energy of another form, and heats the reformate fuel by burning emission containing unreacted flammable gas produced in the energy converter. The control apparatus comprises a reforming amount assessing device for assessing the amount of the reformate fuel to be gasified, and an emission amount assessing device for assessing the amount of emission to be supplied into the reformer on the basis of the assessed amount of reformate fuel. When using the unreacted hydrogen gas generated in a fuel cell for heating the reformate fuel, the unreacted hydrogen gas and combustion aid gas can be controlled so that the reformate fuel is heated properly.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1999Date of Patent: October 7, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaaki Yamaoka, Masashi Yamashita, Kiyomi Nagamiya, Yoshikazu Motozono, Iwao Maeda, Masayoshi Taki
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Patent number: 6613465Abstract: A fuel reforming apparatus has a heating device, a reformer, and a CO oxidizing device. The heating device has a burning device for oxidizing fuel for burning with air and a vaporizing device for vaporizing the raw fuel. The control device for the fuel reforming apparatus has a raw fuel quantity determinator and a target temperature setting means for setting the target temperature of the raw fuel. The raw fuel quantity determinator determines a quantity of raw fuel supplied to the heating device. On the basis of the quantity of raw fuel supplied to the heating device by the determination of the raw fuel quantity determinator, the target temperature setting means sets a target temperature of the raw fuel. The heating device then heats the raw fuel to the predetermined target temperature by the control of the above-mentioned control device.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1999Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaaki Yamaoka, Masashi Yamashita, Iwao Maeda, Kiyomi Nagamiya
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Patent number: 6562501Abstract: A control system for a fuel cell to output an electric energy by a reaction between a fuel gas and an oxidizing gas. The control system comprises a humidifier for decreasing the humidification of the fuel cell when the pressure in the fuel cell is high, and for increasing the humidification of the fuel cell when the pressure in the fuel cell is low.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: May 13, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kiyomi Nagamiya, Masashi Yamashita, Iwao Maeda, Masaaki Yamaoka, Seiji Mizuno
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Publication number: 20020071974Abstract: A fuel reforming apparatus has a heating device, a reformer, and a CO oxidizing device. The heating device has a burning device for oxidizing fuel for burning with air and a vaporizing device for vaporizing the raw fuel. The control device for the fuel reforming apparatus has a raw fuel quantity determinator and a target temperature setting means for setting the target temperature of the raw fuel. The raw fuel quantity determinator determines a quantity of raw fuel supplied to the heating device. On the basis of the quantity of raw fuel supplied to the heating device by the determination of the raw fuel quantity determinator, the target temperature setting means sets a target temperature of the raw fuel. The heating device then heats the raw fuel to the predetermined target temperature by the control of the abovementioned control device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 1999Publication date: June 13, 2002Inventors: MASAAKI YAMAOKA, MASASHI YAMASHITA, IWAO MAEDA, KIYOMI NAGAMIYA
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Patent number: 6390030Abstract: A fuel reformer suited for mounting on a vehicle is provided. A raw material gas containing methanol and water is vaporized at a vaporization section 30. The vaporized gas flows horizontally to a reforming section 60 with monolithic catalyst 70. The reforming section is divided into two sides, a front side 62 and a rear side 64, with an interconnecting pipe 66 bent at 180 degrees, for connecting the front and rear sides. By making the material gas flow horizontally, even when the reformer is mounted to a vehicle which has a larger space in its horizontal direction than in its vertical direction, especially a small passenger car, the contact time period between gas and catalyst can be extended. By bending the reforming section by 180 degrees, the size of the reformer can be reduced so that the reformer is suited for mounting on a vehicle having limited space.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2000Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryuhei Isogawa, Yasuhiro Nobata, Masatsune Kondo, Shigeru Ogino, Kenji Kimura, Masayoshi Taki, Akihisa Nishimura, Masaaki Yamaoka, Yoshimasa Negishi, Hideo Taguchi, Norihiko Saito, Atsushi Takumi
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Publication number: 20020031450Abstract: A control device suitably heats reformate fuel so as to obtain high-quality reformate gas by stabilizing the temperature of a reforming portion regardless of load fluctuations. The control device is suitable for use with a reformer that includes a heating portion for heating up reformate fuel, which is to be gasified in a reforming reaction, with the aid of the heat generated by heat fuel. At least one of the amount of heat fuel and the amount of an oxidizer for burning the heat fuel is determined based on an amount of reforming reaction requirement.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 1999Publication date: March 14, 2002Inventors: MASASHI YAMASHITA, MASAAKI YAMAOKA, KIYOMI NAGAMIYA