Patents by Inventor Masahiko Kikuchi

Masahiko Kikuchi 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: 10040474
    Abstract: A steering control device (30) for a vehicle, the steering control device controlling a steering device, the steering device having a steering mechanism (10) configured to steer wheels (15) and a driving device (40) configured to provide the steering mechanism (10) with Steering force for the wheels (15), the steering control device configured to; detect turning of the wheels (15); determine whether the vehicle is in a stationary steering state; and increase, when the vehicle is determined to be in a stationary steering state as a result of determination whether the vehicle is in a stationary steering state, the steering force to be provided to the steering mechanism (10) than a value upon determination that the vehicle is not in a stationary steering state, wherein the steering control device (30) is further configured to decrease the steering force to be provided to the steering mechanism (10) than before when the turning of the wheels (15) is detected as a result of providing the steering force with the st
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Oiki, Masahiko Kikuchi, Akira Morimoto
  • Patent number: 9731752
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle controls a steering device having a steering mechanism and a drive unit configured to provide the steering mechanism with steering force for the wheels. The steering control device includes a detection unit to detect the steering angle; and a control unit to calculate a target value of a current to be supplied to the drive unit as a current command value, and execute automatic steering control to automatically control steering of the vehicle by causing the drive unit to be supplied with the current of the current command value. When an absolute value of the steering angle comes to a predetermined first threshold or more during the automatic steering control, the control unit decreases an upper limit value of an absolute value of the current command value as the absolute value of the steering angle increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Morimoto, Masahiko Kikuchi, Daisuke Oki
  • Patent number: 9457842
    Abstract: A parking mode selection apparatus selects one parking mode among from plural parking modes including at least a perpendicular parking or a parallel parking. The parking mode selection apparatus includes a steer angle detector that detects a steer angle of a steering wheel, an operation detector that detects, based on the steer angle detected by the steer angle detector, a predetermined operation in which the steering wheel is returned to a neutral position after rotated to a right or a left, and a parking mode selector. The parking mode selector selects, when the predetermined operation is detected by the operation detector, a parking mode that coincides with a steered direction to the right or the left of the steer angle detected by the steer angle detector and is associated with said steer angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Teruhisa Takano, Masahiko Kikuchi, Hajime Kasai, Yoshiro Takamatsu, Kouki Minegishi, Makoto Shibano
  • Publication number: 20160264172
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle, the steering control device controlling a steering device, the steering device having a steering mechanism (10) configured to steer wheels (15) and a drive unit (40) configured to provide the steering mechanism (10) with steering force for the wheels (15), the steering control device comprising: a detection unit (30) configured to detect turning of the wheels (15); a determination unit (30) configured to determine whether the vehicle is in a stationary steering state; and a control unit (30) configured to increase, when the vehicle is determined to be in a stationary steering state as a result of the determination of the determination unit (30), the steering force to be provided to the steering mechanism (10) than a value upon determination that the vehicle is not in a stationary steering state, wherein the control unit (30) is further configured to decrease the steering force to be provided to the steering mechanism (10) than before when the turning of the wheels (15)
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Daisuke OIKI, Masahiko KIKUCHI, Akira MORIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160167702
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle controls a steering device having a steering mechanism and a drive unit configured to provide the steering mechanism with steering force for the wheels. The steering control device includes a detection unit to detect the steering angle; and a control unit to calculate a target value of a current to be supplied to the drive unit as a current command value, and execute automatic steering control to automatically control steering of the vehicle by causing the drive unit to be supplied with the current of the current command value. When an absolute value of the steering angle comes to a predetermined first threshold or more during the automatic steering control, the control unit decreases an upper limit value of an absolute value of the current command value as the absolute value of the steering angle increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Akira MORIMOTO, Masahiko KIKUCHI, Daisuke OKI
  • Publication number: 20160152267
    Abstract: A steering control device for a vehicle having a steering mechanism and a drive unit configured to provide the steering mechanism with steering power for the wheels, the steering control device comprising: a control unit configured to control the drive unit to provide the steering mechanism with steering power, thereby executing automatic steering control to steer the steering mechanism; a detection unit configured to detect an input torque input by a steering operation; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a moving average value or integrated value of the input torque on the basis of an input torque detected during a period of time from a certain time before to a current point of time. The control unit releases the automatic steering control when the moving average value or integrated value of the input torque is a predetermined threshold or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Akira MORIMOTO, Masahiko KIKUCHI, Daisuke OKI
  • Patent number: 8964778
    Abstract: A communication control device includes: a first processing unit that converts an electrical signal received by a communication channel into digital data and outputs the digital data, and in a second operation mode in which an amount of power supplied to the communication control device is lower than in a first operation mode, outputs a notification signal upon receiving an electrical signal indicating an arrival of packet data; a clock controller that, in the second operation mode, initiates supplying a clock signal upon receiving the notification signal; and a second processing unit that (i) has a receiving unit that extracts packet data from the digital data and outputs the extracted packet data, and (ii) in the second operation mode, stops receiving packet data during a time that the clock signal is not supplied, and upon reception of the clock signal, starts receiving packet data using the received clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Bando, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Masahiko Kikuchi, Yuichi Kawata, Masakazu Kawashita, Keita Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20140156148
    Abstract: A parking assist apparatus includes a mode selector switch, a plurality of direction switches and a parking pattern selecting unit. The mode selector switch selects one of a first mode of assisting parking and a second mode of executing a function other than parking assist. The direction switches includes a pair of right and left direction switches that are disposed on the right and left and a pair of front and rear direction switches that are disposed at the front and rear. In a case in which the first mode is selected, when one of the right and left direction switches is operated, a right or left parking pattern associated with the right or left position is selected, and when one of the front and rear direction switches is operated, an adjacent or parallel parking pattern associated with the front or rear position is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20130144492
    Abstract: A parking mode selection apparatus selects one parking mode among from plural parking modes including at least a perpendicular parking or a parallel parking. The parking mode selection apparatus includes a steer angle detector that detects a steer angle of a steering wheel, an operation detector that detects, based on the steer angle detected by the steer angle detector, a predetermined operation in which the steering wheel is returned to a neutral position after rotated to a right or a left, and a parking mode selector. The parking mode selector selects, when the predetermined operation is detected by the operation detector, a parking mode that coincides with a steered direction to the right or the left of the steer angle detected by the steer angle detector and is associated with said steer angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Teruhisa Takano, Masahiko Kikuchi, Hajime Kasai, Yoshiro Takamatsu, Kouki Minegishi, Makoto Shibano
  • Patent number: 8390856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a communication unit that receives a request that requests a reply and includes a source of the request and a destination of the request; and a controller that returns from a low electric power condition after moving into the low electric power condition of which the power consumption is low, and that controls the communication unit, wherein when the controller is in the low electric power condition, the communication unit returns the reply to the request received and detects a duplication between an identification information that identifies the source and an identification information that identifies the destination based on the request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Kawata, Masakazu Kawashita, Yoshifumi Bando, Keita Sakakura, Masahiko Kikuchi, Hiroaki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8282529
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle transmission includes a hydraulic circuit configured to activate at least one friction element with a control pressure, a selector configured to select a range of the transmission, a valve configured to switch a transmission shifter, and a control unit configured to direct the valve to switch the transmission shifter in response to the selected transmission range and to reduce the control pressure prior to switching the transmission shifter. A method to control a vehicle transmission includes activating at least one friction element with a control pressure, selecting a desired range of the transmission, switching a transmission range in response to the selected desired transmission range, and reducing the control pressure prior to switching the transmission range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Funakoshi, Hiroaki Akazawa, Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8250272
    Abstract: An interrupt control apparatus includes: an interrupt request supply unit that supplies interrupt request information; a processing unit that performs interrupt processing based on the interrupt request information supplied by the interrupt request supply unit; and a time measuring unit that is used to measure an elapse of a predefined time period from a time point when the interrupt request supply unit starts to supply the interrupt request information, wherein: even if new interrupt cause information is stored during the time when the time measuring unit is measuring the elapse of the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit does not supply interrupt request information based on the new interrupt cause information to the processing unit; and after the elapsed time measured by the time measuring unit reaches the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit supplies the interrupt request information to the processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Sakakura, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Yuichi Kawata, Masahiko Kikuchi, Masakazu Kawashita, Yoshifumi Bando
  • Publication number: 20110150974
    Abstract: A medicament used for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatment of xerostomia, which is in the form for oral mucosal administration comprising a spirooxathiolane quinuclidine derivative represented by the following general formula (I) or an acid addition salt thereof: [Formula 1] (wherein R1 and R2 may be the same or different, and independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a monoaryl- or diaryl-substituted methylol group, or an aryl-substituted alkyl group) as an active ingredient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicants: DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD., SAITAMA DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noriko Nakajima, Norihiro Shinkai, Hitoshi Yamauchi, Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7859693
    Abstract: In a printing system 10 connected to a host computer 20 as an upper system via a serial bus, communication control information used in a shift from a power saving mode to a normal transfer mode are previously in a response controlling portion 147 before a CPU 151 in a printing controlling portion 12 is shifted into the power saving mode, and then the response controlling portion 147 can receive the data based on the set communication control information without intervention of a CPU 151 in the cancel of the power saving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuhito Ueno, Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20100294065
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle transmission includes a hydraulic circuit configured to activate at least one friction element with a control pressure, a selector configured to select a range of the transmission, a valve configured to switch a transmission shifter, and a control unit configured to direct the valve to switch the transmission shifter in response to the selected transmission range and to reduce the control pressure prior to switching the transmission shifter. A method to control a vehicle transmission includes activating at least one friction element with a control pressure, selecting a desired range of the transmission, switching a transmission range in response to the selected desired transmission range, and reducing the control pressure prior to switching the transmission range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Funakoshi, Hiroaki Akazawa, Masahiko Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20100246380
    Abstract: A communication control device includes: a first processing unit that converts an electrical signal received by a communication channel into digital data and outputs the digital data, and in a second operation mode in which an amount of power supplied to the communication control device is lower than in a first operation mode, outputs a notification signal upon receiving an electrical signal indicating an arrival of packet data; a clock controller that, in the second operation mode, initiates supplying a clock signal upon receiving the notification signal; and a second processing unit that (i) has a receiving unit that extracts packet data from the digital data and outputs the extracted packet data, and (ii) in the second operation mode, stops receiving packet data during a time that the clock signal is not supplied, and upon reception of the clock signal, starts receiving packet data using the received clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi BANDO, Hiroaki YAMAMOTO, Masahiko KIKUCHI, Yuichi KAWATA, Masakazu KAWASHITA, Keita SAKAKURA
  • Publication number: 20100245893
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a communication unit that receives a request that requests a reply and includes a source of the request and a destination of the request; and a controller that returns from a low electric power condition after moving into the low electric power condition of which the power consumption is low, and that controls the communication unit, wherein when the controller is in the low electric power condition, the communication unit returns the reply to the request received and detects a duplication between an identification information that identifies the source and an identification information that identifies the destination based on the request.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi KAWATA, Masakazu Kawashita, Yoshifumi Bando, Keita Sakakura, Masahiko Kikuchi, Hiroaki Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20100250811
    Abstract: An interrupt controller includes: a timer that repeatedly measures a predesignated length of time; an interrupt request unit that, when data is received by a receiving unit while the timer is measuring the length of time, outputs an interrupt request after measurement of the length of time is completed; a measurement unit that measures a frequency of data reception of the receiving unit; and an updating unit that changes the length of time measured by the timer so as to be shorter than the predesignated length of time when the frequency of reception measured by the measurement unit exceeds a threshold frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masakazu Kawashita, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Masahiko Kikuchi, Yuichi Kawata, Yoshifumi Bando, Keita Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20100241778
    Abstract: An interrupt control apparatus includes: an interrupt request supply unit that supplies interrupt request information; a processing unit that performs interrupt processing based on the interrupt request information supplied by the interrupt request supply unit; and a time measuring unit that is used to measure an elapse of a predefined time period from a time point when the interrupt request supply unit starts to supply the interrupt request information, wherein: even if new interrupt cause information is stored during the time when the time measuring unit is measuring the elapse of the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit does not supply interrupt request information based on the new interrupt cause information to the processing unit; and after the elapsed time measured by the time measuring unit reaches the predefined time period, the interrupt request supply unit supplies the interrupt request information to the processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Sakakura, Hiroaki Yamamoto, Yuichi Kawata, Masahiko Kikuchi, Masakazu Kawashita, Yoshifumi Bando
  • Publication number: 20100140557
    Abstract: A polyimide precursor liquid composition of the present invention includes at least one type of tetracarboxylic dianhydride or derivative thereof, at least one type of diamine or derivative thereof, and a polar polymerization solvent, wherein the polyimide precursor liquid composition further includes a cyclic compound, and wherein the cyclic compound has a boiling point of 200° C. or more and comprises carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. A polyimide coating film of the present invention is obtained by converting the polyimide precursor liquid composition into imide. Thus, the present invention provides a polyimide coating or film that is substantially colorless and transparent, and that is useful as, for example, a heat resistant coating film for liquid crystals, organic electroluminescence, touch panels and solar cells and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: I.S.T CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji MORIUCHI, Harumi YONEMUSHI, Masahiko KIKUCHI, Satomi UWABA