Patents by Inventor Masahiro Kimoto

Masahiro Kimoto 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: 11090554
    Abstract: A simulation system includes a processor including hardware. The processor performs an information acquisition process of acquiring user information including at least one of position information, direction information, and posture information of a user, a virtual space setting process of setting a virtual space, a moving body process of moving a user character corresponding to the user in the virtual space, a game process that is a process for a game in the virtual space, and a display process of generating an image in the virtual space as a display image to be displayed for the user. In the game process, the processor determines whether the user has made an item acquisition motion based on the user information, and upon determination that the user has made the item acquisition motion, performs a process of causing the user character to acquire an item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shinoda, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 11001305
    Abstract: A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a frame including a rail and an electrical distribution system routed at least partially through the rail. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Darin Joseph Bremmer, Carlos Ayala, Masahiro Kimoto, Leann Vernon, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Bradley Arnold Lammers, Doug G. Hughes, Pratyaksh Kamath
  • Patent number: 10897065
    Abstract: An exemplary assembly includes an array plate, and an electronic component held within a cavity of the array plate. An exemplary method includes housing an electronic component within a cavity of an array plate, and holding a battery cell of an array with the array plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Masahiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 10892458
    Abstract: An exemplary busbar forming method includes, among other things, creasing a sheet of material to form a plurality of creases that partition the sheet into a plurality of segments. The method further includes identifying a desired size for a terminal receiving recess in a busbar. In response to the desired size, the method folds at least some of the segments relative to each other about at least some of the creases according to a first process, or a different, second process. An exemplary battery assembly includes, among other things, a busbar formed from a sheet of material. The busbar has a terminal receiving recess. Creases are formed within the sheet that partition at least a portion of the sheet into a plurality of segments. Some of the segments are folded relative to each other about at least some of the creases to provide the terminal receiving recess in the busbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajesh Narayanan, Masahiro Kimoto, Abdul Lateef, Eid Farha, Hari Krishna Addanki, John Sturza, Temam Kedir
  • Patent number: 10639998
    Abstract: A vehicle includes main contactors powered via a low voltage bus and disposed electrically between a traction battery and a high voltage bus, and a controller. The controller, responsive to the contactors remaining open following activation of the low voltage bus and reported voltage values associated with the high voltage bus being less than a threshold, operates a horn of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Sturza, Kevin Lloyd Newman, Josephine S. Lee, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Publication number: 20200108308
    Abstract: A simulation system includes a processor including hardware. The processor performs an information acquisition process of acquiring user information including at least one of position information, direction information, and posture information of a user, a virtual space setting process of setting a virtual space, a moving body process of moving a user character corresponding to the user in the virtual space, a game process that is a process for a game in the virtual space, and a display process of generating an image in the virtual space as a display image to be displayed for the user. In the game process, the processor determines whether the user has made an item acquisition motion based on the user information, and upon determination that the user has made the item acquisition motion, performs a process of causing the user character to acquire an item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuya SHINODA, Masahiro KIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10525915
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a high voltage power supply. An example vehicle includes first and second power supply buses, a high voltage power supply coupled to the first and second power supply buses, and a high voltage controller. The high voltage controller is configured to control the high voltage power supply, detect a short circuit on the first power supply bus, and responsively change a power source of the high voltage controller by activating an opto-isolator and one or more smart FETs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Sturza, Masahiro Kimoto, Tsung-Han Tsai, David Anthony Symanow, Ray C. Siciak
  • Publication number: 20190322178
    Abstract: A vehicle includes main contactors powered via a low voltage bus and disposed electrically between a traction battery and a high voltage bus, and a controller. The controller, responsive to the contactors remaining open following activation of the low voltage bus and reported voltage values associated with the high voltage bus being less than a threshold, operates a horn of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: John Sturza, Kevin Lloyd Newman, Josephine S. Lee, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 10454145
    Abstract: An example electric vehicle battery thermocouple includes a temperature sense lead of a first material, and an electric vehicle battery component of a second material different than the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Turgeon, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Publication number: 20190283807
    Abstract: A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a frame including a rail and an electrical distribution system routed at least partially through the rail. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Darin Joseph Bremmer, Carlos Ayala, Masahiro Kimoto, Leann Vernon, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Bradley Arnold Lammers, Doug G. Hughes, Pratyaksh Kamath
  • Patent number: 10377247
    Abstract: A charging system for a high voltage battery includes a pair of contactors each electrically connected to one of positive and negative terminals of the battery and configured to enable charging of the battery when closed; and a controller programmed to generate a notification indicating that one of the contactors is welded closed based on port voltage values achieved while issuing a predetermined sequence of open and close commands to the contactors after charge completion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Philip Michael Gonzales, Vineeth Seshadri Kallur, Masahiro Kimoto, Wesley Edward Burkman, Benjamin A. Tabatowski-Bush
  • Publication number: 20190189994
    Abstract: An exemplary busbar forming method includes, among other things, creasing a sheet of material to form a plurality of creases that partition the sheet into a plurality of segments. The method further includes identifying a desired size for a terminal receiving recess in a busbar. In response to the desired size, the method folds at least some of the segments relative to each other about at least some of the creases according to a first process, or a different, second process. An exemplary battery assembly includes, among other things, a busbar formed from a sheet of material. The busbar has a terminal receiving recess. Creases are formed within the sheet that partition at least a portion of the sheet into a plurality of segments. Some of the segments are folded relative to each other about at least some of the creases to provide the terminal receiving recess in the busbar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Rajesh Narayanan, Masahiro Kimoto, Abdul Lateef, Eid Farha, Hari Krishna Addanki, John Sturza, Temam Kedir
  • Publication number: 20190135206
    Abstract: Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a high voltage power supply. An example vehicle includes first and second power supply buses, a high voltage power supply coupled to the first and second power supply buses, and a high voltage controller. The high voltage controller is configured to control the high voltage power supply, detect a short circuit on the first power supply bus, and responsively change a power source of the high voltage controller by activating an opto-isolator and one or more smart FETs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: John Sturza, Masahiro Kimoto, Tsung-Han Tsai, David Anthony Symanow, Ray C. Siciak
  • Patent number: 9923187
    Abstract: A vehicle power system may include a battery array having at least one battery with a bus bar connected to an electrical bus. The power system may also include a conductive lead of a sensor welded to the bus bar to form a joint defined by a plurality of stitches, a net cross-sectional area of the plurality being less than a cross-sectional area of the lead such that short-circuit current from the battery array melts the joint to protect the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Masahiro Kimoto, Debbi Callicoat, Rajesh Narayanan, Francisco Fernandez-Galindo
  • Patent number: 9884545
    Abstract: An exemplary traction battery mounting assembly includes a traction battery and a damper securing the traction battery to a vehicle frame such that the traction battery can move together relative to the vehicle frame when secured to the vehicle frame. An exemplary traction battery securing method includes securing a traction battery in an installed position where the traction battery is mounted to a vehicle frame. The traction battery is moveable relative to the vehicle frame when in the installed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hari Krishna Addanki, Masahiro Kimoto, Patrick Daniel Maguire, Kevin A. Montgomery
  • Publication number: 20180034034
    Abstract: A vehicle power system may include a battery array having at least one battery with a bus bar connected to an electrical bus. The power system may also include a conductive lead of a sensor welded to the bus bar to form a joint defined by a plurality of stitches, a net cross-sectional area of the plurality being less than a cross-sectional area of the lead such that short-circuit current from the battery array melts the joint to protect the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Masahiro Kimoto, Debbi Callicoat, Rajesh Narayanan, Francisco Fernandez-Galindo
  • Patent number: 9837690
    Abstract: A vehicle having: vehicle structure including a pair of opposed sides and a rear, with a floor extending horizontally between the sides and rear; a battery-pack mounted above the floor; a fan assembly having a housing with a motor mounted therein directly behind the battery-pack, with the housing including a pair of flanges having U-slots with slot openings facing downward; and fasteners extending horizontally through the U-slots and secured to the battery-pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Suriyaprakash A. Janarthanam, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 9758091
    Abstract: A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, activating hazard lights of an electrified vehicle in response to a high voltage battery disconnect event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Bolduc, Masahiro Kimoto, Ken Jon Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20170133730
    Abstract: An example electric vehicle battery thermocouple includes a temperature sense lead of a first material, and an electric vehicle battery component of a second material different than the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas Joseph Turgeon, Masahiro Kimoto
  • Patent number: 9630503
    Abstract: An automotive vehicle high voltage bus is connected to a power source by a circuit having a main contactor and a precharge contactor. To energize the bus, the precharge contactor is closed and then the main contactor is closed. Upon completion of precharging, the main contactor is opened and energization of the bus is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ray C. Siciak, Vineeth S. Kallur, Deborah E. Callicoat, Derek Hartl, Masahiro Kimoto