Patents by Inventor Masahiro Toyohara

Masahiro Toyohara 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: 20160003182
    Abstract: A control device is provided which prevents a temperature increase within an ECU by suppressing heat generation in the ECU without using a new cooling device such as a blow fan. In one step, an open valve voltage target value is calculated. An open valve voltage is a voltage applied to a fuel injection valve when opening the fuel injection valve. As the number of times of the multi-stage injections increases, an opportunity to boost the open valve voltage increases, heat is generated in the open valve voltage boosting section, a temperature within the ECU excessively increases, and there is a concern that an electronic component within the ECU malfunctions or fails. Thus, a temperature sensor is provided on an inside of the ECU and if an ECU temperature is high, it is determined that heat is generated in the open valve voltage generating section and the open valve voltage target value is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Yoshihisa FUJII, Takao FUKUDA, Masahiro TOYOHARA
  • Publication number: 20160001716
    Abstract: In a vehicle control device in which a driver circuit which does not have a computing function and a computing device communicate with each other, there is provided a technology which can efficiently diagnose that both the driver circuit and the computing device normally communicate with each other by a simple technique. The vehicle control device according to the present invention transmits diagnosis data as a control command from a computing portion to the driver circuit, and the driver circuit sends inverted diagnosis data in which the diagnosis data is bit-inverted back to the computing portion. The computing portion diagnoses whether or not the communication between the computing portion and the driver circuit is normally performed, by using the diagnosis data and the inverted diagnosis data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro YONEOKA, Yasuhiko OKADA, Chihiro SATO, Koji YUASA, Masahiro TOYOHARA, Yasushi SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150377176
    Abstract: An object of this disclosure is to provide a fuel injection device that can reliably detect an operation timing of a valve body, that is, a valve opening timing with high accuracy. The current of an electromagnetic valve reaches I2 at time t3, an FET 201 and an FET 221 are turned on, and a battery voltage VB is applied to the electromagnetic valve until time t5 is reached. The amount of displacement of the valve body reaches a target amount of control lift at time t4 between time t3 and time t5, that is, a movable core 304 comes into contact with a fixed core 301. The detection of the valve opening timing is performed during the period from time t3 to time t5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Ayumu HATANAKA, Ryo KUSAKABE, Motoyuki ABE, Toshihiro AONO, Teppei HIROTSU, Hideyuki SAKAMOTO, Takao FUKUDA, Hideharu EHARA, Masahiro TOYOHARA, Akira NISHIOKA, Toshio HORI, Kiyoshi AIKI
  • Publication number: 20150144109
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided which can stabilize behavior when a fuel injection valve is opened, and reduce a variation in the amount of fuel injection of the fuel injection valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Osamu Mukaihara, Masahiro Toyohara
  • Publication number: 20140366848
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine control system includes an injector 3 (116) to supply fuel to an internal combustion engine 11, means 110 for calculating power distribution time for the injector, a sensor 105 to detect a valve opening of the injector, and means 112 for calculating and storing valve opening delay time, which is a difference between a power distribution start time and a valve opening detection time. When a power distribution time determination section 114 determines that the power distribution time for the injector is not less than a predetermined value, the valve opening delay time is calculated and stored. When the power distribution time for the injector is less than the predetermined value, the power distribution time for the injector is controlled based on the valve opening delay time stored in storing means to perform control to increase the injector power distribution time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Fujii, Takao Fududa, Masahiro Toyohara
  • Patent number: 8862367
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for an internal combustion engine capable of, in a case where fuel is injected from an injector for a plurality of times in a divided manner based on an operation status of the internal combustion engine, controlling an injection quantity of the injector accurately in light of variation in an injection quantity of the injector based on air-fuel ratio accuracy, while preventing performance deterioration of the internal combustion engine caused by the injection of fuel. An internal combustion engine control system of the present invention includes an injector for making a valve operate and injecting fuel by applying an excitation current to a coil and injecting fuel into a combustion chamber directly in a manner dividing into a plurality of times of fuel injection, the internal combustion engine control system includes means for determining invalid and valid pulse widths of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Yoshihisa Fujii
  • Patent number: 8783230
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injection system that is used with an internal-combustion engine to reliably perform a requested fuel injection operation a requested number of times even when a boost voltage is lowered. The fuel injection system monitors the boost voltage immediately before the start of fuel injection, and varies a valve open time in accordance with the monitored boost voltage. Even when the boost voltage is lowered, the fuel injection system performs a fuel injection operation the requested number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Okonogi, Masahiro Toyohara, Takashi Okamoto, Motoyuki Abe, Takuya Mayuzumi
  • Patent number: 8561594
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine controller, a clock trouble determination signal from a clock trouble determining circuit that diagnoses any clock input trouble is transmitted in parallel with an abnormality diagnosis signal outputted from an abnormality diagnosing circuit and causes it to be inputted to a trouble/abnormality signal output circuit, and the trouble/abnormality signal output circuit achieves logical summing to output one line of resultant trouble/abnormality output OR signals to a microprocessor (MP). The MP outputs to the trouble/abnormality signal output circuit a trouble/abnormality confirmation input signal, and makes definite any of an abnormal state, a clock trouble state and a normal state based on the result of switching control of the status level of the pertinent trouble/abnormality output OR signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Oura, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Takuya Mayuzumi, Masahiro Toyohara
  • Patent number: 8447498
    Abstract: Even when an engine is started in various combustion states, an excessive increase in engine speed at the start of the engine is suppressed without an influence of the combustion states and with an excellent responsiveness. Ignition timing (or a combustion injection amount) at the start of an internal combustion engine is corrected in accordance with a crank angle cycle ratio which is a ratio of a combustion period crank angle cycle and a reference crank angle cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Minoru Okubo, Takao Miyake, Tomohiro Ohisa
  • Patent number: 8315780
    Abstract: There is provided a high pressure fuel pump control system for an internal combustion engine which enables fuel pressure control with high precision without being restricted by the number of cylinders of the internal combustion engine or the number of phase sensor signals and the number of cam noses which vertically drives a plunger of a high pressure fuel pump even when a camshaft phase varies by a variable valve timing mechanism by using the high pressure fuel pump with a solenoid valve. The control system has a means which changes an effective stroke by driving the solenoid valve in the high pressure fuel pump, and has a means which changes the drive timing of the high pressure fuel pump based on a cylinder recognition value of the internal combustion engine with the cam angle detecting means as an origin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Kazunori Kondo, Satoru Okubo, Takashi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8280613
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can inject a fuel injection quantity to a fuel injector with accuracy even when the fuel injection quantity is reduced than before is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Takashi Okamoto, Tomohiro Ohisa, Yoshikazu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8240290
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, when a fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure detecting unit is not smaller than a threshold P_a, the value opening time duration of a injector is increased to a value larger than its normal value, such control as to stop fuel injection from the injector is inhibited, the low pressure fuel pump is stopped, thus quickly lowering the fuel pressure. After the fuel pressure is lowered, the valve opening time duration of the injector is returned to the normal value, and a discharge quantity of the low pressure fuel pump is changed on the basis of a difference between the fuel pressure detected by the fuel pressure detecting unit and a target fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Miyake, Masahiro Toyohara, Tomohiro Ohisa, Yoshikazu Ishii
  • Publication number: 20120116654
    Abstract: The present invention provides a control system for an internal combustion engine capable of, in a case where fuel is injected from an injector for a plurality of times in a divided manner based on an operation status of the internal combustion engine, controlling an injection quantity of the injector accurately in light of variation in an injection quantity of the injector based on air-fuel ratio accuracy, while preventing performance deterioration of the internal combustion engine caused by the injection of fuel. An internal combustion engine control system of the present invention includes an injector for making a valve operate and injecting fuel by applying an excitation current to a coil and injecting fuel into a combustion chamber directly in a manner dividing into a plurality of times of fuel injection, the internal combustion engine control system includes means for determining invalid and valid pulse widths of the injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Yoshihisa Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110301827
    Abstract: Even when an engine is started in various combustion states, an excessive increase in engine speed at the start of the engine is suppressed without an influence of the combustion states and with an excellent responsiveness. Ignition timing (or a combustion injection amount) at the start of an internal combustion engine is corrected in accordance with a crank angle cycle ratio which is a ratio of a combustion period crank angle cycle and a reference crank angle cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Masahiro Toyohara, Minoru Okubo, Takao Miyake, Tomohiro Ohisa
  • Publication number: 20110220067
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injection system that is used with an internal-combustion engine to reliably perform a requested fuel injection operation a requested number of times even when a boost voltage is lowered. The fuel injection system monitors the boost voltage immediately before the start of fuel injection, and varies a valve open time in accordance with the monitored boost voltage. Even when the boost voltage is lowered, the fuel injection system performs a fuel injection operation the requested number of times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi OKONOGI, Masahiro Toyohara, Takashi Okamoto, Motoyuki Abe, Takuya Mayuzumi
  • Patent number: 7987044
    Abstract: A control device 10 for an internal combustion engine 80 includes an injector drive circuit 90 that drives an injector 30 that injects fuel and a temperature detection device that at least detects timing when a temperature condition that the temperature of the injector drive circuit 90 exceeds predetermined temperature is satisfied. The control device 10 includes a heat-generation-suppression control means 104 that performs control for suppressing the heat generation of the injector drive circuit 90. The heat-generation-suppression control means 104 selects, on the basis of a driving state of a vehicle, at least one parameter among an electric current applied to the injector, fuel pressure supplied to the injector 30, the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine, and voltage from a battery to be boosted and performs control for limiting a value of the selected parameter on the basis of the timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Eto, Mitsuhiko Watanabe, Ryoichi Oura, Takuya Mayuzumi, Masahiro Toyohara
  • Publication number: 20110100333
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can inject a fuel injection quantity to a fuel injector with accuracy even when the fuel injection quantity is reduced than before is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro TOYOHARA, Takashi Okamoto, Tomohiro Ohisa, Yoshikazu Ishii
  • Publication number: 20110023835
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine controller, a clock trouble determination signal from a clock trouble determining circuit that diagnoses any clock input trouble is transmitted in parallel with an abnormality diagnosis signal outputted from an abnormality diagnosing circuit and causes it to be inputted to a trouble/abnormality signal output circuit, and the trouble/abnormality signal output circuit achieves logical summing to output one line of resultant trouble/abnormality output OR signals to a microprocessor (MP). The MP outputs to the trouble/abnormality signal output circuit a trouble/abnormality confirmation input signal, and makes definite any of an abnormal state, a clock trouble state and a normal state based on the result of switching control of the status level of the pertinent trouble/abnormality output OR signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi OURA, Mitsuhiko WATANABE, Takuya MAYUZUMI, Masahiro TOYOHARA
  • Publication number: 20100263632
    Abstract: Even when a current waveform and a current value of a current which is supplied to an injector is changed in order to extend a dynamic range of the injector, fuel injection quantity precision is maintained and enhanced. A correction time for correcting an opening/closing delay of the aforementioned injector is variably set by a valve response delay time calculating unit 103 and a selector unit 106 in accordance with change of setting of the current waveform and the current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao MIYAKE, Masahiro Toyohara, Yasunaga Hamada
  • Patent number: 7789073
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus is capable of reducing a minimum quantity of fuel injection without reducing a maximum quantity of injection. To open a fuel injector valve, a driving circuit supplies an electric current from a high-voltage power supply to the fuel injector. Then, after valve opening, the high-voltage power supply is switched to a low-voltage power supply, and an open state of the valve is retained. For opening the valve of the fuel injector, a microcomputer, after supplying current from the high-voltage power supply to the injector, discharges the current rapidly for a decrease below a first current level at which the open state of the valve cannot be retained. The microcomputer then controls the supply current to the injector so as to supply a current at a second current level at which the open state of the valve can be retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Miyake, Masahiro Toyohara, Takuya Mayuzumi, Tohru Ishikawa, Ryoichi Oura