Patents by Inventor Masanobu Asakawa

Masanobu Asakawa 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: 9321370
    Abstract: This electric vehicle is provided with at least a first traveling mode and a second traveling mode for which the maximum velocity (Vmax) is set lower than for the first traveling mode. The second traveling mode is a traveling mode that prioritizes travel distance per one electric power consumption unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa, Takeshi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9180789
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is provided with a first operating mode having no limitation relating to power performance, or including a predetermined limitation on power performance, and a second operating mode in which power performance is more limited than in the first operating mode, and in which power consumption is reduced relative to the first operating mode. In the second operating mode, output limiting control is performed for limiting the output of an electric drive motor, a determination is made as to whether a limit discontinuation request has been inputted by the driver to an input device, and when a limit discontinuation request has been inputted from the driver to the input device during travel in the second operating mode, output limiting control is discontinued while the second operating mode is continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Patent number: 9139106
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling an electric vehicle capable of preferably performing a regenerative control when a plurality of forward driving ranges are shifted to each other. During travelling on a downhill road, the vehicle executes a downhill regenerative control for adjusting the regenerative amount of an electric motor so that acceleration obtained when an accelerator is closed becomes a downhill acceleration according to a road surface slope. The vehicle also executes an acceleration increase control in which the downhill acceleration obtained when the forward driving ranges are shifted from a second forward driving range to a first forward driving range during travelling on the downhill road is at least temporarily set to an acceleration exceeding the downhill acceleration obtained on the assumption that the vehicle continuously travels on the same road surface slope as that of the currently travelling downhill road in the first forward driving range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dai Saitoh, Masanobu Asakawa, Yasuo Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 9043068
    Abstract: Provided is a display device of an electric vehicle that enables an occupant of an electric vehicle to more easily realize an effect of regeneration of braking energy. This display device of the electric vehicle calculates integrated cumulative value of the actual driving distance of the electric vehicle as a first distance, calculates, upon detecting regeneration of braking energy, integrated cumulative value of a drivable distance extended by the regeneration of the braking energy as a second distance, and displays both the first distance and the second distance on a display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Shiogai, Takeshi Taguchi, Yuusuke Maino, Hiroshi Furumi, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20140336860
    Abstract: Provided is a method of controlling an electric vehicle capable of preferably performing a regenerative control when a plurality of forward driving ranges are shifted to each other. During travelling on a downhill road, the vehicle executes a downhill regenerative control for adjusting the regenerative amount of an electric motor so that acceleration obtained when an accelerator is closed becomes a downhill acceleration according to a road surface slope. The vehicle also executes an acceleration increase control in which the downhill acceleration obtained when the forward driving ranges are shifted from a second forward driving range to a first forward driving range during travelling on the downhill road is at least temporarily set to an acceleration exceeding the downhill acceleration obtained on the assumption that the vehicle continuously travels on the same road surface slope as that of the currently travelling downhill road in the first forward driving range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR cO., LTD,
    Inventors: Dai Saitoh, Masanobu Asakawa, Yasuo MIyoshi
  • Publication number: 20140309829
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is provided with a first operating mode having no limitation relating to power performance, or including a predetermined limitation on power performance, and a second operating mode in which power performance is more limited than in the first operating mode, and in which power consumption is reduced relative to the first operating mode. In the second operating mode, output limiting control is performed for limiting the output of an electric drive motor, a determination is made as to whether a limit discontinuation request has been inputted by the driver to an input device, and when a limit discontinuation request has been inputted from the driver to the input device during travel in the second operating mode, output limiting control is discontinued while the second operating mode is continued.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Patent number: 8849491
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a drive motor, an air conditioning system, an electric storage device, and a power consumption controller. The drive motor is to generate drive force for the electric vehicle. The electric storage device is to supply power to the drive motor and the air conditioning system. The power consumption controller is configured to control power consumption of the drive motor and the air conditioning system to limit the power consumption of the drive motor while securing preset power consumption of the air conditioning system and to keep securing power for the air conditioning system through limitation of the power consumption of the drive motor until driving of the drive motor is stopped if a remaining charge of the electric storage device approaches zero with consumption of power by the drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20140288746
    Abstract: This electric vehicle is provided with at least a first traveling mode and a second traveling mode for which the maximum velocity (Vmax) is set lower than for the first traveling mode. The second traveling mode is a traveling mode that prioritizes travel distance per one electric power consumption unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke HIGASHITANI, Masanobu Asakawa, Takeshi Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20140288751
    Abstract: Provided is a display device of an electric vehicle that enables an occupant of an electric vehicle to more easily realize an effect of regeneration of braking energy. This display device of the electric vehicle calculates integrated cumulative value of the actual driving distance of the electric vehicle as a first distance, calculates, upon detecting regeneration of braking energy, integrated cumulative value of a drivable distance extended by the regeneration of the braking energy as a second distance, and displays both the first distance and the second distance on a display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Akira Shiogai, Takeshi Taguchi, Yuusuke Maino, Hiroshi Furumi, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20130261858
    Abstract: This electric vehicle is provided with at least a first traveling mode and a second traveling mode for which the maximum velocity (Vmax) is set lower than for the first traveling mode. The second traveling mode is a traveling mode that prioritizes travel distance per one electric power consumption unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kosuke Higashitani, Masanobu Asakawa, Takeshi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 7322331
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine starting control system for a vehicle which has an internal combustion engine as a driving source of the vehicle. The system includes a motor for driving the internal combustion engine; and a control device for performing driving control of the motor by making an actual rotation speed of the motor approach a predetermined target rotation speed. The driving control is a response designation feedback control based on a predetermined state quantity of the vehicle. Typically, the control device changes a response condition in the response designation feedback control in accordance with one of possible starting states of the internal combustion engine, by using a response designation parameter for designating the response condition, by which an approach condition in the operation for making the actual rotation speed of the motor approach the predetermined target rotation speed is changeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Tamagawa, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Patent number: 7146958
    Abstract: An object is to improve fuel consumption efficiency. Accordingly, a fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (engine water temperature) TMKSTDLYT which changes in a decreasing trend with an increase in the engine water temperature is set (step S10). A fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (state of charge)TMKSTDLYQ which changes in an increasing trend with an increase in the state of charge QBAT is set (step S12 and S14). A fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (vehicle speed) TMKSTDLYV which changes in a decreasing trend with an increase in vehicle speed VP is set (step S13 and S15). Then the greatest value of; the fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (engine water temperature)TMKSTDLYT, the fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (state of charge)TMKSTDLYQ, and the fuel gradual addition delay time when starting (vehicle speed) TMKSTDLYV is set as a fuel gradual addition delay time when starting TMKSTDLY (step S16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanobu Asakawa, Manabu Niki, Kohei Hanada, Minoru Suzuki, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 7104244
    Abstract: A control system for a variable-cylinder internal combustion engine, which is capable of attaining excellent fuel economy by executing a partial-cylinder operation mode as long as possible, while suppressing vibration and noise during the partial-cylinder operation mode. A control system switches the operation mode of a variable-cylinder internal combustion engine between an all-cylinder operation mode in which all of a plurality of cylinders (#1 to #3, and #4 to #6) are put in operation, and a partial-cylinder operation mode in which some (#1 to #3) of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nishi, Masanobu Asakawa, Toshitaka Hachiro, Manabu Niki
  • Patent number: 7099757
    Abstract: An FI/AT/MGECU, in a cylinders deactivation operating state during cruise control where the vehicle speed follows a predetermined target speed, regulates renewal on an addition side of a power plant required torque final value TQPPRQF, and in a case where a flag value of a torque hold flag F_CCKTQS showing to hold the power plant required torque final value TQPPRQF to a predetermined torque value related to a cylinder deactivation upper limit torque TQACS is a “1” (YES side in step S33), when the vehicle speed VP is decreased less than a value obtained by subtracting from a set vehicle speed VC which is the target vehicle speed during cruise control, a predetermined vehicle speed #?V (for example, #?V=3 km/h or the like) (YES side in step S35), the internal-combustion engine E is switched from a cylinders deactivation operation to an all cylinders operation. The fuel consumption efficiency is thus improved while keeping occupants in the vehicle from feeling discomfort with respect to travelling behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Niki, Masanobu Asakawa, Kohei Hanada, Minoru Suzuki, Teruo Wakashiro, Takahiro Yonekura, Naoto Sen
  • Patent number: 7074157
    Abstract: A motor charge-discharge torque limit correction coefficient for during cylinder deactivation enlargement assistance, which changes with an increasing trend according to an increase in a regeneration/assistance integrated residual amount which is an integrated value of the energy amount obtained during deceleration regeneration of vehicle, that is a correction coefficient which corrects to decrease an energy management discharge torque limit which is an upper limit value of motor torque set according to for example, an energy state in high voltage electrical equipment and an operating state of the vehicle, when assisting the output from the internal-combustion engine by the motor, is calculated. A value obtained by correcting the energy management discharge torque limit is set to an energy management discharge torque limit for cylinder deactivation enlargement assistance, and a cylinder deactivation upper limit ENG torque is added so as to calculate a cylinder deactivation upper limit torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Masanobu Asakawa, Kohei Hanada, Manabu Niki, Toshitaka Hachiro, Tomohiro Nishi
  • Patent number: 7059435
    Abstract: An object is to improve fuel consumption efficiency while maintaining a desired driving force. Accordingly, in a case where an assisting possibility of a motor M is increased accompanying a relatively high state of charge SOC of a battery (YES side in step S02), and moreover in a case where a required torque TQAPCC is less than a predetermined value (NO side in step S03 or YES side in step S04), a “1” is set to a flag value of an LC_ON assistance flag F_LCOAST, and in a region for an accelerator pedal opening AP, and a vehicle speed VP, a region which maintains an LC_ON state where a lock-up clutch 21 is in an engaged state is enlarged compared to for a normal state where the flag value of the LC_ON assistance flag F_LCOAST is “0”. In the LC_ON region enlarging state, it is determined whether or not it is possible to shift to the normal state, according to the state of charge SOC and the required torque TQAPCC (step S07 to step S09).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Niki, Masanobu Asakawa, Kohei Hanada, Minoru Suzuki, Toshitaka Hachiro, Kazuhiko Kitano
  • Patent number: 7058487
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which is able to travel under the driving force from at least one of an internal-combustion engine E and a drive motor connected to the internal-combustion engine, when an FI/AT/MGECU and a MOTECU execute motor damping which generates a torque for suppressing the torque vibration of the internal-combustion engine, in the motor M, the MOTECU corrects a motor torque calculating battery terminal current value obtained by multiplying an input-output current ABAT of the battery, by an offset value corresponding to the motor damping, and executes zero power control based on the corrected motor torque calculating battery current value. As a result, the input and output power of the power storage unit are accurately balanced and overcharge or overdischarge of the battery based on the input-output current ABAT of the battery including errors due to the damping control or the motor torque calculating battery current value, is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hara, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Publication number: 20060107919
    Abstract: A control system for a variable-cylinder internal combustion engine, which is capable of attaining excellent fuel economy by executing a partial-cylinder operation mode as long as possible, while suppressing vibration and noise during the partial-cylinder operation mode. A control system switches the operation mode of a variable-cylinder internal combustion engine between an all-cylinder operation mode in which all of a plurality of cylinders (#1 to #3, and #4 to #6) are put in operation, and a partial-cylinder operation mode in which some (#1 to #3) of the plurality of cylinders are deactivated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nishi, Masanobu Asakawa, Toshitaka Hachiro, Manabu Niki
  • Publication number: 20050263121
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine starting control system for a vehicle which has an internal combustion engine as a driving source of the vehicle. The system includes a motor for driving the internal combustion engine; and a control device for performing driving control of the motor by making an actual rotation speed of the motor approach a predetermined target rotation speed. The driving control is a response designation feedback control based on a predetermined state quantity of the vehicle. Typically, the control device changes a response condition in the response designation feedback control in accordance with one of possible starting states of the internal combustion engine, by using a response designation parameter for designating the response condition, by which an approach condition in the operation for making the actual rotation speed of the motor approach the predetermined target rotation speed is changeable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Yutaka Tamagawa, Masanobu Asakawa
  • Patent number: 6923279
    Abstract: In a power supply apparatus for a vehicle, an inverter circuit inputs a voltage from a first battery unit through switches. A smoothing condenser is provided between the first battery unit and the inverter circuit in parallel. A DC-DC converter is provided between the smoothing condenser and a second battery unit to voltage-convert electric energy stored in the first battery unit or the smoothing condenser to supply to the second battery unit, and to voltage-convert electric energy stored in the second battery unit to supply to the smoothing condenser. An electronic control unit controls the DC-DC converter before starting power supply to the inverter circuit, such that the switches are closed after the smoothing condenser is charged to a voltage within a predetermined permission voltage range from the voltage of the first battery unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iwao Shimane, Mitsuteru Yano, Kazuhiro Hara, Masanobu Asakawa, Noriyuki Abe