Patents by Inventor Masashi Fuji

Masashi Fuji 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: 11554805
    Abstract: An ECU independently controls power supply to two winding systems in a motor on a per-winding-system basis based on current command values each calculated for a corresponding winding system in accordance with a target assist torque. When a first winding system fails, the ECU transitions from a first state in which the ECU causes the winding groups of the two winding systems to produce the target assist torque to a second state in which the ECU causes the winding group of the other normal winding system to produce the target assist torque. If the current command value for the normal winding system is equal to or below a current threshold value that is set with reference to zero or a value close to zero when the failed winding system recovers to its normal state in the second state, the ECU transitions from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Niwa, Satoru Mikamo, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 11453435
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus capable of protecting a pre-charge circuit is provided. When a voltage has entered an operating voltage range, a microcomputer determines whether a preset period has elapsed from then. Upon determining that the preset period has elapsed, the microcomputer starts initial check. To carry out the initial check, the microcomputer starts charging a capacitor for power supply stabilization of a drive circuit by turning on the pre-charge circuit and, when the charging of the capacitor is completed, turns on a power supply relay provided on a power supply line that connects between a battery and the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Niwa, Satoru Mikamo, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 11338842
    Abstract: An ECU independently controls power supply to two winding systems in a motor on a per-winding-system basis based on current command values each calculated for a corresponding winding system in accordance with a target assist torque. When a first winding system fails, the ECU transitions from a first state in which the ECU causes the winding groups of the two winding systems to produce the target assist torque to a second state in which the ECU causes the winding group of the other normal winding system to produce the target assist torque. If the current command value for the normal winding system is equal to or below a current threshold value that is set with reference to zero or a value close to zero when the failed winding system recovers to its normal state in the second state, the ECU transitions from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Niwa, Satoru Mikamo, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 11084524
    Abstract: A first microcomputer is configured to identify the cause (a content of the abnormality) of a communication abnormality based on a combination of whether communication through a first communication line is established, whether communication through a second communication line is established, and whether a second clock is normal. Specifically, the first microcomputer separately determines whether the communication abnormality between the first microcomputer and a second microcomputer is simply due to an abnormality in the first communication line and the second communication line, or due to stop of a function of the second microcomputer. The second microcomputer is configured to identify the cause of the communication abnormality based on a combination of whether the communication through the first communication line is established, whether the communication through the second communication line is established, and whether a first clock is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Fuji, Satoru Mikamo, Tomohiro Niwa
  • Patent number: 10903777
    Abstract: When one of two winding systems fails, an ECU transitions from a first state in which a target assist torque is produced using winding groups of the two winding systems to a second state in which using the remaining normal winding system. When the failed winding system has recovered to normal during an operation in the second state, the ECU carries out initial check that is inspection of the winding system recovered to normal prior to starting the power supply as follows. The ECU omits, from items of the initial check of the winding system recovered to normal, a specific item that is set as an item susceptible to an induced voltage generated in the winding group of the winding system recovered to normal as the motor is driven using the winding group of the normal winding system and carries out only the remainder items of the initial check.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Niwa, Satoru Mikamo, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 10879784
    Abstract: If a B system microcomputer is reset and reactivated while an A system microcomputer is operating normally, tasks of the A system microcomputer and tasks of the B system microcomputer can be synchronized. The B system microcomputer is reset when voltage applied to a battery decreases and falls below an operation guarantee voltage. Thereafter, when the applied voltage becomes equal to or higher than the operation guarantee voltage and the B system microcomputer is activated, the B system microcomputer outputs a request signal for requesting a synchronization signal to the A system microcomputer. The A system microcomputer outputs the synchronization signal synchronized with a periodic task. The B system microcomputer determines an execution timing of the periodic task based on the synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Saijo, Masataka Tsujihashi, Tomohiro Niwa, Masashi Fuji
  • Publication number: 20200140005
    Abstract: A first microcomputer is configured to identify the cause (a content of the abnormality) of a communication abnormality based on a combination of whether communication through a first communication line is established, whether communication through a second communication line is established, and whether a second clock is normal. Specifically, the first microcomputer separately determines whether the communication abnormality between the first microcomputer and a second microcomputer is simply due to an abnormality in the first communication line and the second communication line, or due to stop of a function of the second microcomputer. The second microcomputer is configured to identify the cause of the communication abnormality based on a combination of whether the communication through the first communication line is established, whether the communication through the second communication line is established, and whether a first clock is normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi FUJI, Satoru MIKAMO, Tomohiro NIWA
  • Publication number: 20200083797
    Abstract: If a B system microcomputer is reset and reactivated while an A system microcomputer is operating normally, tasks of the A system microcomputer and tasks of the B system microcomputer can be synchronized. The B system microcomputer is reset when voltage applied to a battery decreases and falls below an operation guarantee voltage. Thereafter, when the applied voltage becomes equal to or higher than the operation guarantee voltage and the B system microcomputer is activated, the B system microcomputer outputs a request signal for requesting a synchronization signal to the A system microcomputer. The A system microcomputer outputs the synchronization signal synchronized with a periodic task. The B system microcomputer determines an execution timing of the periodic task based on the synchronization signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato SAIJO, Masataka TSUJIHASHI, Tomohiro NIWA, Masashi FUJI
  • Publication number: 20200070874
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus capable of protecting a pre-charge circuit is provided. When a voltage has entered an operating voltage range, a microcomputer determines whether a preset period has elapsed from then. Upon determining that the preset period has elapsed, the microcomputer starts initial check. To carry out the initial check, the microcomputer starts charging a capacitor for power supply stabilization of a drive circuit by turning on the pre-charge circuit and, when the charging of the capacitor is completed, turns on a power supply relay provided on a power supply line that connects between a battery and the drive circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro NIWA, Satoru MIKAMO, Masashi FUJI
  • Publication number: 20200076348
    Abstract: When one of two winding systems fails, an ECU transitions from a first state in which a target assist torque is produced using winding groups of the two winding systems to a second state in which using the remaining normal winding system. When the failed winding system has recovered to normal during an operation in the second state, the ECU carries out initial check that is inspection of the winding system recovered to normal prior to starting the power supply as follows. The ECU omits, from items of the initial check of the winding system recovered to normal, a specific item that is set as an item susceptible to an induced voltage generated in the winding group of the winding system recovered to normal as the motor is driven using the winding group of the normal winding system and carries out only the remainder items of the initial check.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro NIWA, Satoru MIKAMO, Masashi FUJI
  • Publication number: 20200047791
    Abstract: An ECU independently controls power supply to two winding systems in a motor on a per-winding-system basis based on current command values each calculated for a corresponding winding system in accordance with a target assist torque. When a first winding system fails, the ECU transitions from a first state in which the ECU causes the winding groups of the two winding systems to produce the target assist torque to a second state in which the ECU causes the winding group of the other normal winding system to produce the target assist torque. If the current command value for the normal winding system is equal to or below a current threshold value that is set with reference to zero or a value close to zero when the failed winding system recovers to its normal state in the second state, the ECU transitions from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro NIWA, Satoru MIKAMO, Masashi FUJI
  • Patent number: 9509005
    Abstract: A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Naganuma, Hiromi Tanaka, Osamu Yumita, Takayoshi Tezuka, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masashi Fuji
  • Publication number: 20150017561
    Abstract: A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki NAGANUMA, Hiromi TANAKA, Osamu YUMITA, Takayoshi TEZUKA, Nobukazu MIZUNO, Masashi FUJI
  • Patent number: 8871401
    Abstract: A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Naganuma, Hiromi Tanaka, Osamu Yumita, Takayoshi Tezuka, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 8524406
    Abstract: An object is to suppress the degradation of durability due to a heat concentration while performing a rapid warm-up operation as necessary, when starting a fuel cell system at temperatures below freezing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromi Tanaka, Yoshiaki Naganuma, Osamu Yumita, Takayoshi Tezuka, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 8158293
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, an oxidizing gas supplier, a gas supply flow regulator, an oxidizing gas supply path, a cathode off-gas exhaust path, a bypass flow path, a flow regulator, an available power output acquirer, and an operation controller, wherein the gas supply flow regulator regulates the gas supply flow rate to cause the oxidizing gas supplier to supply an excess gas flow rate, which is set to be greater than a target fuel gas-requiring gas flow rate, wherein the target fuel gas-requiring gas flow rate is the fuel cell-requiring gas flow rate to be supplied to the fuel cell in order to achieve the target current value, when the available power output is less than a minimum amount of electric power required for the oxidizing gas supplier to increase the gas supply flow rate from 0 to a preset gas flow rate within a preset time period, and the operation controller controls the flow regulator to make the bypass flow rate equal to a difference gas flow rate between th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Naganuma, Hiromi Tanaka, Osamu Yumita, Masashi Fuji, Nobukazu Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20120015272
    Abstract: A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Naganuma, Hiromi Tanaka, Osamu Yumita, Takayoshi Tezuka, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masashi Fuji
  • Publication number: 20120003557
    Abstract: An object is to suppress the degradation of durability due to a heat concentration while performing a rapid warm-up operation as necessary, when starting a fuel cell system at temperatures below freezing point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromi Tanaka, Yoshiaki Naganuma, Osamu Yumita, Takayoshi Tezuka, Nobukazu Mizuno, Masashi Fuji
  • Publication number: 20110293972
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, an oxidizing gas supplier, a gas supply flow regulator, an oxidizing gas supply path, a cathode off-gas exhaust path, a bypass flow path, a flow regulator, an available power output acquirer, and an operation controller, wherein the gas supply flow regulator regulates the gas supply flow rate to cause the oxidizing gas supplier to supply an excess gas flow rate, which is set to be greater than a target fuel gas-requiring gas flow rate, wherein the target fuel gas-requiring gas flow rate is the fuel cell-requiring gas flow rate to be supplied to the fuel cell in order to achieve the target current value, when the available power output is less than a minimum amount of electric power required for the oxidizing gas supplier to increase the gas supply flow rate from 0 to a preset gas flow rate within a preset time period, and the operation controller controls the flow regulator to make the bypass flow rate equal to a difference gas flow rate between th
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki NAGANUMA, Hiromi TANAKA, Osamu YUMITA, Masashi FUJI, Nobukazu MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20090257781
    Abstract: A developer storing apparatus includes a developer storing portion for receiving and storing a developer, a developer carrying member rotatably disposed in the developer storing portion and configured to carry the developer in the developer storing portion in a predetermined direction, an agitating member rotatably disposed in the developer storing portion and configured to agitate the developer in the developer storing portion, and a driving force transmitting portion that transmits a driving force to the developer carrying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masashi Fuji