Patents by Inventor Masatomo Kakuyama

Masatomo Kakuyama 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: 6637194
    Abstract: An engine exhaust emission control arrangement has a catalytic converter including a three-way catalyst. A first oxygen sensor detects an oxygen concentration of exhaust gas upstream of the catalyst and a second oxygen sensor detects an oxygen concentration of exhaust gas downstream of the catalyst. A microprocessor calculates a specific period oxygen storage amount of a catalyst while the upstream oxygen concentration is higher than the stoichiometric concentration and the downstream oxygen concentration is in a predetermined concentration range which has a value approximately equal to the stoichiometric oxygen concentration. The microprocessor also calculates a specific period oxygen release amount of a catalyst while the upstream oxygen concentration is lower than the stoichiometric concentration and the downstream oxygen concentration produces an indication of a predetermined concentration range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6622479
    Abstract: A controller (6) computes the oxygen storage amount of the catalyst (3) separately as a high-speed component and a low speed component in accordance with actual characteristic. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine (1) is computed so that the oxygen storage amount is a predetermined target amount, and air-fuel ratio control of the engine (1) is performed. The oxygen storage amount is computed using an storage/release rate set according to the exhaust air-fuel ratio and catalyst temperature, etc. In this way, the oxygen storage amount of the catalyst can be precisely computed regardless of the variation in the storage/release rate which accompanies a catalyst temperature variation, and the real oxygen storage amount can therefore be controlled with a higher level of precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6619032
    Abstract: A microprocessor (6) computes an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst (3) separately for a high speed component and a low speed component in accordance with real characteristic. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine (1) is computed and air-fuel ratio control of the engine (1) it is performed so that the high speed component is constant. The deterioration of the catalyst (3) is determined by integrating the high speed component of the oxygen storage amount computed during the air-fuel ratio control process for a predetermined number of times, and comparing its average value with a determining value. The oxygen storage amount of the high speed component which is sensitive to catalyst deterioration is integrated so as to obtain a highly precise determining result to determine the deterioration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6564544
    Abstract: A controller (6) computes an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst (3) separately as a high speed component/amount and a low speed component/amount according to predetermined release/adsorption characteristics. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine is computed and the air-fuel ratio of the engine is controlled so that the high speed component is maintained constant. The target air-fuel ratio of the engine (1) is limited by an upper limiter and lower limiter so that the high speed component converges to the target value, an excessively large variation of the air-fuel ratio is prevented, and impairment of drivability and fuel cost-performance is also prevented. Further, after lean running due to fuel cut, etc., the lower limiter is lowered to the rich side, and the oxygen storage amount is rapidly induced to converge on the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6499290
    Abstract: A controller (6) controls an air-fuel ratio of an engine (1) so that an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst (3) provided in an exhaust passage (2) is maintained constant. At this time, the controller (6) computes or estimates the oxygen storage amount separately for a first amount and a second amount, where the first amount is estimated based on a relationship between the first and second amount. The controller (6) controls the air/fuel ratio based on the estimated first amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nakamura, Ritsuo Sato, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Masatomo Kakuyama, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6494038
    Abstract: A catalyst 3 which has oxygen storage performance is installed in an engine exhaust passage 2, an oxygen storage amount is estimated based on the output of an upstream air-fuel ratio sensor 4 installed in the upstream of the catalyst 3, and an air-fuel ratio is controlled so that this oxygen storage amount coincides with a target value. When the output of a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor 5 has become lean or rich for longer than a fixed time, the output of the upstream air-fuel ratio sensor 4 is corrected based on the output of the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor 5 placed in the downstream of the catalyst 3. In this way, the output fluctuation due to deterioration of the air-fuel ratio sensor 4 upstream of the catalyst is corrected, and the catalyst oxygen storage amount is always precisely controlled to the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Kobayashi, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Masatomo Kakuyama, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6490859
    Abstract: An oxygen storage amount of the catalyst (3) is estimated using a detection result from a front A/F sensor (4). An HC storage amount is calculated as a time integral of the product of the storage rate by the catalyst (3), the air-fuel ratio and the intake air amount, and a target air-fuel ratio is corrected so that a deficiency relative to a target amount of the oxygen storage amount is compensated based on this computation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Osamu Matsuno, Shigeaki Kakizaki
  • Publication number: 20020157381
    Abstract: A controller (6) computes an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst (3) separately as a high speed component/amount and a low speed component/amount according to predetermined release/adsorption characteristics. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine is computed and the air-fuel ratio of the engine is controlled so that the high speed component is maintained constant. The target air-fuel ratio of the engine (1) is limited by an upper limiter and lower limiter so that the high speed component converges to the target value, an excessively large variation of the air-fuel ratio is prevented, and impairment of drivability and fuel cost-performance is also prevented. Further, after lean running due to fuel cut, etc., the lower limiter is lowered to the rich side, and the oxygen storage amount is rapidly induced to converge on the target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20020157380
    Abstract: A controller (6) computes the oxygen storage amount of the catalyst (3) separately as a high-speed component and a low speed component in accordance with actual characteristic. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine (1) is computed so that the oxygen storage amount is a predetermined target amount, and air-fuel ratio control of the engine (1) is performed. The oxygen storage amount is computed using an storage/release rate set according to the exhaust air-fuel ratio and catalyst temperature, etc. In this way, the oxygen storage amount of the catalyst can be precisely computed regardless of the variation in the storage/release rate which accompanies a catalyst temperature variation, and the real oxygen storage amount can therefore be controlled with a higher level of precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20020157379
    Abstract: An engine exhaust emission control arrangement has a catalytic converter including a three-way catalyst. A first oxygen sensor detects an oxygen concentration of exhaust gas upstream of the catalyst and a second oxygen sensor detects an oxygen concentration of exhaust gas downstream of the catalyst. A microprocessor calculates a specific period oxygen storage amount of a catalyst while the upstream oxygen concentration is higher than the stoichiometric concentration and the downstream oxygen concentration is in a predetermined concentration range which has a value approximately equal to the stoichiometric oxygen concentration. The microprocessor also calculates a specific period oxygen release amount of a catalyst while the upstream oxygen concentration is lower than the stoichiometric concentration and the downstream oxygen concentration produces an indication of a predetermined concentration range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20020152742
    Abstract: A microprocessor (6) computes an oxygen storage amount of a catalyst (3) separately for a high speed component and a low speed component in accordance with real characteristic. A target air-fuel ratio of an engine (1) is computed and air-fuel ratio control of the engine (1) it is performed so that the high speed component is constant. The deterioration of the catalyst (3) is determined by integrating the high speed component of the oxygen storage amount computed during the air-fuel ratio control process for a predetermined number of times, and comparing its average value with a determining value. The oxygen storage amount of the high speed component which is sensitive to catalyst deterioration is integrated so as to obtain a highly precise determining result to determine the deterioration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6446429
    Abstract: A catalytic converter (3) having a three-way catalyst which stores oxygen is disposed in the exhaust passage (2) of an engine (1). An oxygen storage amount of the catalyst is estimated based on the output of a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor (4) provided upstream of the catalytic converter (3). A control unit (6) controls an air-fuel ratio of the fuel mixture supplied to the engine (1) through a fuel injector (12) so that the oxygen storage amount coincides with a target value. An excess/deficiency oxygen amount in the exhaust gas is accumulated when the output of an oxygen sensor (5) which detects the oxygen concentration downstream of the catalytic converter (3) is in an excess oxygen region which is higher than a stoichiometric oxygen concentration region. An average oxygen excess ratio is calculated by dividing the accumulated value by an accumulated intake air amount. The output of the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor (4) is corrected based on the average oxygen excess ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Kobayashi, Osamu Matsuno, Masatomo Kakuyama
  • Patent number: 6381954
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle with at least one catalyst located in an exhaust passage for adsorbing oxygen contained within exhaust gases entering the catalyst, and an air/fuel ratio sensor located in the exhaust passage upstream of the catalyst for detecting an air/fuel ratio based on a percentage of oxygen contained within the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust passage and entering the catalyst, an air/fuel ratio control system controls an air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine at as close to stoichiometric as possible, an air/fuel ratio control system calculates a quantity of oxygen stored in the catalyst on the basis of a deviation of the air/fuel ratio detected by the air/fuel ratio sensor from a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio to produce informational data indicative of a calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored. The control system controls the air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine so that the calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored is adjusted to a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Akira Tayama, Hirofumi Tsuchida, Osamu Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20020020170
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle with at least one catalyst located in an exhaust passage for adsorbing oxygen contained within exhaust gases entering the catalyst, and an air/fuel ratio sensor located in the exhaust passage upstream of the catalyst for detecting an air/fuel ratio based on a percentage of oxygen contained within the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust passage and entering the catalyst, an air/fuel ratio control system controls an air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine at as close to stoichiometric as possible, an air/fuel ratio control system calculates a quantity of oxygen stored in the catalyst on the basis of a deviation of the air/fuel ratio detected by the air/fuel ratio sensor from a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio to produce informational data indicative of a calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored. The control system controls the air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine so that the calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored is adjusted to a desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Akira Tayama, Hirofumi Tsuchida, Osamu Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20010045089
    Abstract: A catalyst 3 which has oxygen storage performance is installed in an engine exhaust passage 2, an oxygen storage amount is estimated based on the output of an upstream air-fuel ratio sensor 4 installed in the upstream of the catalyst 3, and an air-fuel ratio is controlled so that this oxygen storage amount coincides with a target value. When the output of a downstream air-fuel ratio sensor 5 has become lean or rich for longer than a fixed time, the output of the upstream air-fuel ratio sensor 4 is corrected based on the output of the downstream air-fuel ratio sensor 5 placed in the downstream of the catalyst 3. In this way, the output fluctuation due to deterioration of the air-fuel ratio sensor 4 upstream of the catalyst is corrected, and the catalyst oxygen storage amount is always precisely controlled to the target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Hideaki Kobayashi, Shigeaki Kakizaki, Masatomo Kakuyama, Osamu Matsuno
  • Patent number: 6314724
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio controller for an internal combustion engine with a catalytic converter in an exhaust passage has an air-fuel ratio sensor, an engine sensor, and a control unit. The air-fuel ratio sensor produces a signal indicative of an air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas in the exhaust passage on an upstream side of the catalytic converter. The engine sensor produces a signal indicative of misfiring of the engine. The control unit is operatively coupled to the air-fuel ratio sensor and the engine sensor. The control unit computes an estimated quantity of oxygen to be stored in the catalytic converter based on the signal from the air-fuel ratio sensor, and determines if the engine is misfiring based on the signal from the engine sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Akira Tayama, Hirofumi Tsuchida, Shigeaki Kakizaki
  • Publication number: 20010025485
    Abstract: A catalytic converter (3) having a three-way catalyst which stores oxygen is disposed in the exhaust passage (2) of an engine (1). An oxygen storage amount of the catalyst is estimated based on the output of a universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor (4) provided upstream of the catalytic converter (3). A control unit (6) controls an air-fuel ratio of the fuel mixture supplied to the engine (1) through a fuel injector (12) so that the oxygen storage amount coincides with a target value. An excess/deficiency oxygen amount in the exhaust gas is accumulated when the output of an oxygen sensor (5) which detects the oxygen concentration downstream of the catalytic converter (3) is in an excess oxygen region which is higher than a stoichiometric oxygen concentration region. An average oxygen excess ratio is calculated by dividing the accumulated value by an accumulated intake air amount. The output of the universal exhaust gas oxygen sensor (4) is corrected based on the average oxygen excess ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: October 4, 2001
    Inventors: Hideaki Kobayashi, Osamu Matsuno, Masatomo Kakuyama
  • Publication number: 20010023584
    Abstract: An oxygen storage amount of the catalyst (3) is estimated using a detection result from a front A/F sensor (4). An HC storage amount is calculated as a time integral of the product of the storage rate by the catalyst (3), the air-fuel ratio and the intake air amount, and a target air-fuel ratio is corrected so that a deficiency relative to a target amount of the oxygen storage amount is compensated based on this computation result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: September 27, 2001
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Osamu Matsuno, Shigeaki Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 6282889
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle with at least one catalyst located in an exhaust passage for adsorbing oxygen contained within exhaust gases entering the catalyst, and an air/fuel ratio sensor located in the exhaust passage upstream of the catalyst for detecting an air/fuel ratio based on a percentage of oxygen contained within the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust passage and entering the catalyst, an air/fuel ratio control system controls an air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine at as close to stoichiometric as possible, an air/fuel ratio control system calculates a quantity of oxygen stored in the catalyst on the basis of a deviation of the air/fuel ratio detected by the air/fuel ratio sensor from a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio to produce informational data indicative of a calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored. The control system controls the air/fuel mixture ratio of the engine so that the calculated value of the quantity of oxygen stored is adjusted to a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatomo Kakuyama, Akira Tayama, Hirofumi Tsuchida, Osamu Matsuno