Patents by Inventor Michihiko Matsumoto

Michihiko Matsumoto 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: 20140220470
    Abstract: A fuel cell system including a fuel cell that receives a supply of an anode gas and a cathode gas and generates power is provided. The fuel cell system includes a water content calculation unit configured to calculate a water content of the fuel cell, an internal impedance calculation unit configured to calculate an internal impedance of the fuel cell, and a starting temperature calculation unit configured to calculate a fuel cell temperature at a start of the system, based on the water content of the fuel cell as of a last time the system was stopped, and the internal impedance of the fuel cell at the start of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Inventors: Michihiko MATSUMOTO, Kiyoshi HOSHI, Tetsuya AOKI
  • Publication number: 20140205923
    Abstract: A power generation characteristic estimation device for fuel cell includes a reference characteristic setting unit for setting a reference power generation characteristic of a fuel cell, a current detection unit for detecting an actual current of the fuel cell, a voltage detection unit for detecting an actual voltage of the fuel cell, and a characteristic estimation unit for estimating an actual power generation characteristic of the fuel cell based on a voltage difference between a voltage on the reference power generation characteristic and an actual voltage at the actual current. The characteristic estimation unit estimates the power generation characteristic during a warm-up operation of the fuel cell when a pressure of a gas supplied to the fuel cell is not lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventor: Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20140147764
    Abstract: A system for adjusting temperature of cooling-liquid comprises: a radiator; a cooling-liquid circulation flow-channel; a radiator bypass flow-channel; a thermostat valve; and a valve bypass flow-channel through which the cooling-liquid of the radiator bypass flow-channel is allowed to flow in a predetermined amount even if the thermostat valve is completely closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Hayato Chikugo, Michihiko Matsumoto, Tetsuya Aoki, Masato Odashima, Shinichiro Takemoto
  • Publication number: 20140120439
    Abstract: In a fuel cell system which executes a stop process of stopping an output from a fuel cell when a required power generation amount for the fuel cell is smaller than a predetermined power generation amount and supplies oxidant during a stop process period, fuel gas is intermittently supplied to a fuel electrode at a basic supply interval, which is set in advance and at which carbon dioxide is not generated in an oxidant electrode, during the stop process period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Shinichi Makino, Yasushi Ichikawa, Michihiko Matsumoto, Mitsunori Kumada, Yoshitomo Asai
  • Publication number: 20140093796
    Abstract: A wet state control device for fuel cell includes a priority control unit for preferentially controlling either one of a pressure and a flow rate of cathode gas when a wet state of a fuel cell is adjusted, a water temperature control unit for controlling a temperature of cooling water when the wet state of the fuel cell is not completely adjustable by a control of the priority control unit, and a complementary control unit for controlling the other of the pressure and the flow rate of the cathode gas to complement a response delay of the water temperature control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Inventors: Tetsuya Aoki, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20130285409
    Abstract: A tangent 140 on a contact part 80 on which a hollow seal member 32 of a weather strip 30 mounted on a side door 21 first touches a roof door 23 is a straight line which divides an angle ?2 on an acute angle side between an advancing locus 110 of the side door 21 and an advancing locus 120 of a roof door 23 into a substantially half angle ?1, the two advancing loci intersecting on the contact part 80.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicants: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., NISHIKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko MATSUMOTO, Eiichi BABA, Kenichi KITAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120171590
    Abstract: An anode non-circulation type fuel cell sets an anode upper limit pressure and an anode lower limit pressure, and sets an anode pressure increase rate based on at least a detected temperature of a fuel cell. The system controls the supply of an anode gas to the fuel cell so as to repeat pressure increase and pressure decrease. The pressure increase is conducted by supplying the anode gas to the anode upper limit pressure at the anode pressure increase rate. The pressure decrease is conducted by restricting the supply of the anode gas to the anode lower limit pressure. When the detected temperature of the fuel cell is lower than a predetermined temperature, the system sets the anode pressure increase rate at a slower rate than when the temperature of the fuel cell is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Masashi Sato, Ken Nakayama, Junichi Hasegawa, Kiyoshi Hoshi
  • Publication number: 20120023831
    Abstract: A weather strip 50 comprises: an assembly part 51 assembled between an anchoring part 5X on an outer-cabin side and an anchoring part 5Y on an inner-cabin side winch are provided on an outer peripheral side of an outer peripheral part2A of a door sash 2 of an automobile; and a hollow seal member 52 and an outer lip 53 integrally molded with an inner-cabin side and an outer-cabin side of the assembly pall 51 respectively, which make elastic contact with an inner-cabin side and an outer-cabin side of a door 1 opening edge of a body panel 3 respectively, wherein: a singular pillar part 54 connects the assembly part 51 with the hollow seal member 52; and the pillar part 54 comprises a curved part 54a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: NISHIKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD
    Inventors: Michihiko MATSUMOTO, Eiichi BABA, Toshiyuki UEDA
  • Publication number: 20110217608
    Abstract: A power generation control device 3 for a fuel cell 1 of the present invention comprises: a target generated power calculating unit 31 configured to calculate target generated power of the fuel cell 1, based on a load condition of an electrical load device connected to the fuel cell 1; a target generated current calculating unit 34 configured to calculate a target generated current to be taken out of the fuel cell 1, based on the target generated power; a current change rate limit value calculating unit 35 configured to calculate a limit value for a rate of change in the target generated current, based on an operating condition parameter correlated with an operating temperature of the fuel cell 1; and a current limiting unit 37 configured to limit the target generated current so that the rate of change in the target generated current does not exceed the limit value calculated by the current change rate limit value calculating unit 35.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, keisuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7882051
    Abstract: A control device and method for a fuel cell system accurately learns output characteristics of fuel cell even when the output characteristics of fuel cell change due to changes in fuel cell temperature. The method and device generate power by supplying fuel and oxidant gases. The control device has a memory portion that memorizes output characteristics of fuel cell that change with the temperatures of fuel cell, and that become the base output characteristics, for each of the temperatures. An output characteristics learning portion learns the relationship between the output characteristics that become the base output characteristics and the actual output characteristics of fuel cell. The output characteristics learning portion prohibits learning when an actual current is less than a first predetermined current and more than a second predetermined current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Takeaki Obata
  • Patent number: 7808204
    Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of learning its current-voltage characteristics precisely in a short time even when the current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell varies due to reduction of a catalyst of an oxidizing agent electrode during the stop of operation of the fuel cell system. A controller (13) learns current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell stack (2), detects the amount of variation in voltage of current-voltage characteristics before a stop of power generation and those after restart of power generation, and corrects the learnt value of the current-voltage characteristics by the amount of variation in voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Takeaki Obata, Ikuhiro Taniguchi
  • Publication number: 20090011301
    Abstract: A fuel cell system of a type that uses an accessory to supply fuel gas and oxidant gas to a fuel cell to generate electric power is disclosed. The fuel cell system includes a load parameter detector that detects a load parameter of the accessory. An actual accessory power computing device computes the electric power actually consumed by the accessory based on the detected load parameter. A steady accessory power computing device computes a steady accessory electric power consumption by the accessory that would be needed for supplying the fuel cell with gas to generate an amount of required electric power from the fuel cell system based on the steady electric power consumption characteristics of the accessory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Keisuke Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080118799
    Abstract: To provide a control device and a control method for a fuel cell system that accurately learns output characteristics of fuel cell even when the output characteristics of fuel cell change due to changes in the temperature of fuel cell. A control method and control device are provided for the fuel cell system that generates power by supplying fuel gas and oxidant gas, wherein control device comprises a memory portion that memorizes the output characteristics of fuel cell that change in accordance with the temperatures of fuel cell, and that become the base output characteristics, for each of said temperatures, and an output characteristics learning portion that learns the relationship between said output characteristics that become the base output characteristics and the actual output characteristics of fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Takeaki Obata
  • Publication number: 20080091629
    Abstract: A fuel cell system capable of learning its current-voltage characteristics precisely in a short time even when the current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell varies due to reduction of a catalyst of an oxidizing agent electrode during the stop of operation of the fuel cell system. A controller (13) learns current-voltage characteristics of a fuel cell stack (2), detects the amount of variation in voltage of current-voltage characteristics before a stop of power generation and those after restart of power generation, and corrects the learnt value of the current-voltage characteristics by the amount of variation in voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Takeaki Obata, Ikuhiro Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7346592
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for predicting intake manifold pressure are presented, to compensate for a large lag or a large time delay without producing an overshot or discontinuous behaviors of a predicted value. The method comprises the step of obtaining a difference of values of a variable to be predicted and a difference of values of another variable ahead of the variable to be predicted. The method further comprises the step of filtering the differences with adaptive filters. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, through algorithm of estimation with fuzzy reasoning. The method further comprises the step of adding the predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, to a current value of the variable to be predicted, to obtain a predicted value of the variable to be predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Akihiro Shinjo, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20060259228
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for predicting intake manifold pressure are presented, to compensate for a large lag or a large time delay without producing an overshot or discontinuous behaviors of a predicted value. The method comprises the step of obtaining a difference of values of a variable to be predicted and a difference of values of another variable ahead of the variable to be predicted. The method further comprises the step of filtering the differences with adaptive filters. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, through algorithm of estimation with fuzzy reasoning. The method further comprises the step of adding the predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, to a current value of the variable to be predicted, to obtain a predicted value of the variable to be predicted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Akihiro Shinjo, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7103466
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for predicting intake manifold pressure are presented, to compensate for a large lag or a large time delay without producing an overshot or discontinuous behaviors of a predicted value. The method comprises the step of obtaining a difference of values of a variable to be predicted and a difference of values of another variable ahead of the variable to be predicted. The method further comprises the step of filtering the differences with adaptive filters. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, through algorithm of estimation with fuzzy reasoning. The method further comprises the step of adding the predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, to a current value of the variable to be predicted, to obtain a predicted value of the variable to be predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Akihiro Shinjo, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6876933
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating an amount of drawn air of a cylinder and a method and an apparatus for controlling the amount of drawn air, are presented. An estimated value of an amount of drawn air of the cylinder, based on intake manifold pressure, is multiplied by a value of an identification parameter obtained by an adaptive observer, to obtain a final estimated value of an amount of drawn air of the cylinder. An accurate estimated value in a transient state as well as an estimated value not oscillating in a steady state can be obtained. Accordingly, accuracy of air-fuel ratio control can be remarkably increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Yosuke Ishikawa, Takahide Mizuno, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20040162665
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for predicting intake manifold pressure are presented, to compensate for a large lag or a large time delay without producing an overshot or discontinuous behaviors of a predicted value. The method comprises the step of obtaining a difference of values of a variable to be predicted and a difference of values of another variable ahead of the variable to be predicted. The method further comprises the step of filtering the differences with adaptive filters. The method further comprises the step of obtaining a predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, through algorithm of estimation with fuzzy reasoning. The method further comprises the step of adding the predicted difference of values of the variable to be predicted, to a current value of the variable to be predicted, to obtain a predicted value of the variable to be predicted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Akihiro Shinjo, Michihiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20040162681
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for estimating an amount of drawn air of a cylinder and a method and an apparatus for controlling the amount of drawn air, are presented. An estimated value of an amount of drawn air of the cylinder, based on intake manifold pressure, is multiplied by a value of an identification parameter obtained by an adaptive observer, to obtain a final estimated value of an amount of drawn air of the cylinder. An accurate estimated value in a transient state as well as an estimated value not oscillating in a steady state can be obtained. Accordingly, accuracy of air-fuel ratio control can be remarkably increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Yosuke Ishikawa, Takahide Mizuno, Michihiko Matsumoto