Patents by Inventor Michihito Shimada

Michihito Shimada 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: 8608255
    Abstract: When vehicle speed V decreases to or below a preset reference vehicle speed Vref during output of regenerative braking force from a motor in response to the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the vehicle of the invention performs a replacement pre-operation (steps S190 to S220 and S160) and a replacement operation (steps S240 to S280 and S160) and controls the motor and an electronically controlled hydraulic braking system to satisfy a braking force demand BF*. The replacement pre-operation actuates and controls pumps included in a brake actuator of the electronically controlled hydraulic braking system to exert their proper pressurization performance. The replacement operation decreases the regenerative braking force output from the motor and enhances a pressure increase by the pumps to replace the regenerative braking force with a pressure increase-based braking force BFpp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Patent number: 8442741
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. An ECU is operative to set a reduction speed threshold value to determine a driver's braking intention on the basis of the correlation in the depression amount of an accelerator pedal, the depression amount of a brake pedal, and a travel state of a vehicle caused by the depression amounts of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. The ECU is further operative to change the reduction speed threshold value on the basis of the detected drive state to compare the travel state calculated on the basis of the detected drive state with the changed reduction speed threshold value to determine the driver's braking intention, thereby making it possible to determine the driver's braking intention without detecting the operation amount of a driver and to accurately estimate the driver's braking intention. This makes it possible to change the reduction control between executed and not executed, and to improve the drivability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Haruhiko Katsumata, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Kenichi Okaya
  • Patent number: 8428845
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. The vehicle control apparatus comprises an ECU adapted to determine whether or not a brake is “off” or the state of the hysteresis width of an accelerator opening degree exceeding a predetermined hysteresis width is continued for a predetermined period of time during the execution of an engine torque reduction control process. When the ECU determines that the brake is “off” or that the state of the hysteresis width of an accelerator opening degree exceeding a predetermined hysteresis width is continued for a predetermined period of time, the ECU performs an engine torque restoration process of the engine. Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus can allow the continued execution and non-execution of the reduction control to be switched therebetween in accordance with the driver's travel intention, thereby making it possible to prevent the drivability from being deteriorated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Hiroyuki Hanamura
  • Publication number: 20130030674
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control apparatus that can prevent the drivability from being deteriorated. The vehicle control apparatus has an ECU that determines an acceleration/deceleration is caused by the disturbances and determines the control permission condition is not established, when an acceleration calculated by the variation of the wheel rotation speed detected by the wheel rotation speed sensor is more than or equal to a third deceleration threshold value, or less than or equal to a second deceleration threshold value. Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus can prohibit the reduction control of the driving force and can eliminate an influence of the variation of the wheel rotation speed caused by the disturbances when an unreasonable variation of the wheel rotation speed is detected as the acceleration, even under the condition that the vehicle travels on an extremely uneven road surface or a slippery road surface, thereby appropriately determining the deceleration of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Kenichi Okaya
  • Publication number: 20130030675
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control apparatus that can prevent the drivability from being deteriorated. The vehicle control apparatus has an ECU which determines, when the control permission condition is not established, not to execute the reduction control in the case that the accelerator opening degree is smaller than or equal to the accelerator threshold value or the vehicle speed is smaller than or equal to the vehicle speed threshold value, even if a depression of an accelerator pedal is detected and a depression of a foot brake pedal is detected. Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus can stop the torque reduction control to prevent the reduction of the engine output contrary to the intention of the driver in the case that an impact to the vehicle is small such that a load more than necessary is not applied to the vehicle even if the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal are both depressed by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Kenichi Okaya
  • Publication number: 20130024090
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. An ECU is operative to set a reduction speed threshold value to determine a driver's braking intention on the basis of the correlation in the depression amount of an accelerator pedal, the depression amount of a brake pedal, and a travel state of a vehicle caused by the depression amounts of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal. The ECU is further operative to change the reduction speed threshold value on the basis of the detected drive state to compare the travel state calculated on the basis of the detected drive state with the changed reduction speed threshold value to determine the driver's braking intention, thereby making it possible to determine the driver's braking intention without detecting the operation amount of a driver and to accurately estimate the driver's braking intention. This makes it possible to change the reduction control between executed and not executed, and to improve the drivability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Minase, Haruhiko Katsumata, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Kenichi Okaya
  • Publication number: 20120322619
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a controller that performs control such that an engine output does not increase when a control mechanism and are operated simultaneously, wherein the control mechanism controls the engine output independently of an accelerator operation amount, and wherein the brake override system reduces the engine output in response to simultaneous operations of an accelerator and a brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kida, Michihito Shimada, Masashi Takagi, Hiroshi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20120290188
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent a drivability of a vehicle from being deteriorated. When an ECU determines that an accelerator is “ON” and a brake is “ON”, the ECU determines whether or not the brake previously depressed is “OFF”. When the ECU determines that the brake previously depressed is “OFF” and that the vehicle is in the reduced speed state, the vehicle control apparatus is operative to execute an engine output reduction control process under the condition that the simultaneous depressions of the accelerator and brake pedals continues for less than 10 seconds and the vehicle speed is not less than 7 km/hr. When the simultaneous depressions of the accelerator and brake pedals continues for no less than 10 seconds, the ECU is operative to make an output reduction prohibition flag “ON” and not to execute the engine output reduction control process until a predetermined time elapses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiya Oishi, Toshio Takaoka, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Tsutomu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20120290179
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent the deterioration of drivability. The ECU can set a control accelerator opening degree to be converted when a control permission condition is established. The control accelerator opening degree is equal to or larger than an accelerator lower limit which is larger than an idle determination value for determining an automatic stopping of an engine by an eco-run. The control accelerator opening degree thus set can prevent the drivability from being deteriorated without the automatic stopping of the engine being caused even if the accelerator opening degree is converted to reduce the torque of the engine with the establishment of the control permission condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiya Oishi, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Tsutomu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20120271526
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. The ECU is operative to determine whether the previously depressed brake is in the “ON” or “OFF” state when the vehicle is determined as being not travelling on a bad road, the accelerator being in the “ON” state, and the brake being in the “ON” state. When the ECU is operative to determine that the previously depressed brake is in the “OFF” state, and the vehicle is in the reduced speed state, the ECU is operative to perform the reduction process of the engine output under the condition that the simultaneous depressions of the accelerator and brake pedals are held for less than 10 seconds, and the vehicle speed is 7 km/hr or more. When, on the other hand, the ECU determines that the vehicle is travelling on the bad road, the ECU is operative not to perform the reduction process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiya Oishi, Masato Kaigawa, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Tsutomu Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20120259524
    Abstract: For providing a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent the deterioration of the drivability, the ECU (100) of the vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention can determine the speed reduction of the vehicle (10) at the time of the accelerator pedal (212) and the foot brake pedal (213) being depressed together, and can abort the execution of the reduction control due to the control permission condition not being established when the speed reduction is not determined (NO in Step S15), so that the execution or non-execution of the reduction control can be carried out avoiding an unintentional braking of the vehicle, thereby making it possible to prevent the drivability from deteriorating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Hiroyuki Hanamura
  • Publication number: 20120116650
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control apparatus which can prevent drivability from being deteriorated. The vehicle control apparatus comprises an ECU adapted to determine whether or not a brake is “off” or the state of the hysteresis width of an accelerator opening degree exceeding a predetermined hysteresis width is continued for a predetermined period of time during the execution of an engine torque reduction control process. When the ECU determines that the brake is “off” or that the state of the hysteresis width of an accelerator opening degree exceeding a predetermined hysteresis width is continued for a predetermined period of time, the ECU performs an engine torque restoration process of the engine. Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus can allow the continued execution and non-execution of the reduction control to be switched therebetween in accordance with the driver's travel intention, thereby making it possible to prevent the drivability from being deteriorated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Miyazaki, Toshiya Oishi, Masashi Takagi, Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Kenichi Okaya, Hiroyuki Hanamura
  • Publication number: 20110295480
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle control apparatus that can prevent the deterioration of drivability. An ECU executes a reduction control when speed reduction of a vehicle is determined as a control permit condition is established, and does not execute the reduction control when the speed reduction is not determined as the condition is not established. Additionally, when determined that a vehicle behavior stabilization control that stabilizes behavior of the vehicle is being executed, the ECU determines the speed reduction of the vehicle by changing a speed reduction threshold value for determining the speed reduction. This makes it possible to adequately determine the speed reduction of the vehicle even when a drive state of the vehicle is changed by the execution of the vehicle behavior stabilization control, thereby allowing the execution and non-execution of the reduction control to be switched reflecting a driver's intention and thus preventing the drivability from being deteriorated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Yuki Minase, Toshiya Oishi, Tsutomu Miyazaki, Masashi Takagi, Kenichi Okaya
  • Patent number: 7934779
    Abstract: In the hybrid vehicle of the invention, when the sum of a regenerative braking force BFr produced by a motor and an operational braking force BFpmc based on a master cylinder pressure Pmc is insufficient for a braking force demand BF* required by the driver in response to the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the motor and a brake actuator of an HBS are controlled to satisfy the braking force demand BF* by the total of the regenerative braking force BFr of the motor, the master cylinder pressure Pmc-based operational braking force BFpmc, and a compensated braking force BFpp based on a pressure increase by two pumps included in the brake actuator (steps S170 through S190).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Kodama, Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20110031804
    Abstract: A braking system includes: a first connecting line (L18) that connects an upstream side of a 11-system valve (25b) and a 12-system valve (25c) within a first system (25) to any one of a position between a 21-system valve (26b) and a left front wheel cylinder (27c) or a position between a 22-system valve (26c) and a right rear wheel cylinder (27d); a second connecting line (L28) that connects an upstream side of the 21-system valve (26b) and 22-system valve (26c) within the second system (26) to any one of a position between the 12-system valve (25c) and a left rear wheel cylinder (27b) or a position between the 11-system valve (25b) and a right front wheel cylinder (27a); a first changeover valve (25d) that is provided in the first connecting line (L18); and a second changeover valve (26d) that is provided in the second connecting line (L28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20100089709
    Abstract: A vehicle brake control apparatus is provided with a master cylinder capable of outputting master cylinder pressure, which is pressure of operating fluid generated by operation of a brake pedal, and hydraulic pumps capable of outputting pressurized pressure generated by pressurizing the operating fluid as braking force, wherein a brake ECU is configured to detect driver's requested braking force based on the master cylinder pressure to drive-control the hydraulic pumps based on the requested braking force, and when the hydraulic pumps outputs the braking force, the brake ECU changes the requested braking force according to a pedal stroke of the brake pedal at the time of the detection of the requested braking force, thereby enabling high-precision braking force control by setting optimal requested braking force always according to intension of a driver irrespective of a driving condition of the vehicle to improve drivability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20100036577
    Abstract: A braking apparatus includes a hydraulic brake device that generates pressure braking-force by wheel cylinder pressure, the hydraulic brake device including a master cylinder for exerting a master cylinder pressure on a brake oil according to a manipulation force generated by the manipulation of a brake pedal by a driver, a brake booster for assisting the manipulation force by a negative pressure generated by an internal combustion engine, and a negative pressure sensor for detecting the negative pressure of the brake booster, and a regenerative braking device for generating a regenerative braking-force by performing regenerative braking. The regenerative braking device generates a regenerative braking when the detected negative pressure is lower than a reference negative pressure to be greater than when the detected negative pressure is the reference negative pressure. The uncomfortable feeling felt by the driver in manipulating the brake is suppressed, and the fuel consumption is enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Shinya Kodama, Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20070272457
    Abstract: In the hybrid vehicle of the invention, when the sum of a regenerative braking force BFr produced by a motor and an operational braking force BFpmc based on a master cylinder pressure Pmc is insufficient for a braking force demand BF* required by the driver in response to the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the motor and a brake actuator of an HBS are controlled to satisfy the braking force demand BF* by the total of the regenerative braking force BFr of the motor, the master cylinder pressure Pmc-based operational braking force BFpmc, and a compensated braking force BFpp based on a pressure increase by two pumps included in the brake actuator (steps S170 through S190).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Shinya Kodama, Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20070273204
    Abstract: In response to the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the hybrid vehicle of the invention utilizes both a master cylinder pressure Pmc and a pressure increase by two pumps included in two different braking systems of a brake actuator in an HBS to satisfy a braking force demand BF* required by the driver. In this case, the braking control of the invention corrects a basic pump command value dpB for the respective pumps with a pump command correction value dc (step S190), which is set according to a detected behavior of the hybrid vehicle in a braking state, and controls the brake actuator in the HBS to satisfy the braking force demand BF* (steps S170 to S200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Shinya Kodama, Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Publication number: 20070267915
    Abstract: In the case of detection of any abnormality in either of a first braking system and a second braking system of a brake actuator, which causes failed pressurization of brake oil, an electronically-controlled hydraulic braking system is controlled to enable pressurization of the brake oil with a pump included in only a normal braking system, that is, only with a pump of a normal first braking system or only with a pump of a normal second braking system. Such pressurization ensures satisfaction of a braking force demand BF* required by the driver by utilizing an operational pressure or master cylinder pressure Pmc and a pressure increase induced by pressurization of the brake oil by the pump in the normal braking system (step S220 or S230 and step S210).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Shinya Kodama, Kazuya Maki