Patents by Inventor Mikio Saitou

Mikio Saitou 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: 9156401
    Abstract: A running-linked sound producing device produces a running-linked sound according to a running state of a vehicle. The running-linked sound producing device includes a vehicle speed estimation unit to estimate a vehicle speed of the vehicle, an accelerator command value estimation unit to estimate an accelerator command value based on a vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle speed estimation unit, and a running-linked sound generation unit that generates a running-linked sound, wherein the running-linked sound generation unit generates a running-linked sound based on a vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle speed estimation unit and an accelerator command value estimated by the accelerator command value estimation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Mikio Saitou, Osamu Maeda
  • Patent number: 9065403
    Abstract: A running-linked sound generation unit includes an order sound data generation unit, a random sound data generation unit, and a synthesis unit. The order sound data generation unit generates order sound data by changing the tone of basic order sound data according to a motor rotation speed of a vehicle. The random sound data generation unit generates random sound data by changing the volume of basic random sound data according to a motor rotation speed and an accelerator command value of a vehicle, without changing the tone of the basic random sound data. The synthesis unit generates synthetic sound data by combining synthesized order sound data and random sound data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Mikio Saitou, Osamu Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130182864
    Abstract: A running-linked sound generation unit includes an order sound data generation unit, a random sound data generation unit, and a synthesis unit. The order sound data generation unit generates order sound data by changing the tone of basic order sound data according to a motor rotation speed of a vehicle. The random sound data generation unit generates random sound data by changing the volume of basic random sound data according to a motor rotation speed and an accelerator command value of a vehicle, without changing the tone of the basic random sound data. The synthesis unit generates synthetic sound data by combining synthesized order sound data and random sound data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Mikio Saitou, Osamu Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130177167
    Abstract: A running-linked sound producing device produces a running-linked sound according to a running state of a vehicle. The running-linked sound producing device includes a vehicle speed estimation unit to estimate a vehicle speed of the vehicle, an accelerator command value estimation unit to estimate an accelerator command value based on a vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle speed estimation unit, and a running-linked sound generation unit that generates a running-linked sound, wherein the running-linked sound generation unit generates a running-linked sound based on a vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle speed estimation unit and an accelerator command value estimated by the accelerator command value estimation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Mikio Saitou, Osamu Maeda
  • Patent number: 8004223
    Abstract: An electric bike includes a wheel driving apparatus. The wheel driving apparatus includes an electric wheel drive motor which drives a wheel, a gap changer which changes a gap length in the wheel drive motor, and a motor control unit which controls the wheel drive motor and the gap changer. The motor control unit calculates a target gap length for the gap changing motor in the gap changer based on an accelerator opening-degree signal, a rotation speed, a q-axis electric-current command value, a power source voltage, and a voltage utilization rate. Then, a feedback control is provided to the gap changer based on a difference value between the target gap length and the actual gap-length. A good vehicle characteristic is obtained without being affected by individual variability or operating environment of the electric motor through efficient drive of the electric motor from a low-speed range through a high-speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yagi, Hideki Matsueda, Mikio Saitou
  • Publication number: 20090212728
    Abstract: An electric bike includes a wheel driving apparatus. The wheel driving apparatus includes an electric wheel drive motor which drives a wheel, a gap changer which changes a gap length in the wheel drive motor, and a motor control unit which controls the wheel drive motor and the gap changer. The motor control unit calculates a target gap length for the gap changing motor in the gap changer based on an accelerator opening-degree signal, a rotation speed, a q-axis electric-current command value, a power source voltage, and a voltage utilization rate. Then, a feedback control is provided to the gap changer based on a difference value between the target gap length and the actual gap-length. A good vehicle characteristic is obtained without being affected by individual variability or operating environment of the electric motor through efficient drive of the electric motor from a low-speed range through a high-speed range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yagi, Hideki Matsueda, Mikio Saitou
  • Publication number: 20070029120
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle that can reduce power consumption when an engine of the vehicle is restarted. The hybrid vehicle has a generator-motor that generates electric power. An engine drives the generator-motor. A battery stores the electric power. In one arrangement, the generator-motor starts the engine by being supplied with the electric power stored in the battery. A control device regulates an upper limit of the electric power that is used to activate the generator-motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Mikio Saitou, Katsuhiro Arai
  • Publication number: 20070029121
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle enabling reliable travel to the destination in second travel mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine off and enabling more effective use the second travel mode. In this vehicle, a electric power travel mode travelable distance calculation section calculates the travelable distance based on the average traveling consumed current value inputted from average traveling consumed current value calculation section and the battery capacity SOC inputted from a battery capacity calculation section, and outputs the result to a display section. A fuel travelable distance calculation section calculates the remaining travelable distance based on the remaining fuel inputted from a remaining fuel amount measuring section and the fuel consumption inputted from a fuel consumption calculation section, and outputs the result to the display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Mikio Saitou, Katsuhiro Arai
  • Patent number: 6555928
    Abstract: An electric vehicle comprises a first power source and a second power source. The first power source can be used to supply a substantially constant base power level and the second power source can be used to supply a variable power level such that a variable load demand can be filled by combining the base power level and the variable power level. The first source can be used to supply power to the second source when the second source is operating at a decreased charge or power level. The base power level can be varied based upon the remaining charge or power level contained within the second source. A number of control methods for operating the power supply of the electric vehicle are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Mizuno, Masahisa Kuranishi, Mikio Saitou, Toshiaki Yamada
  • Patent number: 4831587
    Abstract: A memory associated with an address circuit receiving an address signal to designate a location of the memory to be accessed. The address circuit includes an X-decoder and a Y-decoder associated to the memory, and a multiplexor receiving at least a portion of an address input and adapted to selectively distribute the above portion of the address input to the X-decoder and the Y-decoder. Specifically, the multiplexor receives at least one first bit of a portion of the address signal to be inputted to the X-decoder and at least one second bit of the remaining portion of the address signal to be iputted to the Y-decoder. In a first condition, the multiplexor operates to supply the first bit and the second bit of the address input to the X-decoder and the Y-decoder, respectively. In a second condition, the multiplexor operates to supply the first bit and the second bit of the address input to the Y-decoder and the X-decoder, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1989
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taninaka, Mikio Saitou