Patents by Inventor Minao Yanase

Minao Yanase 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: 20060006014
    Abstract: A tire deflation warning system having a means for detecting the rotational speeds of wheels on a vehicle and a means for judging tires with reduced air pressure from the rotational speed information of the wheels including a means for judging whether driving force works to respective wheels or not a means for calculating a vehicle speed when driving force works to respective wheels, a means for comparing the average of the rotational speeds of the driving wheels against the average of the rotational speeds of the following wheels, with the average of the rotational speeds of the driving wheels against the average of the rotational speeds of the following wheels at normal air pressure in running state in which the vehicle has driving force and a means for judging that the air pressures of the all wheels which are mounted on the vehicle are simultaneously reduced, or that the air pressures of the driving wheels are reduced by the result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6965304
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel speed is calculated based on a vehicle wheel speed signal outputted from a vehicle wheel speed sensor and a change width w which is an amplitude of a time change component of the calculated vehicle wheel speed. When the calculated change width w is equal to or more than a reference value w0 it is judged that a quick tire deformation is currently generated and a driver of the vehicle is informed of the quick deformation by actuating a warning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonetani, Hideki Ohashi, Minao Yanase, Yukio Nakao
  • Publication number: 20050087008
    Abstract: A detection method of reducing the air pressure of tires based on the rotational speed of wheels mounted on a vehicle. The method includes steps of: determining the rotational speed of said each wheel, memorizing the rotational speed of said wheel, determining the loading sensitivity of the dynamic load radius of tires caused by movement of a load during turning, comparing said loading sensitivity with the loading sensitivity of the dynamic load radii of tires at initialization which are preliminarily memorized, and judging decompression of tires based on the result of said comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20050081616
    Abstract: A tire air-pressure alarming device includes wheel speed sensors for detecting wheel speeds of wheels of a motor vehicle and also includes a microcomputer-base control device and an alarming unit. The control device is programmed to execute function steps of: deriving a decision value based on the wheel speeds detected by the wheel speed sensors; judging the occurrence of air-pressure drop of the tires constituting wheels, based on the decision value; and outputting a command when the occurrence of the air-pressure drop of the tires is judged. The alarming unit is responsive to the command from the control device thereby to raise an alarm indicating the occurrence of the air-pressure drop of the tire. The tires are monitored by the tire air-pressure alarming device, wherein the control device is also programmed to execute a function step of standardizing the speed dependency of a rolling radius of the tires thereby to standardize the performance in judging the air-pressure drop of the tires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Motoshi Suzuki, Hidenori Kajino, Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6839615
    Abstract: A method for estimating a mass of a vehicle including the steps of: correcting a wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and estimating a mass of the vehicle on the basis of a slope of the regression line. It is possible to estimate the mass of the vehicle at high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6836709
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting rotational information of the respective tires; storing the rotational information of the respective tires; obtaining an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle; obtaining a slip rate when the acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle is within a specified range proximate to zero; comparing the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when the tire is under normal air pressure; and judging simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or simultaneous decompression of both rear wheel tires on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold. It is possible to judge simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or both rear wheel tires when employing the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Akihiko Nakamura, Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6831553
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information. The method includes the steps of: detecting rotational information of the tires; storing the rotational information; comparing rotational information of all left-sided wheels and rotational information of all right-sided wheels of the vehicle when the vehicle is performing straight-ahead running; and judging decompression on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the left-sided and right-sided rotational information and a specified threshold. It is possible to detect decompression of a single wheel tire while it is also possible to detect that two wheel tires on the left or right are simultaneously decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20040249528
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure on the basis of wheel rotational information obtained from tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle. The method includes the steps of: obtaining wheel rotational information obtainable from the respective tires, storing the wheel rotational information, and judging decrease in air-pressure of a tire. The step of judging decrease in air-pressure includes the step of adjusting a sensitivity of judgment upon multiplying a specified sensitivity coefficient to the wheel rotational information of the respective wheels of a front axis or those of the respective wheels of a rear axis of the vehicle and of judging a running condition of the vehicle. When it is determined that the vehicle is performing straight-ahead running, the judgment of decrease in tire air-pressure is performed only on the basis of wheel rotational information when performing straight-ahead running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20040230349
    Abstract: An apparatus for calculating an initial correction coefficient for correcting rotational angular velocities obtained from outputs of rotational angular velocity detecting means. The apparatus includes a judged value calculating means which calculates a judged value on the basis of the rotational angular velocities; an identifying means which identifies whether the vehicle is performing turning movements at high velocity, straight-ahead running or turning movements at mid/low velocity; and an initial correction coefficient calculating means which obtains an initial correction coefficient when it has been identified by the identifying means that the vehicle is performing straight-ahead running or turning movements at mid/low velocity. It is possible to obtain accurate correction coefficients so that it is possible to accurately detect, for instance, a decrease in tire air-pressure and thus to maintain safe running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6774776
    Abstract: A method for alarming a decrease in tire air-pressure, in which rotational numbers of four tires are detected for judging whether any of the tire air-pressures is decreased or not, and issuing an alarm if the internal pressure of a tire is decreased. In an equation for calculating a judged value for detecting deflation of a tire, correction factor function values including a first factor related to lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a second factor related to lateral acceleration and front and rear wheel ratios are subtracted from actually measured values when performing actual running of the vehicle with the tires being set to specific air-pressures. The first and second factors are calculated such that a result of subtraction is approximately close to zero and is stored. It is possible to improve accuracy of detection of deflations of tires by automatically obtaining factors for turning correction after mounting the tires to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6748798
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure including the steps of: detecting rotational information of the respective tires; storing rotational information; detecting whether the vehicle is running on a flat road or not; detecting whether the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating; comparing rotational information of both front wheels with rotational information of both rear wheels when it has been determined that the vehicle is running on a flat road and that the vehicle is neither accelerating nor decelerating; and judging simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or simultaneous decompression of both rear wheel tires on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the rotational information of both front wheels and both rear wheels and a specified threshold. It is possible to judge simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or both rear wheel tires when employing the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20040075545
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel speed is calculated based on a vehicle wheel speed signal outputted from a vehicle wheel speed sensor and a change width w which is an amplitude of a time change component of the calculated vehicle wheel speed. When the calculated change width w is equal to or more than a reference value w0 it is judged that a quick tire deformation is currently generated and a driver of the vehicle is informed of the quick deformation by actuating a warning device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Masahiro Yonetani, Hideki Ohashi, Minao Yanase, Yukio Nakao
  • Publication number: 20040046650
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure includes the steps of: detecting rotational angular velocities of respective tires; calculating an initial correction coefficient for a ratio of right and left wheels; terminating initialization of a first stage at a point of time when the initial correction coefficient has been calculated for performing a provisional judgment of decompression; calculating an initial correction coefficient for a ratio of front and rear wheels; and terminating initialization of a second stage at a point of time when the initial correction coefficient has been calculated for performing normal judgement of decompression. Detection of decompression when performing running including mostly straight-ahead running such as driving in an urban area might be made at an early stage and at high accuracy to thereby improve the performance of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20040021557
    Abstract: A method for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure, in which rotational numbers of four tires are detected for judging whether any of the tire air-pressures is decreased or not, and issuing an alarm in case an internal pressure of a tire is decreased. In an equation for calculating a judged value for detecting deflation of a tire, correction factor function values including a first factor related to lateral acceleration of the vehicle and a second factor related to lateral acceleration and front and rear wheel ratios are subtracted from actually measured values when performing actual running of the vehicle with the tires being set to specific air-pressures, and the first and second factors are so calculated that a result of subtraction is approximately close to zero and are stored. It is possible to improve accuracy of detection of deflations of tires by automatically obtaining factors for turning correction after mounting the tires to the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20040006421
    Abstract: A method for estimating a mass of a vehicle including the steps of: correcting a wheel torque of a vehicle during running by using a preliminarily obtained wheel torque necessary for running on a flat surface at constant speed, obtaining a regression line of the corrected wheel torque and an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle, and estimating a mass of the vehicle on the basis of a slope of the regression line. It is possible to estimate the mass of the vehicle at high accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20030233209
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of wheel speed information obtained from wheels attached to a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting wheel speed information of the respective tires; storing the wheel speed information of the respective tires; obtaining a vehicle body velocity of the vehicle; obtaining vehicle information of the vehicle during running such as driving force, wheel torque or slip rate; calculating a judged value of decompression; and detecting decrease in air-pressure of a tire upon calculating a multiple correlation coefficient for the judged value between the vehicle body velocity and the vehicle information and comparing the multiple correlation coefficient with a specified threshold. It is possible to accurately detect decompression of a tire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventor: Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20030140688
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure including the steps of: detecting rotational information of the respective tires; storing rotational information; detecting whether the vehicle is running on a flat road or not; detecting whether the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating; comparing rotational information of both front wheels with rotational information of both rear wheels when it has been determined that the vehicle is running on a flat road and that the vehicle is neither accelerating nor decelerating; and judging simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or simultaneous decompression of both rear wheel tires on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the rotational information of both front wheels and both rear wheels and a specified threshold. It is possible to judge simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or both rear wheel tires when employing the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20030130773
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure on the basis of rotational information obtained from tires attached to a vehicle. The method includes the steps of: detecting rotational information of the respective tires; storing the rotational information of the respective tires; obtaining an acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle; obtaining a slip rate when the acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle is within a specified range proximate to zero; comparing the slip rate with a slip rate which has been preliminarily obtained when the tire is under normal air pressure; and judging simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or simultaneous decompression of both rear wheel tires on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the two slip rates and a specified threshold. It is possible to judge simultaneous decompression of both front wheel tires or both rear wheel tires when employing the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Akihiko Nakamura, Minao Yanase
  • Publication number: 20030080863
    Abstract: A method for detecting decrease in tire air-pressure in which decrease in internal pressure of a tire is detected on the basis of rotational information. The method includes the steps of: detecting rotational information of the tires; storing the rotational information; comparing rotational information of all left-sided wheels and rotational information of all right-sided wheels of the vehicle when the vehicle is performing straight-ahead running; and judging decompression on the basis of a relationship between a value obtained through comparison of the left-sided and right-sided rotational information and a specified threshold. It is possible to detect decompression of a single wheel tire while it is also possible to detect that two wheel tires on the left or right are simultaneously decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Yuji Oshiro, Minao Yanase
  • Patent number: 6407661
    Abstract: An apparatus for alarming decrease in tire air-pressure which alarms decrease of internal pressure of a tire on the basis of a rotational information obtained by tires attached to a four-wheeled vehicle. The apparatus comprises rotational information detecting means; memory means for storing the rotational information; calculation processing means for calculating a reciprocal number of a turning radius and calculating a judged value; first judging means for comparing the judged value with a reference value at every regions of the turning radius; and second judging means for canceling a judgement of decrease of internal pressure when a difference between the judged values in the right and left turning regions is different from a difference between reference judged values in the right and left turning regions which are obtained at a time of initializing run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignees: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Arita, Minao Yanase