Patents by Inventor Nobuaki KATAOKA

Nobuaki KATAOKA 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: 11975772
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit that stores an end position corresponding angle. The electronic control unit is configured to execute end strike relaxation control, to execute partial release control in a case where turning of a vehicle is attempted during execution of the end strike relaxation control, to make a non-following determination and acquire a release-time restriction position determination angle that corresponds to the absolute steering angle detected at a time when the electronic control unit determines that the movement of the steered shaft is restricted, and to permit update of the end position corresponding angle based on the release-time restriction position determination angle, and update the end position corresponding angle in a case where the update of the end position corresponding angle is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamaguchi, Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11926375
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to acquire a limit position determination angle corresponding to an absolute steering angle when it is determined that movement of a turning shaft is limited, to compare a first stroke width which is a sum of an absolute value of the limit position determination angle on a right side and an absolute value of the limit position determination angle on a left side with a stroke threshold value corresponding to an entire stroke range of the turning shaft when the limit position determination angles on the right and left sides are acquired, and to set end-position-corresponding angles on the right and left sides based on the limit position determination angles on the right and left sides when the first stroke width is greater than the stroke threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11919581
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform end contact relaxation control for correcting a current command value such that a decrease of an end separation angle indicating a distance of an absolute steering angle from an end-position-corresponding angle is limited when the end separation angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle and to perform partial release control for decreasing a correction value of the current command value due to execution of the end contact relaxation control based on a steering torque which is input to a steering system when a vehicle is intended to travel while turning at the time of execution of the end contact relaxation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamaguchi, Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Shingo Nitta, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11897555
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to detect an absolute steering angle, to calculate a current command value, to control driving of a motor such that an actual current value which is supplied to the motor reaches the current command value, to store an end-position-corresponding angle which is correlated with the absolute steering angle, to perform end contact relaxation control for correcting the current command value such that a decrease of an end separation angle is regulated when the end separation angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle, and to calculate the current command value such that an increase of the end separation angle is not regulated by the end contact relaxation control when the end separation angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11724732
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit configured to i) detect an absolute steering angle, ii) determine whether movement of a turning shaft to one of right and left sides has been limited, iii) acquire a limit position determination angle corresponding to the absolute steering angle detected when the electronic control unit determines that the movement of the turning shaft has been limited, and iv) set an end-position-corresponding angle based on the limit position determination angle, the end-position-corresponding angle being an angle indicating that the turning shaft is located at a right or left end position, and the end-position-corresponding angle being associated with the absolute steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11685429
    Abstract: A steering control device includes: an absolute steering angle detecting unit configured to detect an absolute steering angle; and a current command value calculating unit configured to calculate a current command value corresponding to a target value of the motor torque output from the motor. The current command value calculating unit is configured to perform partial release control for decreasing a correction value of the current command value due to execution of the end contact relaxation control when a vehicle is tried to be turned at the time of execution of the end contact relaxation control. The current command value calculating unit is configured to stop the partial release control when the current command value which is calculated at the time of execution of the partial release control is a value which is not affected by decreasing the correction value based on execution of the partial release control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamaguchi, Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11685428
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control circuit and a drive circuit. The control circuit is configured to perform a current feedback computation by which the actual current value of electric current to be supplied to a motor follows a current command value. The control circuit is configured to execute an end-abutting relaxation control to correct the current command value such that decrease in an end interval angle is restricted, when the end interval angle is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, the end interval angle indicating the distance of the absolute steer angle from the end position correspondence angle. The control circuit is configured to adjust a control gain to be used in the current feedback computation, such that the control gain increases, when overshoot of the actual current value occurs during the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Takahiro Toko, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11679802
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit detects an absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit controls driving of a motor. The electronic control unit determines whether movement of a turning shaft to one of right and left sides has been limited by an end contact or execution of end contact relaxation control. The electronic control unit acquires a plurality of limit position determination angles corresponding to the absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit permits update of an end-position-corresponding angle. The electronic control unit updates the end-position-corresponding angle stored in the electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Yamaguchi, Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11577777
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to calculate a torque command value that is a target value of a motor torque, set a restricting value that is an upper limit of an absolute value of the torque command value, restrict the absolute value of the torque command value to be equal to or less than the restricting value, control driving of a motor such that the motor torque follows the restricted torque command value, calculate a steering angle restricting value that decreases based on an increase of an absolute value of a rotation angle, and an absolute value of an angular velocity, when the absolute value of the rotation angle of the rotary shaft exceeds a steering angle threshold, and set the restricting value to be a value equal to or less than the steering angle restricting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Takahiro Toko, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11230318
    Abstract: A steering control apparatus for a steering system includes a controller. The controller sets a limit value to less than or equal to a steering angle limit value, the limit value being an upper limit of an absolute value of a torque command value, and controls a motor such that a motor torque follows the torque command. When the absolute value of a rotation angle of a rotary shaft exceeds a steering angle threshold, the controller computes a damping control amount such that the damping control amount increases with an increase in an excess of an angular velocity of the rotary shaft over a first upper limit angular velocity. The controller computes the torque command value based on a value obtained by combining the basic command value and the damping control amount such that an absolute value of the basic command value is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Toko, Nobuaki Kataoka, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11167790
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control circuit that controls a steering device. The control circuit is configured to execute an end-abutting relaxation control to correct a current command value such that decrease in an end interval angle is restricted, when the end interval angle is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, the end interval angle indicating the distance of an absolute steer angle from an end position correspondence angle. The control circuit is configured to perform a slewing intention determination of whether it is intended to perform the slewing travel of a vehicle during the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control. The control circuit is configured to perform a partial release control to reduce a correction amount of the current command value in the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control when it is determined that it is intended to perform the slewing travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Takahiro Toko, Takafumi Yamaguchi, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Publication number: 20210229737
    Abstract: A steering control device includes: an absolute steering angle detecting unit configured to detect an absolute steering angle; and a current command value calculating unit configured to calculate a current command value corresponding to a target value of the motor torque output from the motor. The current command value calculating unit is configured to perform partial release control for decreasing a correction value of the current command value due to execution of the end contact relaxation control when a vehicle is tried to be turned at the time of execution of the end contact relaxation control. The current command value calculating unit is configured to stop the partial release control when the current command value which is calculated at the time of execution of the partial release control is a value which is not affected by decreasing the correction value based on execution of the partial release control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210197889
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit that stores an end position corresponding angle. The electronic control unit is configured to execute end strike relaxation control, to execute partial release control in a case where turning of a vehicle is attempted during execution of the end strike relaxation control, to make a non-following determination and acquire a release-time restriction position determination angle that corresponds to the absolute steering angle detected at a time when the electronic control unit determines that the movement of the steered shaft is restricted, and to permit update of the end position corresponding angle based on the release-time restriction position determination angle, and update the end position corresponding angle in a case where the update of the end position corresponding angle is permitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210122413
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to perform end contact relaxation control for correcting a current command value such that a decrease of an end separation angle indicating a distance of an absolute steering angle from an end-position-corresponding angle is limited when the end separation angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle and to perform partial release control for decreasing a correction value of the current command value due to execution of the end contact relaxation control based on a steering torque which is input to a steering system when a vehicle is intended to travel while turning at the time of execution of the end contact relaxation control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Shingo NITTA, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Patent number: 10981596
    Abstract: A control steered angle calculation unit includes: an end position determination unit that determines whether a rack shaft is located at either one of right and left rack end positions; a motor absolute angle calculation unit that detects a motor absolute angle; an end position-corresponding motor angle setting unit that, when the rack shaft is determined to be located at either one of the right and left rack end positions, sets the detected motor absolute angle as an end position-corresponding motor angle corresponding to the one of the right and left rack end positions; and a control steered angle origin setting unit that calculates an average value of right and left end position-corresponding motor angles as an offset angle, and sets an angle obtained by subtracting the offset angle from the detected motor absolute angle as an origin of the control steered angle represented by the motor ab solute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Shingo Maeda, Jun Hasegawa, Masayuki Kita, Takahiro Toko
  • Publication number: 20210094608
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit configured to i) detect an absolute steering angle, ii) determine whether movement of a turning shaft to one of right and left sides has been limited, iii) acquire a limit position determination angle corresponding to the absolute steering angle detected when the electronic control unit determines that the movement of the turning shaft has been limited, and iv) set an end-position-corresponding angle based on the limit position determination angle, the end-position-corresponding angle being an angle indicating that the turning shaft is located at a right or left end position, and the end-position-corresponding angle being associated with the absolute steering angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210094609
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to acquire a limit position determination angle corresponding to an absolute steering angle when it is determined that movement of a turning shaft is limited, to compare a first stroke width which is a sum of an absolute value of the limit position determination angle on a right side and an absolute value of the limit position determination angle on a left side with a stroke threshold value corresponding to an entire stroke range of the turning shaft when the limit position determination angles on the right and left sides are acquired, and to set end-position-corresponding angles on the right and left sides based on the limit position determination angles on the right and left sides when the first stroke width is greater than the stroke threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210094610
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit detects an absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit controls driving of a motor. The electronic control unit determines whether movement of a turning shaft to one of right and left sides has been limited by an end contact or execution of end contact relaxation control. The electronic control unit acquires a plurality of limit position determination angles corresponding to the absolute steering angle. The electronic control unit permits update of an end-position-corresponding angle. The electronic control unit updates the end-position-corresponding angle stored in the electronic control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210078628
    Abstract: A steering control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to detect an absolute steering angle, to calculate a current command value, to control driving of a motor such that an actual current value which is supplied to the motor reaches the current command value, to store an end-position-corresponding angle which is correlated with the absolute steering angle, to perform end contact relaxation control for correcting the current command value such that a decrease of an end separation angle is regulated when the end separation angle is equal to or less than a predetermined angle, and to calculate the current command value such that an increase of the end separation angle is not regulated by the end contact relaxation control when the end separation angle is equal to or less than the predetermined angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro TOKO, Nobuaki KATAOKA, Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Yukinobu EZAKI
  • Publication number: 20210070352
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control circuit that controls a steering device. The control circuit is configured to execute an end-abutting relaxation control to correct a current command value such that decrease in an end interval angle is restricted, when the end interval angle is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle, the end interval angle indicating the distance of an absolute steer angle from an end position correspondence angle. The control circuit is configured to perform a slewing intention determination of whether it is intended to perform the slewing travel of a vehicle during the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control. The control circuit is configured to perform a partial release control to reduce a correction amount of the current command value in the execution of the end-abutting relaxation control when it is determined that it is intended to perform the slewing travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuaki KATAOKA, Takahiro TOKO, Takafumi YAMAGUCHI, Yukinobu EZAKI