Patents by Inventor Nobuo Watanabe

Nobuo Watanabe 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: 20100141262
    Abstract: A method utilizing the resistance of the electrolytic membrane of a fuel cell is known conventionally as a method for detecting abnormality occurring in the fuel cell. As shown on FIG. 4, resistance of the electrolytic membrane increases as the temperature thereof decreases or the moisture content thereof decreases (i.e. dry state), and decreases as the temperature increases or the moisture content increases (i.e. wet state), and thereby it was difficult to judge whether a deterioration in performance or a simple drop in performance has occurred by simply detecting an increase in resistance. A criterion for judging a deterioration in performance of a fuel cell based on the resistance of an electrolytic membrane is thereby set higher as the electrolytic membrane approaches a dry state and temperature thereof decreases and set lower as the electrolytic membrane approaches a wet state and the temperature thereof increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Nobuo Watanabe, Nobuyuki Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20100119900
    Abstract: An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KAKUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugiura, Nobuo Watanabe, Kouta Manabe, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20090325013
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hydrogen path for supplying odorant-added hydrogen to the fuel cell, an estimating unit to estimate the depositing of the odorant in the fuel cell, and control unit to heat the fuel cell up to a temperature at which at least part of the odorant deposited in the fuel cell evaporates when-the depositing of the odorant is estimated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Watanabe, Keigo Suematsu, Tatsuaki Yokoyama, Katsuhiko Hirose, Atsushi Matsuba
  • Patent number: 7583050
    Abstract: A power source system (1) includes a fuel cell (40) and a battery (20) connected in parallel. A DC-DC converter (30) is connected to the battery (20) side. A maximum output ratio of the fuel cell (40) and the battery (20) is set in a range in which the output of the fuel cell falls within 65 to 80% of the total output. Accordingly, electric power loss due to the DC-DC converter (30) is controlled, whereby a high energy efficiency can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugiura, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Kouta Manabe
  • Publication number: 20090150228
    Abstract: An apparatus accepts, from each voter, registration of a free delegation relationship. Then, the apparatus presents voting information such as a vote topic, choices and a voting expiration date to the voter. Next, the apparatus presumes how delegated votes are delegated, during a voting state at a total calculation date, in accordance with the delegation relationships, and estimates a voting result in consideration of delegation of votes. Next, the estimation apparatus sends the estimated voting result to the voters and the administrator for encouraging voter to vote.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Koji MARUHASHI, Hiroshi Yamakawa, Yoshio Nakao, Nobuo Watanabe, Masahiro Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20090110990
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrogen supply apparatus which can mix an odorant with hydrogen gas even at a low temperature and can detect the leakage of the hydrogen gas. The apparatus comprises a gas storage portion which stores hydrogen gas therein, an odorant-addition portion which adds an odorant to the hydrogen gas fed from the gas storage portion, and a temperature control portion which controls the temperature of at least one of the hydrogen gas stored in the gas storage portion, the hydrogen gas fed from the gas storage portion and the odorant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahide Izutani, Tatsuaki Yokoyama, Syuuji Hirakata, Osamu Yumita, Hiroshi Fujitani, Keigo Suematsu, Masaaki Matsusue, Nobuo Watanabe, Katsuhiko Oshikawa, Katsuhiko Hirose, Takumi Kuwahara, Atsushi Matsuba
  • Publication number: 20090110984
    Abstract: A limit switch for detecting opening/closing of a hood is connected to a controller. A power supply relay is also connected to the controller. A switching contact of the relay is located on power supply line for supplying power supply from a fuel cell. When the hood is closed, the limit switch is on and the controller maintains the switching contact in a closed state so that power supply from the fuel cell to various power-consuming components is allowed. On the other hand, when the hood is opened, the limit switch is turned off. In response to this, the controller opens the switching contact so that the power supply from the fuel cell to the various power-consuming components is shut off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Hideyuki Tanaka, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090061263
    Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the invention includes: a detecting unit (6, 12) that detects an operation parameter of the fuel cell; an internal resistance estimating unit (20) that sets the internal resistance of the fuel cell a basic internal resistance; a flow rate measuring unit (3) that measures the airflow rate; a pressure measuring unit (4) that measures the air pressure; a determining unit (20) that determines the IR-free output characteristic of the fuel cell; a setting unit (20) that sets the basic output characteristic of the fuel cell; an output current measuring unit (8) that measures the output current of the fuel cell; an output voltage measuring unit (9) that measures the output voltage of the fuel cell; and a calculating unit (20) that corrects the basic output characteristic using the output current and the output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7486710
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device 1 comprises: a heat sink 20, in turn comprising a main cooler unit 21, formed by joining metal members, a fluid channel 30, formed inside the main cooler unit 21, a cooling region 23 on an outer wall surface 22, and a resin layer 40, being continuously coated onto the outer wall surface 22 and an inner wall surface 33 with the exception of the cooling region 23; and a semiconductor laser element 80, positioned at the cooling region 23 with thermal contact with the outer wall surface 22 being maintained. By continuously coating the outer wall surface 22 and the inner wall surface 33 with the resin layer 40 with the exception of the cooling region 23, prevention of corrosion near portions at which the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface contact each other is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kan, Hirofumi Miyajima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090026264
    Abstract: An entrustee information transmitting method includes an entrustment managing storage storing entrustment relationship information indicating correspondence between entrusters who are voters performing entrustment and entrustees who are voters entrusted by the entrusters in an entrustment managing storage unit; an attendance managing storage storing attendance information of respective voters in an attendance managing storage unit in units of bills; an indirect-entrustment voter extracting operation of extracting one or more indirect-entrustment voter who indirectly entrust an attendee by using the entrustment relationship information and the attendance information; an entrustee determining operation of determining attendees who are indirectly entrusted by the indirect-entrustment voters to be recommended entrustees; and an entrustee information transmitting operation of transmitting information of the recommended entrustees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamakawa, Koji Maruhashi, Yoshio Nakao, Nobuo Watanabe, Masahiro Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20080279239
    Abstract: A semiconductor laser device 1 comprises: a heat sink 20, in turn comprising a main cooler unit 21, formed by joining metal members, a fluid channel 30, formed inside the main cooler unit 21, a cooling region 23 on an outer wall surface 22, and a resin layer 40, being continuously coated onto the outer wall surface 22 and an inner wall surface 33 with the exception of the cooling region 23; and a semiconductor laser element 80, positioned at the cooling region 23 with thermal contact with the outer wall surface 22 being maintained. By continuously coating the outer wall surface 22 and the inner wall surface 33 with the resin layer 40 with the exception of the cooling region 23, prevention of corrosion near portions at which the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface contact each other is realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kan, Hirofumi Miyajima, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080254329
    Abstract: An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KAKUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi SUGIURA, Nobuo Watanabe, Kouta Manabe, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20080228759
    Abstract: An electronic bulletin board apparatus and method enabling a second user to answer a question of a first user using an answer input picture, including generating guide information for guiding the second user to an answer input picture as a guide destination picture through which to respond to a first question of the first user based on a second question that is similar to the first question, and posting the guide information in an answer input picture as a posting destination picture through which to respond to the second question.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Koji Maruhashi, Yoshio Nakao, Hiroshi Yamakawa, Masahiro Asaoka, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7410711
    Abstract: An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugiura, Nobuo Watanabe, Kouta Manabe, Tetsuhiro Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20070269695
    Abstract: A fuel cell system (10, 200) includes an intake pipe (45, 46) that admits an introduction of oxidizing gas upstream of an oxidizing gas supply source that supplies the oxidizing gas to a fuel cell (20), and an exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) that discharges exhaust gas which contains a vapor generated at an oxygen electrode side through an operation of the fuel cell (20). The fuel cell system (10, 200) is provided with a circulating pipe (61, 62, 220) that connects the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222), a circulating valve (60) that is provided in the circulating pipe and operated to adjust a flow rate of the exhaust gas supplied from the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) to the intake pipe, and a pressure generating member that is provided in the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) at a position at which the circulating pipe and the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) are joined and generates a pressure that is higher than at least an atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamazaki, Toyokazu Baika, Nobuo Watanabe, Nobuyuki Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20070154756
    Abstract: An output limitation warning lamp is turned on when a possible output Qf of the fuel cell is less than a predetermined value L2. The output limitation warning lamp is provided at a combination meter in an instrument panel. The output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when a possible output Qb of the secondary battery is less than a predetermined value L3. Furthermore, the output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when an allowable drive output Qh, which is the sum of the possible output Qf of the fuel cell and the possible output Qb of the secondary battery, has been less than a required output Ed* calculated at a step before carrying out output limitation to more than a certain extent for longer than a predetermined length of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Fujita, Yasuhiko Niimi, Takashi Kotoh, Hideaki Mizuno, Nobuo Watanabe, Tadaichi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070119852
    Abstract: A storage body comprises a main body, a cover body, an interlocking member, a slider, and an urging member. The main body has an opening portion and a guide portion. The main body has a base plate which is provided with the guide portion, the interlocking member, the slider, and the urging member integrally. The slider has a pin portion connected to the interlocking member by way of a connecting mechanism composed of a rack and a pinion. The urging member has opposite ends. One of the opposite ends of the urging member is fastened to the base plate or the interlocking member, and the other one of the opposite ends of the urging member is fastened to the slider. Dampers damping the opening movement or the closing movement of the cover body can be further provided in the base plate integrally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsunaga, Hideyuki Naganawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Junichiro Kako
  • Publication number: 20070123086
    Abstract: A storage body with improved decorativeness and an improved degree of freedom in its function and in its design comprises a main body, a cover body, and a locking mechanism. The main body has an opening portion. The cover body is supported by the main body in such a manner that the opening portion can be opened and closed, and has a pair of engaging holes. The locking mechanism engages the cover body with the main body at a position where the opening portion is closed. The locking mechanism is composed of a pair of rods, an urging member, an operating member, and a linking member. The rods, the urging member, and the linking member are provided on a side of the main body, not on the side of the cover body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsunaga, Hideyuki Naganawa, Nobuo Watanabe, Junichiro Kako
  • Publication number: 20070121079
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a plurality of light modulating devices for forming optical images by modulating a plurality of color lights into image information for each color light and a color combining optical device having a plurality of light flux incoming end surfaces opposing the respective light modulating devices for combining optical images formed by the respective light modulating devices, wherein the optical device includes a first fixed member and a second fixed member for mounting the light modulating devices so as to face the light flux incoming end surfaces of the color combining optical device, wherein the first fixed member includes a plate-shaped first base portion mounted to oppose the light flux incoming end surface and having an opening for transmitting the light flux and a pair of first upright strips extending upright from an outer peripheral edge of the first base portion toward the light flux incoming side and oppose to each other, wherein the second fixed member includes a plate-shape
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Kitabayashi, Kazuyuki Iinuma, Nobuo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20070059263
    Abstract: The present application relates to a solid skin care composition comprising: (a) a first layer which is solid at 45° C. and which is a water-in-oil emulsion or an oil-in-water emulsion; and (b) a second layer which is solid at 45° C. and which is an oil dispersion comprising a benefit agent; and wherein the first layer and the second layer are provided in the same package in a manner such that the first layer and the second layer can be simultaneously applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventors: Toshiya Taniguchi, Takashi Sako, Yoko Fujiwara, Kiyohiko Fujii, Nobuo Watanabe