Patents by Inventor Nobuyori Nakajima

Nobuyori Nakajima 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: 11472473
    Abstract: A motor control device is provided with a plurality of power converters and a plurality of microcomputers, and controls driving of a motor that has a plurality of sets of windings. The microcomputers perform initial check of components in respective circuits after activation. The microcomputers prohibit driving of the motor by a circuit determined to be abnormal during the initial inspection. When two or more circuits are determined to be normal in the initial check, the microcomputers start driving of the motor by synchronizing the timing between the two or more circuits determined to be normal. When only one circuit is determined to be normal in the initial check, the microcomputers start driving of the motor by the one circuit determined to be normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Nakamura, Nobuyori Nakajima, Masaya Taki
  • Patent number: 11453438
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus has a rotation detection device for calculating an absolute angle that includes a sensor section that detects a rotation of a motor and outputs a mechanical angle and a count value. The rotation detection device also includes a signal acquisition unit that obtains the mechanical angle and the count value from the sensor section, and an absolute angle calculator that calculates an absolute angle based on the mechanical angle and the count value. Where one rotation of the motor is divided into indefinite regions and definite regions, the absolute angle calculator uses the count value from the definite regions to calculate the absolute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Suzuki, Masaya Taki, Toshihiro Fujita, Nobuyori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11420674
    Abstract: An ECU includes plural sensor units and plural control units. The sensor units include magnetic field detection elements for detecting a rotation of a motor, and output mechanical angles related to the rotation angle in one rotation and count values related to the number of rotations of the motor, respectively. One rotation of the motor is divided into indefinite regions, in which detection deviation of the count values may occur, and definite regions, in which no detection deviation occurs. The definite region of the count value is set to deviate from the definite region of the other count value. Absolute angle calculation units calculate the absolute angles using the count values of the definite regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Nobuyori Nakajima, Masaya Taki, Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11390318
    Abstract: A motor controller for controlling a motor includes first and second angle sensors detecting motor rotation, and first and second detection circuits detecting rotation number information based on sensor output from the angle sensors. Further, the motor controller includes a steer angle information obtainer obtaining steer angle information involving steering of a vehicle from an external sensor, which is different from the angle sensors, and an abnormality determiner determining abnormality of information that has a matching degree of lower than a preset value when post-conversion information, or value measured by the same characteristics. This information is compared with each other after conversion from the rotation number information and from the steer angle information, and is used by a control amount calculator to calculate a control amount of the motor based on the information determined as having no abnormality by the abnormality determiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Nakamura, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh, Yosuke Ogi, Atsuko Oka, Shuji Kuramitsu, Takashi Suzuki, Haruo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11254352
    Abstract: A rotary electric machine control device for controlling driving of a rotary electric machine including a plurality of winding sets, includes: a plurality of drive circuits; and a plurality of control units, each of which includes: an individual current limit value calculation unit; a current limit value calculation unit; and a control signal calculation unit. The current limit value calculation unit switches between a current limit value sharing mode and a current limit value non-sharing mode. An electric power steering device includes: the rotary electric machine control device; the rotary electric machine that outputs an assist torque for assisting a steering operation of a steering wheel by a driver; and a power transmission unit that transmits a driving force of the rotary electric machine to a drive target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuko Oka, Shuji Kuramitsu, Koichi Nakamura, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh, Yosuke Ogi
  • Patent number: 11214304
    Abstract: Inverter circuits are provided for motor winding sets, respectively. Control units are provided for the motor winding sets to generate control signals related to driving of the inverter circuits and control currents flowing through the motor winding sets, respectively, thereby controlling driving of a motor. The control mode includes a manual steering mode for controlling the motor according to a steering operation on a steering wheel by a driver and an automatic steering mode for controlling the motor independently of the steering operation on the steering wheel by the driver. The control units are capable of switching the control modes and differentiate the current control according to the control mode. By making the current control different according to the control mode, it is possible to attain optimal characteristics which correspond to each control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuko Oka, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh, Koichi Nakamura, Yosuke Ogi
  • Patent number: 11136064
    Abstract: A rotation detection device includes a plurality of detectors each including a plurality of calculators respectively calculating a detection value. A control unit of the rotation detection device monitors abnormality of detection values respectively detected by the plurality of detectors, and, when determining abnormality, identifies a calculator calculating an abnormal detection value based on a result of comparison between the detection values of the plurality of calculators. Then, the control unit continues calculation of an absolute angle by using the detection values from the calculators other than the identified calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyori Nakajima, Haruo Suzuki, Takashi Suzuki, Go Endoh, Koichi Nakamura, Yosuke Ogi, Atsuko Oka, Shuji Kuramitsu
  • Patent number: 11081995
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a plurality of systems capable of controlling current supply to a motor. Each microcomputer of first and second systems is configured to communicate information of the own system and the other system by inter-computer communication and has an independent ground potential. A power supply current flowing between a power supply and a power converter is assumed to be positive and negative in a power running state and a regeneration state. Each microcomputer monitors the power supply current of each system by the inter-computer communication, and executes a power supply current balancing process of limiting a current command value or a voltage command value of at least one of the two systems thereby to decrease a power supply current difference between the two systems when the power supply current difference between the two systems exceeds a target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Otake, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh
  • Patent number: 11018611
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a multi-phase rotating electric machine includes at least one electric power converter, a command value calculator and an input voltage determiner. The at least one electric power converter converts DC power into multi-phase AC power and supplies the multi-phase AC power to the rotating electric machine. The command value calculator calculates command values for operating the at least one electric power converter. The input voltage determiner determines whether an input voltage of the at least one electric power converter is within a normal operation range. When the input voltage is determined by the input voltage determiner to be outside the normal operation range, the control apparatus switches control to ignore voltage change or current change caused by the reverse input of an external force to the rotating electric machine from a load side or suppress control fluctuation caused by the reverse input of the external force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Nakashima, Nobuyori Nakajima, Takafumi Sato, Akira Takesaki, Takashi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10994772
    Abstract: A steering system in a vehicle includes a plurality of subsystems provided with a control unit. The control unit includes a storage unit storing steer angle information regarding a steer angle of one of a steering mechanism and a steered mechanism when the steering mechanism or the steered mechanism stops, an abnormality determiner determining abnormality of the motor rotation detection value and the detection circuit in the plurality of subsystems at a start time of a motor based on a comparison of at least two parameters, and a steer angle calculator calculating the steer angle based on the parameters having been determined by the abnormality determiner as not abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Shuji Kuramitsu, Nobuyori Nakajima, Go Endoh, Haruo Suzuki, Koichi Nakamura, Yosuke Ogi, Atsuko Oka
  • Publication number: 20200313590
    Abstract: A motor control device includes a plurality of systems capable of controlling current supply to a motor. Each microcomputer of first and second systems is configured to communicate information of the own system and the other system by inter-computer communication and has an independent ground potential. A power supply current flowing between a power supply and a power converter is assumed to be positive and negative in a power running state and a regeneration state. Each microcomputer monitors the power supply current of each system by the inter-computer communication, and executes a power supply current balancing process of limiting a current command value or a voltage command value of at least one of the two systems thereby to decrease a power supply current difference between the two systems when the power supply current difference between the two systems exceeds a target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroyasu OTAKE, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Go ENDOH
  • Publication number: 20200247465
    Abstract: A motor control device is provided with a plurality of power converters and a plurality of microcomputers, and controls driving of a motor that has a plurality of sets of windings. The microcomputers perform initial check of components in respective circuits after activation. The microcomputers prohibit driving of the motor by a circuit determined to be abnormal during the initial inspection. When two or more circuits are determined to be normal in the initial check, the microcomputers start driving of the motor by synchronizing the timing between the two or more circuits determined to be normal. When only one circuit is determined to be normal in the initial check, the microcomputers start driving of the motor by the one circuit determined to be normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventors: Koichi NAKAMURA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Masaya TAKI
  • Publication number: 20200207408
    Abstract: A motor controller for controlling a motor includes first and second angle sensors detecting motor rotation, and first and second detection circuits detecting rotation number information based on sensor output from the angle sensors. Further, the motor controller includes a steer angle information obtainer obtaining steer angle information involving steering of a vehicle from an external sensor, which is different from the angle sensors, and an abnormality determiner determining abnormality of information that has a matching degree of lower than a preset value when post-conversion information, or value measured by the same characteristics. This information is compared with each other after conversion from the rotation number information and from the steer angle information, and is used by a control amount calculator to calculate a control amount of the motor based on the information determined as having no abnormality by the abnormality determiner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Koichi NAKAMURA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Go ENDOH, Yosuke OGI, Atsuko OKA, Shuji KURAMITSU, Takashi SUZUKI, Haruo SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20200207406
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of microcomputers outputs a motor drive signal, which is generated based on a current command value and a current limit value as a control amount command value and a control amount limit value, to each motor drive circuit. When an OFF determination of an own microcomputer is made, each microcomputer executes first end processing as a first stage of end processing and transmits an OFF determination signal to the other microcomputer. When the OFF determination signal is received from the other microcomputer, each microcomputer determines that the OFF determination has been made and starts second end processing which gradually decreases the current command value or the current control limit value from a present value. When the second end processing is completed and power-off preparation of the own microcomputer and the other microcomputer is completed, each microcomputer executes final end processing for turning off the power supply relay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Go ENDOH, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Koichi NAKAMURA, Hiroyasu OTAKE
  • Publication number: 20200180685
    Abstract: A steering system in a vehicle includes a plurality of subsystems provided with a control unit. The control unit includes a storage unit storing steer angle information regarding a steer angle of one of a steering mechanism and a steered mechanism when the steering mechanism or the steered mechanism stops, an abnormality determiner determining abnormality of the motor rotation detection value and the detection circuit in the plurality of subsystems at a start time of a motor based on a comparison of at least two parameters, and a steer angle calculator calculating the steer angle based on the parameters having been determined by the abnormality determiner as not abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Takashi SUZUKI, Shuji KURAMITSU, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Go ENDOH, Haruo SUZUKI, Koichi NAKAMURA, Yosuke OGI, Atsuko OKA
  • Publication number: 20200114961
    Abstract: A rotation detector has a first controller that monitors abnormality of a rotation number calculated by a rotation number calculator based on the calculated rotation number and a preset rotation angle. The first controller in a first system is configured to output rotation information calculated by a second controller in a second system upon having determination that the rotation number of the first system has abnormality, for a continuation of the rotation information calculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Haruo SUZUKI, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Koichi NAKAMURA, Go ENDOH, Atsuko OKA, Takashi SUZUKI, Yosuke OGI, Shuji KURAMITSU
  • Publication number: 20200114967
    Abstract: A rotation detection device includes a plurality of detectors each including a plurality of calculators respectively calculating a detection value. A control unit of the rotation detection device monitors abnormality of detection values respectively detected by the plurality of detectors, and, when determining abnormality, identifies a calculator calculating an abnormal detection value based on a result of comparison between the detection values of the plurality of calculators. Then, the control unit continues calculation of an absolute angle by using the detection values from the calculators other than the identified calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Haruo SUZUKI, Takashi SUZUKI, Go ENDOH, Koichi NAKAMURA, Yosuke OGI, Atsuko OKA, Shuji KURAMITSU
  • Publication number: 20200039579
    Abstract: An ECU includes plural sensor units and plural control units. The sensor units include magnetic field detection elements for detecting a rotation of a motor, and output mechanical angles related to the rotation angle in one rotation and count values related to the number of rotations of the motor, respectively. One rotation of the motor is divided into indefinite regions, in which detection deviation of the count values may occur, and definite regions, in which no detection deviation occurs. The definite region of the count value is set to deviate from the definite region of the other count value. Absolute angle calculation units calculate the absolute angles using the count values of the definite regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Toshihiro FUJITA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Masaya TAKI, Takahiro SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20190367093
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus has a rotation detection device for calculating an absolute angle that includes a sensor section that detects a rotation of a motor and outputs a mechanical angle and a count value. The rotation detection device also includes a signal acquisition unit that obtains the mechanical angle and the count value from the sensor section, and an absolute angle calculator that calculates an absolute angle based on the mechanical angle and the count value. Where one rotation of the motor is divided into indefinite regions and definite regions, the absolute angle calculator uses the count value from the definite regions to calculate the absolute angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Takahiro SUZUKI, Masaya TAKI, Toshihiro FUJITA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20190368901
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus has a rotation detection device that includes a sensor section that detects a rotation of a motor and outputs a mechanical angle and a count value, and a signal obtainer that obtains the mechanical angle and the count value from the sensor section. The rotation detection device also includes an absolute angle calculator that calculates an absolute angle based on the mechanical angle and the count value and a storage area for storing a reference value that is used for correcting calculation errors in the absolute angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Toshihiro FUJITA, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA, Masaya TAKI, Takahiro SUZUKI