Patents by Inventor Osamu SUNAHARA
Osamu SUNAHARA 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).
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Patent number: 11840146Abstract: In a control method for a vehicle and a vehicle controller that add deceleration to a vehicle so as to control a vehicle posture when a turning operation of a steering system is performed, the deceleration is appropriately set on the basis of an operation of a single pedal.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2019Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Daisaku Ogawa
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Patent number: 11827211Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, which includes a driving force source configured to generate torque for driving drive wheels, a steering wheel, a steering angle sensor, and a controller. Based on the detected steering angle, the controller reduces the driving torque to add deceleration to the vehicle when the steering wheel is being turned in one direction, and increases the torque to add acceleration when the steering wheel is being turned back in the other direction. The controller controls the torque, when the steering wheel is being turned in the returning direction from a state where it is turned in the one direction, so as to add forward acceleration until the steering wheel returns to a neutral position, and when the steering wheel is then being turned in the other direction after passing through the neutral position, so as not to add the forward acceleration.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu
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Patent number: 11772633Abstract: A vehicle control method is applied to a vehicle 1 in which a front wheel 2 is driven by an engine 4, and the method includes a basic torque setting step of setting basic torque to be generated by the engine 4, based on an operational state of the vehicle 1; an acceleration torque setting step of setting acceleration torque, based on a reduction in steering angle of a steering apparatus 5 mounted on the vehicle 1; a torque generation step of controlling the engine 4 so that torque based on the basic torque and the acceleration torque is generated; and an acceleration torque changing step of changing the acceleration torque, based on a vehicle-width-direction mounting position of a steering wheel 6 and an operation direction of the steering wheel 6 when the steering angle is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, IKUTOKU GAKUENInventors: Takatoshi Tsukano, Shohei Yamada, Daisuke Umetsu, Fuminori Kato, Osamu Sunahara, Masato Abe, Makoto Yamakado, Yoshio Kano, Kazuki Sato
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Patent number: 11433879Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises: an engine (4); an accelerator position sensor (10) configured to detect the position of an accelerator pedal; a steering device; a PCM (14) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle to control the attitude of the vehicle, when a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of the steering device increases; and a brake unit (16) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle, independently of reduction of an output torque of the engine, wherein the PCM is configured to generates the deceleration by means of the reduction of the output torque of the engine when a depression of the accelerator pedal is detected by the accelerator position sensor, and to generate the deceleration by the brake unit (16) when the depression of the accelerator pedal is not detected by the accelerator position sensor.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
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Publication number: 20220234571Abstract: A control system for a vehicle is provided, which includes a driving force source configured to generate torque for driving drive wheels, a steering wheel, a steering angle sensor, and a controller. Based on the detected steering angle, the controller reduces the driving torque to add deceleration to the vehicle when the steering wheel is being turned in one direction, and increases the torque to add acceleration when the steering wheel is being turned back in the other direction. The controller controls the torque, when the steering wheel is being turned in the returning direction from a state where it is turned in the one direction, so as to add forward acceleration until the steering wheel returns to a neutral position, and when the steering wheel is then being turned in the other direction after passing through the neutral position, so as not to add the forward acceleration.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu
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Patent number: 11173884Abstract: The vehicle behavior control device comprises a brake control system (18) capable of applying different braking forces, respectively, to right and left road wheels of a vehicle (1). The vehicle behavior control device further comprises: a steering angle sensor (8); a vehicle speed sensor (10); a yaw rate sensor (12); and a yaw moment setting part (22) in PCM (14) configured to decide a target yaw rate of the vehicle based on a steering angle and a vehicle speed, and set, based on a change rate of a difference between an actual yaw rate and the target yaw rate, a yaw moment oriented in a direction opposite to that of the actual yaw rate of the vehicle, as a target yaw moment, whereby the brake control system can regulate the braking forces of the road wheels so as to apply the target yaw moment to the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2018Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Yasunori Takahara
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Publication number: 20210339735Abstract: A vehicle control method is applied to a vehicle 1 in which a front wheel 2 is driven by an engine 4, and the method includes a basic torque setting step of setting basic torque to be generated by the engine 4, based on an operational state of the vehicle 1; an acceleration torque setting step of setting acceleration torque, based on a reduction in steering angle of a steering apparatus 5 mounted on the vehicle 1; a torque generation step of controlling the engine 4 so that torque based on the basic torque and the acceleration torque is generated; and an acceleration torque changing step of changing the acceleration torque, based on a vehicle-width-direction mounting position of a steering wheel 6 and an operation direction of the steering wheel 6 when the steering angle is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, IKUTOKU GAKUENInventors: Takatoshi TSUKANO, Shohei YAMADA, Daisuke UMETSU, Fuminori KATO, Osamu SUNAHARA, Masato ABE, Makoto YAMAKADO, Yoshio KANO, Kazuki SATO
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Publication number: 20210316717Abstract: A vehicle control method is applied to a vehicle 1 in which a front wheel 2 is driven by an engine 4, and the method includes a basic torque setting step of setting basic torque to be generated by the engine 4, based on an operational state of the vehicle 1; a deceleration torque setting step of setting deceleration torque, based on an increase in steering angle of a steering apparatus 5 mounted on the vehicle 1; a torque generation step of controlling the engine 4 so that torque based on the basic torque and the deceleration torque is generated; and a deceleration torque changing step of changing the deceleration torque, based on a vehicle-width-direction mounting position of a steering wheel 6 and an operation direction of the steering wheel 6 when the steering angle is increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2019Publication date: October 14, 2021Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, IKUTOKU GAKUENInventors: Takatoshi TSUKANO, Shohei YAMADA, Daisuke UMETSU, Fuminori KATO, Osamu SUNAHARA, Masato ABE, Makoto YAMAKADO, Yoshio KANO, Kazuki SATO
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Patent number: 11091150Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine (10), an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM (50) that performs vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. When a driver performs an accelerator operation for reducing an accelerator opening during execution of vehicle posture control, the PCM (50) suppresses reduction of a generated torque of the engine due to the accelerator operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
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Patent number: 11041450Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an engine 10 capable of switching between reduced-cylinder operation and all-cylinder operation, an engine control mechanism that controls an engine torque, and a PCM 50 that executes vehicle posture control for generating vehicle deceleration by controlling the engine control mechanism to reduce the engine torque upon satisfaction of a condition that a vehicle is travelling and a steering angle-related value related to a steering angle of a steering device increases. In addition, this PCM 50 permits the execution of the vehicle posture control when an engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a first rotation speed Ne1 and permits the execution of the reduced-cylinder operation of the engine 10 when the engine rotation speed is more than or equal to a second rotation speed Ne2 that is more than the first rotation speed Ne1.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2018Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Chikako Ohisa, Yuichiro Akiya, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi, Daisuke Umetsu
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Publication number: 20210039624Abstract: In a control method for a vehicle that adds deceleration to a vehicle so as to control a vehicle posture when a turning operation of a steering system is performed, the deceleration is appropriately set on the basis of an operation of a single pedal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke UMETSU, Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA
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Publication number: 20210039504Abstract: In a control method for a vehicle and a vehicle controller that add deceleration to a vehicle so as to control a vehicle posture when a turning operation of a steering system is performed, the deceleration is appropriately set on the basis of an operation of a single pedal.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke UMETSU, Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA
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Publication number: 20200406873Abstract: A vehicle control method for a vehicle (1) comprises the steps: when an output torque of an engine (4) is equal to or greater than a given value, reducing the output torque in accordance with an increase in steering angle of the vehicle; setting, in accordance with a decrease in the steering angle, a first yaw moment instruction value whose direction is reverse to that of a yaw rate being generated in the vehicle; when the output torque is less than the given value, applying a braking force to road wheels, based on the first yaw moment instruction value; and, when the output torque is equal to or greater than the given value, applying a braking force to the road wheels, based on a second yaw moment instruction value smaller than the first yaw moment instruction value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisuke UMETSU
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Patent number: 10850726Abstract: There is provided a vehicle behavior control device capable of improving responsivity of a vehicle behavior and a linear feeling with respect to a steering wheel operation without causing a driver to experience a strong feeling of intervention of the control and, at the same time, capable of controlling behavior of a vehicle in such a manner as to also improve stability of the vehicle attitude and riding comfort. In a vehicle behavior control device applied to a vehicle 1 having steerable front road wheels 2, the vehicle behavior control device includes a PCM 14 which acquires a steering speed of the vehicle, and increases a pitch angle in such a direction that a front portion of the vehicle dips when the steering speed becomes equal to or greater than a given threshold TS1 which is greater than zero.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Toru Yoshioka, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Masaki Chiba
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Publication number: 20200369261Abstract: A control method for a vehicle has: a step of determining whether a turning operation of a steering system including a steering wheel 6 and the like is performed on the basis of a steering angle that is detected by a steering angle sensor 8; a step of causing a motor generator 4 to generate regenerative power and adding deceleration to a vehicle 1 so as to control a vehicle posture when it is determined that the turning operation of the steering system is performed; and a step of increasing the deceleration, which is added to the vehicle 1 in order to control the vehicle posture, to be higher when the deceleration generated on the vehicle 1 has a first value than when the deceleration generated on the vehicle 1 has a second value that is lower than the first value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke UMETSU, Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA
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Patent number: 10836378Abstract: There is provided a vehicle behavior control device capable of improving responsivity of a vehicle behavior and a linear feeling with respect to a steering wheel operation without causing a driver to experience a strong feeling of intervention of the control and, at the same time, capable of controlling behavior of a vehicle in such a manner as to also improve stability of the vehicle attitude and riding comfort. In a vehicle behavior control device applied to a vehicle 1 having steerable front road wheels 2, the vehicle behavior control device includes a PCM 14 which acquires a steering speed of the vehicle, and increases a vertical load on the front road wheels when the steering speed becomes equal to or greater than a given threshold TS1 which is greater than zero.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Tom Yoshioka, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Masaki Chiba
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Publication number: 20200339107Abstract: A vehicle control system comprises: an engine (4); an accelerator position sensor (10) configured to detect the position of an accelerator pedal; a steering device; a PCM (14) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle to control the attitude of the vehicle, when a steering angle-related value as a parameter related to a steering angle of the steering device increases; and a brake unit (16) configured to generate a deceleration in the vehicle, independently of reduction of an output torque of the engine, wherein the PCM is configured to generates the deceleration by means of the reduction of the output torque of the engine when a depression of the accelerator pedal is detected by the accelerator position sensor, and to generate the deceleration by the brake unit (16) when the depression of the accelerator pedal is not detected by the accelerator position sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2018Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisaku OGAWA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Chikako OHISA, Yuichiro AKIYA, Atsushi YAMASAKI, Keiichi HIWATASHI, Daisuke UMETSU
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Patent number: 10793136Abstract: There is provided a vehicle behavior control device capable of improving responsivity of a vehicle behavior and a linear feeling with respect to a steering wheel operation without causing a driver to experience a strong feeling of intervention of the control and, at the same time, capable of controlling behavior of a vehicle in such a manner as to also improve stability of the vehicle attitude and riding comfort. In a vehicle behavior control device applied to a vehicle having steerable front road wheels, the vehicle behavior control device includes a PCM which acquires a steering speed of the vehicle, and generates a deceleration jerk which is a rearward jerk in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle when the steering speed becomes equal to or greater than a given threshold TS1 which is greater than zero.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Toru Yoshioka, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Masaki Chiba
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Patent number: 10767582Abstract: A vehicle control device is provided, which includes an engine, an engine control mechanism configured to control torque generated by the engine, and a processor configured to execute a vehicle attitude controlling module to perform a vehicle attitude control in which the engine control mechanism is controlled to reduce the torque so as to decelerate the vehicle, when a condition that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value that is related to a steering angle of a steering device increases is satisfied, and a preventing module to prevent a combustion frequency of the engine per unit time from falling below a given value while the vehicle attitude controlling module executes the vehicle attitude control.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Yasunori Takahara, Yuichiro Akiya, Chikako Ohisa, Atsushi Yamasaki, Keiichi Hiwatashi
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Patent number: 10688999Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a drive source for generating torque as driving force that causes a vehicle to travel, a drive source control mechanism for controlling the torque generation by the drive source, a driving force transmission mechanism for transmitting the torque to vehicle wheels, an engageable element provided in the transmission mechanism, and a processor configured to execute an engagement state change control in which an engagement state of the engageable element is changed, a vehicle attitude controlling module for controlling attitude of the vehicle by driving the drive source control mechanism to reduce the torque so as to decelerate the vehicle, when a condition is satisfied, the condition being that the vehicle is traveling and a steering angle related value increases, and an engagement state change restricting module for restricting the execution of the engagement state change control while the vehicle attitude control is executed.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2017Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Keiichi Hiwatashi, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Daisuke Umetsu, Osamu Sunahara, Chikako Ohisa