Patents by Inventor Ryoji Sato
Ryoji Sato 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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Publication number: 20160332529Abstract: A power supply apparatus of a vehicle includes: auxiliary machines electrically connected between a battery and a converter; and a control device controlling inverters and the like based on a required vehicle power including a required charge discharge amount of the battery. The control device has a continuous voltage step-up mode and an intermittent voltage step-up mode. In the continuous voltage step-up mode, the control device calculates the required charge discharge amount based on electric power supplied from the battery. In the intermittent voltage step-up mode, the control device changes a method of calculating the required charge discharge amount to a method that calculates the required charge discharge amount based on electric power passing through the converter, and makes the required charge discharge amount smaller than the required charge discharge amount in the continuous voltage step-up mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2014Publication date: November 17, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Suguru KUMAZAWA, Hideki KAMATANI, Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20160318404Abstract: Provided are a power supply device for a vehicle provided with a battery, a converter, and a controller, and a method for controlling the same. The controller controls the converter in a continuous boost mode in which the converter is continuously operated and an intermittent boost mode in which the converter is intermittently operated. The controller does not control the converter in the intermittent boost mode when a control that adjusts a reference point of a resolver of a motor generator is underway.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2014Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Suguru KUMAZAWA, Hideki KAMATANI, Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20160318416Abstract: A power supply apparatus of a vehicle includes: an engine and a first MG; a battery; a converter stepping up a voltage of the battery and supplying the stepped-up voltage to an inverter of the vehicle; and a control device controlling the converter in a continuous voltage step-up mode in which the converter is continuously operated and an intermittent voltage step-up mode in which the converter is intermittently operated. The control device estimates an SOC of the battery based on battery current IB flowing into and out of the battery, and forces the battery to be charged by the engine and the first MG when an estimate value of the SOC is lower than a predetermined lower limit. The control device suppresses an operation of the converter in the intermittent voltage step-up mode to a greater extent as the estimate value of the SOC is closer to the lower limit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2014Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideki KAMATANI, Suguru KUMAZAWA, Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20160311426Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, noise occurrence caused in a rectangular wave control of a motor is restricted when a motor running mode is selected with a converter boosting limit applied. A motor controller for a hybrid vehicle mounted with an internal combustion engine and a motor as power sources is provided. The motor controller includes a converter capable of boosting a voltage supplied from a power supply device; an inverter which converts an output voltage of the converter to an AC voltage and applies the AC voltage to the motor; and a control unit which controls the inverter to drive the motor by switching between two or more control modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2014Publication date: October 27, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryoji SATO
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Patent number: 9464712Abstract: A vehicle includes a motor, a resolver which detects a rotation angle of the motor, an automatic transmission which shifts rotation of the motor and transmits the shifted rotation to a drive shaft, and an ECU which performs learning control for correcting an error of the resolver and shift control of the automatic transmission. The ECU controls the automatic transmission such that, when the learning control is performed, a gear ratio becomes higher at a prescribed vehicle speed, than that when the learning control is not performed. By controlling the automatic transmission as described above, even when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed, a rotation speed of the motor easily reaches a rotation speed at and above which the learning control of the resolver can be performed. Accordingly, an opportunity to perform the learning control of the resolver can be obtained early.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kenji Uchida, Ryoji Sato
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Publication number: 20160288661Abstract: An electric power supply device for a vehicle includes an electric storage device, a boost converter, and a controller. The boost converter boosts voltage of the electric storage device and supplies the boosted voltage to an electric load of the vehicle. The controller controls the boost converter in a continuous boost mode and an intermittent boost mode. The continuous boost mode is a mode in which the boost converter is in continuous operation. The intermittent boost mode is a mode in which the boost converter is in intermittent operation. The controller more restricts a charge/discharge demand of the electric storage device such that a charge/discharge demand of the electric storage device at a time when the boost converter is operated in the intermittent boost mode is more restrictive than a charge/discharge demand of the electric storage device at a time when the boost converter is operated in the continuous boost mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2014Publication date: October 6, 2016Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Suguru Kumazawa, Hideki Kamatani, Ryoji Sato, Masaki Okamura
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Patent number: 9421975Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a battery, a boost converter connected to the battery for boosting battery voltage, an inverter connected to the boost converter for performing DC to AC conversion, and a motor-generator connected to the inverter for outputting drive power. Then, if an inter-vehicle distance is less than or equal to a predetermined distance or a relative speed in approaching direction is greater than or equal to a predetermined speed, the output voltage of the boost converter is lowered. This suppresses the output of the motor-generator and controls the inter-vehicle distance.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryoji Sato
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Publication number: 20160166133Abstract: A capsule endoscope system includes: a capsule endoscope configured to be introduced into a subject; a guiding unit that generates a magnetic field to guide the capsule endoscope; a guidance magnetic field control unit that switches between ON and OFF of the magnetic field; a body posture discriminating unit that discriminates a body posture of the subject; a model extracting unit that extracts a body posture model according to the body posture of the subject, from among prepared body posture models, and extracts an organ model according to the body posture of the subject, from among prepared organ models; and a display control unit configured to: superimpose the organ model according to the body posture of the subject, on the extracted body posture model when the magnetic field is ON; and display the extracted body posture model and to hide the organ model when the magnetic field is OFF.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Atsushi CHIBA, Hironobu TAKIZAWA, Ryoji SATO, Hironao KAWANO, Kazuhiko TAKAHASHI, Takuto IKAI
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Publication number: 20160143559Abstract: A position detection system for detecting a position of a capsule medical device is provided. The capsule medical device has a coil constituting a part of a resonance circuit to generate an AC magnetic field. The position detection system includes: sensing coils that detect the AC magnetic field and output detection signals; and a calculation unit that calculates the position of the capsule medical device based on the detection signals. The calculation unit: determines a sensing coil having a maximum amplitude of the AC magnetic field as a reference coil among the sensing coils based on amplitude values of the AC magnetic field detected by the sensing coils, the amplitude values being calculated based on the detection signals; and determines a polarity of each sensing coil based on a first detection signal from the reference coil and a second detection signal from each sensing coil other than the reference coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2016Publication date: May 26, 2016Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventors: Takahiro IIDA, Atsushi KIMURA, Atsushi CHIBA, Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20160101702Abstract: A power supply system includes: a first voltage converter configured to bidirectionally convert voltage between a first battery and an output line in accordance with first pulse width modulation control; a second voltage converter connected to the output line in parallel with the first voltage converter, the second voltage converter being configured to bidirectionally convert voltage between a second battery and the output line in accordance with second pulse width modulation control; and a controller configured to control the first and second voltage converters by generating first and second pulse width modulation control signals, the controller being configured to, when one or both of temperatures of the first and second batteries are lower than a predetermined temperature, change phases of the pulse width modulation control signals such that the first second pulse width modulation control signals change from a synchronous state to an asynchronous state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shohei OI, Ryoji SATO
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Patent number: 9290106Abstract: A power control system includes a battery, a converter which converts a direct-current voltage of the battery to a different level of direct-current voltage by the switching of switching elements, a second inverter, a second MG which is an electric motor, an engine, and an ECU which is a controller. When there is a warm-up request for the battery, the ECU causes a carrier frequency in the switching control of the switching elements to be lower than a carrier frequency in the case where there is no warm-up request for the battery. When there is a warm-up request, the ECU causes the carrier frequency at which the engine is in operation to be lower than the carrier frequency at which the engine is out of operation.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ryoji Sato
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Publication number: 20160076639Abstract: A vehicle includes a motor, a resolver which detects a rotation angle of the motor, an automatic transmission which shifts rotation of the motor and transmits the shifted rotation to a drive shaft, and an ECU which performs learning control for correcting an error of the resolver and shift control of the automatic transmission. The ECU controls the automatic transmission such that, when the learning control is performed, a gear ratio becomes higher at a prescribed vehicle speed, than that when the learning control is not performed. By controlling the automatic transmission as described above, even when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed, a rotation speed of the motor easily reaches a rotation speed at and above which the learning control of the resolver can be performed. Accordingly, an opportunity to perform the learning control of the resolver can be obtained early.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: March 17, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kenji Uchida, Ryoji Sato
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Patent number: 9272704Abstract: A hybrid vehicle provided with a battery 10, a boost converter 20, a first inverter 30, a second inverter 40, a first motor generator (MG) 50 connected to the first inverter 30, a second MG 60 connected to the second inverter 40, an engine 70 capable of driving the first MG 50, and a controller 90 which starts and stops the boost converter 20. When electric power transmitted between the battery 10 and the boost converter 20 is equal to or below a predetermined threshold, the boost converter 20 is stopped. When an actual boost voltage of the boost converter 20 reaches a predetermined threshold, the first MG 50 is driven by the engine 70. In this way, the system efficiency of a hybrid vehicle can be advantageously improved by efficiently maintaining the boost converter at a halt for a sufficiently long period.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryoji Sato, Masayoshi Suhama
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Publication number: 20150321573Abstract: A power control system includes a battery, a converter which converts a direct-current voltage of the battery to a different level of direct-current voltage by the switching of switching elements, a second inverter, a second MG which is an electric motor, an engine, and an ECU which is a controller. When there is a warm-up request for the battery, the ECU causes a carrier frequency in the switching control of the switching elements to be lower than a carrier frequency in the case where there is no warm-up request for the battery. When there is a warm-up request, the ECU causes the carrier frequency at which the engine is in operation to be lower than the carrier frequency at which the engine is out of operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20150321574Abstract: The electric motor vehicle includes a voltage conversion circuit, a primary-side smoothing capacitor, a battery, a system main relay, an inverter circuit, a secondary-side smoothing capacitor, an electric motor, a first voltage sensor, a collision sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to adjust an operation of the voltage conversion circuit, detect primary-side voltage by using the first voltage sensor in a state that the voltage conversion circuit is operated in a case where a collision is detected by the collision sensor, and detect a state that the system main relay is off based on a change in the detected primary-side voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shohei OI, Ryoji SATO, Tomoko OBA
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Publication number: 20150291053Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a battery, a boost converter, a battery temperature sensor, a battery current sensor, a high-voltage sensor, and a control section. The control section includes an intermittent boosting operation program which stops the boost converter when a temperature of the battery is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature and when an absolute value of a battery current is within a range of ±I0 and which restarts the boost converter when an actual boosted voltage is outside a range from VH2 to VH4, and a threshold switching program that switches the threshold range to ±I2 that is wider than the range of ±I0 and switches the range from the threshold VH2 to the threshold VH4 to a wider range from a threshold VH3 to a threshold VH5 when the battery temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2015Publication date: October 15, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Ryoji SATO
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Publication number: 20150274021Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a battery, a boost converter connected to the battery, for boosting battery voltage, a second inverter connected to the boost converter for carrying out direct current/alternating current conversion, a second MG connected to the second inverter, for outputting drive force, and an SOC sensor for detecting charged state of the battery. The control section, when the SOC that has been detected by the SOC sensor exceeds a first threshold value, raises the output voltage of the boost converter compared to when the SOC is below the first threshold value. In this way it is possible to sufficiently utilize regenerative braking and braking without any unpleasant feeling is possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Inventor: Ryoji Sato
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Publication number: 20150263624Abstract: The present invention is intended to discriminate between a battery voltage sensor and the input voltage sensor of a converter for abnormality, without stopping the step-up operation of the converter. A voltage conversion device is provided with a battery, a converter, a battery voltage sensor, a voltage sensor for detecting the input voltage of the converter, a current sensor for detecting a reactor current, and a control unit. The control unit determines the abnormality of the battery voltage sensor or the input voltage sensor on the basis of an estimated value of input voltage calculated based on the reactor current, the input voltage of the converter and a battery voltage, without stopping the step-up operation of the converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2015Publication date: September 17, 2015Inventors: Daigo NOBE, Ryoji SATO, Kazuhito HAYASHI
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Publication number: 20150244301Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a battery, a boosting converter, first and second inverters, a first inverter connected to the first inverter, a second motor generator connected to the second inverter, and a control unit configured to start and suspend the boosting converter. The control unit increases one or both of carrier frequencies Fc1, Fc2 of the first and second inverters as a real boost voltage VHr increases during a suspended state of the boosting converter. The control unit decreases one or both of the carrier frequencies of the first and second inverters as real boost voltage VHr decreases during a suspended state of the boosting converter. System efficiency of an electric vehicle can be improved effectively by increasing the suspension time of the boosting converter, while securing drivability of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventor: Ryoji Sato
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Publication number: 20150231972Abstract: A control unit, on the occasion of a collision of a vehicle, causes a boost converter and an inverter to supply electric power to a motor generator such that the motor generator outputs no toque to make the motor generator perform discharge of a smoothing capacitors. When the discharge by the motor generator cannot be performed, the control unit causes the boost converter to transfer electric charges to a side of the boost converter to which a discharge circuit is connected to thereby make the discharge circuit perform discharge.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Shohei Oi, Ryoji Sato, Tomoko Oba