Patents by Inventor Seiji Nakayama

Seiji Nakayama 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: 12128763
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle drive system having a main motor serving as a source of drive power of a vehicle, a parking lock mechanism, and an actuator. The vehicle control device includes an actuator drive controller that controls drive of the actuator, and a main motor drive controller that controls drive of the main motor. When a parking lock of the vehicle cannot be released by the actuator due to an engaging surface pressure between a parking gear and a parking lever, the main motor drive controller performs an engaging surface pressure reduction control in which an engaging surface pressure is reduced by driving the main motor to cause an increase of a torque of the main motor by a set increase speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Harada, Seiji Nakayama, Shigeru Kamio
  • Patent number: 12119762
    Abstract: A motor control device controls the drive of a motor including a motor winding. The motor control device is provided with an energization control unit and a standstill determination unit. The energization control unit controls the energization of the motor winding in accordance with a detection value of a rotational position sensor that detects a rotational position of the motor. The standstill determination unit determines a standstill of the motor. When a standstill of the motor is detected, the energization control unit controls energization in a change pattern that is an energization pattern different from a preset regular pattern in accordance with the detection value of the rotational position sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji Sakaguchi, Seiji Nakayama, Jun Yamada
  • Patent number: 12104693
    Abstract: A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling a drive of a motor in which a rotor rotates by energizing a motor winding. An angle calculation unit calculates a motor angle based on a signal from a rotation angle sensor that detects a rotation position of the rotor. An energization control unit drives the rotor so that the motor angle becomes a target angle according to the target shift range, and stops the rotor at a position where the motor angle becomes the target angle, by controlling the energization of the motor winding. A zero point estimation unit estimates a speed 0 point, which is a timing at which a rotational speed of the vibrating rotor becomes 0 during the stop control for stopping the rotor. The energization control unit switches a current control at the estimated speed 0 point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruka Miyano, Koji Sakaguchi, Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 12037273
    Abstract: An ion removal apparatus according to this disclosure performs a desalination treatment on a liquid and includes: a first electrode guide having an inlet allowing the liquid to flow in, a first electrode holder holding a first electrode that adsorbs an ion in the liquid, and an inflow passage serving as a flow passage connecting the inlet and the first electrode holder to one another; and a second electrode guide having an outlet allowing the liquid to flow out, a second electrode holder allowing the liquid passing through the first electrode holder to flow in and holding a second electrode that adsorbs the ion in the liquid, and an outflow passage serving as a flow passage connecting the outlet and the second electrode holder to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Kota Kurihara, Seiji Noda, Ryuki Yoshida, Masaru Takada
  • Patent number: 11996794
    Abstract: A motor control device controls a drive of a motor having a coil, and includes a drive circuit and a control unit. The drive circuit has a plurality of switching elements, and switches the energization of the coil. The control unit includes an energization control part and a current limit part. The energization control part accelerates and then decelerates the motor, and controls energization of the coil so that a rotation position of the motor stops at a target rotation position. The current limit part limits the current during a deceleration control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama, Kouji Sakaguchi, Haruka Miyano
  • Publication number: 20240067142
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: an actuator drive controller configured to control a drive of an actuator; a main motor drive controller configured to control a drive of a main motor; and a stuck determiner. The stuck determiner determines a stuck of the actuator based on a detection value of a sensor unit that detects a physical quantity changed according to a drive state of the actuator. The main motor drive controller is configured to perform an engaging surface pressure reduction control for reducing an engaging surface pressure between a parking gear and a parking lever by driving the main motor, when the stuck determiner determines that the actuator is stuck in releasing a parking lock of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Akihiro HARADA, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Shigeru KAMIO, Takuji NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20240059155
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle drive system including a main motor as a drive source of a vehicle, a parking lock mechanism, and an actuator. The vehicle control device includes an actuator drive control section that controls a drive of the actuator, a main motor drive control section that controls a drive of the main motor, and a range determination unit that determines whether or not a shift range is a parking range. When releasing the parking lock, if the parking range is not released within a parking range release determination time that is variable according to an operating environment, the main motor drive control section performs a meshing surface pressure reduction control for driving the main motor so as to reduce a meshing surface pressure between a parking gear and a parking lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Akihiro HARADA, Shigeru KAMIO, Seiji NAKAYAMA
  • Patent number: 11906045
    Abstract: A control device switches a shift range by driving a motor and moving a detent roller in a parking lock system including an electric actuator having the motor and a detent mechanism. A control unit of the control device includes a drive control part, a position determination part and a range determination part. The drive control part controls driving of the motor. When the detent roller is moved to a target valley portion corresponding to the target range, a position determination part determines that the detent roller has passed over a peak portion based on sensor information. The range determination part is configured to estimate that the detent roller has reached the range of the target range corresponding to the target range at a peak passing over determination timing when it is determined that the detent roller has passed over the peak portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoko Tanemura, Seiji Nakayama, Akihiro Harada, Haruka Miyano
  • Publication number: 20240042849
    Abstract: A vehicle control device controls a vehicle drive system having a main motor serving as a source of drive power of a vehicle, a parking lock mechanism, and an actuator. The vehicle control device includes an actuator drive controller that controls drive of the actuator, and a main motor drive controller that controls drive of the main motor. When a parking lock of the vehicle cannot be released by the actuator due to an engaging surface pressure between a parking gear and a parking lever, the main motor drive controller performs an engaging surface pressure reduction control in which an engaging surface pressure is reduced by driving the main motor to cause an increase of a torque of the main motor by a set increase speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Akihiro HARADA, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Shigeru KAMIO
  • Publication number: 20240042869
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes an actuator drive control section that controls drive of an actuator, a main motor drive control section that controls drive of a main motor, and a stagnation determination section. The stagnation determination section determines a stagnation of the actuator based on a detected value of a sensor unit that detects a physical quantity that changes according to a drive state of the actuator. When performing a meshing surface pressure reduction control for reducing a meshing surface pressure generated at the meshing point between a parking gear and a parking lever by driving the main motor, the main motor drive control section decreases a main motor torque which is a torque of the main motor based on the detected value of the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventors: Akihiro HARADA, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Shigeru KAMIO
  • Patent number: 11837987
    Abstract: A motor control device controls a drive of a motor in a motor drive system including the motor and a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism has a detent member that rotates integrally with an output shaft to which the rotation of the motor is transmitted, and an engaging member that moves a valley portion by a rotation of the motor and positions the output shaft by stopping within a positioning range. The motor control device includes a positioning determination unit and an energization control unit. The positioning determination unit determines whether or not the engaging member is stopped within the positioning range based on control parameter other than a detection value of a motor rotation angle sensor that detects a motor rotation angle. When the energization control unit determines that the engaging member is stopped within the positioning range, the energization control unit turns off the energization of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamamoto, Seiji Nakayama, Jun Yamada, Kouji Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11828362
    Abstract: A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling driving of a motor. The shift range control device calculate an actual rotation position of the motor. The shift range control device sets a target range according to a required range and a target rotation position according to the target range. The shift range control device controls the driving of the motor such that the actual rotation position reaches the target rotation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruka Miyano, Kouji Sakaguchi, Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11808346
    Abstract: An ECU has a temperature detection unit that detects an actual temperature of the ECU, a temperature estimation unit that calculates an estimated temperature of the ECU, an abnormality determination unit for determining a presence or absence of a sign of abnormality, and a switching prohibition unit that prohibits the shift range switching in a predetermined case. The switching prohibition unit prohibits the shift range switching when there is no sign of abnormality in the temperature detection unit and the actual temperature is equal to or higher than a switching prohibition threshold, and prohibits the shift range switching when there is a sign of abnormality in the temperature detection unit and the estimated temperature is equal to or higher than a switching prohibition threshold. The temperature estimation unit calculates the estimated temperature based on a latest actual temperature in a normal period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusaku Kawaguchi, Seiji Nakayama, Jun Yamada
  • Publication number: 20230341048
    Abstract: A control device switches a shift range by driving a motor and moving a detent roller in a parking lock system including an electric actuator having the motor and a detent mechanism. A control unit of the control device includes a drive control part, a position determination part and a range determination part. The drive control part controls driving of the motor. When the detent roller is moved to a target valley portion corresponding to the target range, a position determination part determines that the detent roller has passed over a peak portion based on sensor information. The range determination part is configured to estimate that the detent roller has reached the range of the target range corresponding to the target range at a peak passing over determination timing when it is determined that the detent roller has passed over the peak portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Satoko TANEMURA, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Akihiro HARADA, Haruka MIYANO
  • Publication number: 20220299108
    Abstract: An ECU has a temperature detection unit that detects an actual temperature of the ECU, a temperature estimation unit that calculates an estimated temperature of the ECU, an abnormality determination unit for determining a presence or absence of a sign of abnormality, and a switching prohibition unit that prohibits the shift range switching in a predetermined case. The switching prohibition unit prohibits the shift range switching when there is no sign of abnormality in the temperature detection unit and the actual temperature is equal to or higher than a switching prohibition threshold, and prohibits the shift range switching when there is a sign of abnormality in the temperature detection unit and the estimated temperature is equal to or higher than a switching prohibition threshold. The temperature estimation unit calculates the estimated temperature based on a latest actual temperature in a normal period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Yusaku KAWAGUCHI, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Jun YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220294371
    Abstract: A motor control device controls a drive of a motor in a motor drive system including the motor and a detent mechanism. The detent mechanism has a detent member that rotates integrally with an output shaft to which the rotation of the motor is transmitted, and an engaging member that moves a valley portion by a rotation of the motor and positions the output shaft by stopping within a positioning range. The motor control device includes a positioning determination unit and an energization control unit. The positioning determination unit determines whether or not the engaging member is stopped within the positioning range based on control parameter other than a detection value of a motor rotation angle sensor that detects a motor rotation angle. When the energization control unit determines that the engaging member is stopped within the positioning range, the energization control unit turns off the energization of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Daisuke YAMAMOTO, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Jun YAMADA, Kouji SAKAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220221050
    Abstract: A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling driving of a motor. The shift range control device calculate an actual rotation position of the motor. The shift range control device sets a target range according to a required range and a target rotation position according to the target range. The shift range control device controls the driving of the motor such that the actual rotation position reaches the target rotation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Haruka MIYANO, Kouji SAKAGUCHI, Jun YAMADA, Seiji NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220190750
    Abstract: A motor control device controls the drive of a motor including a motor winding. The motor control device is provided with an energization control unit and a standstill determination unit. The energization control unit controls the energization of the motor winding in accordance with a detection value of a rotational position sensor that detects a rotational position of the motor. The standstill determination unit determines a standstill of the motor. When a standstill of the motor is detected, the energization control unit controls energization in a change pattern that is an energization pattern different from a preset regular pattern in accordance with the detection value of the rotational position sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Kouji SAKAGUCHI, Seiji NAKAYAMA, Jun YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20220154820
    Abstract: A shift range control device controls a shift range switching system including an actuator, an output shaft, and a shift range switching mechanism. The shift range control device includes a target setting unit, a drive control unit, and an abnormality monitoring unit. The target setting unit sets a target shift range. The drive control unit controls the drive of the actuator so that the engagement member fits into the target valley portion, which is the valley portion corresponding to the target shift range. The abnormality monitoring unit monitors an abnormality. When a stagnation abnormality is determined in which the engagement member does not reach the target valley portion and stagnates, the drive control unit controls the drive of the actuator so that the engagement member fits into the valley portion on the side where the engagement member is returned from a stagnant position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Haruka Miyano, Kouji Sakaguchi, Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11333241
    Abstract: A shift range control device includes an encoder count unit, an energization control unit, a learning unit, an energization phase count unit, and an abnormality determination unit. The encoder count unit calculates an encoder count value based on an encoder signal. The energization control unit controls energization to the motor. The learning unit learns a wall position that is the encoder count value when an engaging member abuts on the wall portion. The energization phase count unit calculates an energization phase count value that is counted according to switching of the energization phase. The abnormality determination unit determines an abnormality of the encoder based on the energization phase count value and the encoder count value before and after learning the wall position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusaku Kawaguchi, Jun Yamada, Seiji Nakayama