Patents by Inventor Shigeki Harada

Shigeki Harada 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: 20240092400
    Abstract: A vehicle front recognition apparatus includes an imager that captures an image of an environment ahead of a vehicle on the road, an image analyzer that analyzes the image of the environment with artificial intelligence to segment the image areas of the image by classes to which objects captured in the image belong, and a road information acquirer that acquires high-precision map information ahead of the vehicle. The vehicle front recognition apparatus acquires dynamic information that is not included in the high-precision map information from the classes. The image analyzer includes a feeling-of-strangeness area extractor extracting a feeling-of-strangeness area using the classes from the image areas. The vehicle front recognition apparatus further includes a feeling-of-strangeness area verifier that verifies whether the vehicle can pass through the feeling-of-strangeness area and a notifier that notifies a driver when the vehicle cannot pass through the feeling-of-strangeness area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki MANIWA, Reo HARADA, Hiroaki KURAMOCHI, Seiya SATO, Shigeki MUKAI, Kazuyuki TAKAHASHI, Wataru MUNEMURA
  • Publication number: 20240083422
    Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The vehicle drive assist apparatus includes an object recognizer, a risk area setter, and a risk level setter. The object recognizer is configured to recognize an object in front of the vehicle. The risk area setter is configured to, when small objects are around the object, set a risk area including the small objects. The risk level setter is configured to set a risk level for the risk area with respect to the vehicle based on distribution of height information items within the risk area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiya SATO, Reo HARADA, Hiroaki KURAMOCHI, Hiroki MANIWA, Wataru MUNEMURA, Kazuyuki TAKAHASHI, Shigeki MUKAI
  • Publication number: 20240083416
    Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The apparatus includes an object recognizer, a risk area setter, a risk level setter, a route candidate setter, a route evaluation value calculator, and a vehicle travel route setter. The object recognizer recognizes an object in front of the vehicle. The risk area setter sets, when small objects are around the object, a risk area including the small objects. The risk level setter sets a risk level for the risk area based on a distribution state of the small objects within the risk area. The route candidate setter sets patterns of route candidates for avoiding a risk resulting from the risk area. The route evaluation value calculator calculates a route evaluation value for each of the route candidates. The vehicle travel route setter sets, as a vehicle travel route, the route candidate having an optimum route evaluation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reo HARADA, Seiya SATO, Hiroaki KURAMOCHI, Hiroki MANIWA, Wataru MUNEMURA, Shigeki MUKAI, Kazuyuki TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240083423
    Abstract: A vehicle drive assist apparatus is to be applied to a vehicle. The vehicle drive assist apparatus includes an object recognizer, a dispersion area extractor, and a risk area setter. The object recognizer is configured to recognize an object in front of the vehicle. The dispersion area extractor is configured to extract a dispersion area where luminance values are dispersed around the recognized object. The risk area setter is configured to set, as a risk area where small objects are distributed, an area including the dispersion area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reo HARADA, Seiya SATO, Hiroaki KURAMOCHI, Hiroki MANIWA, Wataru MUNEMURA, Shigeki MUKAI, Kazuyuki TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11046191
    Abstract: A drive system including: a battery; a power generation device (PGD) including a power generator (PG) mounted to an engine shaft and an inverter converting AC-voltage of the PG into DC-voltage; a drive device (DD) including a motor driving a driven component and an inverter performing bi-directional conversion between AC-voltage of the motor and DC-voltage; a switching device (SD) including a plurality of switches switching a connection of the battery and the PGD at both ends of the DD between a series connection (S-connection) and a parallel connection (P-connection) for connection; a reactor arranged between the battery and SD or between the PGD and the DD; and a controller controlling each of the SD, PGD, and DD, wherein the controller uses, when a speed of the driven component is being changed, the SD to fix the connection of the battery and PGD to S-connection or P-connection after alternately switching the connection between the S-connection and the P-connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei Tan, Yoshihiro Miyama, Shigeki Harada, Masahiro Iezawa
  • Patent number: 10668917
    Abstract: In a drive system including a battery, a power generation device (PGD) including a generator mounted to an engine shaft, and a drive device (DD) including a motor for driving a driven component, a drive controller performs a drive control for PGD and DD and a switching control for a switching device. During a parallel connection, respective high-voltage side terminals (HVTs) of PGD and the battery are connected to a HVT of DD, and respective low-voltage side terminals (LVTs) of PGD and the battery are connected to LVT of DD. During a series connection, HVT of any one of PGD and the battery is connected to HVT of DD, and LVT of another one of PGD and the battery is connected to LVT of DD, and terminals of PGD and the battery, which are not connected to DD, are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Miyama, Masaki Yamada, Takeshi Mori, Shigeki Harada, Moriyuki Hazeyama
  • Publication number: 20190308606
    Abstract: A drive system including: a battery; a power generation device (PGD) including a power generator (PG) mounted to an engine shaft and an inverter converting AC-voltage of the PG into DC-voltage; a drive device (DD) including a motor driving a driven component and an inverter performing bi-directional conversion between AC-voltage of the motor and DC-voltage; a switching device (SD) including a plurality of switches switching a connection of the battery and the PGD at both ends of the DD between a series connection (S-connection) and a parallel connection (P-connection) for connection; a reactor arranged between the battery and SD or between the PGD and the DD; and a controller controlling each of the SD, PGD, and DD, wherein the controller uses, when a speed of the driven component is being changed, the SD to fix the connection of the battery and PGD to S-connection or P-connection after alternately switching the connection between the S-connection and the P-connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yohei TAN, Yoshihiro MIYAMA, Shigeki HARADA, Masahiro IEZAWA
  • Patent number: 10343533
    Abstract: A first DC/DC converter is of a constant voltage control type and is controlled so as to keep the voltage of an electric generation bus at a predetermined target value. A second DC/DC converter is of a constant current control type and is controlled so as to keep input current or output current at predetermined target current. A control circuit determines an optimum target value of electric generation bus voltage, based on different algorithms, in accordance with all or some of modes A to C which are classified by the charging/discharging condition of a second electric storage device, and controls the first DC/DC converter so that the electric generation bus voltage becomes the determined target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Harada, Yusuke Higaki, Yuuya Tanaka, Yasuyoshi Hori, Masaki Yamada, Toshiyuki Yoshizawa
  • Publication number: 20180236999
    Abstract: In a drive system including a battery, a power generation device (PGD) including a generator mounted to an engine shaft, and a drive device (DD) including a motor for driving a driven component, a drive controller performs a drive control for PGD and DD and a switching control for a switching device. During a parallel connection, respective high-voltage side terminals (HVTs) of PGD and the battery are connected to a HVT of DD, and respective low-voltage side terminals (LVTs) of PGD and the battery are connected to LVT of DD. During a series connection, HVT of any one of PGD and the battery is connected to HVT of DD, and LVT of another one of PGD and the battery is connected to LVT of DD, and terminals of PGD and the battery, which are not connected to DD, are connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro MIYAMA, Masaki YAMADA, Takeshi MORI, Shigeki HARADA, Moriyuki HAZEYAMA
  • Patent number: 9711979
    Abstract: In a power supply system using various kinds of storage batteries such as a large capacity storage battery or a small capacity storage battery, an electric power path is complicated, which may increase failures such as a short circuit trouble. There is a problem in that, when a short circuit trouble between storage batteries occurs, damage to a smaller capacity storage battery is serious. Accordingly, in a power supply system according to the present invention, the relationship among voltages, current capacities, and electric power capacities of various kinds of storage batteries such as a large capacity storage battery or a small capacity storage battery is defined so that damage to the storage batteries may be minimized even when malfunction occurs in, for example, switching a switch, and energy transfers from a higher voltage storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigo Takemura, Sho Shiraga, Toshihiro Wada, Shoji Yoshioka, Shigeki Harada, Hiroshi Araki, Hisanori Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20170012445
    Abstract: In a power supply system using various kinds of storage batteries such as a large capacity storage battery or a small capacity storage battery, an electric power path is complicated, which may increase failures such as a short circuit trouble. There is a problem in that, when a short circuit trouble between storage batteries occurs, damage to a smaller capacity storage battery is serious. Accordingly, in a power supply system according to the present invention, the relationship among voltages, current capacities, and electric power capacities of various kinds of storage batteries such as a large capacity storage battery or a small capacity storage battery is defined so that damage to the storage batteries may be minimized even when malfunction occurs in, for example, switching a switch, and energy transfers from a higher voltage storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigo TAKEMURA, Sho SHIRAGA, Toshihiro WADA, Shoji YOSHIOKA, Shigeki HARADA, Hiroshi ARAKI, Hisanori YAMASAKI
  • Patent number: 9369074
    Abstract: An electric power supply system includes: an AC generator having a drooping characteristic; a rectification section for converting AC output of the AC generator to DC; a load having an electric storage device supplied with power from the AC generator; and a control section provided between the rectification section and the load. The control section controls the AC generator so that the AC generator operates at predetermined voltage lower than output voltage corresponding to the maximum power operation point of the AC generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuya Tanaka, Masaki Yamada, Shigeki Harada, Hiroshi Okuda, Nobuhiro Kihara
  • Patent number: 9365175
    Abstract: A first DC/DC converter is provided between a rectifier for rectifying output of an electric generator driven by an engine, and a battery for supplying power to an in-vehicle load. An electric double layer capacitor and a second DC/DC converter for charge/discharge current control for the capacitor are provided between the rectifier and the first DC/DC converter. A control circuit sets a current target value which is a control target value for the second DC/DC converter, based on the voltage value of a battery bus, and when charging of the electric double layer capacitor is to be stopped based on a charge/discharge instruction signal, performs, before the charging is stopped, control of gradually attenuating the current target value for the second DC/DC converter, based on a voltage value VEDLC of the electric double layer capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Higaki, Yuuya Tanaka, Masaki Yamada, Toshiyuki Yoshizawa, Shigeki Harada
  • Patent number: 9235109
    Abstract: A switching power source for driving a light emitting element, a pulse-drive switching element connected in parallel to the light emitting element, a photodetector for detecting an intensity of an output light output from the light emitting element, a current detecting element for detecting a current flowing from the switching power source, and an operation processing unit that controls an operation of the switching power source by performing a feedback loop operation based on a detection result from the photodetector and a feedback loop operation based on a detection result from the current detecting element are provided to stabilize an emission waveform even when the light emitting element is subjected to a pulsed emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiko Yamamuro, Shigeki Harada
  • Publication number: 20140097805
    Abstract: An electric power supply system includes: an AC generator having a drooping characteristic; a rectification section for converting AC output of the AC generator to DC; a load having an electric storage device supplied with power from the AC generator; and a control section provided between the rectification section and the load. The control section controls the AC generator so that the AC generator operates at predetermined voltage lower than output voltage corresponding to the maximum power operation point of the AC generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuya Tanaka, Masaki Yamada, Shigeki Harada, Hiroshi Okuda, Nobuhiro Kihara
  • Publication number: 20140021920
    Abstract: A first DC/DC converter (5) is of a constant voltage control type and is controlled so as to keep the voltage of an electric generation bus (A) at a predetermined target value. A second DC/DC converter (7) is of a constant current control type and is controlled so as to keep input current or output current at predetermined target current. A control circuit (8) determines an optimum target value Va* of electric generation bus voltage, based on different algorithms, in accordance with all or some of modes A to C which are classified by the charging/discharging condition of a second electric storage device (6), and controls the first DC/DC converter (5) so that the electric generation bus voltage Va becomes the determined target value Va*.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeki Harada, Yusuke Higaki, Yuuya Tanaka, Yasuyoshi Hori, Masaki Yamada, Toshiyuki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 8559202
    Abstract: In a power conversion apparatus that boosts a solar light voltage, converts it to AC and supplies AC power to a load or system, power loss is reduced and efficiency is improved. An inverter unit, in which AC sides of three single-phase inverters receive DC power from respective sources with a voltage ratio of 1:3:9 as respective inputs are connected in series. Gradational output voltage control of an output voltage is carried out using the sum of the respective generated AC voltages. Also, a solar light voltage is boosted by a chopper circuit to generate the highest voltage DC power source. When the solar light voltage exceeds a predetermined voltage, the boosting of the chopper circuit is stopped, thereby reducing power loss due to the boosting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Iwata, Makoto Seto, Masaki Yamada, Shigeki Harada, Noriyuki Matsubara, Takashi Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20130264868
    Abstract: A first DC/DC converter is provided between a rectifier for rectifying output of an electric generator driven by an engine, and a battery for supplying power to an in-vehicle load. An electric double layer capacitor and a second DC/DC converter for charge/discharge current control for the capacitor are provided between the rectifier and the first DC/DC converter. A control circuit sets a current target value which is a control target value for the second DC/DC converter, based on the voltage value of a battery bus, and when charging of the electric double layer capacitor is to be stopped based on a charge/discharge instruction signal, performs, before the charging is stopped, control of gradually attenuating the current target value for the second DC/DC converter, based on a voltage value VEDLC of the electric double layer capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Higaki, Yuuya Tanaka, Masaki Yamada, Toshiyuki Yoshizawa, Shigeki Harada
  • Patent number: 8437910
    Abstract: A first DC/DC converter is connected to a higher-voltage output terminal of a rectifier by alternator wiring, a battery that supplies electric power to an on-board load is connected to the first DC/DC converter, a second DC/DC converter is connected to the higher-voltage output terminal of the rectifier by alternator wiring, and an electrical double-layer capacitor is connected to the second DC/DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Yoshizawa, Masaya Inoue, Takahiro Urakabe, Tatsuya Okuda, Yuuya Tanaka, Takayoshi Nagai, Shigeki Harada
  • Publication number: 20120206427
    Abstract: A switching power source for driving a light emitting element, a pulse-drive switching element connected in parallel to the light emitting element, a photodetector for detecting an intensity of an output light output from the light emitting element, a current detecting element for detecting a current flowing from the switching power source, and an operation processing unit that controls an operation of the switching power source by performing a feedback loop operation based on a detection result from the photodetector and a feedback loop operation based on a detection result from the current detecting element are provided to stabilize an emission waveform even when the light emitting element is subjected to a pulsed emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Takahiko Yamamuro, Shigeki Harada