Patents by Inventor Shigeki Kinomura

Shigeki Kinomura 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: 20190322185
    Abstract: An ECU performs a first process of transmitting first information to a server, and performs a second process by acquiring second information from the server. The first information includes temperature information about a temperature of an inlet during external charging, and information for identifying a charging station connected to the inlet. The second process includes a process of controlling the external charging based on the second information acquired before a start of the external charging. The second information includes abnormal overheat information about the charging station connected to the inlet. The occurrence of abnormal overheat is determined based on the temperature of the inlet during the external charging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki KINOMURA
  • Publication number: 20190322181
    Abstract: The number of opportunities where external charging of a vehicle parked in a residential parking space or a charging station in a predetermined period is available is counted as the number of opportunities, and the number of times of the external charging performed in the opportunities in the same predetermined period is counted as the number of times of charging. The number of times of charging is then divided by the number of opportunities to calculate and store a charging frequency. Since the charging frequency is a ratio of the number of times that the external charging was performed to the number of opportunities where the external charging is available in the predetermined period, the ratio is used as an index that can offer more accurate determination regarding an external charging utilization status. As a result, various processing to promote external charging are executed more properly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji ICHIKAWA, Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Ryuta ISHIDA, Hiroaki ARAKAWA, Shigeki KINOMURA, Keita HASHIMOTO, Akio UOTANI, Kazuyuki KAGAWA, Yusuke KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20190315245
    Abstract: Charging equipment of a vehicle charging system comprises an information indicator configured to indicate authentication information, and an authentication device configured to perform authentication using the authentication information. A vehicle of the vehicle charging system comprises an imaging device, and a communication device configured to send the authentication information acquired by the imaging device to the authentication device. The authentication device of the charging equipment is configured to perform the authentication using the authentication information received from the communication device, and is configured to, if the authentication has succeeded, permit the vehicle to use a wireless LAN.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 10407081
    Abstract: A utilization index IDX is calculated based on one or more parameters (the number of times of charging/the number of trips, total battery charger connection time/total vehicle stop time, total EV traveling distance/total HV traveling distance, total EV traveling time/total HV traveling time, total EV traveling distance/total traveling distance, total EV traveling time/total traveling time, total charge amount/total fuel supply quantity) obtained based on a ratio of an EV traveling utilization level to an HV traveling utilization level or a total traveling utilization level, and the utilization index IDX is stored. Since the utilization index IDX is calculated such that as each parameter is larger, utilization of charging of a battery by a battery charger is performed more sufficiently. Accordingly, the utilization index IDX can be used as an index that offers more accurate determination regarding a utilization status of the battery charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shigeki Kinomura, Keita Hashimoto, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10384549
    Abstract: The number of opportunities where external charging of a vehicle parked in a residential parking space or a charging station in a predetermined period is available is counted as the number of opportunities, and the number of times of the external charging performed in the opportunities in the same predetermined period is counted as the number of times of charging. The number of times of charging is then divided by the number of opportunities to calculate and store a charging frequency. Since the charging frequency is a ratio of the number of times that the external charging was performed to the number of opportunities where the external charging is available in the predetermined period, the ratio is used as an index that can offer more accurate determination regarding an external charging utilization status. As a result, various processing to promote external charging are executed more properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shigeki Kinomura, Keita Hashimoto, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10363827
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electrical storage device, a notifier, a communication device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit predicts the amount of charging power of the electrical storage device and the use time in a case where external charging is performed, in accordance with the state of the electrical storage device. The electronic control unit predicts cost performance of the external charging in accordance with the amount of charging power and the use time that are predicted, and information relating to a fee-charging system. The electronic control unit controls the notifier so as to execute the notification of the cost performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 10336251
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank, a motor, a battery, a charger, and a notification mechanism. The battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to carry out external charging that charges the battery by use of electric power from an external power source. The notification mechanism is configured to notify, to an outside of the vehicle, information on a use index indicative of a degree of use of external charging in a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shinji Ichikawa, Keita Hashimoto, Shigeki Kinomura, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10328854
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank, a motor, a battery, a charger, and a notification mechanism. The battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to carry out external charging that charges the battery by use of electric power from an external power source. The notification mechanism is configured to notify, to an outside of the vehicle, information on a use index indicative of a degree of use of external charging in a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shinji Ichikawa, Keita Hashimoto, Shigeki Kinomura, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10328816
    Abstract: When a use index indicative of a degree of use of external charging is less than a threshold, an electronic control unit determines that the degree of use of external charging is low, and executes a charging guide control to promote the use of external charging at the time of parking at a battery charging point, such as at home or in a battery charging station, where the external charging is performable. Hereby, it is possible to promote a driver to use external charging at the time of parking at the battery charging point. As a result, the use of external charging can be promoted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shigeki Kinomura, Keita Hashimoto, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10311653
    Abstract: A use index IDX indicative of a degree of use of external charging is calculated and transmitted to a vehicle external system. The vehicle external system provides a service or imposes a penalty based on the use index IDX. In a case where the degree of use of external charging is determined to be low based on the use index IDX, if the vehicle external system provides a non-preferential service or imposes a heavy penalty as compared with a case where the degree of use of external charging is determined to be high, a driver or an owner of a vehicle takes an action by which the use index is determined to indicate a high degree of use of external charging. As a result, the use of external charging can be promoted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keita Hashimoto, Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shinji Ichikawa, Shigeki Kinomura, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10232720
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle in which an electric power storage device is mounted and which is configured to execute external charging. The vehicle includes an inlet connected to a charging connector, a cable lock mechanism disposed near the inlet and switching between a lock state and an unlock state, and a control device selecting a first mode in which the electric power storage device is allowed to be charged at a first current value in a case where the cable lock mechanism is in the lock state with the charging connector and the inlet connected to each other and selecting a second mode in which the electric power storage device is allowed to be charged at a second current value in a case where the cable lock mechanism is in the unlock state with the charging connector and the inlet connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Publication number: 20190061538
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle in which an electric power storage device is mounted and which is configured to execute external charging. The vehicle includes an inlet connected to a charging, connector, a cable lock mechanism disposed near the inlet and switching between a lock state and an unlock state, and a control device selecting a first mode in which the electric power storage device is allowed to be charged at a first current value in a case where the cable lock mechanism is in the lock state with the charging connector and the inlet connected to each other and selecting a second mode in which the electric power storage device is allowed to be charged at a second current value in a case where the cable lock mechanism is in the unlock state with the charging connector and the met connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Publication number: 20190031040
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electrical storage device, a notifier, a communication device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit predicts the amount of charging power of the electrical storage device and the use time in a case where external charging is performed, in accordance with the state of the electrical storage device. The electronic control unit predicts cost performance of the external charging in accordance with the amount of charging power and the use time that are predicted, and information relating to a fee-charging system. The electronic control unit controls the notifier so as to execute the notification of the cost performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 10124692
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electrical storage device, a notifier, a communication device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit predicts the amount of charging power of the electrical storage device and the use time in a case where external charging is performed, in accordance with the state of the electrical storage device. The electronic control unit predicts cost performance of the external charging in accordance with the amount of charging power and the use time that are predicted, and information relating to a fee-charging system. The electronic control unit controls the notifier so as not to execute a notification in a case where the cost performance is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, and controls the notifier so as to execute the notification in a case where the cost performance is less than the first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Publication number: 20180236938
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank, a motor, a battery, a charger, and a notification mechanism. The battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to carry out external charging that charges the battery by use of electric power from an external power source. The notification mechanism is configured to notify, to an outside of the vehicle, information on a use index indicative of a degree of use of external charging in a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shinji Ichikawa, Keita Hashimoto, Shigeki Kinomura, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20180201149
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a power storage device that stores electric power for traveling, an inlet that receives electric power for use in external charging, and a electronic control unit that performs restricting operation to restrict a practical state of charge region of the power storage device used for control. When the frequency of execution of external charging is smaller than a threshold value, the electronic control unit sets the practical state of charge region to a normal region. When the frequency of execution of external charging is larger than the threshold value, the electronic control unit performs an expanding operation to expand the practical state of charge region from the normal region to an expanded region, by easing restrictions placed by the restricting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 9981603
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank, a motor, a battery, a charger, and a notification mechanism. The battery is configured to supply electric power to the motor. The charger is configured to carry out external charging that charges the battery by use of electric power from an external power source. The notification mechanism is configured to notify, to an outside of the vehicle, information on a use index indicative of a degree of use of external charging in a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuta Ishida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Hiroaki Arakawa, Shinji Ichikawa, Keita Hashimoto, Shigeki Kinomura, Akio Uotani, Kazuyuki Kagawa, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Publication number: 20180111495
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electrical storage device, a notifier, a communication device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit predicts the amount of charging power of the electrical storage device and the use time in a case where external charging is performed, in accordance with the state of the electrical storage device. The electronic control unit predicts cost performance of the external charging in accordance with the amount of charging power and the use time that are predicted, and information relating to a fee-charging system. The electronic control unit controls the notifier so as not to execute a notification in a case where the cost performance is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, and controls the notifier so as to execute the notification in a case where the cost performance is less than the first predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura
  • Patent number: 9905981
    Abstract: A power extraction device is an extraction device configured to extract electric power from a vehicle by being connected to a first connecting portion of the vehicle, the vehicle including a storage battery and the first connecting portion to which a plug is connected so that the first connecting portion is able to perform at least one of supplying of electric power to the storage battery and discharging of electric power accumulated in the storage battery to its outside. The extraction device includes: a second connecting portion to be connected to the first connecting portion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the vehicle; and a third connecting portion to which an external connection plug configured to connect an external device to the extraction device is connectable. The third connecting portion includes a connection surface to which the external connection plug is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Kinomura, Tomoya Ono
  • Patent number: 9884618
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor, an electrical storage device and a controller. The electric motor generates electric power by using driving force of the engine. The controller controls supply of electric power, which is at least one of electric power generated by the electric motor or electric power stored in the electrical storage device, to an outside of the vehicle. The controller selects, on the basis of setting made by a user, whether to permit or prohibit generation of electric power by using the driving force of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Kinomura