Patents by Inventor Shigetoshi Hirano

Shigetoshi Hirano 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: 10661782
    Abstract: An operation control system for a hybrid vehicle capable of causing the vehicle to travel in parallel mode in which front wheels of the vehicle are driven by an engine and a front motor, capable of fuel cut control to stop fuel supply to the engine during deceleration of the vehicle, and capable of regenerative braking using the front motor, wherein when the vehicle traveling in parallel mode is to be decelerated and SOC of a traction battery is lower than or equal to an electricity-generation determination lower limit value Sbu, Sbd, a hybrid control unit performs first charging promotion control to brake the vehicle by regenerative braking while causing the engine to continue operating by continuing fuel supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Oguma, Shigetoshi Hirano, Tadayoshi Hirao
  • Patent number: 10597027
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle which, when a travel mode is switched from a second mode (EV mode) to a first mode (series mode), can warm an exhaust purification catalyst appropriately to suppress deterioration of an exhaust gas, is provided. The control apparatus comprises selection means 32 which selects the first mode as a travel mode of a vehicle 10, if a required output is equal to or higher than a determination threshold value, or selects the second mode, if the required output is lower than the determination threshold value; and threshold value changing means 33 which lowers the determination threshold value, if the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst is lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Oguma, Shigetoshi Hirano, Wataru Matsumura, Shingo Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10363922
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle which, when a travel mode is switched from an EV mode (second mode) to a series mode (first mode), can warm an exhaust purification catalyst appropriately to suppress deterioration of an exhaust gas, is provided, and configured as follows: If the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the first mode (series mode) is selected when a required output is equal to or higher than a first determination threshold value; or the second mode (EV mode) is selected when the required output is lower than the first determination threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Oguma, Shigetoshi Hirano, Wataru Matsumura, Shingo Sonoda
  • Patent number: 10086826
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine includes: a limiting unit configured to limit an output of the internal combustion engine when temperature of cooling water for cooling the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; a discharging unit configured to discharge, when internal pressure of a fuel tank is equal to or higher than predetermined pressure, fuel evaporative gas in the fuel tank into an intake passage of the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is being driven; and a prioritizing unit configured to prioritize the limiting of the output of the internal combustion engine by the limiting unit over the discharging of the fuel evaporative gas by the discharging unit, when the discharging unit is to discharge the fuel evaporative gas and the limiting unit is to limit the output of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Sato, Shigetoshi Hirano, Tadayoshi Hirao, Takahiro Oguma
  • Publication number: 20180086334
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle which, when a travel mode is switched from an EV mode (second mode) to a series mode (first mode), can warm an exhaust purification catalyst appropriately to suppress deterioration of an exhaust gas, is provided, and configured as follows: If the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the first mode (series mode) is selected when a required output is equal to or higher than a first determination threshold value; or the second mode (EV mode) is selected when the required output is lower than the first determination threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro OGUMA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Wataru MATSUMURA, Shingo SONODA
  • Publication number: 20180086333
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle which, when a travel mode is switched from a second mode (EV mode) to a first mode (series mode), can warm an exhaust purification catalyst appropriately to suppress deterioration of an exhaust gas, is provided. The control apparatus comprises selection means 32 which selects the first mode as a travel mode of a vehicle 10, if a required output is equal to or higher than a determination threshold value, or selects the second mode, if the required output is lower than the determination threshold value; and threshold value changing means 33 which lowers the determination threshold value, if the temperature of the exhaust purification catalyst is lower than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro OGUMA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Wataru MATSUMURA, Shingo SONODA
  • Publication number: 20180072307
    Abstract: An operation control system for a hybrid vehicle capable of causing the vehicle to travel in parallel mode in which front wheels of the vehicle are driven by an engine and a front motor, capable of fuel cut control to stop fuel supply to the engine during deceleration of the vehicle, and capable of regenerative braking using the front motor, wherein when the vehicle traveling in parallel mode is to be decelerated and SOC of a traction battery is lower than or equal to an electricity-generation determination lower limit value Sbu, Sbd, a hybrid control unit performs first charging promotion control to brake the vehicle by regenerative braking while causing the engine to continue operating by continuing fuel supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro OGUMA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Tadayoshi HIRAO
  • Patent number: 9908522
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle enables an engine to be operated at an operating point with a good fuel consumption efficiency, to perform power generation, without causing a sense of incongruity about noise or vibrations to a driver. With the control device, the engine is operated so that generated power of a generator increases in response to electric power required of the vehicle. Thus, the engine can be operated at an operating point with a satisfactory fuel consumption efficiency. When in an acceleration state, the engine is operated so that the increase amount of generated power is set to be larger than when in a deceleration state. When in the deceleration state, the engine is operated so that an increase in generated power is suppressed and an increase in noise is curbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu Ikedaya, Tadayoshi Hirao, Shigetoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9688265
    Abstract: A regenerative control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a regenerative braking power control unit prohibiting or limiting execution of first regenerative braking to charge the battery with power generated by the regenerative power generation of the traveling motor generator during deceleration when it is determined that it is necessary to restrict charging of the battery. The regenerative braking power control unit causes both second regenerative braking to transmit rotary driving power to the engine by rotating the power generation motor generator by the power generated by the regenerative power generation, and combustion operation in which fuel is supplied to the engine and the fuel is burned to generate the rotary driving power at the engine, to be executed, under condition where the execution of the first regenerative braking is prohibited or limited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu Ikedaya, Shigetoshi Hirano, Tadayoshi Hirao, Takahiro Oguma, Takuya Sato, Katsunori Ueda, Kentaro Honda
  • Patent number: 9669834
    Abstract: A regenerative control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a regenerative braking power control unit prohibiting or limiting execution of first regenerative braking to charge the battery with power generated by the regenerative power generation of the traveling motor generator during deceleration when it is determined that it is necessary to restrict charging of the battery. Under condition where the execution of the first regenerative braking is prohibited or limited, the regenerative braking power control unit causes second regenerative braking to transmit rotary driving power to the engine by rotating the power generation motor generator by the power generated by the regenerative power generation, to be executed when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in an increasing direction, and causes the second regenerative braking to be stopped when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in a decreasing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu Ikedaya, Katsunori Ueda, Kentaro Honda, Shigetoshi Hirano, Tadayoshi Hirao, Takahiro Oguma, Takuya Sato
  • Publication number: 20170050633
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine includes: a limiting unit configured to limit an output of the internal combustion engine when temperature of cooling water for cooling the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; a discharging unit configured to discharge, when internal pressure of a fuel tank is equal to or higher than predetermined pressure, fuel evaporative gas in the fuel tank into an intake passage of the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is being driven; and a prioritizing unit configured to prioritize the limiting of the output of the internal combustion engine by the limiting unit over the discharging of the fuel evaporative gas by the discharging unit, when the discharging unit is to discharge the fuel evaporative gas and the limiting unit is to limit the output of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya SATO, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Takahiro OGUMA
  • Publication number: 20160257299
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle enables an engine to be operated at an operating point with a good fuel consumption efficiency, to perform power generation, without causing a sense of incongruity about noise or vibrations to a driver. With the control device, the engine is operated so that generated power of a generator increases in response to electric power required of the vehicle. Thus, the engine can be operated at an operating point with a satisfactory fuel consumption efficiency. When in an acceleration state, the engine is operated so that the increase amount of generated power is set to be larger than when in a deceleration state. When in the deceleration state, the engine is operated so that an increase in generated power, is suppressed and an increase in noise is curbed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu IKEDAYA, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Shigetoshi HIRANO
  • Patent number: 9415766
    Abstract: A regenerative control device of a vehicle an engine; a first motor; a second motor performing regenerative power generation; a battery connected to the first and second motors; and a heating device heating using heat, includes: a determiner determining whether the heating device is in operation or not, and determining whether charging the battery is regulated or not; and a controller performing parallel firing control in which a driving force is given to the engine by the first motor while burning fuel in the engine, during the regenerative power generation when the heating device is in operation and charging the battery is regulated, and setting a target torque of the engine in the parallel firing control to be equal to or lower than a burning limit torque of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu Ikedaya, Shigetoshi Hirano, Katsunori Ueda, Kentaro Honda, Tadayoshi Hirao, Takahiro Oguma, Takuya Sato
  • Patent number: 9376103
    Abstract: A traveling mode switching controller of a hybrid electric vehicle has a velocity detection unit, a state-of-charge detection unit, and a switching control unit for selectively switching among first to third traveling modes. In the first traveling mode, an engine is deactivated and a drive motor is activated to actuate drive wheels. In the second traveling mode, the engine activates a generator to activate the drive motor. In the third traveling mode, the engine activates the drive wheels. When the state of charge is less than a first state of charge, the switching control unit performs switching between the second traveling mode and the third traveling mode at a first velocity. When the state of charge is the first state of charge or more, the switching control unit performs switching between the first traveling mode and the third traveling mode at a predetermined velocity higher than the first velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Ueda, Yusuke Sasaki, Shigetoshi Hirano
  • Patent number: 9340201
    Abstract: An engine operation control device for a hybrid vehicle, including: an engine provided in a vehicle; a power generator that is driven by the engine to generate electric power; a driving battery that is chargeable with electric power supplied from the power generator; and a front motor and a rear motor that drive wheels with electric power supplied from the driving battery or the power generator, and allowing a series mode in which the front motor drives front wheels and the rear motor drives rear wheels while the engine is operated at a predetermined set rotational speed to drive the power generator to generate electric power, wherein the set rotational speed is set to increase with decreasing of the atmospheric pressure in a present position of the vehicle in the series mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Ueda, Sumio Tanaka, Shigetoshi Hirano
  • Publication number: 20160059844
    Abstract: A regenerative control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a regenerative braking power control unit prohibiting or limiting execution of first regenerative braking to charge the battery with power generated by the regenerative power generation of the traveling motor generator during deceleration when it is determined that it is necessary to restrict charging of the battery. The regenerative braking power control unit causes both second regenerative braking to transmit rotary driving power to the engine by rotating the power generation motor generator by the power generated by the regenerative power generation, and combustion operation in which fuel is supplied to the engine and the fuel is burned to generate the rotary driving power at the engine, to be executed, under condition where the execution of the first regenerative braking is prohibited or limited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu IKEDAYA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Takahiro OGUMA, Takuya SATO, Katsunori UEDA, Kentaro HONDA
  • Publication number: 20160059843
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first motor, a second motor, a battery, a decider, a first calculator, a second calculator and a controller. The decider detects a state of the battery and determines whether the detected state is a state where charging the battery is restricted. The first calculator calculates, when the first motor generates the regenerative electric power under the state where charging the battery is restricted, a target energy consumption representing a target value of electric power that the second motor is to consume to drive the engine by using the regenerative electric power. The second calculator calculates an actual energy consumption that the second motor requests to maintain rotating speed of the engine. The controller adjusts angular acceleration of the engine and the second motor, using a difference between the target energy consumption and the actual energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro OGUMA, Katsunori UEDA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Takuya SATO, Hisakazu IKEDAYA, Kentaro HONDA
  • Publication number: 20160059857
    Abstract: A regenerative control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a regenerative braking power control unit prohibiting or limiting execution of first regenerative braking to charge the battery with power generated by the regenerative power generation of the traveling motor generator during deceleration when it is determined that it is necessary to restrict charging of the battery. Under condition where the execution of the first regenerative braking is prohibited or limited, the regenerative braking power control unit causes second regenerative braking to transmit rotary driving power to the engine by rotating the power generation motor generator by the power generated by the regenerative power generation, to be executed when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in an increasing direction, and causes the second regenerative braking to be stopped when the operation unit is set to a regeneration level in a decreasing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu IKEDAYA, Katsunori UEDA, Kentaro HONDA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Takahiro OGUMA, Takuya SATO
  • Publication number: 20150367835
    Abstract: A regenerative control device of a vehicle an engine; a first motor; a second motor performing regenerative power generation; a battery connected to the first and second motors; and a heating device heating using heat, includes: a determiner determining whether the heating device is in operation or not, and determining whether charging the battery is regulated or not; and a controller performing parallel firing control in which a driving force is given to the engine by the first motor while burning fuel in the engine, during the regenerative power generation when the heating device is in operation and charging the battery is regulated, and setting a target torque of the engine in the parallel firing control to be equal to or lower than a burning limit torque of the engine
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisakazu IKEDAYA, Shigetoshi HIRANO, Katsunori UEDA, Kentaro HONDA, Tadayoshi HIRAO, Takahiro OGUMA, Takuya SATO
  • Patent number: 9073427
    Abstract: In a series mode, a clutch rotational speed difference ?N is calculated, and when the clutch rotational speed difference ?N is within a first predetermined range R1 it is determined whether a sticking determination timer t1 indicates a first predetermined time t1 or longer. When a closed sticking timer t indicates the first predetermined time t1 or longer, fuel cut is performed, and the clutch rotational speed difference ?N is re-calculated. When the closed sticking timer t indicates a second predetermined time t2 or longer, and the clutch rotational speed difference ?N is within a second predetermined range R2, it is determined that there is closed sticking of a clutch. When the closed sticking timer t indicates less than the time t2, and the clutch rotational speed difference ?N is out of the second predetermined range R2, it is determined that there is no closed sticking of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsunori Ueda, Shigetoshi Hirano, Yusuke Sasaki