Patents by Inventor Tadayuki Nagai

Tadayuki Nagai 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: 9829092
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a change gear ratio changing circuit configured to execute an up-shift of a change gear ratio in an automatic transmission; a change gear ratio determination circuit configured to determine whether or not an up-shift condition is satisfied based on a change gear diagrammatic view; a combustion mode determination circuit configured to determine whether or not a switching condition for switching from a predetermined combustion mode, in which an air-fuel ratio of the engine is an air-fuel ratio on a rich side than a lean air-fuel ratio, to a supercharged lean combustion mode, in which the air-fuel ratio of an engine is made to the lean air-fuel ratio while executing supercharging by a supercharger, is satisfied; and a change regulating circuit configured to regulate the change gear ratio changing circuit to execute the up-shift at the time both conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 9644550
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an engine having a turbocharger and an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes at least one electronic control unit configured to: control an air-fuel ratio of the engine and an operating state of the turbocharger based on a parameter indicating a load of the engine; control the turbocharger to execute turbocharging and operate the engine in a turbocharging lean combustion mode when the parameter is within a predetermined range, an air-fuel ratio set in the turbocharging lean combustion mode being a predetermined lean air-fuel ratio; and operate the engine in a predetermined operation mode instead of the turbocharging lean combustion mode in at least a part of the predetermined range when a downshift is performed in the automatic transmission, an air-fuel ratio set in the predetermined operation mode being a richer air-fuel ratio than the predetermined lean air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 9605609
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an engine having a turbocharger and an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes at least one electronic control unit configured to: control an air-fuel ratio of the engine and an operating state of the turbocharger based on a parameter indicating a load of the engine; control the turbocharger to execute turbocharging and operate the engine in a turbocharging lean combustion mode when the parameter is within a predetermined range, an air-fuel ratio set in the turbocharging lean combustion mode being a predetermined lean air-fuel ratio; and operate the engine in a predetermined operation mode instead of the turbocharging lean combustion mode in at least a part of the predetermined range when a downshift is performed in the automatic transmission, an air-fuel ratio set in the predetermined operation mode being a richer air-fuel ratio than the predetermined lean air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Masami Kondo
  • Publication number: 20160061317
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: a change gear ratio changing circuit configured to execute an up-shift of a change gear ratio in an automatic transmission; a change gear ratio determination circuit configured to determine whether or not an up-shift condition is satisfied based on a change gear diagrammatic view; a combustion mode determination circuit configured to determine whether or not a switching condition for switching from a predetermined combustion mode, in which an air-fuel ratio of the engine is an air-fuel ratio on a rich side than a lean air-fuel ratio, to a supercharged lean combustion mode, in which the air-fuel ratio of an engine is made to the lean air-fuel ratio while executing supercharging by a supercharger, is satisfied; and a change regulating circuit configured to regulate the change gear ratio changing circuit to execute the up-shift at the time both conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki NAGAI, Masami KONDO
  • Publication number: 20150361906
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an engine having a turbocharger and an automatic transmission. The control apparatus includes at least one electronic control unit configured to: control an air-fuel ratio of the engine and an operating state of the turbocharger based on a parameter indicating a load of the engine; control the turbocharger to execute turbocharging and operate the engine in a turbocharging lean combustion mode when the parameter is within a predetermined range, an air-fuel ratio set in the turbocharging lean combustion mode being a predetermined lean air-fuel ratio; and operate the engine in a predetermined operation mode instead of the turbocharging lean combustion mode in at least a part of the predetermined range when a downshift is performed in the automatic transmission, an air-fuel ratio set in the predetermined operation mode being a richer air-fuel ratio than the predetermined lean air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki NAGAI, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 8600632
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus (100) for controlling a vehicle (10) provided, as a drive system, with: an internal combustion engine (200) in which a compression ratio is variable; and a transmission (500) which has a torque converter (300) and a lockup mechanism (400) between an input shaft and an engine output shaft (205) of the internal combustion engine and which can change a ratio between a rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed (Nout) of an output shaft coupled with an axle, is provided with: a first controlling device for changing an operating state of the lockup mechanism in accordance with an operating condition of the vehicle; and a second controlling device for changing the compression ratio in at least one portion of a case where the operating state is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 8485940
    Abstract: A power control device includes: an engine control unit and a transmission control unit provided so as to control power of the engine, and configured such that if an actual operating point, which is an operating point indicating a combination of actual revolution speed and torque of the engine, is located in a non-supercharging region and a final target operating point, which serves as a target operating point during acceleration, is located in a supercharging region, the revolution speed of the engine is increased until the actual operating point is shifted into the supercharging region, and the revolution speed of the engine is decreased after the actual operating point has entered the supercharging region, thereby shifting the actual operating point into the final target operating point when accelerating the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadayuki Nagai
  • Publication number: 20120035816
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus (100) for controlling a vehicle (10) provided, as a drive system, with: an internal combustion engine (200) in which a compression ratio is variable; and a transmission (500) which has a torque converter (300) and a lockup mechanism (400) between an input shaft and an engine output shaft (205) of the internal combustion engine and which can change a ratio between a rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed (Nout) of an output shaft coupled with an axle, is provided with: a first controlling device for changing an operating state of the lockup mechanism in accordance with an operating condition of the vehicle; and a second controlling device for changing the compression ratio in at least one portion of a case where the operating state is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadayuki Nagai
  • Publication number: 20120035017
    Abstract: A power control device includes: an engine control unit and a transmission control unit provided so as to control power of the engine, and configured such that if an actual operating point, which is an operating point indicating a combination of actual revolution speed and torque of the engine, is located in a non-supercharging region and a final target operating point, which serves as a target operating point during acceleration, is located in a supercharging region, the revolution speed of the engine is increased until the actual operating point is shifted into the supercharging region, and the revolution speed of the engine is decreased after the actual operating point has entered the supercharging region, thereby shifting the actual operating point into the final target operating point when accelerating the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7536248
    Abstract: A take-off control apparatus and method is provided for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control that releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, and executes a neutral cancellation control that cancels the neutral control when a different predetermined condition is satisfied. The take-off control apparatus and method detects an engine speed and calculates an apply hydraulic pressure of the apply element during cancellation of the neutral control based on a fluctuation in the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tooru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7359784
    Abstract: A control apparatus and a control method for an automatic transmission installed in a vehicle, which detect an inclination of a road on which the vehicle is running; calculate actual torque of an engine installed in the vehicle; store reference torque of the engine; correct an inclination threshold value based on the actual torque and the reference torque and make a determination on whether ascending slope control or descending slope control needs to be performed in the vehicle based on the detected inclination of the road and the corrected inclination threshold value; and control the automatic transmission to perform the ascending slope control or the descending slope control based on the result of the determination. Thus, the control apparatus and the control method make an accurate determination on an ascending slope in a highland area, and accurately perform the ascending slope control or the descending slope control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Murasugi, Tooru Matsubara, Tadayuki Nagai, Katsumi Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20080076633
    Abstract: A take-off control apparatus and method is provided for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control that releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, and executes a neutral cancellation control that cancels the neutral control when a different predetermined condition is satisfied. The take-off control apparatus and method detects an engine speed and calculates an apply hydraulic pressure of the apply element during cancellation of the neutral control based on a fluctuation in the engine speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tooru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7328094
    Abstract: A take-off control apparatus and method is provided for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control that releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, and executes a neutral cancellation control that cancels the neutral control when a different predetermined condition is satisfied. The take-off control apparatus and method detects an engine speed and calculates an apply hydraulic pressure of the apply element during cancellation of the neutral control based on a fluctuation in the engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadayuki Nagai, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tooru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7325665
    Abstract: The ECT_ECU performs a step of determining that an ON failure has occurred in a depressing force switch when the depressing force switch is turned ON while a brake lamp switch is OFF, and setting a flag F; a step of determining whether the brake lamp switch, which is turned OFF at a position on a release side with respect to a depressing force switch setting position, has been turned OFF, when the flag F has been set; and a step of increasing commanded pressure for engaging an input clutch as rapidly as possible, when the brake lamp switch has been turned OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kamishima, Takanori Sakamoto, Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7149616
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control which releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, includes a controller that detects a target idle speed of an engine and determines whether the neutral control can be executed based on the target idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7146262
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control which releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, includes a controller that detects a target idle speed of an engine and determines whether the neutral control can be executed based on the target idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7134538
    Abstract: A take-off control apparatus and method is provided for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control that releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, and executes a neutral cancellation control that cancels the neutral control when a different predetermined condition is satisfied. A braking state of the vehicle is detected, and completion of cancellation of the neutral control is determined based on the detected braking state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Tooru Matsubara, Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7108633
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an automatic transmission, a return control is executed to engage a clutch that has had its engagement pressure lowered and to disengage a brake so as to resume the state of the automatic transmission from the neutral state under a neutral control to the one where the forward speed is established. As the time for the neutral control becomes longer, the decrease in the torque of an output shaft of the automatic transmission becomes gentler. Accordingly an initial value of a control command value for the clutch pressure is decreased with the increase in the neutral control time such that the engagement of the clutch becomes gentler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Tooru Matsubara, Tadayuki Nagai
  • Patent number: 7048671
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for an engine able to control at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve via a driving mechanism actuated without a torque from an output shaft of the engine, and a transmission connected to the engine. The control device includes a torque transmitting device for reducing the torque from the engine while that torque is being transmitted to an output shaft of the transmission, and control means for controlling the torque transmitting device so as to reduce the torque transmitted from the engine to the output shaft of the transmission during an upshift, controlling a engine speed to a target speed after shifting during the unshift, and controlling the torque transmitting device so as to increase the torque transmitted to the output shaft of the transmission after the engine speed is synchronized with the speed after shifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunio Morisawa, Toshinari Ogawa, Naoki Moriguchi, Tadashi Tamura, Tadayuki Nagai, Makoto Ogiso, Keiji Yoeda, Hideyuki Nishida
  • Publication number: 20060100765
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission having an apply element that is applied when the vehicle takes off from a standstill, which executes a neutral control which releases the apply element when the automatic transmission is in a forward-drive range and the vehicle is stopped with a predetermined condition being satisfied, includes a controller that detects a target idle speed of an engine and determines whether the neutral control can be executed based on the target idle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Yoshio Hasegawa, Tadayuki Nagai