Patents by Inventor Takamichi KITANO

Takamichi KITANO 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: 11843342
    Abstract: A motor drive control device capable of driving a motor at high efficiency is provided. A control unit (3) of a motor drive control device (1) outputs a control signal to a motor drive unit (2) to control operation of an inverter circuit (21) for energizing a motor (7). The control unit (3) detects an actual rotational speed of the motor (7), detects a power-supply voltage, detects a magnitude of current flowing in the motor (7), and calculates a magnitude of driving torque of the motor (7) based on detection results. The control unit (3) compares a reference rotational speed obtained based on the calculated magnitude of the driving torque of the motor (7) and the actual rotational speed of the motor (7), and determines an advance angle value based on a comparison result. The control unit (3) outputs the control signal based on the determined advance angle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kato, Takamichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 11658592
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a motor control circuit enabled to change or adjust functions to be implemented to suppress an increase in cycle time during mass production. A motor control circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a motor control circuit to control a motor driver including a first non-volatile memory and a second non-volatile memory, and the first non-volatile memory stores a control algorithm and a first parameter group to be used by the control algorithm of the motor control circuit, and the second non-volatile memory is enabled to store a second parameter group to be used by the control algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kaidu, Masato Aoki, Takamichi Kitano, Takahiro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20220181995
    Abstract: A motor drive control device capable of driving a motor at high efficiency is provided. A control unit (3) of a motor drive control device (1) outputs a control signal to a motor drive unit (2) to control operation of an inverter circuit (21) for energizing a motor (7). The control unit (3) detects an actual rotational speed of the motor (7), detects a power-supply voltage, detects a magnitude of current flowing in the motor (7), and calculates a magnitude of driving torque of the motor (7) based on detection results. The control unit (3) compares a reference rotational speed obtained based on the calculated magnitude of the driving torque of the motor (7) and the actual rotational speed of the motor (7), and determines an advance angle value based on a comparison result. The control unit (3) outputs the control signal based on the determined advance angle value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KATO, Takamichi KITANO
  • Publication number: 20220021322
    Abstract: In a motor drive control device including a machine learning function, appropriate motor drive control in accordance with the usage environment of a motor is realized. A motor drive control device 10 includes: a measurement data generation unit 23 that generates measurement data 300 relating to operation of a motor 50; a training data generation unit 24 that attaches predetermined identification information indicating the operation state of the motor 50 to the measurement data 300 and generates training data 310; a machine learning unit 25 that generates a learned model 320 for determining the operation state of the motor 50 by performing machine learning using the training data 310; and a monitor control unit 26 that monitors the operation state of the motor 50 using the learned model 320.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI, Takamichi KITANO, Takahiro SUZUKI, Tomotaka SAKUMA, Yoshihisa OKABUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210367540
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a motor control circuit enabled to change or adjust functions to be implemented to suppress an increase in cycle time during mass production. A motor control circuit according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is a motor control circuit to control a motor driver including a first non-volatile memory and a second non-volatile memory, and the first non-volatile memory stores a control algorithm and a first parameter group to be used by the control algorithm of the motor control circuit, and the second non-volatile memory is enabled to store a second parameter group to be used by the control algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KAIDU, Masato AOKI, Takamichi KITANO, Takahiro SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10598356
    Abstract: An instrument control device includes a variable mechanism including a motor configured to adjust a state of an instrument, and a variable controller configured to variably control the motor with a command signal. The variable controller includes a receiver configured to receive a communication signal output from a remote controller and output a received signal in accordance with the communication signal, and a motor controller configured to increase the command signal stepwise starting from input of the received signal until a rotational speed of the motor reaches a predetermined rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Hiroyuki Kato
  • Patent number: 10381963
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes a controller that generates a drive control signal in response to input of a speed command signal and a motor driver that generates a drive signal in response to input of the drive control signal and outputs the drive signal to a motor, and the controller repeatedly generates the drive control signal in a period during which the speed command signal is inputted and stops generating the drive control signal in a period during which the speed command signal is not inputted to repeat an operation period in which the motor performs rotational operation and a stop period in which the motor stops operating in a non-excited state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Masaaki Nagai, Akira Muto
  • Patent number: 10361647
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes: a controller that generates and outputs a drive control signal, in response to input of a speed command signal and a rotational direction signal; a motor driver that generates and outputs a drive signal to a motor, in response to the drive control signal; and an encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor to output an encoder signal. The controller includes: a measurement unit that detects, based on the encoder signal, a time at which a rotational state of the motor becomes, caused by an external factor, different from that commanded by the speed command and rotational direction signals, and measures a movement amount from the time; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the motor driver, a signal for stopping an output of the drive signal, when the movement amount and a drive-control-signal outputting state satisfy a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Hidetoshi Hijikata
  • Patent number: 10312841
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes: a controller that outputs a drive control signal; a motor driver that generates and outputs a drive signal to a motor; and an encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor. The controller has a measurement unit that detects a time point when rotation of the motor is switched to a reverse direction of a target rotational direction by an external factor during input of the speed command signal, and measures a movement amount in the reverse direction from a rotational position of the motor at a time point of the switching, and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the motor driver, a switching signal that switches a conduction method from 180-degree conduction to 120-degree conduction in a case where the movement amount is a predetermined threshold or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Hidetoshi Hijikata
  • Patent number: 10263560
    Abstract: A motor drive controller according to one aspect of the present disclosure including a monitoring unit monitoring a motor and detecting that the motor is in a driving state but is also in a predetermined abnormal state; and a incomplete lock determination unit executing a determination program at a point of time when the abnormal state is detected and causing the determination program to determine whether or not the motor is in an incomplete locked state in which a load not sufficient to stop the motor is applied to a rotating body rotated by driving of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Katsunori Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10256755
    Abstract: A motor drive controller including a monitoring unit monitoring whether or not a use state of a motor to be controlled satisfies a predetermined condition, and an output information switching unit switching information to be outputted to the outside from an information output path from motor driving information indicating a drive state of the motor to monitoring information indicating the use state if the use state satisfies the predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamichi Kitano, Katsunori Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20180287527
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes: a controller that outputs a drive control signal; a motor driver that generates and outputs a drive signal to a motor; and an encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor. The controller has a measurement unit that detects a time point when rotation of the motor is switched to a reverse direction of a target rotational direction by an external factor during input of the speed command signal, and measures a movement amount in the reverse direction from a rotational position of the motor at a time point of the switching, and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the motor driver, a switching signal that switches a conduction method from 180-degree conduction to 120-degree conduction in a case where the movement amount is a predetermined threshold or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Hidetoshi HIJIKATA
  • Publication number: 20180287528
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes: a controller that generates and outputs a drive control signal, in response to input of a speed command signal and a rotational direction signal; a motor driver that generates and outputs a drive signal to a motor, in response to the drive control signal; and an encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor to output an encoder signal. The controller includes: a measurement unit that detects, based on the encoder signal, a time at which a rotational state of the motor becomes, caused by an external factor, different from that commanded by the speed command and rotational direction signals, and measures a movement amount from the time; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the motor driver, a signal for stopping an output of the drive signal, when the movement amount and a drive-control-signal outputting state satisfy a predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Hidetoshi HIJIKATA
  • Publication number: 20170331411
    Abstract: A motor drive controller according to one aspect of the present disclosure including a monitoring unit monitoring a motor and detecting that the motor is in a driving state but is also in a predetermined abnormal state; and a incomplete lock determination unit executing a determination program at a point of time when the abnormal state is detected and causing the determination program to determine whether or not the motor is in an incomplete locked state in which a load not sufficient to stop the motor is applied to a rotating body rotated by driving of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Katsunori YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170331413
    Abstract: A motor drive controller including a monitoring unit monitoring whether or not a use state of a motor to be controlled satisfies a predetermined condition, and an output information switching unit switching information to be outputted to the outside from an information output path from motor driving information indicating a drive state of the motor to monitoring information indicating the use state if the use state satisfies the predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Katsunori YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170264223
    Abstract: A motor drive controlling apparatus includes a controller that generates a drive control signal in response to input of a speed command signal and a motor driver that generates a drive signal in response to input of the drive control signal and outputs the drive signal to a motor, and the controller repeatedly generates the drive control signal in a period during which the speed command signal is inputted and stops generating the drive control signal in a period during which the speed command signal is not inputted to repeat an operation period in which the motor performs rotational operation and a stop period in which the motor stops operating in a non-excited state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Masaaki NAGAI, Akira MUTO
  • Publication number: 20170130945
    Abstract: An instrument control device includes a variable mechanism including a motor configured to adjust a state of an instrument, and a variable controller configured to variably control the motor with a command signal. The variable controller includes a receiver configured to receive a communication signal output from a remote controller and output a received signal in accordance with the communication signal, and a motor controller configured to increase the command signal stepwise starting from input of the received signal until a rotational speed of the motor reaches a predetermined rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamichi KITANO, Hiroyuki KATO
  • Patent number: 8957848
    Abstract: A data input device includes: an operation section including an electrostatic capacitance type touch sensor; and a control circuit section which determines if a data input operation is true or false and sends an output data corresponding to a sensed data only when the data input operation is determined as true. When one or more of the sensed data are entered into the control circuit section, a coordinate is identified which determines the data input operation as true based on invalidation determination region information previously prepared for each of coordinates corresponding to the sensed data, wherein while the sensed data for the coordinate indentified is entered, the data input operation, which is implemented to a coordinate other than the identified coordinate to determine the data input operation as true among a group aggregate of the coordinates corresponding to the sensed data within an invalidation determination region, is determined as false.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsunehisa Kobayashi, Kosuke Mizutani, Takamichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 8786573
    Abstract: A data input device for an electronic device includes: a operation section having a plurality of capacitive touch sensors to detect a input operation; and a control circuit section that outputs output information corresponding to detected information of the input operation input from the operation section to the electronic device when it is determined that the input operation is performed, wherein the control circuit section is configured to configure arbitrarily a detection sensitivity of the touch sensor before determining whether the input operation is performed, wherein the control circuit section determines whether the input operation is performed in response to a magnitude of an input value of the detected information, based on the configured detection sensitivity, wherein, when it is determined that the input operation is performed, the control circuit section updates the detection sensitivity configured for the touch sensors based on the magnitude of the input value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsunehisa Kobayashi, Kosuke Mizutani, Takamichi Kitano
  • Publication number: 20120249460
    Abstract: An input device for an electronic equipment includes: an input operation surface; an operation unit with a touch sensor detecting input operation on the input operation surface; and a control circuit unit to which detected signals from the touch sensor arranged in the operation unit are input. The input operation surface has at least one coordinate thereon; the control circuit unit includes a first decision information deciding a start of the input operation to a position designated by the coordinate based on a first regulation of the detected signals; the control circuit unit also includes a second decision information deciding a termination of the input operation to a position designated by the coordinate based on a second regulation of the detected signals; and presence of the input operation to the input operation surface is determined based on the decision of the start and the termination of the input operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke MIZUTANI, Tsunehisa KOBAYASHI, Takamichi KITANO