Patents by Inventor Takuo Hirano
Takuo 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).
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Patent number: 10934956Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine is provided, which includes defining a first area in which the engine operates in a stoichiometric combustion mode and a second area in which the engine operates in a lean combustion mode, on an operation map defined by the engine load and speed, and causing a controller to determine that an operation point on the operation map shifts from the first area to the second area based on signals from an accelerator opening sensor and a crank angle sensor, predict a length of time that the operation point stays in the second area, switch a combustion mode to the lean combustion mode when the predicted time is longer than a given period of time, and maintain the stoichiometric combustion mode when the predicted time is shorter than the given period of time.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Taiga Kamiji, Takuo Hirano, Chikako Ohisa, Yoshiaki Aritome
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Publication number: 20200325841Abstract: A method for controlling an internal combustion engine is provided, which includes defining a first area in which the engine operates in a stoichiometric combustion mode and a second area in which the engine operates in a lean combustion mode, on an operation map defined by the engine load and speed, and causing a controller to determine that an operation point on the operation map shifts from the first area to the second area based on signals from an accelerator opening sensor and a crank angle sensor, predict a length of time that the operation point stays in the second area, switch a combustion mode to the lean combustion mode when the predicted time is longer than a given period of time, and maintain the stoichiometric combustion mode when the predicted time is shorter than the given period of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2020Publication date: October 15, 2020Inventors: Taiga Kamiji, Takuo Hirano, Chikako Ohisa, Yoshiaki Aritome
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Patent number: 10400697Abstract: A control apparatus of an engine including an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a variable valve timing mechanism for varying open and close timings of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves, is provided. The control apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a valve controlling module for performing, via the variable valve timing mechanism, a valve overlap in which the intake and exhaust valves are both opened on intake stroke of the engine, and a temperature estimating module for estimating a temperature of exhaust gas at a given location in the exhaust system by estimating a temperature increase of the exhaust gas caused by afterburn and accounting for the temperature increase, the afterburn occurring due to fresh air blowing through a cylinder of the engine to an exhaust system during the valve overlap.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Shin Miura, Kazuhiro Nishimura, Tomoaki Fujiyama, Takuo Hirano, Akira Suzuki
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Patent number: 10150347Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning device, a heater core is disposed on a circulation passage for cooling water for cooling a motor, and an inverter configured to control an output of the motor by changing a carrier frequency, and heats conditioning air. An air conditioning controller sets a required calorific value of the motor and the inverter according to a vehicle compartment temperature requested by a passenger. A carrier frequency changing unit sets a carrier frequency at which a calorific value of the motor and the inverter is made equal to the required calorific value, out of carrier frequencies capable of implementing a target output of the motor to be set depending on a traveling state of a vehicle. An electric power conversion device converts direct-current power of a battery into alternating-current power at the set carrier frequency, and supplies the alternating-current power to the motor.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2015Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Takuo Hirano, Takahiko Miura
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Patent number: 10151259Abstract: The engine control device comprises a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque based on a driving state of a vehicle, a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount based on a steering wheel operation state, an TCM for deciding a torque-down demand amount, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the steering wheel operation state, and a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque, the decided torque reduction amount and the decided torque-down demand amount, wherein the final target torque-deciding part is operable, when there is a torque-down demand, to restrict a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Chikako Ohisa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Takuo Hirano, Kunihiro Shishima, Takahiro Kawamura, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Takeatsu Ito
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Patent number: 10024257Abstract: A PCM comprises a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque, based on a driving state of a vehicle including an accelerator pedal operation state, a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the accelerator pedal operation state, a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque and the decided torque reduction amount, and an engine output control part for controlling an engine to cause the engine to output the decided final target torque, wherein the engine output control part is operable to prohibit switching of an operation mode of the engine from being performed simultaneously with control of the engine according to a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Chikako Ohisa, Osamu Sunahara, Daisuke Umetsu, Takuo Hirano, Kunihiro Shishima, Takahiro Kawamura, Yasunori Takahara, Daisaku Ogawa, Takeatsu Ito
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Publication number: 20170254281Abstract: The engine control device comprises a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque based on a driving state of a vehicle, a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount based on a steering wheel operation state, an TCM for deciding a torque-down demand amount, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the steering wheel operation state, and a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque, the decided torque reduction amount and the decided torque-down demand amount, wherein the final target torque-deciding part is operable, when there is a torque-down demand, to restrict a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Chikako OHISA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisuke UMETSU, Takuo HIRANO, Kunihiro SHISHIMA, Takahiro KAWAMURA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA, Takeatsu ITO
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Publication number: 20170254278Abstract: A PCM comprises a basic target torque-deciding part for deciding a basic target torque, based on a driving state of a vehicle including an accelerator pedal operation state, a torque reduction amount-deciding part for deciding a torque reduction amount, based on a driving state of the vehicle other than the accelerator pedal operation state, a final target torque-deciding part for deciding a final target torque, based on the decided basic target torque and the decided torque reduction amount, and an engine output control part for controlling an engine to cause the engine to output the decided final target torque, wherein the engine output control part is operable to prohibit switching of an operation mode of the engine from being performed simultaneously with control of the engine according to a change in the final target torque corresponding to a change in the torque reduction amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2017Publication date: September 7, 2017Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Chikako OHISA, Osamu SUNAHARA, Daisuke UMETSU, Takuo HIRANO, Kunihiro SHISHIMA, Takahiro KAWAMURA, Yasunori TAKAHARA, Daisaku OGAWA, Takeatsu ITO
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Publication number: 20170089284Abstract: A control apparatus of an engine including an intake valve, an exhaust valve, and a variable valve timing mechanism for varying open and close timings of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves, is provided. The control apparatus includes a processor configured to execute a valve controlling module for performing, via the variable valve timing mechanism, a valve overlap in which the intake and exhaust valves are both opened on intake stroke of the engine, and a temperature estimating module for estimating a temperature of exhaust gas at a given location in the exhaust system by estimating a temperature increase of the exhaust gas caused by afterburn and accounting for the temperature increase, the afterburn occurring due to fresh air blowing through a cylinder of the engine to an exhaust system during the valve overlap.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Shin Miura, Kazuhiro Nishimura, Tomoaki Fujiyama, Takuo Hirano, Akira Suzuki
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Publication number: 20160332503Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning device, a heater core is disposed on a circulation passage for cooling water for cooling a motor, and an inverter configured to control an output of the motor by changing a carrier frequency, and heats conditioning air. An air conditioning controller sets a required calorific value of the motor and the inverter according to a vehicle compartment temperature requested by a passenger. A carrier frequency changing unit sets a carrier frequency at which a calorific value of the motor and the inverter is made equal to the required calorific value, out of carrier frequencies capable of implementing a target output of the motor to be set depending on a traveling state of a vehicle. An electric power conversion device converts direct-current power of a battery into alternating-current power at the set carrier frequency, and supplies the alternating-current power to the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2015Publication date: November 17, 2016Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Takuo HIRANO, Takahiko MIURA
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Patent number: D250649Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 1977Date of Patent: December 26, 1978Inventor: Takuo Hirano
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Patent number: D271309Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1982Date of Patent: November 8, 1983Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takuo Hirano