Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Nezuka

Tomohiro Nezuka 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: 20240113672
    Abstract: A modulator includes an integrator, an input chopping switch, and output chopping switch, and a control circuit. The integrator has a differential amplifier, a first switch and a series circuit. The first switch is connected between input and output terminals of the differential amplifier. The series circuit is connected between the input and output terminals of the differential amplifier. The series circuit has a second switch, an input capacitance chopping switch, an integration capacitor and an output capacitance chopping switch. The control circuit controls the input chopping switch and the output chopping switch to execute chopping being at a chopping frequency identical to the input capacitance chopping switch and the output capacitance chopping switch. The chopping frequency of the input and output capacitance chopping switches is lower than a switching frequency of the first switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: SHOTARO WADA, TOMOHIRO NEZUKA, YOSHIKAZU FURUTA
  • Patent number: 11946956
    Abstract: A signal detection circuit detects, as a detection target signal, a signal of a main terminal of a switching element by comparing the detection target signal with a reference signal. The signal detection circuit includes: a signal generation unit generating the reference signal; a first capacitor having a first terminal connected with the main terminal of the switching element; a second capacitor having a first terminal connected with an output terminal of the signal generation unit; and a detection circuit receiving, as input signals, a signal output from a second terminal of the first capacitor and a signal output from a second terminal of the second capacitor, and the detection circuit detecting the detection target signal based on the input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takasuke Itou, Tomohiro Nezuka, Yasuaki Aoki, Yuuta Nakamura, Takashi Yoshiya
  • Publication number: 20240077901
    Abstract: A reference voltage generation circuit includes a Zener diode and a current generation circuit connected to the Zener diode in parallel. The current generation circuit includes a resistance voltage divider circuit, a transistor circuit and a voltage control circuit. The resistance voltage divider circuit has a branch portion for branching the current into two paths, and outputs a reference voltage acquired by voltage division through a resistive element. The transistor circuit includes two NPN transistors and a series resistance circuit in which resistive elements are connected in series. The two NPN transistors respectively having collectors, bases and emitters. The collectors are respectively connected to the two paths. The bases have a common connection. The series resistance circuit is connected between a ground and one of the emitters. The voltage control circuit equalizes respective collector potentials of the two NPN transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Masaya KONDO, Yoshikazu FURUTA, Tomohiro NEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20240063766
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes: an amplifier; a first switched resistor unit configured by connecting in series a first resistance element having one or more resistors and a first switch, and having one end connected to an input terminal of the amplifier; a second resistance element unit connected between an other end of the first switched resistor unit and an output terminal of the amplifier and including one or more resistors; a second switch connected between a common connection point of the first switched resistor unit and the second resistance element unit and a reset potential point; and a control circuit for exclusively turning on and off the first switch and the second switch, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: SHOTARO WADA, TOMOHIRO NEZUKA, YOSHIKAZU FURUTA
  • Publication number: 20240061019
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a current detection unit, a relay, a relay control unit, and a resistance value correction circuit. The current detection unit detects a detection target current based on a terminal voltage of a shunt resistor located in series with a path through which the detection target current flows and a detection resistance value for current detection corresponding to a resistance value of the shunt resistor. The relay is located in series with the path through which the detection target current flows. The relay control unit controls the relay to be turned on or off. The resistance value correction circuit calculates the resistance value of the shunt resistor as a calculated resistance value and corrects the detection resistance value based on the calculated resistance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Shotaro WADA, Yoshikazu FURUTA, Tomohiro NEZUKA
  • Patent number: 11899044
    Abstract: A current sensor for a detection target current using a shunt resistor includes: a resistance value correction circuit having a correction resistor; a signal application unit that applies an alternating current signal to a series circuit of the shunt resistor and the correction resistor; a voltage detection unit that detects terminal voltages of the shunt resistor and the correction resistor; and a correction unit that calculates a resistance value of the shunt resistor and corrects the resistance value for detection; and a power supply circuit having a first power supply generation unit that generates a first power supply of the signal application unit from an input power supply of an outside; and a second power supply generation unit that generates a second power supply of the voltage detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nezuka, Yoshikazu Furuta, Shotaro Wada
  • Patent number: 11890949
    Abstract: In a communication system, a control unit and driver units are connected in a daisy chain; each unit includes a corresponding insulated communication circuit, respectively. The control unit measures a communication delay time between the control unit and each driver unit from a response time to transmission of a pulse signal performed to each driver unit during a measurement period. Then, based on each communication delay time, the control unit transmits a shift time to each driver unit for equalizing the timing of signals output by the driver units. When each driver unit receives, from the control unit, an instruction instructing each driver unit to output a signal, each driver unit outputs the signal when the shift time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hyoungjun Na, Yoshikazu Furuta, Shigeki Otsuka, Takasuke Ito, Tomohiro Nezuka
  • Publication number: 20230421170
    Abstract: A delta-sigma modulator includes a capacitively-coupled amplifier, a first integrator, a second integrator, a quantizer, a first switch, a second switch, and a control circuit. The first switch is connected between an input of the capacitively-coupled amplifier and a sampling capacitor of the capacitively-coupled amplifier to execute a chopping operation. The second switch is connected between an output of the capacitively-coupled amplifier and an input of the first integrator to execute a chopping operation. The control circuit executes modulation through the first switch at the input of the capacitively-coupled amplifier, executes demodulation through the second switch at the output of the capacitively-coupled amplifier, and imports an output signal of the capacitively-coupled amplifier into the first integrator after the demodulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Shotaro WADA, Tomohiro NEZUKA, Yoshikazu FURUTA
  • Patent number: 11848677
    Abstract: A clock signal generation circuit for a switched capacitor circuit with a chopping function unit includes: first and second synchronous clock circuits that generate first and second synchronous clock signals, respectively; an edge signal generation circuit that generates one or more rise and fall edge signals by delaying the first synchronous clock signal; a first clock generator that generate a first clock signal group for driving the switched capacitor circuit; and a second clock generator that generates a second clock signal group for driving the chopping function unit. Frequencies of the first and second clock signal groups are respectively defined by the first and second synchronous clock circuits. Rise and fall edges of the first and second clock signal groups are defined by the edge signal generation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Wada, Tomohiro Nezuka
  • Patent number: 11846656
    Abstract: A current sensor for detecting a current based on a terminal voltage and a resistance value of a shunt resistor, includes: a resistance value correction circuit having: correction resistors; a signal application unit; a voltage detection unit that detects terminal voltages of the shunt resistor and a part of the correction resistors in a first period, and terminal voltages of all of the correction resistors in a second period; and a correction unit that corrects the resistance value for current detection based on a calculated resistance value of the shunt resistor. Resistance values and resistance accuracies of the correction resistors are higher as the plurality of correction resistors are disposed farther from the shunt resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA IDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nezuka, Yoshikazu Furuta, Shotaro Wada
  • Patent number: 11831302
    Abstract: A drive circuit drives a switch configuring a power converter. The drive circuit divides an inter-terminal voltage of a switch. The drive circuit includes a differential circuit having first and second input terminals to which the divided inter-terminal voltages are inputted. The differential circuit outputs an analog voltage based on a voltage difference between the input terminals. The differential circuit executes reset of the output voltage, and with the voltage difference when reset is canceled after reset is executed as a reference voltage, outputs an analog voltage in which an amount of change from the reference voltage is multiplied by an amplification factor. The drive circuit outputs a binary signal based on comparison results between a threshold and the analog voltage outputted from the differential circuit, and sets a transfer rate of a gate charge of the switch when a driving state is switched, based on the output signal thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuta Nakamura, Yasuaki Aoki, Hideji Yoshida, Takashi Yoshiya, Tomohiro Nezuka, Akimasa Niwa
  • Patent number: 11831471
    Abstract: A differential communication circuit is connected to a communication line formed of a positive communication line and a negative communication line for differential communication. The differential communication circuit includes: a series circuit that includes a resistor element and a connection switch. The resistor element is connected between the positive and negative communication lines when the connection switch is turned on. The circuit also includes a transmission unit that is configured to output a differential signal to the communication line and a controller that is configured to change impedance of the communication line by turning on the connection switch in a period during which the transmission unit does not output the differential signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Otsuka, Hyoungjun Na, Takasuke Ito, Yoshikazu Furuta, Tomohiro Nezuka
  • Patent number: 11815531
    Abstract: A current sensor of a detection target current using a shunt resistor includes: a resistance value correction circuit having: a correction resistor; a signal application unit that applies an alternating current signal to a series circuit of the shunt resistor and the correction resistor; a first voltage detection unit that detects the terminal voltage of the shunt resistor; a second voltage detection unit that detects a terminal voltage of the correction resistor; and a correction unit that calculates the resistance value of the shunt resistor based on a first voltage detection value by the first voltage detection unit and a second voltage detection value by the second voltage detection unit, and corrects the resistance value for current detection based on a calculated resistance value of the shunt resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MIRISE Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Nezuka, Yoshikazu Furuta, Shotaro Wada
  • Patent number: 11784612
    Abstract: A signal detection circuit includes: a first capacitor having a first terminal connected with a first main terminal of a switching element; a second capacitor having a first terminal connected with a second main terminal of the switching element; and a detection circuit having a differential circuit configuration. The detection circuit receives, as input signals, a signal from a second terminal of the first capacitor and a signal from a second terminal of the second capacitor, detects detection target signals based on the input signals. The detection target signals include a signal of the first main terminal of the switching element and a signal of the second main terminal of the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takasuke Itou, Tomohiro Nezuka, Yasuaki Aoki, Yuuta Nakamura, Takashi Yoshiya
  • Publication number: 20230308309
    Abstract: An insulated communication system includes a communication controller that sets communication data to a communication symbol through a numeral system and executes insulated communication through an insulator by adopting the communication symbol. The numeral system includes multiple states having a positive state, a negative state and a zero state. The positive state is represented by at least one positive integer, and the negative state is represented by at least one negative integer. The zero state is represented by zero being a level without generating current consumption. An absolute value of the at least one positive integer and an absolute value of the at least one negative integer are identical to each other. The communication controller sets an initial section of the communication data in the communication symbol to the positive state or the negative state, and sets a following section of the communication data to one of the multiple states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: YOSHIKAZU FURUTA, SHIGEKI OTSUKA, TAKASUKE ITO, HYOUNGJUN NA, TOMOHIRO NEZUKA
  • Patent number: 11750086
    Abstract: In a drive circuit, a differential circuit unit is configured such that resetting of an output voltage of the differential circuit unit is carried out, and the resetting of the output voltage of the differential circuit unit is cancelled. A value of the difference between first and second divided terminal voltages at a timing of cancelling the resetting is defined as a reference voltage. The differential circuit unit generates, as the output voltage, a product of a voltage change from a reference voltage and a predetermined amplification factor after cancelling of the resetting of the differential circuit unit. A signal generator generates a gate signal for the upper- and lower-arm switches in accordance with a value of the output voltage of the differential circuit unit while the upper- and lower-arm switches are in an off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Aoki, Tomohiro Nezuka, Akimasa Niwa
  • Publication number: 20230147469
    Abstract: A battery monitor system includes: a reference signal generation unit; an excitation signal generation unit; a current generation unit for an excitation current; a current measurement unit for the excitation current; a voltage measurement unit for a voltage of each battery cell; an impedance measurement unit for an impedance of each battery cell; a noise measurement unit for a noise voltage; and a control unit. The control unit selects one or more battery cells not a measurement target, and the noise measurement unit measures the noise voltage near a measurement frequency equal to a frequency of an orthogonal reference signal while operating the voltage measurement unit without operating the current generation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2023
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: YOSHIKAZU FURUTA, SOYA TANIGUCHI, TOMOHIRO NEZUKA, KAZUTAKA HONDA
  • Publication number: 20230126107
    Abstract: A clock signal generation circuit for a switched capacitor circuit with a chopping function unit includes: first and second synchronous clock circuits that generate first and second synchronous clock signals, respectively; an edge signal generation circuit that generates one or more rise and fall edge signals by delaying the first synchronous clock signal; a first clock generator that generate a first clock signal group for driving the switched capacitor circuit; and a second clock generator that generates a second clock signal group for driving the chopping function unit. Frequencies of the first and second clock signal groups are respectively defined by the first and second synchronous clock circuits. Rise and fall edges of the first and second clock signal groups are defined by the edge signal generation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Shotaro WADA, Tomohiro NEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20230062515
    Abstract: A differential transmission circuit for a communication device performs bidirectional communication via a differential transmission line. The differential transmission circuit include: output transistors that are turned on and off according to a drive signal during a transmission period; a signal generation unit that generates and outputs the drive signal; short-circuit transistors connected between gates and drains of the output transistors; and a cut off unit that cuts off a supply path of the drive signal between the signal generation unit and the gates of the output transistors. The cut off unit cuts off the supply path of the drive signal during a reception period in which a reception operation is performed by the communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Shigeki OTSUKA, Hyoungjun NA, Takasuke ITO, Yoshikazu FURUTA, Tomohiro NEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20230055691
    Abstract: A current sensor for a detection target current using a shunt resistor includes: a resistance value correction circuit having a correction resistor; a signal application unit that applies an alternating current signal to a series circuit of the shunt resistor and the correction resistor; a voltage detection unit that detects terminal voltages of the shunt resistor and the correction resistor; and a correction unit that calculates a resistance value of the shunt resistor and corrects the resistance value for detection; and a power supply circuit having a first power supply generation unit that generates a first power supply of the signal application unit from an input power supply of an outside; and a second power supply generation unit that generates a second power supply of the voltage detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: TOMOHIRO NEZUKA, YOSHIKAZU FURUTA, SHOTARO WADA