Patents by Inventor Tomoko Oba

Tomoko Oba 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: 11603109
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an instrument panel that displays an alarm to a driver; and an ECU that controls the instrument panel based on a setting as to whether the driver is to perform maintenance of the vehicle or not. In a first setting in which the driver is to perform maintenance, the ECU controls the instrument panel to display an alarm when a failure occurs in an on-vehicle device. In a second setting in which the driver is not to perform maintenance, the ECU controls the instrument panel not to display an alarm about a failure less influencing traveling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiko Hirasawa, Tomoko Oba, Takaharu Hori, Kenji Uchida
  • Patent number: 11472312
    Abstract: There is provided an electrically driven vehicle used for a car sharing system and configured to appropriately increase the temperature of a power storage device. The electrically driven vehicle used for the car sharing system is provided with a power storage device and a temperature raising device configured to increase temperature of the power storage device. When a user operates a communication device to make a direct reservation or an indirect reservation of the electrically driven vehicle for driving, the electrically driven vehicle estimates a driving start time of the vehicle, based on the position of the communication device, sets a temperature-rising start time of the power storage device, based on the temperature of the power storage device and the estimated driving start time, and controls the temperature raising device to start a temperature increase of the power storage device at the set temperature-rising start time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kusada, Tomoko Oba, Yusuke Mamada, Abhilasha Sumangal Devaraj
  • Patent number: 11370451
    Abstract: A server includes a storage device that stores history information indicating a history of a state of a vehicle, and a controller that performs a process using the history information. The controller makes a first determination of whether or not a vehicle load exceeds a first load. For the vehicle for which it has been determined that the vehicle load is higher than the first load in the first determination, the controller makes a second determination of whether or not an environmental load is higher than a second load. When it is determined that the environmental load is higher than the second load in the second determination, the controller outputs an area change request requesting a change of the dispatch area of the vehicle to another dispatch area lower in the environmental load than a current dispatch area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiko Hirasawa, Kenji Uchida, Tomoko Oba, Takaharu Hori
  • Patent number: 11345252
    Abstract: An object is to enable a vehicle to be sufficiently used as a power source when the vehicle is located in an area where a disaster occurs. There is provided a vehicle including a driving system configured to generate electric power by using a fuel and to output power for driving; a power storage device configured to transmit electric power to and from the driving system; a power feeding device configured to supply generated power that is generated by the driving system and/or electric power from the power storage device, to an external device; and a control device configured to control the driving system and the power feeding device. When the vehicle is located in the area where the disaster occurs, the control device performs a recommendation process to recommend that a user sets a charge priority mode, which gives priority to charging of the power storage device over driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kusada, Tomoko Oba, Yusuke Mamada, Abhilasha Sumangal Devaraj
  • Patent number: 10855219
    Abstract: There is provided a drive device configured to impose a more appropriate limitation on driving of a motor. The drive device comprises a motor configured to generate an induced voltage according to a rotation speed, and an inverter configured to drive the motor. Upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition to impose a limitation on driving of the motor, the drive device performs a drive limitation that imposes a larger limitation on driving of the motor when the induced voltage of the motor is higher than an input voltage that is input from a power storage device side to the inverter, compared with a limitation imposed when the induced voltage of the motor is equal to or lower than the input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoko Oba
  • Publication number: 20200361479
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an instrument panel that displays an alarm to a driver; and an ECU that controls the instrument panel based on a setting as to whether the driver is to perform maintenance of the vehicle or not. In a first setting in which the driver is to perform maintenance, the ECU controls the instrument panel to display an alarm when a failure occurs in an on-vehicle device. In a second setting in which the driver is not to perform maintenance, the ECU controls the instrument panel not to display an alarm about a failure less influencing traveling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Takahiko Hirasawa, Tomoko Oba, Takaharu Hori, Kenji Uchida
  • Publication number: 20200255024
    Abstract: A server includes a storage device that stores history information indicating a history of a state of a vehicle, and a controller that performs a process using the history information. The controller makes a first determination of whether or not a vehicle load exceeds a first load. For the vehicle for which it has been determined that the vehicle load is higher than the first load in the first determination, the controller makes a second determination of whether or not an environmental load is higher than a second load. When it is determined that the environmental load is higher than the second load in the second determination, the controller outputs an area change request requesting a change of the dispatch area of the vehicle to another dispatch area lower in the environmental load than a current dispatch area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Takahiko Hirasawa, Kenji Uchida, Tomoko Oba, Takaharu Hori
  • Publication number: 20200238850
    Abstract: There is provided an electrically driven vehicle used for a car sharing system and configured to appropriately increase the temperature of a power storage device. The electrically driven vehicle used for the car sharing system is provided with a power storage device and a temperature raising device configured to increase temperature of the power storage device. When a user operates a communication device to make a direct reservation or an indirect reservation of the electrically driven vehicle for driving, the electrically driven vehicle estimates a driving start time of the vehicle, based on the position of the communication device, sets a temperature-rising start time of the power storage device, based on the temperature of the power storage device and the estimated driving start time, and controls the temperature raising device to start a temperature increase of the power storage device at the set temperature-rising start time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki KUSADA, Tomoko OBA, Yusuke MAMADA, Abhilasha Sumangal DEVARAJ
  • Publication number: 20200238849
    Abstract: An object is to enable a vehicle to be sufficiently used as a power source when the vehicle is located in an area where a disaster occurs. There is provided a vehicle including a driving system configured to generate electric power by using a fuel and to output power for driving; a power storage device configured to transmit electric power to and from the driving system; a power feeding device configured to supply generated power that is generated by the driving system and/or electric power from the power storage device, to an external device; and a control device configured to control the driving system and the power feeding device. When the vehicle is located in the area where the disaster occurs, the control device performs a recommendation process to recommend that a user sets a charge priority mode, which gives priority to charging of the power storage device over driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki KUSADA, Tomoko OBA, Yusuke MAMADA, Abhilasha Sumangal DEVARAJ
  • Patent number: 10391863
    Abstract: When ignition is on, a shift position is a neutral position, and shut-down of the inverter is cancelled in a state that a short circuit fault occurs in any phase among multiple phases of the inverter, the electrically driven vehicle performs a first ON control to turn on upper and lower arms in any arbitrary phase among the multiple phases. When an abnormality is detected in the inverter due to the first ON control, the electrically driven vehicle performs a second ON control to turn on upper and lower arms in a different phase from the phase of the first ON control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensuke Takagi, Tomoko Oba
  • Publication number: 20190199270
    Abstract: There is provided a drive device configured to impose a more appropriate limitation on driving of a motor. The drive device comprises a motor configured to generate an induced voltage according to a rotation speed, and an inverter configured to drive the motor. Upon satisfaction of a predetermined condition to impose a limitation on driving of the motor, the drive device performs a drive limitation that imposes a larger limitation on driving of the motor when the induced voltage of the motor is higher than an input voltage that is input from a power storage device side to the inverter, compared with a limitation imposed when the induced voltage of the motor is equal to or lower than the input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoko OBA
  • Publication number: 20190193564
    Abstract: When ignition is on, a shift position is a neutral position, and shut-down of the inverter is cancelled in a state that a short circuit fault occurs in any phase among multiple phases of the inverter, the electrically driven vehicle performs a first ON control to turn on upper and lower arms in any arbitrary phase among the multiple phases. When an abnormality is detected in the inverter due to the first ON control, the electrically driven vehicle performs a second ON control to turn on upper and lower arms in a different phase from the phase of the first ON control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensuke Takagi, Tomoko Oba
  • Patent number: 10053086
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first rotating electrical machine (first MG), a second rotating electrical machine (second MG), a planetary gear mechanism which mechanically couples these devices, a first inverter which drives the first MG, a second inverter which drives the second MG, and a controller. When the controller receives a fail signal from the first inverter, the controller performs shut-down control which brings the first inverter into a gate shut-down state with fuel supply to the engine being stopped. When the absolute value of an engine rotation speed Ne is more than or equal to a predetermined value ? and the absolute value of a rotation speed Nm1 of the first MG is less than a threshold value ? after the shut-down control is started, the controller determines that the first inverter has a short-circuit fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Oba, Shohei Oi, Atsushi Nomura
  • Patent number: 10046645
    Abstract: An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) controls a converter such that the converter is stopped when a fail signal FCV is output. The ECU further controls an inverter such that power operation and regenerative operation by a motor generator are performed in a state in which output of an ON signal to an IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) element is set non-executable, when the fail signal FCV is output due to the IGBT element becoming short-circuited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Oba, Atsushi Nomura
  • Patent number: 10023052
    Abstract: A power supply system is for supplying electric power to a load via a power supply line. The power supply system includes power storage device, a voltage converter, a switchgear, an abnormality signal output device and an electronic control unit. The abnormality signal output device is configured to output an abnormality signal when an abnormality of one switching element of the voltage converter is detected. The electronic control unit is configured to a) control switching elements of the voltage converter and the switchgear; b) switch the switchgear from the connected state to the disconnected state when receiving the abnormality signal from the abnormality signal output device; c) output an ON signal to close the one switching element whose abnormality is detected; and d) identify that the abnormality is short circuit failure when receiving the abnormality signal from the abnormality signal output device again after execution of b) and c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoko Oba
  • Patent number: 10008969
    Abstract: When a voltage (auxiliary power supply voltage) on an auxiliary power supply line is instantaneously decreased to be smaller than a resetting voltage, a resetting operation is automatically started in each of the MG-ECU and the HV-ECU to perform an initialization process. After the resetting operation of the MG-ECU and/or the HV-ECU, the MG-ECU causes a converter to start a forced discharging operation when a DC voltage of a first smoothing capacitor is higher than a first reference voltage, and/or when a DC voltage of a second smoothing capacitor is higher than a second reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoko Oba, Kenji Uchida, Yasuhiro Terao
  • Patent number: 9998057
    Abstract: A converter includes one chip constituted a switching device and a diode. An electronic control unit is configured to calculate a temperature estimated value of the switching device from control conditions of the converter, restrict a control upper-limit value of charge power or discharge power of a battery, when a detection value of a temperature sensor is higher than the temperature estimated value of the switching device, and the detection value of the temperature sensor exceeds a protection temperature of the diode, and restrict a control upper-limit value of charge power or discharge power of the battery, when the detection value of the temperature sensor is lower than the temperature estimated value of the switching device, and the detection value of the temperature sensor exceeds a protection temperature of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kota Suzuki, Tomoko Oba
  • Patent number: 9991789
    Abstract: The electric motor vehicle includes a voltage conversion circuit, a primary-side smoothing capacitor, a battery, a system main relay, an inverter circuit, a secondary-side smoothing capacitor, an electric motor, a first voltage sensor, a collision sensor, and a controller. The controller is configured to adjust an operation of the voltage conversion circuit, detect primary-side voltage by using the first voltage sensor in a state that the voltage conversion circuit is operated in a case where a collision is detected by the collision sensor, and detect a state that the system main relay is off based on a change in the detected primary-side voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shohei Oi, Ryoji Sato, Tomoko Oba
  • Patent number: 9969269
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electronic control unit that executes first discharge control in a state where an engine is stopped in the case where a collision detector detects a collision of the hybrid vehicle. The first discharge control includes bringing all switching elements on either one of an upper arm side and a lower arm side of either one of a first inverter and a second inverter into ON states; bringing another inverter into a gate blocking state; and discharging electric charges of a capacitor by using a discharge device until a voltage of the capacitor becomes lower than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Nomura, Tomoko Oba
  • Patent number: 9827857
    Abstract: A power supply device includes a battery, an inverter, a converter, an electronic control unit. The inverter includes an upper arm having a third switching element and a lower arm having a fourth switching element. The converter includes an upper arm having a first switching element and a lower arm having a second switching element. The electronic control unit is configured to, when a state where the primary-side voltage is at least equal to the specified threshold continues for a specified time or longer, i) increase the primary-side voltage by repeatedly switching the second switching element between ON and OFF state while maintaining the first switching element to be OFF state, and apply the increased voltage as the secondary-side voltage to the inverter, and ii) convert the secondary-side voltage to the AC voltage by repeatedly switching each of the third and the fourth switching element between ON and OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kota Suzuki, Tomoko Oba