Patents by Inventor Tomomi Tsuzuki

Tomomi Tsuzuki 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: 8493038
    Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control apparatus includes a first section to control an excitation current of a vehicle generator driven by a vehicle engine such that a power generation voltage of the vehicle generator is kept at a first set value, a second section to perform gradual excitation control in order to gradually increase the excitation current, a third section configured to inhibit the gradual excitation control when the power generation voltage falls below a second set value lower than the first set value while the gradual excitation control is performed, a fourth section to detect a rotational speed of the vehicle engine or the vehicle generator, a fifth section to determine a limit value of the excitation current based on the detected rotational speed, and a sixth section configured to limit the excitation current below the limit value when the power generation voltage falls below the second set value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kikuchi, Tomomi Tsuzuki, Liang Song
  • Patent number: 8138730
    Abstract: In a voltage controller for a vehicle, voltage controlling means controls an output voltage of a power generator mounted on the vehicle and a terminal voltage of a battery connected to the power generator, by controlling of a field current passing through a field winding of the power generator. This control is performed by operating switching means connected to the field winding so that the switching means is conducted intermittently. Signal generating means generates a power generator state signal by measuring a state of the power generator at predetermined measurement periods. Signal averaging means performs an exponentially weighted averaging of the power generator state signal. The signal averaging means executes the averaging within a predetermined averaging period and updates the averaging at every predetermined measurement period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 8040112
    Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control device includes a first function of detecting a temperature around a generator mounted on a vehicle, a second function of setting a target control voltage in accordance with the temperature detected by the first function, and a third function of controlling an output voltage of the generator at the target control voltage set by the second function. The second function is configured to determine the target control voltage on the basis of a target power generation voltage defining the target control voltage to be set at a predetermined temperature, and a predetermined gradient of the target control voltage with respect to the temperature detected by the first function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kikuchi, Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7952471
    Abstract: There is provided a generator control apparatus that includes a generating condition detector, an alarm issuing unit, and an alarm controller. The generating condition detector detects an operating condition of the generator for use in a vehicle. The alarm issuing unit is configured to issue alarm to a driver of the vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running under an abnormal condition, and to stop to issue alarm to the driver when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running in a normal condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kizawa, Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20110109278
    Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control apparatus includes a first section to control an excitation current of a vehicle generator driven by a vehicle engine such that a power generation voltage of the vehicle generator is kept at a first set value, a second section to perform gradual excitation control in order to gradually increase the excitation current, a third section configured to inhibit the gradual excitation control when the power generation voltage falls below a second set value lower than the first set value while the gradual excitation control is performed, a fourth section to detect a rotational speed of the vehicle engine or the vehicle generator, a fifth section to determine a limit value of the excitation current based on the detected rotational speed, and a sixth section configured to limit the excitation current below the limit value when the power generation voltage falls below the second set value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsukasa KIKUCHI, Tomomi Tsuzuki, Liang Song
  • Publication number: 20090121689
    Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control device includes a first function of detecting a temperature around a generator mounted on a vehicle, a second function of setting a target control voltage in accordance with the temperature detected by the first function, and a third function of controlling an output voltage of the generator at the target control voltage set by the second function. The second function is configured to determine the target control voltage on the basis of a target power generation voltage defining the target control voltage to be set at a predetermined temperature, and a predetermined gradient of the target control voltage with respect to the temperature detected by the first function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsukasa Kikuchi, Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20090058372
    Abstract: In a voltage controller for a vehicle, voltage controlling means controls an output voltage of a power generator mounted on the vehicle and a terminal voltage of a battery connected to the power generator, by controlling of a field current passing through a field winding of the power generator. This control is performed by operating switching means connected to the field winding so that the switching means is conducted intermittently. Signal generating means generates a power generator state signal by measuring a state of the power generator at predetermined measurement periods. Signal averaging means performs an exponentially weighted averaging of the power generator state signal. The signal averaging means executes the averaging within a predetermined averaging period and updates the averaging at every predetermined measurement period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7405541
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for an automotive alternator which includes a switch, a target voltage setter, a voltage regulator, and a disconnection detector. The switch is configured to be selectively turned on and off so as to intermittently excite the alternator. The target voltage setter works to set a target voltage. The voltage regulator works to regulate an output voltage of the alternator to the target voltage through controlling on/off operation the switch. The disconnection detector works to detect disconnection between the alternator and an on-board battery to be charged by the alternator. The disconnection detector is configured to detect the disconnection, when the target voltage is changed from a lower value to a higher value, based on a time required for the voltage regulator to bring the output voltage of the alternator from the lower value to the higher value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takatoshi Inokuchi, Tomomi Tsuzuki, Tadatoshi Asada
  • Publication number: 20080106395
    Abstract: There is provided a generator control apparatus that includes a generating condition detector, an alarm issuing unit, and an alarm controller. The generating condition detector detects an operating condition of the generator for use in a vehicle. The alarm issuing unit is configured to issue alarm to a driver of the vehicle about an abnormal operating condition of the generator when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running under an abnormal condition, and to stop to issue alarm to the driver when the generating condition detector detects the evidence that the generator is running in a normal condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshikazu Kizawa, Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7368893
    Abstract: In a vehicle voltage control apparatus which regulates the output voltage of the vehicle electric generator and which receives an external control signal for lowering the regulated voltage value, from an external apparatus such as the engine ECU during engine starting, a circuit detects the occurrence of engine starting based upon the frequency of an AC voltage produced by the generator or upon the level of output voltage produced by the generator. The regulated voltage value is set to a substantially low level, predetermined for use during engine starting, only while the control signal is being received concurrent with engine starting also being detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7365520
    Abstract: The vehicle-generator output voltage control apparatus includes a voltage control circuit regulating an output voltage of a vehicle generator by controlling a field current flowing into a field winding of the vehicle generator by controlling a conduction state of a switching transistor series-connected to the field winding, a power-generation-state signal output circuit outputting a power-generation-state signal through a transmitting/receiving terminal by changing a voltage at the transmitting/receiving terminal in accordance with conduction state of the switching transistor, and a power generation stop circuit stopping power generating operation of the vehicle generator by causing the voltage control circuit to turn off the switching transistor upon detecting a change of the voltage at the transmitting/receiving terminal caused by a power generation stop signal transmitted from an external control device and received at the transmitting/receiving terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20070114976
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for an automotive alternator which includes a switch, a target voltage setter, a voltage regulator, and a disconnection detector. The switch is configured to be selectively turned on and off so as to intermittently excite the alternator. The target voltage setter works to set a target voltage. The voltage regulator works to regulate an output voltage of the alternator to the target voltage through controlling on/off operation the switch. The disconnection detector works to detect disconnection between the alternator and an on-board battery to be charged by the alternator. The disconnection detector is configured to detect the disconnection, when the target voltage is changed from a lower value to a higher value, based on a time required for the voltage regulator to bring the output voltage of the alternator from the lower value to the higher value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Inokuchi, Tomomi Tsuzuki, Tadatoshi Asada
  • Publication number: 20070096698
    Abstract: The vehicle-generator output voltage control apparatus includes a voltage control circuit regulating an output voltage of a vehicle generator by controlling a field current flowing into a field winding of the vehicle generator by controlling a conduction state of a switching transistor series-connected to the field winding, a power-generation-state signal output circuit outputting a power-generation-state signal through a transmitting/receiving terminal by changing a voltage at the transmitting/receiving terminal in accordance with conduction state of the switching transistor, and a power generation stop circuit stopping power generating operation of the vehicle generator by causing the voltage control circuit to turn off the switching transistor upon detecting a change of the voltage at the transmitting/receiving terminal caused by a power generation stop signal transmitted from an external control device and received at the transmitting/receiving terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20070057648
    Abstract: In a vehicle voltage control apparatus which regulates the output voltage of the vehicle electric generator and which receives an external control signal for lowering the regulated voltage value, from an external apparatus such as the engine ECU during engine starting, a circuit detects the occurrence of engine starting based upon the frequency of an AC voltage produced by the generator or upon the level of output voltage produced by the generator. The regulated voltage value is set to a substantially low level, predetermined for use during engine starting, only while the control signal is being received concurrent with engine starting also being detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomomi Tsuzuki