Patents by Inventor Toshimitsu Sakai

Toshimitsu Sakai 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: 20190291775
    Abstract: An ECU, which is a signal control apparatus, has a plurality of control units, which control one same motor. Steering angle calculation units acquire sensor signals from the angle sensors provided corresponding to the steering angle calculation units, respectively, and calculate the steering angles in correspondence to the sensor signals. The angle FB units perform the angle FB control based on the angle differences, which are between the target angle and the steering angle and between the target angle and the steering angle, respectively. In the angular FB unit of at least one of the control units, the angular feedback control is performed using the angle difference, which is subjected to the correction processing to reduce the error between the detection angle of the own system and the detection angle of the other system calculated by the steering angle calculation unit of the other control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya TAKI, Toshihiro FUJITA, Shuji KURAMITSU, Koichi NAKAMURA, Toshimitsu SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20190283800
    Abstract: An ECU includes a plurality of motor driving circuits for driving at least one motor, a plurality of computers and a plurality of clock circuits. A first computer, which is at a synchronization signal transmission-side, transmits a synchronization signal to a second computer, which is at a synchronization signal reception-side. The first computer and the second computer execute a plurality of specific periodic processes, which are processes executed at cycle periods (for example, 200 ?s, 400 ?s) of different natural number multiples of a cycle period (for example, 200 ?s) of the synchronization signal and need be synchronized. Each timing of the plurality of specific periodic processes is determined based on one synchronization signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya TAKI, Koichi NAKAMURA, Toshimitsu SAKAI, Nobuyori NAKAJIMA
  • Patent number: 10399596
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a plurality of sensor elements and an output circuit in one sensor part, and a correction value calculator in an ECU, which obtains output signals from the sensor part and calculates an offset correction value based on a plurality of signal values that correspond to a detection value when a calculability condition is satisfied. The ECU also includes a control calculator that performs a calculation based on the corrected signal values that have been corrected by the offset correction value. Therefore, the offset correction value is calculated in view of an aging and an accuracy variation of the components used in the sensor device. In such manner, the detection value is appropriately corrected for the calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichi Nakamura, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuji Kuramitsu, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Publication number: 20190260324
    Abstract: A rotary electric device control device controls driving of a rotary electric device including a plurality of winding sets. The rotary electric device control device includes: a plurality of drive circuits; and a plurality of control units. The control units include signal output units for outputting control signals to the drive circuits corresponding to the control units, respectively, and communicate with each other. The control units include: one master control unit; and at least one slave control unit. An electric power steering device includes: a rotary electric device control device; the rotary electric device that outputs an assist torque for assisting a steering operation of a steering wheel by a driver; and a power transmission unit that transmits a driving force of the rotary electric device to a drive target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Shuji KURAMITSU, Koichi NAKAMURA, Atsuko OKA, Masaya TAKI, Hideki KABUNE, Yuki WATANABE, Toshimitsu SAKAI, Yosuke OGI
  • Patent number: 10384712
    Abstract: If abnormalities of the sensor part are detected, the power-source control section temporarily stops the electric power supply from the sensor power source to the sensor part so that the sensor power source voltage Vs which is the voltage between the sensor power source and the sensor part falls. In addition, after electric power supply to the sensor part resumes, and the sensor part is recovered from the abnormalities, then, the power source control section continues the electric power supply from the sensor power source to the sensor part. When the sensor part is not recovered from the abnormalities, the power source control section stops the electric power supply from the sensor power source to the sensor part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuji Kuramitsu, Kouichi Nakamura, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Patent number: 10351166
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a first sensor section and a second sensor section, and the first sensor section has sensor elements and an output circuit for generating and transmitting an output signal including signals that respectively correspond to sensing values from the two sensor elements, and the second sensor section has sensor elements and an output circuit for generating and transmitting an output signal including signals that respectively correspond to sensing values from the two sensor elements. The sensor device further includes an ECU that has an abnormality determiner for determining abnormality of the sensor sections, and a calculator, thereby enabling a continuation of abnormality monitoring of a normal sensor section, even when a part of the sensor sections is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi Nakamura, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuji Kuramitsu, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Patent number: 10343714
    Abstract: A sensor device includes sensors and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The sensors include sensor elements, a signal comparator, and a signal transmitter. The signal comparator compares a first main detection value from one of the sensor elements, and a first sub detection value from the other of the sensor elements. When the first main detection value matches the first sub detection value, the signal transmitter generates and transmits an output signal that includes a first main signal corresponding to the first main detection value without including a first sub signal corresponding to the first sub detection value. In such manner, the responsiveness of the sensor device may be improved, without deteriorating a reliability of the output signals from the sensor sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koutarou Nakashima, Shuji Kuramitsu, Kouichi Nakamura, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai, Takaharu Kozawa, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10328972
    Abstract: In a rotation detecting apparatus, a sensor includes a sensor element outputting a measurement value representing rotation of a detection target, and a circuit module. The circuit module includes a rotational angle calculator calculating, based on the measurement value, rotational angle information indicative of a rotational angle of the detection target. The rotational angle calculator generates a rotational angle signal including the rotational angle information. The circuit module includes a rotation number calculator calculating, based on the measurement value, rotation number information representing the number of rotations of the detection target. The rotation number calculator generates a rotation number signal including the rotation number information. An output unit outputs, as an output signal, a series of the rotational angle signal and the rotation number signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Hideki Kabune, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuhei Miyachi, Koichi Nakamura, Yuki Watanabe, Atsuko Oka, Shuji Kuramitsu, Toshimitsu Sakai, Masaya Taki
  • Patent number: 10300944
    Abstract: A sensor device including a first output circuit generating and outputting a first output signal that is generated as a signal sequence from a first main signal based on a detection value of a first main sensor element to a first sub signal based on a detection value of a first sub sensor element, a second output circuit generating and outputting a second output signal that is generated as a signal sequence from a second main signal based on a detection value of a second main sensor element to a second sub signal based on a detection value of a second sub sensor element, and an abnormality determiner determining abnormality of the device based on the first output signal and the second output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaharu Kozawa, Shuji Kuramitsu, Koichi Nakamura, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Publication number: 20190152524
    Abstract: In a rotation detecting apparatus, each of first and second sensor elements measures rotation of a detection target. A circuit module includes first and second rotational angle calculators each calculating, based on a corresponding one of a first measurement value of the first sensor element and a second measurement value of the second sensor element, a rotational angle of the detection target. The circuit module includes first and second rotation number calculators each calculating, based on the corresponding one of the first measurement value and the second measurement value, a rotation number of the detection target. The circuit module includes first and second communicators each outputting, to a controller, a rotational angle signal based on the rotational angle and a rotation number signal based on the rotation number. A package packages the first and second sensor elements, and is mounted to a circuit board separately from the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Toshihiro FUJITA, Katsuhiko HAYASHI, Takaharu KOZAWA, Shuhei MIYACHI, Koichi NAKAMURA, Yuki WATANABE, Atsuko OKA, Shuji KURAMITSU, Toshimitsu SAKAI, Masaya TAKI
  • Publication number: 20190144029
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes: multiple motor drive circuits that drive at least one motor; and multiple microcomputers that are operated by a microcomputer power source and include a drive signal generator that generates a motor drive signal. The microcomputers include at least one microcomputer including a stop determiner that determines that operation of an own microcomputer is about to be stopped and transmits information as a stop determination signal. A microcomputer having received the stop determination signal from at least one different microcomputer actually stops operation of an own microcomputer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya TAKI, Toshimitsu SAKAI, Koichi NAKAMURA, Shuji KURAMITSU
  • Publication number: 20190144028
    Abstract: A synchronization signal generating portion of a transmitter microcomputer generates a synchronization signal that is synchronized with a drive timing of the own microcomputer and also causes to synchronize the drive timing of microcomputers, and transmits to a receiver microcomputer. A timing corrector of the receiver microcomputer is capable of correcting the drive timing of the own microcomputer so as to synchronize with the received synchronization signal, and includes a timing determiner which determines whether the received synchronization signal is normal or abnormal. The receiver microcomputer permits the timing correction if the synchronization signal is determined to be normal in the timing determination, and prohibits timing correction and drives the motor asynchronously with the transmitter microcomputer if the synchronization signal is determined to be abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Masaya TAKI, Shuji KURAMITSU, Koichi NAKAMURA, Toshimitsu SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20190144030
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus include: multiple motor drive circuits that drives at least one motor; multiple microcomputers that include a drive signal generator, and a drive timing generator; and multiple clock generation circuits. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that transmits a synchronization signal synchronized with the drive timing of an own microcomputer and synchronizing the drive timing of the microcomputers. The microcomputers include a synchronization signal receiver microcomputer as at least one microcomputer that receives the synchronization signal transmitted from the synchronization signal transmitter microcomputer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Toshimitsu SAKAI, Masaya TAKI, Shuji KURAMITSU, Koichi NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20190096702
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber in which a substrate is processed in a depressurized atmosphere and a transfer chamber connected to the processing chamber through a gate. A first gas supply unit is configured to supply an inert gas into the transfer chamber. A second gas supply unit is configured to supply an inert gas to the gate. A gas exhaust unit is configured to exhaust an atmosphere in the transfer chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Toshimitsu SAKAI, Sakae YAMASHITA, Keiichi NAGAKUBO, Yoshiaki SASAKI
  • Patent number: 10232879
    Abstract: A communication system includes a sensor apparatus, which includes sensing elements and a transmission circuit, and a microcomputer, which includes a reception circuit, a difference calculator, and a differential calculator. The transmission circuit shifts a transmission time point of one of sensor signals including sensor value detected by one of the sensing elements by a predetermined period with respect to a transmission time point of another one of sensor signals including sensor value detected by another one of the sensing elements. The predetermined period is set shorter than a transmission cycle of the transmission circuit. The difference calculator calculates a difference value so that an offset error among the sensing elements is compensated or a fluctuation caused by a variation in slopes of output characteristics of the sensing elements is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai, Kouichi Nakamura, Shuji Kuramitsu, Takaharu Kozawa, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10173720
    Abstract: A sensor device includes two sensor parts and an ECU. An output division of one of the two sensor parts stops output of an output signal when a detected internal abnormality is a first abnormality. Further, when the detected internal abnormality is a second abnormality that is different from the first abnormality, the output division controls an abnormality signal to take a value indicative of the second abnormality. An abnormality determiner determines either of a signal obtainment abnormality or the first abnormality of the sensor part when the output signal is not obtained from the one of the sensor parts, or determines the second abnormality of the one of the sensor parts when the obtained output signal includes the abnormality signal having a value indicative of the second abnormality. Such determination, thus, enables the abnormality determiner to classify an abnormality caused in the sensor parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaharu Kozawa, Shuji Kuramitsu, Kouichi Nakamura, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10077069
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a main sensor, a sub sensor, and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The ECU has a torque calculator that sets, as a steering torque, a main steering torque that is calculated based on a main sensor signal when a main output signal is normal. During a transition period between an abnormality detection and an abnormality establishment regarding the main output signal, the torque calculator calculates the steering torque based on (i) a sub steering torque calculated based on a sub sensor signal and (ii) a prior-to-abnormality-detection main steering torque. In such manner, even when abnormality is detected in a part of the sensor signals, a fluctuation of the steering torque due to, or accompanying, the switching of the steering torque calculation to a normal signal only calculation is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Kuramitsu, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Kouichi Nakamura, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Publication number: 20180229761
    Abstract: In a rotation detecting apparatus, while a switch is in an on state so that electrical power is supplied from a power source to a controller via the switch, the controller receives, as a first output signal, an output signal output from an output unit of a first rotation sensor, and receives, as a second output signal, an output signal output from an output unit of the second rotation sensor. The first output signal includes at least the first rotational information and the second rotational information based on the first rotation sensor, and the second output signal includes at least the first rotational information and the second rotational information based on the second rotation sensor. The controller determines whether there is a malfunction in each of the first and second rotation sensors as a function of the first output signal and the second output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuhei Miyachi, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Shuji Kuramitsu, Koichi Nakamura, Yuki Watanabe, Atsuko Oka, Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Patent number: 9878736
    Abstract: A communication system includes at least one sensor apparatus including at least one sensing element and a transmission circuit, and a microcomputer including a reception circuit and a differential calculator. The sensing element detects a sensor value indicating a physical quantity of a detection target, and the transmission circuit transmits, as a digital signal, a sensor signal including information indicative of the sensor value at a predetermined transmission cycle. The reception circuit receives the sensor signal through a signal line and updates last time sensor value with present time sensor value. The differential calculator calculates, at a predetermined calculation cycle, a time differential value by performing a time differential calculation to the updated using time information provided separate from the sensor value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Taki, Toshimitsu Sakai, Shuji Kuramitsu, Kouichi Nakamura, Takaharu Kozawa, Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20170291640
    Abstract: In a rotation detecting apparatus, a sensor includes a sensor element outputting a measurement value representing rotation of a detection target, and a circuit module. The circuit module includes a rotational angle calculator calculating, based on the measurement value, rotational angle information indicative of a rotational angle of the detection target. The rotational angle calculator generates a rotational angle signal including the rotational angle information. The circuit module includes a rotation number calculator calculating, based on the measurement value, rotation number information representing the number of rotations of the detection target. The rotation number calculator generates a rotation number signal including the rotation number information. An output unit outputs, as an output signal, a series of the rotational angle signal and the rotation number signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Hideki Kabune, Katsuhiko Hayashi, Takaharu Kozawa, Shuhei Miyachi, Koichi Nakamura, Yuki Watanabe, Atsuko Oka, Shuji Kuramitsu, Toshimitsu Sakai, Masaya Taki