Patents by Inventor Tsuneo Maebara
Tsuneo Maebara 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: 11171638Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided which includes switching elements, resonance suppression resistors which have first ends connected to control terminals of the switching elements and second ends having a common connection, an on-drive circuit which has an on-drive resistor and is connected to a drive power circuit, and which is supplied with voltage from the drive power circuit and applies electric charge to the control terminals of the switching elements via the on-drive resistor to turn on the switching elements, and an off-drive circuit which has an off-drive resistor and releases electric charge from the control terminals of the switching elements via the off-drive resistor to turn off the switching elements. A resistance of the off-drive resistor is set to be smaller than a resistance of the resonance suppression resistors. The off-drive circuit releases electric charge from the control terminals of the switching elements not via the resonance suppression resistors.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2014Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Sho Yamada, Yosuke Watanabe, Junichi Fukuta, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 10393816Abstract: A voltage-detecting device applied to a battery pack includes a serially connected body of plural battery cells. Serially connected bodies of at least two of the battery cells of the battery pack form detection blocks; each of the respective battery cells of a detection block, or a serially connected body of a number of battery cells in a detection block that is less than the number of the battery cells of the detection block is taken to be a battery for which voltage is to be detected. Monitoring units includes a main voltage-detecting unit for detecting terminal voltage of each of the batteries; a positive-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the positive-electrode side of a detection block; a negative-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the negative-electrode side thereof; and sub voltage-detecting units for detecting terminal voltage of the detection blocks as the state of the battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: August 27, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi Inamoto, Tsuneo Maebara, Ryotaro Miura
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Patent number: 10054642Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus capable of reducing power consumption. At least one monitoring integrated circuit (IC) is electrically connected to a high-voltage battery formed of a plurality of cells and configured to monitor the high-voltage battery in a plurality of modes of operation. A low-voltage power supply circuit can deliver power of a lower voltage than the power of the high-voltage battery to the at least one monitoring IC. A power supply to the at least one monitoring IC is selected from a group of the high-voltage battery and the low-voltage power supply circuit depending on the mode of operation the at least one monitoring IC.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Shunichi Mizobe, Tsuneo Maebara, Ryotaro Miura, Masaya Itou
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Publication number: 20180088178Abstract: A voltage-detecting device applied to a battery pack includes a serially connected body of plural battery cells. Serially connected bodies of at least two of the battery cells of the battery pack form detection blocks; each of the respective battery cells of a detection block, or a serially connected body of a number of battery cells in a detection block that is less than the number of the battery cells of the detection block is taken to be a battery for which voltage is to be detected. Monitoring units includes a main voltage-detecting unit for detecting terminal voltage of each of the batteries; a positive-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the positive-electrode side of a detection block; a negative-electrode-side input unit electrically connected to the negative-electrode side thereof; and sub voltage-detecting units for detecting terminal voltage of the detection blocks as the state of the battery pack.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2017Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takashi INAMOTO, Tsuneo MAEBARA, Ryotaro MIURA
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Patent number: 9735767Abstract: An electronic control apparatus includes a switching element; an ON-drive constant-current circuit supplying a constant current to the control terminal of the switching element thereby charging the control terminal of the switching element; an OFF-drive switching element discharging electrical charge from the control terminal of the switching element by being turned ON; and a control circuit adapted to control the ON-drive constant-current circuit and the OFF-drive switching element in response to a drive signal being inputted, thereby controlling the voltage of the control terminal of the switching element so as to drive the switching element. The control circuit controls the current control transistor based on the voltage of the current detection resistor and supplies the constant current to the control terminal of the switching element, and detects an abnormality in the ON-drive constant-current circuit based on the voltage of the current detection resistor.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2012Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Shunichi Mizobe, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9729042Abstract: In a power supply apparatus, an upper-arm control unit includes a first switching element connected between a DC power source and a primary side of each upper-arm transformer. The upper-arm control unit controls on and off operations of a first voltage-controlled switching element to control supply of an output voltage of the DC power source to the primary side of each upper-arm transformer. A lower-arm control unit includes a second voltage-controlled switching element connected between the DC power source and a primary side of the at least one lower-arm transformer. The lower-arm control unit controls on and off operations of a second switching element to control supply of the output voltage to the primary side of the at least one lower-arm transformers. Each upper-arm transformer is arranged adjacent to the upper-arm control unit, and the at least one lower-arm transformer is arranged adjacent to the lower-arm control unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Shun Miyauchi, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9724999Abstract: Upper arm connection sections and lower arm connection sections are provided in parallel. An upper arm transformer and a power supply are provided in an area opposed to the lower arm connection sections with respect to the upper arm connection sections. A power supply control section is provided in at least one of an area opposed to the upper arm connection sections with respect to the upper arm transformer, and an area which is sandwiched between at least one of the upper and lower connection sections closest to one side of the substrate positioned in a direction in which the upper arm connection sections are arranged, and the one side. The lower arm transformer is provided in an area opposed to the upper arm connection sections with respect to the lower arm connection sections. The lower arm transformer is common to at least two of the lower arm switching elements.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Syun Miyauchi, Tsuneo Maebara, Yusuke Shindo, Junichi Fukuta
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Patent number: 9712038Abstract: An insulated power supply apparatus includes an upper arm transformer which has a primary side coil and a secondary side coil, a lower arm transformer which has a primary side coil and a secondary side coil, and a power supply control section which has a voltage control switching element and an integrated circuit which turns on or off the voltage control switching element. At least one of the upper arm transformer and the lower arm transformer is adjacent to the power supply control section when viewing a surface of the substrate from a front thereof. An electric path transfers output voltage of the secondary side coil of the transformer adjacent to the power supply control section, to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit turns on or off the voltage control switching element to perform feedback control so that the output voltage detected via the electric path reaches a target voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Syun Miyauchi, Tsuneo Maebara, Yusuke Shindo, Junichi Fukuta
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Patent number: 9712037Abstract: An insulated power supply apparatus is for a power conversion circuit including at least one series connection of an upper arm switching element and a lower arm switching element connected in series to each other. The insulated power supply apparatus includes an upper arm and lower arm transformers for supplying a driving voltage to the upper arm and lower arm switching elements, respectively, and performs control such that the output voltage of a specific one of the secondary coils of the upper arm and lower arm transformers is kept at a target voltage.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Syun Miyauchi, Tsuneo Maebara, Yousuke Asako
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Patent number: 9647301Abstract: A battery monitoring apparatus monitors a battery pack configured by a plurality of battery cells. The battery monitoring apparatus includes a main monitoring unit, a sub monitoring unit and a control unit. The main monitoring unit monitors a plurality of physical quantities indicating a battery state of the battery pack. The sub monitoring unit monitors a part of the physical quantities separately from the main monitoring unit. The control unit detects malfunction of the battery pack on the basis of at least one of a monitoring result of the main monitoring unit and a monitoring result of the sub monitoring unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2013Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Shunichi Mizobe, Tsuneo Maebara, Masaya Itou
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Patent number: 9601984Abstract: A power converter includes a backup power source Eb provided separately from a power source Es and designed to supply power during a discharge period, and a discharging driver Mb that turns on/off an upper-arm (one) switching element in series-connected switching elements Qu and Qd based on a drive signal that has at least one of a voltage and a frequency, and drives a lower-arm (the other) switching element Qd such that it is always on, the at least one of the voltage and the frequency of the drive signal being within a predetermined range lower than a drive signal outputted from a normal driver Mu, Md.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2011Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshiyuki Hamanaka, Tsuneo Maebara, Koichi Sakata
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Patent number: 9543749Abstract: In a driver, a clamping module executes a clamping task that clamps an on-off control terminal voltage to be equal to or lower than a clamp voltage for a predetermined time during charging of the on-off control terminal of the switching element. The clamp voltage is lower than an upper limit of the voltage at the on-off control terminal of the switching element. A measuring module measures a parameter value correlated with a sense current correlated with a current flowing between input and output terminals of the switching element. A limiting module discharges the on-off control terminal to limit flow of the current between the input and output terminals if the value of the parameter exceeds a threshold. A setting module variably sets a length of the predetermined time as a function of the parameter value during charging of the switching element's on-off control terminal.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2013Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takeyasu Komatsu, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9461638Abstract: A drive unit includes a charging unit which charges an opening/closing control terminal of a switching element to switch a drive state. The switching element includes a sensing terminal which outputs a minute current having a correlation with current flowing between input and output terminals of the switching element. The sensing terminal and either of the output terminal or a member having a potential equal to that of the output terminal are connected via a sensing resistor. The drive unit further includes an active gate control unit which changes a charge rate based on comparison of sensing voltage, which is a potential difference across the sensing resistor, or a rate of change of the sensing voltage with a specified value. The specified value is set based on individual-difference information of the switching element which indicates a characteristic, which affects the sensing voltage, when the drive state is switched.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2013Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Syun Miyauchi, Junichi Fukuta, Tomoyuki Muraho, Takeyasu Komatsu, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9461464Abstract: The present application provides a drive unit for a switching element, the driving unit having a function that is capable of promptly detecting the flow of excess current. The unit is usable for an electrical rotating machine. A drive unit for a switching element, comprising: a sense terminal output current detecting means for detecting an output current of a sense terminal that outputs a minute current having correlation with a current flowing between an input terminal and an output terminal of a switching element; a switching element drive control means for restricting the driving of the switching element when the output current detected by the sense terminal output current detecting means exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and a threshold changing means for changing the threshold value on the basis of a difference of electric potential between the input terminal and the output terminal of the switching element.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yousuke Asako, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9461457Abstract: In a driver having a reference point with a reference potential for driving a target switching element having an on-off control terminal, a charging path electrically connects the on-off control terminal of the target switching element and a driving power source for charging the on-off control terminal of the target switching element. A bypass path electrically connects the on-off control terminal of the target switching element and the driving power source. A storage has a first conductive end electrically connected to the bypass path and a second conductive end electrically connected to the reference point of the target switching element, and is configured for storing therein charge sent through the bypass path.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Junichi Fukuta, Yoshiyuki Hamanaka, Masatoshi Taguchi, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9419604Abstract: In a driving system for driving a switching element, a controller controls the switching element. A temperature measuring module measures a temperature of the switching element, and output a first signal representing the measured temperature of the switching element as first information. A state determining module determines whether the switching element is in a specified temperature state based on the first signal, and outputs a second signal representing a result of the determination as second information. A communication medium communicably connects between the controller and the state determining module, and the second signal output from the state determining module being transferred to the controller via the communication medium. The controller determines how to drive the switching element based on the second information in the second signal transferred thereto via the communication medium.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2013Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Junichi Fukuta, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9419508Abstract: A driving apparatus for driving switching elements of a power conversion circuit. In the apparatus, a first determination unit determines whether or not a dead time that occurs immediately after a setting of discharge rate is changed is greater than the dead time assumed at the time of designing. When the dead time occurring immediately after the setting of discharge rate is changed is greater than the dead time assumed at the time of designing, a shift unit shifts in time at least one of transition to an OFF state of one of the upper-arm and lower-arm switching elements and transition to an ON state of the other of the upper-arm and lower-arm switching elements immediately after the transition to the OFF state so as to reduce a time difference between the transition to the OFF state and the transition to the ON state.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9401671Abstract: In a three phase inverter device, a smoothing capacitor, a bus bar at a positive electrode side and a bus bar at a negative electrode side are formed on a first surface of the circuit substrate. Electronic components containing a microcomputer, etc., a differential wiring pattern, a single wiring pattern and a current wiring pattern are formed on a second surface of the circuit substrate. A ground pattern is formed in the inside of the circuit substrate in order to separate the electronic components, the differential wiring pattern, the single wiring pattern and the current wiring pattern from the smoothing capacitor, the bus bar at the positive electrode side and the bus bar at the negative electrode side.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2014Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Jyunji Miyachi, Tsuneo Maebara, Yousuke Asako
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Patent number: 9263878Abstract: A circuit protector includes a plurality of detection lines that connect between a battery pack and a monitoring circuit, an overvoltage protection element connected between the detection lines that keeps the voltage applied to the monitoring circuit at a fixed voltage, and a circuit protection element disposed in each detection line that disconnects an electrical link between the monitoring circuit and the battery pack when a current beyond a predetermined current value flows into the detection line. When the excess voltage occurs in the battery pack, the overvoltage protection element maintains between each detection line in a short circuit state, and the circuit protection element disconnects the electrical link between the battery pack and the monitoring circuit by a short-circuit current that flows between the detection lines via the overvoltage protection element.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2013Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Masaya Itou, Tsuneo Maebara
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Patent number: 9250138Abstract: A temperature detecting device for a power conversion device is provided in which the number of components can be reduced. An exemplary embodiment of the temperature detecting device includes: a plurality of temperature detecting elements that are provided in correspondence with a plurality of temperature detection objects, each temperature detecting element outputting a signal having a correlation with the temperature of the temperature detection object by being supplied power by a common power source; and a temperature detector that detects the temperatures of the temperature detection objects based on the signals having correlation with the temperatures of the temperature detection objects outputted from the temperature detecting elements. The temperature detector detects an average temperature of at least two temperature detection objects among the plurality of temperature detection objects or respective temperatures of the plurality of temperature detection objects based on the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Tsuneo Maebara, Junichi Fukuta