Patents by Inventor Yasushi Kusaka
Yasushi Kusaka 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: 11752998Abstract: A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle includes: an operation detection unit that detects an operation performed on the vehicle by a user; a power supply control unit that controls execution of power supply from a first battery involved in vehicle traveling to an auxiliary load powered by a second battery that is different from the first battery, with a start switch of the vehicle being off; and a prohibition control unit that prohibits the power supply to the auxiliary load by the power supply control unit, in response to the operation of the user detected by the operation detection unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru Ono, Yasushi Kusaka, Toshihiro Kawai, Shinichi Inoue
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Patent number: 11739680Abstract: A vehicle thermal energy control system that is able to achieve improved heat management in the entirety of a vehicle is provided. A thermal energy control system is provided in a vehicle and includes heat sources and a heat amount distributor configured to assign a demanded heat amount calculated from heat demands generated in the entirety of the vehicle, to each heat source on the basis of a suppliable heat amount of each heat source.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahito Yoshiura, Daisuke Kobayashi, Yoichiro Higuchi, Yasushi Kusaka
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Patent number: 11664541Abstract: A battery cell short circuit detection device includes: a control unit that controls operation of a direct current-direct current converter; a first acquisition unit that acquires a storage rate of the battery; a second acquisition unit that acquires a current flowing into the battery and a current flowing out of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is operating; a third acquisition unit that acquires a terminal voltage value that is a voltage that appears at a terminal of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is not operating; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of the short circuit between the battery cells based on an average storage rate indicating an average value of the storage rate of the battery, an average inflow current value indicating an average value of the current flowing into the battery, and the terminal voltage value.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro Kawai, Shinichi Inoue, Yasushi Kusaka, Toru Ono
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Patent number: 11584256Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle includes a processor. The vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, an auxiliary load powered by the second battery, and a DC-to-DC converter configured to supply electric power from the first battery to either the second battery or the auxiliary load, or to both of the second battery or the auxiliary load. The processor is configured to: determine the state of a start switch and the boarding state of the vehicle; acquire the voltage of the second battery; and when the processor determines that the vehicle is in a non-started on-board state, determine based on the voltage of the second battery an order in which the DC-to-DC converter and the auxiliary load are driven. The non-started on-board state is a state in which the start switch is off and a user is presumed to be in the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro Kawai, Shinichi Inoue, Toru Ono, Yasushi Kusaka
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Patent number: 11447021Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a DC-DC converter that supplies electric power from a first battery to a second battery and an auxiliary load includes an electronic control unit configured to control an operation of the converter, determine a state of a starter switch of the vehicle, detect a user operation to the vehicle, and acquire charging status information of the second battery. The electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit detects a first operation by the user and determines that the starter switch is off, drive the converter such that the converter charges the second battery, and, when an electric power amount charged in the second battery reaches a target amount of charge set based on an amount of electric power to be consumed by the auxiliary load while the starter switch is off, stop the converter.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2021Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro Kawai, Shinichi Inoue, Toru Ono, Yasushi Kusaka
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Publication number: 20220009357Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle including a DC-DC converter that supplies electric power from a first battery to a second battery and an auxiliary load includes an electronic control unit configured to control an operation of the converter, determine a state of a starter switch of the vehicle, detect a user operation to the vehicle, and acquire charging status information of the second battery. The electronic control unit is configured to, when the electronic control unit detects a first operation by the user and determines that the starter switch is off, drive the converter such that the converter charges the second battery, and, when an electric power amount charged in the second battery reaches a target amount of charge set based on an amount of electric power to be consumed by the auxiliary load while the starter switch is off, stop the converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro KAWAI, Shinichi INOUE, Toru ONO, Yasushi KUSAKA
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Publication number: 20220009376Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle includes a processor. The vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, an auxiliary load powered by the second battery, and a DC-to-DC converter configured to supply electric power from the first battery to either the second battery or the auxiliary load, or to both of the second battery or the auxiliary load. The processor is configured to: determine the state of a start switch and the boarding state of the vehicle; acquire the voltage of the second battery; and when the processor determines that the vehicle is in a non-started on-board state, determine based on the voltage of the second battery an order in which the DC-to-DC converter and the auxiliary load are driven. The non-started on-board state is a state in which the start switch is off and a user is presumed to be in the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro KAWAI, Shinichi INOUE, Toru ONO, Yasushi KUSAKA
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Publication number: 20210402979Abstract: A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle includes: an operation detection unit that detects an operation performed on the vehicle by a user; a power supply control unit that controls execution of power supply from a first battery involved in vehicle traveling to an auxiliary load powered by a second battery that is different from the first battery, with a start switch of the vehicle being off; and a prohibition control unit that prohibits the power supply to the auxiliary load by the power supply control unit, in response to the operation of the user detected by the operation detection unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toru ONO, Yasushi KUSAKA, Toshihiro KAWAI, Shinichi INOUE
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Publication number: 20210376397Abstract: A battery cell short circuit detection device includes: a control unit that controls operation of a direct current-direct current converter; a first acquisition unit that acquires a storage rate of the battery; a second acquisition unit that acquires a current flowing into the battery and a current flowing out of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is operating; a third acquisition unit that acquires a terminal voltage value that is a voltage that appears at a terminal of the battery when the direct current-direct current converter is not operating; and a determination unit that determines presence or absence of the short circuit between the battery cells based on an average storage rate indicating an average value of the storage rate of the battery, an average inflow current value indicating an average value of the current flowing into the battery, and the terminal voltage value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro KAWAI, Shinichi INOUE, Yasushi KUSAKA, Toru ONO
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Publication number: 20210370789Abstract: A battery state determination device that determines a state of a connection terminal of a battery includes: a current detection unit configured to detect a value of current flowing into or a value of current flowing out of the battery, and a determination unit configured to determine that the connection terminal of the battery is disconnected based on the current value detected by the current detection unit during charging of the battery without using voltage values of the battery.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Toshihiro KAWAI, Shinichi INOUE, Yasushi KUSAKA, Toru ONO
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Publication number: 20210207519Abstract: A vehicle thermal energy control system that is able to achieve improved heat management in the entirety of a vehicle is provided. A thermal energy control system is provided in a vehicle and includes heat sources and a heat amount distributor configured to assign a demanded heat amount calculated from heat demands generated in the entirety of the vehicle, to each heat source on the basis of a suppliable heat amount of each heat source.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2021Publication date: July 8, 2021Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahito YOSHIURA, Daisuke KOBAYASHI, Yoichiro HIGUCHI, Yasushi KUSAKA
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Patent number: 10982583Abstract: A vehicle thermal energy control system that is able to achieve improved heat management in the entirety of a vehicle is provided. A thermal energy control system is provided in a vehicle and includes heat sources and a heat amount distributor configured to assign a demanded heat amount calculated from heat demands generated in the entirety of the vehicle, to each heat source on the basis of a suppliable heat amount of each heat source.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2019Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahito Yoshiura, Daisuke Kobayashi, Yoichiro Higuchi, Yasushi Kusaka
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Publication number: 20190242290Abstract: A vehicle thermal energy control system that is able to achieve improved heat management in the entirety of a vehicle is provided. A thermal energy control system is provided in a vehicle and includes heat sources and a heat amount distributor configured to assign a demanded heat amount calculated from heat demands generated in the entirety of the vehicle, to each heat source on the basis of a suppliable heat amount of each heat source.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2019Publication date: August 8, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahito YOSHIURA, Daisuke KOBAYASHI, Yoichiro HIGUCHI, Yasushi KUSAKA
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Patent number: 8379126Abstract: When the brightness of a subject detected by a detecting device 4 is higher than a predetermined value, for example 700 [cd/m2], a switching judgment circuit 5 judges that an area sensor (solid-state image-sensing device) 3 should perform logarithmic conversion. In response to this judgment by the switching judgment circuit 5, a switching signal generating circuit 6 outputs a switching signal to instruct the area sensor 3 to perform logarithmic conversion. When the brightness of the subject detected by the detecting device 4 is lower than the predetermined value, for example 700 [cd/m2], a switching judgment circuit 5 judges that the area sensor 3 should perform linear conversion. In response to this judgment by the switching judgment circuit 5, the switching signal generating circuit 6 outputs a switching signal to instruct the area sensor 3 to perform linear conversion.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2004Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.Inventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Tomokazu Kakumoto, So Yano, Katsuhiko Asai, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 8307926Abstract: There is provided a hybrid vehicle capable of attaining excellent acceleration response and reducing pumping loss. When an engine combustion stop demand is issued, the engine is associatively rotated by carrying out a fuel cut-off operation and controlling the speed of a generator to control the engine in such a way that the speed of the engine becomes a predetermined speed NE1. During the associative rotation, intake and exhaust valves are held at their fully closed positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2006Date of Patent: November 13, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Kimitoshi Tsuji, Shuichi Ezaki
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Patent number: 8135507Abstract: A driver condition estimation apparatus 5 estimates condition of a driver. The driver condition estimation apparatus 5 includes a driver condition estimating unit 50a for estimating the condition of the driver before the driver starts driving; and a control variable changing unit 50b for changing control variables of in-vehicle devices based on the condition of the driver estimated by the driver condition estimating unit 50a.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuyuki Okabe, Naoki Taki, Akira Nagae, Yasushi Kusaka, Shinya Furuta, Takahiro Matsunaga, Hiroaki Seguchi
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Publication number: 20100030434Abstract: A driver condition estimation apparatus 5 estimates condition of a driver. The driver condition estimation apparatus 5 includes a driver condition estimating unit 50a for estimating the condition of the driver before the driver starts driving; and a control variable changing unit 50b for changing control variables of in-vehicle devices based on the condition of the driver estimated by the driver condition estimating unit 50a.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: February 4, 2010Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuyuki Okabe, Naoki Taki, Akira Nagae, Yasushi Kusaka, Shinya Furuta, Takahiro Matsunaga, Hiroaki Seguchi
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Patent number: 7568457Abstract: A valve driving device (10), that converts rotational motion outputted from a valve-driving source to linear motion through cam mechanisms (13) provided to respective cylinders (2) and drives valves (3) in respective cylinders through the linear motion, the valve driving device is equipped with electric motors (11, 12) that are shared as the valve-driving source in a group of cylinders comprising a plurality of cylinders in which open-valve periods of the valves do not overlap; and motion-transmission mechanisms (14, 15) that transmit rotational motion of the electric motors (11, 12) to cams (16) in respective cam mechanisms (13) in the group of cylinders.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2005Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Shuichi Ezaki, Toshiaki Asada, Kimitoshi Tsuji
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Patent number: 7568456Abstract: There is provided a valve gear of an internal combustion engine converting a rotational motion of a motor into a linear motion by a cam, and driving an intake valve or an exhaust valve of a cylinder so as to be opened and closed based on the linear motion, a motor control apparatus which can actuate the motor in a rocking chive mode in which a rotating direction of the cam is changed during a lift of the valve. The motor control apparatus controls a motion of the motor such that the cam starts rotating before the valve starts lifting in the rocking drive mode.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2004Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasushi Kusaka, Toshiaki Asada, Shuichi Ezaki, Kimitoshi Tsuji
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Patent number: 7559304Abstract: The present invention has an object of providing a technology capable of stopping and starting an internal combustion engine more preferably by restraining vibrations when the internal combustion engine stops and a scatter in crank angle when the internal combustion engine stops. For a period till an actual stop of the internal combustion engine since a stopping condition of the internal combustion engine was established, an air quantity of air flowing into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is decreased when a number of revolutions of the engine is higher than a specified number of revolutions (S102) and is increased when the number of revolutions of the engine is equal to or lower than the specified number of revolutions (S106).Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.Inventors: Kenji Kataoka, Kimitoshi Tsuji, Yasushi Kusaka, Toyoaki Kurita, Masaki Takeyama