Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Tsuchiya

Yoshiaki Tsuchiya 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: 20230118507
    Abstract: A steering system includes a controller configured to: execute a normal control to control a front-wheel steering device or a rear-wheel steering device based on a target steering angle when a steering-related frequency is determined to fall outside a resonance frequency band; and execute a limiting control when the steering-related frequency is determined to fall within the resonance frequency band. In the limiting control, the controller controls the front-wheel or rear-wheel steering device such that (i) an actual steering angle is constant at a predetermined value, (ii) an absolute value of the actual steering angle gradually decreases from a specific value, (iii) a frequency of the actual steering angle falls outside the resonance frequency band, or (iv) the absolute value of the actual steering angle is less than an absolute value of the latest value of a target extreme value that is an extreme value of the target steering angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya MORINO, Yuto OWAKI, Yoshiaki TSUCHIYA
  • Patent number: 9884642
    Abstract: In order to provide a steering device capable of inhibiting generation of abnormal sound without a complicated structure, the steering device is provided with a wheel gear connected to an output shaft which transmits an output to a turning wheel and a worm gear engaging with the wheel gear and capable of transmitting power generated by a motor to the wheel gear, and a rotational speed of the motor is made lower than that during normal operation, at the time driving of the stopped motor is started or at the time a rotational direction of the worm gear is reversed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toru Takashima, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Theerawat Limpibunterng
  • Patent number: 9598075
    Abstract: A vehicle-behavior control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a collision determining unit that determines whether a vehicle collides with an obstacle when the vehicle is decelerated while going straight based on at least a detection result of the obstacle in front of the vehicle and a detection result of a running state of the vehicle in a condition in which wheels are being braked, and a vehicle-behavior control unit that performs at least one of the control of steering rear wheels and the control of giving a difference in braking conditions between the left and right wheels such that the vehicle is decelerated while detouring around the obstacle without steering front wheels when it is determined to collide with the obstacle by the collision determining unit, as one example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi Makino, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 9327764
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus that controls a vehicle provided with a steering force applying device capable of applying steering force to induce a change in a steering angle of a steered wheel to the steered wheel, includes a difference detecting device that detects a positional difference that determines a relative positional relationship between a target running path to be maintained and the vehicle; a determining device that determines a control amount of the steering force applying device based on the detected positional difference; a controller that maintains a running path of the vehicle on the target running path by controlling the steering force applying device according to the determined control amount; a steering input detecting device that detects a steering input to a steering input device by a driver; and a correcting device that corrects a determining reference of the control amount of the steering force applying device such that, when a steering input is detected while the running path is mainta
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Theerawat Limpibunterng, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Hirofumi Nitta, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 9321480
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus (100) in a vehicle (10), which is provided with: a steering system including at least a rudder angle varying device (400, 700) capable of changing a relation between a steering angle, which is a rotation angle of a steering wheel (12), and a rudder angle of steered wheels and a steering torque assisting device (500) capable of assisting a driver steering torque; and a power supply source (800) for supplying electric power to the steering system, is provided with: a limiting device for limiting electric current consumption of the steering torque assisting device if a consumption current value of the steering system is greater than a maximum allowable current value in a case where supply capacity of supplying an electric current in the power supply source is reduced with respect to a reference; and a controlling device for matching a neutral position of the steering wheel with a neutral position of the steered wheels in a situation in which the electric current consumption o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Suzuki, Theerawat Limpibunterng, Toru Takashima, Takahiro Kojo, Taro Hirose, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Masahiro Miyata, Susumu Fujii
  • Publication number: 20160023655
    Abstract: A vehicle-behavior control apparatus according to an embodiment includes a collision determining unit that determines whether a vehicle collides with an obstacle when the vehicle is decelerated while going straight based on at least a detection result of the obstacle in front of the vehicle and a detection result of a running state of the vehicle in a condition in which wheels are being braked, and a vehicle-behavior control unit that performs at least one of the control of steering rear wheels and the control of giving a difference in braking conditions between the left and right wheels such that the vehicle is decelerated while detouring around the obstacle without steering front wheels when it is determined to collide with the obstacle by the collision determining unit, as one example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takafumi MAKINO, Yoshiaki TSUCHIYA
  • Patent number: 9079607
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus in a vehicle including an apparatus changing a tire steer angle independently of steering wheel operation; a detecting device detecting a tire steer angle equivalent value corresponding to the tire steer angle; and a controller is provided. The controller is configured to learn a steering wheel angle neutral point; determine if the detecting device is in an abnormal state; disregard the learned steering wheel angle neutral point if the detecting device is in the abnormal state; control the apparatus such that the tire steer angle is returned to a tire steer angle neutral point if the detecting device is in the abnormal state; initialize the detecting device after the tire steer angle is returned to the tire steer angle neutral point; and restart the learning of the steering wheel angle after the detecting device is initialized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Takahiro Kojo, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Fujita
  • Publication number: 20150151750
    Abstract: A vehicle behavior control device includes a collision determining unit configured to determine whether a vehicle collides with an obstacle at a time the vehicle is decelerated while traveling straight, based on a detection result of the obstacle in front of the vehicle and a detection result of a traveling state of the vehicle, in a state in which wheels are braked; and a vehicle behavior control unit configured to perform any of a first detour mode in which control over steering of rear wheels is performed and control of providing a difference in a braking state of left and right wheels is not performed and a second detour mode in which the control over steering of the rear wheels and the control of providing the difference in the braking state of the left and right wheels are performed such that the vehicle is decelerated while detouring the obstacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki TSUCHIYA, Hiroshi ISHIGURO, Tatsuya YOSHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150151749
    Abstract: A vehicle behavior control device includes a collision determining unit configured to determine whether or not a vehicle collides with an obstacle at a time decelerated while traveling straight, based at least on a detection result of the obstacle in front of the vehicle, a detection result of a speed of the vehicle, and a detection result of a hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic system for braking each wheel, in a state in which wheels are braked; and a vehicle behavior control unit configured to perform at least one of control over steering of rear wheels and control of providing a difference in a braking state of left and right wheels such that the vehicle is decelerated while detouring the obstacle at a time it is determined by the collision determining unit that the vehicle collides with the obstacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki TSUCHIYA, Hiroshi ISHIGURO, Tatsuya YOSHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150068833
    Abstract: In order to provide a steering device capable of inhibiting generation of abnormal sound without a complicated structure, the steering device is provided with a wheel gear connected to an output shaft which transmits an output to a turning wheel and a worm gear engaging with the wheel gear and capable of transmitting power generated by a motor to the wheel gear, and a rotational speed of the motor is made lower than that during normal operation, at the time driving of the stopped motor is started or at the time a rotational direction of the worm gear is reversed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toru Takashima, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Theerawat Limpibunterng
  • Patent number: 8948455
    Abstract: A characteristic point extraction section acquires an image captured by an image capture device and extracts characteristic points from the captured image, a vehicle lane boundary point selection section selects vehicle lane boundary points that indicate vehicle lanes from the extracted characteristic points, a distribution determination section determines the distribution of the vehicle lane boundary points, a system noise setting section sets each system noise based on the distribution of vehicle lane boundary points, and a travel path parameter estimation section stably predicts travel path parameters based on the vehicle lane boundary points, past estimation results, and the system noise that has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Watanabe, Takahiro Kojo, Theerawat Limpibunterng, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8892309
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus is provided with: a first setting device for setting a first target steering angle of rear wheels according to a steering wheel operation of a driver; a second setting device for setting a second target steering angle of the rear wheels which does not work with the steering wheel operation by the driver and which is associated with automatic steering; a controlling device for controlling a steering angle of the rear wheels on the basis of the set first and second target steering angles; and a limiting device for limiting an influence of the first target steering angle on the steering angle of the rear wheels in accordance with a driving condition of the vehicle if the set first and second target steering angles have a mutually anti-phase relation, the limiting device limiting an influence of the second target steering angle on the steering angle of the rear wheels in accordance with the driving condition of the vehicle in preference to the first target steering angle if th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Fujita, Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8843276
    Abstract: A device for controlling a steering transmission ratio variable device, which is provided with: a motor, which is able to apply a driving force that promotes relative rotation between a steering output shaft coupled to wheels to be turned and a steering input shaft that applies a steering input to the steering output shaft to one of either the steering output shaft or the steering input shaft; a motor driving device that drives the motor; and a locking device that is able to restrict the relative rotation, has a setting device that prescribes a drive voltage the motor and sets a damping gain, which acts in a direction that reduces a rotating speed of the motor, to a value that is larger than a reference value corresponding to an unlocked state during a locking control period in which a state of the steering transmission ratio variable device switches from an unlocked state in which the relative rotation is not restricted to a locked state in which the relative rotation is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Kojo, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Noritsugu Iwazaki, Tetsuya Morino
  • Patent number: 8762005
    Abstract: In control of a vehicle that is provided with a steering torque supply device that supplies a steering torque to a steering device coupled to a steered wheel and a steering transmission ratio variation device that changes a steering transmission ratio, the control includes: setting a target state quantity for keeping the vehicle in a target lane; controlling the steering transmission ratio variation device so that a state quantity of the vehicle becomes the set target state quantity; controlling the steering torque supply device so that a steering reaction restriction torque that restricts a steering reaction torque generated in the steering device is supplied with the steering device as the steering torque when the vehicle is kept within the target lane; and correcting the steering reaction restriction torque on the basis of a steering input when the steering input from a driver of the vehicle is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Theerawat Limpibunterng, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 8612095
    Abstract: A vehicle driving control apparatus is provided at least with: a rudder angle varying device capable of changing a relation between a steering angle, which is a rotation angle of a steering input shaft, and a rudder angle, which is a rotation angle of steered wheels; and a trajectory controlling device for determining a control amount and controlling the rudder angle varying device such that a trajectory of a vehicle approaches a target driving route of the vehicle. The vehicle driving control apparatus is further provided with a correcting device for correcting (i) a rate of change in the rudder angle with respect to a steering amount of the steering input or (ii) the determined control amount, in accordance with whether or not a steering direction of the steering input inputted to the steering input shaft through a steering member by a driver of the vehicle is identical with a rudder angle control direction of the control amount determined by the trajectory controlling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Kojo, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Theerawat Limpibunterng
  • Publication number: 20130311045
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus in a vehicle, which is provided with: a tire steer angle varying apparatus which is configured to change a tire steer angle independently of steering wheel operation; and a tire steer angle equivalent value detecting device which is configured to detect a tire steer angle equivalent value corresponding to the tire steer angle, is provided with: a learning device which is configured to learn a steering wheel angle neutral point; an abnormality determining device which is configured to determine whether or not the tire steer angle equivalent value detecting device is in an abnormal state; a disregarding device which is configured to disregard the learned steering wheel angle neutral point if it is determined that the tire steer angle equivalent value detecting device is in the abnormal state; a controlling device which is configured to control the tire steer angle varying apparatus such that the tire steer angle is returned to a tire steer angle neutral point if it is determ
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Takahiro Kojo, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Yoshitaka Fujita
  • Patent number: 8565974
    Abstract: In view of the matter that an abnormality occurred in an operating portion of a control system comes out in an early stage as a result of the control, while it takes a time for an abnormality occurred in the generation of a controlling amount for controlling the operation of an operating portion to come out, in ceasing the control when an abnormality has occurred in the control system the controlling amount is decreased at a higher speed when the abnormality of the controlling amount was judged than a speed at which the operation of the operating device is decreased when the abnormality of the operating device was judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kojo, Masato Suzumura, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Kenji Asano
  • Publication number: 20130261898
    Abstract: A vehicle steering control apparatus is provided with: a first setting device for setting a first target steering angle of rear wheels according to a steering wheel operation of a driver; a second setting device for setting a second target steering angle of the rear wheels which does not work with the steering wheel operation by the driver and which is associated with automatic steering; a controlling device for controlling a steering angle of the rear wheels on the basis of the set first and second target steering angles; and a limiting device for limiting an influence of the first target steering angle on the steering angle of the rear wheels in accordance with a driving condition of the vehicle if the set first and second target steering angles have a mutually anti-phase relation, the limiting device limiting an influence of the second target steering angle on the steering angle of the rear wheels in accordance with the driving condition of the vehicle in preference to the first target steering angle if th
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Fujita, Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20130226410
    Abstract: A braking control apparatus is mounted on a vehicle provided with: a wheel angle varying device capable of changing a wheel angle of at least one of front wheels and rear wheels, independently of steering by a driver for facilitating a change in the wheel angle; a braking force varying device capable of changing a left-right braking force difference of at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels; and a controlling device for controlling each of the wheel angle varying device and the braking force varying device. The braking control apparatus is provided with: a limiting device for changing a limit of the left-right braking force difference of the at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels in accordance with whether or not the wheel angle varying device can operate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Narita, Mitsutaka Tanimoto, Yoshitaka Fujita, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20130190988
    Abstract: In control of a vehicle that is provided with a steering torque supply device that supplies a steering torque to a steering device coupled to a steered wheel and a steering transmission ratio variation device that changes a steering transmission ratio, the control includes: setting a target state quantity for keeping the vehicle in a target lane; controlling the steering transmission ratio variation device so that a state quantity of the vehicle becomes the set target state quantity; controlling the steering torque supply device so that a steering reaction restriction torque that restricts a steering reaction torque generated in the steering device is supplied with the steering device as the steering torque when the vehicle is kept within the target lane; and correcting the steering reaction restriction torque on the basis of a steering input when the steering input from a driver of the vehicle is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Theerawat Limpibunterng, Yoshiaki Tsuchiya, Shoji Asai