Abstract: A fuel cell system 1 includes at least one fuel cell stack 100 having a fuel chamber 30 including a fuel electrode (anode) 15b, an air chamber including an oxygen electrode (cathode) 15c and an electrolyte layer 15a interposed between the fuel electrode 15b and the oxygen electrode 15c, pressure regulating means for regulating a supply pressure of fuel gas hydrogen gas) to be supplied to the fuel chamber 30. The pressure regulating means sets up the supply pressure of the fuel gas at a time when the fuel cell stack 100 starts up power generation higher than the supply pressure of the fuel gas during a normal power generation state in which the fuel cell stack 100 is generating electric power.

Abstract: An adsorbent block that has a high adsorption efficiency and can be produced at a low cost is provided. A paste comprising water having mainly active carbon powder dispersed therein is prepared, and a molded block is formed with the paste. Water is removed from the molded block to bind mainly the active carbon powder, so as to obtain an adsorbent block formed to have cells. The paste contains an agar component that is capable of shrinking the molded block and of increasing the surface area of the cell by disappearance.

Abstract: According to this invention, an active portion in nano-size substance is destroyed selectively by applying an electric potential to the nano-size substance having a network structure of carbon at an outer shell thereof in electrolytic solution. For example, an electric potential of 1.20 to 1.60 V (RHE) is applied to carbon nanotube in electrolytic solution so as to oxidize the active portion in the carbon nanotubes selectively and remove the ends of them. Consequently, an open end is created in the carbon nanotube.

Abstract: In starting power generation under low temperature conditions, an antifreeze liquid being coolant of a cooling system 13 in a fuel cell stack 1 is once recovered in a tank 136 to reduce heat capacity of the fuel cell stack 1, and thereafter the power generation is started. Heat of reaction caused by the power generation restores the temperature to temperature under normal operation, and then the antifreeze liquid is again filled to drive the cooling system 13, so as to make it function as a cooler.

Abstract: An emergency reporting apparatus is provided which is capable of easily acquiring passenger information necessary at the time of emergency report and reporting as deputy for a passenger at the time of emergency report. The emergency reporting apparatus asks, in a training mode, the user simulated questions from an emergency rescue facility which will be addressed when an emergency situations occurs, and learns and stores the reply contents and response procedures. From the questions and replies, the emergency reporting apparatus automatically acquires the passenger information. Then, the emergency reporting apparatus reports as deputy for the user the passenger information acquired in the training mode, when there is no reaction of the user at the time of occurrence of an actual emergency situation.

Abstract: A camera for imaging the periphery of a vehicle is provided, images imaged by the camera are stored, and a processed image obtained by processing a past image which has been imaged before reaching a current position is overlaid on a part of a current image, which is currently imaged, being a blind spot region by being hidden by a car body or the like so that a combination image is created. A contour line symbolizing the car body is combined with the combination image and the image is displayed.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a road data memory, current position sensor that detects a current position of a vehicle and a camera that takes a picture of the road ahead of the current position. At least one indicator line such as a lane dividing line on the road is shown in the picture. The picture changes as the vehicle moves forward along the road, during which increase in width of the indicator line or increase of distance between two indicator lines may be detected. By such detection, the vehicle position with respect to the indicator line is determined, the result of which is incorporated into control operation of an automatic transmission, for example.

Abstract: A communication navigation system, wherein a navigation apparatus requests a recommended route guidance data to a information center and guides a user of the navigation apparatus to a destination by using the recommended route guidance data received from the information center. In this present invention, the navigation apparatus transmits version data of road data held in the navigation apparatus at the request to the information center. The information center prepares a guidance data of recommended route using latest road data held in the information center, and transmits the data to the navigation apparatus. When the information center transmits the guidance data, the information center selects the type of data of the road links along the recommended route, in the guidance data, by comparing the version data received from the navigation apparatus and the version data of each road link along the recommended route.

Abstract: The present invention provides a direct water injection type fuel cell apparatus which can effectively cool an air electrode in a fuel cell main body. The apparatus supplies water to the surface of the air electrode in a liquid state and the amount of process air supplied to the air electrode is controlled to an optimum.

Abstract: A CO gas sensor is equipped with a detecting unit in which a solid electrolyte membrane is held between a detection electrode and a counter electrode, and a voltage applying unit which applies voltage between the detection electrode and the counter electrode and changes the voltage. The detection electrode includes an electrochemically active first catalyst in an electrically conductive porous body, a reaction layer having a density of 1 ng/cm2-100 &mgr;g/cm2 and having a thickness of 0.3 nm-15 &mgr;m, and the counter electrode includes an electrochemically active second catalyst carried on an electrically conductive porous body.

Abstract: A communication route guidance system provides exchange of data between an information center and each of a plurality of mobile units such as vehicles. The information center has the latest road data and searches it to prepare recommended route guidance data in response to a request from the mobile unit. The reccommended route guidance data is divided into a plurality of data segments, each usable as an independent guidance instruction in the mobile unit. The mobile unit has stored therein road data similar to the road data in the information center and determines if data communication with the information center is available. In a case where the mobile unit can not communicate with the information center, the mobile unit prepares route guidance based on the road data stored in the mobile unit. It thereby becomes possible to guide the user even in the case that the mobile unit can not communicate with the information center.

Abstract: A fuel cell system has a plurality of fuel cells each having a cathode and an anode disposed on opposite sides of an electrolyte membrane, having an air supply passage through which atmospheric air is supplied to the cathode. A fuel gas supply passage supplies hydrogen gas from a hydrogen storing alloy to the anode; and water spray nozzles spray liquid water directly onto the cathode. The hydrogen storing alloy is heated by heat exchange with the exhaust air at an elevated temperature discharged from the cathode, to facilitate its endothermic reaction in which it produces hydrogen gas to be supplied to the anode. The sprayed water is fed to the hydrogen storing alloy so as to cool the same to thereby enhance its exothermic reaction in which hydrogen gas is stored in the hydrogen storing alloy.

Abstract: Information communications apparatuses used in an information communications system between at least two vehicles. Each of the information communication apparatuses comprises position measuring means; transmission channel setting means for setting an information transmission channel by utilizing the positional information of the vehicle; information transmission means for transmitting information; reception channel setting means for setting a reception channel for receiving information; and information reception means for receiving information transmitted from other vehicle or an information center using the established reception channel. According to the apparatus having structure described above, the transmission vehicle transmits the information by means of the established transmission channel set by the transmission setting means and the reception vehicle receives the transmitted information by means of the reception channel established by the reception channel setting means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a destination input device for use in a vehicle navigation system that determines a drive route from a current position to a destination. The device includes a CD-ROM disc storing a plurality of destinations which are categorized into several groups. The user inputs his or her own behavioral schedule or purpose of travel today through a microphone or a touch panel on a display. The display is controlled by a CPU to provide a group selection menu representing a predetermined combination of the groups, in accordance with the inputted user's behavioral schedule. The user selects a specific one of the groups appearing on the displayed group selection menu, so that the display is controlled to provide a destination input menu representing a plurality of destinations included in the selected group, so that the user may readily select and input a desired destination from among those appearing on the displayed destination input menu.

Abstract: A fuel cell apparatus includes a fuel cell connected directly to a load. An electricity accumulation circuit including an electricity accumulator is connected in parallel to the fuel cell. The electricity accumulator supplies electric power to the load when electric power supplied by the fuel cell is less than electric power that the load requires. The electricity accumulator is charged by regenerative power generated at the load and electric power output from the fuel cell. The fuel cell outputs electric power within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A navigation system includes a navigation center and at least one moving body. The navigation center of the navigation system comprises memory means for storing navigation information; updating means for constantly updating the navigation information stored in the memory means; route searching means for setting a route from a current position of the moving body to a destination on the basis of the newest navigation information updated by the updating means; dividing means for dividing the searched route into at least two portions; extracting means for extracting navigation data concerning at least a head portion of the divided route from the memory means; transmitting means for transmitting to the moving body the extracted navigation data; and control means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for assisting designation of a specific destination in a vehicle navigation system that guides a driver along a scheduled drive route from a current position of a vehicle to a designated destination. A menu selection table describes correlation between current status data (date-and-time-related data, purpose-related data, location-related data, vehicle-related data and user-related data) and “events” such as invitation to restaurants or sightseeing spots. When a specific event is determined by reference to the menu selection table, a personified agent questions the user to confirm if the detected event is to be executed. When the user inputs an affirmative answer, a specific condition to be applicable to retrieval of destination is determined by reference to a condition selection table.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus has a camera for taking images of a road on which the vehicle is traveling; means for detecting and monitoring lane markers on the road by processing the images; and road determining means for determining the road on which the vehicle is traveling just after passing a fork. This road determination is made based on predetermined conditions relating to the fork and the lane markers detected and monitored. According to the structure described above, it is possible for the navigation apparatus to know the road on which the vehicle is traveling immediately after passing the fork. Further, when the vehicle's actual location is displayed at a wrong position on the digital road map, the navigation apparatus can correct the position immediately after passing the fork. This is advantageous in that the driver can know its accurate location from the displayed information immediately after passing the fork.

Abstract: An interactive navigation system includes a navigation processing unit, a current position sensor, a speaker, a microphone and a display. When it is preliminary inferred, based on receipt of a detection signal from the sensor, that a vehicle has probably been diverted from a drive route determined by the navigation processing unit, a machine voice question is produced through the speaker for confirmation of the inferred probability of diversion. A driver or user in the vehicle answers the question, which is input through the microphone and analyzed to be affirmative or negative, from which a final decision is made as to the vehicle diversion. In a preferred embodiment the question is spoken by a personified agent who appears on the display. The agent's activities are controlled by an agent processing unit. Communication between the agent and the user improves reliability and accuracy of inference of any vehicle condition which could not be determined perfectly by a sensor only.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle is powered by a drive system including an internal combustion engine, a generator and an electric motor. A differential gear unit includes at least three elements, the first connecting to the generator, the second connecting to a first gear and the third connecting the internal combustion engine. A second gear is connected to the output shaft of the electric motor. A counter shaft carries a third gear meshing with the first and second gears and connects to the differential gear unit. The internal combustion engine, differential gear unit and generator are aligned on a first axis, the electric motor is aligned on a second axis parallel to the first axis, the counter shaft is aligned on a third axis parallel to the first and second axes, the differential gear unit is aligned on a fourth axis parallel to the first, second and third axes, and the third axis is disposed inside of a triangle defined by the first, second and fourth axes when viewed on end.