Abstract: To provide a navigation system capable of easily switching between a portable terminal unit and a communication navigation terminal unit with an identical telephone number and also having considered a communication environment. A communication navigation system is comprised of an information server unit for controlling communication, a portable terminal unit and a vehicle terminal unit for performing navigation with the information server unit, and performs the communication by using a public switched telephone network circuit, and when switching each terminal unit to a communication capable state, it controls a position registration of each terminal unit by performing the communication among the information server unit, portable terminal unit and vehicle terminal unit so as to switch the communication capable state.

Abstract: A method directed to improving the stability of a motor vehicle having front and rear steering capabilities includes determining a coefficient of friction of the road surface with which the motor vehicle is engaged and adjusting a phase gain function of a rear steering mechanism to compensate for the steerability of the motor vehicle over the road surface. A system for improving the stability of a motor vehicle having front and rear steering capabilities includes a control unit, a front steering mechanism in informational communication with the control unit, and a rear steering mechanism in informational communication with the control unit. The rear steering mechanism is responsive through the control unit to road conditions of the road surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a navigation apparatus for a vehicle, which detects a present location of a mobile body, searches for a route to a destination based on map data and roads ranked in accordance with a degree of details of roads, and outputs information of the searched route. An optimal route from a present location to a destination is searched for using the map data every predetermined time or every predetermined distance. A storage medium incorporates a program that has the capabilities of the navigation apparatus.

Abstract: A method and system for modifying vehicle function are disclosed. Upon receiving an indication of an event initiated by an automobile user, an additional automobile feature corresponding to the event is determined. In addition, an automobile module is directed via a diagnostic port of an automobile to perform the additional feature.

Abstract: A drive alert system and method for a host vehicle having an adaptive cruise control system. The driver alert system determines if the adaptive cruise control system is on or off and adjusts the factors for determining braking capability and delay, when determining driver alert situations. The system and method also evaluates a vehicle situation relative to a phase plane, having axes of relative speed and relative acceleration of the host vehicle relative to a preceding vehicle, and compares the vehicle situation to a threshold for a particular region of the phase plane.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a vehicle body includes a sensor system (16) having housing (52) oriented within the vehicle body. Positioned within the housing (52) are a roll angular rate sensor (31), a yaw angular rate sensor (30), a pitch angular rate sensor (32), a lateral acceleration sensor (27), a longitudinal acceleration sensor (28), and a vertical acceleration sensor (29). The vehicle (10) also has a safety system (38). The controller (26) determines a roll misalignment angle, a pitch misalignment angle and a yaw misalignment angle as a function of the sensor outputs of the roll rate, the pitch rate, the yaw rate, the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration and the vertical acceleration.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program is disclosed for managing integrated real-time information about air flight trips, providing that information to multiple users, and receiving feedback from multiple users. A plurality of user interfaces are provided for displaying a plurality of types of information about a real time progress air trips as planned by an operational center. A communication channel is provided for receiving feedback information from the users and associating that feedback with a particular aspect of the trip.

Abstract: When changing gear, engagement side clutch coupling force of an automatic transmission (32) is controlled in response to an engagement side clutch coupling force control amount set in advance in an engagement side clutch coupling force control amount storage section (36). A disengagement side clutch coupling force control amount calculating block (40) has a physical model of the automatic transmission (32) internally. This disengagement side clutch coupling force control amount calculating block (40) then calculates disengagement side clutch coupling force control amount from a transmission input torque estimation value estimated by a transmission input torque estimation block (34), a running resistance estimation value from a running resistance estimation block (38) and engagement side clutch coupling force control amount using the physical model, and controls the automatic transmission (32) using the calculated disengagement side clutch coupling force control amount.

Abstract: A system determines three-dimensional attitude of a moving platform using signals from two closely spaced Global Positioning System (GPS) antennas. The system includes three rate gyroscopes and three accelerometers rigidly mounted in a fixed relationship to the platform to aid in determining the attitude. The system applies signals from a first of the two GPS antennas to sufficient channels of a GPS receiver to support navigation. The system applies signals from a second of the two GPS antennas to the remaining receive channels, which are configured to support interferometry. The system optimally selects the navigation and interferometry channels to provide an interferometric heading solution. The system resolves the ambiguity normally associated with the interferometric heading solution by having the closely spaced GPS antennas and using interferometry to refine a coarse heading estimate from a GPS plus Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) transfer alignment solution.

Abstract: A method is provided for estimating relative location information for wireless devices. Individual estimates are obtained from two or more alternative means that determining the relative location, such as range information, of first and second wireless devices with respect to each other (710, 720, 910, 920). At least one of these estimates involves an estimate of relative location between one of the first and second devices and a third device. These estimates are combined to provide a new estimate that is statistically more accurate than any one of the individual estimates (740, 940).

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of providing travel-related information to a mobile communications device (12) comprising determining the opposition of the mobile communications device (12), deriving at least one signal at the mobile communications device (12) indicative of the position of the mobile communications device (12) and indicative of a travel-related request initiated at the mobile communications device (12), and including the steps of retrieving travel service information from a transport service provider and responding to the travel-related request by calculating location and time information of a travel service (14) serving to fulfil the request, and providing an output at the mobile communications device (12) of the calculated location and time information of the travel service (14).

Abstract: A communication navigation system is provided with: a communication navigation terminal (5) and a communication center apparatus (3) with a communication network (2) for connecting them. The communication navigation terminal is provided with a traveling locus recording device (36, 24) for preferentially holding a traveling locus recorded when a movable body is driving out of a service area of the communication navigation system; and a processing device (20) for performing a route search and the like on the basis of this preferentially held traveling locus.

Abstract: A dynamic side-to-side braking method is disclosed. First, when the vehicle is in a combined braking and cornering maneuver, a desired braking force among tires of a vehicle is determined. Second, a brake force distribution of the desired braking force among the tires is determined. The brake force distribution is approximately proportional to a normal force distribution among the tires during the combined braking and cornering maneuver by the vehicle. When the vehicle excludes an active steering system, front or rear, the brake force distribution is determined as a function of a feedback correction to counterbalance a portion of a yaw moment experienced by the vehicle during the combined braking and cornering maneuver. When the vehicle includes an active steering system, front or rear, a steering correction is determined to counterbalance a portion of the yaw moment experienced by the vehicle during the combined braking and cornering maneuver.

Abstract: The Hough Transform is used to identify the circular arcs and straight line segments that coincide with the horizontal curves of roads. The Hough Transform uses data indicating positions along the roads as an input in order to identify the circular arcs and straight line segments that coincide with the roads. Data indicating the circular arcs and straight line segments are stored in a geographic database and are used to represent the roads. Radius of curvature of the road is obtained as a by product of this representation. Because the Hough Transform yields a closed form representation of road segments, the heading at any point along a road can be computed by computing the tangent to the closed form representation. Thus, heading can be accurately obtained at any point along a road.

Abstract: System for monitoring vehicle operating conditions and parameters and issuing warnings to the operator when a predetermined vehicle status is present. The predetermined vehicle status includes a variety of unsafe driving conditions and is responsive to a changing center of gravity. The warnings include visual, audible and tactile feedback. By way of the tactile feedback, the system can affect the operator's operation of the vehicle to prevent vehicle instability, rollover, loss of vehicle control or other unsafe driving conditions from occurring.

Abstract: In the method, the transmission ratio of the speed transmission (i_act) is set automatically using stored adjustment characteristic curves, as a function of a variable (FP, tv) which characterizes the engine output, and a variable (v) which characterizes the vehicle speed. The transmission ratio is varied as required by means of a manual intervention by the driver. The transmission ratio of the speed transmission is set as a stepped deviation from a setpoint engine speed (n_eng).

Abstract: A method for monitoring the wheels (R1, R2, R3, R4) of a motor vehicle (10) for fault states, in particular for incorrect tire pressures, comprises the steps of: each wheel (E1, E2, E3, E4) to be monitored is assigned a wheel unit (E1, E2, E3, E4) which transmits data (D1, D2, D3, D4) to a central evaluation device (ECU) of the vehicle (10) at least in response to a trigger signal, the occurrence of a fault state and the wheel position (FL, FR, RL, RR) of the wheel (R1, R2, R3, R4) at which the fault state has occurred being indicated. The detection and the indication of the wheel position (FL, FR, RL, RR) of the wheel (R1, R2, R3, R4) at which the fault state has occurred can be triggered after the fault state has been indicated.

Abstract: A method and system for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to the performance problems of the engine or to some other abnormality unrelated to engine performance. One performance parameter of the engine is evaluated under one performance condition to generate a first set of current engine data that is then compared to a first set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality. If one is detected, this performance parameter is then evaluated under at least two different performance conditions to generate a second set of current engine data that is compared to a second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality. If one is detected, the abnormality is evaluated to see if the fault is unrelated to the performance of the engine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for monitoring the wheels (R1, R2, R3, R4) of a motor vehicle (10) for fault states, in particular for incorrect tire pressures, each wheel (R1, R2, R3, R4) to be monitored being assigned a wheel unit (E1, E2, E3, E4) which, after the reception of a trigger signal (TR), supplies data (D1, D2, D3, D4) which is suitable for detecting a fault state and/or for determining the wheel position (FL, FR, RL, RR) of at least one wheel (R1, R2, R3, R4). There is provision for a portable transmitter (12) which can be included with which a trigger signal (TR), in particular a radio-frequency trigger signal, can be generated for at least one wheel unit (E1, E2, E3, E4).

Abstract: A method for interrupting a speed control or vehicle to vehicle ranging of a motor vehicle's control system, in which the system passes over into the standby mode with the aid of a predefined algorithm after the switching-off of the active control. A linear function for the acceleration in the case of propulsion as well as the braking case is provided as the algorithm. In an alternative embodiment using a step function having appropriately designed steps is provided. This achieves in an advantageous manner a soft transition from active control operation to the standby mode.