Abstract: A suspension control system for controlling at least one shock absorber provided between sprung and unsprung masses of an automotive vehicle to provide a variable damping force characteristic. The control system includes a low pass filter for filtering out noise superimposed on an electric signal indicative of a sensed steering angle. The noise removed steering angle indicative signal is fed to a control unit operable in a normal control mode for controlling the shock absorber based on a sensed vehicle behavior to provide an optimum damping force characteristic and in a roll control mode for controlling the shock absorber based on the noise removed vehicle steering angle indicative signal to provide a damping force greater than that provided in the normal control mode. The control unit operates in the roll control mode when the noise removed steering angle indicative signal exceeds a predetermined first threshold value.

Abstract: A moving body measuring device, having an image taking unit for taking an image of a moving body, a controller for controlling the image taking unit and a frame memory for memorizing an image data of the image of the image taking unit, which processes the image data, detects the moving body and obtains an information of the moving body which comprises an existence domain setting circuit for previously setting an existence domain of the moving body extended along a moving path of the moving body based on the image data, a sampling circuit for sampling a data showing the moving body based on the image data in the existence domain, and a timewise data accumulating circuit for timewisely and continuously accumulating at every constant period, the data showing the moving body sampled by the sampling circuit which detects a timewise change of the moving body moving in the previously set existence domain.

Abstract: The controller system includes a control logic device and a controller arranged between a processor and the control logic device. The control logic device includes a stored initiation value for initiating a task activated by the control logic device, a device for making a comparison between the stored initiation value residing in the control logic device and an incrementally changing time value and a device for initiating the task when the stored initiation value therein corresponds to the incrementally changing time value.

Abstract: A control system designed such that if a heavy load is imposed on a vehicle during running and a hydraulic relief state in which an oil pressure in a hydraulic circuit for a hydrostatic transmission unit exceeds a relief pressure is detected, the angle of a discharge controlling swash plate for a pump is reduced to a specified value (e.g., 50% of the maximum angle) or less, whereby the stall of the vehicle and the overheat of machine parts are prevented.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling an autonomous vehicle to track a desired path plans a continuous path to return to the desired path when the vehicle deviates from the desired path. The continuous path is determined based on the vehicle's position, the desired path, and a lookahead distance. The lookahead distance is the distance on the desired path within which the continuous path and the desired path converge. The lookahead distance may vary as a function of vehicle speed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the continuous path is determined as a quintic polynomial.

Abstract: A control system for automatically controlling a work implement of an excavating machine through a machine work cycle in disclosed. The work implement including a boom, stick and bucket, each being controllably actuated by at least one respective hydraulic cylinder. A plurality of command signal magnitudes associated with at least one hydraulic cylinder are stored. The command signal magnitudes are represented by a plurality of control curves, where each control curve is responsive to a material condition setting that is representative of a predetermined condition of the excavating material. A microprocessor selects one of the plurality of control curves and responsively produces a command signal having a magnitude dictated by the selected control curve. A electrohydraulic system receives the command signal and controllably actuates predetermined ones of the hydraulic cylinders to perform the work cycle.

Abstract: A system (400) for positioning and navigating an autonomous vehicle (310) allows the vehicle (310) to travel between locations. Position information (432) is derived from global positioning system satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) or other sources (624) when the satellites (200, 202, 204, and 206) are not in the view of the vehicle (310). Navigation of the vehicle (310) is obtained using the position information (432), route information (414), obstacle detection and avoidance data (416), and on board vehicle data (908 and 910).

Abstract: An improved automobile transfer case system (10) and electronic control circuit (16) therefor utilizes a reset circuit (70), a microprocessor (72), and an output stage (74) to operate an electronically controlled coupling (38,58) that is used to switch between drive modes in the transfer case (14) of a full or part-time four wheel drive vehicle. The microprocessor (72) is connected to a source of operating power that is available even when the vehicle ignition is switched off. The microprocessor (72) runs in two modes, a low power standby mode and an operating mode. The microprocessor enters the standby mode when vehicle ignition is switched off and it has finished any tasks that were in progress when the ignition was turned off. The reset circuit (70) responds to the ignition being switched on to provide a hardware reset of the microprocessor (72) that wakes it up from its standby mode and places it into the operating mode.

Abstract: A system and method detects obstacles in a road being traveled by a vehicle. Edge points of the road are calculated from known road data. A series of scan lines are made of the road ahead of the vehicle to obtain an image plane of the road ahead of the vehicle. The calculated edge points are projected into the image plane to determine the left and right edge points of each scan line in the image plane. Each scan line is processed to locate any discontinuities between the left and right edge points, where the discontinuities correspond to objects in the road.

Abstract: In operation of an engine it is desirable to be able to keep track of engine condition by measuring the values of various engine parameters such as temperatures and pressures and seeing how the relationship between them change. This must be done while the engine is in a steady state condition, generally this requires that the engine be in a cruise condition for some time but this is impractical for military aircraft. It is suggested that each of the sense parameter values be operated on by a trending algorithm which generates a trend estimate which provides a measure of the rate of change of the parameter value. When all of the parameters have trend values are below some pre-set value the engine condition is taken to be at least temporarily steady state condition and parameter values recorded for later analysis.

Abstract: Disclosed is a collision avoidance device with reduced energy balance for aircraft, in particular for avoiding collision with the ground. This device comprises means for the geographical localization of the aircraft, a database containing a description of safety altitudes, means for the construction of an air floor about the vertical passing through the aircraft, the altitude of the floor being greater than or equal to the safety altitudes about this vertical, means for predicting the air position of the aircraft, means to compare this position with the air floor, means for the computation of avoidance paths and means to determine the energy balance of each of the computed paths. Application to equipment for aircraft, notably for civilian airliners.

Abstract: A traction control system combines a power limiting system having multiple operating modes with a power distributing system that resists differentiation between drive wheels. Sensors monitor vehicle turning, differentiation between the drive wheels, and wheel slipping of at least one drive wheel. The operating mode of the power limiting system is changed to reflect additional traction information available from monitoring the state of differentiation through turns.

Abstract: A response control system for a hydrostatic-mechanical transmission. In this system, it is determined in digging/moving operation whether an actual speed ratio which is the ratio of the revolution speed of the output shaft to the revolution speed of the power source is equal to a specified value or less, and if so, a target speed ratio which is a target value for the ratio of the revolution speed of the output shaft to the revolution speed of the power source is set, limiting the amount of change in the target speed ratio per unit time. Based on the target speed ratio thus set, the angle of at least either of discharge controlling swash plates is controlled, thereby reducing vehicle acceleration at the primary stage of digging. In order to slow down the response to a change in load during digging operation, a constant indicating the response to a change in engine revolution is set small in proximity to a target engine revolution speed.

Abstract: A method for emergency control of an internal combustion engine includes simulating signals (pulses or tooth signals are reference signals) of a crankshaft transducer from certain memorized variables, in the event of a failure of the crankshaft transducer. The memorized variables are the total number of teeth, angle lengths of segments (teeth, gaps) disposed on a crankshaft transducer disk, a transit time of the segments of the crankshaft transducer disk, and memorized crankshaft positions corresponding to edges of the segments.

Abstract: An improved land vehicle navigation apparatus (10) and method for automatically planning a recovery route upon detection of a route departure. The land vehicle navigation apparatus (10) comprises a route planner (22) for planning an original route (88) for the land vehicle (2), via fixed road paths, wherein the original route includes multiple route segments, a start location, and at least one destination, including an original destination, and a position determiner (14) for determining an estimated current position of the land vehicle (2) and route storage for storing the original route segments into memory (24).

Abstract: A security/antitheft system in combination with a vehicular automated transmission system (10) is provided, requiring a minimum or no additional hardware. The security system includes logic rules for the transmission system controller (38) for preventing the controller from issuing the command output signals necessary for mobilizing the vehicle in the absence of operator-initiated enabling signals and, preferably, for interpreting a predetermined sequence of manipulations of the existing selector (1) as the required enabling signals.

Abstract: A system and method for causing an autonomous vehicle to track a desired path uses reference postures to define the desired path. Actual vehicle postures are determined using sensors aboard the autonomous vehicle. An expected vehicle posture at the end of a next time interval is determined on the actual vehicle posture. A desired vehicle posture at the end of the next time interval is determined based on the reference postures. A steering angle for the next time interval for the autonomous vehicle is determined based on the difference between the reference posture and the desired vehicle posture at the end of the next time interval.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for controlling a motor vehicle having a plurality of component systems. A first one of the component systems is a motor control system. An interface position is defined between various ones of the component systems and faces toward the first component system. The interface position operates on the basis of the torque generated by the motor. The component systems exchange data via the interface position with respect to this torque for controlling the motor vehicle.

Abstract: An aircraft including an approach and landing system, including a navigation unit for providing navigation information, a weather radar unit for providing radar information, a processor which receives navigation information from the navigation unit and information from the weather radar unit, the processor unit providing an output representing information concerning the aircraft in accordance with the provided navigation information and radar information, a memory for storing information representing a scene, the processor unit correlating the stored scene information with the output representing information concerning the aircraft to provide a mapped scene, a display unit for displaying the output of said processor and the mapped scene, and a steppable frequency oscillator for providing a signal which is stepped in frequency to the weather radar unit, thereby providing an increased range resolution.

Abstract: A braking force controller for an electric vehicle properly carries out an anti-lock braking operation by keeping a slip ratio in a stable range. The vehicle has a motor 1 to drive wheels. A central controller 4 calculates regenerative energy according to output signals from an ammeter 51 and a voltmeter 52. If a brake sensor 62 detects a sudden braking operation, the central controller 4 controls the regenerative braking force of the motor 1 through a motor controller 2, to maintain the regenerative energy around a maximal value.