Abstract: In a multimedia information and control system for use in an automobile, at least one interface is employed which enables a user to access information concerning the automobile and control vehicle functions in an efficient manner. The user may select one of a plurality of displayed options on a screen of such an interface. Through audio, video and/or text media, the user is provided with information concerning the selected option and the vehicle function corresponding thereto. Having been so informed, the user may activate the selected option to control the corresponding vehicle function.

Abstract: In a multimedia information and control system for use in an automobile, at least one interface is employed which enables a user to access information concerning the automobile and control vehicle functions in an efficient manner. The user may select one of a plurality of displayed options on a screen of such an interface. Through audio, video and/or text media, the user is provided with information concerning the selected option and the vehicle function corresponding thereto. Having been so informed, the user may activate the selected option to control the corresponding vehicle function.

Abstract: A control system for an automotive vehicle having a vehicle body includes a sensor cluster having a housing oriented within the vehicle body. A roll rate sensor is positioned within the housing and generates a roll rate sensor signal corresponding to a roll angular motion of the sensor housing. A controller receives the roll rate sensor signal, the controller generates a residue signal in response to a sensor error or a measurement error. The controller sets a fault condition in response to the residue signal larger than a dynamic threshold and a magnitude of the roll rate signal above a fault condition threshold. The controller sets a fault flag in response to the fault condition indicated for a predetermined time during which no double wheel lift occurs.

Abstract: In order to propose a method of promptly judging movement of a train between block sections with a minimum number of transponders, an on-ground train control part for controlling operation of a train; an on-ground communication means capable of performing communication of information by coming within a specified range; and a sending-and-receiving part capable of sending the information received by the on-ground communication device to the on-ground train control part and receiving the information sent from the on-ground train control part, are provided, thereby, a position of presence of train is grasped by receiving a speed of the train using the on-ground communication means when the on-train communication means attached to the train comes near.

Abstract: An in-vehicle navigation system includes a receiver for receiving real-time traffic information (RTTI), a database for storing routine trip information, and a processor for running a regular route application. The regular route application includes a learning mode program and an operational mode program. The learning mode program records information regarding trips regularly taken by a vehicle and populates the database with records of routine trip information. The recorded trip information can include driver identifiers, trip departure times, origin points, destination points, dates of travel, days of travel, and route data. When the vehicle begins a new trip, the operational mode program determines whether the vehicle is engaging in a routine trip. This is accomplished by comparing current vehicle location or departure time information to routine trip information in the database.

Abstract: A vehicle collision avoidance system includes a 360 degree circumferentially rotating pulsed infrared laser beam scanner apparatus which rotates in a horizontal plane and a vertical plane simultaneously for generating a first signal representative of an obstacle. An analog processing circuit is coupled to the circumferentially rotating pulsed infrared laser beam scanner apparatus for processing the first signal and generating a plurality of signals. A processor is coupled to the processing circuit for processing the plurality of signals and generating a braking signal and providing a braking apparatus with the braking signal. Associated methods are also provided. The system and method of the invention are based on a second order model which characterizes the relationship in both space and time between the vehicle and the obstacle.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a vehicle body has a roll angular rate sensor (34) generating a roll angular rate signal corresponding to an roll angular motion of the vehicle body. A controller (26) is coupled to roll rate sensor and a plurality of sensors. The controller (26) generates a linear road bank angle, first reference bank angle and a relative roll angle in response to the roll angle generator and the plurality of sensor signals. The controller (26) determines a first reference bank angle and generates a second reference bank angle in response to linear bank angle and a first reference bank angle, a bank angle adjustment factor. The bank angle adjustment is a function of a relative roll angle estimate. The controller (26) controls the safety system in response to the second reference bank angle estimate.

Abstract: A geospatial database management system is mounted on a host vehicle and manages geospatial data relating to a travel path for the host vehicle, the travel path having one or more lanes. A geospatial database stores data elements indicative of objects and a location of the objects in three-dimensional space. The objects have a lane-level resolution and the location is accurate to within an order of one decimeter or better. A database manager component is configured to maintain the data elements in the geospatial database and receive database queries from a driver assist subsystem configured to assist a driver of the host vehicle. A query processor is coupled to the database manager component and to the geospatial database and is configured to receive the database query from the database manager component. The query processor queries the geospatial database and returns query results to the database manager component. This can be done in real time.

Abstract: A request signal transmitted from LF antennas of a vehicle-mounted unit is received by a radio terminal through an LF antenna. In response to the request signal, the radio terminal transmits a response signal from an antenna. The response signal is received by an RF unit of the vehicle-mounted unit. The vehicular remote control device controls an operating state of a vehicle-mounted device depending on the judgment of a match between the response signal and identification information inherent in the vehicle. The radio terminal has a light-emitting diode. When the radio terminal receives a failure diagnosis signal that is transmitted instead of the request signal, the radio terminal does not transmit a response signal, but energizes the light-emitting diode.

Abstract: A passive alert system is provided for vehicles traveling along a predetermined travel route. The vehicles are equipped with vehicle processing systems which are in communication with a remote server. The remote server acquires information pertaining to conditions along the travel route, such as weather and traffic conditions, and determines if these conditions are of a nature which warrants reporting them to the vehicle processing systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for displaying a dynamic parameter of an aircraft, the apparatus comprises a display unit receiving a display signal and displaying a scale that changes dynamically and non-linearly in accordance with a selected display algorithm, the display unit further displaying a pointer pointing to said scale in accordance with a reading of said dynamic parameter, thereby emphasizing a range of said reading of said dynamic parameter.

Abstract: An irradiating direction control apparatus includes an identifier for determining a difference in a load state of the vehicle corresponding to a passenger or carrying capacity. In an initialization performed to eliminate influence of an installation error of a vehicle height detector, a storage device stores data indicative of the installation error, based on a difference between a reference vehicle height corresponding to a load state of the vehicle determined by the identifier, and an actual vehicle height. Then, an irradiation controller obtains the attitude of the vehicle from vehicle height data corrected by using data stored in the storage device for vehicle height detection data, and controls a direction of an optical axis of irradiation of a lighting unit. The reference vehicle height value is changed corresponding to the vehicle load state in initialization, thereby reducing a control error related to the correction of the optical axis of irradiation.

Abstract: A method for creating minimal data representing a source image is presented. The source image is divided into a grid of cells. A color is selected for each cell corner based on sampling an area defined by the cell corner. An indication of the selected color is stored in an array dependent on the co-ordinates of the cell corner in the source image.

Abstract: A notification server (100) is coupled to a database (102). The database (102) includes information relating to a user service and a threshold for notifying the user of the availability of the service. The threshold is based upon a then current location of the user and an availability of the service relative to the then current location of the user. The notification server (100) is operable to generate an alert based upon the user service, the then current location of the user and the threshold and to communicate the alert to the user via a communication interface (104).

Abstract: Road map data includes node data indicating a branch point, a junction point, or an intersection point and link data indicating a road between the preceding points. The node data and link data include distances, kinds of the roads, costs based on easiness of traveling. In a route search, a route is selected so that a total cost included in traveling on the route to a destination can be minimum. When command is generated as giving priority to an automatic travel road, costs included in the node and link data that correspond to the automatic travel road are lowered. A route including the automatic travel road is thereby selected in preference to other routes.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided with an engine (1), an automatic transmission (2) connected to the engine (1), a detection device (21–24, 31) which detects an operating state of the transmission (2), and a torque regulating mechanism (1a, 1b, 1c) which regulates a torque of the engine. When the operating state of the transmission (2) is in a predetermined drive state and the torque of the engine (1) is to be reduced, a selection is made, based on the operating state of the transmission (2), between a first torque reduction control whereby the torque of the engine (1) is reduced rapidly and temporarily, and a second torque reduction control whereby the torque of the engine (1) is reduced continuously, and more smoothly than in the first torque reduction control. The torque of the engine (1) is then reduced by the selected one of the first torque reduction control and the second torque reduction control.

Abstract: A method for planning a path for a vehicle comprises creating a travel row transparency over a mapped area. The travel row transparency comprises one or more travel rows are split into travel row sections defined by intersecting the travel row with a map object (e.g., a boundary of mapped area). Partition nodes are generated from the travel row sections. The partition nodes or partition edges are linked together to form a potential drivable path consistent with user input and vehicular constrains. An efficient ordering of the partition nodes are determined consistent with the user input. A path is generated by looping through the ordered partition nodes in the determined efficient order.

Abstract: The navigation apparatus includes a unit for displaying a real image on a display screen on the basis of real image data, and a unit for displaying additional information such as a primary place name or a primary building name in a position where the additional information should be displayed on the real image, on the basis of additional information data corresponding to the additional information and position data showing the position where the additional information should be displayed. Further, the navigation apparatus has a function of limiting the display area of the additional information so as to prevent the additional information from being displayed in an area having a relatively high level of importance. Thus, the real image is prevented from being difficult to see in the area having a high level of importance.

Abstract: A control system (18) for an automotive vehicle (10) having a safety system includes a controller (26) determining a first body to road angle; determining a second body to road angle; determining a final body to road angle from the first body to road angle and the second body to road angle; and controlling the safety system in response to the final body to road signal.

Abstract: Torque restrictions on a drive shaft are enhanced when the angular acceleration AX of the drive shaft exceed a specific first threshold value. The enhanced torque restrictions are subsequently relaxed when the angular acceleration drops below the first threshold value and further a specific restriction relaxation condition is satisfied. The torque restrictions are expressed as a graph representing a relation according to which an upper torque limit Tmax decreases with increased angular acceleration AX. The torque restriction are enhanced or relaxed by moving the position of a torque axis relative to the graph along the angular acceleration axis while preserving a shape of the graph.