Abstract: An optical navigation sensor includes four two-dimensional imagers, each aligned with an x or y axis of an orthogonal xyz coordinate system, and each defining mutually parallel vertical image directions and the same horizontal directions about a yaw axis. Translation or roll, pitch, and yaw cause image flow or movement, which can be determined by cross-correlation of successive images. Translation in the x or y direction is determined by differencing image motion in the horizontal direction, and translation in the z direction is determined by summing the image motion in the vertical direction. Pitch about x and roll about y are determined by differencing image motion in the vertical direction, and yaw about z is determined by summing the image flow in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: A motor vehicle engine (10) has glow plugs (20) for aiding combustion of fuel in combustion chambers of the engine when the engine is cold and an ignition switch (24) is operated to crank the engine. An aberration in engine speed (36) is used to indicate an under- or non-performing glow plug. Data from sources other than the engine speed source (28), such as data related to engine fueling, is also processed by a processor (30) to exclude them as the cause of the aberration.

Abstract: An abnormality of a current sensor or a voltage sensor is detected. An abnormality detecting section reads out a charging/discharging current I of a secondary battery detected by the current sensor and a battery voltage V of the secondary battery, calculates an estimated battery voltage Vs on the basis of an electromotive force E and an internal resistance r of the secondary battery, and judges the current sensor to be abnormal if the difference between the battery voltage V and the estimated battery voltage Vs is greater than a predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I exceeds a predetermined allowable range, and judges the voltage sensor to be abnormal if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold and the charging/discharging current I is within the predetermined allowable range.

Abstract: An actual vehicle actuator operation control input and a model operation control input are determined by an FB distribution law such that the difference between a reference state amount determined in a vehicle model and an actual state amount of an actual vehicle approximates zero, and then an actuator device of the actual vehicle and the vehicle model are operated on the basis of the control inputs. The value of a parameter of the vehicle model set according to an actual vehicle motional state such that the attenuation property of a reference state amount when a drive manipulated variable is changed is higher than the attenuation property of an actual state amount. Accordingly, the actual vehicle actuator device is properly controlled independently of an actual vehicle motional state such that a state amount related to an actual vehicle motion approximates a vehicle state amount on a dynamic characteristic model.

Abstract: When a vehicle travels along a guidance path and approaches an intersection, a vehicle navigation system determines crossing points between a circle having its center set to the intersection and a predetermined radius, and an approach link and an exit link for the intersection. The system also sets a direction connecting the crossing point for the approach link and the intersection as an approach direction, and sets a direction connecting the intersection and the crossing point for the exit link as an exit direction. The system determines a traveling direction at the intersection based on an angular difference between the approach direction and the exit direction, and determines a display position of the intersection on a screen. Further, an enlarged intersection image is drawn such that the approach direction is aligned with a 12 o'clock direction on the screen.

Abstract: A component registration system for a machine is disclosed. The component registration system has a component located on the machine, a data system remote from the machine, and a controller in communication with the component and the data system. The controller is configured to automatically collect information from the component upon installation of the component onto the machine and automatically send the information to the data system to initiate a registration process.

Abstract: An electric motor and conversion system includes a direct current power source, a rotor with two sides and two series of permanent magnets alternating in polarity, two stators on opposing sides of the rotor where each stator has a series of winding coils, magnet position identifiers, and a control system comprising a sensor that cooperates with the magnet position identifiers and a microcontroller to individually controls winding drivers. Preferably, the number of magnets on the rotor does not equal the number of winding coils on the stators. Also preferably, the magnet position identifiers are a series of apertures on the rotor through which signals pass. The conversion system can also include connectors for connecting to an axle, a removable throttle, and electric cables for electrically connecting the components.

Abstract: A motor-driven power steering apparatus is provided with a sub control system including a map memory means storing a first window time setting map M1 and a second window time setting map M2 in which a window time is set shorter, a window time setting map selecting means selecting the first window time setting map M1 at a time when a torque change amount dT and a current change amount dIm are both smaller than respective predetermined change amounts, and selecting the second window time setting map M2 in the other cases, a window time deciding means collating a point coordinate of a combination of a steering torque and a motor current with the selected window time setting map so as to decide a window time, and a motor drive stop determining means determining the motor drive stop in the case that the point coordinate exists in a region corresponding to the decided window time for the window time, and when a motor drive stop determining means determines the motor drive stop, the drive of the motor controlled so

Abstract: Multi-modal planning method and system that search a path for the most constrained mode first, and then expands the searches for path in a less constrained mode. By searching the path for the most constrained mode first, less resource are wasted on searching for paths that does not result in a feasible path in the most constrained mode. Multi-modal planning is performed by precomputing feasibility and utility of transition configurations of two adjacent modes. The feasibility is used to exclude non-feasible transition configurations in the most constrained mode from being sampled. The utility is used to bias sampling of the transition configuration so that transition configurations with higher utility are sampled with higher probability. Paths of configurations with higher utility and efficiency are obtained by biasing the sampling of the transition configurations.

Abstract: A motor vehicle power train control device capable of furnishing set signals of torque applied to wheels of the motor vehicle. The control device includes a mechanism to generate a signal representing a limitation of variation in speed of a heat engine integrated in a power train capable of reducing variations that are disturbing with regard to acoustics of the power train, and includes a mechanism to determine an operating point of the power train in an optimal operating range according to the signal that represents limitation of speed. The mechanism for generating the signal that represents a limitation of variation in the speed of the heat engine integrated in the power train is furnished, at an input, by parameters that represent characteristics of the motor vehicle and by parameters that represent the driver's wishes.

Abstract: A remote engine start confirmation and vehicle monitoring and control system includes a transmitter and a controller capable of receiving and processing transmitter signals, the controller comprising a monitoring circuit for detecting a first pulsed voltage pattern and a second pulsed voltage pattern across the battery during an engine start procedure, a signaling circuit for signaling the disengagement of the starter from the engine after a detection of the termination of the first pulsed voltage pattern and the start of the second pulsed voltage pattern, and an initiation circuit for initiating the monitoring of a vehicle condition, such as overheating or low fuel, after the detection. A method for controlling the vehicle operation includes detecting an occurrence of a vehicle condition and performing an operation based on the detection, such as terminating ignition voltage or fuel supply or notifying the operator of the vehicle condition via the transmitter.

Abstract: A railway communication system (10) includes a transmitter (12) receiving an input and producing a communication signal (18). The communication signal (18) includes at least two different portions (20,22) for separately encoding respective indications (38,40) of the input. The system also includes a receiver (14) coupled to a controlled device, the receiver (14) extracting at least one of the respective indications (38,40) from the communication signal (18). The receiver controls the device responsive to the at least one extracted indications (38,40).

Abstract: Vehicle position keeping systems and methods. The system reduces vehicle congestion by maintaining a position of a first vehicle relative to a second vehicle, determining guidance corrections based on a track state referenced to the second vehicle that take into account a tracking position error indicative of the error in the position of the first vehicle. The guidance corrections maintain desired spacing between the first vehicle and at least the second vehicle.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring a substantially flat and substantially circular objects, such as wafers, from a pick-up position to a delivery position, the apparatus comprising, a manipulator, at least one source for emitting a source signal, at least one sensor for sensing said source signal and for providing a sensor signal, a computing device arranged for processing at least one sensor signal to obtain data on the position of said object, the manipulator being arranged for simultaneously transferring a first and a second object along a path in a substantially parallel orientation, spaced apart from each other, and substantially co-axially whereby the central axis of each object may be displaced radially, a said source and a said sensor are connected by a virtual line, whereby the virtual line includes an angle with the central axes of the first and second objects.

Abstract: A rotatable grip (ancillary operation member) is provided on a part of a steering wheel body of a steering wheel (main operation member) for turning wheels. When the grip is rotated, a difference is generated between left and right wheels, and a yaw moment generated with this difference can assist or suppress the turning of a vehicle. Because the grip constitutes a part of the steering wheel body, it is possible to rotate the grip to assist or suppress the turning of the vehicle, while operating the steering wheel to turn the vehicle. Because both the steering wheel body and the grip can be operated by the same hand of a driver, operational burden on the driver is alleviated. Thus, it is possible to concurrently provide an excellent operability of the main operation member for controlling a kinetic state of the vehicle, and an excellent operability of the ancillary operation member for controlling the operation of a yaw moment generating device.

Abstract: A display system and method for an aircraft displays, in real-time, the protected airspace associated with a CTL maneuver. The system processes aircraft approach category data and determines the protected airspace based at least in part on the processed aircraft approach category. An image representative of the determined protected airspace is displayed on the aircraft flight deck display system.

Abstract: A control section (212) adds first time information from a clock (204) to road traffic information from a light beacon communication device to create road traffic information by first time for storing in a storage device (205). A time judging device (209) receives second time information from other mobile communication terminal and creates an information transmission instruction if the first time of the first time information is more up-to-date than the second time of the second time information. An information selecting section (211) selects and transmits a part of the road traffic information by first time based on other traveling direction information indicative of the traveling direction of other vehicle and traveling direction information from an azimuth finder (208). Upon receiving road traffic information by third time from other mobile communication terminal, the control section (212) overwrites the road traffic information by first time in the storage device (205).

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a plurality of robots through a single user interface include at least one robot display window for each of the plurality of robots with the at least one robot display window illustrating one or more conditions of a respective one of the plurality of robots. The user interface further includes at least one robot control window for each of the plurality of robots with the at least one robot control window configured to receive one or more commands for sending to the respective one of the plurality of robots. The user interface further includes a multi-robot common window comprised of information received from each of the plurality of robots.

Abstract: A method of processing location data at a portable computing device is provided and includes receiving information associated with a user defined location at the portable computing device. The information includes a central point and an entry indication perimeter. An entry alert associated with the user defined location is received at the portable computing device. The location of the portable computing device is monitored to determine when the portable computing device crosses the entry indication perimeter associated with the central point of the user defined location indicating that the portable computing device is proximate to the user defined location. The method further includes switching the portable computing device from a roaming state to an entry state indicating that the portable computing device is about to enter the user defined location. An indication can be provided to the user that the portable computing device has switched to the entry state.

Abstract: An on-board diagnostic system of a vehicle comprises disabling diagnostic operation, such as a misfire monitor, based on road roughness. In one example, the disabling of the diagnostic operation is based on brake actuation and degradation of an anti-lock braking system.