Abstract: The present invention can realize a vehicle running control apparatus including ACC function and map information data recording medium to obtain effective information for safety driving capable for running control meeting a driver's feeling. The first running speed is decided on the basis of the distance between the vehicles and the relative speed. The position detecting means detects the position of own vehicle on a map. The map information getting means gets road information, the width of the road, the radius of curvature, and slope on the basis of the map information. The visible distance estimating means estimates the visible distance on the basis of the map information, deciding the second running safety speed with the estimated visible distance. The running control means decides the object running speed of smallest one of the set speed, the first running speed, and the second running speed.

Abstract: A method for providing independent static and dynamic models in a prediction, control and optimization environment utilizes an independent static model (20) and an independent dynamic model (22). The static model (20) is a rigorous predictive model that is trained over a wide range of data, whereas the dynamic model (22) is trained over a narrow range of data. The gain K of the static model (20) is utilized to scale the gain k of the dynamic model (22). The forced dynamic portion of the model (22) referred to as the bi variables are scaled by the ratio of the gains K and k. The bi have a direct effect on the gain of a dynamic model (22). This is facilitated by a coefficient modification block (40). Thereafter, the difference between the new value input to the static model (20) and the prior steady-state value is utilized as an input to the dynamic model (22). The predicted dynamic output is then summed with the previous steady-state value to provide a predicted value Y.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling an intelligent assist device, robot, or other powered system that is partially or fully directed by the intent of a human operator. The method and system includes measuring a force or motion imparted by the human operator to a control. The measurement is determined with respect to the motion of the machine at a point of the machine that allows the benefit of collocation of sensing and actuation, or of approximation of such collocation. The system includes a support attached to the machine at the beneficial point, and a plurality of sensors to measure the force, torque, or motion imparted by the human operator to the support with respect to the beneficial point. The method and system provide improved stability of control of the system, and improved responsiveness to the intent of the human operator.

Abstract: A method and system for use by driver assistance systems installed in a motor vehicle to continuously provide such systems with updated data about paths along roads onto which the motor vehicle can travel from a current position of the motor vehicle as the motor vehicle travels along said roads. The method includes accessing a database that contains data that represents segments of roads and intersections of a road network located in a geographic region in which the motor vehicle is traveling and determining one or more paths along roads onto which the motor vehicle can travel from a current position of the motor vehicle. Each path is extended out to a threshold. Data representing each of the paths is provided in an organized data structure for use by the driver assistance systems.

Abstract: Sensors are mounted within a seat structure for measuring seat occupant weight. The sensors can be mounted in any one of various sensor configurations. So that common hardware can be used for each different sensor configuration, a virtual matrix is created and output from the sensors is mapped into the virtual matrix. The virtual matrix includes virtual cell locations that do not have a corresponding sensor output; i.e., there are fewer physical cells (sensors) than virtual cell locations in the virtual matrix. A weight output signal from each sensor is mapped into the corresponding position in the virtual matrix and the remaining virtual cell locations have values assigned to them based on data supplied by the surrounding physical cells. Seat occupant weight is determined based on output from the virtual matrix and the occupant is placed into one of the various occupant classifications. Deployment force of a restraint system is controlled based on the classification of the seat occupant.

Abstract: A satellite command system and method that provides satellite commanding using remotely-controlled modulation of telemetry parameters on-board a satellite. Software is provided on each of the redundant processor units that creates separate DMA command input pathways to the redundant processor units. A command translator is used at a ground station to translate a command that is to be implemented on the satellite into a form ready for modulation. The command information is uplinked to the satellite by remotely manipulating (modulating) a quantity that can be measured by the on-board computer using its telemetry collection functions. The software implemented in processor units recognizes the modulation and processes it to reconstruct the command. The reconstructed command is passed to the processor unit, which then executes the command.

Abstract: An accident notification system for a vehicle includes a damage predicting system which detects that a vehicle occupant has been injured in an accident involving the vehicle, a vehicle position detecting system which detects the position of the vehicle, and a mobile communication terminal which receives a signal predicting injury to the vehicle occupant from the damage predicting system to generate a calling from the vehicle to a call center. The call center performs a notification to an accident response facility on the basis of the calling and obtains prediction information that the vehicle occupant has been injured from the damage predicting system and vehicle position information detected by the vehicle position detecting system. Accordingly, even when there is no one who notifies an accident response facility of an accident, emergency cleaning-up after an accident and treatment for an injured vehicle occupant can be made.

Abstract: A method for classifying a rollover event of a vehicle is used to classify a rollover event on the basis of a rotational angle and a rotation rate of the vehicle and to transmit an emergency call as a function of the classification. The rollover event itself is recognized on the basis of a momentum or energy criterion. The rotation rate is summed to determine the rotational angle, the summed rotation rate as well as the rotation rate being compared to classification boundaries as a pair of values in order to perform a classification. The emergency call is made only if the restraint devices have been deployed.

Abstract: An improved method of operation for a motor vehicle automatic transmission determines a vehicle speed for purposes of selecting a desired transmission gear at least in part based on the wheel speeds of the vehicle. If the vehicle is being operated in a two-wheel drive mode, the vehicle speed is determined based on an average of the speeds of the un-driven wheels; if the vehicle is being operated in a four-wheel drive mode, the vehicle speed is determined based on the lowest of the four wheel speeds. Optionally, the wheel speeds are only used to determine vehicle speed if the Reverse range of the transmission has been engaged within a specified time interval, and otherwise the vehicle speed is determined based on an output speed of the transmission.

Abstract: Provided is transmission of situational location dependent information from a server data processing system to a receiving data processing system. The server data processing system communicates with the receiving data processing system in a manner by pushing content when appropriate. A candidate delivery event associated with a current positional attribute of the receiving data processing system is recognized and a situational location of the remote data processing system is determined. The candidate delivery event may be a location and/or direction change, device state change, or movement exceeding a movement tolerance. The situational location of the remote data processing system may be its location, direction, location and direction, proximity to a location, state change, or location and/or direction relative to a previous location and/or direction, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for providing navigation and positioning for at least one or more slave vehicles, wherein the slave vehicles provide their own navigation based on a location of a master vehicle. The method and apparatus allow a slave vehicle to receive a location of a master vehicle and a location of the slave vehicle. Once the location of the vehicles are known, the slave vehicle determines a desired position based on the master vehicle location, determines if adjustments are needed to position the first slave vehicle at the desired position and implements the adjustments if adjustments are needed. The slave vehicle is capable of operating in one of a plurality of modes and further is capable of transitioning from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation in optimizing navigation and control.

Abstract: A semi-active control methodology is provided for a spring/mass system, for example a real-time adjustable shock absorber system. The methodology includes defining a plurality of operating zones based on system parameters and user-definable or preset inputs. The methodology also includes processing to account for non-inertial spring/mass system response and multidimensional forces acting on the system, and an acceleration hedge calculation to accurately define system operation at extrema of travel. The methodology is generally directed at producing a plurality of valve control signals, selecting among the valve control signals, and applying the selected control signal to the valve in a closed-loop feedback system to adjust the energy in the spring/mass system.

Abstract: A method for detecting the position of a vehicle in a predetermined area includes: detecting the magnitude and the angle of incremental motion vectors relating to the movement of the vehicle by means of a first sensor device; automatically fixing the vehicle at predetermined points within the predetermined area whenever the vehicle passes a corresponding point; and detecting the current position of the vehicle in the predetermined area by vectorial summation of the detected incremental motion vectors with respect to the position vector to the current reference position. The automatic fixing of a respective reference position of the vehicle at predetermined points is carried out by means of a second sensor device, which interacts in a non-contacting manner with a respective reference marking at the corresponding point within the predetermined area.

Abstract: A robot system includes a plurality of segments 3, joints 4 for linking the segments together, drive units 5 for actuating the joints, and a controller 8 for controlling the drive units. Further, the robot system has bladders 2 filled with a fluid being of lower specific gravity than the outside environment. A center of buoyancy differs from a center of gravity, and the robot system has a specific gravity of greater than 1 relative to the outside environment.

Abstract: A medical system that allows a medical device to be controlled by one of two input devices. The input devices may be consoles that contain handles and a screen. The medical devices may include robotic arms and instruments used to perform a medical procedure. The system may include an arbitrator that determines which console has priority to control one or more of the robotic arms/instruments.

Abstract: A method for outputting failure handling method includes: detecting conditions of each part of a working machine; transmitting condition signals representing the detected conditions; receiving the condition signals; calculating a handling method for a failure showed by the received condition signals; and transmitting a handling signal representing the calculated handling method.

Abstract: The on-road reference point positional data delivery device according to the present invention has a reference point positional data delivery device, and this reference point positional data delivery device has a beacon identification device for indicating a reference point position for service information delivered from a beacon provided on a road to a vehicle and also selecting the beacon delivering the service information from among a plurality of beacons.

Abstract: The error determination section determines whether or not an acceleration data set has been received properly with no error. Received data memories store a plurality of the received acceleration data sets. Collision judgment control unit judges a possibility of a collision on the basis of a latest error-free proper data of the received acceleration data sets stored in the received data memories. Further, in case of occurrence of a data deficiency, an error-free proper data set is constantly stored in memory.

Abstract: A system for controlling and/or regulating operational sequences in a motor vehicle having several equal-access control units for controlling and/or regulating certain functions in the motor vehicle. Control units each have a volatile memory, and a nonvolatile memory in which a loading routine is included. They are connected to one another via a time-controlled communications system.

Abstract: An arithmetic processing device for inter-object data communication has an object manager for connecting objects so as to enable exchange of data between the objects, and a connection data supplying unit for supplying the object manager with connection data necessary for achieving the connection between the objects. Disclosed also are an inter-object communication method and a robot incorporating the arithmetic processing device. The robot may be designed to enable a user to replace parts thereof, thus changing the robot configuration. The robot preferably includes a part detection unit for detecting parts attached to the robot, and outputting a part detection result in accordance with the detection. An information storage unit stores information corresponding to the part detection result for each configuration obtained by replacement of the parts.