Abstract: A parameter storage section stores parameters to be used in electronic control units, in correlation with individual drivers. A driver identification section identifies a driver of a vehicle. A parameter retrieving section retrieves, from the parameter storage section, parameters correlated with the driver identified by the driver identification section, and supplies the retrieved parameters to the electronic control units. A parameter generation section generates parameters based on information related to the driver, and stores the generated parameters in the parameter storage section.

Abstract: The present invention is a block oriented control system that allows interoperability between devices made by different manufacturers. A block oriented control system is a system which includes a plurality of field devices incorporating a physical layer, communication stack, and user layer, with the field devices being connected by a transmission medium, such as a bus. The physical layer receives signals from the bus and translates the signals into a message for the communications stack, and receives messages from the communications stack and translates the messages into signals for the bus. The communication stack controls the communications between devices operating in the control system. The user layer is a block oriented approach to the system's control functions, and includes function blocks and system management. The function blocks are standardized encapsulations of control functions, such as analog input or proportional/derivative.

Abstract: The present invention is a block oriented control system that allows interoperability between devices made by different manufacturers. A block oriented control system is a system which includes a plurality of field devices incorporating a physical layer, communication stack, and user layer, with the field devices being connected by a transmission medium, such as a bus. The physical layer receives signals from the bus and translates the signals into a message for the communications stack, and receives messages from the communications stack and translates the messages into signals for the bus. The communication stack controls the communications between devices operating in the control system. The user layer is a block oriented approach to the system's control functions, and includes function blocks and system management. The function blocks are standardized encapsulations of control functions, such as analog input or proportional/derivative.

Abstract: A distributed control system comprising a control station and a remote input/output device interconnected by a bus, wherein the system is provided with a continuation transmission service which first transmits an urgent output only and then performs cyclic scan transmission; an initialization start transmission service which first performs cyclic scan transmission for input only; an interruption duration measuring feature which measures the period of transmission interruption; and a control feature which activates the continuation transmission service when the result of the measurement is shorter than a predetermined period of time, and which activates the initialization start transmission service when the result of the measurement is longer than the predetermined period of time. Thus, for example, after a power supply failure, the system can rapidly recover and shift to normal process controlling operation without the delays normally experienced by prior control systems.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter comprising a signal generator for supplying a synchronizing signal to an ultrasonic propagation path and a frequency division time signal to a flow rate computing unit; the flow rate computing unit comprising a time difference detector for determining time difference between a reception time signal from the ultrasonic propagation path and the frequency division time signal from the signal generator, and for generating a signal indicative of which signal is earlier than the other; a sequential approximating means responsive to an output signal form the time difference detector for effecting sequential approximating computation; and a flow rate computing circuit responsive to the output from the sequential approximating means for computing the flow rate of the fluid. The ultrasonic flowmeter is simple, accurate and reliable, and is inexpensive to manufacture.

Abstract: An electromagnetic flow meter includes a fluid-carrying conduit. A signal detecting element detects an electromotive force induced in the fluid in the conduit to produce a first detecting signal. A conduit voltage detecting element detects a voltage of the conduit to produce a second detecting signal. An electrical energy applying device is responsive to the first and second detecting signals for applying a selected amount of voltage to the conduit so that the voltage of the first detecting signal and the detected voltage of the conduit become equal to each other, whereby a profile of the voltage of the conduit is substantially similar to a profile of the electromotive force at least at a position of the signal detecting element.

Abstract: An excitation system for a magnetic flowmeter provided with a flow tube through which the fluid to be metered is conducted, the tube having a pair of electrodes mounted at diametrically-opposed positions thereon and including an excitation coil to establish a magnetic field in the tube which is normal to the tube's axis and to a transverse axis passing through the electrodes, the fluid intersecting the magnetic field to induce a flow rate signal in said electrodes, the system including a full-wave rectifier coupled to a commercial power line source which produces sinusoidal a-c power whose wave periodically crosses a zero line. A switch is interposed between the rectifier and said excitation coil.

Abstract: A magnetic flowmeter whose electromagnet is excited by a low-frequency excitation current having an a-c component and a d-c component, the flowmeter including flow tube electrodes yielding a flow rate signal. A reference-voltage detecting transformer is provided to produce a reference-voltage proportional to the a-c component of the excitation current. Fluctuations in the flow rate signal as a result of fluctuations in the a-c component of the excitation current are eliminated by dividing the flow rate signal by the reference-voltage signal. In order to eliminate from the reference-voltage detecting transformer the unwanted magnetic flux generated by the d-c component of the excitation current, compensating means are provided to generate a counter magnetic flux, whereby saturation of the transformer core and the resultant distortion of the reference voltage signal are avoided.