Abstract: An ECU executes a program that includes a step of determining whether an output shaft rotation speed NOUT is equal to or greater than a reference rotation speed at which determining regions with all of the gear speeds in a stepped automatic transmission do not overlap, a step of determining that there is an abnormality in the gear speed by dividing the turbine rotation speed NT by the output shaft rotation speed NOUT if the output shaft rotation speed NOUT is not equal to or greater than that reference rotation speed, and a step of determining that there is an abnormality in the gear speed by subtracting a value, which is obtained by multiplying the output shaft rotation speed NOUT by the gear ratio, from the turbine rotation speed NT if the output shaft rotation speed NOUT is equal to or greater than that reference rotation speed.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program that includes the steps of setting an abnormality flag when a hydraulic pressure switch is on even though a lock-up clutch is in a lock-up OFF state, forcing an SLU off when the lock-up clutch is on and the abnormality flag is on, determining that there is an SLU failure when the lock-up clutch is still in a lock-up ON state after a predetermined period of time has passed, and determining that there is a hydraulic pressure switch failure when the lock-up clutch is not in the lock-up ON state after the predetermined period of time has passed.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program that includes the steps of setting an abnormality flag when a hydraulic pressure switch is on even though a lock-up clutch is in a lock-up OFF state, forcing an SLU off when the lock-up clutch is on and the abnormality flag is on, determining that there is an SLU failure when the lock-up clutch is still in a lock-up ON state after a predetermined period of time has passed, and determining that there is a hydraulic pressure switch failure when the lock-up clutch is not in the lock-up ON state after the predetermined period of time has passed.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program that includes a step of determining whether an output shaft rotation speed NOUT is equal to or greater than a reference rotation speed at which determining regions with all of the gear speeds in a stepped automatic transmission do not overlap, a step of determining that there is an abnormality in the gear speed by dividing the turbine rotation speed NT by the output shaft rotation speed NOUT if the output shaft rotation speed NOUT is not equal to or greater than that reference rotation speed, and a step of determining that there is an abnormality in the gear speed by subtracting a value, which is obtained by multiplying the output shaft rotation speed NOUT by the gear ratio, from the turbine rotation speed NT if the output shaft rotation speed NOUT is equal to or greater than that reference rotation speed.

Abstract: In a sector servo type hard-disk apparatus, in the case where a recording medium is not manufacture-formatted, gain control data is written/read in/from a CSS zone of the recording medium after power is turned on and before the first seek is executed. The write/read of the gain control data in/from the CSS zone is also executed in accordance with a peak level of an output signal from an AGC amplifier.

Abstract: When a brushless DC (direct current) motor is started to rotate a rotor, a normal current value is set and then a motor drive current corresponding to the set normal current value is supplied to the brushless DC motor. If the brushless DC motor is not started by this motor drive current, the current value to be set is increased at a desired rate, and a motor drive current corresponding to the increased current value is supplied to the brushless DC motor. That is, the motor drive current corresponding to the current value increased at a desired rate is sequentially supplied to the brushless DC motor until the brushless DC motor has started.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, the integral value of position information representing the current position of a magnetic head is obtained from address code data corresponding to a cylinder number recorded on a disk. The decimal value of the position information is computed from the level values of burst data recorded on the disk. The moving speed value of the magnetic head and a remaining distance are calculated on the basis of the position information having the obtained integral and decimal values. Two target speed values are extracted from a speed table in accordance with the remaining distance, and an intermediate value between the two target speed values is approximately computed. With this operation, a more accurate target speed value corresponding to the remaining distance is obtained.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, in order to prevent the address code data for identifying the cylinder number of a recording medium from producing continuous erase data, address code data with a gray code arrangement is modulated by a predetermined modulation method, and the modulated address code data is recorded on the recording medium. In this case, address clocks are recorded on the recording medium at predetermined intervals by the magnetization change in a predetermined direction. After the address clocks are recorded, the address data are recorded by the magnetization change in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

Abstract: When a sensorless and brushless DC motor is started, the rotor having a magnet is positioned by first exciting one pair of motor coils and then exciting another pair motor coils. The excitation of the motor coils is repeated until the rotor stops vibrating. Further, the positions of the magnetic poles of the rotor are detected by comparing the back electromotive force produced in each motor coil with the voltage generated in common to all motor coils. The rotation speed of the rotor is acquired from both the positions of the magnetic poles and the one cycle period of a signal representing the position of the rotor. A suitable delay time corresponding to the acquired rotation speed is determined, and the excitation phases are switched in accordance with the suitable delay time.

Abstract: In a print data editing circuit in a serial printer of the invention, print data signals for odd pins (P1, P3, P9, P11, P17, P19) and other odd pins (P5, P7, P13, P15, P21, P23) in print data supplied from a buffer RAM are sequentially shifted and stored in first and second registers in response to a first write signal. Similarly, print data signals for even pins (P2, P4, P10, P12, P18, P20) and other even pins (P6, P8, P14, P16, P22, P24) are sequentially shifted and stored in third and fourth registers in response to a second write signal. The print data signals from the first through fourth registers are respectively latched by first through fourth buffer registers in response to an interrupt signal from a timer. The data signals are simultaneously output from the first through fourth buffer registers and supplied to a pin drive circuit.

Abstract: A printer apparatus including a timer, for setting a period T1 when the print head moves forward toward a platen, and a period T2, which is longer than period T1, when the print head moves away from the platen. In response to an interrupt signal from the timer, a CPU supplies a signal, for changing over the exciting phase of the stepping motor, to a motor driving circuit. As a result, the motor driving circuit operates to speed up the rotation of the stepping motor when the print head moves forward, providing a low level of torque with which to move the print head toward the platen. On the other hand, the motor driving circuit operates to slow down the rotation of the stepping motor when the print head moves away from the platen, providing a high level of torque with which to move the print head away from the platen.