Abstract: A method of inspecting insulators such as spark plug insulators for defects, whereby a plurality of insulators are inspected concurrently by being disposed with a plurality of first electrodes engaged in respective apertures in the insulators, and with apertures formed in a second electrode being disposed to peripherally enclose respective insulators. With the insulators and electrodes set in a closed chamber under high air pressure, and high voltage applied between the first and second electrodes, any defect is detected based on a level of leakage current which then flows.

Abstract: An emergency reporting apparatus is provided which is capable of easily acquiring passenger information necessary at the time of emergency report and reporting as deputy for a passenger at the time of emergency report. The emergency reporting apparatus asks, in a training mode, the user simulated questions from an emergency rescue facility which will be addressed when an emergency situations occurs, and learns and stores the reply contents and response procedures. From the questions and replies, the emergency reporting apparatus automatically acquires the passenger information. Then, the emergency reporting apparatus reports as deputy for the user the passenger information acquired in the training mode, when there is no reaction of the user at the time of occurrence of an actual emergency situation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a destination input device for use in a vehicle navigation system that determines a drive route from a current position to a destination. The device includes a CD-ROM disc storing a plurality of destinations which are categorized into several groups. The user inputs his or her own behavioral schedule or purpose of travel today through a microphone or a touch panel on a display. The display is controlled by a CPU to provide a group selection menu representing a predetermined combination of the groups, in accordance with the inputted user's behavioral schedule. The user selects a specific one of the groups appearing on the displayed group selection menu, so that the display is controlled to provide a destination input menu representing a plurality of destinations included in the selected group, so that the user may readily select and input a desired destination from among those appearing on the displayed destination input menu.

Abstract: A windbreak provided along a side of a tray prevents insulators located close to an entrance of a furnace from being directly cooled by the air coming into the furnace. All of the insulators mounted on the tray can be uniformly cooled when conveyed out of the furnace after finishing a sintering operation. A resistance value of the electric resistor in an insulator located close to the entrance is substantially equalized with a resistance value of the electric resistor in another insulator located far from the entrance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for assisting designation of a specific destination in a vehicle navigation system that guides a driver along a scheduled drive route from a current position of a vehicle to a designated destination. A menu selection table describes correlation between current status data (date-and-time-related data, purpose-related data, location-related data, vehicle-related data and user-related data) and “events” such as invitation to restaurants or sightseeing spots. When a specific event is determined by reference to the menu selection table, a personified agent questions the user to confirm if the detected event is to be executed. When the user inputs an affirmative answer, a specific condition to be applicable to retrieval of destination is determined by reference to a condition selection table.

Abstract: An interactive navigation system includes a navigation processing unit, a current position sensor, a speaker, a microphone and a display. When it is preliminary inferred, based on receipt of a detection signal from the sensor, that a vehicle has probably been diverted from a drive route determined by the navigation processing unit, a machine voice question is produced through the speaker for confirmation of the inferred probability of diversion. A driver or user in the vehicle answers the question, which is input through the microphone and analyzed to be affirmative or negative, from which a final decision is made as to the vehicle diversion. In a preferred embodiment the question is spoken by a personified agent who appears on the display. The agent's activities are controlled by an agent processing unit. Communication between the agent and the user improves reliability and accuracy of inference of any vehicle condition which could not be determined perfectly by a sensor only.

Abstract: A device is mounted in a vehicle which allows one or more of personified agent or imaginary living body to appear before a driver or passengers in the vehicle for communication therewith. A current status sensor (40) detects predetermined vehicle current status data, and a memory (292, 293) stores study data in response to entry of the latest current status data. One of a plurality of communication programs stored in a program table (291) may be selected in accordance with the current status data and/or the study data. An agent control unit (11) controls activity of the agent in accordance with the selected communication program. The determined agent activity is outputted through a display (27) and a speaker (25) for communication with the driver.

Abstract: A safe drive support system includes a memory unit for storing road-map data including a safe driving area data, a present location detecting unit for detecting a present location of the vehicle, a determining unit for determining as to whether the present location of the vehicle is in the safe driving area according to a detection result by the present location detecting unit, and limiting unit for limiting driving torque or starting torque of the vehicle in the area according to a determination result by the determining unit. In the safe driving area, the limiting operation is carried out by, for example, setting the gear position of start to the second position so as to prevent the vehicle from starting suddenly. An operational angle of a throttle valve is limited at a predetermined angle to limit the output of the engine to suppress an excess speed when an accelerator is stepped on strongly.

Abstract: In order that a measurement error of a phase difference based on an eccentricity produced when an optical disc is inserted into a disc spindle and rotated can be eliminated to improve a measurement accuracy, a polarity adding circuit is provided between an exclusive-OR circuit for detecting an absolute value of a phase difference and a low-pass filter to determine the polarity to thereby eliminate a measurement error in the vicinity of a portion where a phase difference is zero.

Abstract: First and second refrigerating circuits respectively cause first and second adsorbing bodies to alternately adsorb and release first and second coolants. In the first refrigerating circuit, when the first adsorbing body is heated, it releases the first coolant. The released first coolant is cooled, and discharged through an expansion valve so that a part of the first coolant is liquefied. The resultant latent heat of vaporization can be utilized to cool an object to be cooled. Thereafter, the first coolant is adsorbed when the first adsorbing body is cooled. In the second refrigerating circuit, when the second adsorbing body is heated, it releases the second coolant. The released second coolant is cooled by a liquefied-gas-type cooler, and discharged through an expansion valve so that a part of the second coolant is liquefied. The resultant latent heat of vaporization is utilized to cool the first adsorbing body of the first refrigerating circuit.

Abstract: A vehicle has a rotary magnetic field member which is rotatably supported at a position near the surface of a roadway along which the vehicle runs and rotatingly driven by a driving device. The rotary magnetic field member has magnetic poles of different polarities alternately arranged around its circumference. The vehicle also has an electrical power collector for receiving electrical power from an electrical power supply associated with the roadway. The received electrical power is supplied under the control of a controller to the driving device thereby rotatably driving the rotary magnetic field member. The rotary magnetic field member when rotated relative to the roadway made of an electrically conductive non-magnetic material, forms a varying magnetic field in cooperation with the roadway, thereby generating propulsion force for propelling the vehicle and force for suspending the vehicle, so that the vehicle is propelled in a floating state.

Abstract: A vehicle with a noncontact drive mechanism includes a magnetic propelling device 7 for generating a propelling force derived from magnetic induction of an eddy current within a reaction plate 4 laid on a road surface, without contact between the magnetic propelling device and the reaction plate; a flux changing device 13 for changing magnetic flux of the magnetic propelling device; a chassis supporting device for holding a chassis with respect to the road surface; and running-direction control devices 3, 5 for controlling the direction of running of the vehicle. The vehicle is adapted to run by generating a magnetic force in noncontact with the reaction plate.