Abstract: An air-conditioning method and system for an automotive vehicle for controlling passenger compartment air temperature under comfortable air control conditions, that is, under comfortable outlet duct air volume and temperature according to the perception of individual passengers, once the control conditions are adjusted by the passenger. The air-conditioning system according to the present invention comprises, in addition to a microcomputer, a temperature sensor, a temperature preset device, and the like, a blower-fan motor speed selector manually operated by the passenger, a non-volatile memory unit for storing the manually-adjusted blower-fan motor speeds classified on the basis of difference between detected air temperature and preset air temperature, vehicle travelling conditions, and the time elapsed since the system was turned on.

Abstract: A reference check bit pattern is stored in a nonvolatile storage medium of a vehicle-mounted microcomputer. A portion of a volatile storage medium is allocated for the purpose of storing the reference check bits. The microcomputer is programmed to compare the check bits stored in both the volatile and nonvolatile storage mediums. In response to a command signal, a mismatch is detected between the reference check bits of the volatile and nonvolatile mediums to indicate that data stored in the volatile memory have failed due to a power outage. The failed check data of the volatile memory is rewritten with the reference check data in the nonvolatile memory for later comparison. At the same time all data stored in the remaining portion of the volatile memory is erased so the remaining portion can accept a set of fresh input data. When a match occurs the computer proceeds with the normal computing functions.

Abstract: A navigation instrument comprises a first counter for counting travelling distance from a start point, a second counter for counting travelling time from starting, a means for setting a scheduled average vehicle speed, an arithmetic means for calculating average vehicle speed, the deviation of travelling distance from the scheduled distance and the deviation of travelling time from the scheduled time, and a display means for displaying the result of calculation. The first counter is capable of subtractively counting travelling distance in response to switching operation of a switching means which is incorporated to the first counter. The first counter is also incorporated with a means for stopping navigating operation which is operative when the first counter counts down the travelling distance until a given value.

Abstract: A navigation instrument for use with a roadway vehicle comprises an arithmetic means producing three data signals showing the average speed of the vehicle, the deviation of the travelling distance from a scheduled one, and the deviation of the travelling time from a scheduled one, and a display means for displaying the three data sequentially fed from the arithmetic means through a signal selector means. The arithmetic means includes travelling distance/time deviation accumulating means for adding the deviation of the travelling distance/time with respect to the average speed initially set to the deviations of the travelling distance/time whenever the average speed is altered. Thus, the navigation instrument of the present invention makes it possible to calculate and display the travelling distance/time deviation accumulated value when the average speed of the vehicle is altered on the way of vehicle travelling.

Abstract: A gear shift control system for an automatic transmission comprises an air flow sensor for sensing the quantity of air taken into an internal combustion engine and supplying a corresponding electrical signal to a differentiator which provides a derivative of the sensed intake air quantity. A vehicle speed sensor senses the speed of rotation of the engine crankshaft to generate a corresponding signal. A gear shift decision circuit is receptive of signals from the air flow sensor and vehicle speed sensor to define a gear shift control line on a two-dimensional coordinate system as a function of the received input signals on respective coordinate axes. The derivative of the sensed air quantity is used to shift the gear shift control line to a higher speed side of the coordinate system to permit the transmission to effect downshift operation.

Abstract: A fuel consumption measuring apparatus for an internal combustion engine equipped with an electromagnetic fuel injection valve, comprising a fuel injection control means which calculates a proper value of fuel to be injected into the engine, and which then corrects this value in accordance with the characteristics of the electromagnetic fuel injection valve and controls the valve thereby, and a totalling means, which, in synchronization with the signals for controlling the valve, totals the values of the amount of fuel to be injected. In an embodiment, the totalling means is capable of subtracting a first predetermined value from the total held therein, and the apparatus further comprises a decision means which at regular time intervals judges whether the totalled value in the totalling means is greater than a second predetermined value or not; and, if it is, outputs an output pulse signal and also controls the totalling means to cause it to perform the subtraction.

Abstract: A navigation information announcing system for a motor vehicle comprises a tape player, circuitry for measuring the distance actually travelled by the vehicle, circuitry for reproducing distance information pre-recorded on a magnetic tape, and a comparator. A distance indicated by a reproduced datum from a magnetic tape is compared with the distance actually travelled so that the tape player performs a pause operation until the two distances equal each other. When these distances equal each other, the normal playback operation is reestablished so as to reproduce oral information pre-recorded on the magnetic tape, supplying the vehicle driver with directional information.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting the position and/or angle of each movable equipment of a motor vehicle comprises sensors to produce electrical signals indicative of the position and/or angle of each movable equipment, memory circuit including a plurality of memory units for respectively storing sensed information indicative of the optimal positions and/or angles of the equipment for each driver, comparators responsive to the sensed information and the stored information, and driving circuitry responsive to output signals of the comparators to adjust the positions and/or angles of the equipment. When the drivers are changed, the sensed information is compared with the stored information and then the position and/or angle of each equipment is adjusted until the sensed information equals the stored information to provide the driver with the optimal position and/or angle.

Abstract: An electronic trip meter for an automotive vehicle comprises an up-down counter, a memory circuit, an adder-subtractor, a display circuit, and other auxiliary circuits. The up-down counter produces a signal indicative of a remaining distance to a goal by subtracting an actually travelled distance from a preset distance between two points for displaying the remaining distance by the display circuit. When the vehicle reaches the goal, the adder-subtractor produces a signal indicative of the actually travelled distance in accordance with the output signals of the up-down counter and the memory circuit in which the preset distance is stored. The adder-subtractor output signal is then fed to the up-down counter for displaying the actual distance between the two points and to the memory circuit for correcting the preset distance whereby a remaining distance to the starting point in a return trip is easily and accurately obtained. The trip meter may be also utilized for a trip beyond the goal.

Abstract: First electrical pulses are generated in response to the quantity of air inducted per unit time and second electrical pulses are generated in response to the speed of revolution of an engine crankshaft. A counter is provided which counts the number of second electrical pulses for an interval between successive ones of the first electrical pulses. The counted number of second electrical pulses is fed into a computer where the signal is processed to derive a signal representative of the reciprocal of the counted number.

Abstract: An electronic trip meter with a correction circuit for an automotive vehicle comprises a counter for producing an ouput signal indicative of a measured distance, an error detector for deriving an error factor of the measured distance with respect to a reference distance, a correction circuit for correcting the measured distance by the error factor, and a display circuit for displaying the corrected distance.

Abstract: An electronic trip meter for a motor vehicle comprises an up-down counter, a memory circuit, display circuit, and other auxiliary circuits. The up-down counter produces an output signal indicative of a distance travelled by the vehicle by counting a number of pulses generated each time the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or a distance remaining to an objective point of a predetermined course by subtracting the travelled distance from a preset distance. The counting up and down functions of the up-down counter is manually controlled for compensating for a travelled distance along a wrong course. The output of the up-down counter is fed to the display circuit for displaying a distance indicated by the output signal thereof. A plurality of distances of legs of a predetermined course may be stored in the memory circuit so that each distance is fed to the up-down counter as the predetermined distance.

Abstract: An electronic trip meter with an alarm for an automotive vehicle comprises a travelled distance sensing circuit, a memory circuit, a modification circuit, comparators, an alarm, first and second counters, a subtractor, a display circuit, and other auxiliary circuits. A plurality of sub distances defined by guide points along a course and a total distance of the course are respectively preset in the memory circuit and the second counter. The second counter output signal indicates a distance remaining to the goal of the course for displaying the remaining distance. The modification circuit output signal indicates a distance shorter than a sub distance while the first counter output signal indicates a distance actually travelled. When the vehicle travells over the distance shorter than the sub distance, the alarm is energized, by means of a comparison of the distances for informing the driver that a next guide point is near.

Abstract: A navigational information indicator for supplying a vehicle driver with make-turn instructions comprises a first memory for storing each information indicative of each distance travelled by the vehicle as far as a point at which a turn is made, a second memory for storing each information indicative of the direction of each turn, and a display circuit for displaying a directional sign. When the vehicle travels from a first point toward a second point, the distances and directions of turns are respectively stored in the first and second memories in a sequence and these pieces of information are read out in the reverse sequence when the vehicle travels back to the first point from the second point along the same route. The stored information is read out to display each directional sign so as to supply the vehicle driver with make-turn instructions along the return trip.

Abstract: A speed alarm system for a motor vehicle comprises a speed sensor, a plurality of comparators responsive to the vehicle speed and respective preset reference speeds, and a plurality of lamps responsive to the output signals of the comparators. The threshold values which are defined by said reference speeds, are stepwisely arranged to change the number of the lamps energized. The number of energized lamps varies in accordance with the difference between the vehicle speed and a reference speed.

Abstract: A navigation instrument for roadway vehicles comprises a first counter for counting pulses each occurring in response to the vehicle moving a predetermined distance to detect the distance travelled from the starting point of a trip, a second counter for counting clock pulses to detect the time elapsed from the start of the vehicle. A microcomputer or digital circuitry is provided to compute on the data received from the first and second counters to derive an output data representative of the average speed of the vehicle over the distance so far travelled and to compare the computed average speed with a desired speed to detect the deviation of the actual average speed from the reference. A comparator is provided to detect when this deviation exceeds a predetermined value to generate a warning signal to alert the vehicle driver to correct the vehicle speed.

Abstract: An electronic fuel injection control apparatus is provided with a first sensor to determine the volume of intake air and a second sensor providing an electrical signal the magnitude of which is related to the engine speed. The detected air volume is translated into a corresponding pivotal movement. A variable resistance element is arranged to alter its value in accordance with the pivotal movement. The engine speed related signal is connected to the end terminals of the resistance element to develop a voltage representing the engine speed. The variation of the resistance value produces corresponding variation in voltage across the output terminals of the resistance. The output voltage is thus related both to the engine speed and intake air volume, and used to modulate the duration of a pulse produced per engine revolution to provide an injection control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an automatically operated clutch assembly for use with a manually operated power transmission system of an automotive driveline, comprising a fluid operated actuating mechanism for driving the clutch assembly between fully coupled and fully uncoupled conditions. A valve arrangement for controlling the operation of the clutch actuating mechanism and an electric control circuit for controlling the valve arrangement on the basis of signals representative of the vehicle speed and opening degree of the throttle valve in the mixture supply system of the engine. The control circuit is operative to control the valve arrangement so that the clutch actuating mechanism drives the clutch assembly at stepwise varying velocities in response to variation in the throttle valve opening degree when the clutch assembly is in a partially coupled condition.