Abstract: Arbitrary information such as a meeting schedule or the like input at an information processing apparatus which comprises a sensor for detecting the current position is stored in an external apparatus or the self-apparatus in association with position information detected by the sensor. By searching the stored information in accordance with the position information detected by the sensor at the beginning of movement of the information processing apparatus, arbitrary information to which that position information or position information corresponding to a position within a predetermined range around a position indicated by that position information is associated is acquired. The user is informed of the contents of the acquired arbitrary information, so that he or she can change a setup as new arbitrary information to be stored in the external apparatus or the self-apparatus.

Abstract: In order to make better use of personal information manager data and to improve the convenience for the user, in cases where such personal information manager data is used in a vehicle V, the personal information manager data including position data and time data and traffic information are input from outside the vehicle V so as to guide the user using the vehicle V along a travel route based on the personal information manager data and in association with the position data, whereby it is possible to appropriately guide the user using the vehicle V along the travel route according to the position data of the personal information manager data.

Abstract: A navigation unit 1 sends map image information representing a map image of an area around a current position of an automobile in which the unit 1 is installed to a communication apparatus 9 with which the unit 1 is communicating, if the communication apparatus 9 does not have geographical data. The map image information includes information such as a symbol image that allows the current position of the navigation unit 1 to be identified. The data format of the map image information is a data format that allows the information to be reproduced in an ordinary personal computer.

Abstract: An audio apparatus for a vehicle made up of a car-mounted audio apparatus 100 and portable audio apparatuses 200a and 200b transmits/receives contents data such as music via radio communication. As a communication system for this in-car radio communication, a short-distance data communication system is used, which allows the apparatuses to recognize and authenticate one another and perform data communication with one another in the vehicle. Received music data is reproduced/output in real time.

Abstract: An audio apparatus (audio system) made up of the car-mounted audio apparatus 100 and portable audio apparatuses 200a and 200b transmits/receives contents data such as music via radio communication. As the communication system in this in-car radio communication, a short-distance data communication system is used, which allows respective apparatuses to recognize and authenticate with one another and perform data communication between those apparatuses.

Abstract: The left rear wheel is driven with the left motor and the right rear wheel is driven with the right motor. Selection of a control mode is made from a first control mode in which the left and right motors are driven in common and a second control mode in which the left and right motors are driven discretely and separately. A region in which the motors are driven is so arranged as to be altered in accordance with the running state of the vehicle, such as the lateral acceleration acting upon the vehicle body, the road surface friction coefficient .mu., the vehicle speed, the steered angle of the steering wheel, etc. A clutch can be disposed to couple the left and right wheels to be driven with the motors when a predetermined condition is met.

Abstract: A vehicle having learning control includes a running condition detecting device for detecting a driving condition of the vehicle, a running characteristic control device for controlling a control gain to change a running characteristic of the vehicle and a gain control device for learning the running characteristic of the vehicle to change the control gain. The running characteristics of the vehicle can be controlled corresponding to various running conditions.

Abstract: A suspension system has a link mechanism, disposed between a wheel support and a car body, for suspending the wheel support from the body so as to allow a wheel, related to steering, to swing about a center axis relative to the body. The link mechanism is caused to change a height of an instantaneous center of a swing of the wheel from the ground according to degrees of turn, such as steered angles, so as to maintain a height of the instantaneous center at a substantially fixed height from the ground.

Abstract: A system for steering a rear wheel of a vehicle having a mechanism for altering a steering ratio, .THETA.S, based on an amount of steering of the rear wheel to an amount of steering a front wheel. The system is disposed in an interconnecting mechanism for mechanically interconnecting the mechanism for steering the front wheel with the mechanism for steering the rear wheel. The value of .THETA.S is set by the following formula:.THETA.S=C1+B.multidot.C3.multidot..vertline.Y.vertline.-C4.multidot..vertl ine.dY.vertline.where .THETA.S is a steering ratio;Y is a yaw rate of a vehicle body;dY is a yaw acceleration of the yaw rate;C1 is a basic steering characteristic term;C3 is a yaw rate control gain;C4 is a yaw acceleration control gain; andB is a correction coefficient control gain term.The value of B increases when the amount of steering of the front wheel is small and decreases when the amount of steering of the front wheel is large.

Abstract: A fluid cylinder unit is disposed between a vehicle body and each of wheels and suspension characteristics are changed by changing the control amount of operating fluid to be supplied to or discharged from the fluid cylinder. The control amount is given based on predetermined conditions using the traveling state of the vehicle such as vehicle height, velocity of displacing the vehicle height and vertical acceleration as a parameter. A filter causes a gain of the control amount to be reduced as the frequency of vibration gets larger. A time constant of the filter is so set to become larger as the operated control amount gets larger when the control amount is smaller than a predetermined value, while the time constant is set to the predetermined value when the control amount is equal to or larger than the predetermined value. Specifically, the control amount Q is determined by the following formula: Q=Qc/(1+k.times.Qo.times.

Abstract: An operation apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission mechanism includes an actuator for driving a hydraulic valve for switching a travel range of an automatic transmission mechanism, a control unit for controlling the actuator, and a transmission operation unit for outputting a range switching instruction to the control unit. In the preferred embodiment, the transmission operation unit includes a stroke contact type operation switch suitably mounted on a side surface of a steering column so that at least forward vehicle travel ranges can be switched by only a stretched finger of the hand of a vehicle driver who continues to maintain his grip on the steering wheel with the same hand. The operation switch can include either a rotary switch or slide switch mounted on the steering column.

Abstract: This invention discloses a control system for integrally controlling steering and a power unit of a vehicle includes: a front-wheel steering device for steering the front wheels of the vehicle in connection with the operation of a steering handle; a rear-wheel turning device for turning the rear wheels of the vehicle in connection with steering of the front wheels; an adjustment device for adjusting an engine output of the vehicle; a first detection device for detecting an amount in which an accelerator member is operated; a driving device for driving the engine output adjustment device in response to the amount in which the accelerator member is operated; a second detection device for detecting either an instruction given by a driver who wants to change a travel characteristic or changes in an environment in which the vehicle is running; and a change/correction device for changing or correcting a control characteristic which controls the rear-wheel turning device and the driving device in response to an outp

Abstract: A suspension-steering control apparatus is provided with suspension-characteristic changing means for changing a suspension characteristic and a rear-wheel steering mechanism for steering rear wheels of a vehicle. The suspension characteristics is such that, for example, a magnitude of a damping force of a suspension or a rolling rigidity ratio of the rear portion of the vehicle body to the front portion thereof can be changed. The rear-wheel steering mechanism is controlled on the basis of a predetermined steering characteristic. The steering-characteristic is corrected in synchronization with alteration of the suspension characteristic.

Abstract: A four-wheel steering vehicle including a four-wheel steering mechanism for controlling a steering of front and rear wheels based on a predetermined steering ratio property in accordance with an operation of a steering wheel, and an anti-lock braking system for controlling a braking force acted on each of the front and rear wheels to prevent the wheels from locking during a braking operation. The vehicle further comprises a stepping motor for controlling a steering ratio of a steering amount of the rear wheels to a steering amount of the front wheels in accordance with a vehicle speed based on said steering ratio property, fail detecting device for detecting an abnormal condition of the anti-lock braking system, compensating device for receiving signals from the fail detecting device and compensating the steering ratio property so that the rear wheels are steered in a direction and amount to improve a driving stability of the vehicle during a braking operation.