Abstract: The vehicle operation control apparatus multiplies the variable gain G controlled based on the vehicle velocity V, the steering angle &thgr;h, the steering angle velocity &ohgr;h and the actual steering angle &thgr;T with the steering angle &thgr;h, and controls the actual steering angle &thgr;T of the driven wheels on a result of this multiplication. Consequently, the additional turning time gear ratio Ga1 or the turning-back gear ratio Ga2, set up individually, can be selected depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering feeling both at the time of additional turning and turning-back can be improved.

Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering apparatus for a vehicle includes an elastic member couples a reaction force actuator to a steering wheel. With respect to the elastic member, a side closer to the steering wheel is referred to as a primary side, and a side closer to the reaction force actuator is referred to as a secondary side. A steering wheel position detector is located at the secondary side. Therefore, the apparatus is capable of giving a feel of a steering reaction force equivalent to an ordinary mechanically connected steering apparatus to an operator and secures stability of a control system.

Abstract: An endoscope pretest capsule has approximately the same shape and weight as a capsule-type endoscope and is brought into the body before applying the capsule-type endoscope, and it includes barium sulfate which is a radiopaque substance (or a microcapsule wrapping a radiopaque substance) in a capsule body formed by a material having main components such as chitosan, and has an enteric coat for dissolving after elapse of a predetermined time provided on the surface side thereof. It is possible, by having the pretest capsule swallowed by an examinee in advance, to grasp passage conditions of the capsule-type endoscope in the body and secure good discharge out of the body because it dissolves in the case of remaining in the body for the predetermined time or longer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having a steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer at least a wheel of front and rear wheels. The apparatus includes an actuating signal detection unit for detecting an actuating signal for actuating the device of the steering control unit, an aligning torque estimation unit for estimating an aligning torque produced on the wheel on the basis of the actuating signal detected by the actuating signal detection unit, and a vehicle state variable detection unit for detecting a state variable of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a road condition estimation apparatus for estimating a road condition for use in a vehicle having steering control unit for actuating a device mechanically independent of a manually operated steering member to steer each wheel.

Abstract: The present invention is an electronic-endoscope apparatus for compensating for lack of light quantity caused by a delayed response from a light shielding mechanism when an all-pixel reading system is used. In the case of, for example, a moving image, this apparatus reads pixel mix data out from a CCD to reproduce motions faithfully. For a still image, this apparatus reads out all pixels obtained by the CCD during a single exposure period using a light shielding period set by a light shielding plate, and outputs this data to a mixing circuit via memories to form a pixel mix signal. This configuration enables a high-quality still image to be obtained. In this case, however, the light quantity may be insufficient due to a delayed response from the light shielding plate. Thus, during the exposure period for still-image formation, the lamp voltage is increased above a normal amount or the diaphragm aperture is increased in order to compensate for the shortage of light quantity.

Abstract: The vehicle operation control apparatus multiplies the variable gain G controlled based on the vehicle velocity V, the steering angle &thgr;h, the steering angle velocity &ohgr;h and the actual steering angle &thgr;T with the steering angle &thgr;h, and controls the actual steering angle &thgr;T of the driven wheels on a result of this multiplication. Consequently, the additional turning time gear ratio Ga1 or the turning-back gear ratio Ga2, set up individually, can be selected depending on the turning direction of the steering wheel. Therefore, the steering feeling both at the time of additional turning and turning-back can be improved.

Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle operation control method and vehicle operation control apparatus which protects a vehicle driver from a feeling of disharmony in his steering operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light control system for electronic endoscopes which provides sufficiently bright images during observation of distant objects, allows stable light control during observation of close objects, and prolongs lamp life. The light control system comprises a CCD drive circuit for controlling a CCD, a microcomputer, a diaphragm drive circuit for driving a diaphragm, a lamp voltage control circuit for variably controlling lamp voltage, and a DVP for generating a luminance signal, wherein the diaphragm drive circuit controls the opening of the diaphragm based on the luminance signal received from the DVP and a constant voltage V1 is normally supplied to the lamp, but a larger voltage up to V2 may be supplied on instructions from the microcomputer if the luminance of an image is insufficient even with the diaphragm fully open.

Abstract: An informing apparatus informs an operator of procedures for adjusting control parameters used in a control apparatus that controls an electric power steering apparatus based on various control parameter data. The power steering apparatus is used for the steering wheel of a vehicle. A storage portion stores various data. The data includes evaluation data, steering state data, control parameter data of the power steering control apparatus, and adjusting procedure data. The evaluation data is related to steering of the steering wheel. The steering state data represents the steering state when the evaluation data is obtained. The steering state data is related to the evaluation data. The control parameter data is related to the steering state data, and the evaluation data, and is being used when the evaluation data is obtained. The adjusting procedure data is used for adjusting the control parameter data such that the evaluation data is resolved.

Abstract: In an apparatus using an AC lighting lamp including a reflector and a condensing lens as a condensing unit and using a CCD to pick up an image of a subject irradiated with a light from the lamp, an entrance facet of a light guide is arranged between two condensing points G1 and G2 and at a position that is not close to either of the condensing points, particularly at an intermediate position therebetween so that lights from a bright spot g1 or g2 at a tip of a first or second electrode, respectively, of the lamp are condensed at the corresponding condensing point by the condensing unit. Thereby, although an amount of emission slightly decreases compared to the case where the entrance facet is arranged on the basis of the bright spot, emission with a reduced variation in luminance is obtained to enable photographing with a substantially uniform amount of exposure, while preventing possible flickers.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus is provided to generate an assistant force corresponding to a change of viscous friction in the steering unit or the like, without losing information on reaction force from a road surface. An external force calculation portion calculates an external force, that is, a force other than a force for steering (i.e. a steering force) among forces (action forces) acting on the steering unit of a vehicle. The external force is assumed to be composed of an outside force received from the road surface, such as an SAT (self-aligning torque), and an internal drag resulting from a viscous friction generated in the steering unit, and the like and these two forces are separated in an outside force and internal drag calculation portion. In separating these two forces, under the assumption that the outside force is a function of a side slip angle and an internal drag is a function of a steering angular velocity, and coefficients of functions are obtained.

Abstract: In an electronic endoscope of the present invention, an edge detection circuit detects a down edge section and an up edge section of both ends of a blood vessel in a width direction based on a G signal output from an RGB color conversion circuit, an R coefficient selector and a B coefficient selector select, for example, a coefficient smaller than 1 for the detected down edge section and select, for example, a coefficient larger than 1 for the up edge section, and a multiplier multiplies an R signal and a B signal by these coefficients. As a result, both ends of the blood vessel are highlighted with a left end part expressed blackish and a right end part expressed reddish, making it possible to clearly display blood vessels in mucous membranes on a monitor.

Abstract: The apparatus according to the present invention includes a level adjusting circuit that increases a gain of a G (or B) signal output from a color conversion circuit, a binarization circuit that forms a binarized image from this G signal and an edge detection circuit that extracts blood vessel position signals through edge detection based on this binarized signal. Then, the apparatus extracts RGB color signals making up a blood vessel image by using the above-described blood vessel position signals, increases the gains of these blood vessel color signals and then adds the blood vessel color signals to the color signals of an original image. This allows blood vessels to be displayed in high contrast to mucous membranes, etc. Furthermore, the apparatus can also amplify the R signal and B signal by using a signal obtained by differentiating the above-described G signal as a gain signal to highlight blood vessels.

Abstract: The invention provides an endoscope having a scope that takes an image enlarged by driving a movable lens of an optical zoom mechanism by a CCD and displays an image of an object to be observed, wherein a multiplier multiplies RGB color signals by a coefficient set in view of light distribution of illumination light depending on focusing distances of the movable lens, thus eliminating uneven brightness resulting from varying light distribution depending on the focusing distances in enlargement photography. A red component cut filter for cutting a long wavelength side in a red band of the illumination light is provided in a light source unit to improve redness. Further, a coefficient for averaging a brightness signal for a predetermined number of pixels for each horizontal line is calculated, and this coefficient calculation may eliminate unevenness.

Abstract: An endoscope according to the invention includes a red component cut optical filter having a characteristic that a spectral transmittance becomes half at 630 nm and zero at 670 nm, for example between a light source and an infrared cut filter, to remove a long wavelength component mainly in a red band of illumination light. This restrains scattering of light on a long wavelength side of red light, and allows taking images of mucosa, blood vessels, and other tissue in good contrast in an object to be observed and satisfactorily observing them on a monitor. Further, reduction in light amount resulting from cutting a red component with the filter is eliminated by light amount control with an aperture and gain control of a signal.

Abstract: In a control unit for an electrical-motor-driven power steering apparatus, there are provided an assist current command value calculated based upon a steering torque of a steering wheel, an assist current control value calculated based upon a motor current value of a motor and the assist current command value. A motor outputs an assist force based upon the assist current control value. Further, the control unit provides an estimation means for estimating a road surface &mgr; based upon at least one of the motor current value and the steering torque. To the control unit, there are further inputted a vehicle speed obtained based upon rotation of a wheel, and a steering angle obtained based upon rotation of the steering wheel. Therefore, the estimation means estimates the road surface &mgr; by comparing with a previously memorized standard value corresponding to the vehicle speed and the steering angle.

Abstract: A data transfer system is configured such that data collision detection and data transmission are performed using different lines to eliminate the need for employing a wired-OR circuit, or the number of reception buffers to be employed is reduced. These arrangements make it possible to realize a high-speed serial bus with reduced power consumption.

Abstract: In an apparatus using an AC lighting lamp including a reflector and a condensing lens as a condensing unit and using a CCD to pick up an image of a subject irradiated with a light from the lamp, an entrance facet of a light guide is arranged between two condensing points G1 and G2 and at a position that is not close to either of the condensing points, particularly at an intermediate position therebetween so that lights from a bright spot g1 or g2 at a tip of a first or second electrode, respectively, of the lamp are condensed at the corresponding condensing point by the condensing unit. Thereby, although an amount of emission slightly decreases compared to the case where the entrance facet is arranged on the basis of the bright spot, emission with a reduced variation in luminance is obtained to enable photographing with a substantially uniform amount of exposure, while preventing possible flickers.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus is provided to generate an assistant force corresponding to a change of viscous friction in the steering unit or the like, without losing information on reaction force from a road surface. An external force calculation portion calculates an external force, that is, a force other than a force for steering (i.e. a steering force) among forces (action forces) acting on the steering unit of a vehicle. The external force is assumed to be composed of an outside force received from the road surface, such as an SAT (self-aligning torque), and an internal drag resulting from a viscous friction generated in the steering unit, and the like and these two forces are separated in an outside force and internal drag calculation portion. In separating these two forces, under the assumption that the outside force is a function of a side slip angle and an internal drag is a function of a steering angular velocity, and coefficients of functions are obtained.