Abstract: A control apparatus detects the relative position between a vibration member and a driving-member-side vibration detection portion on the basis of a signal that shows a vibrational state of the vibration member and a signal output from the driving-member-side vibration detection portion, the driving-member-side vibration detection portion being provided on a driving member and detecting a vibration of the driving member.

Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus of a vibration-type actuator for generating an elliptical motion of contact portions by a common alternating current signal including a frequency determining unit for setting a frequency of the alternating current signal. The frequency determining unit sets the frequency of the alternating current signal for changing an ellipticity of the elliptical motion, within a frequency range such that ellipticity changing frequency ranges set for the vibrators are overlapped, and the ellipticity changing frequency ranges are set for the vibrators as frequency ranges between an upper limit and a lower limit, such that the lower limit is a maximum resonant frequency at a time of changing the ellipticity, and the upper limit is larger than the lower limit and is a maximum frequency for the relative movement of the driving member.

Abstract: An image processing unit 4 performs the recognition of a traffic signal in front of an own vehicle on the carriageway thereof. When the image processing unit 4 recognizes that there is a traffic signal front closet to the vehicle on the carriageway within a set distance L2 and the traffic signal is displaying red light, the process shifts to a stop line recognition mode and the image processing unit 4 performs stop line recognition. Accordingly, unnecessary execution of stop line recognition can be accurately avoided. Therefore, a stop line that is necessary for the control of the own vehicle can be recognized with a high accuracy without generating excessive calculation load.

Abstract: In automatic steering control, when both a traveling lane and a preceding vehicle are detected, a target position on a first vehicle traveling path based on traveling lane information and a target position on a second vehicle traveling path based on preceding vehicle information are set as a first target position and a second target position, respectively. When the second target position is set farther than the first target position, the correction amount of the distance between the first target position and the second vehicle traveling path is set in accordance with the distance difference in the front-rear direction between the first and second target positions, and a third target position is set by correcting the first target position by the correction amount so as to become closer to the second vehicle traveling path. The steering control amount is calculated on the basis of the third target position.

Abstract: A lane keeping assistance equipment loaded on an automotive vehicle having a response motion unit for controlling a steering of the vehicle traveling on a traffic lane between lane markings, having a lane marking detecting device for detecting a lane marking location; a sideways distance detecting device for detecting a sideways distance between the lane marking location and the vehicle; and a control device for controlling lane keeping by setting a travel target point and signaling the response motion unit for the vehicle to travel on that point, wherein, corresponding to changes in the distance amount between the lane marking location and the vehicle during a driver's continuing intervening steering act and a prescribed time afterwards, the control device updates the distance amount between the travel target point and the lane marking location after that prescribed time elapses.

Abstract: A vibration wave driven apparatus capable of preventing a resonance frequency of a vibrator from being shifted to a frequency side higher than a fixed drive frequency of the vibrator during the execution of phase difference control or voltage control. Driving signals are supplied from a control apparatus to a vibration-type actuator having a piezoelectric element that functions as an electro-mechanical energy conversion element. To control the drive of the vibration-type actuator, either a phase difference between the driving signals or a voltage of the driving signals is changed. When either the phase difference or the driving signal voltage is changed, the frequency of the driving signals is set to a predetermined frequency higher than the frequency for use when neither the phase difference nor the driving signal voltage is changed.

Abstract: A control unit 3 estimates a driving target point Pt based on obstacle information which is recognized by a stereoscopic camera 4 and an environment recognition unit 5, and estimates a position of an obstacle based on a current relative position between a vehicle and the obstacle and information of a traveling of the vehicle. Then, the control unit 3 sets the driving target point Pt to a position by adding a driving target point traveling distance ifx0 over which the vehicle 1 travels in a lateral direction based on a steering torque f0 and a preset safety spacing Sx. The control unit 3 controls the steering of the vehicle 1 so as to be directed toward the driving target point.

Abstract: A steering assist apparatus of a vehicle includes: a lane set unit to recognize an environment of ahead the vehicle; a deviation determination unit to determine whether the vehicle has a deviation tendency from a traveling lane; a steering control unit to apply steering force in a deviation avoiding direction to the steering mechanism when it is determined that the vehicle has a deviation tendency; a neighboring vehicle detection unit to detect a neighboring vehicle, which travels ahead of the vehicle in a lane next to the traveling lane of the vehicle; and an approach degree calculation unit to calculate an approach degree of the neighboring vehicle toward the vehicle. When the vehicle has a deviation tendency in a direction away from the traveling lane of the neighboring vehicle, the steering control unit reduces the steering force in the deviation avoiding direction according to an increase of the approach degree.

Abstract: a vehicle surrounding monitoring system including a vehicle travel information detecting unit for detecting travel information of an own vehicle, a solid object recognizing unit for detecting solid objects existing in front of the own vehicle and recognizing at least a preceding vehicle from the solid objects, a target route calculating unit for calculating a target route for the own vehicle in accordance with the present position of the preceding vehicle and the present position of the own vehicle, an alarm area setting unit for setting an alarm area on the basis of the target route, and an alarm control unit for giving an alarm in accordance with an existing state of solid objects existing in the alarm area.

Abstract: Follow-up steering control is executed in a vehicle speed region where vehicle speed V0 is less than V1, and for a vehicle speed region to the higher speed side, a target yaw rate ?t for the vehicle is calculated depending on the current positions of a preceding vehicle and the vehicle, and a power steering instructed current value ic for following up the preceding vehicle is calculated based on the target yaw rate ?t and output to an electrical power steering control unit. On the other hand, for a vehicle speed region to the lower speed side, a target steering angle St for the vehicle is calculated depending on the current positions of the preceding vehicle and the vehicle, and a power steering instructed current value ic for following up the preceding vehicle is calculated based on the target steering angle St.

Abstract: A steering assist system includes traffic-line detecting means for detecting right and left traffic lines marked on a road, preceding-vehicle detecting means for detecting a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of a subject vehicle, traveling-target-point setting means for setting a traveling target point for traveling of the subject vehicle at a predetermined position in the preceding vehicle when the preceding vehicle is not within predetermined ranges from the right and left traffic lines, and for setting the traveling target point at a position offset from the predetermined position in the preceding vehicle toward the center of a traveling lane of the subject vehicle when the preceding vehicle is within the predetermined range of any one of the right and left traffic lines, and steering control means for controlling steering so that the subject vehicle passes over the traveling target point.

Abstract: The present invention includes a stereo camera for picking up a couple of images of outside a vehicle and a far-infrared sensor for detecting the temperature of an object outside the vehicle at least in a detection field overlapping a view field of the stereo camera in the vehicle-width direction. A stereo-image processing unit recognizes three-dimensional objects based on the couple of images and extracts a prospective pedestrian from the recognized three-dimensional objects. A pedestrian-determination unit determines whether or not the prospective pedestrian is a real pedestrian based on a temperature-detection value detected in the same direction the prospective pedestrian exists, where the temperature-detection value is obtained through the far-infrared sensor.

Abstract: A stereo-image recognition unit detects a pedestrian from a solid body acquired from the image by a stereo camera and issues various warnings by outputting signals to an LED and a speaker according to the position of the pedestrian, the vehicle speed, and a signal from a turn signal switch. The unit determines whether the solid body approaches a predetermined region in the image, with one end of the solid body in the width direction being detected and the other end not being detected, and detects the width of the solid body when the other end is detected. The unit then determines whether the solid body is a pedestrian by comparing the width with a predetermined threshold. Accordingly, the unit can rapidly and reliably detect a pedestrian who approaches the vehicle traveling route and inform a driver of it and reduce an operation load necessary for detecting a pedestrian.

Abstract: In automatic steering control, when both a traveling lane and a preceding vehicle are detected, a target position on a first vehicle traveling path based on traveling lane information and a target position on a second vehicle traveling path based on preceding vehicle information are set as a first target position and a second target position, respectively. When the second target position is set farther than the first target position, the correction amount of the distance between the first target position and the second vehicle traveling path is set in accordance with the distance difference in the front-rear direction between the first and second target positions, and a third target position is set by correcting the first target position by the correction amount so as to become closer to the second vehicle traveling path. The steering control amount is calculated on the basis of the third target position.

Abstract: A vibration wave driven apparatus capable of preventing a resonance frequency of a vibrator from being shifted to a frequency side higher than a fixed drive frequency of the vibrator during the execution of phase difference control or voltage control. Driving signals are supplied from a control apparatus to a vibration-type actuator having a piezoelectric element that functions as an electromechanical energy conversion element. To control the drive of the vibration-type actuator, either a phase difference between the driving signals or a voltage of the driving signals is changed. When either the phase difference or the driving signal voltage is changed, the frequency of the driving signals is set to a predetermined frequency higher than the frequency for use when neither the phase difference nor the driving signal voltage is changed.

Abstract: A control unit 3 estimates a driving target point Pt based on obstacle information which is recognized by a stereoscopic camera 4 and an environment recognition unit 5, and estimates a position of an obstacle based on a current relative position between a vehicle and the obstacle and information of a traveling of the vehicle. Then, the control unit 3 sets the driving target point Pt to a position by adding a driving target point traveling distance ifx0 over which the vehicle 1 travels in a lateral direction based on a steering torque f0 and a preset safety spacing Sx. The control unit 3 controls the steering of the vehicle 1 so as to be directed toward the driving target point.

Abstract: A vehicle drive assist system detects an intention of an own vehicle to turn right in an intersection and detects an oncoming vehicle waiting for a right turn on an oncoming lane in front of the own vehicle in the intersection. Further, the system establishes a detecting area in the vicinity of the right edge of the oncoming vehicle waiting and searches an oncoming vehicle traveling straight in the detecting area. When a new solid object is detected and the solid object is a part of the left corner of the solid object, the solid object is judged to be an oncoming vehicle traveling straight.

Abstract: A steering mechanism 1 is configured as a steering mechanism which allows an arbitrary relationship to be set between a steering mechanism unit 2 through which steering of a driver is input and a turning mechanism unit 3 for turning wheels 5, 5 to be turned, those units being controlled by an ECU 30 on a steer-by-wire basis. When alarm control to wake up the driver is performed according to a determination indicating a reduction of the wakefulness of the driver, the ECU 30 suspends the steer-by-wire control to control the turning mechanism unit 3 independently of the steering mechanism unit 2. As a result, even when an improper steering input is provided by the driver who is at a low level of wakefulness, it is possible to prevent such mis-steering from being reflected in driving.

Abstract: A lane keeping assistance equipment is provided, for traveling while accurately following a lane marking, without any accompanying temporary stoppages or causing discomfort to the driver.

Abstract: A traffic lane deviation preventing system includes traffic line detecting unit for detecting traffic line positions on a road, control unit for determining a possibility of its vehicle's deviation from a traffic line based on the traffic line positions detected by the traffic line detecting unit, setting a travel target point to which the vehicle is to travel if it is determined that there is a possibility of the traffic line deviation. The control unit moves the travel target point toward the center of a traffic lane according to the passage of the control operation time.