Abstract: Systems, methods, and programs obtain a start position and obtain map information including link information and mesh information, the mesh information dividing an area covered by the map information in a mesh grid having a plurality of adjacent meshes. The systems, methods, and programs calculate an estimated travel related time for specific ones of the meshes based on an origin mesh including the start position by assigning time offsets to specific ones of the meshes based on at least one of a type and a number of links entering the specific ones of the meshes starting from the origin mesh and in the order of transitions from one mesh to another mesh over mesh borders in a flow pattern representing increasing distances from the origin mesh.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and programs obtain a start position and obtain map information including link information and mesh information, the mesh information dividing an area covered by the map information in a mesh grid having a plurality of adjacent meshes. The systems, methods, and programs calculate an estimated travel related time for specific ones of the meshes based on an origin mesh including the start position by assigning time offsets to specific ones of the meshes based on at least one of a type and a number of links entering the specific ones of the meshes starting from the origin mesh and in the order of transitions from one mesh to another mesh over mesh borders in a flow pattern representing increasing distances from the origin mesh.

Abstract: The invention provides a system which can select a less crowded road as a road section of a guidance route. The vehicle navigation system executes a route search from a departing point or the present position of the vehicle to the destination and provides guidance for the guidance route, taking into account whether a road is in a city area or a suburban area. The vehicle navigation system includes an information memory for storing map information for each road section, a route search routine for searching for a route from the present position to the destination based on map information stored in the information memory, and a decision routine for determining whether a road to be searched is in a city area or in a suburban area, and wherein the route search searches for a route by weighting the roads which are determined to be in the city area in order to give a lower preference thereto.

Abstract: A vehicular navigation system is described as including a present position detector for detecting the present position of a vehicle; an input device for inputting information necessary for computing a guidance route; an output device for outputting information for route guidance; an information storage unit containing stored road information including branch data and link data and other data necessary for providing the guidance; a route search section for searching for a guidance route on the basis of the information input by the input means; a route information storage unit for storing the guidance route information registered by the route search section; and guide control section for outputting guidance information for a next guide branch to the output means, on the basis of the guidance route and the present position detected by the present position detector.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system includes a present position detector, an input device for inputting information required for route searching, inclusive of information identifying a starting point and a destination, an output device for outputting route guidance, an information memory containing map data for route guidance within a geographical area, and border line data for a border line defining a perimeter for the geographical area. A central processing unit determines whether or not the detected present position or starting point and the destination are within the geographical area stored in the information memory, determines a crossing point on the border line responsive to a determination that the present position or the starting point and the destination are not both in the geographical area and determines a travel route from the present position or starting point to the destination, which travel route passes through the crossing point.

Abstract: A vehicular navigation system includes guide control facilities which acquires stored information of an angle between a road entering and a road departing a rotary branch on a route stored in route information storing means, the angle of a junction to the rotary, and information of the changing angles of individual links forming the rotary. Direction guidance is performed on the basis of this acquired information along with the present position of a vehicle, a destination, and a computed route.

Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator for a friction engagement device of the type adapted to allow power transmission between two shafts by releasing engagement of the friction engagement device concerned. The actuator comprises a torque/thrust conversion device composed of two elements and adapted to effect and release the engagment of the friction engagement device, a pair of gears respectively connected to the two elements, and a torque generating mechanism gear which is engaged with the pair of gears, the gear ratio between the torque generating mechanism gear and one of the pair of gears being slightly different from that between the torque generating mechanism gear and the other of the pair of gears. In this arrangement, the motor torque is directly converted into the power for effecting and releasing the engagement of the friction engagement device, whereby the control method is simplified and the response to the control signal expedited.

Abstract: An actuator for a four wheel drive transfer mechanism which is laid in a power transmission device and is controlled by an electrical signal sent from a controlling unit comprises a torque generating mechanism which converts electrical energy into a torque, and a torque-thrust conversion mechanism which converts the torque generated by the torque generating mechanism into a thrust force. The thrust force generated from the torque-thrust conversion mechanism is applied to the frictional engaging device to control torque distribution between front and rear vehicle wheels.