Abstract: A turn control apparatus for a vehicle is applied to a four-wheeled automobile. When the vehicle turns while being braked, the outside front and inside rear wheels viewed in the vehicle turn direction are selected from the vehicle wheels as two target wheels to be controlled. The braking force on one target wheel to be controlled is increased in accordance with the turning condition of vehicle, while that of the other target wheel to be controlled is decreased.

Abstract: A turn control apparatus for a motor vehicle comprises an arithmetic operation section for acquiring a correction amount for the target slip ratio of a target wheel to be controlled based on the required yaw moment of the vehicle in a situation where an antiskid braking system (ABS) should be activated, a computing section for computing the target slip ratio upon reception of the correction amount from the arithmetic operation section, and a section for acquiring actuation modes and pulse widths for inlet and outlet valves for wheel brakes of the individual wheels, based on the target slip ratio when the ABS is in operation.

Abstract: A charging apparatus having a power supply circuit that provides a DC output current via a sense resistor. A current detector amplifies, detects and provides a voltage across the sense resistor. A controller designates the output of the current detector as a determination signal when the DC output current is equal to a preset voltage. Responsive to the determination signal, the controller generates a control signal in order to control the DC output current of the power supply circuit. More particularly, the current detector includes a first differential amplifier that amplifies and output the voltage across the sense resistor, a second differential amplifier amplifies and supplies a differential voltage between the output of the first differential amplifier and a predetermined first reference voltage, and a first output circuit responsive to the output of the second differential amplifier delivers the determination signal.

Abstract: A vehicle turn control apparatus has an electronic control unit including a control start/end determination section (80) in which two threshold values associated with the start timing of yaw moment control in the understeer and oversteer modes respectively. The determination section (80) outputs a control beginning flag (Fymc=1) when the absolute value of required moment (.gamma. d) exceeds the absolute value of either threshold value. By providing such a control start condition, smooth yaw moment control can be achieved. Also, by setting the absolute value of threshold value in the oversteer mode at a value smaller than the absolute value of threshold value in the understeer mode, the yaw moment control in the oversteer mode is started at early timing. A restoration moment is quickly produced on the vehicle in the oversteer mode, thereby preventing spinning of the vehicle.

Abstract: A turn control apparatus for a vehicle selects two wheels on the diagonal line of the vehicle as first target wheels according to a turning condition when the vehicle turns while being braked, increases and decreases the braking force of these first target wheels, and executes yaw moment control of the vehicle. In the execution of the yaw moment control, when an antiskid brake system is activated, the turn control apparatus selects one wheel other than the first target wheels as a second target wheel, reduces the braking force of the second target wheel, gives a restoration moment to the vehicle, and prevent the locking of the second target wheel.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including an insulating package outer frame member, outer leads, positioning dummy leads, a heat radiating plate, and a semiconductor chip mounted to the heat radiating plate. The heat radiating plate is made from a different material from that of the outer leads, and the positioning dummy leads act to regulate the position of the heat radiating plate during the soldering process. The positioning dummy leads and the outer leads are made in a common lead frame, and are separated from each other after the soldering process, preferably after the subsequent plating process.

Abstract: A vehicle turn control apparatus has an electronic control unit which controls the operation of hydraulic pressure control valves for adjusting a fluid pressure generated by a pump during the turn control which is carried out in accordance with a required control variable for yaw moment control calculated based on either or both of the operating state and behavior of a vehicle. Adjusted fluid pressures are supplied to the wheel brakes concerned, so that a braking force difference is produced between these wheels to control a yawing motion of the vehicle. When the brake pedal is operated during the turn control, the electronic control unit stops the operation of the pump unless the fluid pressure for turn control is so adjusted as to be increased, to thereby decrease the fluid pressure to suppress the brake pedal push-back action of the fluid pressure.

Abstract: A lower layer diffusion layer of a metal-insulator-semiconductor-type (MIS-type) condenser is formed by implanting and diffusing phosphorus into an upper portion of an epitaxial layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. Thereafter, a silicon nitride film functioning as a dielectric film of the MIS type condenser is formed on the lower layer diffusion layer, and a poly-silicon film functioning as a protective film for the silicon nitride film is formed on the silicon nitride film in succession to the formation of the silicon nitride film without performing any etching operation. The formation of the silicon nitride film and the poly-silicon film is performed according to a vacuum chemical vapor deposition in the same chamber to prevent the silicon nitride film from being exposed to oxygen. Thereafter, the silicon nitride film and the poly-silicon film are baked to form an oxidized film surrounding the silicon nitride film and the poly-silicon film.

Abstract: A vehicle turn control apparatus includes an electronic control unit, which computes a required control valve for yaw moment control in accordance with the operating condition and/or behavior of a vehicle, actuates a pump when a first predetermined value is reached by the required control valve, and starts operation control for hydraulic pressure control valves when a request for turn control is made after a second predetermined value is reached by the required control valve. Since the pump is already actuated at the start of the control, the turn control can be quickly started without a delay in response to the turn control request. A hydraulic pressure, generated by the pump and adjusted by the hydraulic pressure control valves, is supplied to wheel brakes during the turn control. Thereupon, braking force differences are caused between the wheels of the vehicle, whereby the yaw moment of the vehicle is controlled.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a road traffic condition and for controlling a vehicle running characteristic includes a controller having a fuzzy inference function and a neural network function. The controller carries out frequency analysis on vehicle driving parameters such as vehicle speed, steering angle, accelerator opening degree, and longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration of a vehicle, to thereby determine a mean value and variance of each parameter. It implements fuzzy inference based on a traveling time ratio, an average speed, and an average lateral acceleration, which are obtained from vehicle speed and/or steering angle, to thereby calculate road traffic condition parameters, including a city area degree, a jammed road degree, and a mountainous road degree.

Abstract: An apparatus for estimating a vehicle maneuvering state and controlling a vehicle running characteristic includes a controller having a fuzzy estimating function and a neural network function. The controller carries out frequency analysis on vehicle driving parameters such as vehicle speed, steering angle, opening degree of an accelerator, and longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration of a vehicle, to thereby determine a mean value and variance of each parameter. It implements fuzzy inference based on a traveling time ratio, an average speed, and an average lateral acceleration, which are obtained from vehicle speed and/or steering angle, to thereby calculate road traffic condition parameters, including a city area degree, a jammed road degree, and a mountainous road degree.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking method is provided for controlling, on the basis of a slip ratio of a wheel and an acceleration of the wheel, braking force to be applied to the wheel. The anti-skid braking method comprises the following steps: where the slip ratio is found to fall outside an appropriate range during slip ratio computation, adding differences between a limit defining the appropriate range and the respective slip ratio values so computed; and when the integral of the differences is at least equal to a predetermined value and the acceleration of the wheel is detected to be low, enhancing the control of the braking force, the control being performed based on the wheel acceleration and the slip ratio, so that the slip ratio is brought back into the appropriate range. An anti-skid braking system suitable for use in practicing the anti-skid braking method is also described.

Abstract: A multilayer film structure includes a light absorption layer and a transparent layer so that a phase in the light absorption layer and a phase in the transparent layer have substantially constant values, irrespective of wavelengths of light transmitted through both the layers.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking method is provided for controlling braking force to be applied to a wheel of an automotive vehicle by detecting any wheel behavior that the wheel is about to lock. The method comprises the following steps: detecting a vertical acceleration of a vehicle body of the automotive vehicle; detecting a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle body; reducing a value, which corresponds to the vertical acceleration, when the longitudinal acceleration falls into a range not smaller than a first predetermined value, whereby a correction value is computed; and lowering sensitivity, at which the braking force is to be reduced in response to the wheel behavior, in accordance with an increase in the correction value computed in the correction value computing step.

Abstract: A control method is intended for controlling an antiskid braking system for a four-wheel-drive automobile in which the front and rear wheel sides are connected by a drive system. The control method includes a step of simultaneously reducing braking pressures on two rear wheels in accordance with the select-low principle when at least one of the rear wheels tends to lock. The step includes a process for reducing the braking pressure on that front wheel which is situated on the same side as the selected rear wheel determined in accordance with the select-low principle at the same time with the braking pressures on the rear wheels.

Abstract: A control method for an antiskid braking system according to the present invention comprises a step of calculating a reference body speed used for reference in effecting braking pressure control for wheels of an automobile. In this calculation step, a criterion wheel speed is set as a reference body speed before the start of the braking pressure control. In the calculation step after the start of the braking pressure control, the criterion wheel speed develops a tendency to skid for the first time, and the reference body speed separates from the criterion wheel speed and starts to be lowered with a fixed first gradient at a separating point of time when a calculated deceleration obtained from the criterion wheel speed exceeds a fixed deceleration value.

Abstract: A method is for forming a pattern from a film which is deposited with a low directivity. A resist pattern is formed on a substrate. A first film is deposited with low directivity, and then a second film is deposited with high directivity. The first film is etched selectively using the second film as an etching mask. Then, the resist pattern is dissolved.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor integrated circuit provided with an isolating region constituted of an upper and lower isolating regions, and integrated circuit element regions is disclosed, wherein: the lower isolating region is diffused upward to a depth of a little more than half the thickness of an epitaxial layer to link with the upper isolating region prior to a doping of the upper isolating region; the doping of the lower isolating region and integrated circuit element regions, is implemented by means of ion implantation through a resist film which is capable of blocking ions implanted and in which specified doping windows have been formed in advance, and a SiO.sub.2 film is used as a reference mask in an ion implanting step, and the respective borders of the upper isolating region and the specified regions of the circuit elements is determined by self-alignment.

Abstract: A cruise control device is provided with a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the actual vehicle speed, and an electronic controller for controlling the opening of the throttle valve based on the detected vehicle speed, to bring the vehicle speed close to a target vehicle speed. The electronic controller serves to obtain a vehicle speed deviation between the target vehicle speed set by a set switch and the actual vehicle speed, select one of a P control mode, a P/D control mode and a fuzzy control mode corresponding to the magnitude of the vehicle speed deviation, and control the opening of the throttle valve. In addition to these functions, the electronic controller may additionally have the function of estimating a change in the vehicle speed provided that the current opening of the throttle valve is maintained, to obtain a correction value for the vehicle speed so that a corrected vehicle speed corrected by the correction value is used to control the opening of the throttle valve.