Abstract: A sign recognition system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is configured to, when image data of a sign is captured by a vehicular camera, recognize one or more characters, which are included in the sign and belong to at least one specified character type, from the image data, thus extracting, from the image data, the recognized one or more characters. The sign recognition system is also configured to store a sign dataset in a sign database; the sign dataset includes (i) an installation-position information item indicative of the installation position of the sign, and (ii) an attribute information item about the sign.

Abstract: A control device is connected to a servo mechanism that drives a controlled object and outputs a manipulated variable to the servo mechanism so that a controlled variable tracks a target trajectory. The control device includes a controller and a sensor. The controller acquires a measured value from the sensor and performs model predictive control for each control period using a dynamics model representing a relationship between the manipulated variable and the position of the controlled object to generate the manipulated variable to be output to the servo mechanism. The sensor measures the position of the controlled object. The controller performs model predictive control in a first mode using the measured value when the controlled object has a position within the range, and performs model predictive control in a second mode using an output value of the dynamics model when the controlled object has a position outside the range.

Abstract: A control device is connected to a servo mechanism that drives a controlled object and outputs a manipulated variable to the servo mechanism so that a controlled variable tracks a target trajectory. The control device includes a controller and a sensor. The controller acquires a measured value from the sensor and performs model predictive control for each control period using a dynamics model representing a relationship between the manipulated variable and the position of the controlled object to generate the manipulated variable to be output to the servo mechanism. The sensor measures the position of the controlled object. The controller performs model predictive control in a first mode using the measured value when the controlled object has a position within the range, and performs model predictive control in a second mode using an output value of the dynamics model when the controlled object has a position outside the range.

Abstract: A control device includes a control component that performs model predictive control for each control period using a dynamics model representing a relationship between a manipulated variable and the position of a controlled object to generate a manipulated variable to be output to the servo driver. The dynamics model includes a first dynamics model representing a relationship between the manipulated variable and a position of a servomotor, and a second dynamics model representing a relationship between the position of the servomotor and the position of the controlled object. The second dynamics model is created using a waveform parameter extracted from a vibration waveform of the controlled object. The waveform parameter includes a vibration frequency.

Abstract: A sign recognition system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is configured to, when image data of a sign is captured by a vehicular camera, recognize one or more characters, which are included in the sign and belong to at least one specified character type, from the image data, thus extracting, from the image data, the recognized one or more characters. The sign recognition system is also configured to store a sign dataset in a sign database; the sign dataset includes (i) an installation-position information item indicative of the installation position of the sign, and (ii) an attribute information item about the sign.

Abstract: A map data production method is disclosed. The method includes: dividing a record target map area into meshes; creating mesh-unit data elements as groups of mesh-unit data elements so that the groups respectively correspond to the meshes, and each group of mesh-unit data elements describes information on map components of a corresponding one of the meshes in such manner that mesh-unit data elements in the each group respectively describes the information on the map components; creating data files, through (i) organizing, according to map component type, the mesh-unit data elements into sets of mesh-unit data elements and (ii) respectively storing the sets of mesh-unit data elements, each set having a same map component type, in the data files; and creating map data from the plurality of data files.

Abstract: A map data production method is disclosed. The method includes: dividing a record target map area into meshes; creating mesh-unit data elements as groups of mesh-unit data elements so that the groups respectively correspond to the meshes, and each group of mesh-unit data elements describes information on map components of a corresponding one of the meshes in such manner that mesh-unit data elements in the each group respectively describes the information on the map components; creating data files, through (i) organizing, according to map component type, the mesh-unit data elements into sets of mesh-unit data elements and (ii) respectively storing the sets of mesh-unit data elements, each set having a same map component type, in the data files; and creating map data from the plurality of data files.

Abstract: A stop area is set in an arbitrary area where map matching processing is to be stopped, by an operation switch group or a remote controller. When a vehicle enters the stop area, the map matching processing is stopped, and when the vehicle exits from the stop area, the map matching processing is performed. It is supposed that a situation where the map matching processing should be performed has changed to a situation where the map matching processing should be stopped or vice versa. Here, since the stop area can be set in advance, it is not necessary to perform any selection operation. Thus, load on a driver during driving the vehicle can be reduced.

Abstract: Processing for showing entrances to expressways proceeds as follows. A user specifies an expressway and selects a display of entrance list. Then, all the entrances of the specified expressway, located within an L1 (km)-radius circle of a present position are extracted. Driving routes to the respective entrances are computed, and lengths of the respective driving routes are computed. Thereafter, the entrances are sorted in ascending order of the lengths of the respective driving routes, and an entrance list based on the result of this sorting is displayed on a display unit. In the entrance list, the entrances and lengths are listed in pairs in ascending order of the lengths. Further, after a format for storing the entrance is specified from among destination, way point, memory point, and point to be bypassed, processing is performed according to the specified format.

Abstract: A stop area is set in an arbitrary area where map matching processing is to be stopped, by an operation switch group or a remote controller. When a vehicle enters the stop area, the map matching processing is stopped, and when the vehicle exits from the stop area, the map matching processing is performed. It is supposed that a situation where the map matching processing should be performed has changed to a situation where the map matching processing should be stopped or vice versa. Here, since the stop area can be set in advance, it is not necessary to perform any selection operation. Thus, load on a driver during driving the vehicle can be reduced.

Abstract: Processing for showing entrances to expressways proceeds as follows. A user specifies an expressway and selects a display of entrance list. Then, all the entrances of the specified expressway, located within an L1 (km)-radius circle of a present position are extracted. Driving routes to the respective entrances are computed, and lengths of the respective driving routes are computed. Thereafter, the entrances are sorted in ascending order of the lengths of the respective driving routes, and an entrance list based on the result of this sorting is displayed on a display unit. In the entrance list, the entrances and lengths are listed in pairs in ascending order of the lengths. Further, after a format for storing the entrance is specified from among destination, way point, memory point, and point to be bypassed, processing is performed according to the specified format.