Abstract: An ACC system includes a radar device for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle, locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle, detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle, obstacle extractor for extracting a preceding vehicle based on a detection result of the radar device and the detection area, and acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a lead frame substrate adapted to receive semiconductor die and multiple passive components. The lead frame substrate is preferably formed from a single piece of electrically conductive material, such as copper, and may be mounted within a lead frame package or directly onto a circuit board. The lead frame substrate includes mounting surfaces adapted to receive the semiconductor dice and passive components. The mounting surfaces are linked together by temporary and/or permanent connection bars. A method to manufacture the lead frame package includes, among other steps, forming a lead frame substrate, applying a molding compound to the lead frame substrate to fix each mounting surface and connection bar in place, removing the temporary connection bars, mounting the semiconductor components on the lead frame substrate, and applying a packaging material over the lead frame substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor components.

Abstract: A system for separating a gaseous constituent from a gaseous mixture includes a substantially sealed passageway extending between a first exhaust port and a second exhaust port. An entry port for a gas mixture to be separated opens into the passageway. At least three gas-permeable electrodes are disposed across the passageway at intervals. The electrodes divide the passageway into multiple sections. Each section is bounded at opposing ends by an electrode, and the sections are disposed in serial fashion through at least a portion of the passageway. A high-voltage static electric field may be applied to opposing electrodes of one or more sections. When voltage is so applied, gas may be drawn through a static electric field in one or more sections, by applying suction to the exhaust ports.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a crimping section for securing a wire and a flute section for receiving a pin. The flute section includes fixed engagement members and a resilient cantilever member that engages the pin within the flute section.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for programming the digital filter compensation coefficients of a digitally controlled switched mode power supply within a distributed power system. The distributed power system comprises a plurality of point-of-load (POL) regulators each comprising at least one power switch adapted to convey power to a load and a digital controller adapted to control operation of the power switch responsive to a feedback measurement. The digital controller further comprises a digital filter having a transfer function defined by plural filter coefficients. A serial data bus operatively connects each of the plurality of POL regulators. A system controller is connected to the serial data bus and is adapted to communicate digital data to the plurality of POL regulators via the serial data bus. The digital data includes programming data for programming the plural filter coefficients. The system controller further comprises a user interface adapted to receive the programming data therefrom.

Abstract: A circuit for control of an output current in a multiple unit cell array includes an array of unit cells arranged in rows and columns. Each unit cell includes a column select transistor being adapted for control by a column selector and a row select transistor being adapted for control by a row selector. The column select transistor and the row select transistor are connected together in series to each other and between an output node and a first supply. A return electrode is provided to complete the circuit.

Abstract: A switched mode voltage regulator includes a digital control system having a digital filter with a plurality of preset filter coefficients that can be selectively loaded into the digital filter to achieve different operating characteristics. The voltage regulator comprises at least one power switch adapted to convey power between respective input and output terminals of the voltage regulator, and a digital controller adapted to control operation of the at least one power switch responsive to an output measurement of the voltage regulator.

Abstract: A switching device and system for interconnecting a single user console having user interface devices, including a console keyboard, a console video display unit, a console mouse, and speakers to a plurality of host computers each capable of using user interface devices, including a keyboard, a video display unit, and a mouse, and allowing the user to access one or more of the host computers from the single user console. The video output from each of the host computers are scaled and cropped as appropriate so that each of the host computer's video output may be simultaneously displayed as host computer “windows” on the console video display unit. The user may easily navigate between the host computers through a convenient and intuitive user interface. The audio output from each of the host computers may be mixed or switched for output to the speakers as desired.

Abstract: Novel structures and methods for forming useful high temperature superconducting devices, most particularly resonators, are provided. Structures resulting in reduced peak current densities relative to known structures achieve numerous desirable benefits, especially including the reduced intermodulation effects of earlier resonators. In one aspect of this invention, a spiral in, spiral out resonator is provided, characterized in that it has an odd number of long runs, at least equal to five long runs, where the long runs are connected by turns, and wherein there are at least two sequential turns of the same handedness, followed by at least two turns of the opposite handedness. In yet another aspect of this invention, it has been discovered that reducing the size of the input and output pads of HTS resonators increases the relative inductance compared to the capacitance. Yet another resonator structure is a spiral snake resonator having a terminal end disposed within the resonator.

Abstract: A contact system for a sport board allows a rider to maintain contact between her feet and the sport board while performing aerial maneuvers. The boarder wears magnetic footwear such as a bootie (for surfing), sheath (for surfing), or shoe (for skateboarding) with an affixed magnet. The board has a contact patch that includes a plate of ferrous metal or another magnet oriented such that it attracts the magnetic footwear. The contact patch is positioned such that it will be stood on by the boarder. During normal boarding and aerial maneuvers, magnetic attractive forces between the footwear and the contact patch will maintain contact between the boarder's feet and the board. However, when the boarder falls, the magnetic attractive forces do not bind the boarder's feet to the board.

Abstract: A model vehicle control apparatus. A button controls an aspect of the model vehicle system, or multiple aspects, such as both sound and control. The button is configured to provide more than two outputs depending upon the manner of activation by a user based on pressure or position (more than ON/OFF). Signals corresponding to those outputs are then transmitted to a model vehicle, accessory, or other apparatus in the system. In one embodiment, the button is a pressure-sensitive button. Variations in the pressure select among multiple different possible outputs. For example, a number of sounds can be stored in a memory, with varying pressures selecting different sounds to be played. These sounds can vary non-linearly, not just getting louder, but also changing in type, pitch, etc. Thus, by a variation in pressure, a user can play the sound like a musical instrument. A second embodiment would allow for control of speed and direction of model vehicle, engines and accessories.

Abstract: The present invention is directed specifically to methods for reducing the bandwidth requirements for broadcasting traffic information to a vehicle navigation system. The traffic information broadcast to the system using the bandwidth conserving methods of the present invention generally includes traffic flow information and traffic incident information. In one embodiment, the vehicle navigation system filters traffic information to a certain range to expedite traffic calculation, to save on processing hardware, and to reduce bandwidth needs. Alternately, bandwidth conservation may be achieved by providing weight factors and threshold prioritizing when a broadcast limit is close to being reached or exceeded. In another embodiment, bandwidth reduction is achieved by not broadcasting free-flow traffic information and/or displaying only traffic information that indicates a traffic problem.

Abstract: The semiconductor material handling system is an EFEM that may either mount to the front end of a processing tool or be integrated into the processing tool. The EFEM is built from a unified frame that the EFEM components, such as a wafer engine and a SMIF pod advance plate, may mount to. The frame serves as a common mounting structure that the EFEM components may use as a reference for alignment purposes. Since the EFEM components do not have to align with respect to the position of each other, the calibration, if any is required, is greatly simplified. The EFEM also has a reduced footprint, allowing the EFEM to mount to the front end of a processing tool and not extend to the fab floor. Thus, space is freed up between the EFEM and the fab floor. By way of example only, this space may be used as a maintenance access area to the processing tool without having to first remove the EFEM.

Abstract: A system and method for capturing motion comprises a motion capture volume adapted to contain at least one actor having body markers defining plural body points and facial markers defining plural facial points. A plurality of body motion cameras and a plurality of facial motion cameras are arranged around a periphery of the motion capture volume. The facial motion cameras each have a respective field of view narrower than a corresponding field of view of the body motion cameras. The facial motion cameras are arranged such that all laterally exposed surfaces of the actor while in motion within the motion capture volume are within the field of view of at least one of the plurality of facial motion cameras at substantially all times. A motion capture processor is coupled to the plurality of facial motion cameras and the plurality of body motion cameras to produce a digital model reflecting combined body and facial motion of the actor.

Abstract: Whether or not a radar device detects an object is determined by a detection state determinator. Whether or not a time during which the object is not detected and which is measured by a clocking device becomes a determination threshold value or more, is determined by a non-detection determinator. Based on the determination results, an informing device informs an occupant that the object is not detected for a predetermined time or more. Therefore, a state in which the radar device does not detect an object due to absence of the object on a road in a desert or the like is prevented from being erroneously determined as a state caused by contamination of the radar device. Also, the occupant can easily determine whether the operation of the informing device is actually caused by absence of an object or contamination of the radar device, based on the environment around the road on which the own vehicle is traveling.

Abstract: A running control system of the present invention includes a follow-up intention detection device for detecting an operation of requesting a follow-running control by the driver, and a running control device for aborting the follow-running control with respect to the preceding vehicle based on a signal from the braking operation detection device. If an operation by the driver for requesting the follow-running control is detected by the driver while the braking operation by the driver is detected by the braking operation detection device, the running control device starts the follow-running control after the end of the driver's braking operation.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for using the frequency spectrum of a radio frequency (RF) signal backscattered from vascular tissue to identify at least one border (e.g., tissue interface, etc.) on a vascular image. Embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with a data gathering device (e.g., an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device, etc.) electrically connected to a computing device and a transducer via a catheter. The transducer is used to gather radio frequency (RF) data backscattered from vascular tissue. The RF data is then provided to (or acquired by) the computing device via the data-gathering device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the computing device includes (i) at least one data storage device (e.g., database, memory, etc.) for storing a plurality of tissue types and parameters related thereto and (ii) at least one application (e.g., a characterization application, a gradient-border application, a frequency-border application and/or an active-contour application).

Abstract: A follow running control system includes a running control section for performing running control of the present vehicle based on data of the preceding vehicle and a signal from a device for detecting a driving operation performed by a driver of the present vehicle. If a driving operation by the driver for requesting starting of the present vehicle is detected while the present vehicle is stopped in a stop control state, the running control section changes a control state of the present vehicle, with respect to a follow running control device for controlling follow running of the present vehicle based on a target speed of the vehicle, from the stop control state to a follow control state for following the preceding vehicle, regardless of starting of preceding vehicle.

Abstract: A control and motor arrangement in accordance with the present invention includes a motor configured to generate a locomotive force for propelling the model train. The control and motor arrangement further includes a command control interface configured to receive commands from a command control unit wherein the commands correspond to a desired speed. The control and motor arrangement still further includes a plurality of detectors configured to detect speed information of the motor, and a process control arrangement configured to receive the speed information from the sensors. The process control arrangement is farther configured and arranged to generate a plurality of motor control signals based on the speed information for controlling the speed of said motor. The control and motor arrangement yet still further includes a motor control arrangement configured to cause power to be applied to the motor at different times in response to the motor control signals.