Abstract: A navigation apparatus carries out a diagnosing process for vehicle behavior, for example, whether sudden accelerating operation or sudden braking operation has been done, wherein the diagnosing process is carried out based on vehicle acceleration. It is necessary to accurately calculate the vehicle acceleration in order to perform a reliable diagnosing process. The navigation apparatus calculates a difference between a first vehicle acceleration defined by an output from an acceleration sensor and a second vehicle acceleration calculated based on a vehicle speed and vehicle angular speed. The navigation apparatus carries out the diagnosing process, for example, when the above difference between the first and second vehicle accelerations is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A multiple cursor system includes multiple control devices for respectively controlling one of multiple cursors displayed on a display unit, a communication unit for simultaneously establishing multiple communication links with multiple control devices for data communication, a cursor operation recognition unit for recognizing a cursor operation on each of the multiple control devices when the communication links with the multiple control devices are being established, and a control unit for controlling display of the multiple cursors respectively representing the multiple control devices based on the cursor operation on each of the multiple control devices and for executing an instructed process based on an instruction in association with a position of one of the multiple cursors.

Abstract: A pressure sensor has a diaphragm with a first layer and a second layer, a pressure transmitting member being in contact with the second layer, and a sensing element. The diaphragm is deformable in response to a pressure applied on a front surface of the first layer. The transmitting member transmits this pressure to the sensing element. The sensing element detects the pressure. A heat applied to the diaphragm induces the layers to be shifted toward the transmitting member or the opposite side of the transmitting member due to a shape of the diaphragm. The layers of the diaphragm have thermal expansion coefficients differing from each other. A thermal deformation of the layers caused by the thermal expansion difference between the layers cancels out the thermal deformation of the layers originated in the shape of the diaphragm.

Abstract: A torque sensor has a torsion bar coaxially in alignment with input and output shafts, a ring shaped magnet fixed to an axial end of the input shaft, a pair of magnetic yokes fixed to an axial end of the output shaft, and a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetic flux density generated between the pair of magnetic yokes. Each of the magnetic yokes is provided with claws, which are circumferentially spaced at constant intervals, and whose number is equal to that of each of N and S poles alternately arranged circumferentially in the magnet. Each center of the claws coincides with a boundary between immediately adjacent N and S poles of the magnet, when the torsion bar is not twisted. The magnetic sensor is inserted into an axial gap between the pair of magnetic yokes without contacting the magnetic yokes.

Abstract: A vehicle direction indication device is configured such that a voltage of a battery power supply is detected, and when a direction indication light switch is switched to ON, a pulse width modulated signal is output. This pulse width modulated signal is generated by pulse width modulating a flash signal for driving a direction indication light in a flashing manner with a duty ratio based upon the detected voltage of the battery power supply; the duty ratio at which the voltage of the battery power supply is high becomes smaller than that at which the voltage of the battery power supply is low. The direction indication light is then driven in the flashing manner based upon the output signal.