Abstract: A hybrid air bag system which has a simple internal structure and can be manufactured at a low cost is disclosed. The hybrid inflator is positioned within a first container. The first container is composed of a rupturable cover and a bottom plate. The hybrid inflator has a second container defining a first chamber. The first chamber is filled with a quantity of compressed gas, and then is sealed. A pyrotechnic heater of the hybrid inflator contains a pyrotechnic charge and a squib therein. The pyrotechnic heater generates high temperature combustion products by burning a pyrotechnic charge contained within a second chamber, a booster charge, and a gas generating material contained within a third chamber. Combustion products push upwardly against a lower end surface of an operation pin which is elastically supported by a plate spring and is slidable and vertically positioned within a fourth chamber. Then, the operation pin ruptures a burst disk sealing the first chamber.

Abstract: An air conditioner for cooling or heating partitioned zones of an interior of a vehicle includes an air conditioning part and air curtain forming apparatus. The air conditioning part cools and heats intake air. The cooled or heated intake air is supplied to the air curtain forming apparatus. In the air curtain forming apparatus, the cooled or heated air entering the air feeder from the air conditioning part is discharged to an air curtain forming part arranged in plural positions of the interior of the vehicle, and sprayed to form the air curtain by an air spray nozzle part and air suction nozzle part. The sprayed air is admitted to an air-exhaust part to be recirculated to the air feeder or externally discharged. A microprocessor controls the air conditioning part and air curtain forming apparatus by receiving various control signals from a temperature/operation controlling part, a temperature/recognition sensor and a mode selector.

Abstract: A method for controlling a water supply valve of a washing machine uses an interrupt signal supplied from an interrupt signal generating section to an external interrupt terminal of a microcomputer to monitor whether a power fails or not, and uses a power source maintained for a certain time from the time of the power failure before a reset signal is generated, thereby closing the water supply valve. Thus, the water supply valve continuously maintains the open state even when the power fails during supplying the water to thereby prevent the continuous supply of the water within a washing tub.

Abstract: A method for detecting motion vectors comprises the steps of (a) producing a plurality of differential search blocks, wherein each differential search block includes differential pixels defined by differences between luminance levels of the pixels in a search block and a mean luminance level of the pixels in the search block, (b) producing a multiplicity of differential candidate blocks, wherein each differential candidate block includes differential pixels defined by differences between luminance levels of the pixels in a candidate block and a mean luminance level of the pixels in the candidate block, (c) motion-estimating a search block with respect to each of the candidate blocks associated with a corresponding search region to produce displacement vectors corresponding thereto and motion-estimating a differential search block with respect to each of the differential candidate blocks associated with a corresponding search region to produce error functions corresponding thereto, and (d) choosing a minimum e

Abstract: A car height control apparatus comprising: a weight sensing section for sensing a rear shaft force of a car; a bellows in which one end is fixed at the lengthwise frame, and the other end is adhered closely to a leaf spring that supports the lengthwise frame; an air tank for storing gas to be used in the bellows; and a control section for controlling the quantity of compressed air that inflows into the bellows by the weight sensing section signal. When unbalancing force is concentrated on rear shaft, load sensor generates the signal and transmits it to the controller. The controller that has received the signal opens the leveling valve to supply the compressed air toward the bellows. The bellows which is supplied with the compressed air increases its volume along the longitudinal direction, so the distance between lengthwise frame and leaf spring is greater. Finally, spring and shock absorber of suspension system recover and maintain the normal car height.

Abstract: A valve for performing pressurization, decompression and pressure maintenance includes linear shape memory alloys. An anti-lock brake system utilizes the valve. The valve has plural spools movable up and down within a housing having plural bores. The respective bores have inlets and outlets. A mechanism for holding a lowering state of the spools is installed to the lower portion of the housing, and the spools return to their original positions by bias springs. In the anti-lock brake system, a master cylinder, wheel brakes and a hydraulic pump are connected to the inlets and outlets of the valve, and an electronic control unit is connected to the shape memory alloys to actuate the shape memory alloys, thereby attaining pressurization, decompression and maintenance of brake pressure.

Abstract: A camcorder equipped with a function for correcting a brightness on sides of the camcorder screen which automatically compensates the brightness on the sides of screen is described.