Abstract: An anti-vehicle-thief apparatus registers specific ID codes of a plurality of keys, and determines validity of a key, for example, in accordance with an operation of the key 1 including a transponder having one of the registered specific ID codes. The anti-vehicle-thief apparatus registers a code specific to the key and confirms an operation in which an ignition switch is turned on and off five times by using the key, where this operation is for changing the ID codes specific to the plurality of keys registered in EEPROMs. After the confirmation of the operation, ID codes specific to a plurality of new keys are successively registered, thereby preventing a third person from using the old keys, as well as making registration of the ID codes specific to the new keys easily.

Abstract: When it is detected that the state of an electrical component connected to a communication node has not changed in the OFF state of an ignition key switch, it is determined that a vehicle equipped with the multiplex transmission apparatus is in a parking state, and the communication node is forcibly shifted to a sleep state, thereby preventing consumption of battery power due to a dark current supplied to the communication node in the sleep state.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which can obtain a combination of an outlet air flow rate V.sub.a and an outlet air temperature T.sub.o, which is desirable for comfort of a passenger, under a condition of air-conditioning control based on a heat balance equation. In order to achieve this object, this invention provides a method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner, including the first step of obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates V.sub.a and the outlet air temperatures T.sub.o necessary for maintaining the passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature, the second step of calculating comfort indices each representing the comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates V.sub.

Abstract: A suspension apparatus for vehicles capable of changing a characteristic of suspension by controlling supply/release of fluid into/from hydraulic cylinders which are respectively provided between a vehicle body and each wheel. The apparatus detects vehicle height signals at a plurality of positions and extracts at least a bouncing component signal and a rolling component signal from vehicle-height signals detected by the plurality of vehicle-height sensors. Each of the bouncing component signal and rolling component signals are filtered and are used to control supply/release of fluid into/from hydraulic cylinders based on the filtered signals. A cut-off frequency for the rolling component signal set in said filtering unit is set higher than that for the bouncing component signal.

Abstract: The number of control nodes, of a plurality of control nodes distributed/connected to a common multiplex transmission path, which can exchange data with each other, is counted and data communication between the plurality of control nodes is performed while each control node prolongs the data transmission period as the number of control nodes, i.e., the number of control nodes which can exchange data with each other, increases.

Abstract: An apparatus for diagnosing failures in a plurality of control units is provided in a control system. The apparatus has a detection device provided outside of the control units for comparing output data representing processing results of the control units to detect disparity of the output data of the control units, and a device for determining that a failure has occurred in at least one of the control units when the detection device detects the disparity of the output data.

Abstract: An air conditioning control method of a vehicle includes the step of determining a target temperature of a passenger compartment of the vehicle, calculating a comfort index provided as a function of at least an outlet air temperature and outlet air volume flowing out of a heater-air-conditioner system in which air is treated to be introduce to a passenger compartment, setting a target comfort index, determining an optimized combination of the output air temperature and the output air volume which minimizes a deviation of the comfort index from the target comfort index, compensating the target temperature to reduce the deviation when the deviation is greater than a predetermined value. The optimized comfort level can be accomplished quickly through the control.

Abstract: A suspension control apparatus for a vehicle having hydraulic cylinders which are arranged respectively between a member of the vehicle side and members of each wheel side. A flow control valve controls the supply/drain of hydraulic fluid to/from an operation chamber of the hydraulic cylinders. The suspension control apparatus includes a lateral acceleration detection device which detects lateral acceleration G of the vehicle. A high-pass filter circuit performs high-pass processing on the lateral acceleration signal G. A rate of change G' of the lateral acceleration G is then calculated by a rate of change calculation unit, and the supply/drain of hydraulic fluid is regulated by a regulating unit which controls a flow control valve based on the rate of change G' of the lateral acceleration G.

Abstract: The output interval between a signal for shifting a communication node from a sleep state to a wake-up state and a signal for operating an electrical component is set to be longer than the wake-up rise time of the communication node. After the communication node is reliably shifted to the wake-up state, an operation signal can be transmitted to the electrical component, and an unnecessary dark current can be prevented from being supplied to the communication node in the wake-up state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an air-conditioning apparatus provided in an vehicle. The apparatus is adapted to deliver conditioned air into a passenger compartment so as to regulate an interior temperature of a passenger compartment at a desired temperature. The apparatus comprises a temperature regulating device for regulating an outlet air temperature, a blower, and a controller for setting a target outlet air temperature and volume.

Abstract: A protecting apparatus protects an electronic device which is provided on a vehicle having a storage battery and a solar battery and which inputs output voltages of the storage battery and the solar battery to the electronic device. The protecting apparatus includes a voltage determining unit for determining whether or not the output voltage of the storage battery is normal, an interruption unit for interrupting a path from the solar battery to the electronic device, and a control unit for controlling the interruption unit and thereby interrupting the path when the voltage determination unit determines that the voltage of the storage battery is not normal.

Abstract: This invention has as its object to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle air conditioner, which can obtain a combination of an outlet air flow rate V.sub.a and an outlet air temperature T.sub.o, which is desirable for comfort of a passenger, under a condition of air-conditioning control based on a heat balance equation. In order to achieve this object, this invention provides a method of controlling a vehicle air conditioner including the first step of obtaining, from a heat balance equation, a plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates V.sub.a and the outlet air temperatures T.sub.o necessary for maintaining the passenger room temperature to be a predetermined target temperature, the second step of calculating comfort indices each representing the comfort level of a passenger on the basis of state amounts of factors which influence comfort felt by the passenger in the passenger room, and the plurality of combinations of the outlet air flow rates V.sub.

Abstract: A safety device for an automobile vehicle includes a first integration circuit for integrating an output value generated from a G sensor and a decision circuit for comparing the integrated value with a predetermined decision level to determine whether the safety device should be activated. In the first integration circuit, a previously integrated value is incrementally reduced to provide a current integrated value.

Abstract: In a multiplex transmission apparatus, multiplex transmission paths to each of which a plurality of communication nodes are connected through a gateway node. When data transfer between the multiplex transmission paths is disabled, data are temporarily saved in a stack according to priority order of data, and when the saved data are transmitted, the data are transmitted on the basis of the priority order and the storage order of the data, thereby preventing omission of transfer data.

Abstract: A total slip control system for a vehicle effects both the traction control and the anti-skid control. The traction control is effected by control of the engine output torque and application of brake to the driving wheel. The traction control is not initiated until the anti-skid control is ended when the traction control initiating condition is satisfied during the anti-skid control in a high vehicle speed range not lower than a predetermined speed, while the traction control is initiated with the anti-skid control continued when the traction control initiating condition is satisfied during the anti-skid control in the low vehicle speed range lower than the predetermined speed.

Abstract: The main switch is turn on to supply electricity to the control unit for constant-speed crusing control, and a target vehicle speed is set on the basis of an instruction signal from a set switch. The constant-speed cruising control is executed so as for the actual vehicle speed to reach the target vehicle speed. As one of conditions for executing the constant-speed cruising control, the lapse of a predetermined time period from the start of the main switch is added. This arrangement enables the start of execution of the constant-speed cruising control only when the self-diagnosis of the control unit or initialization of various data has been completed.

Abstract: In a vehicle incorporating a control device connected to a solar battery, a storage battery, an operation unit, a first ventilating fan 3 and a second ventilating fan 4, when the operation mode is set by a change-over operation of the operation unit 2 to a parking ventilation mode in which the first and second ventilating fans 3 and 4 are driven by supply of an electromotive force of the solar battery 6, a voltage and a current from the electromotive force of the solar battery 6 are gradually increased and continuously applied to the fan to perform gradual activation of the first ventilating fan 3. Thereafter, a switch unit 26 is closed, and the voltage and the current from the electromotive force of the solar battery are thereby simultaneously applied to the second ventilating fan 4, thus completing activation of the first and second ventilating fans.

Abstract: The constant-speed cruising control is performed on the basis of instruction signals from a set switch or the like so that the vehicle speed will reach a target vehicle speed. The constant-speed cruising control is executed so that all switches, such as the set switch or the like, which constitute the instruction signal generating unit, are turned off. This can inhibit the execution of the constant-speed cruising control if the set switch becomes fixed and stays in its ON state.

Abstract: In a vehicle incorporating a control device connected to a solar battery, a storage battery, an operation unit and a ventilation unit, a preliminary ventilating device is set to either of charging mode in which the storage battery is charged from the solar battery, forced exhaust mode in which the ventilation unit is driven by power supplied from the storage battery, and in parking ventilating mode in which the ventilation unit is driven by an electromotive force supplied from the solar battery. Charging of the storage battery from the solar battery is possible even when the charging is controlled on the basis of the results of the measurement of the open-circuit voltage of the solar battery. When the solar battery exhibiting a voltage current curve lower than the reference curve is used, the ventilating fan can be activated before the amount of sunlight received by the solar battery has been maximized.