Abstract: A proportioning valve assembly has a supply port through which a pressurized working fluid is supplied, a drain port through which a pressurized working fluid is drained, and a control port connected to a working chamber defined in a hydraulic cylinder disposed between a vehicular body and a suspension member rotatably supporting a vehicular wheel. The proportioning valve assembly further includes a valve member for adjusting working fluid pressure to be supplied to the working chamber via the control port. A flow restricting orifice is provided in the proportioning valve assembly. The flow restricting orifice employed is designed to provide variable flow restriction depending upon working fluid condition and/or the direction for achieving stabilization of pilot pressure or road shock absorption.

Abstract: A slip angle monitoring system directly compares an absolute value of lateral acceleration with an experimentarily derived given value which serves as a slip criterion to determine slip angle of a vehicle. Slip angle is set at zero while the absolute value of the lateral acceleration is smaller than or equal to the given value. On the other hand, when the absolute value is greater than the given value, the slip angle is derived by dividing the lateral acceleration by the longitudinal acceleration or by taking the minus one power of the tangent of the quotient obtained by dividing the lateral acceleration by the longitudinal acceleration, that is, the cotangent of the quotient.

Abstract: An active suspension system employs a vertical acceleration sensor for monitoring vertical acceleration exerted on the vehicular body at an orientation where a suspension system is provided, to produce a vertical acceleration indicative signal. The system derives a vertical displacement speed on the basis of the vertical acceleration indicative signal. A suspension control command for stabilizing vertical vibration is thus derived on the basis of the vertical motion speed and a given gain. In order to facilitate satisfactorily high cornering stability, the system varies the gain for deriving the suspension control command depending upon a lateral acceleration exerted on the vehicular body.

Abstract: A steering lock system for an automotive vehicle includes a steering lock actuator, a control rod, a solenoid with a corresponding plunger and a portable transmitter which produces a radio signal indicative of a transmitter self-identifying code. When the transmitter self-identifying code matches a preset reference code, the solenoid is energized to move the plunger so as to release an engagement between the plunger and the control rod. Accordingly, the control rod is free to move to a position where no engagement between the control rod and the steering lock actuator is established, to allow the steering lock actuator to shift to a steering wheel unlocking position from a steering wheel locking position.

Abstract: An apparatus and - method for detecting a neutral steering angle of a steering wheel of a vehicle through which the vehicle runs straight in which when a neutral proximity signal is outputted which indicates that a steering angle of the steering wheel falls in a predetermined angular range placed in a proximity to the neutral steering angle, a deviation quantity (angle value) between the steering angle received from a steering angle sensor at a time when the neutral proximity signal is outputted and neutral steering angle is derived, updated, and stored as a final value irrespective of an on and off position of a vehicular ignition switch. In addition, when the neutral proximity steering angle is received at a first time when the ignition switch has been turned on, the neutral steering angle is reproduced from the steering angle at that time and the final value of the deviation quantity.

Abstract: An apparatus for displaying an image on a screen of a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) applicable to a vehicle is disclosed in which the visual angle controlling filter (liquid crystal panel) is disposed in a front space of the screen of the CRT. When the vehicle runs, a predetermined voltage is applied to the visual angle controlling filter so that the light from the screen to a driver's seat is interrupted. At this time, the application of the voltage to the visual angle controlling filter is detected and a color hue of the image appearing on the screen is controlled so that all viewers except the vehicle driver can view the image on the screen through the visual angle controlling filter with the same color hue as that viewed when the vehicle stops and no application of the voltage to the visual angle controlling filter.

Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for an internal combustion engine disposed in the fuel tank of automotive vehicles including a reservoir container on the tank bottom, a feed conduit through which the fuel is suctioned from the fuel tank 1 a return conduit through which excess fuel returned to the tank from the engine, and two inlet conduits. The first inlet conduit extends diagonally across the tank bottom having the first opening on the container wall and the first open end spaced about 180.degree. opposite the side of container where the first opening is opened. The second inlet conduit extends along the container wall having the second open end opened adjacent the corner diagonally opposite the first open end and opening on the wall located about 180.degree. opposite the second open end. The outlet port of the return conduit extends adjacent the open end of the first inlet conduit and forms an ejector portion with the open end.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating a vehicle with a calling party are disclosed in which even when a communication circuit is interrupted during a data communication of the system with the calling party such as a base station due to a worse circuit condition, the calling from the system to the calling party is carried out without operation of a switch for activating the system to start calling so that the communication with the calling party is restarted. The communication data includes a vehicle identification code (ID information) and/or instantaneous position of the vehicle.

Abstract: A structure of an image processing system is disclosed in which a common bus, a plurality of image memories (VRAMs), and a plurality of data processors are installed and in which a plurality of selectors connected between each bus line of the common bus and each input end of the image memories and between each bus line of the common bus and each input end of the data processors are provided so that each selector is capable of selecting at least any one of the respective bus lines of the common bus to connect to the corresponding input end of the image memories and data processors. Therefore, data transfer between different addresses becomes possible via the common bus and simultaneous executions of calculation processings of the image data become possible. Consequently, flexibility and general-purpose utility of the system and extension of the image memories and data processors can be achieved.

Abstract: An ultransonic transducer includes a vibrator positioned within a housing. The vibrator has a vibrator casing and a vibrator element or oscillation body. The vibrator casing has a wall defining an internal space receiving an electronic transducer circuit. The vibrator casing is elastically damped for stabilizing vibration within a minimum period so that vibration for generating an ultrasonic wave may not influence detection of the ultrasonic wave reflected by an object. The electric transducer circuit is also elastically isolated from the vibration casing via an elastic cover so as to avoid influence of the vibration of the vibrator, and connected to the oscillation body for generating and receiving signals.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruise speed are disclosed in which whether a microcomputer of a control unit is enabled to perform a cruise speed control is determined on the basis of a plurality of determining factors and a power supply of a throttle actuator for actuating an engine throttle valve so as to adjust an opening angle of the throttle valve is enabled only when all of the determining factors satisfy a condition of enabling the cruise speed control via the actuator and is disabled when at least one of the determining factors does not satisfy the condition.

Abstract: A fuel injection control system assumes fuel amount introduced in an engine combustion chamber on the basis of an air/fuel ratio dependent value derived by monitoring an air/fuel ratio dependent component in an exhaust gas, and an intake air amount introduced into the combustion chamber, assumes wetting fuel amount to be consumed for wetting an induction system on the basis of the fuel amount introduced into the combustion chamber and a fuel injection amount injected up to the immediately preceding fuel injection cycle, and prospect fuel amount to be introduced into the combustion chamber on the basis of the current fuel injection amount and the wetting fuel amount. The prospected fuel amount to be introduced into the combustion chamber is compared with a target fuel amount which is derived according to the engine driving condition for modifying the fuel injection amount so that the prospected fuel amount coincides with the target fuel amount.

Abstract: A system measures a traveling direction of a vehicle based on a direction toward a coordinate position defined by outputs of a geomagnetic sensor from a first coordinate position of a center of a corresponding output circle. The system utilizes a preliminary coordinate position as a preliminarily corrected value of the first coordinate position, a first value indicative of accuracy of the preliminary coordinate position and a second value which is variable depending on a variation in a magnetization level on a vehicle body. The system derives a finally corrected value of the first coordinate position based on the preliminary coordinate position and a latest value of the finally corrected value which has been derived in a prior execution of the system, by changing a rate which determines a point of the current finally corrected value between the latest finally corrected value and the preliminary coordinate position.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruise speed are disclosed in which an operation of the automatic vehicle speed controlling system is inhibited when any one of the following conditions is established.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system is associated with a control system for a power train which controls power train operation mode between a four-wheel drive mode, in which all four wheels are coupled with an automotive internal combustion engine to be distributed torque according to a controlled distribution ratio of an engine driving torque, and a two-wheel drive mode, in which two auxiliary driving wheels are disconnected from the engine to be free from engine driving torque and two driving wheels are connected to the engine to receive the engine driving torque. The anti-skid brake control system is so associated with the power train control system as to normally set the power train operation mode into the two-wheel drive mode during active state of anti-skid brake control, and to set the power train operation mode into the four-wheel driven mode in response to wheel slippage at the primary driving wheels greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A self-monitoring system for an automotive electronc control system such as an engine control system, an electronic anti-skid control system or electronic automatic transmission control system is adapted to check each segment of the electronic control system in order to detect faulty segments. To detect faulty segments, the self-monitor system checks inputs and outputs of the electronic control system. The checked data is stored in a memory which is not erased when the power supply is turned off. The self-monitoring system is associated with another automotive microcomputer which includes a display unit. The other automotive microcomputer is adapted to display the results of the checking operation of the self-monitoring system in response to a display request manually inputted from a manual unit to display identification of the fault segment and/or error condition thereof.

Abstract: A heater unit of an automotive air conditioner includes a partition wall which separates a heater body into first and second air mix chambers, a communication path for communicating with the first and second air mix chambers, a separation door for closing or establishing the communication path and also for fully blocking or unblocking an air induction path of a conditioned air to be discharged into rear discharge outlets, and an arched shape communication duct for communicating with the second air mix chamber and a connecting member which is employed with the heater body and connected to a rear duct introduced into a rear seat side of a vehicular cabin. An independent temperature control type air conditioner in which the temperatures of conditioned air flowing through the first and second air mix chambers are independently controlled, may be modified to function as a standard type air conditioner in which the temperatures of conditioned air flowing through second air mix chamber are commonly controlled.

Abstract: An active suspension control system employs a strategy minimum fluid pressure in the working chamber of an inside suspension system is reached at greater lateral acceleration than that via which at which the maximum fluid pressure in the working chamber of an outside suspension system is reached. The system also takes a strategy for adjusting the fluid pressure in the working chambers of the inside and outside suspension system inversely proportional to each other while the lateral acceleration is maintained smaller than a predetermined pressure at which the maximum fluid pressure in the working chamber of the outside suspension system is reached. This assures driving stability and riding comfort by permitting vehicular rolling in response to a lateral acceleration greater that a given lateral acceleration criterion.

Abstract: In a fuel tank structure for an automotive vehicle, a fuel collector unit includes a collector body which is provided with a fuel collecting chamber and a fuel passage. The fuel passage has an inlet adjacent to a bottom wall of a tank body and an outlet opening toward the fuel collecting chamber for conducting fuel in the tank body into the fuel collecting chamber. The fuel passage is arranged such that the fuel below a predetermined vertical level at a certain location in the fuel passage is prevented from flowing out through the inlet. The fuel collector unit further includes an ejector which ejects oversupplied return fuel into the fuel passage through the inlet so as to suck the fuel therearound. The sucked fuel is mixed with the ejected return fuel and introduced into the fuel passage through the inlet.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling combustion state for an internal combustion engine during engine idling which measures the angular speed of the engine cylinders for a certain interval whenever a predetermined crank angle is reached, and detects a combustion state of a given cylinder in the combustion stroke when the engine is idling according to change in the angular speed.