Abstract: An automatic air conditioning system for automotive vehicles with a variable displacement compressor comprises a sensor for detecting an intake air temperature of air flowing through an evaporator placed just behind the evaporator, a control valve for essentially changing the discharge volume of the compressor on the basis of the difference between the intake air temperature and its target value, and a CPU for deriving the different target values in response to two modes, namely a BI-LEVEL mode wherein conditioned air is simultaneously discharged from both upper and lower discharge outlets, and a MONO-LEVEL mode wherein conditioned air is discharged from either the upper or lower discharge outlets.

Abstract: In order to detect a sensor malfunction, the outputs of two sensors which sense the same operational parameter are both compared with a predetermined value. When the outputs of the sensors fall on either side of the predetermined value the one having the lower value is assumed to be inoperative. The comparison is continually repeated and the operative/inoperative status of the sensors continually updated.

Abstract: A vent control valve for controlling fuel vapor flow from a fuel tank to a vapor storage canister during fuel supply to the fuel tank. The vent control valve is fixedly attached to a fuel filler tube and formed therein with first and second chambers. The first and second chambers are located side by side on an immaginary plane along the fuel filler tube. The first and second chambers are communicated respectively with the fuel tank and the vapor storage canister. A valve mechanism is provided between the first and second chambers and adapted to cause the first and second chambers to communicate with each other so as to allow fuel vapor in the fuel tank to flow into the vapor storage canister, when opened. The valve mechanism is opened when a fuel supply gun is inserted into the fuel filler tube to supply fuel into the fuel tank.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an ignition timing for a vehicular internal combustion, are disclosed in which a basic ignition timing is determined on the basis of engine operating conditions, i.e., an engine revolution speed and pulsewidth of a fuel injection signal supplied to an injection valve for each engine cylinder. A first correction quantity to correct the basic ignition timing is determined on the basis of a change rate of the engine revolution speed. A second correction quantity to correct the basic ignition timing is determined on the basis of an engine load. A final ignition timing is determined on the basis of the basic ignition timing and/or first and second correction quantities when the engine falls into a transient operating condition, any one of shift gear positions is detected, the gear shift positions including a position in which no engine driving force is transmitted to a vehicular power train. The final ignition timing is determined according to the gear shift range position.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruising speed in which, when a given operation of the set switch (turn off after turn on of the set switch) is carried out, control constants used in a control equation expressed as (K.times..alpha.+.epsilon.).times.G in accordance with which the vehicle speed is controlled so as to coincide with a stored vehicle speed, are changed from those used when the vehicle is cruisingly run at the stored vehicle speed. The stored vehicle speed is the vehicle speed stored when the given operation of the set switch is carried out. Therefore, the vehicle speed speedily converges the stored vehicle speed with an overshoot of the vehicle speed at such a transient state suppressed to a minimum regardless of vehicle models, environmental factors, and adjustment state of a control wire connected between an actuator and throttle valve.

Abstract: An air/fuel ratio control system detects transition of air/fuel ratio changing between rich and lean for checking if updating condition is satisfied. Updating value is derived based on a feedback correction value which is derived for adjusting air/fuel ratio toward a stoichiometric value. With the updating value thus derived, one of a plurality of learnt correction value which are set with respect to various engine driving range.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling quantity of fuel injected to an internal combustion engine are disclosed in which a characteristic having a correlation to part of fuel supply quantity from an injector which has been supplied toward a wall surface of an intake air passage of the engine has been adhered onto the wall surface and will be brought away from the wall surface into a combustion chamber during a suction stroke at the present fuel injection timing is derived so that a correction quantity for a quantity of injected fuel is calculated on the basis of the derived characteristic. Therefore, an air-fuel mixture ratio when the engine falls in a transient state is not deviated from a target air-fuel mixture ratio so that an exhaust gas emission characteristic can be improved.

Abstract: A torque transmitting assembly in the form of a rotational speed differential responsive type joint is disclosed. It comprises a drive housing as a first rotary member and a rotor as a second rotary member. The second rotary member is disposed in the first rotary member. A hydraulic fluid arrangement transmits at least a portion of the input torque from one of the first and second rotary members to the other in response to a rotational speed of the second rotary member and also to a rotational speed differential occurring between the first and second rotary members.

Abstract: A CMOS device having an nMOS formed in a p-type substrate region, and a pMOS formed in an n-type substrate region is provided with a Schottky barrier junction for collecting holes injected into the n-type substrate region, to prevent latch-up. The Schottky barrier junction is formed by a metal electrode and the n-type substrate region, and is located between the pMOS and the nMOS.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruising speed are disclosed in which learning of control parameters in an operating variable for an engine speed adjusting means such as throttle valve is inhibited when a disturbance occurs such as when running resistance of the vehicle is out of a normal range.

Abstract: A suspension and steering control system includes a mode selection which enables a normal mode wherein the suspension is conditioned to produce a soft damping and sufficient power assistance to the steering to produce light steering characteristics and a sporty mode wherein the suspension is conditioned to produce a firm ride and the power assistance to the steering lowered to produce heavier steering characteritics. The system further includes an arrangement for sensing parameters which are related to the attitude of the vehicle and/or the suspension thereof and for (a) during the normal mode, temporarily conditioning the suspension to produce the firm ride characteristics if the attitude of the vehicle is apt to change beyond a predetermined amount, and for (b), during the sporty mode, temporarily conditioning the suspension to produce the soft ride in the event that no substantial changes in the vehicle attitude related parameters are sensed.

Abstract: An actively controlled suspension system includes a fail-safe system which is associated with a pressure control valve and detective of failure of a control circuit to perform fail-safe operation. The fail-safe system operates the pressure control valve in response to failure of the control circuit, to fix the valve position corresponding to a working fluid pressure in a working chamber defined in a suspension cylinder disposed between a vehicular body and a suspension member rotatably supporting a vehicular wheel, at a pressure value at or in the vicinity of a predetermined initial or neutral pressure.

Abstract: The pressure of a combustion chamber is monitored and a pressure history in terms of crank angle, compiled over the compression and expansion phases of the engine for a period following a change from a non-transitory mode of operation to a transitory one. This data is used to derive a variable such as the maximum pressure or the like, the development characteristics of which are used to determine the type of fuel (fuel composition) being supplied. The fuel supply under transitory or both transitory and non-transitory modes of operation is modified in accordance with the fuel type analysis. During engine start-up the initial fuel supply can be modified in accordance with the last recorded analysis data.

Abstract: An air conditioner system for an automotive vehicle includes means for detecting the difference between a desired temperature of the air in a vehicular cabin and the temperature therein within a predetermined range to increase the blower speed and simultaneously the path area of an air mix door, through which the air is introduced into a heating air source, so as to increase the conditioning air temperature toward the target temperature without changing the temperature in the vehicular cabin. This increasing of blower speed and discharge temperature can occur at the expiration of a given time interval or by a manual actuation.

Abstract: The sensitivity of a photodiode, which has a semiconductor substrate of first conductivity, an island region of an epitaxial layer of oppposite second conductivity formed on the substrate, a diffused region of the first conductivity formed in the epitaxial layer through its entire thickness so as to define the island region and a diffused region of the second conductivity formed in a surface region of a marginal area of the island region, is enhanced by forming a shallow laminar region of the first conductivity in the surface of a major area of the island region by ion implantation. The photodiode of improved sensitivity can be integrated with simplified circuit components to provide a single-chip photodetecting or photosensitive device by a conventional bipolar process.

Abstract: In order to improve latchup withstanding capability, a CMOS device is provided with at least one recombination layer which is buried in either or both substrate regions of a pMOS and a nMOS at such a position that a depletion layer formed at a pn junction between both substrate regions of the pMOS and nMOS does not reach the recombination layer. The recombination layer is a polycrystalline silicon or amorphous silicon layer having plentiful carrier recombination centers, or a layer having plentiful traps formed by ion implantation, or a layer of a compound semiconductor having a small band gap.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system for monitoring variation of wheel slippage and whereby detects APPLICATION mode of the anti-skid brake control system and for detecting HOLD mode of the anti-skid brake control. The system comprises a period of time where the operational mode is maintained at HOLD mode condition. When the period to maintain the HOLD mode becomes longer than a predetermined period, than the system set smaller rate for increasing the braking pressure in the subsequent APPLICATION mode.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a throttle valve to retain the speed of running of an automotive vehicle within an insensible range having a predetermined width defined by upper and lower limits. The apparatus includes a first sensor sensitive to vehicle speed for providing a vehicle speed signal indicative of the sensed speed of running of the vehicle and a second sensor sensitive to throttle valve position for providing a throttle-valve position signal indicative of the sensed position of the throttle valve. The apparatus also includes a control circuit coupled to the first and second sensors for increasing a predetermined degree and narrowing the predetermined width of therefor the insensible range in response to the vehicle speed signal having a period within a predetermined range and a peak-to-peak value greater than a predetermined value and the throttle-valve position signal having a period within a predetermined range and a peak-to-peak value greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A cabin light unit for an automotive vehicle includes a vanity mirror section arranged at a location adjoining a cabin light source. The vanity mirror section is pivotably supported on a supporting plate via a stay so as to be movable between a housed position in which the vanity mirror faces the supporting plate, and an operating position in which the vanity mirror section projects from the supporting plate. The stay has a plurality of pivotal axes so that any desired positioning and directional orientation of the vanity mirror can be achieved.

Abstract: An output torque control system capable of control the internal combustion engine output torque in fast response to an engine load change. The ignition timing is controlled in a manner to reduce the difference between the actual torque and the demand torque, the difference being cause by an engine load change. The demand torque and the actual torque are calculated in accordance with preselected engine operating parameters such as engine rotation frequency. A corrected torque value is calculated based upon the demand torque and the actual torque. An ignition advance correction value which corresponds to the correction value is calculated. The engine ignition timing is corrected for the advance correction value so as to provide an engine output torque equal to the demand torque.