Abstract: In the event of a sensor malfunction, a fail safe arrangement either modifies or inhibits controls which are intended to reduce shift shock and/or friction element slippage and which adjust either the level of line pressure or vary the torque generated by the prime mover during shifts.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system has a plurality of wheel speed sensors for monitoring rotation speed of each of the associated wheels independently of the others. Projected vehicle speed representative data is derived on the basis of one of the wheel speed indicative data representing the highest wheel speed. Wheel slippage criteria providing references for judgement whether wheel slip magnitude is in excess of a predetermined magnitude, are derived on the basis of the projected vehicle speed representative data. The system includes means for monitoring vehicular cornering behavior for making correction of said wheel slippage criteria on the basis of the magnitude of wheel speed difference between inner and outer wheels at a corner or curve for adapting respective wheel slippage criteria to the vehicular cornering behavior.

Abstract: A wiper system for automotive vehicles has a wiper receiving cavity between a windshield and an engine hood. The wiper receiving cavity has an opening through which a wiper goes in and out and which is open and closed by means of a lid member. The usual operation of the wiper system is performed in response to turning ON of a manually operable wiper switch. The wiper system has also another manual switch, operable independently of operation of the wiper switch, for allowing the lid member to be open in response to turning ON thereof. In addition, the wiper system includes means for changing a lower angular position thereof to a higher position.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruise speed are disclosed in which a target opening angle of an engine throttle valve through which the vehicle can maintain a set cruise speed is derived in accordance with a prepared non-linear characteristic table and an opening angle of the throttle valve is controlled so that a detected vehicle speed coincides with the set cruise speed and a detected opening angle of the throttle valve coincides with the target opening angle. In addition, when the detected vehicle speed and detected opening angle are substantially constant for a predetermined time due to the vehicle being run on a flat road, average values of both detected vehicle speed and detected opening angle are derived and the above-described non-linear characteristic is corrected using both average values.

Abstract: A keyless entry system for operating a vehicular door lock device between a first door locking position and a second door unlocking position. The system has an electrically drivable actuator associated with the vehicular device for operating the latter between the first and second positions, a radio signal transmitter of a size equivalent to a credit-card, and being triggerrable by a trigger command and generating a radio code signal containing a preset identification code, the radio signal transmitter having a first antenna.

Abstract: A suspension control system employs an acceleration sensor for monitoring an inertial force affecting for vehicular attitude. A control system coacting therewith includes a mechanism for lowering the level of an output signal of the acceleration sensor to eliminate therefrom any error corresponding a resonance frequency of the acceleration sensor for obtaining higher accuracy inertially indicative data.

Abstract: A system and method applicable to a vehicle for communicating between data processing stations are disclosed in which successive initializing commands (INIT) are transmitted by a master station performed by a diagnostic device to all subordinate electronic control units, which are data processing stations, at a predetermined time interval. The number of INIT commands transmitted corresponds to the number of information signals transmitted to a selected control unit after a control command to the selected control unit is executed. For example, in a case where two information signals are transmitted, the two successive initializing commands are transmitted to each control unit. In this case, the command code transmitted from the master station prior to the information signals is different from a system call command code even if both of the information signals have the same information as the initializing commands. Therefore, no erroneous response to the information signals by a non-selected control unit occurs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring a forward direction of a vehicle in which to derive a coordinate position of a center (O.sub.x, O.sub.y) of a directional circle derived from an output of a geomagnetic direction sensor after a magnetization on a vehicle body occurs, the magnetization on the vehicle body is determined from the output of the geomagnetic direction sensor installed in the vehicle and each parameter of a peak quantity (X.sub.max, Y.sub.max), peak direction (D.sub.x, D.sub.y), and a center value of an output circle before the present disturbance occurs is calculated, optimum coefficients are selected and set according to each parameter from among the previously derived coefficients, a magnetization quantity is calculated from each parameter and each optimum coefficient using a linear combination technique, and the coordinate position of the center of the output circle after the magnetization on the vehicle body occurs from the derived magnetization quantity.

Abstract: An anti-skid brake control system which employs a process of projection of vehicle speed representative dats based on selected higher one of data derived based on an integrated value which is derived by integrating vehicle body acceleration indicative data by time and data derived on the basis of wheel speed. In the present invention, vehicle speed representing data is periodically or cyclically reset and updated by the vehicle speed as an initial value of the vehicle speed representative data with that derived on the basis of the wheel speed. By selectively using the higher one of the vehicle speed representative data and periodically or cyclically updating the initial value of the vehicle speed representative data, a precision level of the vehicle speed representative level can be maintained high enough to precisely derive a wheel slippage for performing precise anti-skid control.

Abstract: A fail-safe system for an anti-skid brake control system includes a switch disposed within a power supply circuit of the anti-skid brake control system for connecting and disconnecting a vehicle battery to the anti-skid control system. A battery voltage monitor produces a disabling signal when the battery voltage drops below a predetermined battery voltage threshold. A gating circuit is disposed between the battery voltage monitor and the anti-skid control system to selectably transmit the disabling signal to the latter. The gating circuit receives as input the output of the anti-skid brake control system, and thus responds to operation of the anti-skid control system by blocking transmission of the disabling signal. Thus, the gating circuit allows the disabling signal to be transmitted to the anti-skid control system only while the anti-skid control system is inoperative. The switch disconnects the battery from the anti-skid control system in response to the disabling signal.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically controlling a vehicle speed to a desired cruise speed are disclosed in which in addition to a control unit and a throttle actuator through which an opening angle of an engine throttle valve is adjusted so that the vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor coincides with a target cruise speed set by a vehicle driver through a set switch, a vehicle speed determining circuit is provided for determining whether the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor exceeds a lowest speed limit above which the cruse control by the control unit and throttle actuator becomes effective. When the vehicle speed is below the lowest speed limit, the power supply to the throttle actuator is interrupted so that the cruise control by means of the throttle actuator is cancelled.

Abstract: For strengthening teeth of a toothed wheel, the bottom lands of the toothed wheel are pushed by a stamping tool against a backup gear for thereby causing residual compressive stress at locations extending from the bottom lands to roots of the teeth. The stamping tool has stamping projections which are angled at the tips thereof to have tapering ends and brought into contact at the tapering ends with the bottom lands of the toothed wheel. The stamping tool is axially movable relative to the work such that the tapering ends are brought into contact with the bottom lands of the toothed wheel at locations which are different axially of the toothed wheel.

Abstract: A seat having a fatigue lessening device functions to repeatedly expand and contract a given part of a seat occupant holding portion of the seat. A fatigue sensor is employed which issues an information signal representative of the fatigue of the occupant. A computer controls the operation of the device at intervals which are derived from the information signal. The fatigue sensor counts the number of movement of the seat occupant and uses the counted number as the factor for representing the degree of the occupant's fatigue.

Abstract: In a flexible manufacturing system for assembling various types of vehicle bodies, there is employed a work piece carrier on which a work piece positioning device is mounted. The work piece positioning device has a plurality of position changeable work piece holders which are grouped into a plurality of groups each having its own power input device. When the carrier comes to a type switching stage together with the work piece positioning device, a power source installed in the type switching stage is brought into connection with the power input device of one of the groups thereby to changing the positions of the corresponding work piece holders. Then, the power source is brought into connection with the other power input device of the other group to change the positions of the corresponding work piece holders.

Abstract: An automotive audio system separates audio signals from an audio signal source into first and second components. The first component of the audio signal is sent directly to a first main amplifier and reproduced through a main speaker or speakers. On the other hand, the second component of the audio signal is sent to a second main amplifier after a predetermined delay time determined by a delay circuit. The delayed second component of the audio signal is reproduced through a auxiliary speaker or speakers after the predetermined delay time. The first and auxiliary speakers are distinct and preferably located at different points in the vehicle compartment. As a result, the directly reproduced first component and the delayed second component are reproduced through different audio sound sources. This affords the listener higher-quality audio sound and better ambience. If necessary, an echo signal generator may be added to the second component reproduction system to provide an echo effect.

Abstract: An air jet loom provided with a main nozzle, a plurality of auxiliary nozzles, and a weft measuring and storing device including a measuring pawl disengagable from a weft yarn to allow the weft yarn to be inserted. During a gaiting operation, a timing (in a loom main shaft rotational angle) of operation of the main nozzle, each auxiliary nozzle and the measuring pawl is controlled in timed relation to a slow rotational speed of the loom main shaft and in a different manner from that during a normal weaving operation, thereby automatically achieving a stable and accurate weft picking even during the gaiting operation.

Abstract: A method for measuring a propagation speed of ultrasonic wave transmission through a medium of known dimension, comprises a step of generating a plurality of pulse trains at each cycle of a predetermined time interval t.sub.i, each of the RF pulse trains being composed of at least two consecutive RF pulses generated at a predetermined time period t.sub.s for exciting an output ultrasonic wave. The measuring method also includes the step of inputting a signal indicative of a superposed ultrasonic echo occurring due to the output ultrasonic wave applied to the medium, on a Y-axis of an oscilloscope, and inputting continuous X-axis trigger pulses having a predetermined period t.sub.o on an X-axis of the oscilloscope. The speed of the ultrasonic wave is derived on the basis of a length of the medium and the period t.sub.s read through the oscilloscope when an amplitude of the echo signal becomes greatest and the echo signals are overlapped in phase, by adjusting a value of the period t.sub.

Abstract: A power distribution control system for an automotive vehicle, takes an approach for projecting vehicle speed representative value on the basis of a wheel speed latched immediately before initiation of wheel speed variation irrespective of the vehicle speed, and a predetermined variation rate of the vehicle speed. The vehicle speed representative value is derived as a function of time by taking the latched wheel speed as an initial value. The projected vehicle speed data is utilized with other preselected power distribution control parameters for controlling distribution ratio of driving power for a primary and a subsidiary driving wheels.

Abstract: A fuel mix ratio sensor system comprises a cylindrical housing having a small diameter portion on one end at which an electrode is supported. A sealing means, such as an O-ring, directly contacts an inner periphery of the small diameter portion in order to secure the sensor against leakage of the detected fluid.

Abstract: An autonomously running vehicle and method for autonomously running the vehicle on a route of travel are disclosed in which using a plurality of control rules defining predetermined steering controlled variables according to magnitude classifications of previously classified deviations on steering operations and membership functions indicating certainties corresponding to respective classifications of actual deviations (offset), the certainties corresponding to each magnitude classification are correlated to the control rules to determine the steering controlled variable. In the autonomously running vehicle, the vehicle's running scenes are automatically detected on the basis of the image data derived by an image processing unit. Reference membership functions are varied (constricted or reduced) according to any one of the running scenes so that the membership functions are automatically set according to the running scenes. Control rules are previously set only to the reference membership functions.