Abstract: A switch assembly includes a switch housing defining an interior volume, and a switch actuator slidably retained within the switch housing. Travel in a first direction by the switch actuator compresses a resilient dome switch and a hard mechanical stop limits a full extent of return travel by the switch actuator within the switch housing. A resilient retention post, formed in a resilient switch pad that includes the resilient dome switch, for example, has a length terminating in a flanged tip that captures the switch actuator and thereby defines a restricted extent of return travel by the switch actuator. The restricted extent of return travel is less than the full extent of return travel, to prevent the resilient dome switch from springedly urging the switch actuator into contact with the hard mechanical stop.

Abstract: Safe detection of an external load attached to an AC power outlet of a power supply stands out as one advantage of the power supply apparatus and method contemplated herein, although other advantages flow therefrom. Not least among the other advantages are a simplicity of design offering an economical and robust mechanism for detecting external loads. The contemplated mechanism relies on the application of a DC voltage to one electrical phase of the AC power outlet and the coupling of that voltage to the other electrical phase of the AC power outlet through an interconnecting resistor. With both phases respectively coupled to voltage divider circuits nominally matched in value, the divided down voltages measured from the respective phases will differ in dependence on the relative size of the interconnecting resistor and the resistive value of any load attached to the AC power outlet.

Abstract: A driver driving a vehicle is easily determined. A first determiner compares first statistical information, which is statistical information about a retention direction in which a driver looking straight ahead retains his or her face or gaze with respect to a forward direction of a vehicle calculated by a first calculator, from first sensing data output from a first sensor and including an image of a driver of a vehicle and stored in a storage, with second statistical information, which is statistical information about the retention direction for the current vehicle driver calculated similarly by the first calculator, and determines, when finding first statistical information approximate to the second statistical information, the current vehicle driver as a driver associated with the approximate first statistical information.

Abstract: To enable monitoring of both the direction and the level of attention being paid by a vehicle driver, a driver monitoring apparatus uses a detector to detect the attention direction of the driver based on monitoring data output from a first sensor, uses a calculator to repeatedly calculate, at every deviation calculation time, a deviation (e.g., standard deviation) of the attention direction during a deviation calculation duration, and uses a determiner to determine the direction and the level of attention being paid by the driver based on the calculated deviation.

Abstract: A driver performing a lane check by looking back for safe driving can be alerted based on the driver's gaze deviating from a view area for usual driving. A distracted driving determination apparatus, a distracted driving determination method, and a program for distracted driving determination recorded on a recording medium compare a change pattern detected from changes in the gaze or face orientation of the driver with a predetermined reference pattern, and change a usual determination condition for detecting distracted driving to a temporary determination condition when the change pattern matches the reference pattern. This prevents the line check from being determined to be distracted driving.

Abstract: Accurate driver state determination achieving safety is enabled without being affected by differences between individual drivers. A driver state determination apparatus for determining a driver state, such as distracted driving, includes a calculator that determines a direction of a vehicle driver's face or gaze based on first sensing data output from a first sensor and including an image of the driver, and calculates statistical information about a direction in which the driver looking straight ahead retains his or her gaze with respect to a forward direction of a vehicle. A correction unit corrects the determined face or gaze direction of the driver with respect to a reference direction defined as the forward direction of the vehicle based on the statistical information. A determiner determines a driver state based on a deviation of the corrected face or gaze direction of the driver from the reference direction.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide switch cells that use a non-electrical tactile feedback pad to adjust the tactile feel of the included switches. As a non-limiting advantage, separating the tactile feedback pad from the electrical switching operation allows the electrical contacts to be configured for high-current applications while relying on the tactile feedback pad to define or “tune” the tactile feel of the switch cell. Moreover, the same switch cell design may be used to meet a variety of tactile feel requirements, simply by installing different tactile feedback pads. That is, the same switch cell can be reconfigured to have a different tactile response curve simply by changing out the tactile feedback pad(s) used in the switch cell, without affecting the electrical characteristics of the switch cell.

Abstract: An electric power is surely supplied to a load even if an abnormality is generated in a switching control circuit, which controls a switching part that switches electric connection between a power supply and the load of a vehicle. The switching control circuit controls a state of a contact of a keep relay that switches the electric connection between the power supply and the load. A monitor circuit monitors existence or non-existence of the abnormality of the switching control circuit. When detecting the abnormality of the switching control circuit, the monitor circuit transmits a reset signal in order to reset a state of the switching control circuit. When receiving the reset signal from the monitor circuit, an abnormal-time connection circuit transmits a connection signal to a coil of the keep relay to bring a movable contact into contact with a contact. For example, the present invention can be applied to a power-supply control device for the vehicle.

Abstract: Charge efficiency of normal charge is improved without restricting an operation of a low-voltage load of an electric vehicle during the normal charge. During a charge of a high-voltage battery of a vehicle, when a determination of the normal charge is made, and when a determination that a mode switching target load is not operated is made, power saving mode transition processing is performed. Therefore, an operating mode of a DC-DC converter, which steps down a voltage at the high-voltage battery and supplies the stepped-down voltage to a low-voltage battery and a low-voltage load, is set to a power saving mode in which consumption power is reduced compared with a normal mode. When a determination that a start-up manipulation of the mode switching target load is performed is made, the operating mode of the DC-DC converter is changed to the normal mode.

Abstract: In a remote control device for a vehicle including: a portable transmitter configured to repeatedly transmit a signal for giving an instruction to activate an activation device mounted in a vehicle, in response to an operation of a manipulator which is performed continuously for a predetermined time or more; and a vehicle-side receiver provided in the vehicle to activate the activation device based on the signal transmitted from the portable transmitter, the portable transmitter transmits a first signal including a data frame having at least an ID code, a function code determining an action of the activation device, and a first error detection code and then repeatedly transmits a second signal, and a data frame of the second signal having the same function code as that of the first signal and a second error detection code generated based on the function code and the data frame of the first signal.

Abstract: An opening/closing body control device has a controller that controls a driving operation of a motor for carrying out an operation for opening/closing an opening/closing body of a vehicle, a load detector that detects a load of the motor; a deciding part that compares a variation in the load detected by the load detector with a predetermined threshold, thereby deciding presence of insertion of a foreign substance into the opening/closing body during the operation for closing the opening/closing body, an engine state detector that detects a stopping state of an engine of the vehicle, a receiver that receives a closing command for the opening/closing body which is transmitted from a remote control machine, and a changing part that changes the threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle portable device has a wireless communication part that conducts wireless communication with a vehicle, a short-range wireless communication part that conducts short-range wireless communication with a mobile terminal, a vehicle information acquisition part that acquires vehicle information on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle information is transmitted from the vehicle by wireless communication, a transmission intensity setting part that sets transmission intensity, with which the vehicle information is transmitted to the mobile terminal, according to a content of the vehicle information, and a transmission controller that performs control such that the vehicle information is transmitted to the mobile terminal with the set transmission intensity by short-range wireless communication.

Abstract: A communication system includes an object communication unit provided in a controlled object, a portable machine having an identification code registered in the controlled object, the portable machine including a portable machine communication unit conducting wireless communications with the object communication unit, and a portable terminal including a portable terminal communication unit conducting wireless communications with the object communication unit and the portable machine communication unit.

Abstract: A transmitting device that transmits a FSK-modulated wireless signal to a receiving device includes a controller that determines a transmitting content transmitted to the receiving device and a value of a maximum frequency shift in the FSK modulation, and outputs output information including the transmitting content, the value of the maximum frequency shift, and a value of a center frequency in the FSK modulation; a generator that generates a FSK modulation signal based on the transmitting content, the value of the maximum frequency shift, and the value of the center frequency, which are output from the controller; and a transmitting antenna that transmits the FSK modulation signal, which is generated by the generator, in a form of a wireless signal.

Abstract: A photo detection device, which is disposed in a vehicle, includes a first photo detection element that detects light and a first signal processing unit that performs a predetermined process based on a detection result of the first photo detection element. The photo detection device also includes a first board on which the first photo detection element is mounted and a second board on which the first signal processing unit is mounted. Additionally, the photo detection device includes a holding member that holds the first board and the second board and a housing that accommodates the holding member. The holding member holds the first board and the second board such that the second board is arranged in a second plane different from a first plane in which the first board is arranged.

Abstract: A switch device has an operating unit, a circuit board having a contact unit that is switched according to the operation of the operating unit, a case having the operating unit at an upper section thereof, an opening at a lower section thereof, and the circuit board inside thereof, and a cover that is fitted to the opening of the case to close the opening. A thin hinge and a flange continuous to the hinge are formed integrally with the case along a side wall at a lower end of the side wall of the case. The flange is folded and bent on the hinge, so that a clearance defined between the case and the cover is covered with the flange.

Abstract: A control device includes a plurality of LED arrays connected to a ground and connected in parallel to one another, each of the plurality of LED arrays including one or more LEDs connected in series and a resistance element connected in series to the LEDs, a first switching circuit disposed between each of the plurality of LED arrays and a power source, a second switching circuit disposed between each of the plurality of LED arrays and the power source, a capacitor having one end connected to the first switching circuit and another end connected to the plurality of LED arrays, a voltage detection circuit having an end connected to the other end of the capacitor, and a control circuit that controls switching of conduction states of each of the first and second switching circuits, and reads a voltage from the voltage detection circuit.

Abstract: A vehicle light control device mounted on a vehicle to control lighting of a light of the vehicle based on illuminance around the vehicle, has an infrared sensor that detects an infrared ray around the vehicle, an infrared illuminance detector that detects infrared illuminance from an output of the infrared sensor, a visible-light sensor that detects visible light around the vehicle, a visible-light illuminance detector that detects visible-light illuminance from an output of the visible-light sensor, a storage in which a first lighting threshold is stored, and a controller that controls the lighting of the light based on the infrared illuminance detected by the infrared illuminance detector, the visible-light illuminance detected by the visible-light illuminance detector, and the first lighting threshold stored in the storage.

Abstract: A motor control device has a drive circuit that drives an electric motor with a battery as a power supply, a switch element that is provided between the battery and the drive circuit, the switch element supplying a current from the battery to the drive circuit when being turned on, the switch element cutting off the current from the battery to the drive circuit when being turned off, a rotation speed detector that detects a rotation speed of the electric motor, and a controller that operates the drive circuit to control the electric motor. The controller turns on the switch element when the rotation speed of the electric motor, which is detected by the rotation speed detector, is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value during stopping of the control of the electric motor.

Abstract: A motor control device has a motor driving unit that drives a motor, a current detecting unit that detects a motor current flowing through the motor, a control unit that compares a detected current value of the motor current detected by the current detecting unit with a target current value to obtain a deviation, to control the motor driving unit based on the deviation, and a compensation unit that sets as a current offset value a detected current value of a drift current detected by the current detecting unit in a state where the motor current is regarded as zero, to compensate the detected current value of the motor current by the current offset value. The compensation unit sets a target offset value according to the current value of the detected drift current to correct the current offset value stepwise until the current offset value reaches the target offset value.