Abstract: An apparatus that senses a minor collision of a vehicle is configured to minimize damage to the vehicle by actuating a brake system of the vehicle upon sensing a scratch of the vehicle by analyzing a sound (e.g., a sound wave signal) generated when a surface of the vehicle is scratched by, for example, a column of a building, the other vehicle, or the like when the vehicle is driven forward or backward at or below a certain speed.

Abstract: A wiper control device controls a drive section for driving a wiper to operate at a target speed, thereby causing the wiper to perform wiping operation. The wiper control device includes a voltage monitoring section, which monitors a power source voltage supplied to the drive section, and a target speed setting section, which sets the target speed. When the power source voltage is lower than or equal to a threshold voltage, the target speed setting section sets the target speed in accordance with the power source voltage. When the power source voltage is higher than the threshold voltage, the target speed setting section sets the target speed at a constant value.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for tab-pane-based flight plan management interface are disclosed. The tab-pane-based flight management interface system (FMIS) is optimally Layered and Multi-Indexed (LMI) such that the management of flight management (FM) functions and associated parameters that affect the airplane's flight are easily and efficiently operable by pilots. The LMI-FMIS provides a flexible tab-pane-based architecture that allows pilots to start a flight plan modification, proceed to engage in other tasks not related to the modification, and return to the pending modification to continue the modification process. The LMI-FMIS also provides task-oriented menu structures that provide pilots tailored options or menus applicable to the task at hand thus efficiently guiding pilots to complete a task while maintaining easy access to information that was displayed prior to the commencement of the task.

Abstract: A tire air pressure monitor device is provided for monitoring air pressure in tires using pressure sensors, which are installed in the tire of each wheel. Each wheel has a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting the air pressure information along with a sensor ID when the wheel is at a predetermined rotation position. A vehicle body has a receiver for receiving the wireless signals. A wheel speed sensor is provided on a vehicle body for each wheel to determine the wheel rotation position. A TPMS control unit acquires the wheels rotation position when a wireless signal containing a certain sensor ID is transmitted. The TPMS control unit accumulates wheel rotation position data, and determines the wheel position corresponding to the wheel rotation position data having the smallest degree of dispersion from among the wheel rotation position data as the wheel position for the transmitter corresponding to the sensor ID.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a moving body display device, which includes a position calculating module for acquiring a positioning signal of a target moving body and calculating a position of the moving body, a behavior calculating module for calculating a positional change of the moving body based on the positioning signal, and a position storage module for storing a position where the positional change is detected when the positional change that satisfies a determination condition set is detected.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first element for identifying planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort for a railway vehicle while traversing a track segment. The apparatus includes a second element for determining a slack condition of the railway vehicle at one or more locations on the track segment in advance of the railway vehicle traversing the track segment based on the planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort. The apparatus includes a third element for redetermining the slack condition at the one or more locations based on at least one deviation from the planned applications of tractive effort and braking effort.

Abstract: A method is provided for verifying an engine torque estimation and includes estimating the engine torque based on the amount of fuel injected into the engine, where the engine torque is obtained from a fuel injection table, estimating a first vehicle weight value by a calculation based on acceleration of the vehicle and the estimated engine torque, estimating an auxiliary brake torque by using an auxiliary brake table, estimating a second vehicle weight value by a calculation based on the estimated auxiliary brake torque, and comparing the first vehicle weight value with the second vehicle weight value. The method facilitates detecting if an actual engine torque value deviates from the original engine torque value of a vehicle without measuring the engine torque with a separate torque sensor.

Abstract: A method of controlling and monitoring operation of a device is disclosed. The method includes communicating an authorization code via a management source to a processor having a memory. The processor is configured for regulating operation of the device, and is operatively connected to a keyless start arrangement configured to activate the device. The method additionally includes receiving the authorization code by the processor and storing the authorization code within the controller memory. Furthermore, the method includes entering an access code via a selective input, receiving the access code by the processor, and authorizing operation of the device if the access code matches the authorization code.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining the efficiency of an ABS controller. The method may comprise performing a first test on a first tire using a first ABS controller at a first inflation pressure, gathering a first data set, using a digital computer to generate a first function from the first data set, and using a digital computer to calculate a first efficiency based on the first function. The first data set may comprise data about the first test. The first function may describe normalized mu versus time for a first time period.

Abstract: A control apparatus of a vehicle for changing a lane is provided that includes a target lane generator configured to generate a target lane; a target distance generator configured to generate a target distance; a circular trace generator configured to generate a circular trace passing a current point of a vehicle and a point on a center line of the target lane spaced by the target distance based on the vehicle, and having a driving direction of the vehicle as a tangential direction in real time; and a steering controller configured to calculate a target rate and a target steering angle so as for the vehicle to follow the generated circular trace. The control apparatus prevents a sense of steering difference and a pulling phenomenon of the vehicle when changing a lane. Also, a control method of a vehicle for changing a lane is provided.

Abstract: A robot programming device (10) includes: a processing line designating unit (21) that designates a processing line (41); an operation mode designating unit (22) that designates an operation mode of the teaching point; a program generation unit (23) that generates a program for a robot (12) based on the processing line and the operation mode; an interference target designating unit (24) that designates a tool non-processing part as an interference target; an interference detection unit (25) that detects interference between the robot and the workpiece, at a teaching point; a non-interference position search unit (26) that searches for a non-interference position; and a correction unit (27) that corrects a position of the teaching point based on a search result.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method and system for detecting driver persona in a vehicle wherein an attribute of a user is identified via at least one sensor in the interior of the vehicle. The attribute of the user can include the body weight of the user and/or a sequence of activities performed by the user when entering the vehicle. An electronic storage device is queried with the attribute of the user to determine whether the attribute of the user matches a stored driver attribute. The electronic storage device includes one or more driver profiles that include one or more driver attributes and stored driver settings. Driver settings are set in the vehicle with a processor based on the stored driver settings when the attribute of the user matches a stored driver attribute in the electronic storage device.

Abstract: To provide a vehicle state amount estimating device capable of suppressing sudden change in behavior at the time of behavior control of the vehicle, in a vehicle state amount estimating device that estimates a target lateral acceleration used in a behavior control of a vehicle based on a lateral acceleration actual measurement value and a lateral acceleration estimated value at time of traveling of the vehicle; when estimating the target lateral acceleration based on the lateral acceleration actual measurement value and the lateral acceleration estimated value, the target lateral acceleration is estimated by performing weighting on the lateral acceleration actual measurement value and the lateral acceleration estimated value according to a state of side slipping of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of controlling one or more locomotives in a consist includes receiving a command and control signal at a controller associated with one of the one or more locomotives, the command and control signal indicative of a desired performance goal for the consist. Operational characteristics of the one locomotive that are factors in achieving the performance goal for the consist are determined. Operational settings for selected ones of the determined operational characteristics for the one locomotive are selectively designated to achieve the performance goal for the consist. Effects of the selectively designated operational settings for the one locomotive may be implemented through the use of control signals to simulate isolation of the one locomotive without physically switching the one locomotive to an isolation mode.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating a railway system, the railway system comprising a lead vehicle consist, a non-lead vehicle consist and railcars, the apparatus including a first element for determining a slack condition of railway system segments, wherein the segments are delineated by nodes, and a control element configured to control an application of tractive effort or braking effort of the lead vehicle consist or the non-lead vehicle consist.

Abstract: A cleaning robot (1) is provided with: a main body housing (2) that moves along a floor in a self-propelled manner with a suction port (6) and an exhaust port (7) open; a motor fan (22) positioned inside the main body housing (2); a dust collection part (30) driven by the motor fan (22) so as to collect airflow dust that has been suctioned from the suction port (6); an infrared remote controller (60) that specifies an arbitrarily-defined location in space for setting up the main body housing (2) by emitting infrared rays; and an infrared sensor (18) that detects the specified location specified by the infrared remote controller (60). The cleaning robot moves to the specified location detected by the infrared sensor (18) and then carries out a cleaning operation, or carries out a cleaning operation while moving to the specified location.

Abstract: A tread wear indicator is affixed to a respective tire tread element. The indicator is constructed as a plurality of radially stacked sensor elements operatively configured and located to sequentially sacrificially abrade and change in electrical resistance responsive to a progressive tread wear of the respective tread element. The sensor elements are connected by circuitry that communicates a data signal from the sensor elements to a data processor indicative of a change in cumulative resistivity of the sensor elements. The data processor receives the data signal from the sensor elements and determines a radial wear level of the tread element based on the data signal. Multiple tread wear indicators may be mounted to respective tread lugs across the tread to derive a tread wear status based upon the tread wear profiles of the respective lugs.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for dumping material onto an underwater bottom or installation, such as a pipeline. The device comprises a vessel, provided with a fall pipe through which the material is dumped on the underwater bottom; a steering device adapted to control the motion of the fall pipe relative to the underwater bottom; first monitoring means adapted to monitor the state of the underwater bottom; second monitoring means adapted to monitor the position of the steering device; and computing means adapted to compute, control signals for moving the steering device. The invention also relates to a method for dumping material onto an underwater bottom or installation.