Abstract: The invention relates to a PTO brake control system. There is a need for an improved and safe PTO brake control system. A PTO may be put into a driven and a non-driven condition an is braked by a PTO brake. A PTO brake control system includes a vehicle speed sensor and an ECU for controlling the PTO brake. The ECU deactivates the PTO brake when the vehicle is stationary and the PTO is not driven. This allows the PTO to be manually rotated to facilitate coupling of the PTO to an implement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a driver assistance system provided with an auxiliary system. The driver assistance system comprises detecting means for detecting information about a vehicle and influencing means for influencing a direction of movement and/or the speed of the vehicle according to information about said environment. The auxiliary system is used for issuing assistance information to the driver of the vehicle. The auxiliary system comprises recognition means for recognizing whether the driver assistance system can be operated in a reliable manner in a momentary environment state and/or in a future environment state and/or an operational state of the vehicle. The auxiliary system is connected to the recognition means and is embodied in such a manner that information can be given to the driver during operation of the vehicle if the driver assistance system cannot be operated in a reliable manner.

Abstract: A system 10 for determining high accuracy gradient information includes linearization means 20, a sum unit 45, and state space model and observer means 50 for calculating a road gradient ?Road. The linearization means 20 includes an air resistance calculation unit 30 and a rolling resistance calculation unit 40. The means 50 includes a state space model 60 and a state space observer 70. The sum unit 45 determines a total sum wheel force ?FLij of wheel forces FLij. The linearization means 20 calculates an air resistance force FW and a rolling resistance force FR based on a vehicle velocity vCoG using approximation equations, calculates a linearized total sum force FSum by subtracting the air resistance force FW and the rolling resistance force FR from the wheel forces FLij, and inputs the linealized total sum force FSum to the state space model and observer means 50.

Abstract: A technique for determining a slip angle of a motor vehicle, while compensating for bank angle of the motor vehicle, includes a number of steps. Initially, a first lateral velocity of a motor vehicle is determined, without consideration of a bank angle and is derived from an integral of a first lateral velocity derivative (vy dot). A second lateral velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined, with consideration of the bank angle and is derived from an integral of a second lateral velocity derivative. A third lateral velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined, with consideration of the bank angle and the first and second lateral velocities and is derived from an integral of a third lateral velocity derivative. A longitudinal velocity of the motor vehicle is also determined. A slip angle of the motor vehicle is then determined, based upon the third lateral velocity and the longitudinal velocity or the first lateral velocity and the longitudinal velocity.

Abstract: A disclosed inter-vehicle distance control apparatus for controlling an inter-vehicle distance between a present vehicle equipped with this apparatus and a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the present vehicle changes a target deceleration of the present vehicle and/or a deceleration gradient of the present vehicle, with which the deceleration reaches the target deceleration of the present vehicle, between when the present vehicle is under a first deceleration condition in which the present vehicle decelerates under the circumstance where the inter-vehicle distance between the present vehicle and the preceding vehicle is relatively short and when the present vehicle is under a second deceleration condition in which the present vehicle decelerates under the circumstance where the inter-vehicle distance is relatively long.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus to display a geographical picture on a screen (36) of a monitor (30), which is connected over a data bus (3) to a first computer (1). The invention specifies that the first computer (1) furnishes abstract data (a, c, f), determined on a geographical basis, to the data bus (3), and that these data (a, c, f) are processed in a second computer (31) situated in the monitor (30), for the visual display of a picture on the screen (36) of the monitor (30).

Abstract: A navigation apparatus for a vehicle displays, based on map information, a map image for vicinity of a present position of the vehicle and a guidance route in superimposition in a display device. An end point relative to a moving arrow is defined as being a predetermined first distance ahead of the present position along the route; a start point is defined as being a predetermined second distance smaller than the first distance ahead of the present position along the route. The navigation apparatus is further configured to superimpose, on the displayed route, the moving arrow which includes an arrowhead and a line between the arrowhead and the present position, such that the arrowhead moves from the start point to the end point along the route when a distance to a nearest guidance point is smaller than a predetermined distance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling the driving stability of a vehicle, wherein it is determined when a stable or unstable driving behavior prevails whether a tendency to a subsequent unstable driving behavior exists as a result of a highly dynamic inward swerve. In order to provide a method for controlling driving stability, which allows a reaction to predicted unstable driving situations by means of an intervention diminishing or avoiding critical driving situations, the steering force and/or the steering angle of a steering handle is corrected in this case in such a manner that when the steering handle is operated, the driver is assisted in the direction of an understeering vehicle course.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mobile robot, and system and method for autonomous navigation of the same. The mobile robot includes a communications module for transmitting a light source control signal to selectively control light sources of a landmark array to flicker, an image processing module for calculating image coordinates of the light sources from an image signal, a pose calculation module for calculating position coordinates of the mobile robot, a motion control module for calculating a moving path and controlling the mobile robot to move along the moving path, and a main control module for controlling interoperations of the modules and general operations of the mobile robot.

Abstract: A method (700) for improving driver performance includes the steps of receiving vehicle operating data from the vehicle (702); monitoring an interior portion of the vehicle and receiving operator activity data from the interior portion of the vehicle (704); receiving vehicle environment data from the environment external to the vehicle (706); monitoring the vehicle operator and receiving operator condition data relating to a condition of the vehicle operator (708); recording an operator performance assessment based on the vehicle operating data, the operator activity data, the vehicle environment data and the operator condition data (710); and reporting the operator performance assessment to the operator (712).

Abstract: A technology for preventing a driver from being distracted even if a navigation operates on an input device in the rear seat. A navigation system, connected to a combination of an output/input devices of a driver and to a combination of an output device and an input device of a fellow passenger, comprises a setting information storage unit storing setting information indicating whether or not information generated is to be output to the output device of the driver and an output processing unit, to the output device of the driver according to the setting information read from the setting information storage unit. When operation information enters from the input device of the fellow passenger, the setting information, stored in the setting information storage unit for the processing, changes to the information indicating that information is not output to the output device of the driver.

Abstract: A recommended route calculation method for calculating a recommended route from a current position to a destination based upon map data constituted of nodes and links, includes steps of: extracting attribute data of a link from data related to the links, the attribute data indicating characteristics of the link; judging whether or not the extracted attribute data of the link match attribute data having been input; and processing so that selectability of the link as a part of the recommended route is raised, when judging that the extracted attribute data of the link match the attribute data having been input.

Abstract: A technique for providing better detection of close range truck trailers for a motor vehicle with Stop and Go Adaptive Cruise Control determines if a range parameter to a target requires modification if such target is a truck trailer, for example. Truck trailer geometry is such that a standard adaptive cruise control system may have difficulty accurately determining the range to the rearmost position of the truck. The technique determines an initial range from the motor vehicle to a target. Then, the technique determines whether the range rate of the target is above a predetermined rate. When the range rate of the target is not above the predetermined rate, the technique determines whether the initial range to the target is less than a current range to the target. If so, the technique provides an adjusted range, which is then utilized in the control operation of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method provide for precision guiding of agricultural vehicles along a series of adjacent paths to form rows for cultivating a field. In one aspect of the invention the vehicle is moved along a first path while receiving positioning information from a navigational system (e.g., RTK GPS). This positioning information is stored in a processor and is used by the processor to compute a second path adjacent to said first path by calculating piecewise perpendicular offsets from the first path at multiple locations along the first path. The process is repeated to compute a third and subsequent paths so as to cover the field. Because of the offset process, the field may be covered with paths that have varying curvature along their length, while providing substantially no gaps or overlaps in the coverage of the field.

Abstract: A turret control system and method for a fire fighting vehicle is disclosed. The turret control system includes one or more control modules, such as an envelope control module, turret targeting module, a turret pan module, a turret deploy module, a turret store module. The preferred turret control system also provides improved turret control flexibility and improved operator feedback.

Abstract: In steering control apparatus and method for an automotive vehicle, a camera photographs a travel path in a traveling direction of a vehicle, a lateral displacement calculating circuit calculates a lateral displacement of the vehicle with respect to the travel path according to an image of the travel path photographed by the camera, a differentiator calculates a differential value of the lateral displacement, a vehicle speed sensor that detects a vehicle speed, a relative yaw rate calculating section calculates a relative yaw rate with respect to the travel path of the vehicle on the basis of the lateral displacement, the differential value of the lateral displacement, and the vehicle speed, an actuator provides an assistance force for the steering mechanism, and an actuator controlling section drivingly controls the actuator in a direction toward which the relative yaw rate is cancelled on the basis of the relative yaw rate.

Abstract: A method for steering an agricultural vehicle comprising: receiving global positioning system (GPS) data including position and velocity information corresponding to at least one of a position, velocity, and course of the vehicle; receiving a yaw rate signal; and computing a compensated heading, the compensated heading comprising a blend of the yaw rate signal with heading information based on the GPS data. For each desired swath comprising a plurality of desired positions and desired headings, the method also comprises: computing an actual track and a cross track error from the desired swath based on the compensated heading and the position; calculating a desired radius of curvature to arrive at the desired track with a desired heading; and generating a steering command based on the desired radius of curvature to a steering mechanism, the steering mechanism configured to direct the vehicle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a network comprising numerous nodes which are paired by means of segments. The inventive method consists in: allocating a cost to each segment in the network; producing two path graphs, essentially from two points respectively; interrupting the production of the two graphs when they comprise at least a first common interference node; determining the two minimal cost paths which belong respectively to the two graphs; and linking the two minimal cost paths in order to obtain the minimal cost path between the two points. The invention also relates to a server which is used to implement said method.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus comprises: a computer operable to execute a control program, a first memory storing the control program, and a second memory storing the produced data. The control program includes: a platform program for inputting data from a hardware device and storing inputted data as first data in a first section of the second memory, an application program for processing for a vehicle control in accordance with an AP interface, and a coupling processing program. The coupling processing program performs mediation in the processing using the application program by converting the first data provided from the processing using the platform program to second data in accordance with the PF interface so that the second data is adapted to the AP interface. The application program executes vehicle control by using the second data. The platform program performs an operation at different predetermined intervals than the coupling program.

Abstract: A refuse vehicle is disclosed that includes a control system which comprises a plurality of microprocessor based interface modules, a communication network, and at least one output device. The control system is configured to disable the output device based on certain conditions of the refuse vehicle.