Abstract: To avoid placing an unnecessary load on a prime mover, a pump control arrangement monitors automotive vehicle speed and inhibits an increase in pump output above a basic estimate when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined level. If the speed falls below the level while the pump output is above the basic estimate, the present operating mode is maintained for a given period before being reduced to the basic estimate level.

Abstract: An operation mode control system for an automatic automotive power transmission includes a manually operable mode selection switch for selecting an operation mode from among economy, power, and hold modes. When an acceleration demand magnitude is larger than a criterion value while the hold mode is selected, the execution of the hold mode is suspended. This suspension of the hold mode execution is automatically released without operating the manually operable mode selection switch when certain conditions are reached. The power mode may be executed in place of the hold mode during the suspension of the hold mode execution.

Abstract: To determine the free-rolling wheel peripheral speed V.sub.fRi, the brake pressure at one wheel is reduced at various times and the wheel speed and the braking force at this wheel are then determined. Using the steering angle, the yaw rate and the skew running angle, the speed of the free-rolling wheel can then be estimated.

Abstract: A method of determining the position of an object comprising the steps of: producing a plurality of hyperbolic electromagnetic wave patterns; calculating from said patterns at least three lines of position; identifying the lane of each line of position by two independent methods; comparing the size of the area enclosed by the lines of position based on the lanes identified by a first of said methods with the size of the area enclosed by the lines of position identified by a second of said methods and producing therefrom an indication as to whether the lanes identified by the first method are more likely to be correct than those identified by the second method; and computing the position of the object using the lines of position based on the lanes identified as being more likely to be correct.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for improving vehicle handling during vehicle operation in the nonlinear region of the front tires for use with a vehicle (10) having manually operable front steerable wheels (12) and electronically controlled rear steerable wheels (14). The method includes the step of calculating a desired rear steer angle based on vehicle parameters, such as vehicle speed and front wheel angle. Preferably, the method also includes the steps of determining if the vehicle is operating in the nonlinear region of the front tires, calculating a handling term if the vehicle is operating in the nonlinear region of the front tires and modifying the desired rear steer angle based on the handling term. The rear steerable wheels are then steered toward the modified desired rear steer angle.

Abstract: A retarding control apparatus for controlling operation of a retarder, which is connected to an automatic transmission, by operating a retarder actuating device by manipulation of a retarder changeover switch includes control unit, to which are inputted a shift position signal,a throttle opening signal and a changeover signal from the retarder changeover switch, for outputting an operating signal to the retarder actuating device. When the control unit receives the changeover signal from the retarder changeover switch for actuating the retarder and decides that a manual downshift has taken place based upon the shift position signal and throttle opening signal, the control unit diminishes the operating signal to the retarder actuating device in such a manner that braking force produced by the retarder is reduced by a prescribed value.

Abstract: A suspension system of a vehicle for calculating a product of the absolute speed zs of the sprung member and the relative speed zs-zu between the sprung member and the unsprung member and for controlling the damping force characteristic of the shock absorber to be higher if that product is more than the predetermined value and to be lower if the product is less than that value. An insensible range is formed for restricting switching of the damping force characteristic when .vertline.zs.vertline. and .vertline.zs-zu.vertline. are less than the predetermined value .delta.z, .delta.r, so that the damping force characteristic of the shock absorber is kept lower if .vertline.zs.vertline.>.delta.z and .vertline.zs-zu.vertline. or .vertline.zs-zu.vertline.<.delta.r and it is kept higher if .vertline.zs.vertline.>.delta.z and .vertline.zs-zu.vertline. or .vertline.zs-zu.vertline.<.delta.r.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flight management computer modification that provides a pilot of an aircraft with a list of alternate landing destinations at which he can land the aircraft in case of an emergency on board or due to some reason why he cannot land at an intended destination. Each of the alternate landing destinations is displayed with data regarding the distance between the aircraft's present position and each of the alternate destinations, the estimated time of arrival to fly the aircraft to each of the alternate destinations and an estimate of the fuel remaining on board the aircraft if the aircraft were to land at the alternate destinations. The data allows the pilot to compare the benefits of landing at one of the alternate destinations versus landing at another. The dam is calculated assuming a direct flight from the aircraft's present position to the alternate as well as assuming a missed approach at the intended destination and a flight from the intended destination to the alternate landing destination.

Abstract: A linearly moving external part of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is contacted with a hand-held contact tachometer for producing a waveform signal which, along with a signal responsive to the ignition of each cylinder, are applied to an engine analyzer processor for display of a single engine cycle of the waveform signal on the CRT oscilloscope of the engine analyzer. The variations and amplitude of the waveform signal correspond to speed variations of the moving part over an engine cycle to give an indication of the relative power contributions of the individual cylinders. Cylinder ignition markers and cylinder zone markers are respectively displayed at the top and bottom of the screen, respectively corresponding to the cylinders in their ignition order. Each cylinder zone marker is delayed a predetermined time from its corresponding cylinder ignition marker and indicates the time period during which the engine responds to the ignition event of the corresponding cylinder.

Abstract: An active suspension system is provided which includes hydraulic cylinders for suppressing rolling motion of a vehicle body. The system is responsive to lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle body to provide a control signal for supplying hydraulic pressure to the cylinders for anti-rolling control. The control signal includes first and second pressure control signals. The first pressure control signal commands supply of hydraulic pressure for providing an anti-rolling moment, while the second pressure control signal commands supply of hydraulic pressure for supporting a portion of the static load of the vehicle body to maintain the vehicle body at a target height level.

Abstract: A transferable electronic control unit having a non-volatile memory that retains values of learned correction factors for control parameters used in adaptively controlling the operation of a vehicle is disclosed. The electronic control unit receives an identification signal from the vehicle in which it operates. By comparing the value of the received identification signal with a stored value identifying the vehicle operated when learning the values of the correction factors that are stored in non-volatile memory, the electronic control unit determines whether or not it has been transferred between vehicles. When a transfer between vehicles has not occurred, the value of the learned correction factors stored in non-volatile memory are used to begin adaptively controlling vehicle operation. When a transfer between vehicles has occurred, initial or mean values for the correction factors are used to begin adaptively controlling vehicle operation.

Abstract: Various steering coefficients (KB, KC, KG) are decided in accordance with a detected car speed (V), while a correction amount (X) and a correction factor (Y) are determined by fuzzy reasoning in accordance with a detected road surface friction coefficient (.mu.), road surface gradient (.alpha.), and lateral acceleration (G). A reference in-phase steering amount (.delta.RB), equal to a product of a reference in-phase steering coefficient (KB) and a detected steering wheel angle (.theta.H), is corrected by an in-phase correction steering amount (.delta.RC), which is equal to a product of an in-phase steering coefficient (KC) and the detected steering wheel angle (.theta.H), with a delay determined by a time constant (T) calculated from the correction amount (X), to thereby determine a corrected in-phase steering amount (.delta.R). A corrected anti-phase steering amount (.delta.G), obtained by multiplying a reference anti-phase steering amount (.delta.

Abstract: In a speed change control method for an automatic transmission for vehicles with a plurality of gearshift positions, the frictional resistance of a road surface is detected, gearshifting to at least a lowest-speed gearshift position is prohibited if the frictional resistance of the road surface is judged to be low. Preferably, gearshifting to at least the lowest-speed gearshift position is prohibited when starting the vehicle from a stopped position if the frictional resistance of the road surface is judged to be low. The frictional resistance of the road surface is determined to be low when an occurrence frequency (%) of the detected frictional resistance value, being less than or equal to a first predetermined value, is more than or equal to a second predetermined value.

Abstract: In order to prevent an inverse rolling or an unnatural rolling of a vehicle body during a turning of the vehicle on a low friction road, in an active suspension having an actuator adapted to increase or decrease vehicle height at the corresponding portion so that the rolling of the vehicle body is suppressed by a control of the actuator carried out in response to a control amount based upon an actual transverse acceleration of the vehicle body and a control amount based upon an estimated transverse acceleration deduced from a steering angle and vehicle speed, the control amount based upon the estimated transverse acceleration is reduced relative to the control amount based upon the actual transverse acceleration when a discrepancy between the estimated transverse acceleration and the actual transverse acceleration increases beyond a predetermined limit of relationship.

Abstract: A slip control is effected by effecting a switch to a slip control ratio change control when a wheel slip exceeds a predetermined value. The usual ratio control in a continuously variable transmission is reinstated upon completion of the slip control ratio change control smoothly owing to modification of shift speed or provision of delay.

Abstract: A variable effort power steering unit under control of a microcomputer is able to change steering effort in response to control current. The current is developed as a function of average vehicle speed. In the case of vehicle deceleration, a long averaging time is used to inhibit rapid steering effort changes during braking. In the case of vehicle acceleration, a short averaging time is used for rapid response of steering effort to speed increases.

Abstract: A running state control system having running state control means for controlling a running state of a vehicle, in which a control target quantity thereof is set different according to a steering angle, comprises steering angle detecting means for detecting the steering angle, and steering angle changing means for changing the steering angle detected by the steering angle detecting means into a filtered steering angle a decrease of which lags behind a decrease of an actual steering angle. Consequently, an abrupt change in a control condition can be prevented even during a slalom run and counter steering of a vehicle, thus enhancing a running stability of the vehicle.

Abstract: A low cost tracking system employing satellites of the global positioning system (GPS) is suitable for applications involving radiosondes, sonobuoys, and other objects. The tracking system includes a sensor mounted on each object which digitally samples the GPS satellite signals and records them in a data buffer. The digital samples are then transmitted, at a rate lower than that at which the GPS satellite signals were sampled, over a data telemetry link, interleaved with other telemetry data from the object. The GPS data is processed in a data processing workstation where the position and velocity of the sensor, at the time the data was sampled, is computed. The data buffer in the sensor is periodically refreshed, and the workstation periodically computes the new position and velocity of the sensor. Differential corrections are also provided at the workstation to aid in signal acquisition and to increase the precision of the position fix.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the force produced by an air spring assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes mechanisms for determining the position, velocity, and direction of movement of the chassis relative to the wheel and tire assembly as well as a mechanism for measuring the pressure within the air spring. A processor is utilized to determine the force produced by the air spring based upon these measured parameters. A method for determining the air spring force is also disclosed.

Abstract: In order to control wheel spin in a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, a spin calculator determines the amount of wheel spin and compares this with a target value. If the target value is exceeded, an engine controller reduces engine output demand, for instance by reducing the opening of a throttle. A fuelling controller forms a threshold value which is inversely dependent on the difference between the reduced engine output demand and the actual engine output demand. When the wheel spin exceeds the threshold value, the controller cuts off the supply of fuel for a predetermined pattern of engine fire events.