Abstract: The present invention relates to a navigation sppratus for finding a vehicle location by calculating on the basis of an output data of an acceleration detecting means for detecting a vehicle acceleration.The navigation apparatus provides at least one acceleration detecting means for detecting a vehicle acceleration and stop judge means for judging a vehicle stopping state from the output variation of the acceleration detecting means.

Abstract: A device for damping the motion sequences of two masses includes sensors for detecting relative motion between the two masses and absolute motion of one of the two masses. A signal processing circuit receiving output signals from the sensors has an output which is dependent on the frequency of the sensed signals. A controllable actuator receives the signal processing circuit output and is connected to the two masses.

Abstract: A navigation/guidance system uses a dead reckoning navigator with periodic GPS fixes to correct the drift of the inertial system. The navigation system primarily uses speed sensed by Doppler radar and attitude and heading sensed by a set of gyros. The navigation system uses various processes to compensate for any sensor errors. The system uses attitude data to compensate for GPS leverarm errors. The system can be used on a land-based vehicle to economically and accurately provide navigation data.

Abstract: This invention reduces the navigation error associated with the use of wheel sensor based DR as an augmentation to GPS. In order to derive accurate heading information from the wheel speeds, the distance between the centers of the tires, or the wheel track, must be known to high precision. Unfortunately, the wheel track may not be precisely known whereby different classes of the same vehicle type can produce variations of up to 5%. The current invention removes the error growth associated with wheel track error by automatically estimating and calibrating the wheel track. The wheel track is measured by computing a heading rate directly from the GPS Doppler measurements, and comparing it with the heading rate derived from the wheel sensors whereby subsequent refinements to the estimated wheel track are computed by filtering each measured track.

Abstract: A method of controlling engine starting of a vehicle having a powertrain control module and passive anti-theft system includes the steps of operating the engine after validation of a code by the passive anti-theft system, monitoring stopping of the vehicle engine during normal operating conditions of the powertrain control module, setting a fuel value in a software register of the powertrain control module to a non-starting value which fuel value is defaulted to in case of abnormal operation conditions of the powertrain control module, and disallowing starting of the vehicle engine during abnormal operating conditions of the powertrain control module when the fuel value contains the non-starting value.

Abstract: The invention concerns a control system for shifting gears in an automatic shift transmission (3) by using fuzzy logic methods. Vehicle parameters form input variables (8) that are continuously detected by appropriate means (9). These input variables are further processed in downstream functional blocks (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17). Gearshifting points that ensure an economical driving are determined in the functional block (11) according to fuzzy logic methods. Besides a set of basic fuzzy logic generating rules, additional rules are used to improve driving. For that purpose, the input quantity "desired performance" is taken into consideration in both sets of rules. The desired performance may be a desired acceleration or a desired deceleration. A closed regulation circuit is formed by converting the fictitious quantity desired performance and the quantity driving manner to a physical quantity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for generating a route from a source location to a destination in a vehicle navigation system. Initially, the system generates a first partial route from the source location to the end of the first partial route. The system then determines whether a second maneuver is within a first distance from a first maneuver at the end of the first partial route. Where the second maneuver is within the first distance, the system increases the cost associated with the second maneuver. The system then generates a second partial route from the end of the first partial route to the destination, generation of the second partial route being based at least in part on the cost associated with the second maneuver.

Abstract: A suspension control system for an automotive vehicle is disclosed in which a band pass filter is provided which passes only a frequency component of either of a vertical sprung mass acceleration signal derived from a vertical G sensor or a vertical sprung mass speed signal derived from an integrator which integrates the vertical sprung mass acceleration signal, both vertical acceleration sprung mass speed signal and vertical sprung mass speed signal falling in a predetermined frequency range (e.g., 0.5 Hz through 3.0 Hz). A control unit outputs a control signal to an actuator so to vary the position of an adjuster of each or any one of shock absorbers, thus a damping coefficient being set to a target damping coefficient position according to the vertical sprung mass speed.

Abstract: A motor vehicle steering system has a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate of a motor vehicle, and a lateral acceleration sensor for detecting a lateral acceleration of the motor vehicle. The detected yaw rate and lateral acceleration are processed according to predetermined functions to determine a control signal, which is applied to a motor to turn a steering wheel. Road wheels are correspondingly steered through a steering mechanism in a direction to suppress a disturbant motor vehicle behavior that is caused by the yaw rate and the lateral acceleration.

Abstract: The present invention is a fire control system. The fire control system comprises a manually aimed gun having a sighting device and a device for acquiring a target. The acquiring device is disposed at a location remote from the gun. The fire control system also comprises a device for determining the trajectory of the target with respect to the gun and providing information relating to the target to the sighting device of the gun such that an operator of the gun can aim the gun with respect to the sighting device to hit the target when the gun is fired. The determining device is in communication with the acquiring device and the sighting device. The present invention is also a fire control method for a minor caliber gun. The method comprises the step of acquiring a target from a location which is remote from the gun. Then, there is the step of determining the trajectory of the target with respect to the gun.

Abstract: A test driver generator is provided for generating test drivers. The test driver generator receives test expressions designating execution sequences of test functions of software interfaces and corresponding attribute value specifications for the designated test functions' parameter attributes. Each test expression designating a number of test functions to be executed in a certain sequence, and each corresponding attribute value specification specifies selected attribute values of the test functions' parameter attributes. For each test expression and corresponding attribute value specifications of a software interface, the test driver generator, in response, generates a test driver that can execute the specified test functions in the designated order with all combinations of the selected attribute values of the test functions' parameter attributes.

Abstract: A fully automatic servovalve analyzer system includes a data processing system, a transducer system, and a transducer interface system connecting the data processing system to the transducer system. The data processing system stores data defining characteristics of transducers connected to a unit under test as well as characteristic data for the unit under test itself and test procedures which are to be performed. After a unit under test has been hydraulically and electrically connected to the analyzer system, the system automatically performs any defined tests, analyzes the results and outputs the results in a preselected human recognizable form.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant air data and inertial navigation reference system utilizes skewed axis inertial sensors and fault-tolerant redundant electronics to provide higher redundancy with fewer parts. Parallelly operating processor circuits each receive the individual outputs of six skewed-axis gyros and six skewed-axis accelerometers. Each processor independently processes parity equations using the outputs to identify malfunctioning sensors. Further, the output of each processor is transmitted to three parallelly operating voter circuits. The voters are operable to discard a processor if its output does not agree with the majority. The voter outputs are similarly fed back to the processor circuits, which compare these outputs, and discard any voter whose output disagrees with the majority, thus providing a completely integrated system.

Abstract: A system and method for learning and controlling an air/fuel mixture ratio for an internal combustion engine are disclosed which can achieve the compatibility of both learning convergence characteristic and accuracy of learning and which can prevent a stepwise change in correction coefficients to a basic fuel supply quantity when the present engine driving condition makes the present one of the driving conditions to the other one of the driving conditions. In a preferred embodiment of the air/fuel mixture ratio learning and controlling system, a plurality of learning maps in which the whole driving region is divided into 16 regions and is divided into 258 regions. The learnings of the air/fuel mixture ratio learning correction coefficients KBLRC1 for the 16 driving regions on the first learning map are followed by those of the other air/fuel mixture ratio learning correction coefficients KBLRC2 for the 256 driving regions on the second learning map.

Abstract: A method for accurately determining the measure of mass airflow into an internal combustion engine is implemented with a controller that determines measures of various engine parameters, determines a prediction set including at least one predicted value of a measurable engine parameter and at least one predicted value of mass airflow into the engine, determines an estimation set including at least one estimated value of mass airflow into the engine and controls the engine in response to the estimated value of mass airflow.

Abstract: A programmed irrigation controller automatically computes durations for, schedules, and controls split irrigation cycles at up to eight watering stations. The controller is manually entered with high-level information regarding soil type, terrain, and irrigation system watering head type, and also with a total irrigation time, for each station. The maximum "on" time duration for each individual split irrigation cycle, and a minimum "off" time duration, are determined from the high-level information input by table lookup. The controller computes the number of irrigation cycles at each station as its total irrigation time divided by its maximum "on" time duration. The controller schedules composite irrigation cycles for all stations so that no station overwaters within a single irrigation cycle or upon successive irrigation cycles that are too closely time proximate. Exclusionary time-of-day intervals that specify when no watering will occur can be inserted within the schedules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically leveling the attitude of a vehicle using a low power fully active suspension system. The suspension system includes a hydraulic actuator operably connected at each corner of the vehicle between sprung and unsprung portions thereof, sensors for detecting movement of the sprung and unsprung portions of the motor vehicle and for deriving a force signal for each actuator in response thereto, and a valving arrangement for causing the hydraulic actuator to generate a desired output force in response to the force signal. The valving arrangement has a first valving that is operable for generating the output force by selectively varying the damping characteristics of the hydraulic actuator when the force signal is within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A device for measuring altitude and barometric pressure having a barometric pressure sensor, an amplifying circuit for amplifying the output signal from the pressure sensor, an analog to digital converter for converting the output signal from the amplifying circuit to a digital signal, and an altitude information generator for generating altitude information from the output signal of the analog to digital converter. A display displays the altitude information from the altitude information generator and the pressure information detected by the pressure sensor with pressure variation information and converts it into precise altitude information in accordance with temperature compensation data and altitude compensating data based upon regional and time information. The device may be used in climbing or the like with remarkable reliability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for evaluating a load bearing surface such as a seat. Preferred apparatus for the practice of the invention comprises a plurality of sensors which are distributed across a load bearing surface such as a seat pan, apparatus for measuring the pressures exerted on the sensors when a weight is placed on the load bearing surface, and signal processing apparatus for evaluating the pressures that are measured. Advantageously, the signal processing apparatus can be utilized to store data which represents a comfort level for the load bearing surface and to evaluate the measured pressures in light of that data. For example, the data stored can be pressure measurements for a series of seats correlated with subjective appraisals of seat comfort and the evaluation can be performed by statistical analysis and comparison of the pressure measurements for a seat under test with the stored pressure measurements.

Abstract: The invention includes a device for collecting travel-related data for a motor vehicle. The usage data includes such data as a start time and date of a trip, a beginning odometer reading, a category code indicating the purpose of the trip, a sub-category code further indicating the purpose of a trip, and maintenance information for the vehicle. Data collection begins when the ignition system of the vehicle is activated. The invention includes means for downloading the collected data to an external device, such as a microcomputer.