Abstract: Operational states of one or more operators employed in a vehicle are detected to generate operational information corresponding to the detected operational states. Also, one or more traveling states of the vehicle are detected to generate traveling information corresponding to the detected traveling states. There is provided a table storing correspondency between various operational and traveling information and various sound control information, and sound control information corresponding to generated operational or traveling information is obtained with reference to the table. Sound signal is generated on the basis of the obtained sound control information to auditorily inform a user of the vehicle of the operational or traveling state of the vehicle. Contents of the table may be changed as desired by the user. There may be provided a plurality of tables so that the user can select any one of the tables.

Abstract: A safety system (10) for a host vehicle (12) includes a voice sensor (38) that detects voice signals from a vehicle occupant. An occupant classifier (30) determines a state of mind of the vehicle occupant. A controller (13) performs a safety countermeasure in response to the state of mind of the occupant including the transmission of the state of mind to a target vehicle. A vehicle voice control system (24) includes the voice sensor (38), which detects voice signals from the vehicle occupant. A speech classifier (32) monitors a speech characteristic, including a vehicle occupant identifiable and associated speech characteristic, in response to the voice signals and associates the voice signals with a vehicle related task in response thereto. A controller (13) performs the vehicle related task in response to the voice signals and the association.

Abstract: A device to convert a diagnostic interface to standard SPI, which includes an electronic unit having a data input, a data output, a synchronization input, a clock input, and a register, and a buffer unit having a signal input, a signal output and an activation input. The data input and the data output of the electronic unit are connected to each other by a first data line. The data output for the electronic unit is connected to the signal input on the buffer unit by a second data line.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for displaying and receiving tactical and strategic flight guidance information. A method in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes displaying at least one first indicator to an operator of the aircraft, with a first indicator corresponding to a first instruction input by the operator for directing a first aircraft behavior and implemented upon receiving an activation instruction from the operator. At least one second indicator corresponding to a second instruction for directing a second aircraft behavior at least proximately the same as the first aircraft behavior is displayed, with the at least one second instruction to be automatically implemented at a future time. The at least one second indicator is at least approximately the same as the at least one first indicator. Indicators can be hierarchically organized to simplify presentation and reduce pilot training time.

Abstract: A system and method for formatting and transferring navigation information is disclosed. The system and method can send and receive navigation information. The navigation information can be formatted and transferred using different coordinate systems. In some cases, an absolute coordinate system is used and in other cases, a relative coordinate system is used to encode or express various map features. This can assist in reducing the amount of information transferred and can facilitate rapid delivery of the navigation information.

Abstract: A control system for a vehicle includes a first electronically controlled vehicle system, a second electronically controlled vehicle system, and a control unit. The control unit controls operation of at least one component of the first electronically controlled vehicle system while the vehicle is moving and preferably also while the vehicle is stationary, and controls operation of at least one component of the second electronically controlled vehicle system only while the vehicle is stationary.

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: A vehicle dynamics behavior reproduction system capable of describing accurately behavior of a motor vehicle in a lateral direction even for nonlinear driving situation includes a vertical wheel force arithmetic module (105), a lateral wheel force arithmetic module (110), a cornering stiffness adaptation module (115), a state space model/observer unit (120), a selector (130), a delay module (135), and a tire side slip angle arithmetic module (125). Vertical wheel forces (FZij) and tire side slip angles (?ij) are determined by using sensor information and estimated values while lateral wheel forces (FYij) are determined in accordance with a relatively simple nonlinear approximation equation. The lateral wheel force (FYij) and the tire side slip angle (?ij) provide bases for adaptation of cornering stiffnesses at individual wheels. Vehicle motion is accurately described to a marginal stability by using adapted cornering stiffnesses (Cij) and other information.

Abstract: A navigation device in that on each of fixed information having a long update period and update information having a short update period which compose the user service information stored in a navigation device whether or not the user service information is newest, is determined, and the newest information corresponding to at least one of the fixed information and the update information which are determined to be not newest by the determination is acquired from an information supply server, thus, in almost all cases, only the update information is acquired from the information supply server, so it acquires the desired user service information in a short time, and therefore, low communication expenses.

Abstract: System for evaluating the driving environment of a motor vehicle and for influencing the speed of the motor vehicle in its own lane, with an electronic control unit, which is connected to a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the desired speed of the motor vehicle, a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the yaw rate of the motor vehicle about its vertical axis, a signal generator which generates, for objects located in the space lying in front of the motor vehicle in its direction of travel, a signal which is characteristic of the distance and orientation of the objects with respect to the motor vehicle and which reproduces the speed relative to the speed of the driver's motor vehicle, and/or the distance relative to the driver's motor vehicle, and/or the angular offset or the lateral deviation relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis of the driver's motor vehicle, and a signal generator generating a signal which is characteristic of the speed at least o

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting a slip (s) of a belt part of a belt transmission, especially of a CVT transmission, having a transmission rpm ratio (ji). According to the invention, a slip of the belt part is detected by evaluating the change of the transmission rpm ratio (ji).

Abstract: A navigation system for a vehicle includes a vehicle-based telematics system, a vehicle-based global positioning system and a control. The telematics system is operable to receive a user input from a driver of the vehicle and to download directional information from an external service provider to the control in response to the user input and an initial geographic position of the vehicle. The directional information comprises at least two instructions with each of the instructions being coded or associated with or linked to a respective geographic location. The control is operable to provide an output corresponding to each of the instructions in response to a current actual geographic position of the vehicle. The control is operable to provide each instruction only when the then current actual geographic position of the vehicle at least generally corresponds to the particular geographic location associated with the instruction.

Abstract: A map image display apparatus for displaying a map image with at least one name for entering a command to change the map image, and switching the displayed map image, when accepting the command with the name designated, to a map image in a vicinity of the designated name. The apparatus includes a defined region storage device which stores information of a name-defined region indicated by the name, a center position thereof, and a display scale enabling displaying substantially the whole name-defined region within one screen; and a display target determination device which determines a map image to be displayed at the display scale with the center position of the name-defined region taken as a display center, referring to the stored information.

Abstract: A device tracking location adherence and route adherence technology, is disclosed that at least provides a tracked device receiving, a set of coordinates associated with a boundary area, and obtaining a position of the tracked device. Based upon the received coordinates and the detected position of the tracked device, a determination is made as to whether the tracked device is located inside the boundary area or outside the boundary area. An alert signal is then generated and transmitted if the result of the determining is different from an immediately previous obtained result. The system allows, for example, drastic reduction in the amount of data traffic required within a system since the tracked device performs much of the necessary processing. This is especially advantageous where a fleet of tracked devices are employed within a network.

Abstract: As the name of a given road is inputted, intersecting roads that share nodes such as an intersecting, merging, or branching point with the given road are designated. From the given road's nodes shared by the designated intersecting roads, the nearest node to the present position is displayed along with its peripheral map. A portion of the given road that is far from the present position is thereby prevented from being displayed along with its peripheral map. This can eliminate additional manipulation such as changing a reduction scale of the displayed map or repeatedly scrolling the displayed map till an objective point is being displayed. As a result, operationality can be enhanced in designating a point such as an objective point by using a name of a road.

Abstract: A rollover detection apparatus and method are provided for anticipating a potential vehicle rollover event. The apparatus includes an input for receiving a plurality of input signals including sensed parameters of the vehicle. A first memory buffer stores data representative of one or more predetermined driving scenarios that represent possible rollover scenarios. A second memory buffer stores data representative of a history of recent conditions of the vehicle based on the plurality of sensed vehicle parameters. The apparatus further includes a processor for comparing the data representative of a history of recent driving events to the data representative of one or more predetermined driving scenarios. The processor further determines a possible rollover event of the vehicle based on the comparison and generates an output signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for interactively building flight paths for entry into an aircraft flight management system (FMS). The apparatus comprises a database containing map information, a display for presenting the map information, a user controlled cursor and selection buttons, all under the control of a graphics processor. The processor presents the map information with included navigation features on the display, correlated with the aircraft position and cursor location. When the cursor overlies a navigational feature (airways, waypoints, etc.), the processor highlights the feature. Feature ID information may also pop up when the feature is highlighted. Using a mouse button or equivalent, the user selects the highlighted feature or ID, whereupon the processor sends the information associated therewith to the FMS. By successively highlighting and selecting features or IDs an entire flight path can be identified and entered automatically into the FMS without the need for individual text entry.

Abstract: System for evaluating the traffic environment of a motor vehicle and for influencing the speed of the motor vehicle in its own traffic lane, comprising an electronic control unit, which is connected to a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the desired speed of the motor vehicle, a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the yaw of the motor vehicle about its vertical axis, a signal transmitter that produces a signal, which is characteristic of the articles situated, in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, in front of the motor vehicle in terms of their spacing and orientation relative to the motor vehicle and which is the speed relative to the speed of the system motor vehicle and/or the spacing relative to the system motor vehicle and/or the angular offset or the cross track distance relative to the vehicle longitudinal axis of the system motor vehicle, and a signal transmitter that produces a signal characteristic of the speed of at least one wheel of the

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile receiver is described. In one example, sets of satellite measurements are determined with respect to a plurality of satellites over a period of time. A determination is made as to whether the mobile receiver is in a stationary condition over the period of time. A position of the mobile receiver is then computed using the sets of satellite measurements in response to detection of the stationary condition.

Abstract: A navigation system suitable for use in a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior reflective element. A database at a site remote from the vehicle includes map data and/or directory data. A global-positioning system receiver is operable to receive signals from satellites external to said vehicles. A transceiver is operable to engage in a wireless communication with a remote transceiver located at a site remote from the vehicle to received data derived from the database. A user input allows a user to input a destination. The system responds to an input of a destination by wirelessly communicating the destination to the remote transceiver and downloading directions. A display that displays turn-by-turn instructions to the destination during the road journey based on the downloaded directions and on the signals received by the global-positioning system receiver. The turn-by-turn instructions may include (i) direction, (ii) when to turn, and/or (iii) how far until the turn.