Abstract: An apparatus for improving the acquisition time of GPS signals includes a GPS receiver (21) and a real-time clock circuit (30). The GPS receiver receives GPS signals including a precise time reference signal for providing a position based upon the location of the GPS receiver. The GPS receiver also includes an internal time base (11) derived from the precise time reference signal. The real-time clock circuit is coupled to the GPS receiver for receiving a first time reference signal from the GPS receiver when the precise time reference signal of the GPS signal is available and for providing a second time reference signal to the GPS receiver when the precise time reference signal of the GPS signal is not available thereby allowing a fast acquisition time of GPS signals when the GPS signals are temporarily interrupted or not yet available.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for detecting combustion misfires on the basis of a first input feature signal in which the nonuniformity of the rotational movement (on the basis of rpm or segment times) of the engine is mapped within the first order. According to the method, a permanent misfire at a cylinder is preliminarily detected when a first threshold value is exceeded by the amount of a first input feature signal and a detection signal for permanent misfires at several cylinders is active (and in this way, permanent misfires at several cylinders are recognized) when a threshold value is exceeded by the magnitude of further assigned input feature signals or by the magnitude of the first feature signal when a second threshold value is exceeded. The detection signal for permanent misfires at a cylinder is always switched to be inactive when there is an active detection signal for permanent misfire at several cylinders.

Abstract: A method for determining installed electronic devices on a truck and for providing a centralized reset to clear faults in the installed electronics. An instrumentation control unit in the cab of a truck determines installed electronics by requesting electronics on a shared data link to transmit data on the data link. The control unit identifies the installed devices from the transmitted data. Data describing the installed devices including manufacturer, model, and installed software can be obtained and displayed for diagnostic purposes. The instrumentation control unit provides a centralized reset for resetting the electronic devices on the data link.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for determining the distance of a vehicle from a roadway side marking. An arrangement of light sensitive sensor elements is fitted to the vehicle for optically scanning a portion of the roadway located in front of the vehicle. An evaluation unit, connected downstream of the sensor element arrangement, is also provided. Only one or a few sensor element lines are used as the sensor element arrangement. Each line scans a narrow strip of the roadway which runs in front of the vehicle, not parallel to the vehicle longitudinal axis, and extends laterally as far as the roadway side marking. The evaluation unit reads each sensor element line sequentially and processes the received signals to determine the lateral distance of the vehicle from the roadway marking. The relatively small quantity of data which accumulates permits the processing of the data digitally in real time by a conventional microprocessor. The apparatus is used as sleep warning system or lane guard for motor vehicles.

Abstract: A system embodiment of the present invention comprises a fixed and a roving pair of four-observable GPS receivers and a communication link between them for double differencing code and carrier measurements. Carrier phase integer ambiguities are resolved efficiently by searching the simultaneous narrow-lane intersections of both the L1 and L2 wave fronts propagated by the GPS satellites being tracked. External constraint information, such as elevation, is additionally used to speed up integer ambiguity resolution. Data between the reference station and the rover is communicated in compressed form at a regular interval, e.g., once a second at each epoch, and demi-measurements of carrier phase are obtained more frequently, e.g., ten times a second, and used to propagate solutions between epochs.

Abstract: In order to calculate the traveling distance and heading of a vehicle in highly accurate fashion, a navigation system is provided with a distance sensor for outputting pulses in proportion to rotation of a wheel, a GPS receiving unit for calculating vehicle speed by GPS reception, acquisition unit for acquiring the number of pulses at the same time as GPS reception, distance correction coefficient calculating unit for calculating GPS traveling distance from the GPS-reception vehicle speed and a time difference between any two points, and calculating a distance correction coefficient from the GPS traveling distance and a pulse difference between two points, and present position calculating unit for calculating present position based upon a corrected distance correction coefficient.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for compensating for sculling in a strapdown inertial navigation system. The method operates on a sequence of inputs .DELTA.V.sub.B (n) derived at times n.DELTA.t from the outputs of one or more accelerometers. Separately compensated quantities .DELTA.V.sub.Bc (m,p) calculated at times (pJ+1/2).DELTA.t for M values of m are obtained by summing A(m,k).DELTA.V.sub.B (pJ-j-k) over k from 0 to K-1 and over j from 0 to J-1 where the constants A(m,k) are chosen to minimize sculling error in the individual .DELTA.V.sub.Nc (m,p) quantities where .DELTA.V.sub.Nc (m,p) is the representation of .DELTA.V.sub.Bc (m,p) in the navigation frame of reference. The final compensated quantity .DELTA.V.sub.Bc (p) is obtained by summing B(m).DELTA.V.sub.Bc (m,p) over m where the constants B(m) are chosen to minimize sculling error in .DELTA.V.sub.Nc (p) where .DELTA.V.sub.Nc (p) is the representation of .DELTA.V.sub.Bc (p) in the navigation frame of reference.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating and communicating with vehicles is provided, including at least one mobile cellular unit connected to at least one microprocessor and installed within a vehicle. The microprocessor interrogates the mobile cellular unit to obtain location information from an overhead message stream transmitted from cellular telephone transmitter sites. The location is displayed on a display located in the vehicle or the microprocessor periodically instructs the mobile cellular unit to initiate a call to a host controller and, upon receipt of transmitting instructions from the host controller, transmits the location information for display on a screen connected to the host controller.

Abstract: Measurement corrections transmitted from reference stations at known positions are transmitted to differential Global Position System receivers for use in computation of position information relative to the receiver. In one embodiment, circuitry included in the receiver detects errors in transmissions of measurement correction data streams from the closest reference station and replaces erroneous portions of the data streams with corresponding portions received from a second reference station. Alternately, a plurality of measurement correction data streams received from a plurality of reference stations are combined to produce a combined measurement correction used to correct the position information received from satellites.

Abstract: A method computer aided dispatching. The present method includes providing a display 510 having a first display segment 530. The first display segment 530 includes a digitized representation of a selected area from a raster map, intelligent area data superimposed upon the selected area to provide intelligence, and a user locatable mark 520. The user locatable mark 520 defines a mobile unit position based upon a first value and a second value. The present method also includes using a dispatch system 811 operably coupled to the display. The dispatch system 811 includes order data from customers. A portion of the order data is transferred from a data acquisition 801, 808 device to the mobile unit 610.

Abstract: This invention relates to a gear shift method for an electric automobile, which is used upon changing a gear ratio of a transmission in the electric automobile. First, in step 1, when a change-over signal is outputted from a shift controller, output control of a motor, which has been performed in accordance with a stroke of an accelerator pedal, is canceled, and the transmission is changed into a neutral position. In next step 2, an output amount of the motor is controlled in accordance with a target motor output amount corresponding to a target motor output amount corresponding to a target motor rotation speed, the target motor rotation speed being calculated based on a vehicle speed at a time of the changing operation and a gear ratio of a selected target gear position. Then, in step 3, the transmission is changed into the target gear position. In subsequent step 4, an output of the motor is allowed to gradually return to an output amount corresponding to a stroke of the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: Traffic is monitored in individual lanes of a roadway as to vehicle count or presence, speed and direction of movement by mounting a microphone array high above the road surface, digitizing the output signals of the microphones, filtering, beamforming and storing the digitized signals to provide separate power histories for separate locations in individual lanes. These power histories are then analyzed to provide vehicle movement data for each lane.

Abstract: An azimuth change quantity .theta. of a road during traveling of a vehicle for a time .delta.t is calculated based on road data provided by a navigation system and a vehicle speed provided by a vehicle speed sensor (at step S3 in FIG. 2). On the other hand, an azimuth change quantity .THETA. of the vehicle is calculated by integrating a yaw rate .gamma. obtained from a yaw rate sensor over the time .delta.t (at step S5). A deviation D between the azimuth change quantity .theta. of the road and the azimuth change quantity .THETA. of the vehicle is calculated (at step S6). When the deviation D becomes equal to or larger than a reference value .beta., it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle will depart from the road (at step S9), and a predetermined steering torque is applied to a steering device, so that the deviation is converged into zero (at steps S10 and S11).

Abstract: An azimuth change quantity .theta. of a road during traveling of a vehicle for a time .delta.t is calculated based on road data provided by a navigation system and a vehicle speed provided by a vehicle speed sensor (at step S3 in FIG. 2). On the other hand, an azimuth change quantity .THETA. of the vehicle is calculated by integrating a yaw rate .gamma. obtained from a yaw rate sensor over the time .delta.t (at step S5). A deviation D between the azimuth change quantity .theta. of the road and the azimuth change quantity .THETA. of the vehicle is calculated (at step S6). When the deviation D becomes equal to or larger than a reference value .beta., it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle will depart from the road (at step S9) , and a predetermined steering torque is applied to a steering device, so that the deviation is converged into zero (at steps S10 and S11).

Abstract: Vibration observed in a tire wheel portion exhibits a resonant vibration phenomenon in which vibration fluctuates between a wheel and a surface of a tire. This phenomenon shows different characteristics depending upon how the surface of the tire is in contact with a road surface. Here, a detector derives a parameter corresponding to a gradient of a coefficient of friction based on these characteristics and detects a brake condition. Also, a controller executes ABS control based on such parameter.

Abstract: An accelerator sensor detects an operation amount of an accelerator pedal. A microcomputer determines if a relation between the detected operation amount and an operation of the accelerator mechanism deviates from a predetermined normal relation, responsive to an ON signal from an idle switch or an ON signal from a power switch. When the relation deviates from the predetermined normal relation, the detected operation amount is corrected by the deviation from the predetermined normal relation in order to cause the relation between the operation amount and the operation of the accelerator mechanism to match the predetermined normal relation.

Abstract: A safe drive support system includes a memory unit for storing road-map data including a safe driving area data, a present location detecting unit for detecting a present location of the vehicle, a determining unit for determining as to whether the present location of the vehicle is in the safe driving area according to a detection result by the present location detecting unit, and limiting unit for limiting driving torque or starting torque of the vehicle in the area according to a determination result by the determining unit. In the safe driving area, the limiting operation is carried out by, for example, setting the gear position of start to the second position so as to prevent the vehicle from starting suddenly. An operational angle of a throttle valve is limited at a predetermined angle to limit the output of the engine to suppress an excess speed when an accelerator is stepped on strongly.

Abstract: Apparatus for improving the driving behavior of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has front and rear axles, each having a plurality of wheels. Each wheel-has a brake. Sensor are provided for measuring the rotational speed of each wheel, the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle lateral acceleration. An anti-lock braking system provides first preset pressure values for controlling each brake, to prevent the wheels from locking during braking. A traction slip control system provides second preset pressure values for controlling each brake, to prevent the wheels from slipping during acceleration. A brake effort proportioning system provides third preset pressure values for distributing braking pressure between the wheels of the front axle and the wheels of the rear axle. A yawing moment controller provides fourth preset pressure values used to control each brake during cornering, to avoid application to the vehicle of an unbalanced moment which would cause the vehicle to understeer or oversteer.

Abstract: A turning control system for use in a track-laying vehicle comprising: a steering motor for driving crawler belts provided at both sides of the vehicle such that a relative travel difference is caused between the crawler belts, thereby turning the vehicle rightwards or leftwards; a steering instructing device which can be displaced from a neutral position by operation and which instructs, in accordance with its displacement direction and displacement distance, a turning direction and a turning radius for the vehicle, the turning radius decreasing as the displacement distance increases; a displacement detector for detecting the displacement of the steering instructing device; a vehicle speed detector for detecting the vehicle speed at which the vehicle moves forwards or backwards; and a steering motor revolution speed control unit for controlling the revolution speed of the steering motor such that the revolution speed of the steering motor becomes proportional to the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle spee

Abstract: An anti-spin apparatus for a machine is disclosed. The machine is articulated and has at least one axle set with at least two driven wheels. The anti-spin apparatus includes braking mechanisms which controllably apply braking forces to each of the driven wheels. A controller produces a slip signal having a value responsive to the difference in rotational velocity between the wheels of the axle set. A transducer produces an articulation signal having a value responsive to the angle of articulation of the machine. Further, a microprocessor receives the slip signal and the articulation signal, and produces a braking control signal. One of the braking mechanisms receives the braking control signal and responsively applies the braking forces to the faster rotating wheel.