Abstract: A method of analyzing transportation schedules in a schedule analysis (SCAN) decision support system to determine the feasibility of the schedules is disclosed. In a transportation system, vehicles are delayed to avoid conflicts with other vehicles which would otherwise collide because the vehicles may be travelling along the same travel paths at different speeds or in opposite directions. The invention utilizes information relating to the vehicle travel paths, the vehicle's speed and mobility characteristics, a function based on the vehicle's on-time performance, proposed transportation schedules and real-time data associated with the travel paths and vehicles. This information is used to provide substantially optimal vehicle schedules with respect to cost resulting from vehicle delay.

Abstract: A system measures a traveling direction of a vehicle based on a direction toward a coordinate position defined by output data from a geomagnetic direction sensor from a first center coordinate position of a corresponding output circle. The system derives a second center coordinate position based on the output data from the geomagnetic direction sensor. The system utilizes a first group of the second center coordinate positions and a second group of the second center coordinate positions. When it is decided that the first center coordinate position is shifted, then a new or corrected center coordinate position is derived based on the first group of the second center coordinate positions, on the other hand, when it is decided that no shift of the first center coordinate position is generated, then the corrected center coordinate positiion is derived based on the second group of the second center coordinate positions.

Abstract: A ststem measures a traveling direction of a vehicle based on a direction toward a coordinate position defined by output data from a geomagnetic direction sensor from a first coordinate position of a center of a corresponding output circle. The system utilizes a preliminary coordinate position as a preliminary corrected value of the first center coordinate position and a correction value indicative of reliability of the preliminary center coordinate position for deriving a finally corrected value of the first center coordinate position. The reliability of the preliminary center coordinate position is derived from previously stored data in terms of a derived variation in a vehicular traveling direction. The system derives the finally corrected value of the first center coordinate position based on the preliminary center coordinate position and the correction value such that the finally corrected value is derived closer to the preliminary center coordinate position when the correction value is derived larger.

Abstract: A moving target discriminator uses only bearing information obtained from passive observations together with information about the movement of an observation platform to discriminate whether an object is moving. An underlying principle of the moving target discriminator is that the intercepts of successive line-of-sight observations taken from the moving platform will move only if the object is moving. In a specific embodiment, three line-of-sight observations are made, and an intercept is computed for two different pairs of observations. If the intercepts coincide, the cited object is classified as stationary otherwise, it is classified as moving. Measurement statistics are used to compensate the computed intercepts for navigational and observation errors.

Abstract: A control method for four wheel drive vehicles in which the front and rear wheels are not mechanically linked controls the drive torque to the vehicle wheels in proportion to vehicle loading and road surface friction coefficients in response to front and rear wheel speeds and front and rear wheel accelerations thereby reducing wheel spin.

Abstract: In order to adapt the shifting characteristics of an electrohydraulically controlled, automatically shifting transmission continuously to the dirver's driving style or to a just existing or real time traffic situation, the driving speed (v), the lateral acceleration (aq), the longitudinal acceleration (alb), the longitudinal deceleration (alv) and the engine rotational speed (nmot) in addition to the throttle valve position alpha, are detected and by way of characteristic diagrams and a linking function are added to form a parameter from which, by filtering, a driving activity is determined. This driving activity is finally used for the selection of a shifting program from a plurality of shifting programs ranging from a consumption-optimized shifting program (SKF1) to a power-optimized shifting program (SKF5).

Abstract: A digitally synchronized parallel pulse processing and data acquisition system for a flow cytometer has multiple parallel input channels with independent pulse digitization and FIFO storage buffer. A trigger circuit controls the pulse digitization on all channels. After an event has been stored in each FIFO, a bus controller moves the oldest entry from each FIFO buffer onto a common data bus. The trigger circuit generates an ID number for each FIFO entry, which is checked by an error detection circuit. The system has high speed and low error rate.

Abstract: A computer-aided process for calculating the orientation and strength of trim magnetic fields for a monochrome CRT uses a machine vision camera to establish the shape of the uncorrected raster. Using the distortion information and sensitivity mappings representing the effect of a single trim magnet on a raster, a linear optimization technique is employed to compute the strength and orientation of each magnetic field which must be used to correct for raster distortions.

Abstract: A print inspection method in which an area of printed material is optically scanned to obtain image data representing picture elements having variable intensity levels includes counting the number of picture elments at a particular intensity level in the area scanned to thereby generate a frequency distribution of the intensity level of the image data in the area scanned. The frequency distribution generated is compared to a stored reference frequency distribution of intensity levels of the image data. A statistical comparison with the reference data is utilized to determine whether or not the printed material is satisfactory.

Abstract: The expanding/contracting accelerations of shock absorbers on a motor vehicle are detected and compared with preset accelerations, respectively, by an electronic controller, which individually varies the damping forces of the shock absorbers as a result of the comparison. The electronic controller corrects the preset accelerations so that the damping forces of the shock absorbers will be switched over at a uniform frequency or the damping forces of the front left and rear left shock absorbers and the damping forces of the front right and rear right shock absorbers will be switched over at a constant frequency.

Abstract: A mass airflow based control system for an internal combustion engine is provided which is capable of inferring barometric pressure surrounding the engine. The control system determines the air charge going into the engine from a measured value of mass airflow, and compares this value with a predicted value of air charge going into the engine, which the control system infers. Differences between the two values are first attributed to inlet air temperature, which is measured, and then to a change in barometric pressure, which is the inferred barometric pressure.

Abstract: A driving force distribution control system for a vehicle includes a torque distributing clutch for varying a driving force transmitted to a secondary drive wheels in response to a control signal, sensors for determining a wheel speed difference between the wheel speed of primary drive wheels and the wheel speed of the secondary drive wheels, and a longitudinal acceleration, and a control unit for controlling the clutch engagement force of the torque distributing clutch by producing the control signal. The control unit has a first control mode for normally controlling the clutch engagement force in accordance with the wheel speed difference, and a second control mode for controlling the clutch engagement force in accordance with the longitudinal acceleration so as to prevent undesired hunting when a wheel spin of the primary or secondary drive wheels is detected.

Abstract: A diagnostic tester evaluates at least one inputted test signal corresponding to test data relating to at least one predetermined parameter of a system being tested, to produce first and second candidate signals corresponding respectively to first and second possible diagnoses of the condition of the system respectively having the first and second highest levels of certainty of being valid, and first and second certainty signals corresponding respectively to values of the first and second highest levels of certainty. The diagnostic tester further determines the sufficiency of the testing that has taken place responsive to the first and second certainty signals, and produces an output signal indicative of whether sufficient test data has been evaluated to declare a diagnosis. Preferably, an uncertainty signal corresponding to a measure of the uncertainty that the evaluated at least one test signal can be validly evaluated is also produced and used to produce the output signal.

Abstract: Aircraft rendezvous is facilitated by operating airborne remote aircraft TACAN stations in the inverse bearing mode and using low data rate range interrogation and range reply signals for determining bearing. An aircraft determines its bearing to another similarly equipped aircraft by switching its antenna to an omnidirectional pattern and transmitting range interrogation pulses and then switching its antenna to a rotating directional pattern and receiving range interrogation and range reply signals from the other aircraft. The TACAN station calculates the bearing to the other aircraft using the low data rate signals, thereby obviating the necessity of using a high power base TACAN station.

Abstract: The differences .DELTA.V of the speed signals of diagonally opposed wheels and the time variation signals of these differences are formed. If at least one of these signals exceeds a prescribed threshold, a curve detection signal is supplied which can be used to shut down the delay of the yaw speed build-up in an ABS.

Abstract: A retarding control apparatus for an automotive vehicle includes first retarding signal output circuit for calculating a speed of a decrease in engine output based upon an engine output detecting signal, and outputting a corresponding retarding signal to a retarder; and first cutting circuit for cutting a connection between first retarding signal output circuit and retarder when a rate of decrease in distance to an object ahead of the vehicle calculated based upon a distance detection signal is less than a predetermined value and the distance to the object is greater than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for platform stabilization. The apparatus uses linear and/or angular accelerometers to derive the roll, pitch, and yaw components of the angular velocity of the vehicle the apparatus is mounted on. Based on the calculation of angular velocity or acceleration of the vehicle and the current rate and angle of rotation of the device to be stabilized, the apparatus generates setpoint and movement commands for servo motors that rotate the sensing device such that the line of sight of the sensing device is stabilized. A control system implements a velocity control system, or, alternatively, an acceleration control system. In one embodiment of the invention, the accelerometers are positioned on a mounting base along axes corresponding to the roll, pitch and yaw axes of the vehicle in a location adjacent to the sensing device.

Abstract: An autonomously running vehicle and method for autonomously running the vehicle on a route of travel are disclosed in which using a plurality of control rules defining predetermined steering controlled variables according to magnitude classifications of previously classified deviations on steering operations and membership functions indicating certainties corresponding to respective classifications of actual deviations (offset), the certainties corresponding to each magnitude classification are correlated to the control rules to determine the steering controlled variable. In the autonomously running vehicle, the vehicle's running scenes are automatically detected on the basis of the image data derived by an image processing unit. Reference membership functions are varied (constricted or reduced) according to any one of the running scenes so that the membership functions are automatically set according to the running scenes. Control rules are previously set only to the reference membership functions.

Abstract: An automatic vehicle speed control device for use in an automatic controlling of the running speed of a vehicle to a certain set speed is disclosed.

Abstract: A window heating apparatus for use with an automotive vheicle including a vehicle battery, an internal combustion engine, a transmission, and a generator for generating an output voltage corresponding to engine speed. A voltage regulator is switchably connected to the vehicle battery and, when connected, controls current to the field winding to maintain a constant generator output voltage. A heating element is provided for heating a vehicle window when connected to the generator output terminals. A signal indicative of a demand for heating the vehicle window and a signal indicating when the transmission is in neutral or park are provided. A circuit normally connects the generator output terminal to the vehicle battery and the voltage generator. The circuit, in response to a command signal, connects the generator output terminal to the element while disconnecting the generator output terminal from the vehicle battery and the voltage regulator.