Abstract: A technique for estimating a traction characteristic of a surface under a moving vehicle, such as the coefficient of friction of the surface. The traction characteristic can be estimated by generating a torque signal representative of at least an estimate of the amount of torque applied to the driven wheels of the vehicle. A load signal representative of at least an estimate of the load or weight applied to the driven wheels also is generated. The value of the torque signal is divided by the value of the load signal in order to generate a characteristic signal. Depending on the amount of slippage between the driven and non-driven wheels of the vehicle, the characteristic signal can be stored in order to provide an estimate of the traction characteristic of the surface in real time.

Abstract: A method determines approximate propagation delay through logic devices within a library. Each logic cell within the library is characterized at baseline conditions to obtain parameters for each logic cell which define propagation delay through each logic cell at the baseline conditions. A subset of the logic cells are characterized at conditions varying from the baseline conditions to obtain scaling parameters. The scaling parameters modify values of the parameters for all logic cells within the library in order to approximate changes in propagation delay through each logic cell resulting from changes in the baseline conditions. In the preferred embodiment, the conditions varying from the baseline conditions includes a change in at least one of operating temperature, power supply voltage and process conditions.

Abstract: Array circuitry formed at a surface of a substrate includes a first conductive layer with M scan lines, a second conductive layer with N data lines, and cell circuitry for a region in which the mth scan line and the nth data line cross. The cell circuitry includes a component with a data lead for receiving signals from or providing signals to the nth data line. A first semiconductor layer of the cell circuitry includes a first line with a channel between a connecting point to the nth data line and a connecting point to the component's data lead. A second semiconductor layer includes a second line extending from a connecting point to the mth scan line and crossing the first line at the channel. The first and second conductive layers and the cell circuitry are formed with electrical connections at the connecting points so that signals on the mth scan line control conductivity of the first line between the nth data line and the data lead. The semiconductor layers can be polysilicon.

Abstract: A starting apparatus of a passenger protecting apparatus is actuated by detecting collision of a vehicle. The starting apparatus is provided so as to subtract a predetermined value from an acceleration signal fed from G sensor and integrate the subtracted acceleration signal, and forcedly set an integrated value to zero if the integrated value is less than zero. Further, the starting apparatus is provided so as to provide a starting signal when the integrated value exceeds a preset threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to discriminate collision to start the apparatus from other collision, prevent starting means from being unnecessarily actuated, and avoid malfunction of the starting means.

Abstract: A software-driven multiprocessor emulation system comprising a plurality of emulation processors connected in parallel in a module. One or more modules of processors comprise an emulation system. An execution unit in each processor includes a table-lookup unit for emulating any type of logic gate function. A parallel bus connects an output of each processor to a multiplexor input with every other processor in a module. Each processor embeds a control store to store software logic-representing signals for controlling operations of each processor. Also a data store is embedded in each processor to receive data generated under control of the software signals in the control store. The parallel processors on each module have a module input and a module output from each processor. The plurality of modules have their module outputs inter-connected to module inputs of all other modules. A sequencer synchronously cycles the processors through mini-cycles on all modules.

Abstract: A method approximates propagation delay through a logic device. Operation of the logic device is divided into a first region and a second region. A boundary between the first region and the second is based on duration of input ramp to the logic device and amount of capacitive load driven by the logic device. For example, the boundary between the first region and the second occurs where for each value of the capacitive load, an output ramp for the logic device is one half complete when the input ramp is complete. When the logic device operates in the first region, a first formula is used to obtain a first value representing delay through the logic device. The first formula varies the first value based on the duration of the input ramp to the logic device and the capacitive load driven by the logic device. When the logic device operates in the second region, a second formula is used to obtain the first value.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling actuation of an occupant restraint system in a vehicle includes an accelerometer for providing a signal having a characteristic indicative of a vehicle crash condition. A microcomputer monitors the output of the accelerometer at a plurality of different times and determines an instantaneous power value from the plurality of monitored acceleration signals. The microcomputer further determines a vehicle delta velocity value from the acceleration signal. The microcomputer compares the instantaneous power and the delta velocity against associated thresholds. The microcomputer actuates the occupant restraining device when the vehicle delta velocity value exceeds its threshold within a time period from when the instantaneous power value exceeds its threshold.

Abstract: An input/output apparatus records both a handwritten image and a speech to facilitate the collation between the recorded image and speech. When a command recognizing section recognizes that a handwritten image input through a coordinate input section is a voice command image, a voice processor starts recording the speech, input from a microphone, into a voice recording memory. During this recording, the voice processor sets the input handwritten image as a key image. When an end command image is written, the voice processor registers the speech, recorded in the voice recording memory, into a voice register file in association with the key image. When an image identical to the registered key image is input, the voice processor reads the speech corresponding to the key image from the voice register file into the voice recording memory, and reproduces the speech from a loudspeaker.

Abstract: For laying out power supply wiring conductors in integrated circuits, a plurality of function blocks are located, and laid-out positions of power supply wiring conductors of first and second levels are determined on the basis of the located function blocks. Power supply wiring conductors are temporarily laid out by using power supply wiring conductors of third and fourth levels, so as to connect the temporarily laid third and fourth level power supply wiring conductors to the power supply wiring conductors of the first and second levels, so that a power supply network composed of all the power supply wiring conductors is constructed in a desired chip area.

Abstract: An existing layout is modified to ensure compliance with design rules and any user-defined rules by deriving a horizontal constraint model and a vertical constraint model. For each of the vertical and horizontal orientations in turn, violations of the rules are identified. For each orientation in turn, the violations are removed in such a way that objects in the layout are moved the least amount necessary. A given object may also be inserted into an existing layout in such a way that perturbation of objects in the existing layout is minimized by exploring solutions allowing for object merger and non-merger solutions and choosing the best one based on predetermined criteria. Given a group of objects, a layout may also be created in such a way that successive objects are placed to minimize movement of objects already placed.

Abstract: A visual guidance system and method includes a subsystem which both locates the aircraft and mating structures thereof and also determines their motion and their rate of change of motion. The locating subsystem has an electrical output which feeds the location and motion data to a guidance system computer which utilizes software which combines the data with other data in a database containing the dimensional size and configuration of the aircraft and mating structures. The combined data is converted to a suitable form and fed to the computer monitor which displays the aircraft and mating structures thereof in real time during the refueling operation. The computer and computer monitor are provided with image controls which allow the operator to select the perspective viewing angle as well as the image contrast and color in order to enhance the visual cues provided by the image and facilitate the refueling operation.

Abstract: A passive safety device starting apparatus includes: a sampling unit for sampling a plurality of acceleration values from an automotive vehicle according to periodic interrupt signals; an integration unit for calculating the sum of a plurality of acceleration values sampled within each of a plurality of first time intervals, for storing a number of the sums, each of which is calculated within a second time interval greater than one of the first time intervals, in a corresponding number of data areas of a memory, and for generating a value of an integral based on the number of the sums within each first time interval; and a starting unit for updating the integral value according to the periodic interrupt signals by adding a new acceleration value to the integral value generated by the integration unit after the new acceleration value is sampled by the sampling unit, and for starting a passive safety device when the updated integral value is detected to be greater than a threshold value.

Abstract: A logic circuit is implemented on a macrocell of a field programmable device using select sets of a logic function which represents a transformation of the one or more input signals of the logic circuit to the output signal of the logic circuit. Select sets of a logic function are determined (i) by grouping input signals which correspond to equal co-factors of the logic function or (ii) by grouping input signals such that one input signal of a group never appears in a term of the logic function in a greedy phase-minimized RMF canonical form without all other input signals of the group. The logic circuit is implemented on a macrocell which includes a circuit element which selects one of two or more input signals according to one or more select signals, each of which is driven by a respective logic gate. Examples of such circuit elements include multiplexers and random access memory (RAM).

Abstract: A memory interface device capable of memory accessing suitable for video image signal processing and memory accessing designating an arbitrary address. The interface includes an input scrambler for rewriting the generation number of an input data packet utilizing first data and/or second data when the instruction code of the input data packet is a table conversion instruction, and otherwise outputting the input data packet as it is, and a memory accessing circuit accessing an image memory using the generation number of the applied input data packet as an address and outputting the result of accessing. The device produces and outputs an output data packet from the result of accessing output from the memory accessing circuit and the input data packet.

Abstract: A control system robust with respect to a vehicle dynamic characteristic variation by a vehicle speed change by estimating an unknown characteristic term in a target yaw rate following system so as to reduce a side slip angle at a transmission time, wherein right and left rear wheels are directly steered using an electric motor controller, and an instruction signal to the motor controller is calculated with a simple calculation using a vehicle speed characteristic estimator with a control amount calculator so that a real yaw rate may follow a target yaw rate calculated by a target yaw rate calculator using respective sensor output values of a vehicle speed sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a steering wheel angle sensor, and a rear wheel steering sensor for each control period.

Abstract: A method is provided for monitoring vehicle function components using a diagnostic device taken along in the vehicle. A multiplicity of individual test routines are carried out, respectively, given the presence of start conditions specific to the test routine, in a fixed, cyclic sequence in order to obtain information on the presence or absence of a fault with respect to the relevant function components. Data relating to a first-time execution of a respective test routine is retrievably stored. With the aid of this data, before activation of a test routine pending according to a sequence provided it is determined given the presence of appropriate start conditions whether the test routine has already been performed at least once and whether at least one other activatable test routine exists which has not yet been performed. If no, the pending test routine is activated, otherwise, the test routine not yet performed is activated.

Abstract: A real-time ship steering system provides steering of a survey ship along a rescribed thumb line track in accordance with a received point location on the thumb line and a received heading of the rhumb line. The system of the present invention requires an integrated navigation system, a track-keeping interface, and a ship autopilot to steer a ship. The computer of the navigation system integrates position data from continuous fixed radio and satellite positioning systems, inertial navigation systems, and dead reckon aids to develop the best present position. At prescribed equally spaced times, the best present position is used to compute the off-track distance of the ship. The off-track distance is used to develop proportional and integral heading corrections, which are applied to the autopilot by way of the track-keeping interface. The autopilot accepts the correction signal as a bias to the desired ground track heading, causing the ship to be steered toward the desired track.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a filtering technique for improving the capability of crash sensing systems in distinguishing between severe and minor crash events. The onset of a crash event is detected when a sensed vehicle deceleration exceeds a deceleration threshold value. Following the onset of the crash event, a crash severity parameter is calculated at predetermined intervals as a function of vehicle deceleration. At the conclusion of a predetermined time period, a value of the crash severity parameter less than or equal to a parameter threshold value corresponds to a minor crash incident. A value greater than the parameter threshold value corresponds to a potential severe crash event requiring airbag deployment, thereby necessitating further crash severity discrimination.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the weight and/or center of gravity of an aircraft is disclosed and includes a plurality of fittings attached to each oleo strut on the aircraft for accessing the working fluid in the oleo strut, a computer, a first, electronically-responsive valve coupled to each fitting for controlling the fluid flow through the fitting in response to control signals from the computer, a pressure transducer coupled downstream of the first valve for measuring the pressure of the working fluid therein and coupled to the computer to provide a pressure measurement signals to the computer for each strut, and an inclinometer attached to the aircraft and electronically coupled to the computer for providing incline information to the computer.

Abstract: In a system (10) and method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of the safety device, a differential measure (m.sub.1 (t)) is generated based on stored consecutive values for received vehicle acceleration information while a measure (m.sub.2 (t)) correlated with the relative progress of the event is generated by selectively providing as an input to a first accumulator (24) either a weighted transitory value for received acceleration information (a(t)) whenever the transitory value is itself less than or equal to a first predetermined threshold value (x.sub.1), or a weighted alternative value, wherein the alternative value is itself equal to twice the first predetermined threshold value (x.sub.1) minus the transitory value. The differential measure (m.sub.1 (t)) is thereafter combined with the progress measure (m.sub.