Abstract: Databases are prepared for data of circuit parts to be used in designing ASICs. Each part data contains functional element indicative of kinds of devices and connection information of the devices, a characteristic element indicative of operational characteristic values for the devices, and structural element indicative of sizes and shapes of the devices and terminal positions of the devices. By extracting and synthesizing these elements, new part data can be generated. For example, elements are extracted from part data A by a process P1 and elements a1 to a3 are obtained, and elements are extracted from part data B by a process P2 and elements b1 to b3 are obtained. The elements a3, b2 are synthesized by a process P3, and new part data C is generated. The executed processes P1, P2, P3 are stored in a memory in addition to the part data A, B, C. When the part data A is revised, the stored processes P1, P3 are read to recognize the part data C needs the revising.

Abstract: A starting apparatus for a passenger protecting apparatus includes a collision deciding unit, a control unit, and a trigger. The collision deciding unit makes a collision decision depending upon output of an acceleration sensor which detects acceleration at a time of collision. The control unit controls generation of a starting signal based upon a difference between output of a decelerating direction integrating unit, which integrates the acceleration signal of the acceleration sensor in the decelerating direction, and output of accelerating direction integrating unit, which integrates the acceleration signal of the acceleration sensor in an acceleration direction. The trigger outputs the starting signal based on output of the collision deciding unit and output of the control unit.

Abstract: The enunciator system for an AGV includes a transmitter mounted on the AGV connected to an electrical control circuit having a plurality of individual switches operable to cause the transmitter to transmit a specific signal upon arrival of the AGV at predetermined locations along a circuitous route. Each location along the AGV route has identifier markings detectable by the AGV such that the AGV will stop for a predetermined period of time at each location as it travels along its route. If a switch for a specific location is actuated, the transmitter will transmit a signal to a receiver at that location which then triggers an audio or visual alarm at the location to alert a person at the location as to the arrival of an item on the AGV. After a predetermined period of time, the alarm will cease and the AGV will continue along its circuitous route.

Abstract: A system for influencing the travel dynamics of an automobile includes at least two sensor units (S1, S2, S3) for capturing the movements of the vehicle. First evaluation units (A1) evaluate the signals of the sensor units, these first evaluation units being spatially combined with the aforementioned sensor units to a sensor module (10). Connected with the first evaluation units by linkage mans (11), second evaluation units (A21, A22, A23, A24) process the signals processed in the first evaluation units, dependent on a regulation and/or control objective, to activation signals for actuators which influence the vehicle movements.

Abstract: In a system and method for controlling actuation of a vehicle passenger safety device in response to an event possibly requiring actuation of the safety device, stored and rank-ordered values for received vehicle acceleration are used to generate a high-rank jerk measure (j.sub.H), a median-ranked acceleration value (a.sub.M) and a median-rank velocity measure (v.sub.M), while raw acceleration information is further used to generate an "event-based timer" or event-progress measure (t') . These measures (j.sub.H, a.sub.M, v.sub.M, t') are then used to generate a pair of event-identification measures (m.sub.1, m.sub.2) useful in identifying two specific crash types for which specialized acceleration-based event-severity measures other than the default event-severity measure (m.sub.

Abstract: Aircraft survivability system state management is based on system mode, time, altitude, aircraft position, reference radius, and manual aircraft survivability equipment configuration select. The system mode is used with a segment number to begin system configuration sequencing of a segment pointer. A mission aircraft survivability system configuration plan comprises a number of segments of a mission plan. Each segment contains information such as the time, altitude and position for each segment. The segment is displayed in an active configuration and a next configuration on an aircraft survivability equipment display. When the aircraft enters a detection window the segment pointer is updated by an aircraft survivability system mode control processor. The system may be placed in either automatic mode or manual mode.

Abstract: A navigation apparatus equipped in a movable body, is provided with: a position measuring device for measuring a self-position of the movable body; an input device for inputting a destination position; a displaying device for displaying a present position, which is measured by the position measuring device, and an optimum course from the present position to the destination position; a memory device for storing map information including course data beforehand; and an optimum course searching device coupled to the memory device and the displaying device, for evaluating various courses from the present position to the destination position by use of the map information stored in the memory device, and searching the optimum course by selecting a course, which evaluation is the best one among the evaluated various courses, as the optimum course.

Abstract: A desired value for the yaw velocity or the difference between the wheel speeds of the undriven wheels is determined with the aid of a linear single-track model using the steering angle and the vehicle speed. This desired value is compared with the corresponding actual value and the controlled variable for the adjustment to the engine torque is obtained from the comparison. To avoid unnecessary control operations, the single-track model has connected to its output an all-pass element which matches the phase rotation of the response of the single-track model at high frequencies to that of the vehicle.

Abstract: An occupant protecting device for a motor vehicle, which inflates an air-bag system reliably to protect occupants in the event of a collision with high reliability. The occupant protecting device includes an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration signal of a vehicle in the event of collision with another vehicle or the like, a signal processor for detecting a collision waveform from an acceleration signal output from the acceleration sensor, a comparator for determining whether or not the output signal of the signal processor exceeds a preset level to produce a trigger signal when it exceeds the preset level, a latch circuit for latching the trigger signal from the comparator, and a firing circuit for operating an occupant protecting unit in response to a drive signal from the latch circuit.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an electric motor-driven power steering system includes a main CPU for arithmetically determining the steering assist torque to be generated by the electric motor and a driving direction thereof on the basis of outputs of a torque sensor and the vehicle speed sensor, a subsidiary CPU for arithmetically determining the driving direction of the motor on the basis of outputs of the torque sensor and the vehicle speed sensor and compare the driving direction signal supplied from the main CPU with a signal of the driving direction determined by the subsidiary CPU to generate a second driving direction signal. A coincidence/discrepancy signal representing coincidence or discrepancy between the motor driving direction signal and the steering torque signal is also supplied to the subsidiary CPU from the main CPU.

Abstract: An integrated control system for integrally controlling operations of an electronic torque split system and a traction control system for an automotive vehicle is provided. This system is such that when slippage of auxiliary driven wheels to which engine torque is variably delivered exceeds an auxiliary wheel target slippage value which is determined in a preselected relation to a cornering condition, the torque split system modifies an amount of engine torque distribution to the auxiliary wheels so that the auxiliary wheel slippage is adjusted toward the auxiliary wheel target slippage value, while the traction control system is activated to reduce an excess of engine torque constantly delivered to primary driven wheels for maintaining primary driven wheel slippage within a preselected allowable range.

Abstract: A control system for an occupant restraint system for protecting a vehicle occupant in a vehicle collision. The control system comprises a vehicle deceleration sensor and a microcomputer which is programmed as follows: Integration of a vehicle deceleration from the deceleration sensor is initiated to obtain the integrated value when the deceleration exceeds a threshold level. Additionally, a time (duration) is timed until the integrated value exceeds a threshold value. Then, an operating timing of the occupant restraint system is determined, while necessity of operation of the occupant restraint system is decided in accordance with the vehicle deceleration. When the necessity of the occupant restraint system operation is decided, the occupant restraint system is operated at the above-mentioned operation timing.

Abstract: A control system for a passenger protecting apparatus includes: a sensor (100) for detecting vehicle deceleration values; a calculating section (101) for calculating a deceleration dispersion value (Bu) on the basis of the detected deceleration values; a deciding section (103) for deciding whether the passenger protecting apparatus is activated or not, on the basis of the calculated deceleration dispersion value; and a drive and control section (104) for activating the passenger protecting apparatus when the activating section decides the activation of the passenger protecting apparatus (102). The control system can activate an air bag module or seat belt reliably in any collision modes by a simple adjustment.

Abstract: In a method for determining the deviations of the actual position of a track (6) with respect to the desired position a first measuring unit (1), movable on the track, and a further second measuring unit (2) are placed at the two end points of a track section to be measured, and their positions as an actual track position are defined relative to track reference points (11). The second measuring unit (2) is moved in stages from a starting point in the direction of the first measuring unit (1) to the end point, wherein at every stop for implementing a measuring procedure, the measurement data of the actual track position are compared with the measurement data of the desired position and a corresponding differential value is calculated and stored. The position of the two measuring units relative to one another are determined in a coordinate system as a result of the reception of a position signal from surveying satellites.

Abstract: A vehicle crash discrimination method and system for controlling the actuation of a vehicle passenger restraint device (e.g., an air bag or a seat belt harness) comprises determining a vehicle velocity value and comparing it to a predetermined velocity threshold value. If the predetermined velocity threshold value is exceeded, the slope of vehicle acceleration with respect to time (i.e. jerk value) is determined and compared to a predetermined slope threshold value. The passenger restraint device is actuated if the predetermined slope threshold value is exceeded. The present method accurately discriminates between low-velocity crashes in which actuation of the passenger restraint device is not desired and low-velocity, long-time -period crashes in which actuation is desired by setting the velocity threshold equal to approximately half the velocity of a maximum allowable crash in which actuation of the passenger restraint device is not desired.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for actuating a vehicle air bag (38) uses an optical detector (12) to generate an output (22) representative of the distance between a vehicle occupant and a fixed structure within the vehicle. The output (22) is subsequently used by a signal processor/discrimination unit (26) to generate data representative of actual occupant conditions, such as transitory occupant position, velocity and/or acceleration. The occupant condition data is used to select the temporally optimal one of a plurality of different predetermined parameter-based crash discrimination strategies (R,S,T,X,Y,Z), and perhaps further used as a decisional criterion in at least one strategy. Each strategy employs different decisional criteria to provide a different range of actual times to fire.

Abstract: The process according to the invention allows the adjustment of different damping characteristics of a motor vehicle damper taking into account the state of travel of the motor vehicle and damping requirement defining quantities depending on the travelling state according to an operating mode which can be preselected by the driver. The switch takes place as a function of a value of the total damping requirement determined from the instantaneous values of the damping requirement defining quantities according to a power function. The damping characteristic which is most desirable at each moment in time can be defined in real time. The process according to the invention can be used for various vehicles owing to adaptation of parameters which determine the power function.

Abstract: A system for detecting a combustion knock occurred in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The system includes a sensor for detecting vibration generated in the engine. Sensor output within a range of crankshaft angles during which no combustion occurs is averaged and amplified to determine a reference noise level. Sensor output within another range of crankshaft angles during which combustion occurs is compared with the reference noise level and if the sensor output exceeds the reference noise level, a combustion knock is determined to be present. In the system, a traction control system (TCS) is incorporated in which the engine output torque is reduced when the driven wheel of the vehicle on which the engine is mounted is great. The reference noise level is enlarged when the TCS operates such that the mechanical vibration increased by the sudden change in the torque due to the TCS operation is prevented from being erroneously detected as the combustion knock.

Abstract: When the vehicle has deviated or is deviating from a lane on which the vehicle has been or is running, the deviation of the vehicle from the lane can be suppressed, for example, by allowing the steering wheel to be operatively rotated prior to an intention of the operator. The timing of suppressing the deviation of the vehicle can be altered in accordance with conditions including, for example, the existence of a lane in the direction of deviation of the vehicle on which another vehicle is running in the same direction, the existence of an obstacle in the direction of deviation of the vehicle, the existence of an adjacent lane in the direction of deviation of the vehicle on which another vehicle is running in the opposite direction, a state of the lane on which the vehicle is running, such as a curved lane or a straight lane, a direction of deviation is outside or inside the curved lane or a lane width, a vehicle speed, a steering angle of a steering wheel, an extent of vision, and so on.

Abstract: A system and a method are provided wherein an air bag deployment command is issued if a crash event exceeds both an energy boundary curve and an oscillation boundary curve, and, furthermore, following detection of an onset of the crash event, filtered acceleration data exceeds an acceleration threshold. The threshold is preferably two-tiered to help discriminate between deployment and non-deployment events.