Abstract: To correct properly the error of the thermal resistor type air flow measuring apparatus caused by the pulsation in the intake pipe in detecting the air flow of the internal combustion engine, a thermal resistor is placed in a passage inside the auxiliary air passage into which the reverse flow hardly flows directly and the error caused by the reverse flow is prevented. The existence of the reverse flow is judged by the ratio of the amplitude to the mean value using the maximum value, the minimum value and the mean value of the forward air flow waveform, and the error caused by the increase of the forward air flow is corrected.

Abstract: In a thermal-type airflow meter that measures an intake airflow rate in an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like, there has been a problem that pulsation errors caused by external fluctuations under the environment including a large pulsation and reverse flow in the intake valve are difficult to be reduced. In order to solve this problem, the invention provides a flowmeter comprising a detection element that outputs a non-linear signal corresponding to a flow rate, and a regulation means that regulates an output signal of the detection element for controlling. With this construction, the regulation means executes output regulation processing that regulates irregularities of the detection element in the output signal, and inequality linearization processing that regulates an average value of the output signal after the output regulation processing by means of regulating parameters.

Abstract: An engine electronic control unit is inserted through a through hole provided in an intake pipe and mounted in an intake air passage in a direction substantially perpendicularly with respect to a plane of the intake pipe forming the intake air passage. This unit is then secured to the intake pipe using a fixing flange provided at a connector portion. A fixing rail is protruded inside the intake pipe and leading edges of a metal base and a metal cover of the unit are inserted into this rail, thereby securing in position an end opposite to a side of the connector portion of the unit. This realizes an engine electronic control unit offering an outstanding heat radiation performance and vibration resistance, without having to provide special heat radiating parts or without involving an increase in an intake air resistance within the intake air passage. By using such an engine electronic control unit, it is possible to provide a low-cost, compact engine air intake system.

Abstract: To offer a mass airflow measuring apparatus in which the effect of the adhesion onto the heating resistor caused while the engine is off is reduced and the measuring accuracy is improved. The apparatus measures the mass airflow of the air sucked into the internal combustion engine, using the heating resistor 1. The power control circuit 4 maintains the heating resistor 1 temperature equal to or higher than the temperature during the operation of the internal combustion engine after the internal combustion engine has stopped and until the temperature of the internal combustion engine and its apparatuses installed in the suction system has lowered below the generation temperature of volatile gas such as oil vapor.

Abstract: An air flow meter which can decrease the error due to the backflow. Throttle valve 17 which opens and shuts the air intake passage is installed in the air intake passage of the internal combustion engine. The first sensor part 161 is installed in the air intake passage in the upstream of throttle valve 17. Further, the second sensor part 141 is installed in the air intake passage in the downstream of throttle valve 17. Pulsation compensating means 671 corrects the pulsation of the air flow rate signal detected by the first sensor part by using the output signals of the first and the second sensor parts 161, 141 based on each cylinder of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: By employing command value signals for controlling the opening timing of an exhaust valve or an intake valve and means for measuring flow rates of an intake air of a flow direction which flows through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, an air flow rate corresponding to the command value signal is measured. A valve mechanism includes the intake valve and the exhaust valve for each cylinder of the internal combustion engine and is controlled by a valve control means for controlling the valve mechanism. A failure diagnosis of an operating status of the valve mechanism can be performed.

Abstract: An air flow measuring apparatus, is of a type converting digital values Vadc having a non-linearity characteristic to a flow rate in air flow rate conversion processing. The apparatus, is provided with voltage output conversion processing, uses a QV map formed on a PROM, and is formed so as to obtain a voltage output signal Vout having a property equivalent to a signal Vin outputted from a sensor circuit by converting a smoothed signal Qaf into a voltage value having a non-linearity characteristic.

Abstract: In a heating resistor type air flow measurement apparatus, flow correction data are read out from a primary memory and stored in a secondary memory, and then an air flow signal is calibrated by the flow correction data stored in the secondary memory when starting the apparatus up. The apparatus has a diagnosis unit, for determining whether or not the flow correction data stored in the primary memory are correct, so that the determination processing of the flow correction data by the diagnosis unit is performed at any time at least including the starting-up point of the apparatus. There is no fear that engine control based on abnormal flow correction data will continue.

Abstract: In flow detection by a thermal-type flow measuring instrument, a flow rate valve with reduced measurement error due to temperature variation can be obtained even under environment where a fluid temperature and a circuit temperature are different. A measurement error due to temperature variation of the fluid of the thermal-type flow measuring instrument can be corrected on the basis of a temperature of the fluid by adjusting the measurement error to be constant ratio irrespective of the flow rate. On the other hand, a temperature characteristic of the circuit is adjusted to be substantially zero %.

Abstract: The distance to a target object is measured by capturing the image in front of the driving vehicle using an image sensor, identifying a target object such as a vehicle ahead to which the distance is to be measured, and projecting a laser beam onto the target object. The distance to the target object is measured by angular surveying, using an image sensor for capturing an image as a laser light detection unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for measuring intake air for an internal combustion engine by means of a detecting unit including a heat generating resistor, and a flow amount arithmetic unit for calculating an air flow amount on the basis of the output from the detecting unit. The measuring apparatus further includes an equalizer circuit for regulating the amplitude or phase of the output signal from the detecting unit, between the detecting unit and the flow amount arithmetic unit.

Abstract: The air meter forming part of the air intake passage of the engine is equipped with an electronic circuit for measuring the rate of intake air and a memory for storing data pertaining to actual air flow rate versus output characteristics of the air meter or correction data for calculation of air flow rate. The engine control unit digitally calculates actual air flow rate to be used for determination of the amount of fuel to be supplied from a signal output from the air meter with reference to the air flow rate versus output characteristics of the air meter or air flow correction data fetched from the memory provided on the air meter body.

Abstract: A control device for a battery charging AC generator for a motor vehicle including a power transistor connected in series with a field winding of the AC generator for performing switching control of a current flowing through the field winding. A voltage deviation circuit detects a deviation of the battery voltage from a reference voltage; and a PWM signal generating circuit is responsive to a voltage deviation signal from the voltage deviation circuit for turning the power transister on and off a resistor connected in series with the power transistor detects a current flowing through the field winding; and a current limiting circuit generates a turn off signal for the power transistor when the detected current is determined to have exceeded a reference current. A latch circuit operates in response to a clock signal from the PWM signal generating circuit to limit the frequency of turning on and off of the power transistor to below 1 KHz.

Abstract: Electric generator control for a motor vehicle in which the field current IF provided to the field coil of the generator is variable between two values in response to variations in the load applied to the battery. The output voltage of the battery is compared to a predetermined reference value, and a signal representing the difference is supplied to a voltage divider and to an integrator circuit. The outputs of the voltage divider and the integrator are then provided to respective, comparators. A reference signal provided by a time variable signal generator is supplied to both comparators, the respective outputs of which are connected to the inputs of an AND gate which controls a gating element which in turn controls the field current.

Abstract: A charging generator for a vehicle including a field winding rotated by the rotation of an engine so as to generate a rotating magnetic field; an armature winding responsive to the rotating magnetic field to generate a current and charge a battery via a rectifier; a comparison circuit for comparing a voltage of the battery or a voltage of the rectifier with a predetermined value; a current control circuit for controlling a field current to be supplied to the field winding on the basis of output of the comparison circuit; a voltage change value detection circuit for detecting a change value in the battery voltage or the rectifier voltage; and a load response control circuit for suppressing a rise in the field current to be supplied to the field winding on the basis of an output of the voltage change value detection circuit.

Abstract: A control device for an electric generator for use with a vehicle engine includes an armature winding (stator) and a field winding (rotor) driven by the vehicle engine. A chopper is provided for controlling the field current of the field winding and a pulse width modulator is provided for controlling the duty cycle of the chopper in response to the operating conditions of the engine. A voltage feedback loop is provided from a normally provided battery which loop incorporates a detector for detecting the actual battery voltage and a comparator for comparing the battery voltage with a predetermined set voltage so that the difference in voltage is rendered to zero. The invention additionally provides a current feedback loop for controlling a deviation between a current command value determining the duty of the chopper and an actual current flowing through the field winding so as to be substantially zero.

Abstract: An optical recording sheet includes a plurality of data columns consisting of optical recording dots arranged in a matrix shape and column markers corresponding to the data columns. The data columns and the column markers of the optical recording sheet are detected by an optical line sensor and stored in a memory. On the basis of information stored in the memory, a marker detector detects the column marker and then two memory coordinates having a position known relative to the column marker are calculated. From the two memory coordinates, an inclining angle detector calculates the inclining angle between the optical recording sheet and the optical line sensor. On the basis of the memory coordinates and the inclining angle, an address calculator restores the optical recording dots stored in the memory coordinates.

Abstract: The liquid crystal cell (30) for the optical change-over switch comprises a pair of transparent substrates (1), a pair of transparent flat electrodes (2) provided on the respective opposing surfaces of the substrates, orientation control films (3) provided on the flat electrodes (2), two pair of comb shaped electrodes (33) respectively provided on the orientation control films (3), and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer (4) confined between the substrates (1). The optical incidence plane (31) to the cell (30) is so selected that the plane (31) is away from the helical axes (9) of the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the cell (30) in the order of somewhat greater than the tilt angle (.theta..sub.t) of the ferroelectric liquid crystal.

Abstract: In a solid-state optical interferometer having a light path composed of a loop-shaped optical fiber and a solid-state light wave guide optically coupled to said optical fiber, electrodes for producing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) are formed as a pair on a surface of a substrate on which said solid-state light wave guide is formed, and said surface acoustic wave is used to apply optical modulation to a light beam passing through said solid-state light wave guide.