Abstract: An auto-cruise apparatus having a constant vehicle speed controller and a mode selector is provided. The constant vehicle speed controller controls the vehicle speed such that the vehicle speed is maintained at the set vehicle speed whether a preceding vehicle may exist or not. The mode selector selects in accordance with predetermined operations upon the input means, either a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control mode in which a travel of the subject vehicle is controlled by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance controller or a constant vehicle speed control mode in which the travel is controlled by the constant vehicle speed controller. A travel control by either the vehicle-to-vehicle distance controller or the constant vehicle speed controller is performed in accordance with a travel mode that has been selected by the mode selector.

Abstract: A travel following system includes a lower limit vehicle speed setting device, an upper limit vehicle speed setting device, a vehicle speed control device, and a control start commanding device. The vehicle speed control device is adapted to discontinue vehicle speed control at a vehicle speed between the lower limit vehicle speed and a vehicle speed in a stopped state. The vehicle speed control device is also adapted to ensure that vehicle speed control is discontinued when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or higher than the upper limit vehicle speed, and vehicle speed control is suspended until operation of the control start commanding device. Thus, a moderate tension is provided to the driver during operation of the travel following system so that braking operation can be easily conducted and starting of the vehicle based on the driver's will can be carried out without switching operation by the driver.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a detection axis of an object detection system, wherein a disk-shaped adjusting member is fixed to a reference plane on an outer face of a casing, wherein the rotational position of the adjusting member is adjusted. The adjusting member has first and second base surfaces, between which a wedge shape is formed. Rotating the adjusting member finely adjusts the angle of the second base surface relative to the reference plane of the casing thereby resulting in the direction of the second base surface coinciding with the direction of an object detection axis of a radar mechanism part fixed within the casing. The direction of the object detection axis can be adjusted in the horizontal direction by placing a level on the second base surface of the adjusting member and adjusting the mounting angle of the casing so the level indicates a horizontal direction.

Abstract: An object detecting device mounted on a vehicle transmits an electromagnetic wave to a detecting area established in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The object detecting device receives a wave resulting from the reflection of the electromagnetic wave from an object in the detecting area, thereby detecting the object. A reference reflector is disposed at a predetermined location in front of the object detecting device. A plurality of tires are stacked on top of one another behind the reference reflector to form an electromagnetic wave absorber. An object detecting axis of the object detecting device is adjusted by transmitting the electromagnetic wave so that the reference reflector assumes a reference position of the detecting area.

Abstract: A moving body transmitter and receiver axis adjusting system includes a radar system mounted on a moving body and having a scanning area of 10° and a detection area of 8° in each of the left and right directions, and carrying out auto aiming to adjust the detection area in left and right directions inside the scanning area so that an object detection axis that is the center of the detection area coincides with a reference reflecting body placed on a vehicle center line. When a deviation between the object detection axis and the reference reflecting body exceeds 2°, adjustment cannot be completed only by auto aiming. In this case, the angle at which the radar system is mounted on the vehicle body is manually adjusted in the left and right directions so that the object detection axis overlaps the vehicle center line.

Abstract: A travel following system includes a lower limit vehicle speed setting means and an upper limit vehicle speed setting means for previously setting a lower limit vehicle speed and an upper limit vehicle speed to control the vehicle speed by a vehicle speed control means, and a control start commanding means for instructing the vehicle speed control means to start the vehicle speed control upon operation by the driver. The vehicle speed control means is adapted to discontinue a vehicle speed control at a vehicle speed between the lower limit vehicle speed set by the lower limit vehicle speed setting means and a vehicle speed in a stopped state, thereby permitting a vehicle speed control conducted by the driver, and to carry out the vehicle speed control at a vehicle speed exceeding the lower limit vehicle speed in a state in which an accelerating or decelerating operation is not conducted by the driver.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a detection axis of an object detection system, wherein a disk-shaped adjusting member is fixed to a reference plane on an outer face of a casing, wherein the rotational position of the adjusting member is adjusted. The adjusting member has first and second base surfaces, between which a wedge shape is formed. Rotating the adjusting member finely adjusts the angle of the second base surface relative to the reference plane of the casing, thereby resulting in the direction of the second base surface coinciding with the direction of an object detection axis of a radar mechanism part fixed within the casing. The direction of the object detection axis can be adjusted in the horizontal direction by placing a level on the second base surface of the adjusting member and adjusting the mounting angle of the casing so the level indicates a horizontal direction.

Abstract: An object detecting device mounted on a vehicle transmits an electromagnetic wave to a detecting area established in a traveling direction of the vehicle. The object detecting device receives a wave resulting from the reflection of the electromagnetic wave from an object in the detecting area, thereby detecting the object. A reference reflector is disposed at a predetermined location in front of the object detecting device. A plurality of tires are stacked on top of one another behind the reference reflector to form an electromagnetic wave absorber. An object detecting axis of the object detecting device is adjusted by transmitting the electromagnetic wave so that the reference reflector assumes a reference position of the detecting area.

Abstract: In an object detecting system, a first discriminating unit discriminates an object which has a reflected wave having a reception level calculated by a reception level calculating unit, equal to or larger than a first reference level. A second discriminating unit discriminates an object, the distance to which, calculated by a distance calculated unit, is equal to the distance to the object discriminated by the first discriminating unit, and which has a reflected wave whose reception level calculated by the reception level calculating unit is equal to or smaller than a second reference level. A virtual image determining unit determines the object discriminated by the second discriminating unit as a virtual image of the actual existing object discriminated by the first discriminating unit. A virtual image deleting unit deletes the virtual image from the result of the recognition provided by an object recognizing unit, whereby only the actual existing object including no virtual image can be detected correctly.

Abstract: An auto-cruise apparatus capable to switch the modes between the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control and the constant vehicle speed mode is provided. The inventive auto-cruise apparatus comprises a vehicle-to-vehicle distance controller for controlling a travel of a subject vehicle such that a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and a preceding vehicle becomes equal to a set vehicle-to-vehicle distance and input means capable of being operated by a driver with regard to a vehicle-to-vehicle distance control performed by said vehicle-to-vehicle distance controller.

Abstract: A laser beam transmitted from a laser diode is run for scanning laterally as a transmitted-beam elongated vertically with a lateral width thereof limited. A wave of the transmitted-beam reflected from an object is caught in a beam receiving area which is elongated laterally with a vertical width limited and scanned vertically, and is received by a photo-diode. Even if the vertical width of the transmitted-beam is set at a sufficient large value to absorb an error in the vertical mounting of a radar system, the period of time when the direct sun rays enter the beam receiving area to make the detection impossible can be shortened by vertically scanning the beam receiving area elongated laterally. Thus, the influence of the direct sun rays can be maintained to the minimum to reliably detect the object without need for a precise aiming, excluding the case where the height position of the sun corresponds to the level of the object.

Abstract: An ultrasonic image processing apparatus includes an ultrasonic image input unit, an oblique image rendering unit, a surface extracting unit, a three-dimensional image rendering unit, an image synthesizing unit, and a monitor. The ultrasonic image input unit inputs ultrasonic image data from an ultrasonic probe that is inserted into a body cavity for transmitting or receiving ultrasonic waves. The oblique image rendering unit produces an oblique image. The surface extracting unit extracts surface data from the oblique image (boundary between a tissue and lumen). The three-dimensional image rendering unit produces three-dimensional images using volume-rendering data and surface-rendering data respectively. The image synthesizing unit reads the three-dimensional images produced by the three-dimensional image rendering unit and synthesizes the three-dimensional image of volume-rendering data and the three-dimensional image of surface-rendering data.

Abstract: An area is divided by a plurality of parallel lines parallel to a vehicle body axis CL of a vehicle V, into fifteen detection areas K1 to K15 each having a width of 1.6 m, and each of the detection areas K1 to K15 is divided by a distance address at a distance of every 0.5 m to define a large number of measure-shaped regions. It is determined whether a target T exists in any of the regions, by adding together received reception level signals of laser beams reflected in the regions and comparing a value resulting from the adding with a threshold value. The widths of the detection areas K1 to K15 assume a constant value irrespective of distance to the target and hence, even when the target T exists at a point closer to the vehicle, the reception level signals of waves reflected from a wider area of the target T can be added together, leading to an enhanced detecting ability.

Abstract: When a vehicle traveling ahead of another vehicle and a reflector on a road exist laterally adjacent each other, signals indicative of reception levels of waves reflected from the objects are added together for every beam to carry out the detection of the target. The preceding vehicle and the reflector are detected in an integrally merged form because the wave reflected from the reflector is strong. Therefore, in a region influenced by the wave reflected from the reflector, only the reflector is detected without addition of the signals indicative of reception levels of the reflected waves for every beam. In a region which is not influenced by the wave reflected from the reflector, the preceding vehicle is detected by adding the signals of the reflected waves together. Thus, the reflector and the preceding vehicle can be detected in a discriminating manner.

Abstract: A radar output control system to ensure that the output from a radar device is prohibited when a vehicle is stopped or traveling at a low speed, to thereby prevent a laser beam from entering human eyes. A control system for controlling the output from a radar device which transmits a laser beam for detecting an object ahead of the vehicle in a traveling direction, permits the transmission of the laser beam, when both of a driven wheel speed detected by a driven wheel speed detecting device and a follower wheel speed detected by a follower wheel speed detecting device are equal to or greater than reference values. Thus, when the vehicle is mounted on a chassis dynamo device, and driven wheels are rotated, while follower wheels are stopped, the transmission of the laser beam can be reliably prohibited, because the follower wheel speed is lower than the reference value, even if the driven wheel speed is equal to or greater than the reference value.

Abstract: A plurality of pieces of detection data of a preceding vehicle, which have been collected in a straight line running state in which a self-vehicle and a preceding vehicle are running straight on the same straight line, are extracted as effective detection data. Setting of an inside parameter is automatically changed so that a center of the detection area can coincide with an average center of the preceding vehicle obtained by a statistical treatment of the plurality of pieces of detection data. The above automatic adjusting function is provided in a control circuit 7 of the range finder, and while the self-vehicle is stably running straight on the same straight line while chasing the preceding vehicle, and optical axis adjustment is conducted by operating the automatic adjusting function of the control circuit 7.

Abstract: An object detecting system mounted on a conveyance such as a vehicle having a laser radar as an object detector mounted on the vehicle at a position offset from the vehicle longitudinal center line, for adjusting in a factory the radar mounting position in a software manner by utilizing a computer program. A reflective target is placed ahead of the vehicle on the line extending from the vehicle longitudinal center line at a position relatively close to the vehicle in the factory. The central axis of the transmitted beam is first aimed at the target reflector such that the axis is made equal to the direction of the target reflector, and is changed by an angle of offset such that the axis is aligned with an inherently desired direction which is parallel to the vehicle longitudinal center line.

Abstract: A detection range adjusting system of an obstacle detection apparatus for a vehicle having a transmitting-receiving unit mounted on the vehicle for transmitting a detection signal directed over a predetermined range and receiving a reflection signal of the detection signal is provided. This system comprises a detection range setting means for processing the reflection signal and setting a detection range for detecting an obstacle which is included within the predetermined range and narrower than the predetermined range, a standard reflecting body positioned at a predetermined position relative to the vehicle, a standard position storing means for storing a standard position of the standard reflection body in the detection range beforehand, and an adjustment instructing means for instructing transmission of a detection signal for adjustment of the detection range.

Abstract: A scanning type laser radar system for a vehicle includes a laser beam source, a mirror for forming a beam directed forwardly by reflection of laser beam from the laser beam source, a driving device for driving the mirror for turning movement about an axis vertical to a road surface to laterally scan the beam from the mirror, and a light receiver for receiving beam reflected from an object. In the laser radar system, the reflectance of upper and lower portions of the mirror is set at a value lower than that of a vertically middle portion of the mirror, or the mirror is formed into a shape such that its upper and lower portions are inclined toward the laser beam source. Thus, it is possible to avoid the unnecessary detection of a matter other than an object to be detected to the utmost.

Abstract: A collision judging system for a vehicle comprises a subject vehicle position estimating means for estimating the position of the subject vehicle after a lapse of a preset time from a certain braking start time, on the assumption that the braking is starting at such braking start time, an obstacle position estimating means for estimating the position of an objective obstacle after the lapse of the preset time, and the judging means for judging whether or not the position of the subject vehicle estimated by the subject vehicle position estimating means and the position of the obstacle estimated by the obstacle position estimating means coincide with each other. Thus, the judgment of collision can be performed with the avoidance of the collision by the driver's operation being taken into consideration, leading to an improved feeling of driving operation.