Abstract: A check valve (8) and a booster (9) are inserted in parallel in a supplied fuel line (6) connecting a common rail (5) and an injection valve (7), a piston (10E) of a hydraulic circuit (10) is driven for positioning by a piezoelectric actuator (PA-1), the pressures in a chamber (9Db) of the booster (9) and the pressure in a fuel chamber (7G) of the injection valve (7) are selectively lowered by controlling the alignment state between ports (10Eb), (10Ec) provided in the piston (10E) to communicate with a low-pressure portion and an opening 10Aa of a first chamber 10A and an opening (10Ba) of a second chamber (10B) of cylinder (10C), whereby the pressure of the fuel supplied to the fuel reservoir (7B) of the injection valve (7) is rapidly switched to one or the other of high-pressure fuel from the common rail (5) and pressure-boosted high-pressure fuel from the booster (9).

Abstract: A check valve (8) and a booster (9) are inserted in parallel in a supplied fuel line (6) connecting a common rail (5) and an injection valve (7), a piston (10E) of a hydraulic circuit (10) is driven for positioning by a piezoelectric actuator (PA-1), the pressures in a chamber (9Db) of the booster (9) and the pressure in a fuel chamber (7G) of the injection valve (7) are selectively lowered by controlling the alignment state between ports (10Eb), (10Ec) provided in the piston (10E) to communicate with a low-pressure portion and an opening 10Aa of a first chamber 10A and an opening (10Ba) of a second chamber (10B) of cylinder (10C), whereby the pressure of the fuel supplied to the fuel reservoir (7B) of the injection valve (7) is rapidly switched to one or the other of high-pressure fuel from the common rail (5) and pressure-boosted high-pressure fuel from the booster (9).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for more accurately determining the position of a moving object by using an azimuth detector distinct from an angular speed detector to correct the gain error and the offset error of the angular speed detector. The position of the moving body is determined using the offset error- and gain error-corrected angular speed. The correction of the offset error includes checking the azimuth and movement of the moving object for three predetermined periods of time; then checking whether the moving object was moving in a straight line each of the three predetermined periods of time. If the object was moving in a straight line each of the three predetermined periods of time, then an offset error correction value is computed using data from the second of the three predetermined periods of time.

Abstract: An on-board automobile navigation system provides advisory information to the driver based on real-time traffic information and a learned commute route. The system empirically determines a commute route based on historical travel data of the vehicle. The system further receives real-time traffic information via a wireless link. The real-time traffic information may include information relating to traffic accidents, construction, and other traffic problems and the locations of such problems. At power up, the system automatically determines whether the present day and time are within a previously defined commute time window and, if so, prompts the driver to accept or decline a previously defined commute destination. The system automatically receives the real-time traffic information and compares the location information associated with any traffic problems to the commute route.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide access to an interactive product to a passenger of a vehicle while limiting access to the interactive product to the driver of the vehicle. At least one control device is provided for allowing user interaction with the interactive product. Interaction with the interactive product via the at least one control device is inhibited while the vehicle is moving. An access device is provided which must be employed in conjunction with the at least one control device to enable user interaction with the interactive product while the vehicle is moving.

Abstract: A method of enabling an on-board vehicle navigation system to compute a route from a current position of the vehicle to a desired destination is provided. A user of the navigation system in a vehicle utilizes a cellular telephone or any other wireless, two-way audio communications link to contact an operator in a remote communications center. The user informs the operator of his desired destination. The operator in the communications center accesses a computer database to determine the exact location of the desired destination in terms of latitude/longitude, street address, or other similar information. The operator then causes the information specifying the exact location to be transmitted from the communications center to the on-board vehicle navigation system over a data link. The on-board vehicle navigation system receives the location information and uses it to compute a route from the vehicle's current position to the desired destination.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining an alternate route from a new source location located on an original route to a subsequent location on the original route using a vehicle navigation system are described. A portion of the original route to be avoided by the alternate route is determined which begins at the new source location. The portion of the original route includes a plurality of segments each of which has an original parameter associated therewith. Selected ones of the original parameters are adjusted thereby resulting in a plurality of adjusted parameters. The alternate route is then determined based in part on the adjusted parameters.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for modifying an odometer reading in a vehicle navigation system to compensate for odometer errors. A first distance measurement is obtained from the odometer, and a second distance measurement is obtained from at least one other sensor. The difference between the first and second distance measurements is determined and an adjustment amount is generated in response thereto. A modification factor is then adjusted by the adjustment amount, the modification factor being for modifying the odometer reading. The odometer reading is then modified with the modification factor. A method and apparatus for selecting a pulse rate setting in a vehicle navigation system to correspond to a pulse rate associated with the odometer are also described. A first distance measurement is obtained from the odometer and a second distance measurement is obtained from at least one other sensor. The difference between the first and second distance measurements is then determined.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for modifying an odometer reading in a vehicle navigation system to compensate for odometer errors. A first distance measurement is obtained from the odometer, and a second distance measurement is obtained from at least one other sensor. The difference between the first and second distance measurements is determined and an adjustment amount is generated in response thereto. A modification factor is then adjusted by the adjustment amount, the modification factor being for modifying the odometer reading. The odometer reading is then modified with the modification factor. A method and apparatus for selecting a pulse rate setting in a vehicle navigation system to correspond to a pulse rate associated with the odometer are also described. A first distance measurement is obtained from the odometer and a second distance measurement is obtained from at least one other sensor. The difference between the first and second distance measurements is then determined.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for selecting an entry stored in a data processing system, and specifically a destination in a vehicle navigation system. The system includes a display, a scrolling control having first and second controls, and a selecting control. Using the scrolling control, the user of the system scrolls through a plurality of stored destinations on the display. Each destination is made up of a plurality of alphanumeric symbols, the destinations forming an alphabetically and numerically organized list. The scrolling is accomplished by using the first control of the scrolling control. A character position selector is used to select a character position in a first indicated destination and the second control of the scrolling control is used to jump to subsets of destinations with the next or previous character position as compared to a currently indicated destination. The selecting control is then used to enter a desired destination.

Abstract: A vehicle-mounted navigation system initially computes an optimal route from a starting point to a destination. A microcomputer computes the total distance the vehicle has travelled from a signal obtained from an axle sensor and computes the bearing of the vehicle (azimuth) from a signal obtained from a geomagnetic sensor. Then the microcomputer computes the present position of the vehicle from the starting point of the vehicle, its total distance travelled, and its bearing. The system then selects and displays one from among a plurality of arrows stored in a memory, each arrow representing a direction spaced a predetermined angle from an adjacent arrow, to guide the driver from the present position via the next intersection to the destination. This system also detects forked intersections, where two roads are close to the common direction represented by the arrow to be displayed.

Abstract: A display system for a vehicle is provided with a fluorescent display tube. An anode control circuit outputs a control signal for selecting one or more of anode electrodes of the display tube to output a first control signal in response to which the selected anode electrodes are supplied with a positive voltage to cause the flourescent display tube to make a display. A display condition judging circuit judges whether or not the anode control circuit is outputting the first control signal. A brightness judging circuit judges whether the surroundings of the fluorescent display tube are bright or dark. A filament control circuit outputs a second control signal for energizing a filament of the display tube when said display condition judging circuit judges that the anode control circuit is outputting the first control signal and/or when the brightness judging circuit judges that the surroundings of the display tube are bright.

Abstract: An air-mix door control apparatus for automobile air-conditioners which is so constructed as to control the position of the air-mix door according to a deviation of the actual discharge air temperature from a target discharge air temperature calculated based on a set temperature, a vehicle compartment temperature, etc. A target position for the air-mix door is calculated according to a difference between the target discharge air temperature and the actual discharge air temperature at an interval which is shorter than the interval of calculation of the difference between the target air temperature and the actual discharge air temperature. With the control apparatus thus constructed, a stable and reliable control of operation of the air-mix can be achieved.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an automobile air-conditioner so constructed as to calculate a target discharge air temperature based on a control parameter determined by the vehicle compartment temperature and the outside air temperature, then control a component of the air-conditioner according to a result of the calculation. The control parameter is obtained by interpolation of experimentally determined reference data with the present vehicle compartment temperature and the present outside air temperature. With this arrangement, a fine temperature control can be achieved.

Abstract: In a drive circuit device for an inductive load, the inductive load and a detecting resistor are incorporated in a current supply circuit in series relation to a drive transistor. An operational amplifier is operative in response to detecting voltage fed-back from the detecting resistor, for controlling the drive transistor, in turn, for controlling supply current flowing through the inductive load to a predetermined value. Turning-on and -off of the drive transistor are controlled by a switching element operative in response to a control signal, thereby carrying out current supply to an inductive load and stoppage of the current supply. A feed-back circuit is provided, in which a response element supplies feed-back current to be controlled by the operational amplifier, to the feed-back resistor, in response to the turning-off of the drive transistor. The operational amplifier carries out feed-back control without being saturated, even at the stoppage of the current supply to the inductive load.

Abstract: In a fuel injection timing control apparatus for controlling the injection advance angle of fuel injected from a fuel injection pump having a solenoid valve which is opened/closed by a driving pulse for controlling the fuel injection, the apparatus has a detector for detecting a delay time of fuel injection due to the delay time of the solenoid valve, and the delay time of fuel injection is converted into the angle of a driving shaft of the pump corresponding to the delay time. A target advance angle according to the operating condition of an associated internal combustion engine is calculated and the output timing of the driving pulse is set by taking account of the angle corresponding to the delay time of fuel injection, whereby the target advance angle can be obtained in response to the driving pulse.

Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine for a vehicle provided with an electronically controlled automatic transmission system including a friction-type clutch and a gear-type transmission, the speed of the engine is controlled in accordance with a target speed determined by whether the clutch is engaged or not, and at the moment the clutch becomes engaged, the target engine speed gradually changes from the target speed for the disengaged condition of the clutch to that for the fully engaged condition of the clutch, whereby the mechanical shock occurring at the time of the engagement of the clutch is remarkably reduced.

Abstract: In a fuel injection system for an engine, a first controller calculates circuit rotational angle of a crankshaft on the basis of reference pulses and scale pulses from a detector for detecting rotation of the crankshaft. The first controller outputs a drive pulse representative of a closing command moving an electromagnetic valve to a closed position, at a timing with reference to the current rotational angle, to control a period, within which the valve is in the closed position, during forward stroke of a plunger. A second controller intermittently outputs drive pulses representative of the closing command, at an initial stage of engine start-up, independently of the crankshaft rotational angle. A time duration of each drive pulse from the second controller is shorter than a time duration required for the plunger forward stroke, and a period within which each drive pulse is not outputted from the second controller is also shorter than the time duration required for the plunger forward stroke.