Abstract: The invention provides an output torque control method and apparatus for a lean burn internal combustion engine which accounts for aging of component parts, and in which no stepwise change of torque or shock occur when an air fuel ratio is changed. The method and apparatus according to the invention control an intake air amount while maintaining an emission purification function by controlling the air fuel ratio to that of a theoretical mixture (air fuel ratio of 14.7) in a case where a limit NOx emission is determined by using a detected air fuel ratio and lean burn operation becomes difficult due to the amount of NOx emissions. Abrupt change of an output torque when the air fuel ratio is changed is curtailed by controlling a fuel amount or an air amount after calculating the fuel amount or the air amount from an engine speed and an accelerator depression angle.

Abstract: A timing signal generator includes a demodulator for an input modulated signal to provide first and second baseband signals having a quadrature relation relative to each other. A converter is used to convert the first and second baseband signals into angle data representing a phase, and a calculator is used to calculate a difference between the phase represented by current angle data and the phase represented by previous angle data, preceding the current angle data by a 1-symbol interval. The calculator outputs data representative of the calculated phase difference. A further converter converts the calculator output data into a binary reference signal responsive to which of predetermined divided regions contains a point corresponding to the calculated difference data. Also included is a generator for generating a symbol timing signal in synchronism with the binary reference signal.

Abstract: Detecting means for detecting driving conditions of a vehicle such as engine load such as throttle opening, vehicle speed, gear position or gear ratio and so on and memory means for storing characteristics of the vehicle such as engine power characteristic, torque converter characteristic, fuel consumption rate characteristic and so on are provided. Driving shaft torques before and after gear shift, an estimating value of fuel consumption rate and a gear shift point of a transmission are calculated in real time to perform transmission control using the signals from said detecting means and the signals from said memory means. With the construction according to the present invention described above, an automatic transmission can be controlled in real time by calculating a gear shift point of the transmission in a short time through estimating the driving shaft torques before and after gear shift.

Abstract: Components such as an earth plate, a gas introduction ring, and the like placed in a reaction chamber in a plasma apparatus are made of aluminum containing magnesium in a concentration of 2.2 to 2.8% by weight and are not coated with alumite. In addition, a heater incorporated in a section of the reaction chamber heats the section during a plasma cleaning process. Further, an electrical discharge chamber is also incorporated in the plasma apparatus for providing a plasma to the reaction chamber for efficient plasma cleaning of the apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides an output torque control method and apparatus for a lean burn internal combustion engine which accounts for aging of component parts, and in which no stepwise change of torque or shock occur when an air fuel ratio is changed. The method and apparatus according to the invention control an intake air amount while maintaining an emission purification function by controlling the air fuel ratio to that of a theoretical mixture (air fuel ratio of 14.7) in a case where a limit NOx emission is determined by using a detected air fuel ratio and lean burn operation becomes difficult due to the amount of NOx emissions. Abrupt change of an output torque when the air fuel ratio is changed is curtailed by controlling a fuel amount or an air amount after calculating the fuel amount or the air amount from an engine speed and an accelerator depression angle.

Abstract: An engine power train control method and control apparatus for a vehicle having an engine and an automatic transmission is capable of quickly changing an air-fuel ratio to meet the requirements for exhaust gas without producing shocks and without reducing engine torque. An air-fuel ratio command value is varied stepwise for transition between an air-fuel ratio for lean-burn operation and a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and at the same time, the period following the completion of the stepwise variation of the air-fuel ratio command value, a basic fuel amount fed to the engine is varied stepwise from a value determined according to the air amount and an engine speed to a value determined according to a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and the engine speed. In this way, shocks do not occur and the operability is improved, because the engine torque remains substantially constant through the air-fuel ratio transition.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element including at least two kinds of spherical particles as a gap holding material in which each hardness is different in liquid crystal injected into a gap between a pair of substrates. Particle diameter accuracy of each particle is not more than 4%, a particle diameter of the particle with high hardness is not more than a particle diameter of the particle with low hardness, a number of the particle with high hardness to the particle with low hardness is 1 to 4, an average particle diameter of the particle with low hardness to the particle with high hardness is 1 to 1.05 and compression modulus of the particle with high hardness to the particle with low hardness is 1.14 to 14.3. As a result, gap uniformity can be improved. Moreover, occurrence of gap irregularity at the time of low temperature and of impact can be prevented.

Abstract: Detecting means for detecting driving conditions of a vehicle such as engine load such as throttle opening, vehicle speed, gear position or gear ratio and so on and memory means for storing characteristics of the vehicle such as engine power characteristic, torque converter characteristic, fuel consumption rate characteristic and so on are provided. Driving shaft torques before and after gear shift, an estimating value of fuel consumption rate and a gear shift point of a transmission are calculated in real time to perform transmission control using the signals from said detecting means and the signals from said memory means. With the construction according to the present invention described above, an automatic transmission can be controlled in real time by calculating a gear shift point of the transmission in a short time through estimating the driving shaft torques before and after gear shift.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to improve the viewing angle properties of a liquid crystal display device by controlling the state of orientation of liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal display device is constructed with an liquid crystal display element disposed between a pair of polarizing plates, and with phase difference plates disposed between each polarizing plate and the liquid crystal display element. The phase difference plates are selected so that nx.gtoreq.nz>ny is satisfied and the Nz value is in the range of 0.ltoreq.Nz.ltoreq.0.5. The liquid crystal display element is constructed by placing a liquid crystal layer between substrate members prepared by forming transparent electrodes and orientation films in the pair of light transmitting plates, and the liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the transparent electrodes is used as picture elements.

Abstract: An automatic frequency compensation apparatus comprises: a frequency offset prediction portion for predicting a frequency offset of an oscillation signal used for receiving a TDM digital modulation signal from the center frequency of the TDM digital modulation signal using a quadrature baseband signal derived from the TDM digital modulation signal, a vector correlation portion detecting a correlation between the quadrature baseband signal and a predetermined signal, the frequency offset prediction portion predicting when the correlation exceeds a reference value, and a frequency offset compensation portion effects a frequency offset compensation to the quadrature baseband. A convergent coefficient may be decreased with the number of events that the correlation exceeds the reference value. An equalizer may be further provided after the frequency offset compensation portion and the prediction is made using the output of the equalizer.

Abstract: In a frame synchronizing apparatus for a receiver apparatus of a digital data radio communications system in which data are transmitted in frame periods with a fixed data sequence contained each frame, a data correlation circuit obtains successive sequences of values of vector difference between vector values constituting a demodulated digital baseband signal, and successively compares these sequences with a fixed vector difference sequence corresponding to the fixed data sequence, to derive a correlation signal substantially unaffected by any phase rotation in the baseband signal. A frame synchronizing circuit formed as a PLL for generating a frame synchronizing signal, includes a phase comparator which periodically indicates whether a detected phase difference between the correlation signal and frame synchronizing signal is effectively zero, positive or negative, and a counter holding a count value indicating a cumulative phase error between these signals.

Abstract: A complex angle converter includes a comparing device. The comparing device operates to derive first difference data representing a difference between predetermined reference data and data represented by a first baseband signal. The comparing device further operates to derive second difference data representing a difference between the predetermined reference data and data represented by a second baseband signal having a quadrature relation with the first baseband signal. The comparing device further operates for comparing absolute values of the first difference data and the second difference data, and for outputting a signal representative of a result of the comparing. The complex angle converter also includes a device serving to group an inversion of a highest bit of the first baseband signal and second highest and lower bits of the second baseband signal into a first set.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to obtain a vacuum chucking which can vacuum suck a wafer even if dusts attach thereon. The main body of vacuum chuck (101) has a plurality of block grooves (125) on the surface on which the wafer (1) is sucked and fixed, in which vacuum evacuation paths (105) each for vacuum evacuating each block groove (125) are provided for each block groove (125). When the wafer(1) is sucked and fixed under low pressure, even if the degree of vacuum in one of the block grooves (125) decreases due to attachment of dusts on part of the suction surface, or the like, the wafer (1) can surely be sucked and held.

Abstract: An automatic transmission control system for an automobile, comprising a vehicle weight estimation unit which estimates a vehicle weight of the automobile a torque estimation unit which estimates an output torque, an acceleration input unit which accepts an acceleration signal; a load estimation unit (110) which estimates a running load from the estimated vehicle weight, the estimated output torque and the accepted acceleration; a memory which stores a plurality of shift schedules therein; and a gear position determination unit (109) which includes the memory, and which selects one of the shift schedules in accordance with the vehicle weight and the estimated running load, so as to determine a gear position of an automatic transmission of the automobile in conformity with the selected shift schedule. An exact shift operation conformed to the vehicle weight and the running load can be performed, and an enhanced fuel consumption can be attained.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of stable color tone uses phase difference plates made of a uniaxially stretched polymer film and comprises a polarizer plate, a first phase difference plate, a second phase difference plate, a supertwisted nematic type liquid crystal display panel, and a polarizer plate which are stacked on each other in this order. The rate of retardation change with the change in viewing angle of the uniaxially stretched polymer film is denoted coefficient K defined by three-dimensional refractive indexes, coefficient K1 of one of the phase difference plates is set in a range of -1.ltoreq.K1.ltoreq.0.17 and coefficient K2 of the other phase difference plate is set in a range of 0.ltoreq.K2.ltoreq.1.

Abstract: An input bit sequence is converted into n-bit parallel symbol signals each representing one symbol. A shift register stores an "m" number of the n-bit parallel symbol signals, shifting the n-bit parallel symbol signals one symbol by one symbol and outputting them. At least one selector is operative for sequentially selecting one of the k-th symbol signal and the (m+1)-k-th symbol signal outputted by the shift register in response to a clock signal, where k equals 1, 2, . . . , (m-1)/2. A sampling counter serves to count pairs of successive clock pulses of the clock signal. An Exclusive-OR circuit executes Exclusive-OR operation between the clock signal and an output signal of the sampling counter. At least one first read-only memory stores data representing portions of predetermined impulse response waveforms, and outputs the data in response to an address signal having higher and lower parts.

Abstract: In a frame synchronizing apparatus for a receiver apparatus of a digital data radio communications system in which data are transmitted in frame periods with a fixed data sequence contained each frame, a data correlation circuit obtains successive sequences of values of vector difference between vector values constituting a demodulated digital baseband signal, and successively compares these sequences with a fixed vector difference sequence corresponding to the fixed data sequence, to derive a correlation signal substantially unaffected by any phase rotation in the baseband signal. A frame synchronizing circuit formed as a PLL for generating a frame synchronizing signal, includes a phase comparator which periodically indicates whether a detected phase difference between the correlation signal and frame synchronizing signal is effectively zero, positive or negative, and a counter holding a count value indicating a cumulative phase error between these signals.

Abstract: A quadrature demodulator includes a device for generating first and second reference signals having a quadrature relation with each other. A first demodulating device serves to compare phases of the first reference signal and an input modulated signal to demodulate the input modulated signal into a first binary baseband signal. A second demodulating device serves to compare phases of the second reference signal and the input modulated signal to demodulate the input modulated signal into a second binary baseband signal having a quadrature relation with the first baseband signal. A first counting device operates to count pulses of a clock signal in response to the first baseband signal. A second counting device operates to count pulses of the clock signal in response to the second baseband signal. An address signal is generated in response to the output signals of the first and second counting devices.

Abstract: A shot method wherein a shot media based on zirconia composed of a sintered body of partially stabilized zirconia, of which a substantial quantity of the shot media pass through a sieve of normal sizes with apertures of 2.36 mm or less, of which the mean relative density against the theoretical density of zirconia is not less than 95%, of which the mean grain size is not more than 1.0 .mu.m, and which has a mean Vickers hardness of not less than 1,000 kgf/mm.sup.2, is shot to a work surface.

Abstract: A total control system for an automotive vehicle assures vehicular behavior precisely following to a driver's demand for variation of driving environment and provide smooth transition in variation of the driving environment. The system includes a driving environment index predicting section predicting vehicular driving environment on the basis of a driving operation indicative amount, such as an accelerator depression magnitude, a brake depression magnitude, a steering angular position and so forth and a vehicular condition indicative amount, such as an engine speed, a vehicle speed, a longitudinal acceleration and so forth. Based on the driving environment index derived by the predicting section, local control channels of the automotive vehicle are controlled. The driving environment index predicting section predicts the driving environment index by neural network or so forth to transfer to the local control channels though a vehicular local area network or a common memory.