Abstract: In order to make it more difficult to alter the recorded data in an event data recorder, a plurality of electric control devices may each have a memory device and may each play a respective role in the vehicle. A data assignment device may be connected to the plurality of electric control devices and the data assignment device may assign a part of drive record data to one of the plurality of electric control devices to store the part of drive record data. The data assignment device may also assign the rest of the drive record data to the rest of the plurality of electric control devices to store the rest of the drive record data.

Abstract: A system for aiding a user when travelling in a vehicle with a portable, handheld electronic device includes a sensor that detects an object outside the vehicle and that detects a condition regarding movement of the vehicle with respect to the object outside the vehicle. The sensor is supported in the vehicle for travel with the vehicle. The system also includes a communication system that allows the vehicle and the electronic device to communicate a signal therebetween. The signal relates to the condition detected by the sensor. Furthermore, the system includes an output device included on at least one of the vehicle and the electronic device. The output device is operable to output an alarm based on the signal communicated between the vehicle and the electronic device.

Abstract: In order to make it more difficult to alter the recorded data in an event data recorder, a plurality of electric control devices may each have a memory device and may each play a respective role in the vehicle. A data assignment device may be connected to the plurality of electric control devices and the data assignment device may assign a part of drive record data to one of the plurality of electric control devices to store the part of drive record data. The data assignment device may also assign the rest of the drive record data to the rest of the plurality of electric control devices to store the rest of the drive record data.

Abstract: A system for aiding a user when travelling in a vehicle with a portable, handheld electronic device includes a sensor that detects an object outside the vehicle and that detects a condition regarding movement of the vehicle with respect to the object outside the vehicle. The sensor is supported in the vehicle for travel with the vehicle. The system also includes a communication system that allows the vehicle and the electronic device to communicate a signal therebetween. The signal relates to the condition detected by the sensor. Furthermore, the system includes an output device included on at least one of the vehicle and the electronic device. The output device is operable to output an alarm based on the signal communicated between the vehicle and the electronic device.

Abstract: An activation system for a passenger protection device comprises a pair of communication wires, a central unit for detecting currents flowing in the communication wires, and a satellite unit for varying the currents flowing in the communication wires based on output data of an acceleration detection sensor. The central unit calculates a sum of the detected currents and compares the sum with a first predetermined level to detect the output data of the sensor. The central unit also calculates a difference between the detected currents and compares the difference with a second predetermined level, thereby detecting failure in the communication wires and stopping activation of the passenger protection device.

Abstract: A circuit system includes: a master node; and a slave portion including a plurality of non-grounded slave nodes, each of which couples with the master node through a pair of communication lines. The master node and the slave portion provide a differential transmission system for differentially transmitting a signal among the master node and the slave nodes. The slave portion has a predetermined impedance. The differential transmission system has a good signal condition and a sufficient low common mode noise.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transmitting data in an airbag activation system mounted on a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a communication channel, a plurality of sensor units mutually communicably connected via the communication channel, and a processing unit. Each sensor unit senses a state of the vehicle, produces data indicative of the sensed state of the vehicle into a set of digital data including actually sensed data of a predetermined bit length, the actually sensed data corresponding to the sensed state of the vehicle, and outputs the set of digital data to the communication channel at predetermined transmission intervals. The bit length of the actually sensed data is changed depending on the sensed state of the vehicle. The set of digital data is outputted successively from the sensor modules. The processing unit successively receives the digital data from each sensor unit via the communication channel.

Abstract: An airbag ECU includes a communication bus connection circuit for connecting communication buses to communication circuits. A central control circuit connects some of the communication buses to the communication circuits with the communication bus connection circuit and sets addresses for some of slave sensor devices. When those addresses are set, the other communication buses are connected to the communication circuits by the communication bus connection circuit, and addresses for the other slave sensor devices are set. Thus, a circuit can be made simpler without any influence on address setting, thus reducing cost and size of an airbag apparatus.

Abstract: A circuit system includes: a master node; and a slave portion including a plurality of non-grounded slave nodes, each of which couples with the master node through a pair of communication lines. The master node and the slave portion provide a differential transmission system for differentially transmitting a signal among the master node and the slave nodes. The slave portion has a predetermined impedance. The differential transmission system has a good signal condition and a sufficient low common mode noise.

Abstract: An airbag ECU includes a communication bus connection circuit for connecting communication buses to communication circuits. A central control circuit connects some of the communication buses to the communication circuits with the communication bus connection circuit and sets addresses for some of slave sensor devices. When those addresses are set, the other communication buses are connected to the communication circuits by the communication bus connection circuit, and addresses for the other slave sensor devices are set. Thus, a circuit can be made simpler without any influence on address setting, thus reducing cost and size of an airbag apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving an occupant-protecting airbag device mounted on a vehicle is provided. The airbag device includes an airbag and a squib and the squib can be deployed by igniting the squib. The apparatus comprise plural sensors, plural A/D converters, a determination unit and an ignition circuit. Each sensor senses a physical quantity acting on the vehicle to output an analog signal indicative of the physical quantity. Each of the plural A/D converters is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of sensors to cause each A/D converter to perform an A/D conversion on the signal. The determination unit uses the signal converted by each A/D converter to determine whether or not the airbag should be deployed. The ignition circuit causes the squib to ignite to deploy the airbag when the determination unit determines that the airbag should be deployed.

Abstract: An activation system for a passenger protection device comprises a pair of communication wires, a central unit for detecting currents flowing in the communication wires, and a satellite unit for varying the currents flowing in the communication wires based on output data of an acceleration detection sensor. The central unit calculates a sum of the detected currents and compares the sum with a first predetermined level to detect the output data of the sensor. The central unit also calculates a difference between the detected currents and compares the difference with a second predetermined level, thereby detecting failure in the communication wires and stopping activation of the passenger protection device.

Abstract: A collision detection device for a vehicle has a control unit which determines a collision with the vehicle, a left main sensor arranged at the vehicle left portion, a right main sensor arranged at the vehicle right portion, a middle sub sensor arranged at the substantial middle portion of the vehicle, a left sub bus for connecting the middle sub sensor with the left main sensor, a left main bus for connecting the left main sensor with the control unit, a right sub bus for connecting the middle sub sensor with the right main sensor, and a right main bus for connecting the right main sensor with the control unit. Thus, the single middle sub sensor is provided for the collision detection of the vehicle right portion and that of the vehicle left portion, respectively with the right main sensor and the left main senor.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor module, installed in a front region and/or a side region of a vehicle, includes a sensing section and an adjusting section. The sensing section includes a capacitive detecting section and a converting section. The detecting section detects the acceleration of the vehicle. The converting section converts a capacitance value into a voltage value. The adjusting section includes an AD converter, a communication circuit, a power source section, and an oscillator. The AD converter converts an analog output of the converting section into a digital value. The communication circuit sends an output of the AD converter to a collision judging section. The power source section supplies electric power to each of the AD converter, the communication circuit, and the sensing section. The oscillator supplies the clock to the AD converter and to the converting section of the sensing section.

Abstract: A synchronizing signal generating device for serial communication is constructed with a reference clock circuit, a phase comparator, a PLL filter, VCO and a frequency dividing circuit. The PLL filter continually outputs an unchanged voltage signal when the phase differential signal is within a predetermined range determined by the upper and lower limit values of the phase difference. As a result, noise occurring in connection with variation of the frequency of a synchronizing signal every predetermined period is suppressed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for transmitting data in an airbag activation system mounted on a vehicle. The apparatus comprises a communication channel, a plurality of sensor units mutually communicably connected via the communication channel, and a processing unit. Each sensor unit senses a state of the vehicle, produces data indicative of the sensed state of the vehicle into a set of digital data including actually sensed data of a predetermined bit length, the actually sensed data corresponding to the sensed state of the vehicle, and outputs the set of digital data to the communication channel at predetermined transmission intervals. The bit length of the actually sensed data is changed depending on the sensed state of the vehicle. The set of digital data is outputted successively from the sensor modules. The processing unit successively receives the digital data from each sensor unit via the communication channel.

Abstract: An acceleration sensor module, installed in a front region and/or a side region of a vehicle, includes a sensing section and an adjusting section. The sensing section includes a capacitive detecting section and a converting section. The detecting section detects the acceleration of the vehicle. The converting section converts a capacitance value into a voltage value. The adjusting section includes an AD converter, a communication circuit, a power source section, and an oscillator. The AD converter converts an analog output of the converting section into a digital value. The communication circuit sends an output of the AD converter to a collision judging section. The power source section supplies electric power to each of the AD converter, the communication circuit, and the sensing section. The oscillator supplies the clock to the AD converter and to the converting section of the sensing section.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving an occupant-protecting airbag device mounted on a vehicle is provided. The airbag device includes an airbag and a squib and the squib can be deployed by igniting the squib. The apparatus comprise plural sensors, plural A/D converters, a determination unit and an ignition circuit. Each sensor senses a physical quantity acting on the vehicle to output an analog signal indicative of the physical quantity. Each of the plural A/D converters is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of sensors to cause each A/D converter to perform an A/D conversion on the signal. The determination unit uses the signal converted by each A/D converter to determine whether or not the airbag should be deployed. The ignition circuit causes the squib to ignite to deploy the airbag when the determination unit determines that the airbag should be deployed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a light source switching type color image scanner in which a color signal can be read out at high speed by reducing a read-out time. A red light source (3), a green light source (4) and a blue light source (5) which can be selectively switched are disposed under an original document holder (1) on which an original document (2) is held. Further, there are disposed a mirror (7) and a lens (8) which are used to focus a reflected image of the original document (2) onto a CCD linear image sensor (6). The CCD linear image sensor (6) includes a shutter gate (12) and a shutter drain (13) which are used to reset signal charges of remaining lights from the respective light sources (3), (4) and (5). The reset of a signal charge begins before a next color light source is energized.

Abstract: A CCD linear sensor. A photosensor row has photosensitive regions. Read-out gate electrodes and shift registers are formed on opposite sides of the photosensor row. A channel separating region is formed along the center of the photosensor row for separating each of the photosensitive region into two photosensitive portions. Charges accumulated in the photosensitive portions are read-out dividedly in both directions through the read-out gate electrodes to the shift registers. In the CCD linear sensor, the length of charge transfer path is reduced, therefore, charge reading-out time can be reduced.