Abstract: Disclosed is a method of traffic congestion estimation including a speed detection step of detecting speed of a vehicle in a predetermined period of time and outputting the detection result; a frequency analysis step of analyzing a frequency of the result of the speed detection and outputting the power spectrum; a slope detection step of detecting a slope of a power spectrum and outputting the detection result; a time variation calculation step of calculating time variation of the slope and outputting the calculation result; and a traffic congestion estimation step of estimating occurrence of traffic congestion from the calculation result of the time variation of the slope and outputting the estimation result.

Abstract: An electric vehicle driving support system includes an acquisition unit that acquires predictive information of traffic congestion calculated based on acceleration of an electric vehicle and an economical driving mode output unit that outputs a control instruction to prioritize speed maintenance or acceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion acquired by the acquisition unit indicates a non-congestion tendency, and that outputs a control instruction to prioritize deceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion indicates a congestion tendency.

Abstract: An electric vehicle driving support system includes an acquisition unit that acquires predictive information of traffic congestion calculated based on acceleration of an electric vehicle and an economical driving mode output unit that outputs a control instruction to prioritize speed maintenance or acceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion acquired by the acquisition unit indicates a non-congestion tendency, and that outputs a control instruction to prioritize deceleration when the predictive information of traffic congestion indicates a congestion tendency.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of traffic congestion estimation including a speed detection step of detecting speed of a vehicle in a predetermined period of time and outputting the detection result; a frequency analysis step of analyzing a frequency of the result of the speed detection and outputting the power spectrum; a slope detection step of detecting a slope of a power spectrum and outputting the detection result; a time variation calculation step of calculating time variation of the slope and outputting the calculation result; and a traffic congestion estimation step of estimating occurrence of traffic congestion from the calculation result of the time variation of the slope and outputting the estimation result.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for determining a surface condition of an inspected object. A potential region having an intensity different from the other regions by more than a predetermined threshold value in an object image captured by an imaging device is detected. An inspected region surrounding the potential region is identified. A feature for a parameter is extracted from the inspected region. The surface condition is determined based on the feature. The parameter includes one or more of an area of the potential region, a slope of the potential region, an intensity value entropy of the inspected region, an intensity value anisotropy of the inspected region, an average intensity value of an edge image of the inspected region, and a roundness of the potential region.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a process for producing needle coke, which comprises reducing the ash content in a heavy oil obtained from fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum or in a hydrocarbon material mainly composed of said heavy oil to not more than 0.01 wt % by means of (1) filtration, (2) centrifugation, (3) electrostatic aggregation or (4) a combination thereof, and coking the thus treated heavy oil or hydrocarbon material with an ash content of not more than 0.01 wt %; and a needle coke produced by coking a heavy oil obtained from fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum or a hydrocarbon material mainly composed of said heavy oil.