Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus makes it easy for a driver to grasp a relative positional relation between a vehicle and a target parking position and makes it possible to park the vehicle at the target parking position in a parking space with accuracy. An image of a mark M in a parking space S is taken by a vehicle-side camera 7. A relative position calculation portion 8 calculates a relative positional relation between the vehicle and a target parking position T based on the taken image of the mark M. A backward locus calculation portion 9 calculates an expected locus when the vehicle moves based on the relative positional relation and based on a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor 15. An image of the parking space S is taken by a parking-space-side camera 3 and transmitted to a vehicle-side apparatus 1. An image composition portion 12 composes the image of the parking space S from the parking-space-side camera 3 and the expected locus calculated by the backward locus calculation portion 9.

Abstract: Provided is a parking assistance apparatus utilizing a fixed target by taking an image thereof, the parking assistance apparatus being capable of recognizing the fixed target with high recognition accuracy while using simple image recognition processing. A mark (M) includes a plurality of illuminators (1). Sets of the plurality of illuminators (1) form characteristic points C1 to C4. Turn-ON request generation means (36) of a vehicle-side device (20) sequentially generates turn-ON requests for each characteristic point and transmits the generated turn-ON requests to a parking-lot-side device (10). A display control unit (11) of the parking-lot-side device (10) turns ON the characteristic points based on the turn-ON requests. An image recognition unit (31) of the vehicle-side device (20) performs image recognition for the characteristic points sequentially.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical thin film for a thin-film solar cell, which is formed directly on a top surface of the thin-film solar cell having a transparent conductive film layer to provide a high infrared emissivity and a lower solar absorptivity to the thin-film solar cell. The optical thin film is formed through a vacuum vapor deposition process. The thin film makes it possible to provide enhanced infrared emissivity based on its reduced thickness, while suppressing unnecessary incoming solar radiation in a simplified structure to achieve a reduced solar absorptivity so as to maintain desired cell efficiency. The optical thin film of the present invention is capable of achieving reduction in weight of a solar cell, and suitable for use, particularly, in space environments.

Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus makes it easy for a driver to grasp a relative positional relation between a vehicle and a target parking position and makes it possible to park the vehicle at the target parking position in a parking space with accuracy. An image of a mark M in a parking space S is taken by a vehicle-side camera 7. A relative position calculation portion 8 calculates a relative positional relation between the vehicle and a target parking position T based on the taken image of the mark M. A backward locus calculation portion 9 calculates an expected locus when the vehicle moves based on the relative positional relation and based on a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor 15. An image of the parking space S is taken by a parking-space-side camera 3 and transmitted to a vehicle-side apparatus 1. An image composition portion 12 composes the image of the parking space S from the parking-space-side camera 3 and the expected locus calculated by the backward locus calculation portion 9.

Abstract: Images are taken by a fixed camera and a moving camera, and a relative position calculation unit recognizes a current position and orientation of the moving object based on a detection signal that is input from a sensor for obtaining positional information of a moving object and calculates a relative positional relationship of the moving camera with respect to the fixed camera by comparing the current position and orientation of the moving object with a given position at which the fixed camera is installed. Based on the relative positional relationship, the image taken by the fixed camera and the image taken by the moving camera are synthesized into one image by an image composition unit, and a composite image viewed from a virtual viewpoint is displayed on a monitor.

Abstract: In a parking assistance apparatus disclosed herein, a position and a yaw angle of a vehicle are acquired continuously from an initial stop position A, and a vehicle mark C2? in moving the vehicle backwards with a steering angle maintained during a backward movement operation from a backward movement start position B in parking the vehicle in a target parking space S is displayed on a display. The vehicle mark C2? is displayed in a shifting manner on the display such that the target parking space S is traced based on a momentary steering angle and a momentary yaw angle of the vehicle, which result from backward movement of the vehicle. When the vehicle mark C2? deviates from the target parking space S during the backward movement operation, a driver adjusts the steering angle. The vehicle mark C2? is shifted on the display based on a change in the steering angle to be turned into a vehicle mark C4 at a suitable position corresponding to the target parking space S.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turning radius calculation method including: expressing a steering system model by means of relational expressions having a steering angle and turning angles of outer and inner tires as variables and including known parameters and unknown parameters; entering data on the known parameters based on design data; calculating the unknown parameters from the relational expressions corresponding to a zero-steering state and the relational expressions corresponding to a full-steering state; calculating turning angles of outer and inner tires respectively corresponding to a plurality of steering angles between the zero-steering state and the full-steering state using the relational expressions where calculated data on the unknown parameters are entered; calculating turning radii corresponding to the calculated turning angles of the outer and inner tires; and calculating an approximate function of turning radius for steering angle based on the plurality of steering angles and the turning radii.

Abstract: An image of a mark M is taken by a camera (1) with positioning a vehicle at a location in the vicinity of a parking space, an image processing unit (2) extracts a characteristic point from the image of the mark M and recognizes two-dimensional coordinates on the image, a positional parameter calculation unit (3) calculates positional parameters including six parameters of the camera (1) with reference to the mark M, and a relative position identification unit (4) identifies a relative positional relation between the vehicle and the parking space. A parking locus calculation unit (5) calculates a parking locus for leading the vehicle to the parking space based on the relative positional relation between the vehicle and the parking space identified by the relative position identification unit (4), and a guide apparatus (6) outputs drive operation guide information for causing the vehicle to travel along the calculated parking locus to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A parking assist apparatus has a camera for capturing an image of a mark from a vehicle, wherein the mark is fixed to a parking area with a predetermined positional relation to the parking area and has a predetermined figure, and the vehicle is supposed to park in the parking area. The parking assist apparatus further has a vehicle-position detecting device for detecting a position of the vehicle based on the image of the mark captured by the camera and outputting a position data of the vehicle, a vehicle position data-storing device for storing the position data of the vehicle, a data acquisition device for acquiring attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area; and a vehicle guide device for guiding the vehicle in moving out of the parking area, based on the position data of the vehicle in the parking area stored in the vehicle position data-storing device and the attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area given by the data acquisition device.

Abstract: In a parking assistance apparatus disclosed herein, a position and a yaw angle of a vehicle are acquired continuously from an initial stop position A, and a vehicle mark C2? in moving the vehicle backwards with a steering angle maintained during a backward movement operation from a backward movement start position B in parking the vehicle in a target parking space S is displayed on a display. The vehicle mark C2? is displayed in a shifting manner on the display such that the target parking space S is traced based on a momentary steering angle and a momentary yaw angle of the vehicle, which result from backward movement of the vehicle. When the vehicle mark C2? deviates from the target parking space S during the backward movement operation, a driver adjusts the steering angle. The vehicle mark C2? is shifted on the display based on a change in the steering angle to be turned into a vehicle mark C4 at a suitable position corresponding to the target parking space S.

Abstract: In a parking assistance apparatus disclosed herein, when a lateral parking mode switch is set at an initial stop position A, a controller calculates a backward movement start position B for parking based on a yaw angle and a steering angle of a vehicle, and issues guiding information to stop the vehicle upon having determined that the vehicle has reached the calculated backward movement start position B. After having sensed that a shift lever was shifted to a reverse position, the controller displays on a display an image captured by a camera as to an area behind the vehicle, and also displays on the display in a superimposed manner an estimated vehicle space in the case where the vehicle moves backwards while maintaining a steering angle at the time of the shift of the shift lever.

Abstract: A video image positional relationship correction apparatus is disclosed. Coordinate conversion parameters including internal parameters of a camera and attachment parameters are used as unknown numbers. Relational expressions are produced such that the number of the relational expressions is larger than the number of the coordinate conversion parameters to be calculated. Values of the coordinate conversion parameters are calculated based on deviations between monitor coordinates of video image reference points Q1 to Q6 actually captured by the camera and displayed, and the corresponding monitor coordinates of virtual target points R1 to R6. The monitor coordinates of the virtual target points are derived from the actual coordinates of the reference points based on the values of the calculated coordinate conversion parameters.

Abstract: A steering assist apparatus that assists a driver when backing a vehicle in an S-shaped path or parallel parking. The apparatus displays guidance marking on a monitor screen and the driver refers to the guidance marking, which permits the driver to easily back the vehicle to a desired position. The apparatus includes a camera, a monitor, an angle sensor, obstacle sensors, an image processing unit, a controller and a monitor controller. The image processing unit computes the predicted path of the vehicle at the current wheel angle. The monitor shows an image captured by the camera. The image processing unit generates data representing a guidance marking based on the predicted path and superimposes the marking on the monitor screen. The location of the marking on the screen is determined based on the current wheel angle. The marking represents part of the predicted path. Specifically, the marking matches the width of the vehicle.

Abstract: A parking assisting device including an image capturing unit for capturing at least an image behind the vehicle, a monitor for displaying the image obtained by the image capturing unit, a yaw angle detecting unit for detecting a yaw angle of the vehicle, a guiding unit for outputting guidance information to the driver and a controller for comparing a prescribed yaw angle corresponding to a predetermined vehicle position with the yaw angle of the vehicle detected by the yaw angle detecting unit, to identify a current position of the vehicle, and providing guidance information via the guiding unit while displaying at least one of a predicted path and a predicted parking position on the monitor so as to overlap with the image obtained by the image capturing unit to enable the driver to confirm whether the vehicle can be parked in target parking space.

Abstract: In a parking assistance apparatus disclosed herein, when a lateral parking mode switch is set at an initial stop position A, a controller calculates a backward movement start position B for parking based on a yaw angle and a steering angle of a vehicle, and issues guiding information to stop the vehicle upon having determined that the vehicle has reached the calculated backward movement start position B. After having sensed that a shift lever was shifted to a reverse position, the controller displays on a display an image captured by a camera as to an area behind the vehicle, and also displays on the display in a superimposed manner an estimated vehicle space in the case where the vehicle moves backwards while maintaining a steering angle at the time of the shift of the shift lever.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical thin film for a thin-film solar cell, which is formed directly on a top surface of the thin-film solar cell having a transparent conductive film layer to provide a high infrared emissivity and a lower solar absorptivity to the thin-film solar cell. The optical thin film is formed through a vacuum vapor deposition process. The thin film makes it possible to provide enhanced infrared emissivity based on its reduced thickness, while suppressing unnecessary incoming solar radiation in a simplified structure to achieve a reduced solar absorptivity so as to maintain desired cell efficiency. The optical thin film of the present invention is capable of achieving reduction in weight of a solar cell, and suitable for use, particularly, in space environments.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turning radius calculation method including: expressing a steering system model by means of relational expressions having a steering angle and turning angles of outer and inner tires as variables and including known parameters and unknown parameters; entering data on the known parameters based on design data; calculating the unknown parameter from the relational expressions corresponding to a zero-steering state and the relational expressions corresponding to a full-steering state; calculating turning angles of outer and inner tires respectively corresponding to a plurality of steering angles between the zero-steering state and the full-steering state using the relational expressions where calculated data on the unknown parameters are entered; calculating turning radii corresponding to the calculated turning angles of the outer and inner tires; and calculating an approximate function of turning radius for steering angle based on the plurality of steering angles and the turning radii.

Abstract: Disclosed is a parking assisting device, including: a camera for capturing an image behind a vehicle; a display provided to a dashboard of the vehicle; passage width measurement device that measures a width of a passage; and a controller for displaying the image captured with the camera on the display. Also disclosed is a device for calculating an initial stopping position required for parking the vehicle in-parallel into a target parking space perpendicular to the passage on the basis of the passage width measured, with the passage width measurement device, to superimpose on a screen of the display a displayed image for guidance used for guiding the vehicle to the initial stopping position.

Abstract: An image transformation apparatus for a vehicle rear monitoring device uses a transformation table to transform an image of the rear of a vehicle captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle for capturing the rear of the vehicle into an output image assumed to be obtained by capturing the rear at a predetermined inclination from a virtual camera position different from an actual camera position at which the camera is mounted, and displays the output image on the monitor 4. Furthermore, the output image may be displayed on the monitor 4, with a steering start guideline, a steering amount guide mark, a vehicle width guideline, and a vehicle path guideline superimposed thereon.

Abstract: When a vehicle advances in parallel with a parking frame to reach an initial stop position, measurement of a distance to a parked vehicle is continuously performed by means of an ultrasonic sensor and a moving distance of the vehicle is simultaneously calculated using a signal from a wheel speed sensor. When actuating an in-line mode switch under a state where the vehicle stops in the initial stop position, a turning angle is calculated so as to enable appropriate in-line parking to the parking frame from an actual initial stop position, based on a deviation of the vehicle from a reference position for the initial stop measured by the ultrasonic sensor. Information on a driving operation that is necessary for back parking is provided to a driver via a speaker based on this turning angle and output from a yaw rate sensor.