Abstract: Traffic information, including flow information and incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be used in route calculation by a navigation device. The navigation device may recalculate a route based on anticipated user error. Alternatively, the navigation device may recalculate a route using received traffic information triggered by the receipt of a traffic information update, or triggered by the passage of an amount of time. The broadcast rate of traffic information updates may vary temporally (providing more frequent updates during peak commute times) or geographically (providing more frequent updates to metropolitan areas with increased traffic information needs). If route calculation is triggered by an elapsed amount of time, the amount of time may vary to be shorter during peak commute times.

Abstract: Traffic information, including traffic flow information and traffic incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be presented to a user on a user display in the vehicle. The traffic information may be presented to the user in several circumstances, either as cued by the user, or automatically presented by the traffic management system. The user display may also automatically display traffic flow and traffic incident information for the direction that the user is traveling or along a route calculated by the navigation device. Further, a window displaying information about an upcoming traffic incident such as distance to the incident and incident details may automatically appear in the user display. Alternately, the user may select a roadway, freeway, or area for which traffic information is desired.

Abstract: The present invention is directed specifically to methods for reducing the bandwidth requirements for broadcasting traffic information to a vehicle navigation system. The traffic information broadcast to the system using the bandwidth conserving methods of the present invention generally includes traffic flow information and traffic incident information. In one embodiment, the vehicle navigation system filters traffic information to a certain range to expedite traffic calculation, to save on processing hardware, and to reduce bandwidth needs. Alternately, bandwidth conservation may be achieved by providing weight factors and threshold prioritizing when a broadcast limit is close to being reached or exceeded. In another embodiment, bandwidth reduction is achieved by not broadcasting free-flow traffic information and/or displaying only traffic information that indicates a traffic problem.

Abstract: A head lift body (42) with a head assembly (30) mounted thereon has a nut (45) engaged with a lead screw (41). The head lift body has an integral structure formed by resin molding with a through hole, a hollow opening, and a guide portion (47). The through hole receives the lead screw inserted therethrough. The hollow opening is formed at the center of the head lift body to accommodate a backlash preventing mechanism (43). The guide portion inhibits the rotation of the head lift body and guides the head lift body moving up and down along a rotation center axis of the lead screw. The backlash preventing mechanism comprises a preload bushing (431) and a preload spring (432). The preload bushing has an internal thread to be engaged with the external thread of the lead screw. The preload spring presses the head lift body against the preload bushing along the rotation center axis of the lead screw.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method that includes a vehicle that exchanges information with the remote location by way of a communication network. A remote server transmits vehicle-related information to the vehicle by way of a communication system. Information may also be broadcast to and received by the vehicle by way of a broadcast communication system. A receiver of the vehicle provides user access to only a subset of the broadcast information based on user preferences of a user profile. The user may update the user profile by accessing and updating it at either the vehicle or by accessing a database. The user may access the database through a network, such as the Internet. The vehicle also selectively transmits vehicle-related information to the remote location when a predetermined event occurs. The vehicle-related information is compiled and analyzed at the remote location, and the analyzed information is transmitted back to the vehicle.

Abstract: In the engaging structure of a lead screw (51) with a head lift body (52), for simplification of a feeding side mechanism and improvement of feeding accuracy, the head lift body has only one fingernail shaped protrusion (551) as a member engaging with an external thread of the lead screw (51). The protrusion (551) is provided on an internal wall surface of a bearing portion (55) formed in an integral structure with the head lift body (52). Accordingly, the engagement of the external thread of the lead screw and the single protrusion converts the rotation movement of the lead screw (51) to the linear movement of the head lift body (52). As a result, a feeding accuracy in the linear movement converted from the rotation movement is only determined by a feeding accuracy of only the lead screw (51). In an example, the protrusion is a half-moon shaped plate.

Abstract: The vehicle monitoring system comprises: an on-vehicle unit provided in a vehicle, the on-vehicle unit comprising: a vehicle condition monitor for monitoring a condition of the vehicle and outputting vehicle condition data; and an on-vehicle communicator for sending the vehicle condition data output from the vehicle condition monitor; a data server for communicating with the on-vehicle unit, the data server comprising a server communicator for receiving the vehicle condition data sent from the on-vehicle communicator; a storage section for storing the vehicle condition data; and an abnormality determining section for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the vehicle, based on the vehicle condition data stored in the storage section, and for outputting an abnormality informing signal when the abnormality has occurred in the vehicle.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape drive including a magnetic head for accessing a magnetic tape traveling along a traveling path, a sensor is provided for detecting behavior of the magnetic tape. A flexible circuit board is connected to the sensor. A hook is disposed in the vicinity of the sensor. The circuit board is folded to form a curved portion between the circuit board and the hook.

Abstract: In a loading mechanism which is for use in a tape drive having a supply reel motor and which serves to engage the supply reel motor with a supply reel contained in a tape cartridge inserted into the tape drive, a drive gear is arranged coaxially with a rotor of the supply reel motor to be movable in an axial direction, and is engaged with a drive hub, fixed to the rotor, and the supply reel in a rotating direction when the drive gear is moved towards one direction in the axial direction. A drive ring is arranged coaxially with the rotor to be movable in the axial direction and engaged with the drive gear against urging force of a spring. The drive ring is formed by pressing a ring-shaped plate material. An engaging pin is fixed to the drive ring and engaged through a guide slit of a cylindrical member with a cam groove of a ring cam.

Abstract: In a reel hub releasing mechanism, a seesaw type release lever is arranged so as to be turnable with its central part as a fulcrum, and it includes first and second flat members extending onto both sides from the fulcrum. The first flat member has an engaging protrusion at its distal end, while the second flat member has at its distal end a lever manipulating protrusion which protrudes upwards in order to manipulate a lock lever. A tape cartridge is formed with a window for snugly inserting the lever manipulating protrusion. When the lever manipulating protrusion abuts against the lock lever through the window, the operation of releasing reel hub lock is effected, and the tape cartridge is positioned so that the position of the window in the direction of inserting the tape cartridge into the slot of a tape drive may become substantially equal to the position of the lever manipulating protrusion in the inserting direction.

Abstract: In order to provide a head transfer mechanism capable of absorbing a play of a head assembly not only in a thrust direction but also in a radial direction as well as a head actuator assembly and a tape drive using the same, the head transfer mechanism comprises a lead screw with a thread ridge, a head elevation guiding member, a preload bushing arranged in a hollow opened portion of a head lift, and a compression coil spring for applying the head lift with a pressing force in an axial direction of the lead screw. The head elevation guiding member comprises as an integral structure a head lift on which the head assembly is mounted and a head guide having a thread groove engaged with the lead screw and serving to move the head lift up and down along a rotation center axis following the rotation of the lead screw. In the head elevation guiding member, the head assembly is given a biasing load in a radial direction of the lead screw.

Abstract: A magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus for recording information to and reproducing information from a magnetic tape extracted from a cassette loaded in the apparatus, the magnetic tape recording/reproducing apparatus having a tape guide post mechanism having a tape guide post provided on a rotatably supported tape guide post arm which rotates until pressing against a stopper, the tape guide post extracting a magnetic tape from the cassette loaded in the apparatus; and a contacting part provided on a portion of the arm, the contacting part contacting a bottom surface of the loaded cassette when the arm is rotated so as to extract the magnetic tape from the cassette and the arm restricting a tilting of the arm in a direction in which the tape guide post tilts in a state in which the arm presses against the stopper.

Abstract: A plurality of permanent magnets are embedded at predetermined pitches &tgr;p in a longitudinal direction in a field yoke composed of a magnetic substance so that adjacent magnet poles have opposite polarity, and a plurality of electromagnets, which have magnetic pole pitches &tgr;e≈(2n+1)&tgr;p of preset intervals provided that n is 0, 1, 2, . . . , which are disposed at predetermined pitches &tgr;g=(2s+1/m)&tgr;e in the longitudinal direction of the field yoke provided that m is a number of exciting phase and s is 1, 2, 3, . . . , and which are separated from the field yoke by a predetermined gap while opposing to the field yoke, are provided. The field yoke is driven by successively exciting the electromagnets.

Abstract: The invention includes an annular exciting coil 10, a main yoke 12 surrounding a periphery of the exciting coil and having polar teeth 12a and 12b disposed to face each other on opposite end sides of a central hole 11 of the exciting coil, and a cylindrical permanent magnet 13 disposed in the central hole of the exciting coil to be movable in an axial direction of the hole and polarized in a radial direction.

Abstract: A roller shaft (10) is provided which includes a shaft portion (12) of a substantially solid cylindrical shape and a flange portion (14) of a disk-like shape. The shaft portion (12) includes a hollow cylindrical portion (121) having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape and formed at a lower end (10a) side. The hollow cylindrical portion has an inner peripheral surface with a female screw (12a) formed thereon. A D-shaped cut (122) may be provided on an outer peripheral wall of the hollow cylindrical portion for positioning the roller shaft (10) with respect to the chassis (32) and for preventing the roller shaft from rotating around the chassis, or a D-shaped cut (141) or a slot (142) may be formed in the flange portion (14).

Abstract: In a tape drive (10) comprising a conductive chassis (20) having a front bezel (21) formed on its front side and circuit components mounted on the front bezel, such as a switch (22) for an eject button (251) and light-emitting diodes (23), the front bezel (21) is provided with a projection (211) formed thereon to project forward in the vicinity of the switch (22). Thus, the projection (211) has a function as a lightning rod. The front bezel (21) is covered with a front panel (25). The chassis (20) has a lower surface (20L) covered with a circuit board (90). The circuit board and the above-mentioned circuit components are electrically connected with each other through a flexible printed circuit (27).

Abstract: A method of confirming that chucking between a supply leader tape (20) and a take-up leader tape (10A) is properly carried out comprises a step of confirming whether or not the chucking is properly carried out and a step of reconfirming whether or not the chucking is properly carried out. The reconfirming step is carried out at least once.

Abstract: To provide a business processing technical art which can carry out an order reception with a shortened waiting time of a customer, when carrying out an business through a network, an order reception processing section (122) carries out processing for receiving an on-line input of order information on specified business from an orderer, and processing for obtaining payment certifying information for certifying payment for the order. Further, an authorization request processing section (123) carries out an authorization request about payment certifying information through a payment center. At this time, the order reception processing section (122) supplies the orderer an on-line output of information indicating that the order has been received without waiting for presentation of a result of the authorization.

Abstract: In the engaging structure of a lead screw (51) with a head lift body (52), for simplification of a feeding side mechanism and improvement of feeding accuracy, the head lift body has only one fingernail shaped protrusion (551) as a member engaging with an external thread of the lead screw (51). The protrusion (551) is provided on an internal wall surface of a bearing portion (55) formed in an integral structure with the head lift body (52). Accordingly, the engagement of the external thread of the lead screw and the single protrusion converts the rotation movement of the lead screw (51) to the linear movement of the head lift body (52). As a result, a feeding accuracy in the linear movement converted from the rotation movement is only determined by a feeding accuracy of only the lead screw (51). In an example, the protrusion is a half-moon shaped plate.