Abstract: A vehicle driving support system is provided with an environment detecting means for detecting objects existing around a vehicle and for producing output environment information, a command unit to specify a running mode of the vehicle, information processing means for generating driving operation reference information suitable for the specified running mode of the vehicle by processing the environment information specified in accordance with the running mode and a display unit to display the driving operation reference information. The information processing means monitors the inter-vehicle distance to a vehicle stopping in front of the vehicle and generates driving operation reference information to inform the driver of the starting of the precedent vehicle when the vehicle is in the congestion running mode.

Abstract: A computer aided work support system having a measuring unit for measuring the position and orientation of the measuring unit itself; an image pickup unit for picking up an object to be measured; an unit for generating an estimated image of the object in accordance with information of the form, position, and orientation of the object, the position and orientation of the measuring unit, the position and orientation of the image pickup unit relative to the measuring unit, a plurality of image magnification factors, and the position of the optical axis of the image pickup unit on the screen of a display unit, the display unit displaying the picked-up image and estimated image of the object in a superposed manner at the same time; and a modifying unit for modifying the information of the previous positions and orientations of the object and image pickup unit in accordance with a displacement amount of the estimated image from the picked-up image.

Abstract: This invention relates to a remote control apparatus. Guidance-control equipment and a control apparatus are installed at a site of a work at which the operation object is positioned. An input apparatus including a program input apparatus for inputting a work program determining the operation of an operation appliance and a time schedule input apparatus for inputting a time schedule as an actuation timing of the operation of the operation appliance determined by the work program, is disposed at an operation position spaced apart from the site of the work. Further, a work program memory, a time schedule controller, work interpretation apparatus, a work environment map memory, and a display device are disposed at the operation position.

Abstract: A resource recycling system and a product circulation system, wherein a search is made for information regarding specifications and production methods for a recovered product and an original product is produced with the recovered product used as resources. These systems include a plurality of production factories for producing a predetermined products, and housing a production apparatus and a reclamation factory. A communication network is connected for transmitting therebetween production information necessary for producing products. Also a recycle plate is created for identifying a production apparatus. The plate is used to transmit accounting information on an amount of money required to reproduce the product from the reclaimed resources. The reclamation apparatus also identifies a production apparatus by which a recovered product was produced, extracts production information on the recovered product and generates a disassembly procedure for the recovered product from the extracted production information.

Abstract: A data transfer apparatus, in which when significant length data having a data length longer than the capacity of a communication bus is inputted/outputted through the communication bus into/from a data storage means, a part or the whole of the data transferred through the communiction bus is temporarily stored in a transfer processor so as to combine the data to be in the form of the significant length data so that the significant length data formed by the transfer processor supplied to the data storage means.

Abstract: Information with respect to the shapes and attaching positions of component parts which are necessary for a construction work is stored into a design information memory device by use of a keyboard, an image of a construction location is picked up by a TV camera before the component parts are actually processed, the image is processed to obtain observation information, and the shapes and attaching positions of the component parts are corrected using the observation information and the design information which has already been stored. The corrected information obtained by the correction is stored into a corrected information memory device. A processing device processes the component parts by preferentially using the corrected information. An attaching device attaches the processed component parts to the construction locations while using the corrected information.

Abstract: In processing topographical information necessary for the traveling of a robot or the like furnished with an automatic traveling function; topography is predicted from the topographical information previously given, so as to prepare a predictive image, a difference image between the predictive image and an actual image caught by a television camera installed on the robot or the like is obtained, and the obtained result if used for correcting the topographical information previously given.

Abstract: Tactile sensing apparatus for detecting a tactile sense with an object to-be-handled, comprising a plurality of pressure sensing devices, a processor which processes outputs of the pressure sensing devices, and a touch device which contacts with the respective pressure sensing devices in common, whereby information items on a pressure sense, a viscosity sense and a slip sense are simultaneously detected with the outputs of the pressure sensing devices which vary depending upon a direction and a magnitude of a force acting on the touch device.

Abstract: The present invention consists of comparing a feature pattern extracted from an actual observed image and the prediction pattern of an environmental object predicted in relation to the positional information of a mobile object and finding the difference between both the patterns and then guiding and controlling a mobile object so as to reduce the difference, in that a selection sequence rule of the environmental objects serving as guidance targets is selected and applied by an operator and that the prediction patterns for the guidance targets are created in accordance with the selection sequence rule of the objects.Thus, the comparisons between the prediction patterns of the objects according to the selection sequence rule selected and applied beforehand and the feature pattern from the observed image can be made quickly and accurately, so that the autonomous guidance of the mobile object can have the reliability enhanced more.

Abstract: In a navigation apparatus for guiding a mobile system along a predetermined path, an image obtained by measuring an actual environment is compared with a predicted image stored in advance, and a guidance signal is delivered to the mobile system on the basis of the comparison of the images.

Abstract: An actuator including a plurality of shape memory materials used as a drive source. The plurality of the shape memory materials being arranged in parallel between a stationary member and a movable member so as to enable the actuator to operate at high speed.

Abstract: In force sensing apparatus for a driving device which employs a shape memory alloy, note is taken of the fact that a force to be generated by the shape memory alloy varies depending upon the temperature or resistance and the displacement of the shape memory alloy, and force information on an output of the driving device is detected on the basis of information of the temperature or resistance and the displacment of the shape memory alloy.

Abstract: A picture processing apparatus for use in recognizing an ambient environment as a picture in accordance with the invention, includes a picture input for receiving a distorted picture of a wide angle of view, a picture processing unit which corrects the distorted picture of the wide angle of view from the picture input into an undistorted picture of the wide angle of view, and a display for displaying the undistorted picture of the wide angle of view produced by the picture processing unit.

Abstract: An absorption cold and warm water system utilizing solar heat in which heat source water obtained by heating water by the solar heat and a main heating source are used is selectively made to function as a warm water system, a first heat pump and a second heat pump in accordance with temperature conditions associated with the heat source water.

Abstract: An absorption cold and warm water system utilizing solar heat includes a low temperature heat generator using as a heating source low temperature warm water obtained by heating water by the solar heat, a high temperature generator using an ancillary heat source as a heating source when the system runs short of the solar heat, and a low temperature generator. The cold and warm water system is provided with an operation device operative, when the cold and warm water system is in condition in which refrigerating and heating outputs can be provided by using the low temperature warm water, to allow the low temperature warm water to be continuously fed to the cold and warm water system and to control the volume of a solution and a refrigerant in circulation in accordance with temperatures of the cold and warm water, to thereby store the solar heat in the cold and warm water system.

Abstract: In an absorption type cold and warm water system, a solution pump and a refrigerant pump are operated when a heat source serving as a drive source of the absorption type cold and warm water system is rendered inoperative as a result of the temperature of cold water and warm water produced by the system reaching an OFF value set beforehand for the heat source. This enables refrigerating and heating abilities stored in the cold and warm water system to be effectively utilized.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a refrigerator of a type having a capacity control mechanism adapted to control the capacity of the refrigerator in such a manner as to make the temperature of the cold water supplied to an air conditioner coincide with a predetermined set temperature of cold water. The apparatus is adapted to vary the set temperature of the cold water in accordance with the level of the load imposed on the air conditioner, and to determine the difference of the new set temperature of the cold water with the actually measured temperature of the cold water. The apparatus effects the control of the capacity control mechanism of the refrigerator such that the above-mentioned difference of the temperature is nullified. In consequence, the efficiency of the refrigerator during partial-load operation is remarkably improved.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for cooling is immersed in a vessel for storing heat filled with a heat-storing material of latent heat type. The heat exchanger for cooling is positioned at an upper level in the vessel when a heat-storing material having a higher specific gravity in a crystal state than in a liquid state, such as calcium chloride hexahydrate, is used, whereas at a lower level in the vessel when a heat-storing material having a lower specific gravity in a cystal state than in a liquid state such as water, is used.Crystals of a heat-storing material formed and deposited on the outer periphery of the heat exchanger for cooling when the apparatus for storing heat is in operation are accumulated in the vessel for storing heat as blocks.

Abstract: In a refrigerating and air-conditioning system provided with a heat storage tank, variation patterns of load and weather conditions are predicted. On the basis of the predicted values, optimum outputs of a refrigerating machine at individual time points within a predetermined operation period are determined for possible water temperatures of the heat storage tank and stored in a memory. In accordance with the actual water temperature of the heat storage tank, the optimum output of the refrigerating machine is retrieved from the memory and utilized for the operation thereof.

Abstract: In an operating method for refrigerating machines which is disclosed, a variation pattern of an air-conditioning load on a prearranged day for refrigerating operation and a variation pattern of ambient temperature on the prearranged day are predicted. A period for refrigerating operation on that day is properly divided into plural time intervals. Priority ranking is allotted to those time intervals on the basis of the ambient temperature predicted. The refrigerating machine is operated in accordance with an operating pattern set on the basis of the priority ranking.