Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a steering angle measuring unit, a vehicle speed measuring unit, a yaw rate measuring unit, a yaw rate-based reaction force control unit for controlling a steering reaction force depending on an actual yaw rate measured by the yaw rate measuring unit, and a yaw rate deviation-based reaction force control unit for determining a standard yaw rate depending on at least the steering angle and the vehicle speed, calculating a yaw rate deviation between the standard yaw rate and the actual yaw rate, and controlling the steering reaction force depending on the yaw rate deviation, and a primary control unit for executing a control operation such that a degree of contribution of the yaw rate-based reaction force control unit is decreased and a degree of contribution of the yaw rate deviation-based reaction force control unit is increased as the yaw rate deviation increases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a map error information obtaining system which can promote the collection of the map error information as well as reduce the number of man-hours required for researching the site and verifying whether or not the collected map error information is accurate. The map error information obtaining system herein disclosed comprises a position detecting apparatus including image obtaining means for obtaining image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of a current position, and a center apparatus, the position detecting apparatus being operative to transmit map error information including a position of the map information and image data where it is judged that there is a difference, to the center apparatus. The center apparatus is operative to correct the map information after verifying whether or not the difference in the map information is accurate using the image data.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle including an inertia force sensor for detecting an inertia force generated in the vehicle and a cooperative control unit connected to the inertia force sensor and connected also to a braking/driving force control unit and a steering control unit so that bidirectional communication is allowed, for deciding and outputting controlled variables or controlled correction variables of the braking/driving force control unit and the steering control unit according to the inertia force detected by the inertia force sensor and according to controlled conditions of the braking/driving force control unit and the steering control unit.

Abstract: A reaction force control apparatus for controlling a reaction force to be applied to an operation unit operated by a driver of a vehicle, the reaction force control apparatus includes a steering operation torque measuring unit for measuring steering operation torque applied to the operation unit, a vehicle movement measuring unit for measuring movement of the vehicle, and a reaction force control unit setting the reaction force to be greater as a measured value measured by the vehicle movement measuring unit is greater, and setting the reaction force to be smaller as a measured value measured by the steering operation torque measuring unit is greater.

Abstract: A method of controlling a reaction force device which generates reaction force when a driver operates a steering wheel includes generating greater movement reaction force as a movement of a vehicle is greater, and performing correction such that movement reaction force is greater as a difference between a standard yaw rate and an actual yaw rate is larger.

Abstract: An understeer suppressing apparatus for a vehicle includes an electric power steering device S for suppressing steering when the vehicle is in the understeer state, an alarm device A for informing a driver that the vehicle is in the understeer state, and a braking force distribution device B for generating moment of the vehicle by applying braking forces different from each other to the left and right wheels. As the degree of understeer is increased, the electric power steering device S, the alarm device A, and the braking force distribution device B are operated in this order.

Abstract: In a control method for a motor 10 for generating a reaction force when a driver operates a steering wheel, as a behavior of a vehicle increases, a larger reaction force to the behavior is generated. When an anti-lock brake system is operated, the reaction force to the behavior is corrected so as to be large.

Abstract: An in-vehicle information apparatus presents, to a user, information which includes a returning route. The apparatus includes: a home position holding unit for holding beforehand a position of the user's home; a home arrival time holding unit for holding beforehand the user's home arrival time; a present position obtainment unit for obtaining the user's present position; a present time obtainment unit for obtaining a present time; a route search unit for obtaining a returning route from the present position to the user's home position, a required time for the returning route, and a departure time to leave the present position so the user can get home by the home arrival time; and a presentation unit for comparing the obtained departure time and the present time, and presenting to the user the departure time and the returning route obtained by the route search unit, before the departure time is passed.

Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle includes a steering angle measuring unit, a vehicle speed measuring unit, a yaw rate measuring unit, a yaw rate-based reaction force control unit for controlling a steering reaction force depending on an actual yaw rate measured by the yaw rate measuring unit, and a yaw rate deviation-based reaction force control unit for determining a standard yaw rate depending on at least the steering angle and the vehicle speed, calculating a yaw rate deviation between the standard yaw rate and the actual yaw rate, and controlling the steering reaction force depending on the yaw rate deviation, and a primary control unit for executing a control operation such that a degree of contribution of the yaw rate-based reaction force control unit is decreased and a degree of contribution of the yaw rate deviation-based reaction force control unit is increased as the yaw rate deviation increases.

Abstract: The invention relates to a failure detection system for an electric power steering system. The system detects ON failure of one of first to fourth switching elements of an H-bridge circuit of the electric power steering system. The system detects ON failure by measuring the value of the current and the fluctuation in the value of the current. Therefore, the system can detect ON failures even when the value of the current is within normal ranges.

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, during initial processing after an ignition switch is turned on, when a main CPU completes calculation of an offset voltage, it sends an offset voltage calculation request signal to a sub CPU. When the time from sending the offset voltage calculation request signal until the main CPU receives an offset voltage calculation completion signal from the sub CPU is within a predetermined period of time, it is determined that a communication function between the main CPU and the sub CPU and an offset voltage calculation function of the sub CPU are normal, and at the same time it is possible to maintain synchronism of the offset voltage calculation in the main CPU with the offset voltage calculation in the sub CPU. Thus, it is possible to carry out in a short time a check of the communication function between the main CPU and the sub CPU, while maintaining the synchronism in the offset voltage calculations by the two CPUs when calculating an actual motor current.

Abstract: A reaction force control apparatus for controlling a reaction force to be applied to an operation unit operated by a driver of a vehicle, the reaction force control apparatus includes a steering operation torque measuring unit for measuring steering operation torque applied to the operation unit, a vehicle movement measuring unit for measuring movement of the vehicle, and a reaction force control unit setting the reaction force to be greater as a measured value measured by the vehicle movement measuring unit is greater, and setting the reaction force to be smaller as a measured value measured by the steering operation torque measuring unit is greater.

Abstract: The present invention provides a map error information obtaining system which can promote the collection of the map error information as well as reduce the number of man-hours required for researching the site and verifying whether or not the collected map error information is accurate. The map error information obtaining system herein disclosed comprises a position detecting apparatus including image obtaining means for obtaining image data indicative of an actual condition of and in the vicinity of a current position, and a center apparatus, the position detecting apparatus being operative to transmit map error information including a position of the map information and image data where it is judged that there is a difference, to the center apparatus. The center apparatus is operative to correct the map information after verifying whether or not the difference in the map information is accurate using the image data.

Abstract: A polygon rendering device carries out a polygon division process for generating, based on polygon data which specifies a polygon to be rendered, a plurality of partial polygon data each specifying one piece of partial polygons which are obtained by dividing the polygon. Then, a rendering process is performed based on the generated partial polygon data so as to generate image data which represents an image of the polygon. Here, each of the partial polygons includes a plurality of triangles which respectively include a vertex of the polygon, and each of the triangles included in each of the partial polygons shares at least one edge with at least one other triangle included in the same partial polygon. In such a manner, the polygon rendering device can render polygons at high speeds.

Abstract: The map display apparatus comprises: the view transformation matrix generation unit (102c) which generates the view transformation matrix, including four rows and four columns, for transforming the global coordinate of the three-dimensional object into the view coordinate system; the view transformation matrix change unit (102d) which (i) changes, to 0, (a) the value of the first row in second column and (b) the value of the third row in second column in the view transformation matrix, in the case where the coordinate transformation is executed by multiplying a coordinate with the view transformation matrix from the left side of the coordinate, and (ii) changes, to 0, (a) the value of the second row in first column and (b) the value of the second row in third column in the view transformation matrix, in the case where the coordinate transformation is executed by multiplying the coordinate with the view transformation matrix from the right side of the coordinate; and the view transformation unit (102e) which t

Abstract: The invention relates to a failure detection system for an electric power steering system. The system detects ON failure of one of first to fourth switching elements of an H-bridge circuit of the electric power steering system. The system detects ON failure by measuring the value of the current and the fluctuation in the value of the current. Therefore, the system can detect ON failures even when the value of the current is within normal ranges.

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, during initial processing after an ignition switch is turned on, when a main CPU completes calculation of an offset voltage, it sends an offset voltage calculation request signal to a sub CPU. When the time from sending the offset voltage calculation request signal until the main CPU receives an offset voltage calculation completion signal from the sub CPU is within a predetermined period of time, it is determined that a communication function between the main CPU and the sub CPU and an offset voltage calculation function of the sub CPU are normal, and at the same time it is possible to maintain synchronism of the offset voltage calculation in the main CPU with the offset voltage calculation in the sub CPU. Thus, it is possible to carry out in a short time a check of the communication function between the main CPU and the sub CPU, while maintaining the synchronism in the offset voltage calculations by the two CPUs when calculating an actual motor current.

Abstract: The in-vehicle information apparatus 1 according to the present invention for presenting, to a user, information which includes a returning route is composed of the following: a home position holding unit 102 for holding beforehand a position of the user's home; a home arrival time holding unit 103 for holding beforehand a home arrival time of the user; a present position obtainment unit 106 for obtaining a present position of the user; a present time obtainment unit 107 for obtaining a present time; a route search unit 108 for obtaining a returning route from the present position to the user's home position, a required time for the returning route, and a departure time to leave the present position so that the user can get home by the home arrival time; and a presentation unit 111 for comparing the departure time obtained by the route search unit 108 and the present time, and presenting to the user the departure time and the returning route obtained by the route search unit 108, before the departure time is

Abstract: A map displaying apparatus includes a map data storing unit that stores map data, a map drawing data generating unit that generates map drawing data, a sound data inputting unit that stores sound data and inputs sound data into the map drawing data generating unit, a drawing unit that carries out a drawing process for the map drawing data generated by the map drawing data generating unit to generate an image to be displayed on a screen, and a displaying unit that displays the image generated by the drawing unit on an actual screen.

Abstract: This invention relates to map displaying system, in which the reference altitude value determining means obtains a reference altitude value in accordance with the altitude data in the specific area, and the altitude data changing means performs the processing that each altitude both in the plane area and the solid area have the continuity from one area to another. And the 2-dimensional road data storage means stores the 2-dimensional ground road data and the 2-dimensional underground road data separately. Therefore, the 3-dimensional road data preparing means prepares the 3-dimensional ground road data in accordance with the 2-dimensioanl ground road data and the altitude data, while preparing the 3-dimensional underground road data in accordance with the 2-dimensional underground road data and the altitude data.