Abstract: The control device is configured to communicate with another device via a communication network, and comprises: a key acquisition unit configured to acquire, from a key distribution server via the communication network, an encryption key with a life period for performing encrypted communication with the another device; an encrypted communication processing unit configured to perform the encrypted communication with the another device using the encryption key within the life period; a server state detection unit configured to detect a key acquisition disabled state where acquisition of the encryption key by the key acquisition unit is disabled; and a life extension unit configured to perform extension processing for extending the life period if the key acquisition disabled state is detected.

Abstract: Distance-detection system includes a signal-generator configured to provide a drive signal and an ultrasound transducer having at least one ultrasonic element. The ultrasound transducer is configured to transmit a pulse of sound waves and detect reflected sound waves. The distance-detection system also includes a receiver configured to receive a detection signal from the ultrasound transducer. The detection signal includes a reverberation component representing reverberation of the ultrasound transducer and a reflected component representing reflected sound waves from the interface. The receiver is configured to receive a drive-cancellation signal that is inverted with respect to the reverberation component of the detection signal. The receiver is configured to determine a time-of-flight measurement based on the detection signal in which the reverberation component of the detection signal is reduced by the drive-cancellation signal.

Abstract: Distance-detection system includes a signal-generator configured to provide a drive signal and an ultrasound transducer having at least one ultrasonic element. The ultrasound transducer is configured to transmit a pulse of sound waves and detect reflected sound waves. The distance-detection system also includes a receiver configured to receive a detection signal from the ultrasound transducer. The detection signal includes a reverberation component representing reverberation of the ultrasound transducer and a reflected component representing reflected sound waves from the interface. The receiver is configured to receive a drive-cancellation signal that is inverted with respect to the reverberation component of the detection signal. The receiver is configured to determine a time-of-flight measurement based on the detection signal in which the reverberation component of the detection signal is reduced by the drive-cancellation signal.

Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A method of forming an ultrasonic transducer comprises coupling a front polymer layer of uniform thickness to a piezoelectric element. A front metal layer is coupled to the polymer layer on a side of the front polymer layer opposite the piezoelectric element for transmitting acoustic energy between the front polymer layer and a propagation medium. The front polymer layer and the front metal layer define a front acoustic impedance converter, wherein the front polymer layer completely isolates the piezoelectric element from the front metal layer.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer comprising a piezoelectric element, an acoustic matching layer arranged on a surface of the piezoelectric element and having a thickness of at least one-quarter of a wavelength of a center resonant frequency of the transducer, and a front metal layer arranged on a surface of the acoustic matching layer opposite that of the piezoelectric element and having a thickness equal to one-half of the wavelength of the center resonant frequency.

Abstract: A device for detecting a touch at a surface of a substrate comprises a piezoelectric element positioned at a back surface of the substrate to be touched. A drive circuit is configured to apply a frequency modulated drive signal to the piezoelectric element to detect resonance at the substrate. A first detector arrangement coupled to the piezoelectric element is configured to generate a first output signal indicative of a sensed touch or no touch condition according to detected voltage changes and responsive to the frequency modulated drive signal applied to the piezoelectric element. A second detector arrangement coupled to the piezoelectric element is configured to generate a second output signal indicative of a sensed touch or no touch condition according to a sensed strain on said piezoelectric element. A decision circuit including a processor is configured to identify a touch condition or no touch condition at the surface of the substrate according to the first and second output signals.

Abstract: An automobile airbag door includes a base member, a cover member, which is bonded to the surface of the base member, and a tear line, which is formed in the back side of the base member. The tear line is configured to be a starting point of tearing when the base member is pressed by an airbag being deployed and inflated. The cover member includes a three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer bonded to the surface of the base member and a covering bonded to the surface of the three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer. The three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer is made of a double-raschel knitted fabric. The base member includes at least one projection that is formed on the surface of the base member and arranged to be adjacent to the tear line.

Abstract: While feeding an upholstery member, a sewing needle is reciprocated to form needle receiving holes, and an upper thread is passed through each needle receiving hole, caused to cross a lower thread, and pulled out of the needle receiving hole. The sewing cycle is repeatedly performed to form a stitch, so that stitches form a stitch line in a surface sheet. A direction of a force, which is generated by applying tension to the lower thread and which acts to rotate thread ends of a pair of adjacent stitches in each needle receiving hole about a crossing part of the upper thread and the lower thread, is defined as a rotation direction. The sewing needle is rotated in a direction opposite to the rotation direction to incline a diagonal line of the quadrangular shape forming the cross section relative to the feeding direction of the upholstery member.

Abstract: An instrument panel of an automobile includes a base and a covering bonded to a surface of the base. A cleavage groove is formed on the back of the base. When the base is cleaved by inflation pressure of an airbag, the cleavage groove serves as a starting point of the cleavage. The covering is formed by a ground fabric layer made of knitted fabric and a covering layer bonded the surface of the ground fabric layer. The ground fabric layer is formed of an original fabric in which the tensile strength in directions along its surface is anisotropic. The cleavage groove includes a first groove section, which is cleaved first. The covering is oriented with respect to the base such that the direction of the smallest tensile strength of the ground fabric layer matches with a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first groove section extends.

Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A device for detecting a touch at a surface of a substrate comprises a piezoelectric element positioned at a back surface of the substrate to be touched. A drive circuit is configured to apply a frequency modulated drive signal to the piezoelectric element to detect resonance at the substrate. A first detector arrangement coupled to the piezoelectric element is configured to generate a first output signal indicative of a sensed touch or no touch condition according to detected voltage changes and responsive to the frequency modulated drive signal applied to the piezoelectric element. A second detector arrangement coupled to the piezoelectric element is configured to generate a second output signal indicative of a sensed touch or no touch condition according to a sensed strain on said piezoelectric element. A decision circuit including a processor is configured to identify a touch condition or no touch condition at the surface of the substrate according to the first and second output signals.

Abstract: A multilayer backing absorber for use with an ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of absorber elements, each absorber element having at least one metal layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein the backing absorber is adapted to be coupled to a vibrating layer of the ultrasonic transducer.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasonic touch switch combined with piezoelectric touch mode is described. The sensor structure may be embodied as a substrate with a piezoelectric element at the back surface of the substrate, with the front surface being a touch sensitive surface. Both operational modes are possible by use of the same sensor element with filtering of the signals so that different advantages of two modes are combined, while disadvantages of either mode are mitigated. The tolerance of substrate thickness of ultrasonic touch mode is improved by use of a wide range of frequency deviation of drive signal by filtering out the fundamental modulation frequency from the output signal and wherein only sharp pulses corresponding to abrupt impedance changes of the piezoelectric element are extracted. The amplitude of the sharp pulses decreases with touching the front surface of substrate.

Abstract: An automobile airbag door includes a base member, a cover member, which is bonded to the surface of the base member, and a tear line, which is formed in the back side of the base member. The tear line is configured to be a starting point of tearing when the base member is pressed by an airbag being deployed and inflated. The cover member includes a three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer bonded to the surface of the base member and a covering bonded to the surface of the three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer. The three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer is made of a double-raschel knitted fabric. The base member includes at least one projection that is formed on the surface of the base member and arranged to be adjacent to the tear line.

Abstract: An automobile airbag door includes a base member, a cover member, which is bonded to the surface of the base member, and a tear line, which is formed in the back side of the base member. The tear line is configured to be a starting point of tearing when the base member is pressed by an airbag being deployed and inflated. The cover member includes a three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer. The three-dimensionally knitted cushion layer includes a top-side knitted fabric layer, a back-side knitted fabric layer bonded to the surface of the base member, and a connection layer, which is configured by connecting strands connecting the back-side knitted fabric layer and the top-side knitted fabric layer to each other. The mass per unit area of the back-side knitted fabric layer is set to be in the range from 150 g/m2 to 300 g/m2.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer comprising a piezoelectric element, an acoustic matching layer arranged on a surface of the piezoelectric element and having a thickness of at least one-quarter of a wavelength of a center resonant frequency of the transducer, and a front metal layer arranged on a surface of the acoustic matching layer opposite that of the piezoelectric element and having a thickness equal to one-half of the wavelength of the center resonant frequency.

Abstract: A vehicle interior panel includes a base member including a door portion and a cover member adhered to a surface of the base member by an adhesive layer. The door portion includes an end that is opened by an inflation pressure of an airbag. The end of the door portion forms a base member end together with an end of a base member body of the base member. The adhesive layer has an adhesive force set so that the cover member that covers a portion of the base member body that is adjacent to the door portion is separated from the adjacent portion as the door portion opens when pushed by the inflation pressure of the airbag.

Abstract: An instrument panel of an automobile includes a base and a covering bonded to a surface of the base. A cleavage groove is formed on the back of the base. When the base is cleaved by inflation pressure of an airbag, the cleavage groove serves as a starting point of the cleavage. The covering is formed by a ground fabric layer made of knitted fabric and a covering layer bonded the surface of the ground fabric layer. The ground fabric layer is formed of an original fabric in which the tensile strength in directions along its surface is anisotropic. The cleavage groove includes a first groove section, which is cleaved first. The covering is oriented with respect to the base such that the direction of the smallest tensile strength of the ground fabric layer matches with a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the first groove section extends.

Abstract: An instrument panel has a substrate and a cover formed by laminating a cushion layer on the back surface of a cover body. A terminal portion of the cushion layer includes a body portion and a peripheral edge portion. The peripheral edge portion is plastically deformed into a compressed state and located around the body portion. The terminal portion of the substrate includes a flat portion and a flange portion. The flange portion surrounds the flat portion in a state of protruding to the top side. The cover is adhered onto the terminal portion of the substrate by adhering the body portion onto the flat portion and adhering the peripheral edge portion onto the flange portion. The peripheral edge portion is adhered onto the flange portion in a state where the peripheral edge portion is folded along the top surface and a side surface of the flange portion.