Abstract: A gas measurement adapter includes a flow tube portion configured to allow gas to pass through the flow tube portion and a window portion configured to allow measurement light for measuring a component of the gas passing through the flow tube portion to pass through the window portion. The adapter is prepared by using an adapter forming material containing a cycloolefin-based resin as a main component.

Abstract: A microcontroller includes two processing blocks that respectively have a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a peripheral circuit, where an access to the peripheral circuit in each of the processing blocks, that is, to a Read-Only Memory (ROM) or a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) signal generator, is limited only from the CPU disposed in the same processing block. Thereby a fail-safe functionality of the microcontroller is improved.

Abstract: A microcontroller includes two processing blocks that respectively have a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a peripheral circuit, where an access to the peripheral circuit in each of the processing blocks, that is, to a Read-Only Memory (ROM) or a Pulse Width Modulator (PWM) signal generator, is limited only from the CPU disposed in the same processing block. Thereby a fail-safe functionality of the microcontroller is improved.

Abstract: There is provided a control apparatus that controls a motor of an electric power steering system to assist a steering effort of an operator. The control apparatus includes a sensor, a parameter computer, a difference computer, a target torque computer, and a motor driver. The parameter computer computes a current value of one of physical parameters of one of constituents of the electric power steering system based on a steering parameter determined by the sensor referring to an equation of motion. The difference computer computes a difference between the current value of the one of the physical parameters computed by the parameter computer and a predetermined value of the one of the physical parameters. The target torque computer computes a target torque of the motor which compensates for the difference between the current value and the predetermined value of the one of the physical parameters.

Abstract: An AD converter includes an input circuit, an operation circuit and a bus interface. The input circuit is provided with a pull-down circuit, which is capable of pulling down an analog signal input side of a sample-hold circuit whether an analog signal is inputted or not. The operation circuit is provided with a reference voltage conversion result storing register, which is capable of storing a conversion result of an analog reference voltage inputted periodically separately from a conversion result of the analog signal inputted through the sample-hold circuit. The operation circuit is further provided with a check register, which is capable of writing in and reading out data for checking operation of a signal transfer system including a bus interface through the bus interface. Thus, it is made possible to confirm normality of an external part and an internal part of the AD converter.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus has a steering power assisting system coupled to tire wheels and a variable gear transfer system coupled to a steering wheel. The steering power assisting system includes a torsion bar rotation sensor and a first actuator rotation sensor to calculate a first pinion angle and a second pinion angle based on the detected rotation angles, respectively. The variable gear transfer system includes a steering sensor and a second actuator rotation sensor to calculate a third pinion angle based on the detected rotation angles. Sensor failure is detected by comparing the calculated first, second and third pinion angles.

Abstract: An AD converter includes an input circuit, an operation circuit and a bus interface. The input circuit is provided with a pull-down circuit, which is capable of pulling down an analog signal input side of a sample-hold circuit whether an analog signal is inputted or not. The operation circuit is provided with a reference voltage conversion result storing register, which is capable of storing a conversion result of an analog reference voltage inputted periodically separately from a conversion result of the analog signal inputted through the sample-hold circuit. The operation circuit is further provided with a check register, which is capable of writing in and reading out data for checking operation of a signal transfer system including a bus interface through the bus interface. Thus, it is made possible to confirm normality of an external part and an internal part of the AD converter.

Abstract: A power steering apparatus has a steering power assisting system coupled to tire wheels and a variable gear transfer system coupled to a steering wheel. The steering power assisting system includes a torsion bar rotation sensor and a first actuator rotation sensor to calculate a first pinion angle and a second pinion angle based on the detected rotation angles, respectively. The variable gear transfer system includes a steering sensor and a second actuator rotation sensor to calculate a third pinion angle based on the detected rotation angles. Sensor failure is detected by comparing the calculated first, second and third pinion angles.

Abstract: There is provided a control apparatus that controls a motor of an electric power steering system to assist a steering effort of an operator. The control apparatus includes a sensor, a parameter computer, a difference computer, a target torque computer, and a motor driver. The parameter computer computes a current value of one of physical parameters of one of constituents of the electric power steering system based on a steering parameter determined by the sensor referring to an equation of motion. The difference computer computes a difference between the current value of the one of the physical parameters computed by the parameter computer and a predetermined value of the one of the physical parameters. The target torque computer computes a target torque of the motor which compensates for the difference between the current value and the predetermined value of the one of the physical parameters.

Abstract: An electronic control system mounted on an automobile, such as a motor-assisted power steering system, includes a commanding unit for calculating a command value and a driving unit for driving an actuator according to the command value. The commanding unit and the driving unit are communicably connected to each other through a communication bus. The command value is calculated in response to an order to calculate sent from the driving unit and is transmitted to the driving unit. The driving unit detects abnormality or malfunction in the commanding unit by comparing the transmitted command value with data pre-stored in the driving unit. If a command value sent from one of the commanding units is found to be incorrect, the actuator is driven without using the incorrect command value.

Abstract: In an instantaneous wire interruption detection system for a vehicle electrical system, a VSC-ECU includes an input processing circuit that processes electric signals transmitted from various sensors and an EFI-ECU by a signal wire (wire harness); a signal state determination circuit that determines whether the electric signals processed by the input processing circuit are normal or abnormal; a latch circuit that latches the determination result as a latch signal; and an output circuit that can output the latch signal. When a signal abnormality is detected by the signal state determination circuit, the latch circuit is able to generate the latch signal in synchronization therewith, and latch the latch signal for a predetermined time. Accordingly, for example, by connecting a tester device to the output circuit, and monitoring the latch signal, it is possible to detect instantaneous wire interruption of the electrical system.

Abstract: When a resistance value of a CAN bus main line is 60 ?, the CAN bus main line is in a normal state. However, the resistance value thereof differs depending on an abnormality portion when an abnormality such as disconnection, short circuit, or the like has occurred in it or a branch line. Therefore, the abnormality portion can be identified depending on the measured resistance value. In addition, a failure diagnosis portion of an ECU stores different diagnosis trouble codes in the memory for the following cases; when an abnormality has occurred in the CAN bus communication, when various sensors are malfunctioning, and when an abnormality such as disconnection has occurred in a communication line that is connected to the various sensors. Accordingly, the resistance value of the CAN bus main line is measured, and the abnormality portion can be identified by a combination of the resistance value and the diagnosis trouble code.

Abstract: An electronic control system mounted on an automobile, such as a motor-assisted power steering system, includes a commanding unit for calculating a command value and a driving unit for driving an actuator according to the command value. The commanding unit and the driving unit are communicably connected to each other through a communication bus. The command value is calculated in response to an order to calculate sent from the driving unit and is transmitted to the driving unit. The driving unit detects abnormality or malfunction in the commanding unit by comparing the transmitted command value with data pre-stored in the driving unit. If a command value sent from one of the commanding units is found to be incorrect, the actuator is driven without using the incorrect command value.

Abstract: In an instantaneous wire interruption detection system for a vehicle electrical system, a VSC-ECU includes an input processing circuit that processes electric signals transmitted from various sensors and an EFI-ECU by a signal wire (wire harness); a signal state determination circuit that determines whether the electric signals processed by the input processing circuit are normal or abnormal; a latch circuit that latches the determination result as a latch signal; and an output circuit that can output the latch signal. When a signal abnormality is detected by the signal state determination circuit, the latch circuit is able to generate the latch signal in synchronization therewith, and latch the latch signal for a predetermined time. Accordingly, for example, by connecting a tester device to the output circuit, and monitoring the latch signal, it is possible to detect instantaneous wire interruption of the electrical system.

Abstract: When a resistance value of a CAN bus main line is 60 &OHgr;, the CAN bus main line is in a normal state. However, the resistance value thereof differs depending on an abnormality portion when an abnormality such as disconnection, short circuit, or the like has occurred in it or a branch line. Therefore, the abnormality portion can be identified depending on the measured resistance value.

Abstract: A tire pneumatic pressure detector includes a tire pneumatic pressure detection unit, a first memory storing data associated with a timing at which the drop of tire pneumatic pressure occurs, a second memory storing second data including one or more of a lapse of time from which the tire pneumatic pressure drop occurs, and third data associated with running distance from the timing when a fault diagnosis signal is input.

Abstract: Data about a running distance from a time at which the drop of a tire pneumatic pressure occurs is stored, and a warning method of an alarm is changed in accordance with this data. For example, when the running distance is smaller than a predetermined value, a flashing frequency of an alarm lamp provided to the alarm is set to a lower frequency, and when the running distance becomes greater than the predetermined value, the flashing frequency of the alarm lamp is set to a higher frequency. When a fault-diagnosing device is connected to a tire pneumatic pressure detector, the data about the running distance from the timing of the occurrence of the drop of the tire pneumatic pressure can be read out. In consequence, the tire pneumatic pressure detector can judge the degrees of blowout and the drop of the pneumatic pressure. Further, market data about the blowout of the tire and the running after the drop of the pneumatic pressure can be collected.

Abstract: A brake control device for detecting a rear lift-up state of a vehicle, during braking, after a determination that: the driving surface has a high .mu. value; a rear wheel velocity is greater than a maximum front wheel velocity; and the same rear wheel has an acceleration within a specified range. Once the rear lift-up state is detected, and reference vehicle velocity is decreased by a specified value.

Abstract: A vehicle control unit stores a minimum calculable speed of a wheel speed. The minimum calculable speed is a wheel speed first calculated by ECU based on output signals of speed sensors after the vehicle starts traveling. The minimum calculable speed is compared with a predetermined speed value as a permissible speed. The permissible speed is a reference value for determining whether the vehicle control is to be executed or not. If the minimum calculable speed is higher than the predetermined speed value, the minimum calculable speed is set as the permissible speed. A calculated vehicle body speed or a calculated wheel speed is compared with the permissible speed. If the vehicle body speed or the wheel speed is higher than the permissible speed, the vehicle control is executed normally, estimating the calculated vehicle body speed or the calculated wheel speed being correct. Therefore, the vehicle control unit can accurately control a specific control target even during low speed travel.

Abstract: A plurality of speed sensors sense rotational speeds of respective vehicle wheels including a right-hand vehicle wheel and a left-hand vehicle wheel. A speed of the right-hand vehicle wheel and a speed of the left-hand vehicle wheel are calculated on the basis of detection signals of the speed sensors. A judgment is made as to whether or not a vehicle wheel having a small tire is present in the vehicle wheels on the basis of the calculated speeds of the right-hand vehicle wheel and the left-hand vehicle wheel. In cases where a vehicle wheel having a small tire is judged to be absent, a control quantity is calculated by use of all the detection signals of the speed sensors. In cases where a vehicle wheel having a small tire is judged to be present, a control quantity is calculated by use of the detection signals of the speed sensors except the detection signal of the speed sensor of the vehicle wheel having the small tire. A controlled object is controlled in accordance with the calculated control quantity.