Abstract: When performing distance measuring operation in an active mode, a charging time is compared to a predetermined period, and if the charging time is shorter than the predetermined period, then it is determined that the object is at a short distance, whereas, if the charging time is longer than the predetermined period, then it is determined that the object is in the distance. Since the positions where images of an object are formed on sensors depend upon the distance to the object, in other words, the phase difference between the images of the object depends upon the distance to the object, when the object is in the distance, the correlation operation is performed in a shift range corresponding to the long distance, whereas, when the object is at a short distance, the correlation operation is omitted in a shift range corresponding to the long distance and the correlation operation is performed in a range corresponding to a short distance.

Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, there is a shock in a transient period when a driving condition of an internal combustion engine is shifted from a loaded driving state for power generation, in which a load is applied to the internal combustion engine by a motor generator, to a non-loaded driving state for idling or motoring, in which no load is applied to the internal combustion engine. A hybrid power output apparatus of the present invention, in which the motor generator is mechanically linked with the internal combustion engine, prevents an abrupt change in output torque from the motor generator in the transient period from the loaded driving state to the non-loaded driving state. One procedure to attain this object sets the minimum revolving speed of the internal combustion engine in the loaded driving state to be greater than the revolving speed in the non-loaded driving state by approximately 200 rpm.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus for a camera includes light-projecting means for projecting a light beam onto an object of distance measurement, and a pair of sensor arrays, each including a plurality of pixels located at respective pixel positions for receiving reflected light of the light beam reflected by the object of distance measurement and outputting a signal corresponding to the amount of reflected light received. The apparatus further includes phase difference detection means for detecting a phase difference between signals output from the pair of sensor arrays, distance measuring means for measuring a distance to the object on the basis of the phase difference, and shortest range discrimination means for discriminating whether the object of distance measurement is in a shortest range, on the basis of levels of maximum values of signals output by said pair of sensor arrays, where the shortest range is a distance or range at which photography can not be performed.

Abstract: The present invention prevents a decrease in efficiency due to energy circulation in a power transmission path in a power output apparatus having an engine and a motor as power source. In the power output apparatus, a planetary gear 120 has a sun gear shaft linked with a generator MG1, a ring gear shaft linked with a motor MG2, and a planetary carrier linked with an output shaft of an engine 150. The power output apparatus carries out a control procedure to avoid energy circulation, which goes through the planetary gear 120, the motor MG2, and generator MG1, and the planetary gear 120, and thereby prevent a decrease in efficiency. The energy circulation occurs when the motor MG2 converts the power output from the engine 150 to electric power and the generator MG1 carries out power operation with the regenerated electric power.

Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring apparatus for measuring the distance to an object on the basis of reflected light obtained as a result of projecting light onto an object, in which different reliability or contrast discrimination values are set in active and passive distance measurements. When the distance to the object is calculated by performing a correlation calculation on the basis of two received-light images obtained by an active or passive distance measurement, the reliability of the calculated distance and contrast values of the two received-light images are discriminated using the discrimination value.

Abstract: In transferring a supervisory right requirement signal in a submarine cable communication network system comprising a plurality of stations, a particular one of the stations being connected with other ones of the stations as opposite stations through submarine cables including repeaters, the particular station transmits a particular signal representative of the supervisory right requirement assigned thereto to the opposite stations through the submarine cables, respectively. Each of the opposite stations receives the particular signal as a received particular signal. Each of the opposite stations discriminates from the received particular signal that the particular signal is transmitted from the particular station. Then, each of the opposite stations returns the received particular signal to the particular station as a specific signal. The particular station receives the specific signal from each of the opposite stations as a received specific signal.

Abstract: An inverter unit for driving a motor with multi-phased currents, each of the phases being derived from a.c. input voltages that are applied to respective input terminals, rectified and smoothed by capacitors before being applied to parallel-connected switching elements to develop each of the phased a.c. outputs. The capacitors may be connected in series and/or in parallel together with the switching elements. In order to reduce the effect of the distributed inductance contributed by the conductors used to connect the capacitances and switches, and thus the need for large snubber capacitances to compensate for the distributed inductances, the connectors are given a geometry and an orientation that causes the inductances to be minimized. Specifically, the conductors are of a bus-plate form, having a large area for improving heat dissipation, and an orientation so that the magnitude and direction of currents flowing through the bus-plates tend to minimize the effect of the distributed inductances.

Abstract: An inspection device for inspecting projections of a part which can be applied to a variety of parts having projections on the surface thereof such as leads of electronic parts having varying shapes. The inspection device includes a member having a two-dimensional surface to which projections of the part are two-dimensionally pressed at a predetermined pressure, and an arrangement for detecting a pressure distribution pattern on the surface of the member as well as a converter for converting the detected pattern to two-dimensional pattern information. Further, a memory is provided for storing a reference pattern of the projections of the part so that inspection may be effected by comparing the reference pattern with the converted two-dimensional pattern information.

Abstract: Bar codes and auxiliary characters representative of the contents of the bar codes are printed on an article which is limited with respect to the available space in distinguishably recognizable and superposed relations. By selecting appropriately the lightness of the auxiliary characters, reflected light resulting from scanning of the bar code is converted into an electrical signal which is subsequently converted into a binary signal with the signal components due to the auxiliary characters being neglected, to thereby extract only the signal originating in the bar code. A bar code reader is provided which comprises an A/D converter for compensating the output of bar code detection due to the character pattern superposed on the bar code.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, warming-up fuel enrichment is carried out in accordance with the temperature of the engine coolant. This fuel enrichment is further increased in accordance with the temperature of the engine coolant at the moment when a starter is turned on.

Abstract: Knocking in an engine is prevented from occurring by retarding an ignition timing. A basic ignition advance angle THB and a correction value THK for retardation of the ignition timing are computed in order that the ignition timing THF is calculated by using the formula THF=THB-THK. The knocking in the engine tends to take place, as the ignition timing advances. Determination is made as to whether the correction value THK is within a reference range AR. When such a determination is that the correction value THK is within the reference range, discrimination is made as to whether an octane number of the fuel to be supplied to the engine is less than a predetermined octane number of the fuel which is optimum for the engine. If the discriminated octane number of the fuel is less than the predetermined octane number, the ignition timing is retarded by 10 degree of a rotational angle of a crank shaft.

Abstract: An idling speed control device in an internal combustion engine comprising an idling speed control valve arranged in a bypass bypassing the throttle valve of the engine. The valve is fully opened at the start of the engine and closed to a controlled rate when the revolutional speed of the engine reaches a reference rotational value. At least two reference rotational values are provided depending upon a temperature; one of which is a higher value for the considerably high temperature, and the other is a low value for a normal temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus of controlling an air-fuel ratio for internal combustion engine, further comprising the steps of calculating a basic fuel injection duration based on an engine load and a rotational speed of the engine, obtaining a factor of air-fuel ratio feedback correction for allowing a fuel injection duration to perform a proportional-plus-integral action, based on an output of an oxygen sensor for detecting an residual oxygen concentration in an exhaust gas, calculating a mean value of said factor of air-fuel ratio feedback correction, varying a correction value by learning so that said mean value takes a value within a predetermined range centered at a predetermined value corresponding to a target air-fuel ratio, multiplying said mean value by said correction value, providing initial adjustment of load detection apparatus applied to said internal combustion engine for determining said basic fuel injection time duration in order to set said calculation result within said predetermined range, and obtaining t

Abstract: In a method for controlling a fuel injection amount of an internal combustion engine of the present invention, an incremental fuel amount is calculated in accordance with an engine running condition when a high load state of the engine is detected, and an upper limit value of the incremental fuel amount is gradually increased at predetermined intervals. When the incremental fuel amount is equal to or lower than the upper limit value, the fuel injection amount is increased to the extent of the incremental fuel amount. When the incremental fuel amount exceeds the upper limit value, the fuel injection amount is increased with the upper limit value. With this controlling method, the fuel consumption efficiency and acceleration response can be improved and the generation of knock in the engine can be suppressed during the period of the increase of the fuel injection amount in the high load state.

Abstract: A knocking in an engine is prevented from occurring by retarding an ignition timing. A basic ignition advance angle THB and a correction value THK for retardation of the ignition timing are computed in order that the ignition timing THF is calculated by using the following formula.THF=THB-THKThe knocking in the engine tends to take place, as the ignition timing advances. Determination is made as to whether the correction value THK is equal to a reference value or not and detection is made as to whether a rapid acceleration takes place. If the result of such determination is affirmative and no rapid acceleration is detected, discrimination is made as to whether an octane number of the fuel to be supplied to the engine is less than a predetermined octane number of the fuel which is optimum for the engine. When rapid acceleration is detected, the above-mentioned discrimination is not carried out so that the engine is controlled by the previous result of the discrimination of the fuel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a shape detecting apparatus comprising a slit projector for projecting a slit bright line on a number of objects arrayed in a line, an image forming lens for forming the bright line image, an image scanning mechanism for the bright line image formed through the image forming lens in a height direction of the object and a one-dimensional image sensing device for self-scanning the bright line image formed therein with an array of image sensing elements orthogonal to the scanning direction by the image scanning mechanism.

Abstract: A feedthrough terminal for optical fiber cables (12), particularly for use in an underwater repeater, comprises a rod (22) received snugly in a tube (21) and having grooves (24), which are filled by a mass of solder (26) with the optical fiber cables placed in the respective grooves. The grooves may be formed along the tube inside surface or on opposing portion of the tube and the rod. The tube and/or the rod may be possessed of a recessed surface to provide a gap for the solder mass.

Abstract: Apparatus for converting a combustible material such as a hydrocarbon or carbon fuel into a gaseous fuel containing H.sub.2 and/or CO by reaction with a heated mixture of O.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O prepared by decomposition of H.sub.2 O.sub.2, characterized by the provision of a venturi section located upstream of the entrance to a reaction chamber for increasing the velocity of the flow of the O.sub.2 --H.sub.2 O mixture and arrangement of the combustible feed line to add the combustible to the mixture at the venturi.