Abstract: A damper apparatus includes a drive plate, a driven plate, torsion springs, and spring housing portions. The torsion springs each have a large arc spring and a small arc spring, and elastically couple the drive plate and the driven plate in the rotation direction and transmit torque. The spring housing portions have a support surface that can support the outer periphery of the large arc springs, and the support surface comes into contact with the outer periphery of the central portions, in the lengthwise direction, of the large arc springs. Also, gaps exist between the support surface and the outer periphery of the two end portions, in the lengthwise direction, of the large arc springs.

Abstract: A damper apparatus includes a drive plate, a driven plate, torsion springs, and spring housing portions. The torsion springs each have a large arc spring and a small arc spring, and elastically couple the drive plate and the driven plate in the rotation direction and transmit torque. The spring housing portions have a support surface that can support the outer periphery of the large arc springs, and the support surface comes into contact with the outer periphery of the central portions, in the lengthwise direction, of the large arc springs. Also, gaps exist between the support surface and the outer periphery of the two end portions, in the lengthwise direction, of the large arc springs.

Abstract: There is disclosed a picture synthesizing apparatus for superimposing an auxiliary image upon an image converted as if the image were photographed with a virtual viewpoint, displaying the image in a monitor, and providing the image such that an approach to a surrounding solid object can easily be predicted from the monitor image. The picture synthesizing apparatus includes: an image pickup unit 101 disposed in a car; a viewpoint change image synthesizing unit 102 for changing a viewpoint of the image obtained by the image pickup unit 101 and synthesizing the image; a car straight locus line generation unit 103 for generating a locus line at an arbitrary height of the car, when the car linearly advances; and a car locus line drawing unit 104 for drawing the locus line generated by the car straight locus line generation unit 103 on the image synthesized by the viewpoint change image synthesizing unit 102.

Abstract: A picture composing apparatus designed to combine a plurality of images taken by a plurality of image pickup devices. In the apparatus, a first projecting unit projects the plurality of images taken by the image pickup devices onto a projection section in accordance with an image pickup situation of the image pickup devices to generate a plurality of first projected images, and a second projecting unit projects the plurality of first projected images to a three-dimensional projection model to generate a second projected image.

Abstract: Parking assistance apparatus that displays on a screen an image shot by image picking-up apparatus mounted on a vehicle. The parking assistance apparatus superimposes a guide line that is parallel to the line tangent to the predicted outer locus of the vehicle assumed when the vehicle is backed with the wheel at the maximum steering angle. This allows the driver to drive the vehicle so that the guide line will not overlap the image of another vehicle thus allowing parking that avoids any contact.

Abstract: A driving aiding system includes a displaying section arranged at a position that can be looked at from a driver's seat of a vehicle, an image picking-up section for picking up an image of a rear portion of the vehicle containing at least a part of a hitch that is provided to the rear portion of the vehicle, and an image processing section for causing the displaying section to display a synthesized image that is obtained by image-processing an image picked up by the image picking-up section. A hitch image of own vehicle in addition to an image of a trailed vehicle and an image of a destination coupler are displayed on a screen of the displaying section. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the hitch and the destination coupler can be checked on the screen and thus the hitch coupling operation can be facilitated.

Abstract: A fingerprint ID device includes input means for receiving a fingerprint image, center detecting means for detecting a center point of a fingerprint from the fingerprint image, area extracting means for extracting a given area, which surrounds the center point, as a center image of the fingerprint, and checking means for checking the center image against fingerprint images registered in advance. This structure allows checking a fingerprint by using the center image which includes a large number of characteristics. Thus even if the finger deviates from a right position, the fingerprint can be identified with accuracy, and at the same time, a memory capacity of the device can be substantially reduced.

Abstract: In a driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position which can be viewed from a driver's seat when the vehicle is to be backed, a locus estimated line 10 of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle is superposed on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

Abstract: Parking assistance apparatus that that displays on a screen an image shot by image picking-up means mounted on a vehicle, characterized in that said parking assistance apparatus superimposes a guide line that is parallel to the line tangent to the predicted outer locus of the vehicle assumed when the vehicle is backed with the wheel at the maximum steering angle. This allows the driver to drive the vehicle so that the guide line will not overlap the image of another vehicle thus allowing parking that avoids any contact.

Abstract: In a driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position which can be viewed from a driver's seat when the vehicle is to be backed, a locus estimated line 10 of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle is superposed on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

Abstract: There are provided a displaying means arranged at a position that can be looked at from a driver's seat of a vehicle, an image picking-up means for picking up an image of a rear portion of the vehicle containing at least a part of a hitch that is provided to the rear portion of the vehicle, and an image processing means for causing the displaying means to display a synthesized image that is obtained by image-processing an image picked up by the image picking-up means, wherein a hitch image 35a of own vehicle in addition to an image 41a of a trailed vehicle and an image 42a of the coupler are displayed on a screen of the displaying means. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the hitch and the destination coupler can be checked on the screen and thus the hitch coupling operation can be facilitated.

Abstract: There is disclosed a picture synthesizing apparatus for superimposing an auxiliary image upon an image converted as if the image were photographed with a virtual viewpoint, displaying the image in a monitor, and providing the image such that an approach to a surrounding solid object can easily be predicted from the monitor image. The picture synthesizing apparatus includes: an image pickup unit 101 disposed in a car; a viewpoint change image synthesizing unit 102 for changing a viewpoint of the image obtained by the image pickup unit 101 and synthesizing the image; a car straight locus line generation unit 103 for generating a locus line at an arbitrary height of the car, when the car linearly advances; and a car locus line drawing unit 104 for drawing the locus line generated by the car straight locus line generation unit 103 on the image synthesized by the viewpoint change image synthesizing unit 102.

Abstract: A picture composing apparatus designed to combine a plurality of images taken by a plurality of image pickup devices. In the apparatus, a first projecting unit projects the plurality of images taken by the image pickup devices onto a projection section in accordance with an image pickup situation of the image pickup devices to generate a plurality of first projected images, and a second projecting unit projects the plurality of first projected images to a three-dimensional projection model to generate a second projected image.