Abstract: A vehicle drive-assist apparatus includes a traveling environment information acquisition unit, an output setting unit, an urban-region traveling determination unit, and an output suppression control processor. The traveling environment information acquisition unit is configured to acquire traveling environment information of a vehicle. The output setting unit is configured to set output of a driving source of the vehicle on the basis of an accelerator-pedal pushing amount of the vehicle. The urban-region traveling determination unit is configured to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in an urban region, on the basis of the traveling environment information. The output suppression control processor is configured to set an output characteristic of the driving source to a suppression characteristic in a case of traveling in the urban region. The output setting unit is configured to set the output of the driving source on the basis of the set suppression characteristic.

Abstract: A vehicle drive-assist apparatus includes a traveling environment information acquisition unit, an output setting unit, an urban-region traveling determination unit, and an output suppression control processor. The traveling environment information acquisition unit is configured to acquire traveling environment information of a vehicle. The output setting unit is configured to set output of a driving source of the vehicle on the basis of an accelerator-pedal pushing amount of the vehicle. The urban-region traveling determination unit is configured to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in an urban region, on the basis of the traveling environment information. The output suppression control processor is configured to set an output characteristic of the driving source to a suppression characteristic in a case of traveling in the urban region. The output setting unit is configured to set the output of the driving source on the basis of the set suppression characteristic.

Abstract: A vehicle travel support device includes: a guide route setting unit; a travel environment information acquisition unit; a target traveling path setting unit; an inter-vehicle distance keep control unit; a lateral movement amount calculation unit; an obstacle avoidance action detection unit; and a preceding vehicle following controller. The guide route setting unit sets a guide route for a host vehicle. The travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information. The target traveling path setting unit sets a target traveling path. The inter-vehicle distance keep control unit causes the host vehicle to travel to keep a set distance from a preceding vehicle. The lateral movement amount calculation unit calculates a lateral movement amount of the preceding vehicle. The obstacle avoidance action detection unit detects an obstacle avoidance action of the preceding vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle travel support device includes: a guide route setting unit; a travel environment information acquisition unit; a target traveling path setting unit; an inter-vehicle distance keep control unit; a lateral movement amount calculation unit; an obstacle avoidance action detection unit; and a preceding vehicle following controller. The guide route setting unit sets a guide route for a host vehicle. The travel environment information acquisition unit acquires travel environment information. The target traveling path setting unit sets a target traveling path. The inter-vehicle distance keep control unit causes the host vehicle to travel to keep a set distance from a preceding vehicle. The lateral movement amount calculation unit calculates a lateral movement amount of the preceding vehicle. The obstacle avoidance action detection unit detects an obstacle avoidance action of the preceding vehicle.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on one of principal surfaces of the substrate is cut into the plurality of semiconductor chips through dicing. A first cutting process is formed on one of the principal surfaces of the substrate to produce two cutting grooves between two neighboring ones of the plurality of semiconductor chips, each cutting groove being adjacent to one of the neighboring ones of the plurality of semiconductor chips. A second cutting process is performed on the other of the principal surfaces of the substrate to produce a cutting groove overlapping the two cutting grooves produced by the first cutting process.

Abstract: A simulator comprising computer-aided design programs for simulating a shift control algorithm stored in an ECU of an automatic transmission having hydraulic clutches. In the simulator, a simplified hydraulic model describes the entire system so as to design a third model based on which simulation is conducted. With this, by using such a simplified model, it becomes possible to decrease simulation time to 4 sec., enabling to simulation in a time close to an actual shift of approximately 1.5 sec. Moreover, the durability of transmission is tested by repeating the simulation. When the occurrence of undesirable shift phenomenon is forecast in the simulation, the shift control algorithm is corrected until the phenomenon disappears in the next simulation. With this, the manufacturing of a test transmission and a preliminary test are no longer needed, thereby further improving the efficiency and costs of transmission development.

Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on one of principal surfaces of the substrate is cut into the plurality of semiconductor chips through dicing. A first cutting process is formed on one of the principal surfaces of the substrate to produce two cutting grooves between two neighboring ones of the plurality of semiconductor chips, each cutting groove being adjacent to one of the neighboring ones of the plurality of semiconductor chips. A second cutting process is performed on the other of the principal surfaces of the substrate to produce a cutting groove overlapping the two cutting grooves produced by the first cutting process.

Abstract: A simulator having a computer-aided design (CAD) programs for verifying algorithms of a shift controller of an automatic transmission. The simulator includes a simulator main unit (a computer) which stores the programs and inputs the algorithm, and pseudo-signal generator which generates pseudo signals including operation signals for the hydraulic actuators. The programs includes first calculating means for calculating outputs of first to third models describing behavior of the engine, the transmission and the vehicle body at a first calculation cycle based on the algorithm and the pseudo signals. A second calculating means inputs the calculated outputs of the first and second models and calculates an output of a fourth model describing non-linear behavior in the second model at a second calculation cycle, shorter than the first calculation cycle, and verifies the algorithm based on the outputs of the first models.

Abstract: A simulator comprising computer-aided design programs for simulating a shift control algorithm stored in an ECU of an automatic transmission having hydraulic clutches. In the simulator, a simplified hydraulic describing the behavior of the clutch is designed and is incorporated with a model describing the entire system so as to design a third model based on which simulation is conducted. With this, by using such a simplified model, it becomes possible to decrease simulation time to 4 sec., enabling to simulation in a time close to an actual shift of approximately 1.5 sec. Moreover, the durability of transmission is tested by repeating the simulation. When the occurrence of undesirable shift phenomenon is forecast in the simulation, the shift control algorithm is corrected until the phenomenon disappears in the next simulation. With this, the manufacturing of a test transmission and a preliminary test are no longer needed, thereby further improving the efficiency and costs of transmission development.

Abstract: A simulator having a computer-aided design (CAD) programs for verifying algorithms of a shift controller of an automatic transmission. The simulator includes a simulator main unit (a computer) which stores the programs and inputs the algorithm, and pseudo-signal generator which generates pseudo signals including operation signals for the hydraulic actuators. The programs includes first calculating means for calculating outputs of first to third models describing behavior of the engine, the transmission and the vehicle body at a first calculation cycle based on the algorithm and the pseudo signals. A second calculating means inputs the calculated outputs of the first and second models and calculates an output of a fourth model describing non-linear behavior in the second model at a second calculation cycle, shorter than the first calculation cycle, and verifies the algorithm based on the outputs of the first models.

Abstract: A clutch engaging torque which will be required by a hydraulically operated clutch to be engaged for a gearshift is preset. A hydraulic pressure required to obtain the clutch engaging torque while the hydraulically operated clutch is at rest is calculated. Then, a corrective action is effected by, for example, subtracting from the hydraulic pressure a centrifugal hydraulic pressure which will be developed in the hydraulically operated clutch by the rotation thereof in the gearshift, thus determining a hydraulic pressure to operate the hydraulically operated clutch.

Abstract: A method of shift control in an automatic transmission, wherein a shift map has a shift-up line and a shift-down line between each gear change which is used to conduct the shift control with a hysteresis zone being established between each shift-up line and shift-down line. The method includes the steps of shifting down a speed range when a point representing a traveling state on the shift map moves in the lower vehicle speed direction and crosses the shift-down line, shifting up a speed range when the point moves in the higher vehicle speed direction and crosses the shift-up line, and shifting down the speed range when the point is in the hysteresis zone after a shift and also the increasing rate of the engine power is greater than a specified value.

Abstract: If the accelerator pedal condition is a power-on condition and the gearshift type is an upshift, or the accelerator pedal condition is a power-off condition and the gearshift type is a downshift, then a torque for engaging the next-gear-position gearshift means is established based on the engine torque to be transmitted from the engine to the next-gear-position gearshift means, and an inertia torque required to make the rotational speed of the input member of the next-gear-position gearshift means vary as desired with respect to the gearshift. If the accelerator pedal condition is a power-on condition and the gearshift type is a downshift, or the accelerator pedal condition is a power-off condition and the gearshift is an upshift, then the ratio between the rotational speeds of the input and output members of the next-gear-position gearshift means is detected.

Abstract: Engine racing is determined during shift in an automatic transmission having clutches associated with respective gear positions, by, after a shift command is issued to effect a shift in a power-on mode, detecting the input and output rotational speed ratios of previous-gear-position and next-gear-position clutches of the transmission, and determining that engine racing has occurred if the input and output rotational speed ratio of one of the clutches which is normally greater than 1.0 during a gear shift remains below a threshold value slightly smaller than 1.0 for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A method of shift control in an automatic transmission having a torque converter and a shift-gear mechanism, wherein a shift map has a shift-up line and a shift-down line between each gear ratio change which is used to conduct the shift control, with a hysteresis zone being established between each shift-up line and the shift-down line. The method includes the steps of shifting down a speed range when a point representing a traveling state on the shift map moves in the lower vehicle speed direction and crosses the shift-down line, shifting up a speed range when the point moves in the higher vehicle speed direction and crosses the shift-up line, and shifting down the speed range when the point is in the hysteresis zone after a ratio of the torque converter has been shift and also the speed below a threshold level for more than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An automatic transmission shift controlling method for preventing both excessive delays in speed ratio shifts and multiple shifts in close succession in response to two different shift commands in a short time period.When a first shift command is issued, the input and output rotational speed ratio of a shift device associated with a first target speed range for selecting a power transmission path associated with the first target speed range and determined by the first shift command is detected, and the start of operation of the shift device associated with the first target speed range is detected by checking whether the input and output rotational speed ratio has started to vary or not. When a second gear-shift command is issued after the first shift command has been issued but before the start of operation of the shift device is detected, the second shift command is accepted.

Abstract: The amount of engagement of a direct couping mechanism such as lockup clutch (6) disposed between input and output members of a hydrodynamic driving apparatus such as a torque converter (5) to mechanically connect or disconnect the input and output members (5a, 5b) is controlled so as to bring a parameter indicative of the amount of slippage between the input and output members into a predetermined reference range. The average value of the parameter which is measured in a prescribed time interval is determined, and a control value for the amount of engagement in a next prescribed time interval is determined based on the differnece between the average value and the predetermined reference range value.

Abstract: A controller for an automatic transmission hydraulic clutch includes a hydraulic clutch engaged by hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic pressure control valve for regulating the hydraulic pressure, and a detector for detecting a condition immediately before engagement of the hydraulic clutch based upon a change in the hydraulic pressure. A timing controller adjusts timing to change a control force in the hydraulic pressure control valve in response to detection of a condition immediately before engagement of the clutch.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling gear shifting in an automatic transmission on a motor vehicle has maximum speed range cut-off switch which can manually be turned on and off selectively, the arrangement being such that the setting of a maximum speed range in each of the shift ranges is prohibited by turning on the maximum speed range cut-off switch.When the maximum-speed range cut-off switch is turned off, speed range shifting is automatically performed dependent on the traveling states of the motor vehicle in one of the shift ranges which is selected by the shift lever shifted to a corresponding shift position. When the maximum speed range cut-off switch is turned on, the setting of the maximum speed range is prohibited in each of the shift ranges. In each shift range, speed range shifting is carried out automatically between the lowest-speed range and a speed range which is one range lower than the maximum speed range dependent on the traveling states of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A clutch control method for a fluid torque converter of a vehiclar transmission which has a clutch for mechanically connecting the input and output sides of the fluid torque converter within a predetermined vehicular speed range by such a relatively low engaging force as to allow slippage of said clutch. The control method includes a step of determining that the throttle opening of the engine has been decreased at a rate higher than a predetermined value and to a value lower than a predetermined reference throttle opening, even if the vehicular speed is within said predetermined range for allowing clutch slippage, and then increasing the engaging force of said clutch to a value higher than that for said reference opening to provide vehicle braking by the engine.