Abstract: A vehicular headlamp includes a projection lens, a light source, a reflector, and a liquid crystal shutter. The liquid crystal shutter includes a pair of transparent plates, a liquid crystal member, and a pair of polarization plates. The liquid crystal member is disposed only in a part of an area between the pair of transparent plates. The pair of polarization plates are disposed only in an area of the outer surface of the pair of transparent plates corresponding to an area in which the liquid crystal member is disposed. The area in which the liquid crystal member is disposed includes a first area for blocking a part of reflected light from the reflector such that light emitted from the projection lens forms a low-beam distribution pattern having a cut-off line at an upper end edge, and a second area for blocking light emitted from the projection lens and then reflected by a road surface ahead of a vehicle toward a space above the cut-off line.

Abstract: An ion radiation damage prediction method includes a parameter computation step of computing the collision position and the incidence angle of an incident ion hitting a fabricated object by considering a transport path of the ion and by adopting the Monte Carlo method which takes distributions of flux quantities, incidence energies and angles of incident ions as input parameters; and a defect-distribution computation step of searching for data by referring to information found at the parameter computation step and databases created in advance, the databases storing distributions of quantities of crystalline defects having an effect on the fabricated object, ion reflection probabilities and ion penetration depths, finding the penetration depth and location of the incident ion based on the data found in the search operation, and the incidence energy and angle of the incident ion, and computing a distribution of defects in the fabricated object from the penetration depth and location.

Abstract: A wireless networking device includes a transceiver that transmits and receives communications over a wireless local area network (WLAN), and a processor cooperatively operable with the transceiver. The processor transmits over the transceiver one WLAN frame of a file transfer to a receiving networking device and then transitioning from transmit power level down to a state of receive power level while waiting for an “ACK” signal to the transmitting. The processor also receives over the transceiver the “ACK” signal from the receiving networking device, and the “ACK” signal triggers going into a doze state of a low power level for a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time expires and triggers transitioning the processor to a state of receive power level for an inter-frame space while waiting to transmit a next WLAN frame. The low power receive power level is lower than the receive power level.

Abstract: A headlamp controller includes: a headlamp unit configured to illuminate a front area of a vehicle with a light distribution pattern; an image capturing camera configured to capture an image of the front area; and a light distribution controller including: a road shape detecting unit configured to detect a road shape based on the captured image; a reference optical flow generating unit configured to generate a reference optical flow for a target object belonging to one of attributes based on the road shape; a bright point optical flow measuring unit configured to measure an optical flow of a bright point defined as a target in the captured image; and an attribute determining unit configured to compare the reference optical flow with the optical flow of the bright point and determine which one of the attributes the optical flow of the bright point belongs.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to perform high-precision tracking error detection and tracking control using digital circuitry at relatively low speed and with a small circuit scale. Tracking servo circuit is formed as a single-chip circuit. Low-pass filters (LPF) and gain control amplifiers (GCA) of the input portion are analog circuits, while the circuits after analog-digital (A/D) converters, that is, offset cancellation circuits, equalizers (EQ), first and second phase difference detectors, adder, low-pass filter (LPF), gain control amplifier (GCA), and servo DSP are all digital circuits.

Abstract: A headlamp control device is provided. The device includes a visual object luminance unit, an adapted state unit, a recognition limit unit, a visual object recognition unit, and a light distribution control unit. The visual object luminance unit estimates a visual object luminance based on information about a vehicle forward captured image. The adapted state unit estimates an adaptation luminance based on the information about the vehicle forward captured image. The recognition limit unit estimates a recognition limit luminance, in the visual object range, based on at least the adaptation luminance. The visual object recognition unit determines whether the visual object luminance is less than the recognition limit luminance. The light distribution control unit controls a light distribution of a headlamp unit such that the visual object luminance is included in a range of the recognition limit luminance, if the visual object luminance is less than the recognition limit luminance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gelatinous enhancer for an inflator, including silicone oil and ammonium nitrate.

Abstract: A vehicle lighting system 1 reads position data of a plurality of nodes which are situated ahead of and behind the current position of a cruising vehicle using vehicle current position data and road map data to estimate the shape of a driving path by connecting the plurality of nodes via an interpolation process. Then, as to nodes which are recognized as change points of the shape of the driving path by a road node characteristic position detecting device 4, for example, a bending point or inflecting point, and a starting point and a terminating point of a curve path, a transition range is set ahead of and behind the nodes by a transition range setting device 5. Then, when the cruising vehicle runs through the range so set, a control quantity related to the illumination control of a vehicle headlamp 10 is made to be changed slowly.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to perform high-precision tracking error detection and tracking control using digital circuitry at relatively low speed and with a small circuit scale. Tracking servo circuit is formed as a single-chip circuit. Low-pass filters (LPF) and gain control amplifiers (GCA) of the input portion are analog circuits, while the circuits after analog-digital (A/D) converters, that is, offset cancellation circuits, equalizers (EQ), first and second phase difference detectors, adder, low-pass filter (LPF), gain control amplifier (GCA), and servo DSP are all digital circuits.

Abstract: A vehicular headlamp apparatus 1 is provided with a first and a second light-emitting portion including a common light source 3 or a plurality of light sources 3 and 3?. The first light-emitting portion 2_1 forms a base beam by normally lighting the light source 3 to use emission light from the light source. The second light-emitting portion 2_2 is caused to emit an auxiliary beam for supplementing the light distribution of the base beam made available by the first light-emitting portion 2_1. The distribution, the quantity of light or light color of the light emitted from the first light-emitting portion 2_1 is varied with the travel condition or travel environment of a vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle lighting system 1 reads position data of a plurality of nodes which are situated ahead of and behind the current position of a cruising vehicle using vehicle current position data and road map data to estimate the shape of a driving path by connecting the plurality of nodes via an interpolation process. Then, as to nodes which are recognized as change points of the shape of the driving path by a road node characteristic position detecting device 4, for example, a bending point or inflecting point, and a starting point and a terminating point of a curve path, a transition range is set ahead of and behind the nodes by a transition range setting device 5. Then, when the cruising vehicle runs through the range so set, a control quantity related to the illumination control of a vehicle headlamp 10 is made to be changed slowly.

Abstract: It is an object to reliably decide the running area of a vehicle and to carry out suitable irradiation control for the area. This invention provides a lighting device 1 for a vehicle including irradiation control means 5 for deciding a running area based on position information obtained by vehicle current-position detecting means 2 and road information obtained by road information acquiring means 3 and for carrying out irradiation control of a lighting tool for a vehicle according to a result of the decision. For road information, a current running area (a high-speed running area, an urban area) is decided based on information in the current position of a vehicle and information about a road over which the vehicle has already run or the same information and information about the forward place of the vehicle.

Abstract: A projection-type headlamp serving also as an infrared light-emitting lamp assuring a sufficient intensity of infrared light irradiation ahead of a vehicle while preventing glare to oncoming vehicles in the adjacent lane. The headlamp is provided with an ellipsoidal reflector, a light source, a shade in the form of an infrared light-transmitting film for reflecting visible light and while allowing infrared light to pass through, and a projection lens for forming simultaneously a predetermined visible light beam pattern and a predetermined infrared light beam pattern, in which an upper edge portion of the shade is positioned above the optical axis of the reflector. A cut line and a hot zone of the visible light beam pattern are set beneath the horizontal line on a light distribution screen so that the visible light beam cannot cause glare for drivers of oncoming vehicles in the opposite lane, and a hot zone of the infrared light beam pattern is set on the horizontal line on the light distribution screen.

Abstract: In a vehicle headlamp apparatus 1, there are provided a map information acquiring means 2 for acquiring positional information on one's own vehicle on a map and the environmental information, and an environmental condition detection means 3 for detecting an environmental condition relating to a traveling road on which one's own vehicle is driven according image information or the information acquired from a radar. The light distribution control means 4 of a lighting device 5 performs light distribution control over the headlamp according to more reliable one of both kinds of information adopted with the priority given thereto out of the information derived from the map information acquiring means 2 and the information detected by the environmental condition detection means 3 or according to the information complemented with both kinds of information described above.

Abstract: In such a state that a self-vehicle runs along a guide route (YES in S6), if an intersection is not present in a forward part for a while (NO in S8), beam control is carried out in a navigation associating mode corresponding to the guide route (S9). Consequently, beam irradiation is properly carried out over a road provided ahead of the vehicle without requiring a complicated calculation for the beam control. On the other hand, if the intersection is present in the forward part of the guide route (YES in S8), the beam control is carried out in a normal mode (a control mode other than the navigation associating mode) (S10). Consequently, even if the self-vehicle gets out of the guide route when passing through the intersection, the beam control itself is performed continuously and the beam irradiation is properly executed over the road provided ahead of the vehicle.

Abstract: Beam control over headlamps is performed with the arriving position, a predetermined time later from the present time, as a target position. At this time, the radius of curvature of a traveling road ahead of a vehicle is calculated on the basis of data from a navigation unit, and the arriving position of one's own vehicle is estimated on the basis of an advisable vehicle speed corresponding to the radius of curvature. Thus, the arriving position of one's own vehicle can accurately be estimated by taking into consideration variation in vehicle speed that is likely to occur in the near future.

Abstract: A light distribution control apparatus which is less affected by an error in a navigation function, and conducts a proper light distribution. An illuminated area and a glare quantity are controlled according to a determination on a traveling region of a vehicle (an expressway, a general road, or an urban region), and an illuminating direction is controlled according to a determination on a road shape. On the other hand, a navigation processor determines reliabilities of current position detection, and a vehicle position based on road data, and determines a reliability of the road shape and a reliability of the traveling region. A base illuminated area and a medium glare are selected when the reliability of the traveling region is low, an illuminated area according to the traveling region is selected and the glare quantity is decreased when the reliability is medium, and an illuminated area and a glare quantity according to the traveling region are selected when the reliability is high.

Abstract: An infrared-ray radiating lamp which is prevented from being mistaken for a tail lamp or a stop lamp by ensuring that not only infrared rays but also visible rays are emanated from a front lens simultaneously. The lamp includes a lighting chamber defined by a lamp body and a front lens, a reflector disposed in the lighting chamber, and infrared-ray radiation means and visible-ray radiation means disposed in front of the reflector in the lighting chamber. The infrared rays radiated from the infrared-ray radiation means and the visible rays radiated from the visible-ray radiation means are emanated from the front lens simultaneously when the lamp is lit. Thus, the rays distributed by the lamp include both red infrared rays and white visible rays, and therefore a red color is not particularly noticeable. Thus, the infrared-ray radiating lamp when lit is not mistaken for a tail lamp or a stop lamp.

Abstract: Beams from headlamps are controlled by a beam control ECU. The beam control ECU has a road-configuration-corresponding mode and a corresponding-turning-angle mode. In the road-configuration-corresponding mode, beam control is performed according to the detected results of a road configuration ahead of a vehicle. In the corresponding-turning-angle mode, beam control is performed according the detected results of the turning angle of the vehicle. One of these modes is selected in response to the vehicle speed. Thus, the beam emitting direction is prevented from being inadvertently changed-irrespective of the rise and fall of vehicle speed-through the actuation of a direction indicator or a steering operation.

Abstract: A projection-type headlamp serving also as an infrared light-emitting lamp assuring a sufficient intensity of infrared light irradiation ahead of a vehicle while preventing glare to oncoming vehicles in the adjacent lane. The headlamp is provided with an ellipsoidal reflector, a light source, a shade in the form of an infrared light-transmitting film for reflecting visible light and while allowing infrared light to pass through, and a projection lens for forming simultaneously a predetermined visible light beam pattern and a predetermined infrared light beam pattern, in which an upper edge portion of the shade is positioned above the optical axis of the reflector. A cut line and a hot zone of the visible light beam pattern are set beneath the horizontal line on a light distribution screen so that the visible light beam cannot cause glare for drivers of oncoming vehicles in the opposite lane, and a hot zone of the infrared light beam pattern is set on the horizontal line on the light distribution screen.