Abstract: An automatic brake control apparatus controls a braking device of a vehicle to execute a brake operation at a brake operating timing. The automatic brake control apparatus includes a brain activity state acquirer unit configured to acquire an activity state of a brain of a driver of the vehicle; a change determiner unit configured to use the activity state of the brain of the driver acquired after the braking device has executed a brake operation at a brake operating timing to determine whether changing the brake operating timing is necessary or unnecessary; and a change controller configured to change the brake operating timing in response to that changing the brake operating timing is determined to be necessary.

Abstract: An automatic brake control apparatus controls a braking device of a vehicle to execute a brake operation at a brake operating timing. The automatic brake control apparatus includes a brain activity state acquirer unit configured to acquire an activity state of a brain of a driver of the vehicle; a change determiner unit configured to use the activity state of the brain of the driver acquired after the braking device has executed a brake operation at a brake operating timing to determine whether changing the brake operating timing is necessary or unnecessary; and a change controller configured to change the brake operating timing in response to that changing the brake operating timing is determined to be necessary.

Abstract: In a vehicular navigation system, a control circuit acquires weather information and displays (i) a map containing a present position and (ii) weather information relative to a position outside a display range of the map, among the acquired weather information.

Abstract: A sound reproduction device such as a radio receiver or a cellular phone includes an antenna, a control unit and a speaker. The control unit determines whether a radio wave receiving condition is satisfactory. The receiving condition is represented by field strength of the radio wave or a degradation of a sound signal in the radio wave. If the receiving condition is not satisfactory, the control unit adds an acoustic effect to the sound signal thereby to notify listeners of degradation of receiving condition. The acoustic effect may be a changing of sound image localization, a changing of a frequency characteristic and a changing of a reverberation characteristic. The acoustic effect is stopped for a specified period after the acoustic effect is added, even when the receiving condition is not satisfactory.

Abstract: In a vehicular navigation system, a control circuit acquires weather information and displays (i) a map containing a present position and (ii) weather information relative to a position outside a display range of the map, among the acquired weather information.

Abstract: In a screen on a touch panel of a navigation device, an operation key is displayed in a standard size until a press operation is detected. When a press operation is detected and a press area is determined to be larger than a standard area corresponding to the standard size of the operation key, the size of the operation key is changed to be larger than the standard size.

Abstract: A sound reproduction device such as a radio receiver or a cellular phone includes an antenna, a control unit and a speaker. The control unit determines whether a radio wave receiving condition is satisfactory. The receiving condition is represented by field strength of the radio wave or a degradation of a sound signal in the radio wave. If the receiving condition is not satisfactory, the control unit adds an acoustic effect to the sound signal thereby to notify listeners of degradation of receiving condition. The acoustic effect may be a changing of sound image localization, a changing of a frequency characteristic and a changing of a reverberation characteristic. The acoustic effect is stopped for a specified period after the acoustic effect is added, even when the receiving condition is not satisfactory.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system 1 includes a control unit that performs control for displaying a map and marks indicating points of interest based on map data and points of interest data read from a map data input unit. The control unit performs control for displaying icons indicating points of interest in three different sizes according to additional information values. The control unit determines the additional information values based on the points of interest data including sizes, the number of years since opening or renovation, evaluations by the third party, and price ratings of the points of interest. Therefore, a user can obtain information on locations of points of interest and additional information from the icons. Namely, the navigation system 1 provides information that is helpful for the user in searching points of interest that the user wants to go.

Abstract: A vehicle communication device is installed in a vehicle and used for an ETC or other DSRC system. The vehicle communication device can be switched between a normal mode and a radio wave emitting mode. The vehicle communication device in the normal mode transmits a response signal in response to receiving a pilot signal from a roadside radio device. The vehicle communication device in the emitting mode continuously emits a radio wave through the windshield of the vehicle independently of whether it receives the pilot signal from the roadside radio device, and a checking device receives the radio wave. The checking device determines whether the intensity of the received radio wave is greater than a predetermined threshold. The result of the determination is reported to a staff in a service or repair shop so that a shop staff can determine whether the vehicle communication device can be used for the ETC or other DSRC system based on the reported result.

Abstract: A vehicle communication device is installed in a vehicle and used for an ETC system. The vehicle communication device can be switched between a normal mode and a radio wave emitting mode. The vehicle communication device in the normal mode transmits a response signal in response to receiving a pilot signal from a roadside radio device. The vehicle communication device in the emitting mode continuously emits a radio wave through the windshield of the vehicle independently of whether it receives the pilot signal from the roadside radio device, and a checking device receives the radio wave. The checking device determines whether the intensity of the received radio wave is greater than a predetermined threshold. The result of the determination is reported to a staff in a service or repair shop so that a shop staff can determine whether the vehicle communication device can be used for the ETC system based on the reported result.

Abstract: To ensure the toll collection of a vehicle carrying an in-vehicle unit without stopping the vehicle at an entrance toll gate or an exit toll gate, an entrance toll gate lane is equipped sequentially from the entrance with a vehicle class discriminator, an entrance vehicle number reader, a first antenna, a vehicle detector, a ticket issuer, a display unit, a vehicle detector, a second antenna and a start detector. The first antenna communicates with an in-vehicle unit of a coming vehicle to write the entrance toll gate data. The display unit is caused, when the communication succeeds, to permit the passage of the vehicle therethrough. When the communication fails, the display unit is caused to stop the vehicle, and the ticket issuer issues the ticket. The second antenna writes the vehicle class data and the registered number data, as detected by the vehicle class discriminator and the vehicle number reader, in an in-vehicle unit. Thus, the existing facilities can be used as they are.

Abstract: An automatic toll charging system communicates by radio between roadside units disposed on each gate of a toll road and a vehicle-mounted unit mounted in a vehicle, and automatically charges a toll in a range from an entrance gate to an exit gate. In this system, an IC card is inserted in the vehicle-mounted unit , and payment information recorded in the IC card and entrance information received from a roadside unit, disposed at the entrance gate are recorded in the information recording part of the vehicle-mounted unit. In addition, the entrance information recorded in the information recording part is transmitted to the roadside unit disposed at the exit gate, and a toll payment process is executed. The entrance information is recorded in the IC card as a backup so the toll payment process can be executed even if a function of the vehicle-mounted unit is performed improperly.

Abstract: An electronic device intended for use as a tag to be attached to identify contents of the container to which it is attached. In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic tag which has a facility for storing delivery information and is equipped with a responding means for transmitting the delivery information stored therein in response to a query signal received from an interrogating apparatus. Codes, including items such as the names and addresses of the destination and the sender, and a sorting code are written into predetermined blanks of a delivery label, and into a memory. The memory responds to a query by transmitting the sorting information to allow automated sorting. The tag may be initiated only when torn, to extend battery shelf life.

Abstract: An electronic device intended for use as a tag to be attached to identify contents of the container to which it is attached. In particular, the present invention relates to an electronic tag which has a facility for storing delivery information and is equipped with a responding means for transmitting the delivery information stored therein in response to a query signal received from an interrogating apparatus. Codes, including items such as the names and addresses of the destination and the sender, and a sorting code are written into predetermined blanks of a delivery label, and into a memory. The memory responds to a query by transmitting the sorting information to allow automated sorting. The tag may be initiated only when torn, to extend battery shelf life.