Abstract: In a control unit of a hot-water supply system, a boiling time period is estimated based on a hot-water amount stored in a tank at a time of 23:00, a boiling start time is adjusted so that boiling operation is finished at a time immediately before 7:00. For example, when the hot water amount stored in the tank is smaller at the time of 23:00, the boiling time period is made longer and the boiling start time is made earlier. On the other hand, when the hot water amount stored in the tank is larger at the time of 23:00, the boiling time period is made shorter and the boiling start time is made later.

Abstract: In a hot-water supply system with a heat pump cycle, a control unit controls operation of an expansion valve based on a temperature difference between a refrigerant temperature at an outlet side of a refrigerant passage in a water heat exchanger and a water temperature at an inlet side of a water passage in the water heat exchanger. When the expansion valve is controlled in a direction increasing a valve opening degree, the control unit sets an upper limit opening degree of the expansion valve, for obtaining a refrigerant pressure corresponding to a target hot-water temperature, and controls the expansion valve in an opening degree range smaller than the upper limit opening degree.

Abstract: A respiration monitoring system monitors the state of disorder of the respiratory system of a sleeping patient based on the detection of respiratory body movement without the need of putting sensors directly on the patient's body. The system includes weight sensors that produce weight signals attributable to the patient's respiratory body movement. From weight signals having a frequency band of respiration, a respiratory body movement signal is produced, and the fall of blood oxygen saturation which occurs at obstructive apnea of the sleeping patient is determined based on the variation pattern of the amplitude of respiratory body movement signal. The occurrence and frequency of the fall of blood oxygen saturation are displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: In a control unit of a hot-water supply system, a boiling time period is estimated based on a hot-water amount stored in a tank at a time of 23:00, a boiling start time is adjusted so that boiling operation is finished at a time immediately before 7:00. For example, when the hot water amount stored in the tank is smaller at the time of 23:00, the boiling time period is made longer and the boiling start time is made earlier. On the other hand, when the hot water amount stored in the tank is larger at the time of 23:00, the boiling time period is made shorter and the boiling start time is made later.

Abstract: A load detection sensor unit for a bedding comprises a plurality of load detection devices and a signal processing circuit which is connectable to an external electrical unit. The signal processing circuit includes a plurality of analog switches connected to the load detection devices, a single output line connected to the analog switches, and a load resistor connected to the single output lines. The analog switches are turned on sequentially so that output signals of the load detection devices are serialized and transmitted to the external electrical unit through the single output line. The load detection devices and the signal processing circuit are formed integrally on an elastic film and connected through elastic conductors.

Abstract: In a hot-water supply system with a heat pump cycle, a control unit controls operation of an expansion valve based on a temperature difference between a refrigerant temperature at an outlet side of a refrigerant passage in a water heat exchanger and a water temperature at an inlet side of a water passage in the water heat exchanger. When the expansion valve is controlled in a direction increasing a valve opening degree, the control unit sets an upper limit opening degree of the expansion valve, for obtaining a refrigerant pressure corresponding to a target hot-water temperature, and controls the expansion valve in an opening degree range smaller than the upper limit opening degree.

Abstract: An infant condition monitoring system has a sensor sheet including uniformly arranged plural pressure sensitive load cells. An ECU in an electronic unit connected to the sensor sheet calculates an infant's breathing signal, sleeping posture and weight data. Those signal and data are converted into data signals to modulate a carrier signal thereby. A transmitter in the electronic unit transmits a radio signal resulting from the modulation. A monitoring unit is constructed to be carried by a care provider. A receiver in the monitoring unit demodulates the received radio signal. An ECU reproduces the data signals including the breathing signal, sleeping posture and weight data, and determines a respiration rate, sleeping posture and weight. A display displays the respiration rate, sleeping posture and weight, and a speaker produces an output sound in correspondence with the breathing signal.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for an automobile having an evaporator, in a refrigerating circuit, and a heater core which is located downstream from the evaporator in a duct having an inlet for introduction of air and an outlet for discharging the air into a cabin, and an air mix damper for controlling the ratio of the amount of air into the heater core and the amount of air by-passing the heater core. The degree of the opening of the air mix damper is controlled in accordance with the cooling capacity at the evaporator sensed by an after-evaporator temperature sensor so that a target value of the temperature of the air discharged into the cabin is obtained. A correction of the degree of opening of the air mix damper is done by estimating an actual temperature at the after-evaporator sensor during a transient state of the system between the ON and OFF conditions of a compressor, so that a desired setting of the air conditioning state is maintained.

Abstract: A learning device that affects only the input-output relationships that should be additionally learned. A learning NN unit 8 capable of executing additional learning is provided separately from a learned NN unit 4 which is a basic control unit. The learned NN unit 4 produces a basic output in response to an input signal from a signal input unit 14, the learning NN unit 8 produces a correction amount desired by an individual person, and a desired control is performed based on the total value. When the output is changed, a difference is calculated between the changed output value and the basic output value from a first output unit 15, and the learning NN unit 8 executes the additional learning based upon the difference and the input value at this moment in compliance with a back-propagation method.

Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus for allowing the temperatures of a first air-conditioning zone and a second air-conditioning zone to quickly approach the respective set temperatures by properly controlling the air flow rate and the ratio of fresh/recirculated air, even when the set temperatures differ from one another. The device includes a controller that determines whether the system is in a transitional period or in a steady state based on the deviation of the compartment temperature detected by the compartment temperature sensor from the first and second set temperatures for the first and second zones. If a determination is made that the system is in a transitional period, the controller acts to determine the flow rates of air being supplied to respective blowers as well as making the determination concerning the guidance ratio of the fresh to recirculated air.

Abstract: An air conditioner for use with a car employing a sunshine sensor having three light receiving elements. A first light receiving element faces upward and a second light receiving element and a third light receiving element are inclined toward a front side by an identical angle along an advancing direction of the car and are symmetrically inclined with respect the car advancing direction along a horizontal direction vertical to the car advancing direction. The inclination is determined such that a vector obtained by adding normal vectors respectively of light receiving surfaces of the light receiving elements has a direction substantially identical to a direction of sunshine which maximizes a quantity of heat supplied from the sunshine to the car. Outputs from the first, second, and third light receiving elements are added to each other to obtain a sunshine intensity.

Abstract: An arousal level judging apparatus has a skin potential level (SPL) detection device, a potential change detection device for detecting occurrance and convergence of a pulse of the signal from the SPL detection device, the pulse being caused by skin potential response (SPR), a storing device for storing the SPL value as a reference value, and a comparator for comparing SPL with the reference value to detect a SPL decrease to detect an arousal level decrease of a driver, etc. The reference value is renewed at every occurrance of SPR. When the SPL value indicates that the arousal level of the driver has been decreased, an alarm is caused to wake the driver up.

Abstract: A steering angle indicating system for a vehicle includes a plurality of rotational angle sensors arranged within a steering wheel of the vehicle, each thereof producing an electric signal indicative of a turn angle of the steering wheel, an indicating unit responsive to the turn angle signals from the rotational angle sensors to compute the turn direction and the turn angle of the steering wheel and to indicate a result of the computation, and a power supply circuit supplied with electric power from a load side of a horn switch prearranged within the steering wheel. The system prevents the occurrence of a collision caused by careless starting of the vehicle by the driver.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a motor vehicle door in a desired opening degree thereof comprises a touch sensor provided on the door for detecting whether or not the touch sensor is touched by an operator, an engaging member pivotally mounted at one end thereof onto a vehicle body, a pair of piston-cylinder assemblies each including a friction member which is driven by pneumatic power to clamp the engaging member, and a control unit for receiving signals from the touch sensor and delivering commands to a power supply unit to drive the piston-cylinder assemblies upon receipt of the signal indicating that the touch sensor is touched by the operator.

Abstract: In a speed alarm system for an automotive vehicle, a speed signal and a first command speed signal indicative of a first command speed are produced, and a speed width signal indicative of a predetermined speed width is produced. A value of the speed width signal is added to a value of the first command speed signal to produce a second command speed signal indicative of a second command speed. A first output signal is produced when a value of the speed signal exceeds the first command speed, and a second output signal is produced when a value of the speed signal exceeds the second command speed. First and second alarm sounds are generated in response to the first and second output signals for first and second predetermined alarm times respectively.

Abstract: A pulsimeter for a vehicle comprises electrodes and an electronic unit for measuring heart pulsation rate of a vehicle driver. The electrodes are provided on a steering wheel assembly of a vehicle so that, when the driver touches the electrodes with his hands, electrical potentials corresponding to the muscular activity of the driver's heart are picked up. The electronic unit differentially amplifies the electrical potentials and the interval of time between pulsation signals successively produced by the differential amplification is measured to obtain the driver's pulsation rate. The pulsation rate may be used for display or for some other purposes.

Abstract: A switch apparatus for use in a vehicle in which the DC signal path electrically connecting between the horn switch disposed on the steering wheel in the steering apparatus and the horn disposed on the vehicle body is utilized to transmit, for example, a constant-speed running control signal from a signal transmitting unit disposed in the steering apparatus to a signal receiving unit disposed in the vehicle body. The signal transmitting unit includes a plurality of switches provided for the purpose of constant-speed running control, and a signal frequency generated in response to manipulation of a selected one of these switches is superposed on the DC signal which is supplied by way of the DC signal path to energize the horn. The DC signal path is also utilized to supply required power to the signal transmitting unit in the steering apparatus.

Abstract: There is provided a passive seatbelt system which is actuated by an electric motor. The seatbelt system comprises command switch means for generating seatbelt activation and deactivation signals, switch means for detecting the position of a seatbelt, and a control circuit for controlling the motor. The control circuit further comprises a driving circuit for driving the motor and a computing circuit for controlling the driving circuit in accordance with the output signals of the two switch means. The driving and computing circuits included in the control circuit are constructed using hybrid integrated circuits (IC) and the thus miniaturized control circuit can be made integral with the electric motor.