Abstract: In a method for controlling the gear-shift operation of a gear transmission for a vehicle in accordance with the running speed of the vehicle, in response to a command for shifting the transmission from its neutral position, the transmission is first shifted into a prescribed high gear position to detect the actual vehicle running speed and a target gear position is determined on the basis of the resulting detected vehicle running speed, whereafter the transmission is shifted into the target position.

Abstract: An electric power steering device in which current supplied to an electric motor is controlled in dependence on the torsional torque transmitted through the steering wheel shaft. And power steering is assisted by the rotation of the motor. The method comprises the steps of presetting a steering angle which is in the vicinity of the maximum steering angle and is less by a specific angle than the maximum steering angle; establishing the motor current value determined in dependence on the torsional torque at the time when the actual steering angle reaches the steering angle which is preset as the motor current limiting value at that time; and controlling the power steering device to assist steering by the motor current limiting value even though the torsional torque increases.

Abstract: In an electric-motor-assisted power steering system of a motor vehicle, malfunctioning of a steering angle sensor is detected reliably even when the sensor generates an erroneous output signal of a moderate magnitude. When the vehicle speed is above a predetermined value, the steering force is below a predetermined value and the steering quantity is below a predetermined value and when such conditions continue to exist for a predetermined time, it is determined that the vehicle is driven straight ahead. If a detected steering angle is above a predetermined value even when the straight ahead condition of the vehicle is determined, an abnormality determining section produces an alarm output signal indicating that there is a malfunction.

Abstract: A method for detecting an absolute steering angle of a steering angle sensor such as encoder for a vehicle wherein the steering angle sensor generates an output signal indicating a relative rotation angle of a steering shaft of the vehicle and at least one reference signal representing a reference position for every one rotation of the steering shaft. The method comprises the steps of setting a deviation .DELTA..theta. between the reference position and an actual straight-ahead driving state position responsive to the output signal and the reference signal, storing the deviation .DELTA..theta. in a memory of a computer which holds the deviation .DELTA..theta. while the computer is disconnected from a battery, determining a steering angle with the reference position responsive to the output signal and the reference signal, and correcting by the deviation .DELTA..theta. the steering angle to obtain the absolute steering angle.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus for an electric power steering system having a torsion torque sensor for detecting a torsion torque of the steering system of a vehicle, a command signal generating unit for generating a command signal in accordance with the torsion torque detected by the torque sensor, and a motor control unit for driving and controlling a motor of the electric power steering system in accordance with the command signal. The improvement of this invention is to assist steering force within the steering wheel correcting range. A steering speed detecting unit is provided for detecting the steering speed. The output signal from the steering speed range detecting unit is supplied to the steering wheel correction command unit which generates an assist correction signal. The assist correction signal has a characteristic that the absolute value thereof takes a predetermined value when a small steering angle range is detected.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing apparatus for use in an electronic typewriter, wire dot printer or the like in which image information including character data is divided into a plurality of blocks and can be recorded as the continuous contents at a plurality of preset margin positions of a recording medium. The output format of the image information can be set for every divided block. Those set positions are variable for every output data amount of the image information or for every predetermined area of the output section of the image information. With this apparatus, image information can be divisionally and distributively recorded in many desired print areas due to simple key operations.

Abstract: In a method for automatically controlling a vehicle transmission system having a gear-type transmission and a clutch, in the case where the system is controlled in a control mode wherein the clutch is disengaged so as to prevent idle running of the vehicle when the amount of operation of the acceleration pedal becomes less than a prescribed level, when the clutch is engaged in response to an increase in the running speed of the vehicle, the control mode is changed to another control mode in which the engaged state of the clutch is maintained even if the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal becomes zero. Thus, in case of, for example, a vehicle drive-off mode for snow-covered road condition, it becomes possible to realize smooth vehicle running at low speed without need to depress the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A method for detecting abnormal condition of a torque sensor in an electric power steering system in which a power of an electric motor assisting steering operation of a vehicle is supplied in response to a torque signal generated from the torque sensor, the method comprising the steps of detecting a condition where the torque signal generated from the torque sensor is substantially equal to zero, detecting another condition wherein the rate of changing steering angle is larger than a predetermined value, while the steering angle is held in an increasing state, and further detecting that the above detected conditions last more than a predetermined period.

Abstract: An electric power steering system for an automobile which includes a steering shaft having a steering torque transmitting shaft. The electric power steering system includes a housing mounted on the steering torque transmitting shaft, a torsion torque sensor, in the housing, for detecting a torsion torque in the steering shaft during a steering operation to generate a torsion torque signal representing the detected torsion torque, and a controlling unit for providing a drive signal, in response to the torsion torque signal, to control an electric motor, mounted to the housing and operatively connected to the steering torque transmitting shaft, for reducing a steering effort. The controlling unit is integrally mounted to the housing.

Abstract: There are disclosed a device and method for saving power supply of a steering sensor for a vehicle having a conventional circuit for detecting a steering angle and a supplementary circuit for detecting an amount of steering angle change when an ignition switch is turned off. The conventional circuit comprises a rotary encoder for generating two signals of sine waveform-like having a phase discrepancy of 90 degrees responsive to a rotation of a steering shaft, and a microcomputer for calculating an absolute angle from the sine waveform-like signals. The supplementary circuit comprises a waveform shaping circuit for converting the sine signals into two rectangular wave pulse signals. While the switch is turned on, the circuit continues to detect the absolute angle based on the sine waves. When the switch is turned off, the supplementary circuit counts and hold the change amount of the angle as the pulse signals while the circuit maintains the storage of the last absolute angle.

Abstract: In an automatic transmission system for a vehicle having a gear transmission and a clutch which are electronically controlled by a control unit, the system includes a discrimination unit for discriminating whether or not the vehicle is running with the gear transmission shifted to its neutral position and a determining unit for determining a target gear position to which the gear transmission is to be shifted in the case where the vehicle is running without fuel-combustion in the engine. The control unit is caused to control the gear transmission to shift to the target gear position and the clutch to engage in response to the discrimination unit when an ignition switch is turned to its OFF position in the case where the vehicle is running with the gear transmission shifted to the neutral position, whereby the rotational torque of wheels can be transmitted through the automatic transmission system to the engine.

Abstract: Power assist of steering wheel by an electric motor is carried out by the sum of an assist motor current generated based on the output of a torsion torque sensor and a compensating current generated in dependency on the variation rate of the output of the torsion torque sensor. An assist torque current correction circuit controls the compensating current such that the amount of the compensating current is reduced in accordance with an increase in steering angle of the steering system.

Abstract: A motor control apparatus for an electric power steering system of a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a torsion torque sensor for detecting a torsion torque of the steering system, a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, a control unit for controlling the rotational direction and torque of an electric motor in accordance with a command signal derived from the outputs from the torque sensor, vehicle speed sensor and steering angle sensor, and a neutral position recovery command unit for generating a recovery signal in response to which the steering system is returned to a neutral position, in accordance with an output signal from the steering angle sensor and when the absolute values of the output signals from the torsion torque sensor and vehicle speed sensor becomes smaller than or equal to predetermined values.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus has a keyboard including a key for setting an automatic line feed/line return mode, a control device, a printer, and a memory. When a space input is detected in a preset hot zone, an automatic line feed/line return is made. When a space input immediately after an automatic line feed/line return is detected, the space input is cancelled and the printer waits for the next key input.

Abstract: A speech recognition system for identifying a person by his voice includes an IC card, an IC card reader, a microphone, an A/D converter, an analyzer, and a collating circuit. The IC card is carried by a person whose voice pattern is stored therein. The IC card reader reads out the voice pattern from the IC card. The microphone, the A/D converter, and the analyzer cooperate to extract an actual voice pattern of the person carrying the IC card. The collating circuit collates the voice pattern read out from the IC card with the actual voice pattern from the analyzer.

Abstract: A printer includes a printing unit capable of printing preset characters; a designation unit for designating a character to be printed by the printing unit; and a judgement unit for judging whether a designated character by the designation unit can be printed by the printing unit.

Abstract: A hydraulic power steering system is disclosed which has a steering control valve operatively connected to a steering shaft to be actuated by the torsional torque exerted thereon by a steering wheel, and a hydraulic cylinder operated by the control valve for assisting the steering of the vehicle. An electric motor drive unit is coupled to the steering shaft for exerting torque thereto in a direction for returning the steering wheel to a straight ahead position. An electronic control circuit is connected to the motor drive unit for exerting a variable amount of return torque to the steering shaft according to the steering angle of the steering shaft, or to both the steering angle and the travelling speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: A heat-transfer material includes a tubular body made of a metal. The body includes on an inner surface thereof a porous electroplated layer having re-entrant cavities. A heat transfer material is produced by: preparing a body of a metal serving as a cathode and forming a hydrophobic film on a surface of the body; subsequently keeping the surface of the body and an anode in contact with a plating aqueous solution; and subsequently applying a direct electrical potential betwee the anode and the cathode to cause plating current to flow through the plating solution to lay deposits of plating metal on the surface of the body and laying a number of particulate bubbles on the hydrophobic film on the surface of the body so that the bubbles are enveloped by the metal deposits to form on the surface of the body a porous plated layer having re-entrant cavities.

Abstract: A system having a motor operatively connected to a steering system for reducing the steering effort. The system is provided with a torsion torque sensor provided for detecting torsion torque generating in the steering system in steering operation. In response to the output signal of the torsion torque sensor, an assist signal is produced. The system has a dead zone for the output signal of the torsion torque sensor. Only when the output signal exceeds the dead zone, the assist signal is produced to operate the motor.

Abstract: A process of producing glycidyl ethers of monohydric or polyhydric phenols is disclosed, which comprises mixing a monohydric or polyhydric phenol, dioxane or diethoxyethane, and epichlorohydrin; adding to the mixture an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide and subjecting to azeotropic distillation water, dioxane or diethoxyethane, and epichlorohydrin, followed by liquefaction of the distillate to be divided into an aqueous layer and an organic layer, and circulating the organic layer to the mixture whereas eliminating the aqueous layer. According to this process, the content of hydrolyzable chlorine which cannot be removed in a subsequent purification step is minimized and the phenol glycidyl ethers thus obtained are well suited for the use of sealing materials for integrated circuits.