Abstract: An autonomous driving control system for a vehicle which is able to switch between manual driving and autonomous driving is provided with a driver condition sensor, acting part, and electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is provided with an autonomous driving control part, reliance calculating part for calculating an autonomous driving output reliance, vigilance calculating part for calculating a driver vigilance, and an action control part for controlling a strength of an action against a driver. In a region in which an operating point determined by the autonomous driving output reliance and driver vigilance can fall, a plurality of sub regions are defined by boundary lines extending so that the driver vigilance becomes higher as the autonomous driving output reliance becomes lower. The action control part controls the strength of the action against the driver to differ in accordance with the sub region in which the operating point falls.

Abstract: A system for presenting information to an occupant of a vehicle mounted with an autonomous driving system, includes: a display unit configured to display the information; a display control unit configured to cause the display unit to display information in any one of display modes among a setting status display mode in which setting information is displayed, an operation status display mode in which travel information is displayed, and a recognition status display mode in which recognition result information of the autonomous driving system is displayed; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire an occupant's display mode switching instruction for switching the display mode, wherein the display control unit configured to switch the display mode of the display unit when the acquisition unit acquires the occupant's display mode switching instruction.

Abstract: An autonomous driving control system for a vehicle which is able to switch between manual driving and autonomous driving is provided with a driver condition sensor, acting part, and electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is provided with an autonomous driving control part, reliance calculating part for calculating an autonomous driving output reliance, vigilance calculating part for calculating a driver vigilance, and an action control part for controlling a strength of an action against a driver. In a region in which an operating point determined by the autonomous driving output reliance and driver vigilance can fall, a plurality of sub regions are defined by boundary lines extending so that the driver vigilance becomes higher as the autonomous driving output reliance becomes lower. The action control part controls the strength of the action against the driver to differ in accordance with the sub region in which the operating point falls.

Abstract: A system for presenting information to an occupant of a vehicle mounted with an autonomous driving system, includes: a display unit configured to display the information; a display control unit configured to cause the display unit to display information in any one of display modes among a setting status display mode in which setting information is displayed, an operation status display mode in which travel information is displayed, and a recognition status display mode in which recognition result information of the autonomous driving system is displayed; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire an occupant's display mode switching instruction for switching the display mode, wherein the display control unit configured to switch the display mode of the display unit when the acquisition unit acquires the occupant's display mode switching instruction.

Abstract: An automatic driving system includes an actuator and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to recognize a position, a surrounding environment, a state of the vehicle. The electronic control unit is configured to generate a first traveling plan based on the recognized position, the recognized surrounding environment, and the recognized state of the vehicle and calculate reliability of the first traveling plan. The electronic control unit is configured to generate a second traveling plan of the vehicle based on one or two of the recognized position, the recognized surrounding environment, and the recognized state of the vehicle and calculate reliability of the second traveling plan. The electronic control unit is configured to select a traveling plan having the higher reliability out of the first traveling plan and the second traveling plan, and control the traveling of the vehicle by the actuator.

Abstract: An autonomous driving control system for a vehicle which is able to switch between manual driving and autonomous driving is provided with a driver condition sensor, acting part, and electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is provided with an autonomous driving control part, reliance calculating part for calculating an autonomous driving output reliance, vigilance calculating part for calculating a driver vigilance, and an action control part for controlling a strength of an action against a driver. In a region in which an operating point determined by the autonomous driving output reliance and driver vigilance can fall, a plurality of sub regions are defined by boundary lines extending so that the driver vigilance becomes higher as the autonomous driving output reliance becomes lower. The action control part controls the strength of the action against the driver to differ in accordance with the sub region in which the operating point falls.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a lane recognition unit configured to recognize a travel lane, a travel control unit configured to control the travelling of the vehicle such that the driving state of the vehicle becomes autonomous driving, a system margin time estimation unit configured to estimate a system margin time which is a time taken for the control of the travelling of the vehicle by the travel control unit to stop, a hand-over time estimation unit configured to estimate a hand-over time which is a time for a driver to be able to return the driving state to manual driving, and an HMI control unit configured to display the system margin time and the hand-over time on a display unit.

Abstract: A system for presenting information to an occupant of a vehicle mounted with an autonomous driving system, includes: a display unit configured to display the information; a display control unit configured to cause the display unit to display information in any one of display modes among a setting status display mode in which setting information is displayed, an operation status display mode in which travel information is displayed, and a recognition status display mode in which recognition result information of the autonomous driving system is displayed; and an acquisition unit configured to acquire an occupant's display mode switching instruction for switching the display mode, wherein the display control unit configured to switch the display mode of the display unit when the acquisition unit acquires the occupant's display mode switching instruction.

Abstract: A surface treatment device includes a belt member having a surface layer in which plural kinds of rubbers having a different hardness mixedly exist. In the device, a press/heat unit presses a recording medium with a toner image formed against the belt member such that the toner image contacts with the surface layer, and heats the recording medium to melt at least a surface of the toner image.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a fixing belt that has a surface release layer of a fluorinated-resin tube, the fixing belt being laid across by a fixing roller and a tension roller; a pressurizing member that presses the fixing roller through the fixing belt; and a release member that presses the fixing belt on the pressurizing member, in a substantial vicinity of a downstream of a pressure contact site of between the fixing roller and the pressurizing member, and strips a recording material from the fixing belt, the fixing device fixing a toner image on the recording material by heat.

Abstract: The invention provides a fixing method including conveying a recording medium on which a toner image has been formed using a fixing belt, in a state in which the fixing belt contacts with a surface of the recording medium on which the toner image is formed, at least from a fixing portion in which the toner image is fixed by heating and pressing the recording medium to a cooling portion in which the recording medium after fixing is cooled, wherein the ten-point average roughness (Rz) of a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 0.7 ?m or less or the filtered maximum waviness in every convex portion present on a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 50 ?m or less. The invention also provides a fixing apparatus using the method and an image forming apparatus using the method.

Abstract: A surface treatment device includes a belt member having a surface layer in which plural kinds of rubbers having a different hardness mixedly exist. In the device, a press/heat unit presses a recording medium with a toner image formed against the belt member such that the toner image contacts with the surface layer, and heats the recording medium to melt at least a surface of the toner image.

Abstract: The invention provides a fixing method including conveying a recording medium on which a toner image has been formed using a fixing belt, in a state in which the fixing belt contacts with a surface of the recording medium on which the toner image is formed, at least from a fixing portion in which the toner image is fixed by heating and pressing the recording medium to a cooling portion in which the recording medium after fixing is cooled, wherein the ten-point average roughness (Rz) of a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 0.7 ?m or less or the filtered maximum waviness in every convex portion present on a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 50 ?m or less. The invention also provides a fixing apparatus using the method and an image forming apparatus using the method.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an process for image formation using an electrophotographic image-receiving sheet having excellent anti-offset properties, adhesion resistance, paper transport properties and gloss, and being resistant to cracks, and able to form a high-definition image. For this purpose, there is provided an electrophotographic image-receiving sheet which includes a toner image-receiving layer containing at least a thermoplastic resin and natural wax having an light transmittance of 78% or less, on a support having an light transmittance of 30% or less, and an process for image formation using this electrophotographic image-receiving sheet.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide an process for image formation using an electrophotographic image-receiving sheet having excellent anti-offset properties, adhesion resistance, paper transport properties and gloss, and being resistant to cracks, and able to form a high-definition image. For this purpose, there is provided an electrophotographic image-receiving sheet which includes a toner image-receiving layer containing at least a thermoplastic resin and natural wax having an light transmittance of 78% or less, on a support having an light transmittance of 30% or less, and an process for image formation using this electrophotographic image-receiving sheet.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor having a bipolar charge transport layer with a hole-transporting property and an electron-transporting property, the bipolar charge transport layer containing a block copolymer or a graft copolymer, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus using the electrophotographic photoreceptor. The electrophotographic photoreceptor has a high performance and a long life and can provide various properties required for a photoreceptor by forming, the bipolar charge transport layer which is excellent in hole- and electron-transporting properties, mechanical strengths, a discharge product resistance and a coating dispersion stability, and the process cartridge and the electrophotographic apparatus using the electrophotographic photoreceptor can provide a high performance and a high durability.

Abstract: A novel titanyl phthalocyanine crystal, a photoconductive material comprising the same, and an electrophotographic photoreceptor using the same are disclosed. The titanyl phthalocyanine crystal has a primary particle diameter ranging from 0.03 to 0.15 &mgr;m, shows a maximum X-ray diffraction peak at a Bragg angle (2&thgr;±0.2°) of 27.3°, has a ellipsoidal tabular form, and has a BET specific surface area of not less than 35 m2/g. The crystal has improved crystal form stability against solvents and holds its crystal form for an extended period of time in a dispersed and coated state. An electrophotographic photoreceptor using the crystal as a photoconductive material is excellent in sensitivity, stability, and durability.

Abstract: A process for preparing a stable titanyl phthalocyanine crystal showing at least one diffraction peak at a Bragg angle (2&thgr;±0.2) of 27.3° is disclosed, which comprises treating amorphous or quasi-amorphous titanyl phthalocyanine with a solvent selected from an alcohol solvent, an aromatic solvent, a mixed solvent of an alcohol solvent and an aromatic solvent, or a mixed solvent of an alcohol solvent and water. The resulting titanyl phthalocyanine exhibits high photosensitivity and excellent durability as a photoconductive material of an electrophotographic photoreceptor.

Abstract: A mass flow controller having a shut off valve in a flow path body as an integral part. The mass flow controller minimize a dead space between the shut off valve and a mass flow control valve to reduce the amount of entrapped gas therein, thereby avoiding occurrence of overshoot in the initiation of the next mass flow control operation. In another aspect, a bypass passage is provided in the flow path body. The bypass passage bypasses a sensor flow path, a bypass flow path and a mass flow control valve which increase a flow resistance, and therefore, a large amount of purge gas can be passed through the bypass passage in a short time. In still another aspect, a sealing surface of a valve seat is made into coplanar with the top surface of the flow path body, thereby making the sealing surface and the top surface of the body possible to be simultaneously subjected to lapping finish.

Abstract: A charge transporting block and an insulating block are block copolymerized or graft copolymerized to form a charge transporting copolymer. The charge transporting polymers may be used in an electrophotographic photoreceptor and an electrophotographic device.