Abstract: An obstacle detecting system for a motor vehicle which is capable of detecting not only the distance to an obstacle(s) existing in front of the motor vehicle and the width thereof, but also its height to thereby allow a motor vehicle control to be effected more appropriately with high reliability. The distance to the object and its width are detected by a laser radar type distance detecting unit, while the distance to the object lying within a window preset by a window setting device is also detected by a distance detecting circuit of a stereoscopic video camera unit. An object size determining unit is provided for selecting a window corresponding to a distance value detected by the stereoscopic video camera unit and which coincides with a distance value calculated by the laser radar type distance detecting unit, to thereby determine the size of the object on the basis of the preset position of the selected window.

Abstract: A vehicle-surroundings monitoring apparatus is free from mistakenly identifying a lane marker on a road surface or a guard rail as a vehicle traveling in the blind spot of a nearby lane. A distance detecting section detects the distance up to a vehicle which is traveling in the blind-spot of a nearby lane and which is captured by a plurality of windows as set on a display screen. A detecting range restricting section restricts a distance detecting range for each window to a predetermined range to thereby select as a nearby vehicle an object to which the distance is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: An obstacle detecting device for a vehicle comprises a pair of image sensors for taking an image of an object surrounding a vehicle, a display image plane for displaying an image data taken by said pair of image sensors as an image, and a plurality of windows designating regions of said image on said display image plane. The device further comprises an optical obstacle detecting device for detecting distances from said vehicle to said object in said regions of the image designated by said plurality of windows for the respective windows to thereby detect an obstacle, a laser radar device mounted on the vehicle for radiating a radar beam to the object surrounding the vehicle to thereby detect said obstacle, and an obstacle selecting device for selecting either the obstacle detected by said optical obstacle detecting device or the obstacle detected by said laser radar device mounted on the vehicle.

Abstract: An inter-car distance detecting device for tracking a car running ahead, and automatically setting a tracking window in a display screen. The inter-car distance detecting device has a pair of image sensors which pick up the image of a car running ahead. A window setting section sets a plurality of windows, so that the distances from objects contained in those windows are detected and a position of the car running ahead is detected by comparing the distances corresponding to the windows between containing the car running ahead and un-containing. Thereby, a position and a size of a tracking window is set in the display screen at the position of the car running ahead thus detected.

Abstract: A distance detecting apparatus in which an operator is able to readily and accurately see to which one of a plurality of objects the distance is detected. The apparatus is able to concurrently detect the distances to a plurality of objects which exist within the field of view of the subject vehicle. To this end, the apparatus includes: a pair of first and second image sensors including a pair of optical systems for optically sensing a plurality of objects; a first memory for storing the pictures of the objects sensed by the first image sensor as first image signals; a second memory for storing the pictures of the objects sensed by the second image sensor as second image signals; a window defining device for defining a plurality of windows at specific areas of the first or second image signals; and a calculator for making image signals within the respective windows defined by the window defining device as reference signals.

Abstract: A guard rail detecting device mounted on a motor vehicle has: two image sensors spaced vertically to sense a scene in front of the motor vehicle; a window setting device for setting a plurality of windows on the display screen at predetermined positions; a distance calculating device for calculating the distances from the vehicle to the parts of the guard rail which are held as images in the windows; and a device for calculating the curvature of the guard rail from the distances thus calculated.

Abstract: A distance detecting apparatus enables the driver of a vehicle to readily and concurrently recognize the location and direction of each of a plurality of objects present in the driver's field of view, in daylight or darkness, and at the same time determine whether each of the objects is an obstacle to the vehicle travel. The objects sensed by a pair of first and second image sensors 3, 4 are displayed on a screen 11 in a plurality of windows 15-19. Deviations between the images of the objects within the respective windows are electrically detected so that the distance to an object within each window is individually calculated based on the deviations. Obstacles to the travel of the vehicle can be discriminated on the basis of the positions of the windows on the screen and the distances to the objects in the respective windows as detected.

Abstract: A vehicle following apparatus is able to continuously or successively measure, once a target vehicle to be followed is determined, the distance to the target vehicle in a stable and reliable manner even if the subject vehicle, on which the apparatus is mounted, is momentarily caused to move in the vertical or horizontal direction with respect to the target vehicle. A pair of first and second image sensors including a pair of optical systems are disposed at a predetermined distance from each other for optically sensing a plurality of objects including a preceding vehicle running ahead of the subject vehicle. A first window containing therein an image of the preceding vehicle as sensed by the image sensors is defined on a screen of a display. A second window is also defined on the screen adjacent the first window for catching the background of the preceding vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting a distance between cars, which apparatus is capable of continuously measuring the distance between one's own car and a preceding car even if the preceding car is moving as far as possible within the visual field of the apparatus. The apparatus is also capable of distinguishing which one of a plurality of preceding cars is being measured for distance, and of simultaneously measuring the distance to another car traveling in parallel to one of the preceding cars.

Abstract: A vehicle-to-vehicle distance detecting apparatus for use in tracing a preceding vehicle is disclosed in which the driver is able to set a vehicle tracing window on a displayed picture image of the preceding vehicle in an easy manner while driving the vehicle. Even if there are a plurality of preceding vehicles, the driver is able to easily identify a particular one of them which his or her vehicle is tracing for measuring the distance therebetween. The apparatus is also able to automatically monitor objects ahead of a vehicle and warn the driver of a possible danger of collision with an obstacle when no instruction is given by the driver for setting an image-tracing window for tracing a preceding vehicle.

Abstract: A tracking control device for a vehicle which is composed of:image sensors for taking images of a foregoing car through optical systems;a display device for displaying the images taken by the image sensors;a window forming device for forming an image tracking window in the display device;an image tracking instruction input device operable by a first outside operation;an image tracking device for tracking the image of the preceding car operated by an operational input of the image tracking instruction input device when the image of the preceding car enters in the window;inter-vehicle distance detecting device for detecting an inter-vehicle distance between a driving car and the preceding car;tracking instruction input device operable by a second outside operation; andspeed controlling device for controlling speed of the driving car operated by an operational input of the tracking instruction input device by receiving an output of the inter-vehicle distance detecting device so that the inter-vehicle distance be

Abstract: A throttle valve control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, which is high in driving safety, enabling the vehicle to cruise in an automatic manner while preventing a run-away condition of the vehicle includes a throttle valve in an intake pipe of the engine fixedly mounted on a valve shaft which is rotatably supported by the intake pipe, and a rotary disk rotatably mounted on the valve shaft and biased by a return spring to rotate relative to the valve shaft in the valve closing direction. The rotary disk is operatively connected with the accelerator pedal so that the rotary disk rotates relative to the valve shaft by operation of the accelerator pedal. A rotation-transmitting mechanism is connected between the rotary disk and the throttle lever for transmitting the rotation of the rotary disk to the throttle lever.

Abstract: A throttle control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which is compact in size, highly safe in operation, and applicable to a cruise control device without requiring any operator's accelerator pedal operation.

Abstract: In an automobile radar apparatus according to the present invention, a light-receiving optical system is rotated in response to an output from an image formation position calculation unit in such a manner that light source is focused on a vertical plane containing an optical axis of the light-receiving optical system; a direction up to the preceding vehicle is calculated from a turning angle in response to an output derived from an angular detecting unit; and a distance up to the preceding vehicle is calculated from an image position of the light source based upon an output derived from the image formation calculation unit.

Abstract: A Karman vortex flow meter comprises a vortex generating post 4 disposed in a fluid conduit 1, a plurality of ultrasonic wave transmitters 6a, 6b provided in a wall of the conduit downstream of the post, and an ultrasonic wave receiver 8 provided in a wall of the conduit opposing the transmitters. The transmitters are either juxtaposed at a horizontal sectional face of the conduit and generated ultrasonic waves simultaneously toward the receiver, or they are provided in series in an axial direction of the conduit while the receiver is provided opposite the transmitter on the downstream side. In the latter embodiment the transmitters are connected to a change-over circuit which switches from the downstream transmitter to the upstream one when the detected frequency of the Karman vortex streets in the fluid exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a throttle valve controlling apparatus, there is provided a pair of first and second throttle valves. The first throttle valve is rotated by an electrically controlled actuator means, whereas the second throttle valve is rotated by an accelerator pedal. A first return spring is provided on the first throttle valve so as to return this valve to a first closed position when the electrically controlled actuator means is brought into malfunction, by which an engine speed is rapidly reduced. Under this malfunction condition, the second throttle valve can be independently controlled by the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A throttle valve control apparatus for opening and closing a throttle valve for a vehicular engine by an electronically controlled actuator is provided, for the purpose of enabling the control of the throttle valve upon the disablement of the electronically controlled actuator, with return springs (5), (14), (19) provided for a valve shaft (3) for the throttle valve (2), a first drive gear (7) interconnected to an accelerator pedal (13), and a second drive gear (8) driven by the electronically controlled actuator (17), respectively.

Abstract: In a throttle valve controlling apparatus, there is provided a pair of first and second throttle valves. The first throttle valve is rotated by an electrically controlled actuator, whereas the second throttle valve is rotated by an accelerator pedal. A relative position limiting device is interposed between the electrically controlled actuator and a calculation/controlling unit. This calculation/controlling unit enables the electrically controlled actuator to be controlled by transferring a rotation command signal. When the calculation/controlling unit is brought into malfunction, the relative position limiting device interrupts supply of the rotation command signal from the calculation/controlling unit to the electrically controlled actuator, so that the first throttle valve is forcibly returned to its fully close position by means of a return spring.

Abstract: A fuel pressure regulator includes a valve member 18 supported by a diaphram 16 which serves to receive fuel pressure supplied by a fuel pump, first and second cylindrical valve seats 15a, 22 associated with the valve member to perform on-off operations, and a spring 30 for moving the second valve seat together with the diaphram according to an engine operating condition to vary fuel pressure.

Abstract: A fuel pressure regulating apparatus having a biasing structure including at least two and sometimes three biasing members, at least one of the biasing members being under control of an electromagnet in order to regulate the position of a valve member, which is associated with a diaphragm, with respect to a valve seat 16. The relative position may be regulated in accordance with a number of parameters, including engine temperature. The biasing members act in opposing directions in accordance with an engine operating parameter.