Abstract: A driving control system for a vehicle includes a map information output device for outputting a map, a vehicle position detecting device for detecting a vehicle position of a subject vehicle on the map, a vehicle speed detecting device for detecting a vehicle speed, a passable area determining device for determining a passable area on the map on the basis of the detected vehicle speed, and a passability/impassability judging device for deciding that the vehicle may pass through a portion of road when a road which is in front of the vehicle position in a traveling direction is included in the passable area on the map. The road which is in front of the vehicle position in the traveling direction is compared with the determined passable area, and when the road is included in the passable area, it is decided that the vehicle may pass through the portion of road.

Abstract: A collision judging system for a vehicle comprises a subject vehicle position estimating means for estimating the position of the subject vehicle after a lapse of a preset time from a certain braking start time, on the assumption that the braking is starting at such braking start time, an obstacle position estimating means for estimating the position of an objective obstacle after the lapse of the preset time, and the judging means for judging whether or not the position of the subject vehicle estimated by the subject vehicle position estimating means and the position of the obstacle estimated by the obstacle position estimating means coincide with each other. Thus, the judgment of collision can be performed with the avoidance of the collision by the driver's operation being taken into consideration, leading to an improved feeling of driving operation.

Abstract: An electric motor control system has a motor driver comprising a bridge of switching elements, a pair of failure detectors, and a microcomputer. The motor driver is connected between a battery and an electric motor that is connected between the switching elements. The switching elements are turned on and off according to drive pulse signals supplied from the microcomputer for supplying a pulsed current to the electric motor. The failure detectors monitor the electric energy supplied to the electric motor to detect a period of time in which the supplied electric energy is free of pulses, and supply a signal indicative of the detected period of time to the microcomputer. Based on the signal from the failure detectors, the microcomputer detects a failure when the detected period of time exceeds a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: In estimating the relative speed between a vehicle and an objective obstacle, a plurality of objective obstacle data are labeled, and an objective obstacle data preestimated on the basis of the past objective data is compared with an objective obstacle newly provided, thereby judging whether or not there is the same obstacle for every label. With regard to the objective obstacle data decided as being the same, the amount of variation in distance is determined for every label by comparison of the last data and the now data and divided by a sampling time to provide a relative speed. Thus, noise data can be eliminated to reliably provide a relative speed between a subject vehicle and an existent objective obstacle.

Abstract: In a vehicle equipped with a distance measuring unit capable of measuring a distance between the subject vehicle and an objective obstacle, the objective obstacle is detected along a widthwise direction of the vehicle by the distance measuring unit. Detection data detected by the distance measuring unit are developed on X and Y coordinates in which the widthwise direction of the subject vehicle is represented by an X axis; the longitudinal direction of the subject vehicle is represented by a Y axis, and the position of the subject vehicle is defined as an origin. Each of obstacle data is labeled in such a manner that the same labels are affixed to obstacle data which are in proximity to one another on the coordinates. The amount and direction of movement are calculated for every label on the basis of the last data and the current data, and a relative speed for every label relative to the subject vehicle is calculated by dividing the amount of movement by a sampling time.

Abstract: A four-wheel steering system on an automobile has front road wheels steerable by a steering wheel and rear road wheels steerable by an electric motor and normally biased to a neutral steering position by a spring. The electric motor is energized by a motor driver to steer the rear road wheels through an angle depending on running conditions of the automobile. The electric motor has a winding and two sets of brushes or connecting terminals connected to opposite terminals of the winding. One of the two sets of connecting terminals is connected to the motor driver. The other of the two sets of connecting terminals is connected to a short-circuiting circuit parallel to the motor driver. In the event of a failure, a controller controls the short-circuiting circuit to short-circuit the winding of the motor through the other set of connecting terminals. The short-circuiting circuit comprises a plurality of relays having respective contacts connected in series between the connecting terminals of the other set.

Abstract: A collision detection system for a vehicle comprising an acceleration sensor for sensing the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle wherein the acceleration sensor is a piezoelectric sensor; signal processing circuit coupled to the piezoelectric sensor for generating a first output when the vehicle deceleration is greater than a predetermined amount. A diagnostic pulse generator is coupled to the piezoelectric sensor for applying a diagnostic pulse to the piezoelectric sensor for distorting the piezoelectric sensor, thereby causing the piezoelectric sensor to generate an electrical output. The electrical output is applied to the signal processing circuit wherein the signal processing circuit produces a second output in response thereto.

Abstract: A connector apparatus comprising male and female connector members and a stay for mounting the connector members in place. A pair of oblong projections are formed on the terminal block portion at the rear end of each connector member so as to be located on opposite sides of the lead wire outlet section of the terminal block portion. The stay is provided with a pair of first elastic hook pieces engageable with the pair of oblong projections of the male connector member and a pair of second elastic hook pieces engageable with the pair of oblong projections of the female connector member. The first and second elastic hook pieces are arranged to face each other with a space therebetween measuring approximately equal to the distance between the terminal block portions of the two connector members when the connector members are completely assembled to maintain the members in assembled condition.

Abstract: A connector apparatus for electrical wiring with male and female connector members and a stay for mounting the connector members on a base, such as a vehicle. The connector members are provided with mating male and female projections, one of which has an engagement opening for receiving a locking pawl on the stay when the connector members are completely and properly assembled. The engagement opening is partially blocked if the connector members are not completely and properly assembled and the pawl is tapered to force such assembly upon installation of the connector members on the stay.

Abstract: In an electrical connector, a male connector body and a female connector body are coupled and locked together to effect the mechanical connection of electrical terminals housed in the respective connector bodies. To prevent incomplete coupling of the relevant connector bodies, a path is formed in the male connector body in such a manner as to correspond to the shape and dimension of a bracket for fixing the electrical connector to the body of an automotive vehicle or components thereof, and a rib is provided on the female connector body in such a manner as to traverse the path. This rib blocks a part of the path when the two connector bodies are improperly coupled with each other, thus making it possible to detect incomplete coupling. An electrical connector of another type has another configuration for the same purpose.

Abstract: A multiplex transmission system (100) in which any (N.sub.i) of a plurality of nodes (N.sub.l -N.sub.n) connected loop-like with a signal transmission path (1a, 1b) and each respectively connected to, for controlling, one of a plurality of electrical equipments is adapted for transmitting, in a given order (i) and in accordance with a time base (1/2t.sub.1) that this node (N.sub.i) itself has, a prepared signal (A.sub.i, D) to the signal transmission path (1a, 1b) and for receiving prepared signal (A.sub.i, D; A.sub.x, D) from the signal transmission path (1a, 1b), wherein any (N.sub.i) of the nodes (N.sub.l -N.sub.n) is adapted, at a time point (r.sub.2, r.sub.3) where this node (N.sub.i) has received the prepared signal (A.sub.x, D) from any other node (N.sub.x) to have its own time base (1/2t.sub.1) synchronized with the time base (1/2t.sub.1) of the other node (N.sub.x).Any (N.sub.i) of the nodes (N.sub.l -N.sub.n) further comprises a monitoring timer (CNT.sub.

Abstract: A multiplex transmission system (100) in which any (N.sub.i) of a plurality of nodes (N.sub.1 -N.sub.n) connected loop-like with a bidirectional signal transmission path (1a, 1b) and each respectively connected to control one of a plurality of units of electrical equipment is adapted for transmitting, in a given order (i), a prepared signal (A.sub.i, D) to the signal transmission path (1a, 1b) and for receiving a prepared signal (A.sub.i, D; A.sub.x, D) from the signal transmission path (1a, 1b), wherein any (N.sub.i) of the nodes (N.sub.1 -N.sub.n) has a rise-timing timer (CNT.sub.2), on which a rise-timing time interval (t.sub.i3, t.sub.i4) of a length proper to this node (N.sub.i) is set at a predetermined time point (54, 62, 71, 84, 88), and is adapted for rising to start signal transmission when the rise-timing timer (CNT.sub.2) has timed out.The signal transmission path (1a, 1b) includes a pair of signal transmission lines (1a, 1b), and any (N.sub.i) of the nodes (N.sub.1 -N.sub.

Abstract: A light control apparatus for a vehicle is integrated with headlamp driving relays, a light sensor, a lighting switch which selects a manual mode or an automatic mode, and a control unit which controls the relays in accordance with the light sensor output when the lighting switch selects the automatic mode and turns on or off the headlamps. Two power source systems and two headlamp driving systems are provided. The signal level of a given terminal of the control unit is detected and is input to the microcomputer of the control unit. The microcomputer judges whether or not trouble has occurred by detecting a level difference. An alarm indication is given by a lamp or a buzzer if trouble is detected.

Abstract: A multiple communication system for vehicular bodies, including a plurality of job units each respectively provided with a detection object as a signal source and an electric load, and at least one signal line commonly connected to all of the job units, in which the order of signal transmission of a data signal based on a substantially real-time condition of the corresponding detection object from each of the job units is determined in accordance with a data signal from a particular one of the job units.The multiple communication system may, additionally comprise a management unit for outputting to the signal line an address signal for specifying that one of the job units which is to become next to output to the signal line a data signal based on a substantially real-time condition of the signal source.

Abstract: An automatic light control apparatus for a vehicle comprises an external light detector for selectively turning on and turning off at least one of tail lamps, side marker lamps and head lamps of a vehicle in accordance with the detected external light. A further detector is provided for detecting the ON period of an illuminating light having a fluctuating light value (for example generated by an A.C. voltage source), and the lamps are further controlled in accordance with the detected ON period of the fluctuating light value in conjunction with the signals generated by the external light detector, for controlling the illumination of the lamps of the vehicle. A further detector may be provided for detecting an abrupt change in the illumination level, and for controlling the vehicle lamps further in accordance with the detected abrupt change.

Abstract: A digital signal transmission system whereby the plural-bits-in-one-word digital signals are transmitted serially. According to this system, when the amount of data per unit time increases and the clock frequency of data is extremely high, a word synchronizing signal is input for each word so as to effect clock synchronization of data based on the word synchronizing signal, thereby allowing easy reading of each data bit. Detection can be facilitated by differentiating the format of the word synchronizing signal from that of the data clock signal, for example by varying the pulse period or pulse width. Further, by assembling a plural number of words into a block so that the block units are indicated with at least one bit in the words being signalled as a block flag bit, it becomes possible to treat the data in excess of the word units, allowing increase of the substantial bit number without increasing the bit number in one word.

Abstract: An antilock brake system with separate front- and rear-wheel safety means, in which front-wheel antilock control means and rear-wheel antilock control means are made so operative independently of each other that, when the front-wheel antilock control means for a front wheel generally having a larger proportion of the brake force distributed is troubled in its brake force suppressing state, front-wheel saftey means makes the function of the front-wheel antilock control means wholly ineffective to ensure the brake force to the front wheel whereas, when the rear-wheel antilock control means for a rear wheel generally having a smaller proportion of the brake force distributed is troubled in a state having lost its brake force suppressing function, rear-wheel safety means operates to effect that the brake force to the rear wheel is always stronger than that to the front-wheel thereby to maintain the steering stability of the wheeled vehicle.

Abstract: A method of preventing wheels of a vehicle from skidding, including the steps of detecting the peripheral speed of a wheel and picking it up as a wheel-speed signal, detecting the vehicle speed and setting a reference wheel-speed signal based on the detected vehicle speed, deriving a wheel-acceleration signal from said wheel-speed signal, and setting a reference wheel-deceleration signal for comparison with said wheel-acceleration signal. During braking operation, the brake torque applied to the wheel is controlled such that it is maintained constant to prevent the further increase thereof when the level of the wheel-accleration signal decreases below the level of said wheel-deceleration signal under the condition that the level of said wheel-speed signal is higher than that of said reference wheel-speed signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an anti-skid brake in a vehicle, in which an estimated vehicle speed signal is obtained by selecting the higher value signal from wheel speed signals of the front and rear wheels at the left and right side and anti-skid brake devices for the front and rear wheels are independently controlled by independent signals. In this way, the anti-skid brake control can always be performed assuredly while preventing locking of the wheels on slippery roads while also preventing unnecessary anti-skid braking operations at the time of sharp turning. In a modified method and apparatus, control of the anti-skid brake of the rear wheel on the left or right side is effected according to vehicle speed estimated from the speed of a front wheel on the right or left side, whereby gradual locking of the wheels at the time of braking on a slippery road is prevented, and the anti-skid brake control can always be accomplished assuredly and excellent braking effects can always be obtained.

Abstract: An antiskid brake controlling method and apparatus comprising: comparing by a first comparator and during braking of a vehicle, a wheel speed signal V.sub.w representative of the peripheral speed of a wheel of the vehicle with a first reference wheel speed signal V.sub.R 1 less than a vehicle speed signal V.sub.E and with a second reference wheel speed signal V.sub.R 2 which is less than the first reference wheel speed signal V.sub.R 1; comparing by a second comparator a wheel acceleration signal V.sub.w representative of the peripheral acceleration of the wheel with a first reference wheel acceleration signal V.sub.wl representing a predetermined positive peripheral acceleration of the wheel, a second reference wheel acceleration signal V.sub.w2 greater than the first reference wheel acceleration signal and a reference wheel deceleration signal -V.sub.w3 representative of a predetermined negative peripheral acceleration of the wheel.