Abstract: A position measurement portion manages a measurement target area by dividing the area into a plurality of section areas, and also manages, or keeps track of, an intra-area interfering object number which is the number of interfering objects in a given section area, independently for each of the plurality of the section areas. The travel controller determines, independently for each of the plurality of section areas, if the section area is in a congested state in which the intra-area interfering object number is greater than a set upper limit number, and selects a congested area travel mode as the travel mode when the travel controller is about to cause the vehicle to travel in a section area that is determined to be in the congested state.

Abstract: A position measurement portion manages a measurement target area by dividing the area into a plurality of section areas, and also manages, or keeps track of, an intra-area interfering object number which is the number of interfering objects in a given section area, independently for each of the plurality of the section areas. The travel controller determines, independently for each of the plurality of section areas, if the section area is in a congested state in which the intra-area interfering object number is greater than a set upper limit number, and selects a congested area travel mode as the travel mode when the travel controller is about to cause the vehicle to travel in a section area that is determined to be in the congested state.

Abstract: Disclosed is an article transport facility in which interference between an article transport vehicle and an interfering object is prevented. A position detector is provided on the ground side for detecting the position of an interfering object, and an external managing device issues a deceleration command to the article transport vehicle if the distance from the article transport vehicle to the interfering object becomes less than or equal to a predetermined low speed distance, based on position information for the interfering object and travel position information for the article transport vehicle. A vehicle side travel controller changes a target travel speed from a normal travel speed to a reduced travel speed which is lower, or less, than the normal travel speed while the target travel speed is set to the normal travel speed, if the deceleration command is issued from the external managing device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an article transport facility in which interference between an article transport vehicle and an interfering object is prevented. A position detector is provided on the ground side for detecting the position of an interfering object, and an external managing device issues a deceleration command to the article transport vehicle if the distance from the article transport vehicle to the interfering object becomes less than or equal to a predetermined low speed distance, based on position information for the interfering object and travel position information for the article transport vehicle. A vehicle side travel controller changes a target travel speed from a normal travel speed to a reduced travel speed which is lower, or less, than the normal travel speed while the target travel speed is set to the normal travel speed, if the deceleration command is issued from the external managing device.

Abstract: A near-infrared night vision device to which a pedestrian detection device is applied includes a near-infrared projector, a near-infrared camera, a display and an ECU. By executing programs, the ECU constitutes a pedestrian candidate extraction portion and a determination portion. The pedestrian candidate extraction portion extracts pedestrian candidate regions from near-infrared images. The determination portion normalizes the sizes and the brightnesses of the pedestrian candidates extracted by the pedestrian candidate extraction portion, and then computes the degrees of similarity between the normalized pedestrian candidates. The determination portion determines that a pedestrian candidate having two or more other pedestrian candidates whose degree of similarity with the pedestrian candidate is greater than or equal to a predetermined value is not a pedestrian.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting an object from an image obtained by taking a front view picture of a road in a traveling direction of a vehicle includes a camera unit for taking the front view picture of the road and inputting the image; a dictionary modeling the object; a search unit for searching the image with a search window; a histogram production unit for producing a histogram by comparing the image in the search window with the dictionary and counting a detection frequency in a direction parallel to a road plane; and a detection unit for detecting the detection object by detecting a unimodal distribution from the histogram.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus for detecting an object from an image obtained by taking a front view picture of a road in a traveling direction of a vehicle includes a camera unit for taking the front view picture of the road and inputting the image; a dictionary modeling the object; a search unit for searching the image with a search window; a histogram production unit for producing a histogram by comparing the image in the search window with the dictionary and counting a detection frequency in a direction parallel to a road plane; and a detection unit for detecting the detection object by detecting a unimodal distribution from the histogram.

Abstract: A near-infrared night vision device to which a pedestrian detection device is applied includes a near-infrared projector, a near-infrared camera, a display and an ECU. By executing programs, the ECU constitutes a pedestrian candidate extraction portion and a determination portion. The pedestrian candidate extraction portion extracts pedestrian candidate regions from near-infrared images. The determination portion normalizes the sizes and the brightnesses of the pedestrian candidates extracted by the pedestrian candidate extraction portion, and then computes the degrees of similarity between the normalized pedestrian candidates. The determination portion determines that a pedestrian candidate having two or more other pedestrian candidates whose degree of similarity with the pedestrian candidate is greater than or equal to a predetermined value is not a pedestrian.

Abstract: A second circuit separately extracts a synchronization signal and brightness signal from an image signal output from a camera for capturing an image of a subject. A gamma amplifier produces a gamma correction signal based on a brightness ratio characteristic in which a display brightness increases as the signal level of the brightness signal increases and the display brightness is set using a display brightness correction ratio which is preferably 70 to 90% of an equi-proportional display brightness correction ratio when the signal level of the brightness signal falls in a high-brightness range. A liquid crystal display receives the gamma correction signal and displays an image captured by the camera with the display brightness set in accordance with the brightness ratio characteristic while synchronizing with a drive timing signal output from a first circuit.

Abstract: A second circuit separately extracts a synchronization signal and brightness signal from an image signal output from a camera for capturing an image of a subject. A gamma amplifier produces a gamma correction signal based on a brightness ratio characteristic in which a display brightness increases as the signal level of the brightness signal increases and the display brightness is set using a display brightness correction ratio which is preferably 70 to 90% of an equi-proportional display brightness correction ratio when the signal level of the brightness signal falls in a high-brightness range. A liquid crystal display receives the gamma correction signal and displays an image captured by the camera with the display brightness set in accordance with the brightness ratio characteristic while synchronizing with a drive timing signal output from a first circuit.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a self-heating type cold-cathode discharge tube, a microcomputer determines boosting time based on a detected surrounding temperature of the cold-cathode discharge tube. The boosting time is increases as the detected temperature decreases. A switching circuit, powered from a direct current power supply, performs a switching operation based on a determination output from the microcomputer. An inverter circuit actuates the cold-cathode discharge tube based on the switching operation which is duty-controlled. The duty ratio is determined to be higher when the detected surrounding temperature is within a predetermined low temperature range than outside the predetermined low temperature range.

Abstract: In a control apparatus for a self-heating type cold-cathode discharge tube, a microcomputer determines boosting time based on a detected surrounding temperature of the cold-cathode discharge tube. The boosting time is increases as the detected temperature decreases. A switching circuit, powered from a direct current power supply, performs a switching operation based on a determination output from the microcomputer. An inverter circuit actuates the cold-cathode discharge tube based on the switching operation which is duty-controlled. The duty ratio is determined to be higher when the detected surrounding temperature is within a predetermined low temperature range than outside the predetermined low temperature range.

Abstract: A charger has a charging unit for charging a Ni-Cd battery using a DC supply, a charging switch, and a discharging unit for discharging, by a predetermined quantity, an electric charge stored in the Ni-Cd battery by the charging unit. Further, the charger repeats a charging and discharging process a predetermined number of times to charge the Ni-Cd battery. A controller cuts off a charging current flowing in the Ni-Cd battery when the value of the charging current reaches a rated capacity of the Ni-Cd battery and subsequently effects a repetitive control of both the charging of the Ni-Cd battery and the cutting off of the charging current. Thus, a Ni-Cd battery whose electromotive force has been reduced and whose internal electric resistance has increased can be charged without continuously producing heat. Accordingly, the charger can recover a Ni-Cd battery whose electromotive force has been reduced because the Ni-Cd battery has been unused for a long period without deteriorating the Ni-Cd battery.

Abstract: There are disclosed a europium and terbium-coactivated phosphor having chemical composition formula(M.sub.l-x-y Eu.sub.x Tb.sub.y).sub.n Dwherein M represent Y or Lu, D represents (Al.sub.l-z Ga.sub.z).sub.5 O.sub.12 in which z is defined by 0.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.1, or O.sub.2 S, x is defined by 0.0003.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.001, y is defined by 0.0003.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.002 and n is 2 or 3, and wherein when D is (Al.sub.l-z Ga.sub.z).sub.5 O.sub.12, M is Y, n is 3 and y is defined by 0.001.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.02, or when D is O.sub.2 S, n is 2, y is defined by 0.0003.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.005; a cathode ray tube for color copy or color print coated with said europium and terbium-coactivated phosphor; and a copy (printing) unit using said cathode tube.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, including an irradiating device for emitting an image radiation representative of an original image, a projecting device having a viewing screen which is irradiated by the image radiation from the irradiating device and which provides a view of a visible image represented by the image radiation, and an exposing device for exposing a photosensitive recording medium to the image radiation from the irradiating device to produce a visible image represented by said image radiation. The apparatus further includes an optical guide device for directing the image radiation from the irradiating device to the projecting device and the exposing device.

Abstract: As automated loading/unloading system is shown, which uses a lift truck 10 for loading and unloading cargos and adpated to travel between a container 90 and a coneyor 50, a rotatably disposed turntable 60 for rotation about a vertical axis, the turntable being rotated when the lift truck 10 is on top thereof so as to turn the lift truck to face the container 90 or conveyor 50. A transport passage 80 installed between the turntable 60 and container 90 to permit the lift truck 10 to reach the container 90. An external power unit 100 is employed for controlling the lift truck and the turntable 60. Guide rails 70 and 81 are provided to extend along the turntable 60 and the transport passage 80 along one edge. The lift truck 10 is designed so as to urge its body to one side in its movement so that the movement of the lift truck is guided by the rails 70 and 81 and the inside wall of the container on the same side of the rails.

Abstract: An exposure device for an image exposure onto a photosensitive recording medium includes a cathode ray tube serving as an exposure light source which supplies an optical radiant energy onto the recording medium. The photosensitive recording medium has an .gamma. characteristic in a relation between the density of the image recorded thereon and an optical radiant energy applied thereto. For recording an image corresponding in density to an image of an original, there is provided a driver circuit which receives an input voltage indicative of the density of the image on the original and when the input voltage exceeds a predetermined value, an output voltage applied to the cathode ray tube to cause an image of 0% (white) in density to be recorded on the recording medium. When the input voltage is below the predetermined value, the output voltage is applied thereto which changes in proportion to the input voltage.

Abstract: To record a CRT image on a photosensitive recording medium, the latter is exposed to an image bearing light emanated from a display screen of a CRT. Currents flowed through horizontal and vertical deflection coils are varied to thereby change the horizontal and vertical sizes of the image displayed on the CRT, whereby the size of the image recorded on the recording medium can be changed without moving the position of the recording medium and/or a focusing lens interposed between the display screen of the CRT and the recording medium.