Abstract: A method and system for assisting a driver operating a vehicle traveling on a road includes determining an obstacle as a target obstacle in the path of the vehicle and providing information on the target obstacle, regulating at least one of a reaction force input (F) to the driver, a driving force applied to the vehicle and a braking force applied to the vehicle in response to a control amount determined; measuring a width of the target obstacle; and correcting the control amount based on the measured width (w).

Abstract: A light-emitting device having a ring optical resonator and capable of laser oscillation by a novel structure realized by working out the mechanism of light emission. The light-emitting device having a ring optical resonator fabricated on a base is characterized in that the optical resonator has a core made of a semiconductor and serving to propagate light and a clad formed on at least the base side of the core in the stack direction out of the base side and the opposite side of the core, at least the ring inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the core are covered with a transparent body having an index of refraction lower than that of the space or the clad, and a part of the ring inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the clad are covered with a transparent body having an index of refraction lower than that of the space or the clad.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assist system has a host vehicle risk factor detection section, a peripheral risk factor detection section, a host vehicle risk potential calculation section, a peripheral risk potential calculation section and a risk potential notification section. The host vehicle risk factor detection section detects host vehicle risk factors related to a host vehicle. The peripheral risk factor detection section detects peripheral risk factors in an area around the host vehicle. The host vehicle risk potential calculation section calculates a host vehicle risk potential attributed to the host vehicle risk factors. The peripheral risk potential calculation section calculates a peripheral risk potential attributed to the peripheral risk factors. The risk potential notification section notifies a driver of the host vehicle risk potential and the peripheral risk potential using a common risk notification device for both notifications.

Abstract: A vehicle headway maintenance assist system is provided that provides a haptic notification to an accelerator to alert the driver under prescribed conditions. The vehicle headway maintenance assist system includes a preceding vehicle detection section, a reaction force generating section, and a control section. The preceding vehicle detection section is configured to detect a headway distance between a host vehicle and a preceding vehicle. The reaction force generating section is configured to generate a reaction force based on the headway distance detected by the preceding vehicle detection section. The control section is configured to control a relationship between a driving force and an accelerator actuation amount by a driver to increase the accelerator actuation amount at a time before the reaction force generating section generates the reaction force.

Abstract: A vehicle driving operation support apparatus for a vehicle, includes a sensing section to sense a traveling condition of the vehicle including a surrounding condition inclusive of an obstacle around the vehicle; and a control section to calculate a risk potential for the vehicle in accordance with the traveling condition. The control section performs a support control to support the driver in accordance with the risk potential, performs a first assist control to restrain disturbance (such as vibration from a road) transmitted to the driver in accordance with the risk potential, and performs a second assist control to produce inducement simulating a condition change (such as a vehicle behavior) attributable to an increase of the risk potential, in accordance with the risk potential. The control section further performs a cooperation control to coordinate the first assist control and the second assist control.

Abstract: A motor vehicle includes a vehicle driving operation support system. The vehicle driving operation support system senses an environment surrounding the motor vehicle; senses a traveling condition of the motor vehicle; calculates a risk potential of the motor vehicle on a basis of the sensed environment and the sensed traveling condition; controls the motor vehicle on a basis of a control setpoint. The vehicle driving operation support system sets on a basis of the calculated risk potential the control setpoint to a provisional setpoint effective for reducing the risk potential; senses driver's operation in reaction to the controlling operation with the control setpoint set to the provisional setpoint; and sets the control setpoint to a normal setpoint on a basis of the sensed driver's operation.

Abstract: A vehicle driving operation support apparatus for a vehicle, includes a sensing section to sense a traveling condition of the vehicle including a surrounding condition inclusive of an obstacle around the vehicle, and a control section to calculate a risk potential for the vehicle in accordance with the traveling condition. The control section performs a support control to support the driver in accordance with the risk potential, and performs an assist control to restrain disturbance (such as vibration from a road) transmitted to the driver in accordance with the risk potential.

Abstract: A vehicle driving operation support apparatus for a vehicle, includes a sensing section to sense a traveling condition of the vehicle including a surrounding condition inclusive of an obstacle around the vehicle, and a control section to calculate a risk potential for the vehicle in accordance with the traveling condition. The control section performs a support control to support the driver in accordance with the risk potential and performs an assist control to produce inducement simulating a condition change (such as a vehicle behavior) attributable to an increase of the risk potential, in accordance with the risk potential.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assist system calculates a risk potential indicative of a degree of convergence between a host vehicle and a preceding obstacle. Then, the system performs a driver notification operation that produces a driver notification stimulus based on the risk potential such as decreasing the driving force exerted against the vehicle as the risk potential increases and increasing an actuation reaction force exerted on the accelerator pedal during its operation as the risk potential increases. If a failure is detected in a reaction force generating device serving to add a reaction force to the accelerator pedal in accordance with the risk potential, then the system corrects an engine torque characteristic such that the engine torque does not increase even if the accelerator pedal is depressed to suppress an odd feeling in the vehicle performance by the driver when a failure occurs in the reaction force generating device.

Abstract: A switching control circuit includes an N-channel MOSFET having an input electrode applied with an input voltage and an output electrode connected to one end of an inductor and one end of a rectifying element. The other end of the inductor is connected to a first capacitor. A bootstrap circuit is configured to generate a bootstrap voltage on a second capacitor having one end connected to the output electrode of the N-channel MOSFET. The bootstrap voltage is required when the N-channel MOSFET is turned on. A driving circuit is configured to be applied with a driving voltage corresponding to the bootstrap voltage and turn on/off the N-channel MOSFET to generate an output voltage of a target level on the first capacitor. A clamping circuit is configured to clamp the driving voltage to be at a predetermined level or lower.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assist system is provided that increases an actuation reaction force exerted by the accelerator pedal, when it is operated, as a risk potential with respect to a preceding obstacle increases. The system also lowers the driving force and increases the braking force exerted against the host vehicle as the risk potential increases. During braking/driving force control based on the risk potential, the system changes a braking/driving force control operating schedule in accordance with the driver's intentions with respect to accelerate or decelerate.

Abstract: A system and method for assisting a driver operating a vehicle traveling on a road includes a reaction force device configured to determine a first reaction force value and a second reaction force value, a weighting device configured to weight the second reaction force value, a reaction force selection device configured to select one of the first and weighed second reaction force values, a driver controlled input device manually operable by the driver, and an actuator coupled to the driver controlled input device and configured to transmit the selected one of the first and weighed second force values to the driver by a reaction force input via the driver controlled input device.

Abstract: An intelligent driving assistance system for used in a vehicle to convey information related to a future variation of a relative spatial relationship between the vehicle and an object, even before the actual variation occurs. The system includes a detector configured to detect a driving condition of the vehicle and a condition of an object in a field around the vehicle, and a data processor, in anticipation of a future decrease of a distance between the vehicle and the object, regulating a reaction force applied to a driver control device of the vehicle.

Abstract: When it is judged that a possible collision of the own vehicle with a preceding vehicle is avoidable by operation of either one of the brake pedal and steering wheel, a first grade braking force is automatically produced. While, when it is judged that the possible collision is unavoidable by operation of either of the brake pedal and steering wheel, a second grade braking force is automatically produced, which is greater than the first grade braking force.

Abstract: Provided is a deposition apparatus that has a metal evaporation source for depositing a reflective layer, a pigment evaporation source for depositing a coloring layer, and a plasma polymerization source (electrode) for depositing a protective layer disposed inside a single vacuum processing room. By carrying out a step of depositing the reflective layer, a step of depositing the coloring layer, and a step of depositing the protective layer in the common vacuum processing room, processes can be simplified and an operation time can be reduced.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus has an oscillator that generates a reproduced carrier wave which keeps track of a carrier wave of a satellite signal; a pseudo noise generator that generates a pseudo noise code unique to a satellite; a control section that controls a phase of the pseudo noise code in accordance with a change in the phase of the reproduced carrier wave, to thus control the pseudo noise generator so as to keep constant a difference between the phase of the pseudo noise code included in a satellite signal and the phase of the pseudo noise code; a timing generation section that generates a timing associated with a rise or fall of the pseudo noise code; a frequency generation section that generates at least one frequency signal; a sampling section that samples an amplitude of the satellite signal by means of a frequency signal; a cumulative addition section that cumulatively adds a signal sampled by the sampling section; and a phase difference computing section that computes a phase difference between the

Abstract: An inter-vehicle distance maintenance supporting system may include an operational reactive force generating device that generates an operational reactive force on a driving operational equipment based on a first inter-vehicle distance threshold. A driving operational equipment state detector detects an operational state of the driving operational equipment and acceleration intent of the driver. An engine controller controls an engine torque corresponding to the operational state of the driving operational equipment. An engine torque correcting device decreases the engine torque before the operational reactive force is generated. The decrease correction is suppressed when the inter-vehicle distance is greater than a second inter-vehicle distance threshold that is larger than the first inter-vehicle distance, and the driving operational equipment state detector detects the acceleration intent of the driver.

Abstract: A headway distance maintenance supporting system may include an obstacle detector, a controller configured for determining an operation reaction force to be generated in a driving operation equipment, and an operation reaction force generator for generating the operation reaction force in the driving operation equipment. The controller is configured for controlling the operation reaction force based on the status of a detected obstacle. The operation reaction force comprises a principal operation reaction force and an auxiliary operation reaction force, the auxiliary operation reaction force being no greater than the principal operation reaction force. The controller is configured for generating the auxiliary operation reaction force before a generation of the principal operation reaction force in the driving operation equipment.

Abstract: The positioning apparatus and position apparatus control method are able to efficiently receive useful signals without special circuitry.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus is provided that reduces the time required to acquire spreading codes of satellite signals. In a positioning apparatus (100) having a plurality of channels CH1, CH2, . . . , a spreading code generator (104) provided for each channel generates a spreading code of a GPS satellite which is set by a control section (107). A spreading code phase control section (109) sets the initial phases of spreading codes set on the channels, respectively, such that the initial phases are sifted between the channels CH1 and CH2. When one channel (e.g., CH1) succeeds in acquiring a spreading code, the initial phase of the spreading code of another channel (CH2) is reset based on a spreading code phase of the one channel.