Abstract: This specification discloses an optical processing head including a light guide portion that guides, to a process surface, a ray for processing. The light guide portion is further configured to guide, to the process surface, a ray for inspection different in wavelength from the ray for processing. The optical processing head further includes an inspection portion that inspects the state of the process surface based on reflected light of the ray for inspection reflected by the process surface. With the optical processing head, the state of the process surface can be easily inspected even during optical processing.

Abstract: A road shape predicting method includes the steps of: selecting three positions of positions of a plurality of nodes constituting road map data and an own vehicle position on a road; and predicting the road shape on the basis of a crossing angle formed by a link connecting a first position and a second position of the selected three positions and another link connecting the second and a third position thereof, and a link length between the second and the third positions. In case that the link length between the second and the third positions is not larger than a reference link length set in accordance with the crossing angle, the third position is excluded, and the position of a node further forward is adopted in place of the third position, to thereby predict the road shape.

Abstract: A system for determining the passability of a vehicle through a section of road ahead of the vehicle is controlled based on coordinates of a plurality of nodes NN (N1, N2, N3, N4 . . . ) constituting the road section ahead of a subject vehicle. The system calculates a passing-state determination amount &thgr;N/LN for each of the nodes NN, and based on the passing-state determination amount &thgr;N/LN, the system then determines whether the vehicle can positively or safely pass through the road section. The passing-state determination amount &thgr;N/LN serves as an indicator which represents a degree of difficulty in the passage of the vehicle through the nodes NN and which is obtained, for example, by dividing an angle &thgr;N formed by a line segment connecting the adjacent nodes NN by a distance LN between the adjacent nodes NN.

Abstract: A system for determining the passability of a vehicle passing through a curved road section. The system provides road information, detects the position of a subject vehicle on the road and determines whether a node, representing road data, exists on a curved or straight section of road. If it is determined that the node exists on a curve, it is then determined whether the curve is a simple curve or an S-shaped curve. Based upon these determinations, the system determines whether the vehicle can safely pass through the curve.

Abstract: Vehicle control apparatus enables a vehicle to positively and safely pass a curve present in a forward road ahead of the vehicle, irrespective of any error in road data used by the apparatus and any error in a detected vehicle position. The apparatus calculates a predicted passing speed for a curve on the basis of a vehicle speed and a vehicle position, and compares same with a maximum passable speed for the curve which is calculated on the basis of map information and the vehicle position to thereby determine whether the vehicle can positively and safely pass the curve. If the apparatus determines that the vehicle cannot positively and safely pass the curve, warning, automatic deceleration and/or automatic steering is executed by a control mechanism of the apparatus.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is operative so as to prevent a chattering of initiation and termination of vehicle control, such as automatic deceleration, on the basis of a variation in a predicted passing speed. The apparatus comprises a maximum passable speed calculating mechanism M5 which calculates a maximum passable speed of a forward curve ahead of the vehicle on the basis of a road shape determined by a road shape decision mechanism M11, and a predicted passing speed calculating mechanism M7 calculates a predicted passing speed for the forward curve on the basis of a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detector M6.

Abstract: A hydroplaning detection system comprising AM specific frequency component extraction AM, which comprises a band-pass filter for extracting signal components PS in a main frequency band corresponding to the wheel rotation speed or the vehicle speed from wheel rotation speed signals, and a band-pass filters for respectively extracting signal components PL in other frequency bands, and AM determining the occurrence of hydroplaning based on the ratio PL/PS between the signal components PS in the main frequency band and the signal components PL in other frequency bands.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a wheel grip on a road has a wheel speed sensor for detecting a revolution speed of a wheel of a vehicle, a plurality of band-pass filters for filtering an output of the wheel speed sensor at a plurality of frequency bands, and a reference value memory device for storing in memory reference values dependent on the revolution speed of the wheel. The reference values are set for each of the frequency bands of the plurality of band-pass filters. The wheel grip on road is detected based on the correlation between that signal output for each of the frequency bands which is obtained through the band-pass filters and that reference value for each of the frequency bands which is stored in memory in the reference value memory device.