Abstract: A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle includes identifying a road to be driven by the driver using a position determination unit. A parameter is selected to assist a driver of the vehicle in driving a segment of the road. The parameter includes information on the location of a boundary along the road and a preferred trajectory to be driven along the road. The parameter has a series of values corresponding to a plurality of locations along the road. A controller determines whether a current trajectory of the vehicle while travelling the road is deviating from the preferred trajectory of the vehicle along the road. A feedback operation is provided to assist the driver in guiding the vehicle nearer to the preferred trajectory based on the selected parameter.

Abstract: A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving a road, the method includes determining a location of a road boundary relative to the vehicle using a sensor, selecting, via a controller, a parameter to assist a driver of the vehicle at the location of the road boundary, updating the parameter based on a previous operation of the vehicle, determining, via the controller, whether the vehicle is approaching the road boundary based on a vehicle trajectory and the location of a road boundary, and providing a feedback operation to assist the driver in avoiding the road boundary, the feedback operation based on the selected parameter.

Abstract: A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle includes identifying a road to be driven by the driver using a position determination unit. A parameter is selected to assist a driver of the vehicle in driving a segment of the road. The parameter includes information on the location of a boundary along the road and a preferred trajectory to be driven along the road. A controller determines whether a driven trajectory of the vehicle while travelling the road is deviating from the preferred trajectory of the vehicle along the road. A feedback operation is provided while travelling the road to assist the driver in guiding the vehicle from the driven trajectory nearer to the preferred trajectory based on the selected parameter. The preferred trajectory is updated based on the driven trajectory of the vehicle along the road.

Abstract: A method of assisting a driver of a vehicle. A road to be driven by the driver is identified using a position determination unit. A parameter is selected to assist a driver of the vehicle in driving a segment of the road. The parameter includes information on the location of a boundary along the road and a preferred trajectory to be driven along the road. A controller determines whether a current trajectory of the vehicle while travelling the road is deviating from the preferred trajectory of the vehicle along the road. A feedback operation is provided to assist the driver in guiding the vehicle nearer to the preferred trajectory based on the selected parameter.

Abstract: A molding hook and loop fastener includes a plurality of surface fastener portions and a coupling member that is formed of a resilient body and connects the surface fastener portions. The coupling member includes a pair of vertical wall coupling portions which is continuously disposed along a longitudinal direction on both sides in between an engaging element area and which connects the surface fastener portions. With this configuration, when the molding hook and loop fastener is integrally molded to a cushion body, it is possible to prevent a resin material from penetrating into the engaging element area of the surface fastener portion and to stably secure a desired fastening strength at the engaging element area.

Abstract: A target-travel-path generating circuit calculates a target travel path along which a controlled object can travel in the future from a current controlled object position. An ideal-control-signal calculating circuit calculates a control profile to travel along the target travel path, and a difference calculating circuit calculates a difference between an ideal control magnitude and a current control magnitude. A controller controls an operation system based on a magnitude of the difference to assist a control operation and a control-operation-state of an operator, an environment-state, and a required operation-precision. The operator receives assistance corresponding to the magnitude of the difference from an ideal control state, the control-operation-state, the environment-state, and the required operation-precision. An outputted control-operation assistance control is suitable for conditions that characterize the operator state, the environment, and the controlled object.

Abstract: A fire alarm system, determining existence or nonexistence of a fire by using an ultrasound wave, comprises a sound wave generator and a sound wave detector to detect sound waves propagated through two propagation paths having different lengths each other. The system comprises a calculation means for calculating a pressure ratio between a first sound pressure, which is a sound pressure of a sound wave propagated through a first propagation path, and a second sound pressure, which is a sound pressure of a sound wave propagated through a second propagation path, and a smoke density estimator. The smoke density estimator calculates a change ratio between the pressure ratio calculated by the calculation means and a predetermined standard pressure ratio, and determines a smoke density from the change ratio based on a predetermined relational expression describing the relation between the change ratio and the smoke density, and determines existence of a fire when the smoke density exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A target-travel-path generating circuit calculates a target travel path along which the controlled object can travel in the future from the current controlled object position, an ideal-control-signal calculating circuit calculates a control profile ? to travel along the target travel path P, and a difference calculating circuit calculates a difference ? between the ideal control magnitude ? and a current control magnitude ?. An operation system assistance controller controls the operation system based on the magnitude of the calculated difference ? to assist the control operation of the operator, the control-operation-state of the operator, the environment-state, and the required operation-precision.

Abstract: A photodetector capable of improving dynamic range for input signals is provided. This photodetector includes a photoelectric converting portion, a charge separating portion, a charge accumulating portion, a barrier electrode formed the charge separating portion and the charge accumulating portion, and a barrier-height adjusting portion electrically connected to the barrier electrode. Undesired electric charges such as generated when environment light is incident on the photoelectric converting portion are removed by the charge separating portion. A potential barrier with an appropriate height is formed under the barrier electrode by applying a voltage to the barrier electrode according to an electric charge amount supplied from the charge separating portion to the barrier-height adjusting portion. Electric charges flowing from the charge separating portion into the charge accumulating portion over the potential barrier are provided as an output of the photodetector.

Abstract: A compact image pickup device with high sensitivity is provided, which is suitable for a spatial information detecting apparatus. The image pickup device has a plurality of image pickup units arranged on a semiconductor substrate. Each of the image pickup units has a light receiving array of photoelectric conversion elements for generating electric charges corresponding to a received-light amount, a transfer array of charge transfer elements, an accumulation array of charge accumulation elements each having a greater charge storage capacity than a saturation charge amount of the photoelectric conversion element, and a charge-amount adjusting portion configured to determine an amount of undesired electric charges to be separated from the electric charges generated by each of the photoelectric conversion elements. The transfer array and the light receiving array are arranged in a line in a vertical direction. The accumulation array is disposed adjacent to the transfer array in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smoke sensor of sound wave type that excels in responsiveness and has a low probability of false detection. The smoke sensor has a sound wave generating unit that provides an ultrasound wave to a monitoring space, a sound wave receiving unit that receives the ultrasound wave from the sound wave generating unit via the monitoring space, and a signal processing unit that detects an abnormality of the monitoring space by using an output of the sound wave receiving unit. The signal processing unit includes a smoke density estimation unit that estimates a smoke density in the monitoring space on the basis of a difference between the output of the sound wave receiving unit and a standard value, and a smoke density determination unit that determines the abnormality of the monitoring space by comparing the smoke density estimated by the smoke density estimation unit with a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A target-travel-path generating circuit calculates a target travel path along which the controlled object can travel in the future from the current controlled object position, an ideal-control-signal calculating circuit calculates a control profile ? to travel along the target travel path P, and a difference calculating circuit calculates a difference ? between the ideal control magnitude ? and a current control magnitude ?. An operation system assistance controller controls the operation system based on the magnitude of the calculated difference ? to assist the control operation of the operator, the control-operation-state of the operator, the environment-state, and the required operation-precision.

Abstract: A spatial information detecting device is provided, which is capable of reducing the possibility that a saturation phenomenon is caused by the influence of an environmental light. This device includes a photoelectric converting portion for receiving a signal light from a target space to generate electric charges, a charge separating portion for separating electric charges corresponding to a constant amount of a bias component as undesired electric charges from the electric charges generated by the photoelectric converting portion, a charge accumulating portion for accumulating the remaining electric charges as effective electric charges reflecting a fluctuation component of the signal light, a barrier control electrode for forming a potential barrier between the charge separating portion and the charge accumulating portion, and a charge take-out portion for outputting the effective electric charges as an received-light output.

Abstract: An image processing device for generating both of a distance image and a gray image from an electrical output of a light receiving element on the precondition that a light intensity-modulated at a modulation frequency is irradiated into a target space. This device has an image generator for generating the distance image having pixel values, each of which provides a distance value between an object in the target space and the device, in accordance with a phase difference between the irradiated light and the received light, and the gray image having pixel values, each of which provides a gray value of the object, in accordance with an intensity of the received light. By use of an output of the image generator, an outline of the object can be extracted.

Abstract: A fire alarm system, determining existence or nonexistence of a fire by using an ultrasound wave, comprises a sound wave generator and a sound wave detector to detect sound waves propagated through two propagation paths having different lengths each other. The system comprises a calculation means for calculating a pressure ratio between a first sound pressure, which is a sound pressure of a sound wave propagated through a first propagation path, and a second sound pressure, which is a sound pressure of a sound wave propagated through a second propagation path, and a smoke density estimator. The smoke density estimator calculates a change ratio between the pressure ratio calculated by the calculation means and a predetermined standard pressure ratio, and determines a smoke density from the change ratio based on a predetermined relational expression describing the relation between the change ratio and the smoke density, and determines existence of a fire when the smoke density exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A wireless sensor device including a sensor configured to sense a target object and provide a sensor signal of varying levels indicative of condition of the target object, a signal processing circuit configured to amplify the sensor signal and provide an amplified electric analog signal, and a detection circuit configured to receive the amplified analog signal and provide a detection output when the electric analog signal goes beyond a predetermined detection threshold. A radio transmitter transmits a radio detection signal in response to the detection output. A power supply is configured to provide an electric power to the signal processing circuit and the radio transmitter and includes a power generating element which converts an external energy into the electric power to be accumulated in the power supply. A controller activates the radio transmitter only in response to the detection output, permitting the radio transmitter to generate the radio detection signal.

Abstract: In an apparatus using an intensity-modulated light for detection of spatial information based upon light intensity of light reflected from a target space, a timing synchronization circuit is provided to synchronize a phase of the intensity-modulated light from a light-emitting element with a timing of operating a light-receiving element receiving the intensity-modulated light. The light-receiving element is caused to operate for enabling the detection of intensity of the received light for each of a plurality of phase regions within one cycle of the intensity-modulated light. The timing synchronization circuit functions to compare a cyclic variation determining the operation of the light-receiving element with a cyclic variation associated with an output from a light-emitting element driving circuit in order to keep a constant phase difference between these two cyclic variations.

Abstract: A photodetector capable of improving dynamic range for input signals is provided. This photodetector includes a photoelectric converting portion, a charge separating portion, a charge accumulating portion, a barrier electrode formed the charge separating portion and the charge accumulating portion, and a barrier-height adjusting portion electrically connected to the barrier electrode. Undesired electric charges such as generated when environment light is incident on the photoelectric converting portion are removed by the charge separating portion. A potential barrier with an appropriate height is formed under the barrier electrode by applying a voltage to the barrier electrode according to an electric charge amount supplied from the charge separating portion to the barrier-height adjusting portion. Electric charges flowing from the charge separating portion into the charge accumulating portion over the potential barrier are provided as an output of the photodetector.

Abstract: A spatial information detection system, which is capable of, even when detecting spatial information from a common target space by use of a plurality of detection devices, achieving accurate detection without causing interference between the detection devices. Each of the detection devices has a light emitting source for projecting light intensity-modulated with a modulation period into the target space, a photodetector for receiving light from the target space, and an evaluation portion for detecting the spatial information of the target space from a change between the light projected from the light emitting source and the light received by the photodetector. The system includes a timing control portion for controlling the timings of projecting the lights from the light emitting sources such that a light projection period of the light emitting source of one of the detection devices does not overlap with the light projection period of the light emitting source of another detection device.

Abstract: A compact image pickup device with high sensitivity is provided, which is suitable for a spatial information detecting apparatus. The image pickup device has a plurality of image pickup units (U1) arranged on a semiconductor substrate. Each of the image pickup units (U1) has a light receiving array of photoelectric conversion elements (Px) for generating electric charges corresponding to a received-light amount, a transfer array (Y1) of charge transfer elements (Py), an accumulation array (Z1) of charge accumulation elements each having a greater charge storage capacity than a saturation charge amount of the photoelectric conversion element, and a charge-amount adjusting portion (D4) configured to determine an amount of undesired electric charges to be separated from the electric charges generated by each of the photoelectric conversion elements. The transfer array and the light receiving array (X1) are arranged in a line in a vertical direction (Dv).