Abstract: A tracking control apparatus for tracking a preceding vehicle includes information acquiring unit for acquiring information about surrounding the own vehicle, preceding vehicle determining unit for determining the preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle, control unit controls the tracking control to be maintained or released, and turn signal determining unit for determining whether or not a turn signal of a turn signal unit of the preceding vehicle is active. The control unit maintains or releases the tracking control by determining the surrounding of the own vehicle concerning a traffic lane change by the preceding vehicle based on the information acquired by the information acquiring unit, when the turn signal determining unit determines that the turn signal of the turn signal unit is active.

Abstract: In a lane boundary line information acquiring device, a detection unit detects lane boundary lines. A driving environment acquiring unit acquires a driving environment. A probability information acquiring unit acquires probability information containing a probability of presence of a lane boundary line, etc. based on the detected lane boundary lines and the acquired driving environment. A position information acquiring unit acquires position information of the own vehicle. A memory unit associates the probability information with the position information of the own vehicle. Where the position information is acquired by the position information acquiring unit at a time when the probability information acquiring unit acquires the probability information, and stores the probability information associated with the position information into the memory unit. A readout unit reads out the probability information associated with the position information at a location in front of the own vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle controller includes a follow travel instructor conducting a lead vehicle follow control by auto-steering for a following of an own vehicle to follow a lead vehicle, an other vehicle information obtainer obtaining transmitted information transmitted from the lead vehicle, the transmitted information including information regarding a front situation of the lead vehicle, and an across-boundary move determiner determining whether the lead vehicle may cross a traffic lane boundary to an opposite traffic lane, based on the front situation information of the lead vehicle obtained by the other vehicle information obtainer. The follow travel instructor stops conducting the lead vehicle follow control based on a determination by the across-boundary move determiner that the lead vehicle may cross the traffic lane boundary. In such manner, an occupant of the own vehicle is prevented from becoming frightened by the auto-steering.

Abstract: In a manipulation assisting control apparatus, a manipulation assistance controller causes a switch unit to be in an on-state and which executes control of a motor drive circuit to apply an assisting force, in a case where a manipulation target object is moved in a predetermined direction. A first stop controller causes the switch unit to be in an off-state and stops the control of the motor drive circuit, in a case where the manipulation target object moved in the predetermined direction stops at an end position. A second stop controller causes the switch unit to be in the on-state and stops the control of the motor drive circuit, in a case where the manipulation target object moved in the predetermined direction stops at an intermediate position or in a case where the manipulation target object moves in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

Abstract: When a travel path is to be generated for a vehicle, road surface lines (white lines, etc.) delimiting the traffic lane of the vehicle, and also external objects in the vehicle environment, are detected and registered as respective obstacles. Specific points are defined at appropriate locations on each obstacle, and the travel path is generated by connecting respective mid-point positions between opposed pairs of specific points, each pair defined on respective ones of an opposed (left-side, right-side) pair of the registered obstacles.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a steering amount calculation unit which calculates a steering amount for decreasing a lateral deviation of a vehicle with respect to a target route, a vehicle position acquisition unit which acquires a position of the vehicle, and a past information acquisition unit which acquires the lateral deviation, which is related to the position of the vehicle acquired by the vehicle position acquisition unit or a position ahead of the position of the vehicle, from a storage section in which the lateral deviation is stored with the position of the vehicle being related to the lateral deviation. The steering amount calculation unit feeds back the lateral deviation acquired by the past information acquisition unit to calculate the steering amount.

Abstract: Provided are the following: water-absorbing resin particles with which an absorber can be manufactured, the absorber enabling ample anchoring to be obtained without compromising on water absorbency; and an absorber obtained by anchoring together the water-absorbing resin particles and a fibrous base material. The present invention is: core-shell water-absorbing resin particles constituted of a core layer (P) containing a water-absorbing resin (A) and a shell layer (Q), the shell layer (Q) containing a thermoplastic resin (B) having a melting point of 50 to 180° C., and the thermoplastic resin (B) being a polymer having a hydrophobic block comprising a polyolefin; an absorber obtained by anchoring the water-absorbing resin particles to a fibrous base material (F); and an absorbent article made using such absorber.

Abstract: A traffic lane marking recognition apparatus includes a candidate detecting unit, a gap detecting unit, and a recognition reducing unit. The candidate detecting unit detects a lane dividing line candidate which is a candidate for a lane dividing line that defines a traffic lane on a road, based on an image of the road captured by an on-board camera that is mounted in a vehicle. The gap detecting unit detects a gap included in the lane dividing line candidate detected by the candidate detecting unit. When the gap is detected by the gap detecting unit, the recognition reducing unit reduces a probability of recognition of the lane dividing line candidate as a lane dividing line to a first probability that is lower than the probability when the gap detecting unit does not detect the gap, in a region from the gap closest to the vehicle towards a direction away from the vehicle.

Abstract: In a manipulation assisting control apparatus, a manipulation assistance controller causes a switch unit to be in an on-state and which executes control of a motor drive circuit to apply an assisting force, in a case where a manipulation target object is moved in a predetermined direction. A first stop controller causes the switch unit to be in an off-state and stops the control of the motor drive circuit, in a case where the manipulation target object moved in the predetermined direction stops at an end position. A second stop controller causes the switch unit to be in the on-state and stops the control of the motor drive circuit, in a case where the manipulation target object moved in the predetermined direction stops at an intermediate position or in a case where the manipulation target object moves in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A display device including a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined.

Abstract: An unintentional operation of a door is prevented while the usability of the door is improved. A power back door control device includes: an operation signal acceptor configured to accept an operation signal of a back door opening/closing switch for performing an operation of opening or closing a back door of a vehicle; a controller configured to control opening/closing of the back door via a motor when the operation signal acceptor accepts the operation signal; and a stopping state detector configured to detect whether or not the vehicle is in a stopping state based on information about traveling or stopping of the vehicle acquired by a vehicle-side ECU. When the stopping state detector detects that the vehicle is not in the stopping state, the controller performs fixing control of the back door so as to keep the back door from moving.

Abstract: A vehicle controller includes a follow travel instructor conducting a lead vehicle follow control by auto-steering for a following of an own vehicle to follow a lead vehicle, an other vehicle information obtainer obtaining transmitted information transmitted from the lead vehicle, the transmitted information including information regarding a front situation of the lead vehicle, and an across-boundary move determiner determining whether the lead vehicle may cross a traffic lane boundary to an opposite traffic lane, based on the front situation information of the lead vehicle obtained by the other vehicle information obtainer. The follow travel instructor stops conducting the lead vehicle follow control based on a determination by the across-boundary move determiner that the lead vehicle may cross the traffic lane boundary. In such manner, an occupant of the own vehicle is prevented from becoming frightened by the auto-steering.

Abstract: A processor unit in an electric power converter executes detection of an overheating predicted state that is a stage prior to overheating of the IGBTs, a short circuit predicted state that is a stage prior to a short circuit in the arms, and a voltage drop predicted state that is a stage prior to a drop in a control voltage to be supplied to a driver circuit. When none of these predicted states is detected, a determination that an abnormality is not caused in the power module based on a latch signal is made by the processor unit. When an overheating predicted state is detected, the processor unit lowers the duty ratio of a motor control signal. When a short circuit predicted state is detected, the processor unit prolongs the dead time in which the upper IGBTs and the lower IGBTs are both maintained in the off-state.

Abstract: A selection track setting section in a driving route generation device determines as a selected track a track of a preceding vehicle when a detection section and a track generation section detects a track of the preceding vehicle which is running on the same driving lane of a host vehicle. A candidate track selection section outputs as a candidate track one of tracks of front vehicles, detected by the detection section and the track generation section, other than the track of the preceding vehicle. A switching selection section switches as the selected track from the track of the preceding vehicle to the candidate track when a detection of the track of the preceding vehicle is interrupted during a predetermined detection period. An estimate route generation section generates an estimated driving route of the host vehicle on the bass of the selected track.

Abstract: A vehicle driving assistance apparatus mounted in a vehicle. In the apparatus, a drivable route detection unit detects a drivable route, a vehicle state quantity detection unit detects state quantities of the vehicle, and a steering control unit controls steering of the vehicle. Further, in the apparatus, an allowable region estimation unit estimates a driving allowable region on the basis of the detected state quantities and a predetermined allowable range of behavior of the vehicle. A deviation determination unit determines that the vehicle will deviate from the drivable route when a minimum width of an overlap region of the drivable route and the driving allowable region is less than a predetermined threshold. An intervention instruction unit then outputs to the steering control unit an intervention control signal to control steering of the vehicle.

Abstract: In a lane boundary line information acquiring device, a detection unit detects lane boundary lines. A driving environment acquiring unit acquires a driving environment. A probability information acquiring unit acquires probability information containing a probability of presence of a lane boundary line, etc. based on the detected lane boundary lines and the acquired driving environment. A position information acquiring unit acquires position information of the own vehicle. A memory unit associates the probability information with the position information of the own vehicle. Where the position information is acquired by the position information acquiring unit at a time when the probability information acquiring unit acquires the probability information, and stores the probability information associated with the position information into the memory unit. A readout unit reads out the probability information associated with the position information at a location in front of the own vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes a steering amount calculation unit which calculates a steering amount for decreasing a lateral deviation of a vehicle with respect to a target route, a vehicle position acquisition unit which acquires a position of the vehicle, and a past information acquisition unit which acquires the lateral deviation, which is related to the position of the vehicle acquired by the vehicle position acquisition unit or a position ahead of the position of the vehicle, from a storage section in which the lateral deviation is stored with the position of the vehicle being related to the lateral deviation. The steering amount calculation unit feeds back the lateral deviation acquired by the past information acquisition unit to calculate the steering amount.

Abstract: An unintentional operation of a door is prevented while the usability of the door is improved. A power back door control device includes: an operation signal acceptor configured to accept an operation signal of a back door opening/closing switch for performing an operation of opening or closing a back door of a vehicle; a controller configured to control opening/closing of the back door via a motor when the operation signal acceptor accepts the operation signal; and a stopping state detector configured to detect whether or not the vehicle is in a stopping state based on information about traveling or stopping of the vehicle acquired by a vehicle-side ECU. When the stopping state detector detects that the vehicle is not in the stopping state, the controller performs fixing control of the back door so as to keep the back door from moving.

Abstract: A traffic lane marking recognition apparatus includes a candidate detecting unit, a gap detecting unit, and a recognition reducing unit. The candidate detecting unit detects a lane dividing line candidate which is a candidate for a lane dividing line that defines a traffic lane on a road, based on an image of the road captured by an on-board camera that is mounted in a vehicle. The gap detecting unit detects a gap included in the lane dividing line candidate detected by the candidate detecting unit. When the gap is detected by the gap detecting unit, the recognition reducing unit reduces a probability of recognition of the lane dividing line candidate as a lane dividing line to a first probability that is lower than the probability when the gap detecting unit does not detect the gap, in a region from the gap closest to the vehicle towards a direction away from the vehicle.

Abstract: A display device including a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined.