Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for determining a conformity between a representation of an environment and said environment, wherein said representation of the environment constitutes a representation in at least two dimensions, where a distance between two points in the representation has a known relation to the corresponding distance in said environment, characterized in that said determination involves the step of determining a first set of parameter values for a first position in said representation of the environment, comparing said first determined set of expected parameter values with a second set of parameter values, where said second set of parameter values has been determined for a second position, where said second position constitutes a position in said environment that essentially corresponds to said first position, and using said comparison to determine a measure of conformity between said environment and said representation of the environment.

Abstract: A controller for determining whether a previously-detected vehicle wheel speed sensor malfunction still exists. The controller includes an electronic, non-volatile memory, and an electronic processing unit connected to the electronic, non-volatile memory. The electronic processing module includes a malfunction monitoring module, a failure handling module, and a signal checking module. The malfunction monitoring module monitors the operation of at least one wheel speed sensor and generates a fault signal when the at least one sensor malfunctions. The failure handling module causes drive cycle information and the fault information to be stored in the electronic, non-volatile memory. The signal checking module performs a signal check on information from the at least one wheel speed sensor. A tell-tale indicator is deactivated and/or a vehicle control system resumes normal operation if the wheel speed sensor passes the signal check.

Abstract: Wireless transmission from sensor devices included in tires is coordinated by a receiving unit associated with the tire, or transmission coordinator. In more detail, every sensor device is made aware of an overall time window available for transmission, and based on at least this information, it calculates a dedicated timeslot for the transmission of its data within such time window. This coordinated transmission makes possible a strong reduction of the probability of collisions and transmission errors, and reduces the number of transmissions, so as to comply with the limited power resources available at each sensor device.

Abstract: In an ECU provided for idle-stop control, when a user start command is outputted from an ECU to start an engine in response to a manual start operation of a driver, transistors are turned on and a solenoid is operated to engage a pinion gear of a starter with a ring gear. After a delay period of a delay circuit, a transistor is turned on by an output of the delay circuit and an electromagnetic switch is turned on to energize a motor of the starter. A microcomputer measures an actual delay time from when the user start command is outputted to turn-on of the transistor and checks whether the measured time corresponds to a normal time of the delay time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for feedback of states of an electric component to an engine control device of an internal combustion engine using a control unit for the electric component including a detection device configured to detect faults. The method includes configuring the control unit, connecting the control unit to the engine control device via a signal line, receiving a PWM signal generated in the engine control device, tying the signal line to ground for a feedback of data of the electric component to the engine control device; and identifying a fault based on a duration of the connection to ground.

Abstract: Testing or diagnostics are performed on an electric vehicle. The vehicle is operated and current flow through a system of the vehicle is monitored. A voltage related to the system is also monitored. Diagnostics are provided based upon the monitored voltage and the monitored current.

Abstract: In an ECU provided for idle-stop control, when a user start command is outputted from an ECU to start an engine in response to a manual start operation of a driver, transistors are turned on and a solenoid is operated to engage a pinion gear of a starter with a ring gear. After a delay period of a delay circuit, a transistor is turned on by an output of the delay circuit and an electromagnetic switch is turned on to energize a motor of the starter. A microcomputer measures an actual delay time from when the user start command is outputted to turn-on of the transistor and checks whether the measured time corresponds to a normal time of the delay time.

Abstract: A voice command acquisition method and system for motor vehicles is improved in that noise source information is obtained directly from the vehicle system bus. Upon receiving an input signal with a voice command, the system bus is queried for one or more possible sources of a noise component in the input signal. In addition to vehicle-internal information (e.g., window status, fan blower speed, vehicle speed), the system may acquire external information (e.g., weather status) in order to better classify the noise component in the input signal. If the noise source is found to be a window, for example, the driver may be prompted to close the window. In addition, if the fan blower is at a high speed level, it may be slowed down automatically.

Abstract: A maintenance time notification device includes a storing unit storing a threshold value of a usage time or a traveling distance for each of a plurality of vehicle parts; a measuring unit measuring the usage time and the traveling distance of a vehicle since the vehicle began to be used for each of the vehicle parts; a maintenance period determination unit determining a maintenance period of each of the vehicle parts by comparing the usage time and the traveling distance measured by the measuring unit, with the threshold value; and a reporting unit reporting to a passenger based on a determination result of the maintenance period determination unit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an integrated vehicle control system, which eliminates the possibility of interfering with motion control devices and is capable of accurately controlling the targeted behavior of a vehicle.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the driving behavior of a railway vehicle, wherein at least one measurement variable characterizing the vibrational behavior of at least one wheel set of the railway vehicle, is captured by at least one sensor providing a corresponding measurement signal. The method includes the steps of identifying at least one significant event or a combination of multiple significant events within the time trace of the measurement signal and identifying the event time at which the significant event took place, deriving the frequency from the time trace of the measurement signal starting from the event time, comparing the derived frequency to at least one stored reference frequency, evaluating the vibrational behavior of the wheel set as a function of the deviation of the derived frequency from the at least one stored reference frequency.

Abstract: A failure determination apparatus for a vehicle includes: a failure determination element configured to determine that failure occurs at the vehicle when a state with failure detection continues for a first period, and to determine that the failure is resolved when a state without the failure detection continues for a second period; a notification element configured to notify failure information to an external device when the failure determination element determines that the failure occurs at the vehicle; a repair completion detection element configured to detect completion of repair of the vehicle with respect to the failure; and a short-cut element configured to shorten the second period when the repair completion detection element detects the completion of repair of the vehicle.

Abstract: In an electric power steering system, an electric motor generates output power for power-assisting steering operation of a steering wheel, a torque sensor generates a plurality of electric output signals corresponding to a torque applied to the steering wheel, and a control unit controls the steering operation of the electric motor in accordance with at least one of the electric output signals of the torque sensor. The control unit detects a difference between rotation speeds of left and right steered wheels, checks whether any one of the plurality of output generating parts is in failure, and specify a failing-device based on the rotation speed difference and the plurality of output signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for emergency driving of a vehicle includes an engine fail recognizing unit monitoring an operational state of an engine in real time and outputting an engine fail recognition signal when a failure of the engine is recognized; an emergency driving switch operation recognizing unit recognizing an operation of an emergency driving switch disposed in the vehicle and outputting an emergency driving switch operation signal; an emergency driving condition verifying unit verifying whether emergency driving of the vehicle is possible by comparing predetermined registered emergency drivable condition information with a current state of the vehicle when any one of the engine fail recognition signal and the emergency driving switch operation signal is inputted; and a driving unit forcibly driving the engine of the vehicle by driving a belt driven or other suitable starter according to a verification result of the emergency driving condition verifying unit.

Abstract: A vehicle information recording system has an ECU and the like to detect an abnormal event that occurs on the vehicle, a vehicle state determination unit to determine a vehicle state including at least one of a running state and a running environment of the vehicle based on an output value and a threshold of a sensor and a switch provided in various parts of the vehicle, and a memory unit to record a vehicle state when an abnormal event is detected, which is determined by the vehicle state determination unit, and a duration time of the vehicle state determined by the vehicle state determination unit from when the output value exceeds the threshold to when the abnormal event is detected.

Abstract: An electric control apparatus for a vehicle is provided. The apparatus comprises at least two microcomputers, an external monitoring unit, and an internal monitoring means. The two microcomputers are composed of a first microcomputer and a second microcomputer, The first microcomputer is assigned to controlling travel functions of a vehicle. The external monitoring unit monitors whether or not the first microcomputer is in a normal operation and is placed outside the first and second microcomputers. The internal monitoring means monitors whether or not the first microcomputer is in a normal operation and is within the first microcomputer.