Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Nec Corporation

Hironori Kato

Hiroyuki Bannai

Yoshio Sanpei

Yuichi Ida

Toshiyuki Hoshi

Kunihiko Sasaki

Masanori Nakao

Noriyuki Fukushima

Hirofumi Okumura

Katsuya Mitsuzuka

Toshio Ogawa

Ken Mizuta

Mitsunori Matsumoto

Kimihiro Furuichi

Yukari Sano

Tadashi Sano

Ichiro Tokunaga

Hideki Masudaya

Yoshihiro Ohashi

Ichirou Tokunaga

Masanori Kuramoto

Katsutoshi Uchida

Kiichi Yamaguchi

Masaki Takahashi

Masashi Takezawa

A master CPU and a slave CPU for processing data supplied from a detector unit, and a timer cleared by a clear signal supplied every predetermined time period from the master CPU when the operation of the master CPU is normal and adapted for supplying a reset signal to the master CPU and the slave CPU after the lapse of the predetermined time period and further after the lapse of another predetermined time period when an anomaly occurs in the operation of the master CPU. The master CPU monitors the processing data outputted from the slave CPU, and supplies a forced reset signal to the slave CPU when anomaly in the operation of the slave CPU is detected.

Controller with fail-safe function

A force pattern is formed by particular points in which forces to be supplied to a knob are set for a plurality of particular positions that are set in a movement range of the knob and prescribed functions connect each adjoining pair of particular positions. A storing section stores the particular points. A computing section determines in which region between the particular positions the knob is located, and calculates a control value to be supplied to an actuator on the basis of the prescribed function connecting the particular points.

Haptic controller which performs control using a force pattern that is represented by prescribed functions each connecting particular points

The rotary connector comprises a stationary housinghaving a cylindrical portiontherein, a movable housinghaving a cylindrical portiontherein provided on the stationary housing so as to be rotatable relatively thereto, and a flexible cableaccommodated within a housing sectionformed between the stationary housing and the movable housing, in which the rotary connector further includes temperature detection meansfor detecting the temperature of the flexible cable in a state of the temperature detection means being exposed within the housing section.

Rotary connector that prevents excessive temperature increase generated in a flexible cable

A bywire system shift lever device for vehicles includes a base member, a lever member to be driven by an operating element, an electric motor provided on the lever member, a transmission mechanism to transmit a rotation of a rotating shaft to the lever member, a first position detecting sensor for supplying first position signals representing the operating angle of the lever member, and a second position detecting sensor for supplying second position signals. Consequently the electric motor is controlled by the second position signals and thus a predetermined sensory resistance is provided to the operating element by a force of the rotating shaft of the electric motor applied via transmission mechanisms.

Bywire system shift lever device for vehicles

A rotational angle detector which comprises: a rotational angle detecting section which detects an angle detection signal correspondent to a rotational state of a rotor in a short cycle and feeds it to a control section; the control section which calculates the fed angle detection signal and sends an angle set signal through a controller to a controlled system; and a memory which stores the angle detection signal temporarily and also stores an allowable maximum angle value for the angle detection signal, wherein the control section makes the output cycle for the angle set signal longer than the detection cycle for the angle detection signal and counts the number of times when the angle detection signal as fed within the long output cycle for the angle detection signal is beyond the allowable maximum angle value and, if it decides that the count is beyond a preset number, outputs an abnormality signal instead of the angle set signal.

Rotational angle detector which prevents controlled system from being improperly controlled

The steer-by-wire steering device includes a steering wheel, an operating angle sensor which detects an operation angle of the steering wheel, an operating element actuator which applies an external force for force feedback to the steering wheel, a tire reactive force sensor, a steering actuator which applies an external force to a vehicle's steering system, and a controller which receives output signals of the operating angle sensor and the tire reactive force sensor and controls driving of the operating element actuator and the steering actuator. A plurality of functions F &equals;f(b), F &equals;f(b), F &equals;f(b) which use a detection signal b inputted from the tire reactive force sensor as a parameter are preliminarily stored in the controller. Then, an optimum function is selected from the plurality of preliminarily stored functions in response to a level of the detection signal b. Thereafter, a drive signal c for the operating element actuator is computed based on the selected function and the level of the inputted detection signal and then is outputted.

Steer-by-wire steering device capable of enhancing steering performance and reliability

The rotary connector comprises a stationary housing having a cylindrical portion therein, a movable housing having a cylindrical portion therein provided on the stationary housing so as to be rotatable relatively thereto, and a flexible cable accommodated within a housing section formed between the stationary housing and the movable housing, in which the rotary connector further includes temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the flexible cable in a state of the temperature detection means being exposed within the housing section.

A controller comprises: a home position memory which memorizes the home position of a steering wheel for force feedback control; a frequency calculating section which calculates a frequency of input of a steering signal; and a home position rewriting section which memorizes an operating angle of the steering wheel where the steering signal is most frequently inputted, as a new home position of the steering wheel in the home position memory. According to a rewriting signal outputted from the home position rewriting section, the home position memorized in the home position rewriting section is repeatedly rewritten.

Steer-by-wire drive control system with operating element home position updating function

A steer-by-wire gear shifter comprises: a holder; a rotary shaft rotatably held by the holder; a shift lever whose bottom is fixed on the rotary shaft; a shift knob attached to a top of the shift lever; detecting means for detecting an operational condition of the shift knob; an actuator which applies an external force for force feedback to the shift knob through the rotary shaft and the shift lever; a control section which receives a detection signal from the detecting means, a transmission signal d from a transmission controller and an engine revolution speed signal e from an engine controller, generates and outputs a control signal b for the actuator and a gear shift signal c for the transmission controller; and a release switch which unlocks the shift knob.

Steer-by-wire gear shifter with force feedback

It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control system for a vehicle wherein the contents of control are changed depending on the distance between the vehicle and a portable transmitter, for example with a locking command signal provided from the portable transmitter in a vehicle invisible state, a window is not closed. According to the present invention, for achieving the above-mentioned object, the portable transmitter transmits both first and second transmission signals together, and when a receiver has received at least the first transmission signal, a control circuit section outputs a first control signal and at this time both a first device (locking/unlocking mechanism) and a second device (window opening/closing mechanism) are operated, while when the receiver has received only the second transmission signal, the control circuit section outputs a second control signal and at this time only the first device is controlled.

Remote control system for a vehicle

A rotational angle detecting apparatus having a rotation detector that outputs, as a rotor coupled to a rotating member rotates, first and second detection signals, which have predetermined amplitudes, the same cycle, and a phase difference of a quarter wavelength, a memory for storing the first and second detection signals, and a control unit. The control unit detects the rotational angle of the rotating member by averaging the amplitudes of the first and second detection signals according to the area in which the first detection signal lies.

Apparatus for detecting rotational angle by employing two or more detection signals based on rotational angle and rotational direction of rotating member

A rotation angular speed detection apparatus that accurately detects a low rotation angular speed of a rotating body includes: a receiving part for receiving rotation angles at predetermined time intervals from a rotation angle sensor that detects rotation angles of a rotating body; a storage part for storing received rotation angles; and a control part. When the difference between a first arbitrary angle stored and a second angle stored before the first angle is less than a predetermined value, the control part determines, from the stored rotation angles, a third angle in which a difference between the first angle and the third angle is more than the predetermined value, and the control part divides the difference between the first angle and the third angle by the time required from storing of the third angle to storing of the first angle to detect a rotation angular speed.

Apparatus and method for detecting rotation angular speed and automobile using the apparatus

A rotational angle detecting device includes a rotation detecting section for outputting sinusoidal first and second detection signals as a result of the rotation of a rotor connected to a rotary member, a storage section for updating and storing the first and second detection signals, and a controlling section. The first and second detection signals have constant amplitudes, have the same periods, and have wavelengths which are output of phase. The controlling section compares the amplitude values of most recent first and second detection signals output from the rotation detecting section, and determines whether or not the amplitude values fall within proper ranges. When the controlling section determines that they fall within the proper ranges, a piece of detection information which is created based on the most recent first and second detection signals is supplied to a controller. On the other hand, when the controlling section determines that they do not fall within the proper ranges, the controlling section destroys the most recent first and second detection signals, and does not supply detection information to the controller. The invention provides a rotational angle detecting device for performing required controlling operations using detection signals output from the rotational detecting section which have been determined as being proper detection signals.

Device for detecting the rotational angle of a rotary member

It is an object to provide structure for mounting stoke switches, easy to be assembled, capable of exchangeably mounting stoke switches having the same function or different functions to a steering column to enable them to be exchanged. The first and second stoke switches have proximal portions capable of being mounted to a steering column by extracting and inserting, and operating levers extending from the proximal portions respectively, and there are provided connector units, which are made connectable to connector units provided on the lateral sides of the steering column in such a manner that when the first and second stoke switches are extracted from and inserted into the steering column, the connector units on the steering column side discriminate between the first and second stoke switches.

Structure for mounting stoke switches

The rotation angle detection apparatus comprises: a rotor connected to a rotating body, a rotation angle detection unit, a memory unit and a control unit. Control unit detects an amplitude absolute value of a first angle detection signal and amplitude absolute value of a second angle detection signal. Control unit compares detected amplitude absolute value of first angle detection signal and amplitude absolute value of second angle detection signal to determine which is a smaller amplitude absolute value or a larger amplitude absolute value. Control unit calculates a basic rotation angle of the rotating body based on an arctangent angle of a quotient value obtained by dividing the smaller amplitude absolute value by the larger amplitude absolute value. Control unit converts the basic rotation angle to a different angle value for each of a plurality of angle processing cases, and the rotation angle of the rotating body is detected.

ROTATION ANGLE DETECTION APPARATUS FOR CALCULATING A ROTATION ANGLE BY ATTAINING AN ARCTANGENT ANGLE OF A DIVIDEND WHERE A SMALL AMPLITUDE ABSOLUTE VALUE OF TWO SINUSOIDAL WAVE DETECTION SIGNALS HAVING A PHASE DIFFERENCE IS DIVIDED BY A LARGE AMPLITUDE ABSOLUTE VALUE

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Sendai, Japan

Hironori Kato