Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Mitsubishi Denki K.k.

Yasuya Kajiwara

Hiroyasu Hagino

Seiichi Nagai

Yoshiaki Asayama

Kazumichi Tsutsumi

Keiu Kawasaki

The computer (CPU) of a distance measurement device determines the inter-vehicular distance by applying a software filter (weighing means) upon successive values obtained directly from measurement. A vehicle velocity control device for maintaining the inter-vehicular distance include a distance measurement device for measuring the inter-vehicular distance, and the deviation .DELTA.R of the inter-vehicular distance with respect to the target inter-vehicle distance R.sub.S is determined. The vehicle velocity is controlled on the basis of the deviation .DELTA.R in accordance with the PID (proportion plus integral plus differential) control method, and the gains are varied in accordance with the current value of the inter-vehicular distance.

Distance measurement device and vehicle velocity control device for

A distance measuring apparatus sets a plurality of sub-windows in a picture plane so that the size of each sub-window having a contrast higher than a predetermined value is as small as possible but is greater than a minimum size. Therefore, it is possible to recognize the shape of an object and to measure a distance thereto with high resolution and high precision. For high speed processing, the sub-windows are successively updated in a predetermined cycle in such a manner that only those sub-windows which exist in a region in which a deviation of an image of the object last sensed relative to a previous image thereof is greater than a prescribed value are updated.

Distance measuring apparatus

A warning apparatus for a vehicle generates a warning for a driver of the vehicle when the separation between the vehicle and an obstacle located in front of the vehicle falls below a prescribed value. The prescribed value is varied in accordance with changes in the physical or mental state of the driver of the vehicle, environmental conditions, or the driving characteristics of the driver and thereby adjust to changes in the driver's reaction time and the stopping distance of the vehicle.

Warning apparatus for a vehicle

The output signals of sensors, which sense the operations of the driver of a vehicle, are input to a central control unit which determines, based thereon, the operating conditions of the driver and generates, as a result of such determination, instruction signals to a power controller for controlling an engine, a transmission, etc., and a drive controller for controlling a steering system, a suspension system, a brake system, an air conditioner, etc., in a comprehensive way. The controllers are also directly connected to the sensors so that they can control the corresponding control means independently of the central control unit. The controllers generate instruction signals to the corresponding control means, which are sub-systems of the total system, so that actuators provided on the respective control means are thereby controlled to operate in conjunction with all the control means through the intermediary of the respective controllers, while priority is given to an instruction from the central control unit. The control means are each provided with sensors in addition to an actuator so that if there is a fault in the data transmission line between the central control unit and the respective control means, the individual control means can properly control the corresponding actuators based on the output signals of the corresponding sensors provided thereon so as to ensure continued travel of the vehicle.

Control apparatus for a vehicle

A motor car travelling control device which measures the distance between a first car and a second car while tracking the image of the second car. When the second car changes its travelling lane, the control device informs the driver of the first car and causes the first car to maintain its present speed. The motor car travelling control device includes an inter-cars distance detector, of the image tracking type, for measuring the distance between a first car and a second car. The control device also includes a lane change detector, a speed controller and a lane change informer. When the second car changes its travelling lane, the lane changes informer informs the driver of the first car and causes the first car to maintain its present speed.

Motor car traveling control device

A distance detecting apparatus in which an operator is able to readily and accurately see to which one of a plurality of objects the distance is detected. The apparatus is able to concurrently detect the distances to a plurality of objects which exist within the field of view of the subject vehicle. To this end, the apparatus includes: a pair of first and second image sensors including a pair of optical systems for optically sensing a plurality of objects; a first memory for storing the pictures of the objects sensed by the first image sensor as first image signals; a second memory for storing the pictures of the objects sensed by the second image sensor as second image signals; a window defining device for defining a plurality of windows at specific areas of the first or second image signals; and a calculator for making image signals within the respective windows defined by the window defining device as reference signals. The calculator is operable to make a comparison between those of the first and second image signals which correspond to the reference signals, to individually calculate the distance to each object in each window. Preferably, the first and second image sensors are disposed in a vertically spaced apart relation.

Distance detecting apparatus

An automatic speed control apparatus capable of allowing a motor vehicle to travel at a given speed in a cruising mode over a wide speed range from a low to a high speed by simplifying driver's operation as required while ensuring safety in driving by protecting the vehicle against collision with an obstacle lying in front thereof. Upon stoppage of acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle, the apparatus makes the vehicle cruise at a speed at which the vehicle was travelling at the instant when the acceleration or deceleration was stopped. In addition, upon detection of an obstacle such as a preceding car, an alarm is generated, and the vehicle is controlled such that the distance to the object is maintained at a constant level, as required.

Travel control apparatus for motor a vehicle

A distance measuring apparatus which can accurately measure the distance to an object and keep track of the object. In the apparatus, a pair of image-pickup optical systems pick up an object. A window including the object is set in an image picked up by one of the image-pickup optical systems. The distance to the object is measured by calculating correlation between the image in the window and an image picked up by the other image pickup optical system. Tracking an object is also possible by taking a correlation of images in the window formed in a time sequence. Adequate exposure is determined from an image signal in the window so that the image pickup optical systems are controlled to set the adequate exposure to the image in the window. Contrast of an image in the window becomes distinct, thus enabling accurate distance calculations and tracking of an object.

Distance measuring apparatus utilizing two-dimensional image

A correlation detector for images including: a unit for converting pixel signals of two images into digital data; a unit for deriving either an absolute value of a difference between the two pixel signals or a product of the two pixel signals from a table in accordance with pixel signal values of the two images; a unit for converting the derived value into an analog value; and a unit for storing electric charges while converting the converted analog value into a current value which is proportional to the converted analog value. Since the correlation between the two images are calculated using a table and the addition is performed in terms of storing electric charges, the correlation detector can be down-sized with simple circuits and its operation speed is improved as well.

Correlation detector for images

A car interval control apparatus composed of a tracking type range finder having a pair of optical systems arranged in a parallel relation and an image sensor disposed in connection with each of said optical systems, wherein a window is formed for a picture image of an object that is to be tracked and sensed by each of the image sensors. The distance to the object is measured, in accordance with a triangular method, on the basis of a shift of position of the picture image of the object displayed in the window. A observing means which emits light and observes forcible entry of an intervening car into a lane in front of and close to the driver's car by detecting light reflected by the intervening car. A control device controls the distance between the drivers car and the preceding car by using a signal produced from the tracking type range finder and generates an alarm when the forcibly entered car is detected by the observing means during the operation of the controlling of the distance of the cars.

Car interval control apparatus

A distance sensor is disclosed composed of a pair of objective lenses 1 and 2 separated by a base length L, and a pair of two-dimensional image sensors 3 and 4. A left and a right image of a moving object 5, shifted from each other by a horizontal distance corresponding to a distance R to the object 5, is formed on the sensors 3 and 4. The left or the right image formed on the sensor is displayed on the display 11. A human operator initially sets, via the window forming device 12, the dimension and position of a window within the screen of the display. Thereafter, the microcomputer 10A samples at a predetermined sampling period the pixel signals of the image sensors 3 and 4, adjusts the dimension and the position of the window such that the window just covers the image of the object, and determines the amount of shift of the left and the right images on the basis of the image within the window.

Triangulation type distance sensor for moving objects with window

An apparatus for regulating fuel supply according to fuel mixture ratio comprising a light source (5) for radiating a light beam (7) through fuel (3), a light path defining unit (26) for defining a light path for the light beam (7) in accordance with a refraction ratio of the fuel, and a light receiver (24) for receiving the light beam passed through the fuel. The light receiver (24) has connected thereto an actuator (32,43,47) for moving at least one of the light source (5), the light path defining unit (26) and the light receiver (24) by an amount sufficient to keep the light beam (7) always impinging at a constant position on the light receiver (24). The actuator (47) is connectable to a fuel regulator (46,48) for adjusting the fuel supply to an engine in accordance with the amount of the movement of the above components.

Fuel supply regulating apparatus

A tracking distance-measuring equipment for measuring the distance from a moving target on the principle of triangulation by electrically detecting the respective dislocations of first and second images focused on the image sensors of paired first and second optical systems disposed side by side from the optical axis through the comparison of image signals provided by the image sensors respectively representing the first and second images. A window is set in a specific portion of either the first or second image signal, image signals provided by the image sensors are sampled periodically at predetermined intervals. The sample image signals provided by one of the image sensors are compared with the window set in an image equivalent to the sample image signal provided by the other image sensor at a sampling point. The tracking distance-measuring equipment is capable of continuously measuring the distance from the moving target and determining the direction and distance of movement of the target.

Tracking distance-measuring equipment system with means for setting a

There is provided an apparatus for controlling a throttle actuator which detects the magnetic pole position of a rotor of a brushless motor connected to a throttle valve and drives the brushless motor in response to the detected magnetic pole position detecting signal. The apparatus is arranged to detect any fault in the magnetic pole position detecting signal and steppingly drive the brushless motor independently of the magnetic pole position detecting signal when a fault is detected.

Apparatus for controlling throttle actuator

A speed control apparatus for a vehicle performs cruise control at high vehicle speeds, creep control at low vehicle speeds, and wheel slip suppression at high and low vehicle speeds by controlling the degree of opening of the throttle valve of the vehicle. During creep control, a control unit controls the degree of opening of the throttle valve in accordance with the vehicle speed and the amount of depression of the brake pedal by the driver. When the brake pedal is not depressed, the control unit controls the throttle valve so that the vehicle runs at a predetermined creep speed. When the brake pedal is depressed, the brakes are applied and the control unit decreases the opening of the throttle valve. When a wheel slip sensor detects slipping of the wheels, the control unit decreases the throttle valve opening until slipping is no longer detected.

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Himeji, Japan

Yasuya Kajiwara