Author: claimsbot

1. A method of operating a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle, said system having at least one surroundings sensor, a processing circuit, an output device connected to said processing circuit and configured to produce an output perceivable by the driver of said motor vehicle, and an input device connected to said processing circuit and configured to register an input from a driver of said motor vehicle, wherein said method comprises the steps:
a) using said at least one surroundings sensor, detecting objects in a surrounding environment of said motor vehicle and producing sensor signals indicative of said detected objects;
b) in said processing circuit, evaluating said sensor signals and producing a respective object information including an identification andor an object characteristic of at least one respective target object among said detected objects;
c) in said processing circuit, determining a respective confidence value representing a probability of accuracy for said identification andor said object characteristic of said at least one target object respectively;
d) in said processing circuit, comparing said respective confidence value to a prescribed threshold;
e) if said respective confidence value in said step d) falls below said prescribed threshold then producing as said output from said output device a driver information comprising said respective object information; and
f) after said step e), using said processing circuit, checking an input status of said input device, and if said input status indicates confirmation of said respective object information by the driver then performing or continuing to perform a driver assistance function of said driver assistance system based on said respective object information.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step f) further comprises, if said input status of said input device indicates non-confirmation of said respective object information by the driver then discontinuing or not performing said driver assistance function based on said respective object information.
3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, after said step c), an additional step comprising comparing said respective confidence value to a minimum threshold and proceeding to said step d) only if said respective confidence value exceeds said minimum threshold.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before said step d), a further step of checking whether an already-active driver assistance function of said driver assistance system is already being performed based on said respective object information or based on other object information regarding a different target object among said detected objects.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said step d) is carried out with a first active-system threshold value as said prescribed threshold if said further step determined that said already-active driver assistance function is already being performed, said step d) is carried out with a second inactive-system threshold value as said prescribed threshold if said further step determined that no said already-active driver assistance function is already being performed, and said first active-system threshold value is less than said second inactive-system threshold value.
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein if said further step determined that no said already-active driver assistance function is already being performed and said respective confidence value in said step d) falls below said prescribed threshold, then further comprising beginning to perform said driver assistance function based on said respective object information even before said input status of said input device indicates said confirmation of said respective object information by the driver.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein if said step f) determined that said input status indicates said confirmation then continuing to perform said driver assistance function, and if said step f) determined that said input status indicates non-confirmation of said respective object information by the driver then discontinuing said driver assistance function that had been begun.
8. The method according to claim 4, wherein if said further step determined that said already-active driver assistance function is already being performed and said respective confidence value in said step d) falls below said prescribed threshold, then if said step f) determined that said input status indicates said confirmation then continuing to perform said already-active driver assistance function, and if said step f) determined that said input status indicates non-confirmation of said respective object information by the driver then discontinuing said already-active driver assistance function.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said respective object information includes a plurality of object characteristics of said respective target object andor said step b) comprises producing a plurality of said respective object informations respectively for a plurality of said respective target objects, said driver information produced as said output in said step e) comprises said plural object informations andor said plural object characteristics, in said step f) said input status indicates confirmation of at least a particular selected one of said plural object informations that has been selected by the driver via said input device andor confirmation of at least a particular selected one of said plural object characteristics that has been selected by the driver via said input device, and in said step f) said driver assistance function is based on said particular selected object information andor said particular selected object characteristic.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein if said respective confidence value in said step d) equals or exceeds said prescribed threshold, then further comprising automatically performing or continuing to perform said driver assistance function of said driver assistance system based on said respective object information.
11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system comprises a lane recognition system, said object information includes a detected lane course of a roadway lane determined by said processing circuit in said evaluating in said step b), and in said step f) if said input status indicates confirmation of said detected lane course by said driver then said detected lane course is used as a correct recognized lane course in said object information as a basis of said driver assistance function.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said driver assistance function is a lane departure warning function, a lane departure avoidance function, a lane keeping assistant function, or a lane changing assistant function, which is performed based on said correct recognized lane course.
13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system comprises an adaptive cruise control system which can perform an object following control as said driver assistance function, said target object is one of said detected objects that is traveling ahead of said motor vehicle in a same roadway lane as said motor vehicle, and said driver assistance function of said step f) is said object following control to follow said target object.
14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system comprises an adaptive cruise control system which is performing an object following control to follow a previously recognized object, said target object is a new recognized object among said detected objects that is traveling ahead of said motor vehicle, and if said input status in said step f) indicates said confirmation by the driver of said respective object information regarding said new recognized object then said step f) comprises discontinuing said object following control to follow said previously recognized object and instead performing an object following control to follow said new recognized object.
15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system comprises a lane recognition assistant system that can perform a lane related function selected from a lane recognition function, a lane departure warning function, a lane departure avoidance function, a lane changing assistant function andor a lane keeping assistant function as said driver assistance function, said driver information comprises a display of a detected lane course, if said input status indicates confirmation of said detected lane course by the driver then said step f) comprises performing or continuing said lane-related function based on said detected lane course, and if said input status indicates non-confirmation of said detected lane course by the driver then said step f) comprises discontinuing said lane-related function.
16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said driver assistance system is able to perform plural different driver assistance functions, said driver information produced in said step e) further comprises an indication of at least one particular proposed function among said plural different driver assistance functions, and if said input status further indicates confirmation of said proposed function, then said step f) comprises performing or continuing to perform said proposed function based on said respective object information.
17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising switching said driver assistance system to a safe condition if said input status indicates that said input device has not been actuated by the driver during a prescribed time duration.
18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising emitting a warning to the driver if said input status indicates that said input device has not been actuated by the driver during a prescribed time duration.
19. A method of operating a driver assistance system of a motor vehicle with at least one driver assistance function, in which objects and or object characteristics of recognized objects in the detection zone of surroundings sensors of the driver assistance system have a confidence value (P) allocated thereto, which indicates the probability of the existence of the detected object andor the probability of the proper allocation of the object characteristic to the recognized object, characterized in that
if the confidence value (P) of a detected object or at least one object characteristic of a recognized object falls below a prescribed threshold value (SA, SI), then a driver information is produced by a display unit,
the driver information contains the informations regarding the detected object andor at least one object characteristic of the recognized object,
by actuation of an operating arrangement, the detected object andor the at least one object characteristic of the recognized object is confirmable by the driver, and
upon a confirmation of the detected object andor the at least one object characteristic of the recognized object by the driver, then the driver assistance system performs the at least one driver assistance function on the basis of the confirmed object andor the confirmed object characteristic of the recognized object, or if the driver assistance function is already being performed then this driver assistance function is further performed.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A modularized structure of a fuel device and a rear suspension mounted on a floor panel of a vehicle that uses hydrogen or electricity as fuel, and the modularized structure comprises:
a cross member coupled to the fuel device and disposed in a vehicle width direction, both ends thereof being connected to support a wheel hub, respectively,
an exhaust pipe disposed to extend from a front side to a rear side of the floor panel and formed in a bent shape to pass between separate hydrogen tanks,
wherein the hydrogen tanks are connected to a frame and mounted to the floor panel, the frame has a connecting portion crossing the cross member to interconnect the hydrogen tanks, and the connecting portion is fastened to the cross member,
wherein the frame includes an annular portion in which the hydrogen tanks are enclosed inside, and both ends of the cross member is formed in a curved \u201cC\u201d shape to be additionally connected to the annular portion,
wherein the exhaust pipe is configured to include a front side pipe of a straight shape, a rear side pipe having a \u201cL\u201d shape curved to be fixed over the cross member, and a tube connecting to each of the front side and rear side pipes, and
wherein the cross member is mounted to the frame in a state of being fastened to the suspension and the rear side pipe in advance.
2. The modularized structure of the fuel device and the rear suspension of claim 1, wherein the fuel devices are two hydrogen tanks disposed below the floor panel to be spaced apart along a front-to-back direction, and the cross member is disposed in the vehicle width direction to cross between the hydrogen tanks.
3. The modularized structure of the fuel device and the rear suspension of claim 1, wherein multiple bolt holes are punched through the frame to be fastened with bolts, a part of the bolt holes is fastened to the cross member with a part of the bolts, and remaining bolt holes are fastened to the floor panel with remaining bolts.

1. A method of programming non-volatile memory, comprising:
programming a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to a first physical state; and
programming a second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to said first physical state, said first physical state includes a lower minimum voltage for said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements than for said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first physical state includes a first minimum threshold voltage for said first set and a second minimum threshold voltage for said second set, said second minimum threshold voltage is less than said first minimum threshold voltage.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein:
said step of programming said first set to said first physical state includes programming said first set using a first target level; and
said step of programming a second set includes programming said second set using a second target level.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein:
said step of programming said first set includes verifying programming of said first set to said first physical state, wherein verifying includes determining whether a threshold voltage of said one or more non-volatile storage elements of said first set has reached said first target level; and
said step of programming said second set includes verifying programming of said second set to said first physical state, wherein verifying includes determining whether a threshold voltage of said one or more non-volatile storage elements of said second set has reached said second target level.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein:
said first target level is equal to said first minimum threshold voltage; and
said second target level is equal to said second minimum threshold voltage.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said step of programming said second set is performed subsequent to said step of programming said first set.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein:
said first set of non-volatile storage elements and said second set of non-volatile storage elements are part of a NAND string;
said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements is coupled to a particular word line for said NAND string; and
said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements is coupled to other word lines for said NAND string.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein:
said particular word line is a last word line to be programmed for said NAND string during a program operation.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said step of programming said first set includes intending to apply a first maximum program voltage to program said first set to said first physical state; and
said step of programming said second set includes intending to apply a second maximum program voltage to program said second set to said first physical state, said second maximum program voltage is less than said first maximum program voltage.
10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:
reading said first set, said step of reading includes applying one or more first read values to determine if said one or more storage elements of said first set are programmed to said first physical state; and
reading said second set, said step of reading includes applying one or more second read values to determine if said one or more storage elements of said second set are programmed to said second physical state; and
wherein said one or more second read values are less than said one or more first read values.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first physical state corresponds to a highest threshold voltage range of said first set used to represent physical states and a highest threshold voltage range of said second set used to represent physical states.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements are sets of one or more binary non-volatile storage elements.
13. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements are sets of one or more multi-state non-volatile storage elements.
14. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements are flash memory devices.
15. A method according to claim 1, wherein:
said first set and said second set are part of an array of flash memory devices;
said array is in communication with a host system; and
said array is removable from said host system.
16. A method of programming non-volatile memory, comprising:
programming a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to a first physical state using a first target minimum voltage for said first physical state; and
programming a second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to said first physical state using a second target minimum voltage for said first physical state, said second target minimum voltage is below said first target minimum voltage.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said first target minimum voltage is a first minimum threshold voltage level; and
said second target minimum voltage is a second minimum threshold voltage level.
18. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said step of programming a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements includes verifying programming of said first set to said first physical state using said first target minimum voltage;
said step of programming a second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements includes verifying programming of said second set to said first physical state using said second target minimum voltage.
19. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said step of programming said second set is performed subsequent to said step of programming said first set.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein:
said first set and said second set are part of a NAND string;
said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements is coupled to a particular word line for said NAND string; and
said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements is coupled to other word lines of said NAND string.
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein:
said particular word line is a last word line to be programmed for said string during a program operation.
22. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said first physical state includes a lower minimum threshold voltage for said first set of non-volatile storage elements than for said second set of non-volatile storage elements.
23. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements and said second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements are sets of one or more multi-state flash non-volatile storage elements.
24. A method according to claim 16, wherein:
said first set and said second set are part of an array of flash memory devices;
said array is in communication with a host system; and
said array is removable from said host system.
25. A non-volatile memory system, comprising:
a set of non-volatile storage elements, said set of non-volatile storage elements includes a first subset of non-volatile storage elements storing data through a first set of physical states and a second subset of non-volatile storage elements storing data through said first set of physical states, one or more of said first set of physical states are at lower voltages for said second subset of non-volatile storage elements than for said first subset of non-volatile storage elements; and
managing circuitry in communication with said non-volatile storage elements.
26. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 25, wherein:
said one or more of said first set of physical states include lower minimum threshold voltages for said second subset of non-volatile storage elements than for said first subset of non-volatile storage elements.
27. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 25, wherein:
said managing circuitry uses one or more first target levels to program said first subset of non-volatile storage elements to said one or more of said first set of physical states and one or more second target levels to program said second subset of non-volatile storage elements to said one or more of said first set of physical states.
28. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 27, wherein:
said one or more second target levels are lower than said one or more first target levels.
29. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 28, wherein:
said one or more first target levels are one or more minimum threshold voltages of said one or more of said first set of physical states for said first subset of non-volatile storage elements; and
said one or more second target levels are one or more minimum threshold voltages of said one or more of said first set of physical states for said second subset of non-volatile storage elements.
30. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 25, wherein:
said set of non-volatile storage elements is a set of multi-state flash non-volatile storage elements.
31. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 25, wherein:
said managing circuitry includes at least one of a controller, a state machine, and sense amplifiers.
32. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 25, wherein:
said set of non-volatile storage elements are part of an array of flash memory devices;
said array is in communication with a host system; and
said array is removable from said host system.
33. A non-volatile memory system, comprising:
a first set of storage elements coupled to a first word line, said first set of storage elements having a first set of physical states;
a second set of storage elements coupled to a second word line, said second word line being programmed subsequent to said first word line during a program operation, said second set of storage elements having said first set of physical states;
a managing circuit adapted to program said first set of storage elements and said second set of storage elements, said managing circuit programs said first set of storage elements to one or more of said first set of physical states using one or more first target minimum voltages for said first set of physical states, said managing circuit programs said second set of storage elements to said one or more of said first set of physical states using one or more second target minimum voltages for said first set of physical states, said one or more second target minimum voltages are lower than said one or more first target minimum voltages.
34. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 33, wherein:
said one or more of said first set of physical states include lower minimum threshold voltages for said second subset of non-volatile storage elements than for said first subset of non-volatile storage elements.
35. A non-volatile memory system according to claim 33, wherein:
said first set of non-volatile storage elements are multi-state flash memory devices.
36. A non-volatile memory system, comprising:
means for programming a first set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to a first physical state using a first target minimum voltage for said first physical state; and
means for programming a second set of one or more non-volatile storage elements to said first physical state using a second target minimum voltage for said first physical state, said second target minimum voltage is below said first target minimum voltage.
37. A method of programming non-volatile memory, comprising:
programming a first non-volatile storage element to a first physical state;
verifying programming of said first non-volatile storage element to said first physical state using a first value of a verification parameter to determine whether said first non-volatile storage element has reached said first physical state;
programming a second non-volatile storage element to said first physical state; and
verifying programming of said second non-volatile storage element to said first physical state using a second value of said verification parameter to determine whether said second non-volatile storage element has reached said first physical state.
38. A method according to claim 37, wherein:
said step of programming said first non-volatile storage element includes determining that said first non-volatile storage element is not coupled to a last word line to be programmed for a NAND string and accessing said first value of said verification parameter in response to said determining; and
said step of programming said second non-volatile storage element includes determining that said second non-volatile storage element is coupled to said last word line to be programmed for said NAND string and accessing said second value of said verification parameter in response to said determining.
39. A method according to claim 38, further comprising:
increasing a program voltage and repeating said steps of programming said first non-volatile storage element and verifying programming of said first non-volatile storage element if said step of verifying does not verify said first non-volatile storage element as programmed to said first physical state; and
increasing said program voltage and repeating said steps of programming said second non-volatile storage element and verifying programming of said second non-volatile storage element if said step of verifying does not verify said second non-volatile storage element as programmed to said first physical state.
40. A method according to claim 39, wherein:
said step of verifying programming of said first non-volatile storage element using said first value of said verification parameter includes verifying that said first non-volatile storage element is programmed to said first physical state when a threshold voltage of said first non-volatile storage element is at or above first level; and
said step of verifying programming of said second non-volatile storage element using said second value of said verification parameter includes verifying that said second non-volatile storage element is programmed to said first physical state when a threshold voltage of said second non-volatile storage element is at or above a second level;
wherein said second level is less than said first level.
41. A method of programming non-volatile memory, comprising:
applying a program voltage to a non-volatile storage element coupled to a first word line, said non-volatile storage element is part of a string of non-volatile storage elements;
determining whether said non-volatile storage element is programmed to a target state; and
increasing said program voltage and applying said increased program voltage to said non-volatile storage element if said non-volatile storage element is not programmed to said target state, said step of increasing includes increasing said program voltage by a first amount if said first word line is a last word line to be programmed for said string during a program operation, and increasing said program voltage by a second amount if said first word line is not a last word line to be programmed for said string during a program operation.
42. A method according to claim 41, wherein:
said first amount is greater than said second amount.
43. A method according to claim 42, wherein:
said string is a NAND string; and
said non-volatile storage element is a multi-state flash storage element.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
an inputting section to input first job data, serving as a base data group, and second job data, serving as an assembly of data for insertion, each of which is to be inserted into a inserting position of the first job data, therefrom;
a control section that divides the second job data into plural sets of the data for insertion so as to respectively insert the plural sets of the data for insertion into inserting positions of the first job data, each of which is the inserting position, and combines them with each other, in order to create a plurality of image forming use job data; and
an image forming section to form images based on the plurality of image forming use job data.
2. The image forming apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the control section makes \u201cn\u201d copies of the first job data, and divides the second job data into \u201cn\u201d sets of the data for insertion, so as to respectively insert the \u201cn\u201d sets of the data for insertion into the inserting positions, each of which is provided in each of the \u201cn\u201d copies of the first job data.
3. The image forming apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the first job data is defined as common job data to be commonly employed among the plurality of image forming use job data; and
wherein the second job data is defined as divided insertion job data, serving as the assembly of data for insertion that is constituted by insertion use page data, being dividable into page data for every page.
4. The image forming apparatus of claim 1,
wherein insertion use page data, created by dividing the second job data for every single page or for every plurality of pages or at an arbitral position, can be inserted into the inserting position as the data for insertion.
5. The image forming apparatus of claim 1,
wherein a plurality of inserting positions is settable, and a plurality of the second job data is employed in conformity with the plurality of inserting positions.
6. The image forming apparatus of claim 1,
wherein, based on settings established for every one of the data for insertion, the control section establishes settings for implementing an image forming operation in regard to every one of the image forming use job data.
7. An image forming method, comprising:
input first job data, serving as a base data group, and second job data, serving as an assembly of data for insertion, each of which is to be inserted into a inserting position of the first job data;
dividing the second job data into plural sets of the data for insertion so as to respectively insert the plural sets of the data for insertion into inserting positions of the first job data, each of which is the inserting position;
combining the plural sets of the data for insertion with the first job, so as to create a plurality of image forming use job data; and
forming images based on the plurality of image forming use job data.
8. The image forming method of claim 7,
wherein the step of creating the plurality of image forming use job data further includes:
making \u201cn\u201d copies of the first job data;
dividing the second job data into \u201cn\u201d sets of the data for insertion; and
respectively inserting the \u201cn\u201d sets of the data for insertion into the inserting positions, each of which is provided in each of the \u201cn\u201d copies of the first job data.
9. The image forming method of claim 7,
wherein the first job data is defined as common job data to be commonly employed among the plurality of image forming use job data; and
wherein the second job data is defined as divided insertion job data, serving as the assembly of data for insertion that is constituted by insertion use page data, being dividable into page data for every page.
10. The image forming method of claim 7,
wherein insertion use page data, created by dividing the second job data for every single page or for every plurality of pages or at an arbitral position, can be inserted into the inserting position as the data for insertion.
11. The image forming method of claim 7,
wherein a plurality of inserting positions is settable, and a plurality of the second job data is employed in conformity with the plurality of inserting positions.
12. The image forming method of claim 7,
wherein, based on settings established for every one of the data for insertion, the control section establishes settings for implementing an image forming operation in regard to every one of the image forming use job data.