All The Claims

1. A device for the controlled generation of an electric arc, comprising:
a system for striking an electric arc on the terminals of two electrodes through inductive switching, producing at its output an overvoltage on the terminals of these electrodes; and
an electrical power source connected in series to the output of the striking system, said source supplying the electric arc with current.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical power source is a voltage generator, an electric load defining the value of the current.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical power source is a current generator, an electric load defining the value of the current.
4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the striking system comprises at least a transformer, a primary voltage generator and a switch connected in series with the primary coil of said transformer, the overvoltage on the terminals of the electrodes being generated on the terminals of the secondary coil of the transformer when the switch is in the closed position.
5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the duration of closure of the switch is controllable.
6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric load is connected in series with the electrical power source.
7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electric load is connected in parallel with the electrical power source.
8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the value of the electric load is controllable.
9. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the voltage at the output of the voltage generator is direct.
10. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the voltage at the output of the voltage generator is alternating.
11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrodes are placed in a container in which environmental conditions are simulated.
12. The device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the container comprises a controllable heating and cooling system.
13. The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a controllable vacuum pump connected to the container to control the pressure inside said container.
14. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a system to move the electrodes away from or towards one another, said system being controllable.

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 memory control device for controlling either write-in or read-out operation for a memory, the memory control device comprising:
an interface unit connected to the memory for performing either write-in or read-out operation for the memory;
a power-on reset signal generation unit for generating a power-on reset signal in response to power on;
an internal reset signal generation unit for generating a an internal reset signal in response to a reset request;
an initializing signal supply unit for delivering the power-on reset signal or the internal reset signal as an initializing signal that initializes write-in status or read-out status information data held by the interface unit to the interface unit; and
a control unit for determining whether or not the initializing signal is based on the power-on reset signal after the write-in status or read-out status information data in the interface unit is initialized in response to the initializing signal, and for performing a check process on the memory if the initializing signal is determined to be based on the power-on reset signal.
2. The memory control device according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit for storing a power-on reset code representative of completion of delivery of a first initializing signal which is the initializing signal delivered at first time after power on, and wherein
the control unit determines whether or not the power-on reset code is stored in the storage unit in response to the initializing signal, and if the control unit determines that the power-on reset code is not stored, the control unit writes the power-on reset code to the storage unit and determines that the initializing signal is based on the power-on reset signal.
3. The memory control device according to claim 1, wherein
the memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, and
the control unit performs the check process on some region of each of the blocks.
4. The memory control device according to claim 3, wherein
the plurality of blocks are each divided into a plurality of pages, and
whenever the power on is performed, the control unit changes a target page for the check process among the plurality of pages and performs the check process on the target page in each of the blocks.
5. The memory control device according to claim 3, wherein
the check process includes an error detection process that performs error detection on data read from the memory and generates information indicative of number of error bits, and
the control unit executes an error correction process on a block, among the plurality of blocks, which includes data in which the number of error bits exceeds a specified threshold value.
6. The memory control device according to claim 5, wherein
the control unit executes the error correction process, if the reset signal is determined to be based on the power-on reset signal.
7. The memory control device according to claim 5, wherein
the control unit stores information indicative of number of the target pages for the check process and information indicative of maximum number of blocks, on which the error correction process is performed, as management information in the memory, and executes the check process and the error correction process on the basis of the management information.
8. A memory control method for controlling either write-in or read-out operation for a memory, the memory control method comprising the steps of:
generating a power-on reset signal in response to power on;
generating an internal reset signal in response to a reset request;
delivering the power-on reset signal or the internal reset signal as an initializing signal; and
determining whether or not the initializing signal is based on the power-on reset signal and performing a check process on the memory only when the initializing signal is determined to be based on the power-on reset signal.
9. The memory control method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of storing a power-on reset code representative of completion of delivery of a first initializing signal which is the initializing signal delivered at first time after the power on, and wherein
in the step of performing the check process, it is determined whether or not the power-on reset code is stored in response to the initializing signal, and if it is determined that the power-on reset code is not stored, the power-on reset code is written and the initializing signal is determined to be based on the power-on reset signal.
10. The memory control method according to claim 8, wherein
the memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, and
in the step of performing the check process, the check process is performed on some region of each of the blocks.
11. The memory control method according to claim 10, wherein
the plurality of blocks are each divided into a plurality of pages, and
in the step of performing the check process, whenever the power on is performed, a target page for the check process is changed among the plurality of pages and the check process is performed on the target page in each of the blocks.
12. The memory control method according to claim 10, wherein
the check process includes an error detection process that performs error detection on data read from the memory and generates information indicative of number of error bits, and
the method further includes the step of executing an error correction process on a block, among the plurality of blocks, which includes data in which the number of error bits exceeds a specified threshold value.
13. The memory control method according to claim 12, wherein the step of executing the error correction process includes the step of executing the error correction process if the reset signal is determined to be based on the power-on reset signal.
14. The memory control method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of storing information indicative of number of the target pages targeted to the check process and information indicative of maximum number of blocks, on which the error correction process is performed, as management information in the memory, and wherein
the step of executing the check process includes the step of executing the check process on the basis of the management information, and
the step of executing the error correction process includes the step of executing the error correction process on the basis of the management information.

1. A lighting system for a motor vehicle comprising an elongate light source arranged substantially horizontally along the door below a waistline of a door of the motor vehicle on an interior side of the door wherein, when the door is in a closed position, light is directed from the light source when required in a downward direction to illuminate part of an interior of the motor vehicle and, when the door is in an open position, light is directed from the light source in a downward direction to illuminate the ground adjacent the motor vehicle.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprises a shade to prevent light from the light source from being projected upwardly.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted near to the waistline of the door.
4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the door includes an inner door casing and the light source is mounted between a sill portion of the inner door casing and an armrest portion of the inner door casing.
5. The system as claimed in any of claim 1, wherein the door includes an inner door casing and the light source is mounted in a recess formed by the inner door casing.
6. The system as claimed in any of claim 1, wherein the door includes an inner door casing having an aperture into which is fitted a light housing and the light source is mounted in the light housing.
7. The system as claimed in any of claim 1 further comprising a sensor to sense whether the door is open or closed and the light source is automatically illuminated whenever the door is sensed to be open.
8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is comprised of a number of discrete lamps arranged in one or more rows substantially horizontally along the door.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is an array of LEDs.
10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the array of LEDs includes LEDs of differing color so that the color of the light emitted by the light source can be changed.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises at least one human machine interface to control operation of the light source.
12. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one human machine interface is operable by a user of the motor vehicle to change the color of the light emitted from the light source.
13. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is operable at more than one intensity.
14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the light source is operable at least at a high intensity and a low intensity.
15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the light source is operated at a high intensity when the door is opened to illuminate the ground in the vicinity of the door opening.
16. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a human machine interface is operable to control the illumination state of the light source when the door is closed.
17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the illumination state includes whether the light source is switched on or off.
18. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the illumination state includes the intensity of illumination provided.
19. A vehicle lighting system comprising an elongate light source arranged along an interior side of a vehicle door, wherein when the door is in a closed position, light is directed from the light source in a downward direction to illuminate an interior of the vehicle, and when the door is in an opened position, light is directed from the light source in a downward direction to illuminate ground adjacent the vehicle.
20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the light source is arranged below a waistline of the door.
21. A motor vehicle comprising:
a door; and
an elongate light source arranged along an interior side of the door, wherein when the door is in a closed position, light is directed from the light source in a downward direction to illuminate an interior of the motor vehicle, and when the door is in an opened position, light is directed from the light source in a downward direction to illuminate ground adjacent the vehicle.
22. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein the vehicle includes a number of passenger doors to permit ingress and egress from the motor vehicle and each passenger door includes a light source fitted to the inner side of the door and at least one human machine interface is provided to control the operation of the light sources.
23. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 21, wherein the light source is arranged below a waistline of the door.

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 method for detecting a second vehicle passing by a first vehicle in the dark, comprising:
detecting a light cone that is moving at a lateral offset relative to the first vehicle using a camera; and
assigning the relatively moving light cone to the second vehicle by an analyzer device.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera detects the light cone in a lateral zone that is located ahead of the first vehicle outside of a traffic lane of the first vehicle.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the analyzer device assigns an increase in light intensity in an area of the lateral zone close to the first vehicle to the light cone of the second vehicle which is in the process of passing.
4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the analyzer device determines a boundary zone in which a light intensity increases above a threshold value, detects a shift in the boundary zone over time, and assigns the shift to a movement of the light cone of the second vehicle.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the analyzer device estimates a velocity of the second vehicle based on the shift in the boundary zone.
6. The method according to claim 2, wherein after an increase in a light intensity the analyzer device detects a decrease in the light intensity below a threshold value in an area of the lateral zone close to the first vehicle, and in response thereto issues a signal which indicates that the second vehicle is at least partially beside the first vehicle.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the camera detects taillights of the second vehicle, and in response thereto the analyzer device issues a signal which indicates that the second vehicle has passed the first vehicle.
8. A device for detecting a second vehicle passing by a first vehicle in the dark, comprising:
a camera for detecting a light cone that is moving at a lateral offset relative to the first vehicle; and
an analyzer device for assigning the relatively moving light cone to the second vehicle.