A distance measuring equipment wherein two images of an object are received on photosensor arrays each, two image data rows indicating a luminous intensity distribution in the object are compared with each other, and a distance to the object is measured from a mutual shift rate of both the signal rows which is required for bringing both the signal rows into coincidence at high correlation. A presence of the shift rate whereat the both image data rows indicate a high correlation is detected when it is present plurally, a part of the plural shift rate including a shift rate corresponding to the highest correlation is stored and taken.

A container for storing two components separately and then mixing them prior to use includes a housing having an opening and a neck portion, a displaceable member, and a closure member. The housing is formed with a first compartment and a second compartment intercommunicating at the neck portion. The displaceable member has a partition wall for sealing the neck portion. The displaceable member is formed such that the partition wall moves from a non-sealing position in which the first and second compartments intercommunicate to a sealing position in which the neck portion is sealed. The displaceable member also may feature at least one conduit for allowing introduction of a component through the opening into the housing. The closure member seals the at least one conduit of the displaceable member and/or the opening of the housing. The displaceable member may be moved by rotating, pushing or pulling and may be moveable by a portion exterior to the housing. The seal formed by the partition wall of the displaceable member may be reformable, i.e., capable of being resealed. A pre-packaged, single use, two compartment container according to some embodiments of the invention have an unremovable closure member, an unreformable seal, an unfastenable closure member after it has been removed or is constructed in a manner or of materials which allow only a single use. The two-compartment container may also include a dosing assembly for dispensing a predetermined quantity of mixed formulation.

A laser radar apparatus for producing a pulse modulated transmitted light beam and receiving reflected light beams from road mounted retroreflectors. In the preferred embodiment, a floodlight beam illuminates a portion of a roadway from 20 to 150 in front of a vehicle. Reflected beams from retroreflectors mounted in the roadway are received by the radar unit which calculates distance D and angle .theta. between the laser radar apparatus and each retroreflector. Distance D is calculated by measuring the propagation delay of the pulse modulated light beam. Angle .theta. data is indicated by measuring where on a receiver photodiode array the light beam is incident.

An improved automatic lateral guidance control system for guiding moving vehicles is provided which includes a sensing subsystem for viewing an area in front of a vehicle, a plurality of energy radiating or energy reflective devices disposed adjacent a predetermined length of road, an apparatus for translating the radiated or reflected information from the viewed area into coordinate data representing an approximation of the predetermined path along the road, and a vehicle controller for determining the vehicle's heading with respect to the approximated path and providing an output control signal to correct the vehicle's heading with respect to the approximated path. The system uses past and present position data to calculate a predetermined path for the vehicle. Gain factors and comfort factors are determined to maximize comfort to passengers of the system and to optimize performance of the system.

An improved automatic lateral guidance control system for guiding moving vehicles is provided which includes a sensing subsystem for viewing an area in front of a vehicle, a plurality of energy radiating or energy reflective devices disposed adjacent a predetermined length of road, an apparatus for translating the radiated or reflected information from the viewed area into coordinate data representing an approximation of the predetermined path along the road, and a vehicle controller for determining the vehicle's heading with respect to the approximated path and providing an output control signal to correct the vehicle's heading with respect to the approximated path.