Abstract: An ignition coil assembly module (40) that can be connected to and disconnected from an engine spark plug. The module elements are arranged as a succession of cylindrical layers about a central ferromagnetic core (46). From innermost to outermost, the succession is: a) a secondary bobbin (48), b) a secondary coil (58), c) a secondary encapsulant (194) encapsulating the secondary coil, d) a primary bobbin (50), e) a primary coil (56), f) an inner wall (181) of an environmental shield (42) encapsulating the primary coil, g) a ferromagnetic shell (52), and h) an outer wall (180) of the environmental shield encapsulating the shell. The primary bobbin forms a liquid container for holding secondary coil encapsulant. A terminal (100) extends through a transverse wall (71) of the primary bobbin for carrying secondary current from the secondary coil to another terminal (118) on the other side of the transverse wall that connects to a spark plug (80).

Abstract: An automobile has an electronic device with a nonvolatile memory implementation. The electronic device includes non-programmable nonvolatile memory (ROM), volatile memory (RAM) and programmable nonvolatile memory (EEPROM). A controller (CPU) is coupled to and controls reads and writes to and from the ROM, RAM, and EEPROM. When the CPU detects a key-off event it calculates an error recovery code (checksum) for a data string stored in the RAM and stores the checksum and data into one of two memory locations in the EEPROM. The CPU will alternate between the two memory locations each cycle. When the CPU detects a key-on event it calculates the checksum for the data string stored in the RAM. If the data string is invalid or if validity of the EEPROM data cannot be confirmed, then the CPU copies a predetermined data string from the ROM to the RAM. If the CPU determines that the calculated KAM checksum does not equal the stored KAM checksum, then the CPU copies the EEPROM data string to the KAM.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling vehicle speed include mutually exclusive closed loop controllers for vehicle speed and acceleration which control vehicle speed by requesting an appropriate wheel torque. The system and method compute, in real time, the wheel torque required to maintain steady vehicle speed or steady acceleration depending on the particular mode of operation. The active closed loop controller acts upon vehicle speed or acceleration errors to output a desired torque request.

Abstract: A crankshaft position sensing apparatus for use with an engine (16) having a combined starter/alternator assembly (18). The crankshaft position sensing apparatus includes a tone ring (38) with a sensor (36) and bandpass filter (46), having a cylinder identification input from a camshaft sensor (48), and a gain limiter (54). The sensing apparatus mounts near the rotor (30) of the combined starter/alternator assembly (18). The filtered crankshaft position signal can then be input into a vehicle system controller (58) and an inner loop controller (60). The starter/alternator assembly (18) in combination with an internal combustion engine is particularly useful for a hybrid electric vehicle system.

Abstract: An liquid-cooling system for an electrical machine comprises a rotor mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith and defining an axis of rotation, and a stator disposed coaxially with and in opposition to the rotor. The stator has stator windings, the stator windings having an axially-extending portion. The electrical machine further comprises a housing enclosing the stator and the rotor, the housing having an axial end, the axial end having a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface. The electrical machine also includes a cooling tube having a first end and a second end and an embedded portion thereof embedded between the first inner surface and the first outer surface, the embedded portion of the cooling tube located in substantial axial alignment with the axially-extending portion of the stator windings. In another aspect of this design, the inner surface of the wall of the axial end of the housing is substantially flat and is separated from an axial end of the rotor by an air gap.

Abstract: The present invention provides vibration control for a vehicle drivetrain. In one embodiment of the present invention, a vibration control method comprises generating a speed signal representing a rotational speed of the drivetrain. The method further includes half-wave rectifying the speed signal to generate a first signal. Also, the method comprises inverting the speed signal and half-wave rectifying the inverted signal to generate a second signal. Also, the method includes low-pass filtering the first signal to generate a third signal and low-pass filtering the second signal to generate a fourth signal. In addition, the method comprises selecting a minimum of the third and fourth signals to generate a fifth signal.

Abstract: The use of a Gray code ganged wiper switch and an electronic circuit controlling the washer-pump motor and wiper motor allow the use of a minimal number of wires in the overall interval wiper system than found in conventional systems. Circuit redundancy and Gray coding method provides several added reliability features at a low manufacturing cost. The system further provides a resistorless control of the several power output functions of the system.

Abstract: A method for balancing charge of a plurality of series-connected batteries includes alternately coupling each of a plurality of energy storage circuits across a respective one of the batteries and in parallel with each other. A charge balancing system comprises a plurality of series connected batteries and a plurality of energy storage circuits. The system also includes switching circuitry for alternately connecting each energy storage circuit across a respective one of the batteries and in parallel with each other. The switching circuitry can also be controlled to couple a plurality of the energy storage circuits across a relatively-highly-charged battery and then across a relatively-weakly-charged battery.

Abstract: A method for controlling regenerative energy in a system having an motor and having a power converter for converting regenerative energy from the motor for supply as electrical current to a receiving apparatus includes estimating a resistance to electrical current flow between the electrical power converter and the receiving apparatus and measuring a first voltage at the receiving apparatus. The method further comprises controlling a regenerative current from the power converter to the receiving apparatus in view of the resistance and the first voltage to limit a second voltage at the power converter.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing pulsations in the rotational speed of an engine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention are disclosed. Torque applied by a supplemental torque source includes a component derived by pure feedback engine speed control and a learning feedforward component. The feedforward component predicts the oscillatory components in the torque generated by the engine.

Abstract: An electrical distribution system for a motor vehicle comprises an engine, an electrically-conductive structural portion of the vehicle and a battery having a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The system also includes a starter motor having an electrical current return electrically coupled to the engine and an electrical generator having an electrical current return electrically coupled to the engine. Also, the system comprises an electrical current return path from the structural portion to the engine and an electrical current return conductor electrically and mechanically coupled between the engine and the structural portion. In addition, the system contains a capacitor coupled in series with the electrical current return conductor. In a variation of the disclosed system, the connections to the structural portion of the vehicle are made to the body and/or chassis of the vehicle. Systems built to according to the present invention have been demonstrated to have very advantageous properties.

Abstract: Method of controlling torque of a multi-phase induction motor (10) includes estimating rotor speed as a rational function of filtered stator current i.sub.s0 and voltage u.sub.0 and first and second order derivatives of the filtered stator current and first order derivative of the filtered stator voltage, estimating rotor flux from said estimated rotor speed, estimating rotor flux angle from said estimated rotor flux, and using the estimated rotor flux angle to control motor torque.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling a linear motor armature assembly is provided for maintaining minimal separation between a motor housing and a magnet plate, wherein the motor housing has a housing opening formed at a side of the motor housing facing the magnet plate. The method includes: a) covering the housing opening with a thin sheet of non-magnetic material having a thickness of less than approximately 0.015 inch to enclose the coil assembly within the motor housing; and b) drawing a cooling fluid through the motor housing to create a negative pressure within the cooling fluid and to cool the coil assembly.

Abstract: An illumination control system comprises a source of a lighting intensity control signal, the source having an intensity control signal output. The system also includes at least one first lighting element coupled for direct intensity control by the lighting intensity control signal. Further, the system comprises at least one second lighting element. Additionally, the system comprises a low-pass filter having a filter input and a filter output, the filter input coupled in electrical communication with the intensity control signal output. Also, the system includes a transistor responsively coupled to the filter output and intensity-controllingly coupled to the at least one second lighting element.

Abstract: A motor vehicle propulsion system includes an electrical energy source and a traction motor coupled to receive electrical energy from the electrical energy source. The system also has a first bus provided electrical energy by the electrical energy source and a second bus of relatively lower voltage than the first bus. In addition, the system includes an electrically-driven source of reaction gas for the electrical energy source, the source of reaction gas coupled to receive electrical energy from the first bus. Also, the system has an electrical storage device coupled to the second bus for storing electrical energy at the lower voltage. The system also includes a bidirectional energy converter coupled to convert electrical energy from the first bus to the second bus and from the second bus to the first bus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The method comprises detecting a rotational speed of the drivetrain to generate a rotational speed signal. The method also includes generating a vibration compensating torque command which is a function of a frequency content of the rotational speed signal. The present invention further provides a system for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The system includes a source of torque, a drivetrain coupled to receive torque from the source of torque and a speed detector adapted to detect a rotational speed of the drivetrain and generate a rotational speed signal. The system additionally includes an electronic controller coupled to the source of torque and programmed to provide operational command signals to the source of torque.

Abstract: A stator (10) for an induction machine for a vehicle has a cylindrical core (12) with inner and outer slots (26, 28) extending longitudinally along the inner and outer peripheries between the end faces (22, 24). Each outer slot is associated with several adjacent inner slots. A plurality of toroidal coils (14) are wound about the core and laid in the inner and outer slots. Each coil occupies a single inner slot and is laid in the associated outer slot thereby minimizing the distance the coil extends from the end faces and minimizing the length of the induction machine. The toroidal coils are configured for an arbitrary pole phase modulation wherein the coils are configured with variable numbers of phases and poles for providing maximum torque for cranking and switchable to a another phase and pole configuration for alternator operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for axially retaining a shaft comprises a shaft having an axis of rotation and an axially-affixed member having a bore therethrough coaxial with the shaft and having an inside diameter, the shaft passing through the bore. The apparatus also includes a retainer mounted about the shaft in a first groove, the retainer having an outside diameter larger than the diameter of the bore. The apparatus further comprises a retaining ring mounted about the shaft in a second groove, the retaining ring having a compressed outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the bore and an uncompressed outside diameter larger than the diameter of the bore. The first groove and the second groove are located on first and second axial sides of the member, respectively, and the retainer and the retaining ring cooperate to substantially prevent axial movement of the shaft with respect to the member. A method for assembling an apparatus having a shaft comprises placing a retaining ring about the shaft in a groove.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a "returnless" fuel delivery system for a motor vehicle includes a fuel pressure regulator located in the fuel tank and a fuel pressure damper located at the fuel rail on the vehicle's engine. The fuel return line from the fuel rail to the fuel tank, a conventional feature in fuel delivery systems, is eliminated. Fuel delivery systems according to the present invention can provide very precise fuel delivery at a highly competitive system cost.

Abstract: A "claw pole" or Lundell rotor has permanent magnets included therein, each permanent magnet disposed between an adjacent pair of pole fingers. The permanent magnets each have a magnetization polarity at an angle between radial and tangential with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor.