Abstract: A charge system for a vehicle includes a battery charge path, a current limiting element, and a capacitor. The current limiting element is arranged in series along the battery charge path, and in parallel relative to the capacitor. During an inrush event, the current limiting element is configured to initially restrict current flow between the battery and the load, increasing the rate and amount with which the capacitor is used to meet the current demands of the load. Thus, the current limiting element allows the battery to gradually increase its supply of current to the load in a manner that does not jeopardize its health. Once a steady state level of charging has been reached, the current limiting element is able to reduce its resistance to current flow, and the battery is able to safely take over as the primary source of current to the load.

Abstract: A power system includes a battery charge path and capacitor charge path arranged in parallel. During an inrush event, a current limiting element restricts current flow along the battery charge path to relieve battery stress. During the inrush event, current flow between the battery and load along a bypass path is also prevented by a switch element. Under steady state charging conditions, the resistance of the current limiting element decreases, thus increasing current flow between the battery and load along the battery charge path. During steady state conditions, a switch circuit controls operation of the switch element to also allow current flow between the battery and load along the bypass path. The change in the resistance of the current limiting element and/or actuation of the switch element by the switch circuit are optionally based on changes in temperature, and are passively effectuated without requiring an external control input signal.

Abstract: A system or method for managing devices (collectively “device management system”) is disclosed. The device management system uses a matrix, table or other data structure technique (collectively “data structure”) to configure the input parameter(s) for one or more devices. The data structure can be modified in a dynamic or static fashion to accommodate different device configurations and different device interactions. Use of the data structure can eliminate the need for multi-level “nested if” statements that are complex, deep, and difficult to modify without causing an unforeseen error. The data structure can encapsulate the hardware specific characteristics of the various devices so that the application software written for the various devices can be written independent of the hardware-specific characteristics of the devices. Thus, the data structure can act as an interface between hardware-specific characteristics relating to the various devices and various user interactions and other related factors.

Abstract: An assembly provides a direct electrical connection between a relay and a fusible link on the surface of a vehicle junction block. A fuse housing for the fusible link has a first, female terminal located near a top portion of the fuse housing. The first terminal is connected to a second terminal in the fuse housing by the fusible link. The junction block surface is configured such that the relay is mounted slightly above the fuse housing, whereby the top portion of the fuse housing forms a partial seat for the relay. An opening in the top portion of the fuse housing enables a male contact blade from the relay to be received by the first terminal. The second terminal in the fuse housing is connected to a power supply, or the relay is directly connected to the power supply and the second terminal electrically connects a different circuit directed into the junction block with the relay.

Abstract: A circuit regulates the flow of current to a bank of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The circuit is sensitive to ambient temperature and increases the voltage at the LEDs in the circuit. Consequently, the current flow to the LEDs will increase when the ambient temperature increases and the LEDs would, with a fixed current, begin to lose brightness. Consequently, the circuit allows LEDs to be used as lighting in applications, such as vehicle turn or brake signals, that experience wide ambient temperature variation but require that the LEDs remain sufficiently bright despite the temperature increases.