Abstract: A method of operating a navigation system for motor vehicles in which a location and a destination are entered through an input device and transmitted by mobile radio to a central navigation computer, and a travel route is transmitted to the mobile radio with inclusion of route network data and traffic-related additional information by the navigation computer, comprising the steps of: receiving the location, the destination and a desired arrival time at the input device; transmitting the location, the destination and the desired arrival time to the navigation computer; computing a trip starting time based on route network data and transportation traffic data; and outputting a trip start or wake-up call to one of (a) a mobile radio and (b) a telephone number for the purpose of communicating trip starting time for travel from the location to the destination.

Abstract: A pin fin heat sink having mixed geometry pin fin configurations is presented. The mixed geometry pin fin configuration are designed to optimize the positive attributes of each individual pin fin geometry to provide a low cost overall system and provide better system performance in high flow rate systems. In an exemplary embodiment, the pin fin heat sink comprises a base surface having a plurality of pin fins perpendicular to and protruding therefrom. The plurality of pin fins actually comprises a plurality of pin fins having a first configuration and a plurality of pin fins having a second configuration. The second configuration pin fins are intended to streamline any turbulence created by the first configuration pin fins which are located upstream of the second configuration pin fins. Preferably, the first configuration comprises substantially circular shaped pin fins and the second configuration comprises substantially elliptical shaped pin fins.

Abstract: An improved closed-loop vehicle yaw control in which a yaw rate limit based on measured lateral acceleration is used during transient steering maneuvers to dynamically limit a desired yaw rate derived from driver steering input. A preliminary yaw rate limit is computed based on the measured lateral acceleration, and a dynamic yaw rate limit having a proper phase relationship with the desired yaw rate is developed based on the relative magnitudes of the desired yaw rate and the preliminary yaw rate limit. A two-stage process is used to develop the dynamic yaw rate limit. A first stage yaw rate limit is determined according the lower in magnitude of the desired yaw rate and the preliminary yaw rate limit, and a second stage yaw rate limit (i.e., the dynamic yaw rate limit) is determined according to the relative magnitudes of (1) the desired yaw rate and the second stage yaw rate limit, and (2) the first stage yaw rate limit and the second stage yaw rate limit.

Abstract: A secondary air injection system for reducing the hydrocarbon emissions of an internal combustion engine that is provided with an air pump supplying air to the exhaust manifold of the engine through a check valve assembly and an elastomeric hose characterized in that a baffle in the shape of a helix is located internally within the hose so as to cause the exhaust pressure waves from the engine and passing beyond the check valve assembly to impinge upon the solid compound surface of the baffle and be divided and diffused as they progress along spiraling paths so as to prevent objectionable noises being generated in the hose by the pressure waves.

Abstract: An improved vehicle active brake control based on an estimate of vehicle yaw rate, wherein the estimate is based on the speeds of the un-driven wheels, but compensated to reflect slipping of the un-driven wheels during braking. Prior to braking, the yaw rate is estimated solely on the basis of the measured speeds of the un-driven wheels. During braking, the slip speeds of the un-driven wheels are estimated based on the measured speeds, the reference speed of the vehicle and the previous estimate of yaw rate, and used to compute a new yaw rate that is compensated for the estimated slip speeds.

Abstract: An improved method of governing vehicle acceleration in which desired throttle area is initialized to an open-loop, vehicle speed dependent, value at the onset of vehicle acceleration governing, and is thereafter updated based on a combination of open-loop, and proportional and integral closed-loop terms. The open-loop term is calibrated to produce a throttle area limit for controlling the vehicle acceleration on flat terrain with nominal loading at sea level, while the proportional and integral terms compensate for terrain inclination, loading and altitude, yielding an optimal balance of smoothness and response time. The open-loop term may be empirically determined as a function of both vehicle speed and barometric pressure, and the vehicle acceleration is computed using a least squares approximation of acceleration based on successively measured values of vehicle speed.

Abstract: A surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous machine drive 10 and a method 30 of controlling the machine drive. Flux weakening and current regulating loops 70, 60 cooperate to provide automatic transition to the flux weakening mode (operation above base speed), regardless of DC bus voltage, load or other operating conditions. This feature provides significant performance improvement. No look-up tables are used in the flux weakening loop. The on-set point for flux weakening is automatically adjusted, and may be changed through software. An appropriate d-axis current component is injected over the entire speed range, providing the maximum available torque (which corresponds to the q-axis current component). The control method works with fixed frequency current compensators.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a fuel cell system wherein each shutdown command for the system is subjected to decision logic which determines whether the command should be a normal shutdown command or rapid shutdown command. If the logic determines that the shutdown command should be a normal shutdown command, then the system is shutdown in a normal step-by-step process in which the hydrogen stream is consumed within the system. If the logic determines that the shutdown command should be a rapid shutdown command, the hydrogen stream is removed from the system either by dumping to atmosphere or routing to storage.

Abstract: A distributed staged power system for use in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and the like. The system comprises a plurality of parallel DC-to-DC power modules that are controlled by way of input and output control signal interfaces using a smart controller. The distributed staged power system provides higher efficiency because of smart staging of the power modules. The distributed staged power system enables or disables each of the modules as determined by a smart controller to provide the highest possible conversion efficiency.

Abstract: The vehicle of a subscriber of mobile application services is provided with wireless telecommunication apparatus for communication over a wireless network and a public switched telephone network with a service center. When a subscriber calls the service center to locate a particular point of interest (POI), the service center advisor extracts data from a database and downloads it to the vehicle. The information includes a dialable telephone number and an identifying speaker independent voice model of the POI and may include POI identification and location data. The vehicle is equipped with apparatus which stores the downloaded data for automated dialing of the dialable telephone number initiated by the subscriber speaking data matching the identifying speaker independent voice model and may include apparatus to visually or audibly display the identifying, locating and/or descriptive data.

Abstract: A brake system control method, comprising the steps of: determining a maximum acceleration of a vehicle on a high coefficient of adhesion road surface; measuring an acceleration of the vehicle; determining a ratio between the measured acceleration of the vehicle and the maximum acceleration of the vehicle on the high coefficient of adhesion road surface; responsive to the ratio, determining a signal indicative of present coefficient of adhesion; determining a brake actuator command responsive to the signal; and providing the brake actuator command to a brake actuator, wherein an accurate estimation of coefficient of friction between the vehicle wheels and the road surface is used in the brake system control.

Abstract: A brake system control method, comprising the steps of: measuring a longitudinal speed and steering angle of the vehicle; specifying an un-damped natural frequency and a damping ratio for a linear reference model of said vehicle; determining a first gain parameter relating a desired value of steady state lateral velocity to the vehicle steering angle; computing a desired lateral velocity as a function of said first gain parameter, the measured longitudinal speed, the measured steering angle, and the specified un-damped natural frequency and damping ratio; determining a second gain parameter relating a desired value of steady state yaw rate to the vehicle steering angle; computing a desired yaw rate as a function of said second gain parameter, the measured longitudinal speed and steering angle, and the specified un-damped natural frequency and damping ratio; measuring a lateral acceleration and yaw rate of said vehicle, and forming a yaw rate command for said vehicle based at least part in a first deviation be

Abstract: An improved low cost vehicle yaw rate control that is compensated for road bank angle using readily available information, such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and the speeds of the un-driven vehicle wheels. The control is founded on the recognition that, under linear operating conditions on a banked surface, the difference between the desired yaw rate and the actual or estimated yaw rate yields a yaw rate offset that will compensate for the bank angle, and the product of yaw rate and vehicle speed corresponds substantially to lateral acceleration. The yaw rate offset is used to compensate the yaw control when the steering angle, the yaw rate--vehicle speed product and yaw rate error are indicative of operation on a banked road. The compensation is deactivated when the steering angle, the yaw rate--vehicle speed product and yaw rate error are not indicative of operation on a banked road.

Abstract: AC isolation apparatus, such as is provided by an AC isolation capacitor disposed between unexposed and exposed portions of the chassis of a charging system or an electric vehicle. The AC isolation apparatus or capacitor provides a high impedance at 50/60 Hertz between the electric vehicle and the charging system, thus isolating their respective chassis grounds.

Abstract: A battery charging system for charging a battery of an electric vehicle that is coupled to a charge probe by way of a diode bridge and a fourth element capacitor. The system includes a voltage source and a plurality of battery chargers connected in parallel across the voltage source that each includes a series tank circuit and an isolation transformer. The charge probe is coupled to the isolation transformers of the parallel plurality of battery chargers. A distributed fourth element capacitor is coupled across the isolation transformers of each of the parallel plurality of battery chargers.

Abstract: An improved active brake control for carrying out a desired wheel speed differential for enhanced vehicle lateral stability while maintaining suitable front-to-rear brake pressure proportioning. During driver braking, the target speeds for the wheels of the driven axle during active brake control are determined as a combined function of the wheel speeds of the un-driven axle and the desired wheel speed differential. Specifically, the target speeds for the driven wheels are determined according to the measured speeds of the corresponding un-driven wheels, and one of the target speeds is reduced to reflect the desired wheel speed differential. If the desired wheel speed differential is designed to produce a clockwise yaw moment, the target speed for the driven wheel on the right-hand side of the vehicle is reduced; if the differential is designed to produce a counter-clockwise yaw moment, the target speed for the driven wheel on the left-hand side of the vehicle is reduced.

Abstract: An improved active brake control in which differential braking is used in a feed-forward control to develop vehicle yaw in response to a desired yaw value determined as a function of steering wheel position and vehicle speed. The desired yaw rate value is used to develop a derivative yaw component and a proportional yaw component, which are summed to form a feed-forward yaw command for differential braking. Both proportional and derivative components have limited control authority determined by dead-band and saturation thresholds, and the proportional term is subjected to a diminishing integrator which reduces the yaw command as the desired yaw rate value approaches steady-state.

Abstract: A brake system control for use in a vehicle with wheels, wheel brakes and a body, comprising the steps of: measuring a plurality of vehicle parameters; responsive to the measured parameters, determining at least a vehicle yaw rate, a vehicle slip angle, a desired yaw rate and a desired slip angle; responsive to the measured parameters, estimating a coefficient of adhesion between the vehicle wheels and a road surface; implementing a control responsive to the vehicle yaw rate and the desired yaw rate with a first authority and responsive to the vehicle slip angle and the desired slip angle with a second authority, wherein the first authority increases as the estimated coefficient of adhesion increases and decreases as the estimated coefficient of adhesion decreases; and controlling the wheel brakes responsive to the control to reduce a first difference between the vehicle yaw rate and the desired yaw rate and to reduce a second difference between the vehicle slip angle and the desired slip angle.

Abstract: Vehicle telecommunication apparatus permits sharing of an embedded antenna between an embedded transceiver used for the provision of mobile application services to the vehicle and a portable transceiver used for personal communication by the vehicle operator. Closure of a mobile vehicle use switch, such as a vehicle ignition switch, with the portable transceiver connected to an embedded RF terminal, places an electrically controlled RF switch in an activated condition providing a through connection between the portable transceiver and embedded antenna for transmission and reception and a coupled connection from the embedded antenna for reception by the embedded transceiver. A generated RF signal from the embedded transceiver is coupled to a detector to switch the electrically controlled RF switch to its inactivated condition, in which the portable transceiver is disconnected from the embedded antenna and a through signal path is established between the embedded transceiver and embedded antenna.

Abstract: A wheel speed averaging circuit includes a first wheel speed sensor, a second wheel speed sensor, a first analog switch having a first input coupled to the first wheel speed sensor for receiving the first sensor signal, a second analog switch having a second input coupled to the second wheel speed sensor for receiving the second sensor signal, and a microprocessor controller. The microprocessor controller determines a first duration of a first single pulse of the first sensor signal while the first analog switch is enabled and the second analog switch is disabled, selectively enables the second analog switch while disabling the first analog switch after determining the first duration, and determines a second duration of a second single pulse of the second sensor signal while the second analog switch is enabled, so that the first and second single pulses from the first and second sensor signals are alternately measured.