Abstract: A shock absorbing device for a cable under tension, in particular for rockfall, debris flow and avalanche control works, is equipped with an elongate, helical deformation element (1), through which the cable (9) can be looped. Both overlapping end areas (2, 3) of the deformation element (1) are guided through a holding element (10; 30), and the deformation element (1) is plastically deformable when the cable is overloaded, by reducing the helical diameter. The holding element (10; 30) has bevels or roundings (21, 22, 23; 40, 41) at the entry and exit of an opening (31) formed for the overlapping end sections (2, 3) of the deformation element (1). The effect of this is that the reduction of the helical diameter can progress more consistently than before, and also the load-damping curve can be defined better.

Abstract: Method for in-vehicle communications during use of the vehicle, in which a first, data-processing component is arranged on the vehicle, at least one second component is arranged on a non-rotating part of the vehicle, each second component being a sensor arranged to measure a property of the vehicle or a component thereof or an actuator arranged to control a system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle, and the first and second components wirelessly communicate with one another. When the second component is a sensor, it wirelessly transmits data about the measured property and the first component receives the data wirelessly from the second component and processes the received data. When the first component is an actuator, it processes data relating to control of the second component and generates and wirelessly transmits signals to the second component to control the system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicle including a door frame alongside a position in a passenger compartment of the vehicle normally occupied by a driver, a driver door having a first, closed position arranged in the door frame and a second, fully open position outside of the door frame, and an infinite door check mechanism which enables the door to be moved between the first and second positions and to any open position therebetween. The infinite door check mechanism includes a motor arranged to move the door between the first and second positions and to any of the open positions therebetween. A control mechanism controls the motor to initiate movement of the door and stop the movement when the door is in any one of the different open positions and maintain the door in the stopped position in the absence of applied force to hold the door in the stopped position.

Abstract: Accident avoidance system for a host vehicle includes a global positioning system residing on the host vehicle for determining the host vehicle's location as the host vehicle travels based on signals received from one or more satellites, a map database having digital maps corresponding to an area including the location of the host vehicle as determined by the global positioning system, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system residing on the host vehicle operative for receiving signals including location information acquired by global positioning systems residing on other vehicles directly from the other vehicles indicating the locations of the other vehicles, and a navigation system including a display residing on the host vehicle for displaying images to an occupant of the host vehicle showing the digital maps and indications of the locations of the host vehicle and the other vehicles on the digital maps.

Abstract: System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

Abstract: Method for avoiding collisions between a host vehicle and other vehicles in which the position of the vehicles is determined, the vehicles are equipped with a transmitter/receiver, and in the host vehicle, the possibility of a collision involving the host vehicle is assessed by receiving signals from the transmitter/receivers of each other vehicle, analyzing the received signals to extract positional information about the transmitter/receivers from each signal, and when a received signal contains additional information of interest about a possible collision involving the host vehicle, analyzing the extracted positional information to determine whether any signals contain additional information of interest about a possible collision involving the host vehicle. Additional information is extracted only from such signals and analyzed to ascertain whether a collision between the host vehicle and any other vehicles is likely to occur in order to enable action to be taken to prevent the collision, e.g.

Abstract: Optical classification method for classifying an occupant in a vehicle by acquiring images of the occupant from a single camera and analyzing the images acquired from the single camera to determine a classification of the occupant. The single camera may be a digital CMOS camera, a high-power near-infrared LED, and the LED control circuit. It is possible to detect brightness of the images and control illumination of an LED in conjunction with the acquisition of images by the single camera. The illumination of the LED may be periodic to enable a comparison of resulting images with the LED on and the LED off so as to determine whether a daytime condition or a nighttime condition is present. The position of the occupant can be monitored when the occupant is classified as a child, an adult or a forward-facing child restraint.

Abstract: Method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat in which a support structure is arranged underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle. The support structure transfers a force exerted by the occupying item on the support structure to the substrate. At least one strain measuring transducer is mounted at a respective location on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which it is mounted. The weight of the occupying item of the seat is determined based on the strain in the support structure measured by the strain measuring transducer(s).

Abstract: Weight sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of a seat including a bladder arranged in a seat portion of the seat and including material or structure in an interior thereof which constrains fluid flow therein and one or more transducers for measuring the pressure of the fluid in the bladder. The material or structure might be open cell foam. The bladder may include one or more chambers, and if more than one chamber is formed, each chamber can be arranged at a different location in the seat portion of the seat.

Abstract: Wheel for a vehicle includes a wheel rim, a tire mounted on the wheel rim to define an inflatable interior compartment, a pump for pumping air into the compartment, and an energy generating system for generating energy upon rotation of the wheel to power the pump and cause the pump to pump air into the compartment. The energy generating system may include a first coil, a magnetized mass movable upon rotation of the wheel relative to and partly in a chamber surrounded by the first coil, and an energy storage or load device coupled to the first coil. Upon rotation of the wheel, the mass moves relative to the first coil imparting a charge to the first coil which is stored in the energy storage or load device and used to power the pump when needed.

Abstract: Airbag control arrangement for a vehicle including an airbag system having at least one airbag, a seat for occupancy by an occupant to be protected by the airbag(s), a seat position sensor system for determining the seat's position, and a control system for controlling deployment of the airbag(s). The control system is coupled to the seat position sensor system and determines deployment for the airbag(s) based on the determined position of the seat. Deployment of each airbag may be based only on the determined position of the seat, i.e., not based on information about the occupant or occupying item of the seat. The control system can suppress deployment of the airbag(s) or provide for a depowered deployment when the seat position sensor system indicates that the seat is in a forwardmost position.

Abstract: System and method for enabling a wireless computing device to continuously determine its position includes a wireless computing device and a wireless positioning system substantially collocated therewith. The wireless positioning system has a first positioning mode in which it communicates with a wireless positioning network to enable the geographic location of the computing device to be determined upon reception of signals from the positioning network and a second positioning mode in which it enables the geographic location of the wireless computing device to be determined upon reception of signals from one or more of the wireless beacons and analysis of the signals in light of positional information about wireless beacons contained in a database. The wireless positioning system switches between the positioning modes depending on reception of signals from the wireless positioning network.

Abstract: Method for determining the position of the occupant in a seat having a bottom portion on which the occupant sits and a back portion situated at an angle to the bottom portion including arranging a bladder having at least one chamber in the bottom portion, measuring the pressure in each chamber, and determining the position of the occupant based at least on part on the measured pressure. Pressure may be measured by arranging at least one transducer in association with each chamber. If the bladder comprises a plurality of chambers, each chamber can be arranged at a different location in the bottom portion and the weight distribution of the occupant determined based on the measured pressure in the chambers. In this case, a respective transducer may be arranged in association with each chamber.

Abstract: Vehicle including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged such that an interior space is defined by or between the first and second substructures, and an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space. The arrangement includes at least one ultrasonic transducer arranged on the second substructure and to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the first substructure and receive any waves reflected by objects in the interior space and a processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducer(s) and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on reception of waves by the ultrasonic transducer(s). If the vehicle is an automobile and the interior space is the passenger compartment therein, the first substructure can be the passenger seat and the second substructure can be the A-pillar, in which case, the processor determines the presence or absence of a passenger in the passenger seat.

Abstract: Wheel assembly with a tire pressure monitoring system includes a wheel rim, a tire mounted thereon, a housing having an interior in flow communication with the tire interior such that the same pressure prevails in the tire and in the housing interior, a magnet arranged in the housing and movable in an axial direction of the tire, a Hall effect sensor arranged on a non-rotating part of the vehicle in a position in which it is in a magnetic field generated by the magnet during rotation of the tire relative to the non-rotating part, and a spring arranged to move the magnet in dependence on pressure in the housing interior. The spring is arranged outside of the magnet. The Hall effect sensor senses magnetic field density of the magnet as the magnet rotates which is convertible into an indication of the pressure in the housing and thus the tire pressure.

Abstract: Tissue box including a top panel, at least one side panel and a bottom panel defining an r compartment receivable of tissues. A raised shelf is formed in the compartment above the bottom panel for supporting the tissues in a position closer to the top panel than if the tissues were supported on the bottom panel. The bottom panel includes perforation lines enabling the formation of flaps capable of extending inward into the compartment when the perforation lines are severed. When the flaps are formed, the raised shelf is provided by the upper edges of the flaps. A separate tissue support platform can be arranged inside the compartment and supported on and/or by the flaps.

Abstract: Method for replacing Electron Bombarded Semiconductor (EBS) tubes in a waveform digitizer having an analog input interface and a digital output interface, the EBS tubes being interposed between the analog input interface and the digital output interface, in which the EBS tubes and associated circuitry and componentry between the analog input interface and the digital output interface are removed, scalers and low voltage monolithic analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are coupled to the analog input interface and the digital output interface. The ADCs may be mounted on a printed circuit board. The ADCs and associated circuitry may be designed to provide on-chip calibration and a built-in testing ability.

Abstract: Method and system for obtaining and optionally utilizing information about an occupant of a vehicle includes a weight sensor system arranged in connection with a bottom portion of a seat on which the occupant will be seated to provide data about weight of an occupant, and a spatial sensor system which monitors a space above the seat in which the occupant would be situated if seated in the seat to provide data about occupancy of the space above the seat. Information about the occupant is determined based on data provided by the weight sensor system and the spatial sensor system. The weight sensor system is a bladder arranged in the bottom portion or at least one strain gage mounted on structural members of the seat.

Abstract: System and method for reacting to an expected impact involving a vehicle including an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur prior to the impact and an impact responsive system coupled to the sensor system and actuated after its determination of the expected impact. The sensor system includes wave receivers spaced apart from one another, each receiving waves generated by, modified by, or reflected from a common object exterior of the vehicle. The impact responsive system attempts to reduce the potential harm resulting from the impact and can be a protection apparatus which protects a vehicular occupant or a pedestrian, such as one including an airbag and an inflator for inflating the airbag.