Abstract: System for enabling a wireless computing device to determine its position includes a server with a database of identification and positional information about wireless beacons and a wireless computing device arranged to wirelessly communicate using the Internet with the server. The server determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon receiving data from the wireless computing device relating to reception of signals by the wireless computing device from at least one wireless beacon and analysis of the signals in light of the information contained in the database of the server. The server applies a calculation algorithm which determines the geographic location of the wireless computing device upon input of identification and signal strength information about the wireless beacon(s) derived from the received signals.

Abstract: Vehicle including a system for preventing injury to an occupant's head and neck during a rear impact includes a support structure for supporting the occupant including an upper body support portion for supporting the occupant's head and neck. The support structure has a deformable upper body support portion which may be filled with a fluid such as air, liquid or a gel and deforms during a rear impact to support the entire back, neck and/or head of the occupant. The upper body support portion may be moved to a support location, regardless of the detection of a crash (a passive mode), or moved only prior to an anticipated impact as determined by a crash sensor (an active mode).

Abstract: Vehicle with tire monitoring capabilities includes at least one wheel, each including a rim, a tire mounted on the rim, a sensor system for sensing angular, radial, tangential and/or lateral acceleration of the tire and providing acceleration signals based thereon, and an antenna arranged on the rim or tire and coupled to the sensor system for communicating data about the sensed acceleration. A processor receives acceleration signals provided by the sensor system and determines the existence of an anomaly in the tire based thereon. When arranged on the wheel, the processor provides a signal indicative or representative of the determination of the existence of the anomaly via the antenna to a receiving antenna which conveys it to a reactive system. The reactive system may provide a visual and/or audible warning to the driver of the vehicle or to personnel at a vehicle or tire monitoring facility.

Abstract: A distributed test system for implementing enhanced BIT (Built-In-Test) within an ESM (Electronic Surveillance Monitoring) or RF receiver system. The distributed test system includes a system processor, a programmable RF source element or other comparable test signal generating arrangement, and switched path coupled elements and various measurement elements, each embedded at strategic locations within the ESM system so as to effect maximum path coverage and test benefit.

Abstract: Vehicle including a compartment receivable of an object and a system for tracking the object includes at least one imaging device each arranged to receive an image of a portion of the compartment containing the object and a control unit coupled to each imaging device and which controls the imaging device to obtain a first set of images without the object and at least one second image including the object. The control unit analyzes the second image(s) in consideration of the first set of images to derive information about the object. This information may be the type, size and/or position of the object or a part thereof. The information may be used to control vehicular components which have a variable use based on the type, size or position of the object or part thereof.

Abstract: Vehicle including a data generating system which obtains or generates information about the vehicle and a communications system coupled to the data generating system for communicating directly with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) to enable the information obtained or generated by the data generating system to be transmitted via the Internet. The data generating system may be a diagnostic system which diagnoses the state of the vehicle or the state of a component of the vehicle and generates an output indicative or representative thereof. The data generating system may be arranged to obtain or generate information about the operation of the vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the data generating system may be arranged to obtain or generate information about the presence of contents in the compartment and/or when contents are present, information about contents in the compartment.

Abstract: System and method for wirelessly controlling systems in an asset, such as a house or trailer, in which a movable device, such as a PDA, cellular telephone or vehicle, includes a transmitter arranged to transmit signals, and a control unit is arranged on or in connection with the asset and includes a receiver which communicates with the transmitter and a processor coupled to the receiver and which generates different command signals based on signals generated by the transmitter and received by the receiver. Each system is arranged on or in connection with the asset and coupled to the control unit and is responsive to command signals from the processor to perform a function relating to or affecting the asset.

Abstract: Method for obtaining information about an occupying item in a space in a vehicle in accordance with the invention includes obtaining images of an area above a seat in the vehicle in which the occupying item is situated and classifying the occupying item by inputting signals derived from the images into a trained neural network form which is trained to output an indication of the class of occupying item from one of a predetermined number of possible classes. The method is applicable for various vehicles including automobiles, trucks, buses, airplanes and boats. The images may be pre-processed to remove background portions of the images and then converted into signals for input into the neural network form.

Abstract: Electronic system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Abstract: Land-based vehicle including an arrangement for monitoring objects in or about a vehicle which includes a source from which illumination is emitted into an area in or about the vehicle, a receiver arranged to receive illumination reflected from an object in the path of the illumination, a light-regulating component arranged in front of the receiver to regulate reception of illumination by the receiver, and circuitry coupled to the source, the receiver and the light-regulating component. The light-regulating component is modulated to enable a determination of a distance between an object from which the illumination has been reflected and the receiver. The circuitry obtains information about objects from which the received illumination has been reflected other than distance information and associates with the objects distances between the objects and the receiver. This improves the ability to control vehicular systems based on the presence of objects in or about the vehicle.

Abstract: System and method for adjusting at least one pedal for a driver in a vehicle in which a determining system determines one or more morphological characteristics of the driver, a motor is coupled to the pedal(s) and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to move the pedal(s) relative to a floor of the vehicle and thus adjust the position of the pedal(s) relative to the driver, and a control circuit is coupled to the determining system and the motor for automatically controlling the motor based on the determined morphological characteristic(s) of the driver. The pedal may be an accelerator pedal and/or a brake pedal of the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicular diagnostic arrangement includes a diagnostic system arranged on the vehicle to determine whether any vehicular components is operating non-optimally, is expected to fail or has failed and generate an output indicative or representative thereof, and a communications device coupled to the diagnostic system and arranged to direct a transmission of the output of the diagnostic system to a remote location. Remote locations encompasses remote facilities which handle maintenance or monitoring of the vehicle such as a dealer of the vehicle, the manufacturer of the vehicle or the manufacturer of the components for which non-optimal operation has been detected. The communications device may be arranged to direct the transmission of the output of the diagnostic system to the remote location via the Internet, the remote location including or being an Internet-enabled device possessed by the dealer, manufacturer or owner of the vehicle.

Abstract: Method for controlling flow of gas into an airbag includes generating gas, directing the gas into the airbag, and controlling the flow of gas into the airbag based on conditions at the time of deployment such that the airbag is variably deployed dependent on ambient conditions. A related arrangement for controlling flow of gas into an airbag includes a system for generating gas, a system for directing the gas into the airbag and a system for controlling the flow of gas into the airbag based on conditions at the time of deployment such that the airbag is variably deployed dependent on ambient conditions.

Abstract: System for preventing vehicle accidents at intersections includes a positioning system arranged in a vehicle for determining the absolute position thereof, a memory unit within the vehicle for storing data relating to edges of at least one lane of the roadway on which the vehicle may travel and the edges of at least one intersecting lane at an intersection, a receiver arranged in the vehicle for receiving position information about another vehicle in an intersecting lane, a processor coupled to the positioning system, the receiver and the memory unit for predicting a collision between the vehicles based on the position and optionally speed thereof and optionally map data, and a reactive component or system arranged in one or both vehicles and coupled to the processor. The component or system is arranged to initiate an action or change its operation if a collision is predicted.

Abstract: Method for enabling use of the same, existing test programs for both an obsolete and new waveform digitizer, each having an analog input interface and a digital output interface, entails providing an automatic test equipment for hosting test programs for using a waveform digitizer, and determining scalers and low voltage monolithic analog-to-digital converters to couple to the analog input interface and digital output interface of the new waveform digitizer. As such, the new waveform digitizer provides the same function, or has the same functionality as, as the obsolete waveform digitizer, and the same, existing test programs can be used for the new waveform digitizer as were used for the obsolete waveform digitizer.

Abstract: Crash sensor arrangement for determining whether a crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device including a first electronic crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle for measuring a reaction of the crush zone to a crash and outputting a signal representative of the measurements and a processor coupled to the first sensor for processing the signal to determine whether the restraint device should be deployed. The first sensor may include an accelerometer, a gyroscope or an elongate member arranged to sense the reaction of the crush zone over a substantial part of the front, side or rear of the vehicle. Optionally, a second electronic crash sensor is mounted outside the crush zone to measure a reaction of the vehicle other than crush of the crush zone. Both sensors input signals to the processor which is programmed to determine whether the restraint device should be deployed using an algorithm and data from the first and/or second sensors.

Abstract: Information management and monitoring system and method for monitoring components on a vehicle during its operation includes a monitoring system including sensors for monitoring the components operation thereof, and a processing module arranged on the vehicle and to receive and process data about the monitored components from the sensors. The module derives information from the data about the monitored components to determine whether any component is operating in a non-optimal manner and/or to forecast failure of any component. A wireless communication system is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the module for enabling wireless communications of derived information from the module to a remote entity interested in the operation or failure of any component during operation of the vehicle. The communication includes information about the presence and identity of any non-optimally operating component or component forecast to fail.

Abstract: Method for transmitting data from infrastructure to vehicles includes arranging a transmitter apart from the vehicles, providing information relating to operation of at least one vehicle or of an occupant of a vehicle to the transmitter, transmitting the information from the transmitter to the at least one vehicle, and receiving the transmitted information at the at least one vehicle. Transmitters may be arranged on a roadway on which the vehicles travel, at a gas station or other vehicle-accessible commercial or public location such as a mall, at the vehicle operator's home and on a road sign, basically anywhere in range of a traveling vehicle. The information to be transmitted to the vehicle may be prioritized and transmitted via the transmitter based on the prioritization.