Abstract: A passive restraint system includes a torso belt automatically securing a vehicle occupant by moving from a forward position along a track to a rearward position to secure the occupant. A belt carrier carries one end of the torso belt along the track while the other end of the torso belt is retained on a belt retractor. The system also includes a manual lap belt which is secured by the vehicle occupant around the hips. Movement of the torso belt from the rearward to the forward position is prevented, even upon opening of the vehicle door, as long as the manual lap belt is engaged.

Abstract: Engine crankshaft velocity is determined during each firing interval of an engine. Pairs of velocities are combined to yield acceleration measurements indicating the work done by a particular cylinder in its power stroke. A deviation of a particular acceleration value from that of neighboring values denotes a lack of power in the corresponding cylinder. The width and the phase of each velocity interval are used which provide accurate and substantially independent acceleration measures for each power stroke. Specifically, the width of each interval is preferably between about 45.degree.-180.degree. of engine rotation. Each interval has a phase in relation to its respective power stroke such that the drop in acceleration occurring in a particular power stroke causes a maximum drop in the calculated acceleration corresponding to that particular power stroke and causes a smaller but substantially equal drop in the calculated accelerations corresponding to the preceding and following power strokes.

Abstract: A smooth resistance characteristic, a reduction in component cost, and high durability are achieved for a variable resistor card formed using thick-film silk screen deposition. An arcuate wiper track and radial extension areas are all formed of a resistance material deposited using silk screen techniques. Laser trimming of the extension areas provides a desired characteristic of resistance versus sweep angle for the variable resistor. The resistance characteristic is continuous and nonstepped, thereby avoiding the creation of spikes caused by small circuit breaks during sweeping movement of the wiper contact.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reliably detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine during actual driving conditions by monitoring fluctuations in engine speed between consecutive firing intervals. An average acceleration over a series of firing intervals is removed from an individual acceleration measurement corresponding to a particular firing interval to give an acceleration deviation which is then normalized to an expected torque to provide a power loss measurement. The power loss measurement indicates the occurrence of a misfire with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The information derived from misfire detection can be used to prevent destruction of a catalytic converter by unburned fuel mixtures and can be used to improve vehicle driveability by correcting for or indicating needed service for the vehicle. The misfire detection is implemented using existing sensors and processors and is adapted to be done on-board a vehicle in real time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for reliably detecting misfires in an internal combustion engine during actual driving conditions by monitoring fluctuations in engine speed between consecutive firing intervals. An average acceleration over a series of firing intervals is removed from an individual acceleration measurement corresponding to a particular firing interval to five an acceleration deviation which is then normalized to an expected torque to provide a power loss measurement. The power loss measurement indicates the occurrence of a misfire with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The information derived from misfire detection can be used to prevent destruction of a catalytic converter by unburned fuel mixtures and can be used to improve vehicle driveability by correcting for or indicating needed sevice for the vehicle. The misfire detection is implemented using existing sensors and processors and is adapted to be done on-board a vehicle in real time.

Abstract: An audio system has menu-driven controls using a select button to scan through possible functions and uses up and down adjustment buttons to modify the selected function. The menu of selected functions is automatically altered according to the presence of front and rear speakers to avoid any confusion from presenting a fade function on the menu when in fact there are not both front and rear speakers connected to the system.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for diagnosing faults in electronic control systems wherein a large volume of information is exchanged between the electronic control processor and a mechanical system under its control. The data is acquired such that parameter vectors describing the system operation are formed. The vectors are provided to a pattern recognition system such as a neural network for classification according to the operating condition of the electronically controlled system. For diagnosis of electronically controlled engine operation, the parameters included in the vectors correspond to individual firing events occurring in the engine operating under a predetermined condition. The diagnostic system can be implemented as a service tool in an automotive service bay or can be implemented within the on-board electronic control system itself.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan for ventilated rotating machinery is provided having tapered fan blades to reduce sound pressure levels generated by fan operation over a wide speed range. The tapering of the fan blades keeps the cross-sectional area of each flow channel substantially constant as the air flows radially through the fan, resulting in a less turbulent flow. Each fan blade may include a height profile having a tapered segment in which blade height decreases in proportion to increasing radial distance from the central axis of the fan.

Abstract: A passive restraint system includes a torso belt automatically securing a vehicle occupant by moving from a forward position along a track to a rearward position. A belt carrier carries one end of the torso belt along the track while the other end of the torso belt is retained on a belt retractor. Adjustment of the location of a vehicle seat during travel of the torso belt could cause inadvertent latching of the retractor latching mechanism which results in stalling of the belt carrier. The present invention inhibits torso belt movement whenever the seat is adjusted to prevent such latching. When the seat adjustment is completed, the torso belt movement is resumed.

Abstract: An audio system having a main chassis including an audio preamplifier and a remote chassis including a power amplifier has a clipping level detector circuit in the remote chassis for detecting the onset of clipping by the power amplifier and has a gain control element in the main chassis for controlling the gain of the preamplifier. Thus, clipping distortion is eliminated without introduction of other distortion and while preserving the spectral balance of the audio signal.

Abstract: The inductance value of air-core coils are adjusted using automated methods and inexpensive, noncomplicated apparatus. Adjusting tools are provided which displace coil turns in a linear motion with respect to the coil centerline. Specifically, the coil turns can be displaced by sliding perpendicularly to the coil centerline or by rotating a group of coils in order to modify the coil inductance. The adjusting tools used and the method of coil-turn displacement allow the automated method to reincrease the inductance of a coil in the event that displacement causes an over-decrease of inductance.

Abstract: An audio system having a main chassis including an audio preamplifier and a remote chassis including a power amplifier has a clipping level detector circuit in the remote chassis for detecting the onset of clipping by the power amplifier and has a gain control element in the main chassis for controlling the gain of the preamplifier. An extra control line in the wiring harness connecting the main chassis and the remote chassis is avoided by multiplexing the clipping signal and the mute control signal on a single control wire.

Abstract: A tape recording apparatus in the form of a modified VCR is employed to record broadcast signals received by an antenna while moving through a radio-broadcast reception area. The recorded signals are maintained in an undetected, modulated-carrier form so that played-back signals from the VCR can be coupled to a radio receiver in a fixed location for testing under mobile conditions. A commercially available VCR is modified to avoid modulating FM signals by frequency a second time.

Abstract: A composite core transformer has a high permeability segment and a low permeability segment such that a saturable portion of the core is used to control RF energy coupled from a receiving antenna to a radio receiver. Transformer input and output windings are wound on the low permeability segment of the composite core. A control winding is wound on the high permeability segment of the core and receives an automatic gain control signal from a radio receiver. The resulting radio receiver has high resistance to overload and an extended dynamic range of automatic gain control.

Abstract: A dual port, random access, read/write memory is provided such that each microprocessor can access shared memory locations without regard to the state of the other microprocessor. Previously known dual port systems use delays, called wait states, or handshaking techniques to control memory acces and to resolve overlapping memory access requests. This invention avoids the need for special timing controls by improving memory response time. Once a valid address is placed on the address bus by the microprocessor, which is recognized by the memory as being within its range of assigned address values, the memory prefetches the data at that address may soon follow. If it does, then the data is placed on the data bus. If it does not, then the prefeteched data is ignored and a write operation takes place for the particular address.

Abstract: A fuel sender assembly using a wiper contact to generate a resistance proportional to fuel level in a fuel tank has a bent float rod engaged by a fork and a bore of a carrier element which rigidly carries a spring contact. The spring contact slidably engages a resistor on a resistor card within a housing. The carrier element extends through a slot in the housing such that it abuts the ends of the slot to provide rotational limits for the float rod. The carrier element retains the float rod such that the float rod is allowed to move over a limited distance in the direction coaxial with the portion of the float rod about which the other movable parts rotate. All other movement of the float rod, except the sweeping movement related to fuel level, are substantially prevented. Vibrational wear of the resistor card is thus avoided.