Abstract: A method for mounting a dielectric substrate to a semiconductor substrate, such as mounting a dielectric antenna substrate to an MMIC semiconductor substrate. The method includes providing a thin dielectric antenna substrate having metallized layers on opposing sides. In one embodiment, carrier wafers are used to handle and maintain the dielectric substrate in a flat configuration as the metallized layers are patterned. The dielectric substrate is sealed to the semiconductor substrate using a low temperature bonding process. In an alternate embodiment, the metallized layers on the dielectric substrate are patterned simultaneously so as to prevent the substrate from curling.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the spatial distribution of an ionomer in a fuel cell MEA. The method includes embedding the MEA in an epoxy, and then slicing thin sections from the MEA. The sliced sections are then exposed to a titanium tetrachloride vapor that stains the epoxy. The stained sections are then viewed with, for example, a transmission electron microscope (TEM) where the lighter regions in the TEM image show the ionomer distribution.

Abstract: A system and method for determining vehicle wheel misalignment. The method includes accumulating the hand-wheel position using a hand-wheel sensor over a predetermined sampling period, and then comparing the accumulated hand-wheel position to previously accumulated hand-wheel positions to provide an indication of wheel misalignment. Because a vehicle will typically be driven so that the right turns will substantially equal the left turns over a sufficiently large sampling period, the accumulated hand-wheel position should average out to be about zero, unless there is a wheel misalignment which would cause the vehicle operator to continuously turn the hand-wheel in one direction when driving straight. Therefore, if the accumulated hand-wheel position exhibits a consistent algebraic deviation and shows a progressive increase over multiple sampling periods, the confidence of wheel misalignment will increase.

Abstract: A process for producing borazane from boron-nitrogen and boron-nitrogen-hydrogen containing BNH-waste products. The process includes reacting the BNH-waste products with a hydrogen halide, having the formula HX, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, and combinations thereof, to form any of the following: a boron trihalide, having the formula BX3, an ammonium halide, having the formula NH4X, and hydrogen. The boron trihalide is then reacted with the hydrogen to form diborane, having the formula B2H6, and hydrogen halide. The ammonium halide is then converted to ammonia, having the formula NH3, and hydrogen halide. The diborane is then reacted with the ammonia to form borazane, having the formula BH3NH3.

Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs a method for increasing stack power ramp up for high power up-transients by decoupling the build-up of stack current density from the cathode side pressure. The system gives the compressor power priority during the power up-transient to quickly provide the proper compressor speed, and therefore the proper air mass flow, for the desired current density of the fuel cell stack. The system also maintains the cathode side pressure of the stack low by keeping a cathode back-pressure valve open. By increasing the cathode input airflow rate to the proper level at the power up-transient, the current density of the stack will increase to the desired stack power level. Subsequently, the back-pressure valve is closed to increase the stack voltage to provide the total maximum power achievable by the stack.

Abstract: A control strategy for removing nitrogen from the anode side of a fuel cell stack. The control strategy includes using a bleed valve to remove the nitrogen during the operation of the fuel cell stack until the stack ages to a point where the bleed valve is maintained open, but the concentration of nitrogen in the anode side of the stack continues to increase. Once the concentration of nitrogen in the anode side increases to a predetermined level, then a purge valve is opened in combination with the bleed valve to reduce the concentration of nitrogen. Once the nitrogen concentration is reduced below the level, then both valves are closed, and the sequence is repeated.

Abstract: A voltage monitoring system for measuring the voltage of the fuel cells in a fuel cell stack that employs optical devices for providing an optical signal of the measured voltages, where one or more of the fuel cells power the optical devices. A surface mount device is electrically coupled to opposing plates in the stack, or opposing plates over a plurality of cells in the stack. The surface mount device includes a bonded contact and a spring contact to provide the electrical connection. A detector is positioned remote from the stack that receives the optical signals and converts them back to electrical signals indicative of the voltage.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for a hybrid vehicle that includes a high voltage battery, where the system uses a cathode exhaust gas airflow from a fuel cell stack to draw air through a battery compartment in which the battery is mounted to provide battery cooling. An air intake line is in fluid communication with the passenger compartment of the vehicle and the battery compartment. An ejector line is in fluid communication with the battery compartment and the cathode exhaust gas pipe. The flow of the cathode exhaust gas around the injector pipe creates a low pressure area, which draws air through the battery compartment from the passenger compartment. In one embodiment, a compressor that provides the cathode inlet air to the fuel cell stack is used at low stack output loads, such as during vehicle idle, to direct air through the cathode exhaust gas pipe, and cool the battery system under low load conditions.

Abstract: A technique for determining whether a cooling fluid pump used for pumping a cooling fluid through a fuel cell stack has failed. The technique includes measuring the temperature of the cooling fluid at the output from the stack and/or measuring the cathode exhaust gas temperature as close as possible to the cathode outlet of the stack. The measured temperature is compared to a temperature that would be expected under the current operating conditions of the fuel cell system in a controller. If the difference between the measuring temperature and the expected temperature is large enough, then the controller provides a warning signal of pump failure, and also possibly reduces the stack outlet power.

Abstract: A method for revising a reference polarization curve of a fuel cell stack that identifies the relationship between the voltage and the current of the stack over time. When the stack is operating at a low load where kinetic voltage losses of the stack dominate, a first adaptation value is revised as the difference between the actual stack voltage and the stack voltage of the reference polarization curve. When the stack is operating at higher loads where ohmic voltage losses of the stack dominate, a second adaptation value is revised as the difference between the actual stack voltage and the stack voltage of the reference polarization curve.

Abstract: A system for determining the position of a rotating wheel using RFID. In one embodiment, the system includes a position sensing wheel mounted to one or both of a crankshaft and a camshaft in the engine. A plurality of RFID tags are disposed at predetermined intervals around the wheel, and an RFID transceiver is positioned proximate the wheel. As the wheel rotates, the RFID transceiver transmits a signal that interrogates the RFID tags, which then transmit a coded signal to the transceiver identifying the wheel's position relative to the transceiver. Therefore, regardless of the position of the wheel, the RFID transceiver can interrogate the closest RFID tag and immediately know the position of the engine so that an engine controller can provide fuel and spark to the cylinders as soon as possible.

Abstract: A vertebral disc annular fibrosis tensioning and lengthening device that restores the loss of disc height as a result of disc degeneration and other factors. The vertebral disc annular fibrosis tensioning and lengthening device includes pedicle screws having heads with cup-shaped cavities. The pedicle screws are threaded into the vertebral bodies of adjacent vertebrae through the pedicles so that open parts of the heads of the pedicle screws face each other. A spring is inserted into the cup-shaped cavities in compression so that the spring bias forces the pedicle screws apart, thus increasing the height of the disc space.

Abstract: A method for fabricating wafer-level packages including lateral interconnects. The method includes precutting a cover wafer at the locations where the cover wafer will be completely cut through to separate the wafer-level packages. The cover wafer is bonded to the substrate wafer using bonding rings so as to seal the integrated circuit within a cavity between the cover wafer and the substrate wafer, where the precuts face the substrate wafer. The cover wafer is then cut at the precut locations to remove the unwanted portions of the cover wafer between the packages and expose contacts or probe pads for the lateral interconnects. The substrate wafer is then cut between the wafer-level packages to separate the packages.

Abstract: A fuel cell system that employs a purge valve, an accumulator and a bleed valve for selectively purging and bleeding anode exhaust gas. When the purge valve is opened, the anode exhaust gas purges to the accumulator where it is collected. The bleed valve provides a controlled release of the anode exhaust gas from the accumulator that allows the concentration of hydrogen bled from the accumulator to remain below its combustible limit. In one embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with the cathode exhaust gas and released to atmosphere. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with a cathode input gas. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with an anode input gas.

Abstract: A gas storage system that stores a gas by cryo-adsorption on high surface materials. The gas storage system includes an outer container having insulated walls and a plurality of pressure vessels disposed therein. Each of the pressure vessels includes a high surface material. A manifold assembly distributes the gas under pressure to the pressure vessels where the gas is adsorbed by cryo-adsorption using the high surface materials. A cooling fluid is provided within voids between the pressure vessels to remove heat as the pressure vessels are being filled with the gas.

Abstract: A system for temporal data mining includes a computer readable medium having an application configured to receive at an input module a temporal data series and a threshold frequency. The system is further configured to identify, using a candidate identification and tracking module, one or more occurrences in the temporal data series of a candidate episode and increment a count for each identified occurrence. The system is also configured to produce at an output module an output for those episodes whose count of occurrences results in a frequency exceeding the threshold frequency.

Abstract: A system for temporal data mining includes a computer readable medium having an application configured to receive at an input module a temporal data series having events with start times and end times, a set of allowed dwelling times and a threshold frequency. The system is further configured to identify, using a candidate identification and tracking module, one or more occurrences in the temporal data series of a candidate episode and increment a count for each identified occurrence. The system is also configured to produce at an output module an output for those episodes whose count of occurrences results in a frequency exceeding the threshold frequency.

Abstract: A system and method for limiting the amount of hydrogen being bled from an anode exhaust line. The method includes maintaining a pressure bias between an anode outlet and a cathode outlet of a fuel cell stack so that when an anode exhaust gas is bled from the anode exhaust line and mixed with the cathode exhaust gas, the concentration of hydrogen in the mixed gas is maintained below a predetermined percentage. The pressure bias is such that the anode exhaust gas has a higher gas pressure than the cathode exhaust gas.

Abstract: A vehicle steering control system for a vehicle/trailer combination that provides rear-wheel steering assist to improve the vehicle/trailer combination stability and handling performance. The control system provides an open-loop feed-forward control signal based on hand-wheel angle and vehicle speed. The control system includes a vehicle yaw rate command interpreter that provides a vehicle closed-loop feedback control signal based on the yaw rate of the vehicle, a trailer yaw rate command interpreter that provides a trailer closed-loop feedback control signal based on the yaw rate of the trailer, and a vehicle lateral acceleration command interpreter that provides a closed-loop feedback control signal based on the lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The closed-loop feedback signals are added together and then combined with the open-loop feed-forward control signal to provide the rear-wheel steering assist.

Abstract: An oil-cooled 50DN stator terminal insulator comprising an insulating base member with an insulating bushing extending from a top surface of the base member for insulating one of multiple stator lead terminals, and associated parts kit. The insulator includes a central aperture for receiving the terminal such that the insulator and the terminal are independently movable with respect to the remaining terminals of the stator in order to facilitate assembly of the stator and a rectifier housing having a plurality of openings extending from an internal surface to an external surface. The ability of the terminal with the insulator to move independent of the remaining terminals provides the stator with resistance to vibrations.