Abstract: A fuel cell system that includes a fuel cell stack and an EESD electrically coupled to a common high voltage bus line. The EESD has a higher voltage output than the fuel cell stack, and thus the stack is unable to fully charge the EESD, for example, at system shut-down. In order to allow the fuel cell stack to fully charge the EESD, the EESD is separated into a plurality of separate electrical storage banks having lower voltage potentials. A series of contactors are provided to electrically couple the storage banks in series during normal system operation, and separately charge the storage banks using the fuel cell stack so that they are fully charged. The series of contactors can also be configured so that the storage banks can be electrically coupled in series during normal operation of the system and be electrically coupled in parallel during charging at system shut-down.

Abstract: A method for determining a speed of a power steering pump used in a power steering assembly of a vehicle that has particular application in a vehicle using a magneto-rheological hydraulic power steering (MRHPS) system for improving the fuel efficiency and ride comfort of the vehicle, and for reliable functioning of the power steering system. The method includes determining an angle of rotation of the steering wheel and a rate of change of the angle of rotation of the steering wheel based on the angle of rotation of the steering wheel of the vehicle. The method further includes determining the speed of the vehicle and the speed of the power steering pump based on the angle of rotation of the steering wheel, the rate of change of the angle of rotation of the steering wheel and the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract: A system and method for equalizing the state of charge of the cells of a battery in an electric vehicle while the vehicle is being driven. The method includes monitoring the state of charge of the battery cells in the battery and measuring the actual current of the battery. The method also includes determining a maximum charge current limit of the battery and comparing the actual battery current and the charge current limit. The method also includes modifying the charge current limit based on the comparison between the actual battery current and the charge current limit. The method then converts the modified charge current limit to a power charge limit and then over charges the battery using a small amount of current and the power charge limit so that all of the cells in the battery become fully charged.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for transferring at least one electronic component, in particular a chip, from a first flat support to at least one predetermined location on a second flat support which extends parallel to the first support, comprising an ejection device for removing the component from the first support by means of an ejection movement, wherein a camera device is provided for detecting position data of the predetermined location, of the component to be removed from the first support and optionally of the ejection device, which together with the camera device are arranged essentially on an imaginary common straight line. A positioning method is also described.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the speed of a recirculation pump in an anode recirculation loop of a fuel cell system based on a predetermined ratio of fresh hydrogen to recirculated anode gas. The system uses a model to determine the volume flow of the recirculated gas through a fuel cell stack to determine the recirculation rate based on a measured temperature of the recirculated gas, a measured pressure drop across a recirculation pump, a pressure drop across the anode inlet and outlet of the stack, a percentage of hydrogen in the recirculated gas, and the density of the recirculated gas.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring anode bleed trigger events and determining when to adjust a proactive bleed schedule in a fuel cell system. The system employs a bleed trigger monitor algorithm for monitoring proactive bleed and reactive bleeds that determines whether the reactive bleeds are caused by excess nitrogen in the anode. The algorithm monitors the number of reactive bleeds that are cause by nitrogen accumulation in the anode side of the fuel cell stack and changes the proactive bleed schedule in response thereto, if necessary.

Abstract: A method for providing writing requirements for a structured transition system employing state machines. The requirements employ a plurality of structuring mechanisms, namely, sub-state based structuring, abstraction based structuring and partial behavior structuring that uses event sequences. The sub-state based structuring has to do with the hierarchical requirements of the state machines, abstraction based structuring provides an abstraction of the state machines that reduces the number of states, and partial behavior structuring looks at certain states to predict how those states will affect other states.

Abstract: An emergency braking assembly that stops the rotation of a shaft in the event that the speed of the shaft exceeds a predetermined speed. The braking assembly includes a flanged mounting ring that is mounted to a housing where the shaft extends through the ring, and a braking ring threadably mounted to the mounting ring. An insert is mounted to the shaft within the braking ring. The braking assembly insert includes a pair of symmetrical weights that tend to move outward upon rotation of the shaft. Pins mounted to the weights and the insert prevent the weights form moving outward until the speed of the shaft exceeds the predetermined speed. A locking mechanism that locks the pin to the insert releases causing the pins to extend outside of the insert and engage stops mounted to an inside surface of the braking ring, which stops the shaft from rotating.

Abstract: A surgical delivery system that has particular application for providing bone graft material to an interbody device that restores disc space height during spinal fusion surgery. The bone graft delivery system includes a body portion and a shaft coupled thereto. An auger extends through a bore in the shaft and into the body portion. An end of the shaft opposite to the body portion is configured to be coupled to the interbody device, where the auger extends through a channel in the interbody device. Bone graft material is placed in a hopper coupled to the shaft, where the auger is manually or automatically rotated to deliver the bone graft material through the shaft and into the interbody device where it is dispersed into the disc space.

Abstract: A retractor device for cervical spinal fusion surgery. The retractor device includes a first post assembly having a first pin for mounting the first post assembly to a first vertebral body and a first rod coupled thereto in a multi-axial manner so that the first rod can be pivoted relative to the first pin. The retractor device also includes a second post assembly having a second pin for mounting the second post assembly to a second vertebral body and a second rod coupled thereto in a multi-axial manner so that the second rod can be pivoted relative to the second pin. The retractor device also includes a first retractor blade having a first retractor blade arm slideably engageable to the first rod, and a second retractor blade having a second retractor blade arm slideably engageable to the second rod. The first retractor blade is slid down the first rod and the second retractor blade is slid down the second rod to be positioned and separate the anatomical structures.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating ride and stability control of a vehicle. The system includes a plurality of suspension displacement sensors, with each of the plurality of suspension displacement sensors positioned proximate to a suspension element of the vehicle. The system further includes a nonlinear filter for filtering out a wheel hop frequency from the suspension velocity corresponding to at least one of the plurality of suspension displacement sensors to obtain a resultant suspension velocity. The resultant suspension velocity is used by a control unit to determine the pitch velocity, roll velocity and the heave velocity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and system for using a vehicle's electronic systems to provide all features and functions typically found on a handheld electronic book device. The vehicle's electronic systems can be used in an integrated fashion with a user's handheld electronic book device, such that the vehicle's systems can be used to recite electronic book materials, media files can be shared between the vehicle and the handheld device, bookmarks can be synchronized, and the user can seamlessly switch from one system to the other. The vehicle's electronic systems can also be used independent of any other electronic book device, such that the vehicle's systems provide all electronic book device functionality—including browsing for new reading materials, purchase, download, storage, reading, and listening.

Abstract: There is disclosed a test head device for testing the functionality of a large number of RFID chips arranged in smart labels (17) within a smart label production apparatus by means of a data reading and/or data writing process, wherein the smart labels (17), each comprising a first antenna (10a-10e), are placed next to and behind one another on a common continuously moving strip, wherein the test head device comprises a plurality of test systems which function independently of one another, each of said test systems consisting of a write and/or read unit (12a-e), a second antenna (3, 11a-e; 18) connected thereto which is in each case assigned to one of the first antennas (10a-10e) for simultaneously transmitting read and/or write data between the first and second antennas (10a-10e; 3; 11a-e; 18) by means of ultrahigh frequency waves, and a common table unit which can be displaced at least in the height direction, wherein the second antennas (3; 11a-e; 18) are arranged on a common antenna carrier plate (2) orie

Abstract: A vertically integrated electronically steered phased array that employs beamsteering using a programmable phase locked loop including a local oscillator. The local oscillator provides an oscillator signal that is converted to an RF signal that can be either up-converted for a transmit operation or down-converted for a receive operation. The relative off-set between independently generated local oscillator signals forms the basis of the off-set phase required for a phased array. The absolute measure of off-set phase is referenced to a globally distributed clock signal that aligns the zero degree phase shift of the oscillator.

Abstract: A system and method for enhancing vehicle diagnostic and prognostic algorithms and improving vehicle maintenance practices. The method includes collecting data from vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and storing the collected data in a database. The collected and stored data can be from multiple sources for similar vehicles or similar components and can include various types of trouble codes and labor codes as well as other information, such as operational data and physics of failure data, which are fused together. The method generates classes for different vehicle components, sub-systems and systems, and builds feature extractors for each class using data mining techniques of the data stored in the database. The method also generates classifiers that classify the features for each class. The feature extractors and feature classifiers are used to determine when a fault condition has occurred for a vehicle component, sub-system or system.

Abstract: An integrated locking assembly that includes a linear locking mechanism and a rotary locking mechanism. The linear locking mechanism employs opposing locking plates having aligned bores that can lock onto a rod extending through the bores. The rotary locking mechanism includes rollers positioned between a housing and a cam where the rollers are wedged between the housing and the cam to lock the rotary locking mechanism and are positioned in an open position between the housing and the cam to unlock the rotary locking mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an anode exhaust gas bleed in a fuel cell system. The system provides a normal anode side bleed using first and second bleed valves if the first and second bleed valves are not blocked and the temperature of first and second split sub-stacks is greater than a predetermined temperature, provides a continuous anode side bleed using the bleed valves if the bleed valves are not blocked and the temperature of the sub-stacks is less than the predetermined temperature, provides a normal center anode bleed through the drain valve if the first or second bleed valve is blocked and the temperature of the sub-stacks is above the predetermined temperature and provides a continuous center anode side bleed through the drain valve if the first or second bleed valve is blocked and the temperature of the sub-stacks is below the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A system and method for improving fuel cell system start-up reliability. The method includes determining if the resistance of the membranes in a fuel cell stack is too high, where the reliability of system start-up will be reduced, and if so, providing one or more remedial actions to help ensure that the start-up is more reliable. In one embodiment, the system and method determine that the fuel cell membranes are to dry based on whether a high frequency measurement of the fuel cell stack exceeds a predetermined HFR threshold. If the HFR threshold has been exceeded, a special start-up procedure is used that increases the reliability that the start-up will be successful using the remedial actions, such as reducing cathode airflow and turning on stack end cell heaters.

Abstract: A system and method for putting a fuel cell system in a stand-by during a system idle condition to improve system fuel efficiency. The method can include diverting the cathode airflow around the stack, reducing an airflow output from a cathode compressor to a minimum allowable set-point, opening the stack contactors to disconnect the stack from the high voltage bus and electrically isolate the stack from the rest of the system, engaging an independent load to the stack, such as end cell heaters in the stack, to suppress stack voltage, maintaining a positive pressure in the anode side of the fuel cell stack and periodically bleeding the anode into the exhaust stream. When a system power request is made removing the idle condition, the system returns to normal operation by directing the airflow back to the cathode and opening the stack contactors when an open circuit voltage is attained.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting and predicting low performing cells in a fuel cell stack. When the fuel cell stack is running and certain data validity criteria have been met, an algorithm collects the data, such as stack current density, average cell voltage and minimum cell voltage. This information is used to estimate predetermined parameters that define the stack polarization curve. The system defines a predetermined minimum current density that is used to identify a low performing cell. The system then calculates an average cell voltage and a minimum cell voltage at the minimum current density set-point, and calculates a cell voltage difference between the two. If the cell voltage difference is greater than a predetermined low voltage threshold and the minimum cell voltage is less than a predetermined high voltage threshold, the algorithm sets a flag identifying a potential for a low performing cell.