Abstract: A system and method for identifying the start location of the lead thread and the thread profile and quality in a threaded bore in a part, where the system and method can be used for determining the location of the lead thread in a threaded bore in a cylinder head for a spark plug in one non-limiting embodiment. The system includes a moveable table on which the part is mounted. The system also includes a probe having an optical assembly that is inserted in the threaded bore. A camera uses the optical assembly to generate images of the thread bore, where the images are image slices as the probe moves through the threaded bore. The image slices are unwrapped and then joined together to form a planer image to determine a start location of the lead thread, thread count, defects in the threaded bore and thread profile parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for determining whether a particular wheel on a vehicle is un-balanced during operation of the vehicle. The method includes providing wheel angle signals from the wheels of the vehicle and providing a vibration measurement signal from a response point on the vehicle, such as from an accelerometer on a steering column of the vehicle. The method also includes generating a regression vector using the wheel angle signals. The method also includes generating an estimated parameter vector using a recursive least squares algorithm, the regression vector and the vibration measurement signal. The method then calculates an imbalanced magnitude value of each wheel of the vehicle using the estimated parameter vector. The method uses a persistency of excitation test to determine whether the parameter vector has converged to a true value to determine whether the calculated imbalanced magnitude values are accurate.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating vehicle lateral velocity. The method uses a kinematic estimator constructed as a closed-loop Leunberger observer. The kinematic estimator is based on a kinematic relationship between lateral acceleration measurement and rate of change of lateral velocity. The method provides measurement updates based on virtual lateral velocity measurements from front and rear axle lateral force versus axle side-slip angle tables using the lateral acceleration, yaw-rate, longitudinal speed, and steering angle measurements. The method calculates front and rear axle lateral forces from the lateral acceleration and yaw-rate measurements. The method estimates front and rear axle side-slip angles from the calculated front and rear axle lateral forces using the tables.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting and analyzing information from environmental occurrences that may have an adverse effect on electrical components in the vehicle. The information is passed up through a hierarchical structure to a higher level controller where the information can be used to detect the health of various electrical components and sub-systems on the vehicles. The vehicle may employ sensors that are specifically provided to detect environmental disturbances or abnormal conditions on the vehicle, or may use electrical devices on the vehicle used for other purposes that have the capability of detecting such disturbances and conditions.

Abstract: A flow field plate for a fuel cell that has one or more outer layers that makes the plate more conductive and hydrophilic. In one embodiment, the coating is co-deposited as combination of a conductive material and a metal oxide coating. A suitable conductive material is gold and suitable metal oxides include SiO2, HfO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, SnO2, Ta2O5, Nb2O5, MoO2, IrO2, RuO2 and mixtures thereof. The conductive material and metal oxide can also be deposited as two separate layers, where the metal oxide is the outer layer. According to another embodiment, a metal layer is deposited on the plate with nanopores that provide the hydrophilicity. Also, doping ions can be added to the metal oxide to provide low fluoride solubility of the coating to control the rate that hydrofluoric acid etches away the oxide layer.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing vehicle occupants to wirelessly chat with each other over a DSRC channel. A vehicle occupant may initiate a chatting session by wirelessly transmitting a request to speak with an occupant of another vehicle in its vicinity on a certain topic in a multi-hop manner. If the request is accepted by the occupant of another vehicle to enter into a chatting session on that topic, a wireless communications link is established between the two vehicles, where messages may be transmitted through other intermediate vehicles. The chatting session is maintained by monitoring the signal strength of the links between the vehicles in the chain of vehicles and new links are re-established if any of the existing links fail.

Abstract: An adaptive control VGR steering system that varies the steering gear ratio between a vehicle hand-wheel angle and the road wheel angle based on vehicle speed and one or more of hand-wheel angle, driver attentiveness and a driver's driving style and skill.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for reading and/or writing data from and/or to a multiplicity of RFID chips arranged in smart labels within a smart label production device, wherein the smart labels each comprising a first antenna are applied next to and behind one another on a common continuous film-like strip, wherein each smart label from a selected set of smart labels arranged next to and/or behind one another is respectively assigned a second antenna for the simultaneous transmission of read and/or write data between the first and second antennas by means of ultrahigh frequency waves, wherein the second antennas are arranged in a planar manner within at least one common antenna carrier.

Abstract: A compressed hydrogen tank system that includes a heatable hydrogen pressure regulator. Hydrogen is removed from the compressed tank through a suitable pipe where the pressure drop of the hydrogen is controlled by the pressure regulator. The high pressure side of the regulator is typically at a relatively low temperature as the hydrogen is being removed from the tank, and the low pressure side of the regulator is typically at a relatively high temperature as the hydrogen is removed from the tank. A heat source is provided to heat the pipe on the high pressure side of the regulator to prevent the hydrogen from becoming cold as the hydrogen is being removed from the tank, thus preventing the temperature of the hydrogen within the tank from decreasing.

Abstract: A fuel cell system including a humidification system is described. The humidification system employs a recycling system that recycles relatively humid gas exhausted from a multistage fuel cell stack, either on the anode and/or cathode side, and sends this relatively humid gas back to be combined with relatively dry supply gas, such as but not limited to hydrogen and/or air. The humidified supply gas mixture is then reintroduced into the first stage of the multistage fuel cell stack. A recirculation device, such as but not limited to a pump and/or an ejector, can be used to aid in moving the humid exhaust gas back through a recycle gas line to be combined with the supply gas.

Abstract: A method for compressing measurement data that includes grouping common data elements in common data messages. Sequential data elements in the groups are subtracted from each other to provide difference values. The difference values are compressed using a suitable compression algorithm to provide compressed blocks of data. Time stamp periods associated with each common data message are also subtracted from each other to provide time stamp difference values. The time stamp difference values are also compressed to provide compressed time stamp blocks. The compressed blocks of data and time stamp blocks are then stored.

Abstract: A method for quickly and efficiently heating a fuel cell stack at system start-up. The method uses and prioritizes various stack heat sources based on their efficiency to heat the stack. A thermal set-point for heating the stack to the desired temperature is determined based on the ambient temperature and, the stack cooling fluid temperature. The set-point is then compared-to the stack heating provided by the heat sources that are operating through normal system start-up operation. If more heat is necessary to reach the set-point, the method may first charge a system battery using stack power where the load causes the fuel cell stack to heat up. If additional heating is still required, the method may then turn on a cooling fluid heater, then flow a small amount of hydrogen into the cathode inlet stream to provide combustion, and then increase the compressor load as needed.

Abstract: A method for adjusting the slip of a torque converter for a plurality of selected engine speeds, transmission gears and engine torque. A sensor is used to determine vibrations transmitted through the torque converter to the driveline of the vehicle. The sensor signal is sent to a controller where it is converted to the frequency domain. If the amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a threshold, then the algorithm increases/decreases the converter slip until the driveline vibrations equal a threshold.

Abstract: A guidance system for actively guiding a projectile, such as a bullet after it has been fired from a gun. The guidance system includes a radar unit that includes a plurality of receiver arrays. An optical scope is also mounted to the gun for optically sighting a target. An inertial measurement unit provided on the gun locks onto the target after it has been sighted by the scope, and provides a reference location at the center of the receiver arrays from which the bullet can be directed. The receiver arrays receive radar monopulse beacon signals from the bullet. The signals from the bullet are used to identify the position of the bullet and the roll of the bullet. The signals sent to the bullet provide flight correction information that is processed on the bullet, and used to control actuators that move steering devices on the bullet.

Abstract: A vehicle stability enhancement system that is adapted for an estimated driver workload. The system includes a driver workload estimation processor that estimates the driver workload based on certain factors, such as the vehicle speed or driver-behavior factors. The driver workload estimation is used to adjust the damping ratio and natural frequency in dynamic filters in a command interpreter to adjust a desired yaw rate signal and a desired side-slip signal. The driver workload estimation is also used to generate a yaw rate multiplication factor and a side-slip multiplication factor that modify a yaw rate stability signal and a side-slip stability signal in a feedback control processor that generates a stability control signal.

Abstract: A rotary quad control interface that allows a vehicle driver to control several vehicle systems without focusing on the interface itself. The interface includes four touch pads disposed in four quadrants of the interface, an outer rotary dial positioned substantially at the center of the four touch pads and an inner rotary dial disposed within the outer rotary dial and being concentric thereto, where the inner rotary dial also operates as a push button. A display screen displays the operation of the interface, and includes a first display portion, a second display portion, a third display portion and a fourth display portion that are provided as quadrants on the display screen and are representative of the touch pads on the interface.

Abstract: An integrated real and virtual manufacturing automation system that employs a programmable logic controller that controls part flow between a real machine in the real world part of the system and a virtual machine in the virtual world part of the system using virtually coupled sensors and actuators. A real world sensor senses the position of the real world machine and a real world actuator actuates the real world machine. Likewise, a virtual world sensor senses the position of the virtual world machine and a virtual world actuator actuates the virtual world machine. An interface device transfers signals between the virtual world part of the system and the real world part of the system, and an input/output device processes signals sent to the programmable logic controller and signals sent from the programmable logic controller.

Abstract: A method for providing a fast and reliable start-up of a fuel cell system. The method uses a stack voltage response to a load to assess if hydrogen and oxygen are being sufficiently distributed to all of the fuel cells by coupling an auxiliary load to the fuel cell stack until a predetermined minimum cell voltage has been reached or a first predetermined time period has elapsed. The method then determines whether a minimum cell voltage has dropped to a first predetermined voltage and, if so, reduces the maximum power allowed to be below the first predetermined voltage value, determines whether the minimum cell voltage in the stack is below a second predetermined voltage, or determines whether the minimum cell voltage drop rate is greater than a predetermined voltage drop rate. If none of these conditions are met, the method returns to loading the stack with system components.

Abstract: A scan acquisition technique for acquiring terminals (62, 64) that does not rely on precise alignment between a sensor (66, 70) and a transmitter (68, 72) associated with the terminals (62, 64). The terminals (62, 64) separate uncertainty regions (76, 78) into a plurality of sections (88, 90). Scan beams (82, 84) include encoded information of what section (88, 90) the scan beam (82, 84) is currently scanning. Each terminal (62, 64) will eventually receive the scan beam (82, 84) of the other terminal (62, 64). When it does, it will encode its scan beam (82, 84) with both the outgoing code and the return code for that section (88, 90), so that when it's scan beam (82, 84) is received by the other terminal (62, 64), that terminal (62, 64) will know what scan section (88, 90) the other terminal (62, 64) is located.

Abstract: An algorithm that is part of a collision preparation system that provides selective and limited vehicle braking to avoid undesirable intrusive high-G braking while still giving the system adequate time to activate collision mitigation devices on the vehicle before impact with an object. If a predicted time to collision between the vehicle and the object is less than a required time to collision, which is determined by how much time is necessary for a certain collision mitigation device to be activated, the algorithm calculates a time dilation deceleration. The system causes the vehicle to automatically brake to decelerate the vehicle at the time dilation deceleration until the time dilation deceleration reaches a predetermined decelerating threshold so that more time is available for the collision preparation system to determine whether to activate the collision mitigation device.