Abstract: An antenna disposed on glass including first and second spatially separated grid portions is disclosed. The first grid portion is electromagnetically coupled to the second grid portion to provide reception of AM and FM signals.

Abstract: A solderable bar bond connector establishes a primary interconnect between a substrate and a high current terminal of an IC chip mounted on the substrate, and one or more secondary interconnects between the substrate and low current terminals of the IC chip. The bar bond connector includes a plate portion soldered to the high current terminal of the IC chip and a plurality of leg elements extending from the plate portion to multiple bond sites on the substrate. The underside of at least one leg element is provided with a secondary circuit including a conductor that is electrically isolated from the respective leg element. The conductor of the secondary circuit is soldered to both the substrate and a low current terminal of the IC chip for establishing a secondary interconnect in addition to the primary interconnect established by the plate portion and the other leg elements.

Abstract: A method of flip-chip mounting a circuit device to a substrate in a manner that avoids damage and impairment of a fragile or otherwise sensitive element on the device facing the substrate, and a circuit assembly produced thereby. The assembly includes a substrate having at least two sets of bonding sites spaced apart from each other to define an intermediate surface region therebetween. The device is attached to the bonding sites with solder connections, with the solder connections being present on a surface of the device that faces the substrate and on which the element is present so that the element overlies the intermediate surface region of the substrate. An underfill material is present between the device and the substrate and encapsulates the solder connections. The underfill material is separated from the intermediate surface region of the substrate so that the underfill material does not contact the element.

Abstract: An occupant of a motor vehicle seat is characterized for purposes of air bag suppression based on the seated weight of the occupant, the variation of the seated weight, and the occupant's apparent longitudinal center-of-mass. The method distinguishes between an adult and a child seat, distinguishes between forward-facing and rearward-facing child seats, and detects cinching of a child seat.

Abstract: A circuit powering an electrical device based on a commanded current signal is provided. The circuit includes a linear current amplifier which sets a desired current flow. The circuit also dynamically controls a supply voltage in order to minimize power dissipation of the linear current amplifier. The circuit may also include a voltage drop measurement amplifier, a voltage shaping amplifier, and a switching power supply. The circuit is useful for controlling electrical devices requiring precise current control and minimal power dissipation, for example, driving light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that provide illumination inside the passenger compartment of a vehicle for an imaging occupant detection system.

Abstract: An antenna unit is disclosed. The antenna unit includes a patch antenna element with a dielectric substrate positioned on a circuit board. A parasitically enhanced perimeter extends from the circuit board and encompasses the patch antenna to utilize surface waves in order to enhance low-elevation terrestrial antenna performance.

Abstract: An electronic assembly with a plurality of stacked integrated circuit (IC) die includes a base substrate, a first IC die, a second IC die, a signal routing first interconnect and a signal routing second interconnect. The first interconnect is partially positioned between the first and second IC dies. The second interconnect is partially positioned adjacent the first side of the second IC die. The first interconnect couples a first contact of the first IC die to a first trace of the base substrate and a second contact of the second IC die to a second trace of the base substrate. The first and second interconnects, in combination, couple the first contact of the second IC die to the first trace.

Abstract: The present invention involves an electrical verification method that detects moisture within the cavity of the semiconductor or micro-machined device. The method affects an increase in the time for sufficient water vapor to remain within an unsealed device, so that instability in the diode can be measurable over a longer period of time. The method begins with the step of forming at least one reservoir on at least one of the device wafer and the capping wafer. The at least one reservoir connects to at least one diffusion channel, which is in communication with at least one reservoir port. The method further includes the steps of forming a PN junction diode adjacent to the at least one reservoir port; bonding the device wafer with the capping wafer to form a cavity; and electrically testing the PN junction diode as an indication of the presence of moisture within the cavity.

Abstract: A hermetic package of a type used to contain a sensing element, such as an infrared sensing element. The package comprises a base having a base wall and sidewalls surrounding the base wall to define a first recess within the base. The sensing element is fabricated on a device chip disposed within the first recess. A lid is hermetically sealed with the base to enclose the sensing element. The lid defines a second recess that communicates with the first recess, such that the first and second recesses define a continuous cavity between the lid and the base and in which the device chip is contained. The depth of the second recess is preferably at least about half the depth of the sensing element within the first recess, such that neither the lid nor the base are required to have a deep recess that defines essentially the entire cavity in which the device chip is contained.

Abstract: A multi-level speech recognition driven system provides user specific adaptive voice feedback based on a specific user's level of sophistication. If a voice input is detected, the system determines whether the voice input is associated with a specific user. When a user of the system has not provided a voice input for a predetermined user specific time period the system provides an adaptive voice feedback to the user. When a voice input is detected, the system determines whether the voice input is recognized. If the recognized voice input corresponds to a speech selectable task, the corresponding speech selectable task is performed. In another embodiment, the system is deactivated when a voice input has not been received for a user specific set number of predetermined user specific time periods at a given level.

Abstract: A pyroelectric sensor having an active regulation for maximizing pyroelectric sensor sensitivity is disclosed. The pyroelectric sensor comprises a ferroelectric transducer, and a regulator. The ferroelectric transducer may either be a homogenous ferroelectric transducer, a compositionally graded ferroelectric transducer, or an externally graded ferroelectric transducer. The regulator may either be an excitation regulator or a temperature regulator. A method for regulating the excitation or the temperature of a pyroelectric sensor for maximizing sensitivity of the pyroelectric sensor is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiple sensor, vehicle seat occupant status determination system uses dynamic variations in occupant responsive sensor output due to accelerations of the vehicle seat to discriminate via a statistical method between sensors that are failed and those that are operating correctly and eliminates the contribution of signals detected as not valid from the status determination. If and only if the maximum and minimum sampled signal values of at least one of the received signals span upper and lower control reference values derived from the sampled signal values, a variance value for each of the signals is derived; and one or both of the greatest two or the smallest two variance values are checked against a relative size factor to detect an outlier signal value. If an outlier signal value is detected more than a predetermined number of consecutive times, the status classification is performed without signal values from the outlier sensor.

Abstract: A control assembly comprising a switch pad and a circuit board. The switch pad has a connection member, a first contact adjacent the connection member, and a flexible dome having a second contact. The circuit board is engaged with the switch pad and includes an engagement area engaged with the connection member, third contacts adjacent the engagement area and fourth contacts. The flexible dome of the switch pad is configured to be depressed to engage the second contact with the fourth contacts to electrically connect the fourth contacts. The first contact electrically connects the third contacts when the circuit board is engaged with the switch pad. The first contact and the third contacts form a first circuit for determining if the switch pad is properly engaged with the circuit board such that the second contact will form a second circuit with the fourth contacts when the flexible dome is depressed.

Abstract: An absolute position sensor having a low power mode includes a sensing device for sensing position of an object such as a power door, a power input for inputting power to the sensing device, and an output for supplying an output signal indicative of the sensed position. The sensor also includes a controller that receives the output signal and controls power supplied to the power input. The controller determines when the output signal does not change by a predetermined amount and controls the power input to reduce power when the output signal does not change by the predetermined amount. The controller further reapplies continuous full power to the power input when the output signal changes by the predetermined amount.

Abstract: A light distribution apparatus includes a light distribution hub and at least one light source a reference light wavelength emission. The light distribution hub includes color converter that is enclosed in a light house and converts the reference light wavelength emission to a converted light emission. The color converter is distributed through an aperture in the light house.

Abstract: A voice responsive system controls a device in response to both a manual input and a voice input. The system includes a processor, a memory system coupled to the processor and processor executable code. The processor executable code includes an operating system and a voice recognition application for causing the processor to perform a number of steps. Initially, a voice message is provided from the operating system to the voice recognition application. Next, an appropriate simulated manual input event is provided from the voice recognition application to the operating system in response to the received voice message. Then, an appropriate manual input event message is provided from the operating system to the voice recognition application in response to the simulated manual input event. The voice recognition application then initiates control of the device responsive to the manual input event message.

Abstract: A technique for implementing an extended bit timer with a time processing unit (TPU), without using the channel hardware of the TPU includes a number of steps. A timer of the TPU is periodically read to determine the value of the timer. A counter is incremented when rollover of the timer has occurred and a coherency flag is de-asserted after the timer transitions through a first count. The coherency flag is asserted after the value of the timer transitions through a third count and the value of the timer is combined with the value of the counter to provide a current count. When the coherency flag is asserted and the value of the timer is equal to or between the first and second counts, the current count is adjusted.

Abstract: A vehicle audio system is provided that includes an audio receiver having a radio tuner and a random access media reader adapted for accessing audio data files such as those stored on a compact disc. The audio system includes a display having a plurality of display formats for displaying a label associated with an audio data file, and a display switch having a first mode operable for shifting the display from one of the plurality of display formats to another of the plurality of display formats, a second mode operable for setting the default display format to another display format, and a third mode operable for initiating sequential display of a plurality of display pages to displaying the label.

Abstract: Passive balanced probes are disclosed for use with a signal analysis device. The probes are very low cost relative to typical commercially available probes and provide an extremely flat response over a frequency range of approximately 0 to at least 1.5 gigahertz. The probes include a probe body constructed primarily from conventional components, a first surface mount resistor electrically connected between a probe tip and a center conductor, and two surface mount resistors electrically connected and parallel between the center conductor and a conductive shield. The probes further include a coaxial cable for connection to an instrument combiner or other instrument connection device.

Abstract: An ignition control circuit (12) is responsive to a control signal (ESTC) to apply a drive signal (GD) to a power switching device (22) to conduct ignition coil current (IC) therethrough. A resistor (RS) included within the circuit (12) receives, and dissipates heat generated by, the coil current (IC). The circuit (12) includes a first transistor (QHOT) positioned adjacent to the resistor (RS) such that an operating temperature thereof is near that of the resistor (RS), and a second transistor (QREF) positioned remote from the resistor (RS) and having an operating temperature defining a reference temperature. The first and second transistors (QHOT, QREF) are configured to produce an output voltage (VOUT) proportional to a difference in operating temperatures thereof, and a latch circuit (L1) disables the control signal (ESTC) to thereby turn off the power switching device (22) when the output voltage (VOUT) difference exceeds a reference voltage (VREF).