Abstract: A method is provided for attracting the attention of a motor vehicle driver to a potential hazardous spot in an image, which is illustrated in a real form on a display of the motor vehicle or in a virtual form in a region of the motor vehicle. At least one laser scanner provided in the vehicle scans the surroundings in front of the vehicle and determines the shape of an object and the distance of the object from the vehicle. At least one infrared camera, in particular a thermal imaging camera, is provided on the vehicle. It records the surroundings in front of the vehicle and makes available the real or virtual image of the surroundings for display to the driver. The object is compared with at least a first reference object within the scope of a first pattern recognition process. If there is significant correspondence between the object and the reference object, that area on the real or virtual image displayed to the driver in which the object is to be found is determined.

Abstract: Methods and systems for manipulating inputs relating to transmission shifting events in a hybrid-engine powered vehicle equipped with an electro-mechanical hybrid transmission include sets of preferability factors inputted from engine sensors are combined in a microprocessor or computer with other preferability factors generated during engine and vehicle operation to provide an output for a transmission control module, which may execute an operating range or engine state change. Desirable input speeds for a transmission are determined by defining minimum input speeds for each potential transmission operating range state, and ascribing biasing costs to potential transmission input speeds which are slower than the minimum input speeds defined for each potential transmission operating range state.

Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain includes operating a transmission in a neutral operating range state, monitoring commands affecting an input speed, monitoring a tracked clutch slip speed, determining constraints on an input acceleration based upon the commands, determining a clutch slip acceleration profile based upon the constraints on the input acceleration, determining an input acceleration profile based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile, and controlling the powertrain based upon the clutch slip acceleration profile and the input acceleration profile.

Abstract: A method for controlling a powertrain system includes monitoring operating conditions of an engine, a transmission device, and an energy storage device. The method further includes determining a first power constraint, filtering the first power constraint utilizing a first filter response time when the first power constraint changes in a first direction, and filtering the first power constraint utilizing a second filter response time when the first power constraint changes in a second direction.

Abstract: A luggage container for fastening to a vehicle, particularly to a motorcycle, including a first locking device which can adopt a release position in which the luggage container can be opened, and a locking position, in which an opening of the luggage container is locked. The luggage container has a second locking device which can adopt a locking position, in which an opening of the luggage container can be locked even if the first locking device is in its release position.

Abstract: A device is provided for admixing a reducing agent into an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust system and a dosing device for feeding the reducing agent into the exhaust system. At least one heating rib, heatable by the exhaust gas and arranged downstream from the dosing device in the exhaust system is oriented largely in a flow direction of the exhaust gas. The dosing device is situated in or on a hollow body arranged on the exhaust system, an internal volume of which is connected to the exhaust system to conduct exhaust gas. An extremely low-flow device for admixing a reducing agent into an exhaust gas flow of an internal combustion engine is achieved by this design.

Abstract: An air guiding device on a wheel suspension element of a rear axle of a motor vehicle extends approximately transversely to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. The air guiding device includes an element that extends substantially in a horizontal plane and is divided into a front section and a rear section. The two sections extend upwardly at different angles from a horizontal plane.

Abstract: A method to control a powertrain including a transmission, an engine, and an electric machine includes monitoring a rotational speed of the engine, monitoring a temperature of a transmission fluid, determining a maximum hydraulic pressure within a hydraulic control system based upon the rotational speed of the engine and the temperature of the transmission fluid, determining a predicted clutch torque capacity based upon the maximum hydraulic pressure, generating a preferred input torque from the engine based upon the predicted clutch torque capacity, and utilizing the preferred input torque to control the engine.

Abstract: A method is provided for updating at least one software component of a motor vehicle. The method operates such that the updating of the software component to be updated is offered to the driver by a service facility outside the vehicle before updating is executed. The updating can be enabled solely by the driver of the motor vehicle in response to the offer. The transmission of vehicle configuration information and identification data to the service facility takes place repeatedly in a time controlled and/or event controlled manner without the involvement and/or notification of the driver.

Abstract: A multi-voltage vehicle electrical system for a motor vehicle is provided, including at least one multi-voltage generator, a first energy store, whose energy may be fed into a first low-voltage vehicle electrical system branch having low-voltage consumers, and a second energy store, whose energy may be fed into a second high-voltage vehicle electrical system branch having high-voltage consumers, as well as at least one controllable switching device, using which the energy generated by the multi-voltage generator may be distributed to the first and the second vehicle electrical system branches, the first and the second energy stores being connected in series to one another and the first vehicle electrical system branch being connected to a node between the first and the second energy store and to a reference potential of the first energy store.

Abstract: A method for controlling the electrical system of a motor vehicle with a generator, a battery to supply the electrical system, at least one load and a storage capacitor for brief supply of electrical power on demand, during which the battery is charged when the generator produces excess electrical power is provided. The load is supplied and the battery and the storage capacitor are charged by the generator in load operation or fuel cutoff. The load is additionally supplied by the battery and/or the storage capacitor when the instantaneous generator power is not sufficient. An instantaneously required electrical load power in load operation or fuel cutoff is recorded the load power is compared with an idle power of the generator, and the storage capacitor is charged by the generator when the idle power of the generator is less than the load power in load operation or fuel cutoff.

Abstract: In the case of a control system for an at least temporarily four-wheel-driven motor vehicle having an electronic control unit, which determines at least the rotational speeds of all wheels and the vehicle speed, and by which the driving torque of a drive unit can be distributed in a variable manner by way of a controllable transfer clutch to primary driving wheels, which are permanently connected with the drive unit, and to secondary driving wheels which, can be connected with the drive unit as required, the control unit closes the transfer clutch when the slip of a rear wheel exceeds the slip of the front wheel of the same vehicle side by a value which is greater than a given first threshold and when, preferably, also the longitudinal deceleration of the vehicle exceeds a given second threshold or the lateral acceleration of the vehicle exceeds a given third threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for coating the functional surfaces of symmetrically serrated components, in particular the tooth flanks of gears, includes a coating source emitting coating material in the form of electrically charged particles in the direction of a revolving component. A high-quality functional surface coating of the component is achieved in that a shield is arranged in the beam path between the component and the coating source transversely to the irradiation direction, which shields the component from the coating beam in a contour area with a functional surface orientation inclined flatly with respect to the irradiation direction.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a navigation system, which includes a graphic display unit and by which accurate-lane destination guidance is made possible on a planned route. A road map containing lane information can be displayed on the display unit. Within or in superimposition of the displayed road map, the route can be displayed accurately with respect to the lanes. A lane guidance display area can be displayed, which is graphically set off from the road map and within which several lanes of a currently traveled route section are graphically represented and within which the necessity of a lane change is graphically displayed. A rating can be determined for the urgency of the lane change, and this rating can be graphically displayed in the lane guidance display area.

Abstract: To predictively determine the occurrence of rear wheel lifting before actual lifting of a rear wheel occurs and enable control of brake force. Vehicle body deceleration is computed on the basis of wheel velocities obtained by wheel velocity sensors 45 and 46 (S102), and when it is determined that that computed value exceeds a predetermined value K1 (S104), then the pressure of a front wheel cylinder 3 is reduced by a predetermined pressure and held at that reduced pressure (S106), and when it is determined that vehicle body deceleration has fallen below a value that is, for example, lower by a predetermined value ? than the predetermined value K1 (S108), then the state of holding of the pressure of the front wheel cylinder 3 is released (S110) and brake control returns to normal brake control.

Abstract: A method for controlling a hybrid powertrain system including an engine selectively operative in one of an all-cylinder state and a cylinder deactivation state based upon power costs includes determining engine power costs for each operating range state of the transmission, determining a system power cost, selecting a preferred cost and corresponding engine operating points, selecting a preferred operating range state, selecting the engine state, and controlling the engine based upon the selected operating range state, the selected engine state, and the engine operating points.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is controlled to achieve a preferred temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system and to minimize a total engine energy loss. A transmission is controlled to achieve a torque output based upon the preferred engine operation.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for selecting clearly defined picture elements of a picture displayed in a video screen display by use of an operating element. The operating element can be rotated about its longitudinal axis. The operating element can be rotated with stop positions and controls a search beam rotatable about a center. The angle of rotation of the search beam changes with each stop position of the operating element and is variably adapted to the position of the picture elements such that the search beam hits exactly one clearly defined picture element in each stop position.