Abstract: In a diagnostic system, messages which have occurred are collected and buffered with a short diagnostic test which is implemented in a control unit onboard the vehicle. The collected data are then transmitted into a memory area of the portable electronic driving authorization record, which therefore always contains the result of a short diagnostic test which has been carried out onboard. The result of this short diagnostic test is read out from the memory of the driving authorization record with a computer system in the customer reception of a servicing workshop, and is processed with a more wide-ranging diagnostic algorithm which builds on the result of the short diagnostic test.

Abstract: A device for absorbing and reducing low-frequency airborne sound in the inside of a vehicle. At locations at which disturbing low-frequency airborne sound occurs, at least one orifice at which low-frequency airborne sound waves are braked, is formed in an adjacent boundary edge surface (2) of the vehicle interior, such as, for example, the upper edge of the rear door. In order to prevent high-frequency airborne sound (for example, flow noises and/or other external noises) from penetrating into the vehicle interior, an absorber, which absorbs high-frequency airborne sound, is introduced into the boundary edge surface.

Abstract: A rear window arrangement for a motor vehicle has an intrinsically rigid rear window which can be moved by means of a guide device between an upper position and a lowered position. A receiving space behind the passenger compartment is provided for the rear window within the motor vehicle. The rear window has a curvature in the vertical direction of the vehicle and can be moved along a curved movement track by means of the guide device.

Abstract: In a safety device for a tank system with a tank pipe 1 which has a pliable region and a rigid region, a reinforcing element 7 is allocated to the rigid region of the tank pipe 1. The reinforcing element 7 is hollow and is in contact with the entire circumference of the tank pipe 1 with its interior contour.

Abstract: An air filter for a ventilation system of a motor vehicle has a filter frame and a filter medium fastened in and surrounded by the filter frame. The air filter can be inserted along its two-dimensional extent into a receiving slot and is sealed, at least along the inserted regions of the filter frame, between the filter frame and walls of the insertion slot. To allow the filter to be installed in the ventilation system in as force-free and simple a manner as possible, the filter frame has, in the end side facing the insertion direction, at least one guide slot which is oriented in the insertion direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting objects on a pixel plane. Said movable object detection is frequently possible only by tracking the pre-segmented objects or the parts thereof. in this relation, the spatially adjacent objects often provoke problems, in particular in the case when a camera system or more precisely an observer is movable. The inventive method consists in determining a two-dimensional position of the relevant pixels inside a first image and in determining an associated remote value for each relevant pixel. Said pixels are tracked and localized on two ore more successive images, wherein the two-dimensional position or the pixel offset and the associated remote value are again determined for each pixel. The position and movement of the relevant pixels are also determined with the aid of a suitable filter. Finally, the relevant pixels are combined into objects under predefined conditions with respect to the position, moving direction and motion ratio thereof.

Abstract: A drive for moving a lamella of a wind deflector is provided. The drive includes at least one coupling mechanism by which the lamella can be adjusted from a non-use position into a use position and vice versa. The mechanism is articulatedly connected at one end to the lamella and at the other end to the roof frame. The coupling mechanism is designed as a crank-rocker mechanism which raises the lamella away from the roof frame into the use position, and lowers the lamella onto the roof frame into the non-use position, in a substantially parallel fashion.

Abstract: A device and a method for predicting the mean time period between two failures of a technical system, for example a manufacturing system or an assembly system for motor vehicle components. The device includes a components list (130.1, 130.2). Those components of the technical system which are included in this components list are the maintenance-intensive components. Every failure of a component of the list leads to a failure of the system. Furthermore, the device includes an apparatus for acquiring setpoint MTBF values of all the components of the list. A setpoint MTBF value of a component is a requested or planned mean time period between two failures of this component. The apparatus predicts the planned mean time period between two failures of the technical system as a function of the setpoint MTBF values of the components.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an air supply mechanism for a vehicle seat (12), and a method for the operation thereof. The air supply mechanism comprises a control device (24), for driving a fan (38) and a heating element (39) connected downstream of the fan (38). When the air supply mechanism is switched on, the control device (24) switches on a heating element (39) and at the same time carries out a starting control of a fan (38) in such a manner that the fan (38) starts and is operated at minimum blower speed for a predetermined period of time before the blower speed is raised to a predetermined working point and subsequently the blower speed is regulated as a function of the driving speed. In this manner, a seat occupant does not experience an initial sensation of draft due to a powerful discharge of relatively cold air but rather experiences a pleasant warmth even directly after the mechanism is switched on.

Abstract: When laser beam welding one or more work pieces faults may occur, which lead to unacceptable losses in quality. A check process is provided, which reliably recognizes seam faults in a seam which is introduced into one or more workpieces by means of laser beam welding. Characteristic signals are detected from the region of the seam using a sensor and compared with an index value or set value, and only signals are taken into consideration which are detected in a characteristic time interval following the laser beam welding, which begins, at the earliest, following the solidification of the seam.

Abstract: In a method for cold-running or warm-up operation of a spark-ignition, direct-injection 4-stroke internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas catalytic converter, wherein fuel is injected into the cylinders of the internal combustion engine by means of injectors and is externally ignited by means of spark plugs, in an intake stroke fuel injection a lean, combustible but non-ignitable lean mixture is produced in the cylinders, in a compression stroke fuel injection following the intake stroke injection, by a compression stroke fuel injection, a combustible and ignitable fuel/air mixture is formed in the combustible but non-ignitable lean mixture in the cylinders and, subsequently, in a stratified fuel injection which is close in timing to an ignition time, a rich fuel/air mixture is locally formed in the region of the spark plug and is then ignited by the spark plug so as to provide for rapid heat up of the cold exhaust gas catalytic converter with reliable combustion and smooth engine operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for automatically monitoring a motor vehicle, especially for automatically monitoring a vehicle (E) in a traffic jam. Said system comprises at least one sensor (2) for monitoring the space in front of the vehicle (E), and an electronic regulating device for regulating travel, braking and steering. According to the invention, said sensor is designed in such a way that it detects the movement of a vehicle (A) changing lanes in front of vehicle (E). The control of the vehicle is returned to the driver, or the driver is requested to regain control of the vehicle, when motor vehicle (E) shows a desire to follow the lane change of vehicle (A), and when it is determined, by means of the signals of the lateral sensor (8, 10), that during the monitoring, vehicle (E) is not at a sufficiently safe distance from a vehicle (B) detected by the lateral sensor. One such system for automatically monitoring a motor vehicle thus increases road safety in a simple manner.

Abstract: In a method of operating an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle during an engine warm-up phase, the engine having a cylinder including a piston defining in the cylinder a combustion chamber, wherein fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in a pilot injection, a main injection and, selectively, a post-injection, and during the heat-up phase of the engine, the center position of the combustion is retarded relative to a center position of the combustion in the normal engine operating mode in order to more rapidly heat the engine and the coolant in the engine cooling circuit for rapid heating of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: In a supercharged internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders which are arranged in at least one cylinder bank, preferably a V-type engine with an exhaust gas turbocharger including a compressor, which is arranged in an intake line of the internal combustion engine and a turbine which is arranged in an exhaust gas collection line, the exhaust gas of a plurality of cylinders of the cylinder bank is combined in an exhaust gas collection line, while at least one cylinder of a cylinder bank has a separate exhaust gas line which bypasses the exhaust gas turbocharger and joins the exhaust gas line downstream of the turbine.