Abstract: A cable-coupled by-wire control of a vehicle control function traditionally activated by driver manipulation of a pedal is achieved though the agency of a Bowden cable having a first end fastened to the driver pedal, and a second end coupled to a by-wire actuator. The by-wire actuator has a pulley on which the second end of the cable is fastened, an electric motor coupled to the pulley to permit by-wire activation of the vehicle control function by rotation of the pulley in a direction to pull on the pedal with the cable. A relief chamber of the actuator radially outboard of the pulley accommodates slack in the cable within the actuator caused by driver manipulation of the pedal during by-wire activation of the control function.

Abstract: A cable-coupled by-wire control of a vehicle control function traditionally activated by driver manipulation of a pedal is achieved though the agency of a Bowden cable having a first end fastened to the driver pedal, and a second end coupled to a by-wire actuator. The by-wire actuator has a pulley on which the second end of the cable is fastened, an electric motor coupled to the pulley to permit by-wire activation of the vehicle control function by rotation of the pulley in a direction to pull on the pedal with the cable. A relief chamber of the actuator radially outboard of the pulley accommodates slack in the cable within the actuator caused by driver manipulation of the pedal during by-wire activation of the control function.

Abstract: A fail-safe interface for a by-wire vehicle control system merges driver commands and external commands developed by a by-wire control unit to form a failure-tolerant actuator command that never diminishes a driver command. External commands are passed through a fault detection circuit that filters out aberrant cyclical and constant command signals from the by-wire control unit, and the actuator command is determined according to the higher or maximum of the driver-generated and external commands. The interface is powered by vehicle power supply, and is electro-optically isolated from the external control unit so that if the external control unit loses power, the actuator command faithfully follows the driver command.

Abstract: A method for locating the position of a vehicle having a transceiver. An estimate of the position of the vehicle is first determined by using at least three spaced apart receivers by performing trilateration with the three receivers. Thereafter, two of the receivers which intersect the vehicle at an angle closest to 90 degrees at a solution closest to the estimate of the vehicle position is used to perform implicit triangulation of the vehicle position using only the two receivers. The new position of the vehicle is used to update the estimated vehicle position.

Abstract: A system for detecting the location and identification of a number of vehicles at multiple points on a given track against a time gauge which includes an on-board transmitter on each vehicle of a unique identifying frequency, spaced receiving circuit elements along the track at multiple points connected to individual transmitters to receive and modify the identifying signal and transmit the signal to a programmed computer for translating the multiple signals of the different unique identifying frequencies into signals ascertainable on a portable hand apparatus selectively to indicate the speed of any selected vehicles as in a race, and to keep track of position standings and lap times.