Abstract: An RF receiver system is provided having a plurality of selectable antennas. The system includes a receiver for receiving RF signals from one of the plurality of antennas at a time. The receiver includes processing circuitry for processing the RF signals and generating a control signal to control selection of one of the antennas at a time. The system further includes a switched diversity module having a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of antennas for selecting one of the antennas at a time. The switched diversity module further includes logic receiving the control signal generated by the receiver and generating logic output signals to control selection of one of the antennas at a time.

Abstract: A CPU cooling assembly includes a copper cold plate in which a pattern of ultra thin fins and channels are formed, and a copper manifold-cover in which a series of alternating inlet and outlet channels are formed, at right angles to the fin pattern. The manifold cover is sealed to the cold plate by a resistance welding technique that melts and closes up a perimeter welding seam just as the bottom edges of the manifold channels lightly engage the top edges of the micro fins. The result is a fully sealed assembly in which the channels and fins form an effective, very finely divided and regular checker board flow pattern for a suitable cooling fluid, with no deformation or clogging of the ultra thin flow channels.

Abstract: A power semiconductor die is sandwiched between upper and lower heat conducting laminate structures to form a surface mount component that is configured for double-sided cooling. The upper heat conducting laminate structure electrically couples top-side die terminal(s) to conductors formed on the inboard face of the lower heat conducting laminate structure, and all of the die terminals are electrically coupled to conductors formed on the outboard face of the lower heat conducting laminate structure. The die package can be placed in a test fixture for full power testing, and when installed in an electronic assembly including a circuit board and upper and lower heatsinks, the die is thermally coupled to the upper heatsink through the upper heat conducting laminate structure, and to the lower heatsink through the circuit board and the lower heat conducting laminate structure.

Abstract: A pyroelectric sensor for determines a charge output of a ferroelectric scene element of the sensor by measuring the hysteresis loop output of the scene element several times during a particular time frame for the same temperature. An external AC signal is applied to the ferroelectric scene element to cause the hysteresis loop output from the element to switch polarization. Charge integration circuitry is employed to measure the charge from the scene element. The ferroelectric of the scene element is made of strontium bismuth tantalate, or derivative thereof, disposed directly between top and bottom electrodes. The polarization of the reference element which is compared to and subtracted from the polarization of the scene element for each cycle. The polarization difference measured for each cycle over a set time period are summed by an integrating amplifier to produce a signal output voltage.

Abstract: A technique for providing secondary data in a single frequency network (SFN) provides a first forward error correcting (FEC) decoder for decoding a received coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex (COFDM) signal. A second FEC decoder is also provided for decoding a received COFDM signal. When the received COFDM signal includes valid primary data, the first FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide general information, i.e., music, sports, etc. When a received COFDM signal includes valid secondary data, the second FEC decoder is utilized to decode the received COFDM signal to provide regional information, e.g., emergency broadcasting information. The received COFDM signal includes one or more defined COFDM symbols inserted by a transmitter of the COFDM signal to indicate the valid secondary data and the invalid primary data.

Abstract: An electromechanical camshaft phasing system comprising a first pinion gear mounted on the end of an engine camshaft and engaged by a worm gear mounted on a transverse shaft extending from and journalled by bearings in a phaser drive sprocket to cause the camshaft to rotate in response to the engine crankshaft. The first pinion gear is surrounded by a ring gear having a hub keyed to an armature or stator shaft of a motor mounted on the engine coaxially of the camshaft and first pinion gear. A second pinion gear mounted on the worm gear shaft engages the ring gear such that motor rotation of the ring gear about the first pinion gear causes rotation of the second pinion gear, worm gear, first pinion gear, and thus the camshaft with respect to the sprocket, thus varying the phase of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft.

Abstract: A blower motor assembly for use in a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system of a vehicle and a method of diverting water are disclosed. The blower motor assembly may include a motor housing, configured to surround internal components of the blower motor assembly, and including a cooling channel/air intake opening. The blower motor assembly may also include a motor support flange extending radially outward from the motor housing and having an upward facing surface, and at least one water diversion vane extending upward from the upward facing surface and extending radially outward in an arcuate shape to divert water off of the flange.

Abstract: A circuit assembly containing a surface mount (SM) IC package wire bonded to a substrate and configured to conduct heat from the package into a heat sink through a heat-conducting member instead of the substrate. The package contains an IC device with input/output pads on a surface thereof that are connected with leads to conductors on the substrate. The heat sink is located adjacent the package so as not to be separated from the package by the substrate. The heat-conducting member is positioned adjacent the surface of the device opposite its input/output pads, and is bonded to the device and heat sink to provide a heat path between the package and heat sink that does not pass through the substrate.

Abstract: An injection nozzle for an internal combustion engine includes a nozzle body having a first nozzle outlet, a second nozzle outlet and a delivery chamber for fuel, an outer valve needle engageable with an outer valve seating to control fuel injection through the first nozzle outlet and an inner valve needle engageable with an inner valve seating to control fuel injection through the second nozzle outlet. The outer valve needle is provided with an axial bore within which the inner valve needle is slidable. The injection nozzle further includes a sleeve member coupled to the inner valve needle and a ring member coupled to the outer valve needle, wherein the ring member is brought into engagement with the sleeve member when the outer valve needle is moved axially through a distance that is greater than a predetermined distance ‘L’ so as to cause axial movement of the inner valve needle.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly for thermally conditioning a stream of air. The assembly includes a first and second manifolds extending in spaced and parallel relationship. A plurality of tubes extend transversly between the manifolds to establish fluid communication therebetween. A plurality of corrugated air fins is disposed between adjacent tubes with the cross-section of each air fin presenting a plurality of legs extending transversly between the flat sides of adjacent tubes. Each leg defines a plurality of front louvers including a leading half louver disposed adjacent the front edge of the leg and a plurality of leading louvers spaced from each other and from the leading half louver. A plurality of smaller trailing louvers are spaced from the leading louvers. A plurality of rear louvers being spaced from each other is disposed between the trailing louvers and the rear edge of each leg.

Abstract: A steering column assembly includes a column jacket having a jacket portion and a compression bracket attached thereto. The compression bracket includes a planar wall spaced from the column portion and a sidewall extending between the planar wall and the jacket portion. The sidewall defines a telescope slot extending along a longitudinal axis. A shaft extends through the telescope slot of the sidewall. A roller is supported on and rotatable about the shaft, and in rolling engagement with the planar wall. The roller positions the shaft within the telescope slot to prevent sliding frictional engagement between the shaft and the sidewall. The rolling coefficient of friction between the roller and the planar wall is less than the sliding coefficient of friction between the shaft and the sidewall to reduce a frictional load produced during longitudinal collapse of the steering column assembly.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes an outlet header extending along an outlet axis to define an outlet cavity and an inlet header defining an inlet cavity. A plurality of refrigerant tubes extends from the inlet header through the outlet header and into the outlet cavity. A collector conduit having a generally semi-circular conduit cross-section defining an arced surface and a chord surface interconnected with rounded ends is disposed in the outlet header and includes a conduit body portion and at least one conduit end portion interconnected by a conduit transition portion with the conduit body portion being offset from the conduit end portion. The conduit body portion is engaged to an interior surface of the outlet header to space the conduit body portion from the refrigerant tubes and the conduit end portion is coaxial with the outlet header axis to provide a central outlet for the refrigerant vapor.

Abstract: A sealed fuel level sensor for a fuel tank is provided. The sealed fuel level sensor includes a frame having a cavity therein. The sealed fuel level sensor further includes a variable resistor disposed in the cavity and operatively supported by the frame. The sealed fuel level sensor further includes a wiper disposed in the cavity for rotation relative to the variable resistor and for contacting the variable resistor. The sealed fuel level sensor further includes a cover connected to the frame to enclose the cavity. The cover includes an aperture extending therethrough. The sealed fuel level sensor further includes a bushing disposed within the aperture. The bushing having a body portion and a lip seal portion disposed on the body portion. The lip seal portion and the body portion having a bore therein. The sealed fuel level sensor further includes a float arm having an end extending through the aperture of the cover and the bore of the bushing and connected to the wiper.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements, switching elements, and transmission feed lines disposed on a rear window glass. The switching elements are arranged with the antenna elements and transmission feed lines to, when selectively closed, electrically couple selected antenna elements and transmission feed lines to one another to generate an antenna configuration selected from a plurality of antenna configurations. A non-volatile memory is configured to store data representing at least some of the plurality of antenna configurations. A control arrangement is operatively coupled to the switching elements and is configured to close selected switching elements as a function of the data stored in said memory. The system is selectively updated as a function of previously selected antenna configurations.

Abstract: A system and method of injecting audio content into a radio system is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving in a radio receiver a first RF signal from an antenna and processing the signal at a select frequency within a radio frequency band. The method also includes the step of providing audio content from an auxiliary device. The method also includes the step of modulating the audio content from the auxiliary device and replicating the modulated signal to generate a replicated RF signal at the multiple frequencies within the radio frequency band. The method further includes the step of injecting the replicated RF signal into the radio receiver.

Abstract: A pyromechanical disconnecting device that includes a housing having a receiving space for an ignition element and a supporting floor. A disconnecting tool is disposed in the housing and movable along a path toward a disconnecting point of a current conductor rail. Also disposed in the housing is an ignition element adapted to propel the disconnecting tool along the path to sever the current conductor rail. The ignition element includes an end having a conical flank facing the supporting floor of the housing. An elastic sealing element is arranged about the conical flank and the supporting floor to act as an axial tolerance compensator between the ignition element and the supporting floor of the housing.

Abstract: A vehicle stability control system diagnostic strategy, wherein the diagnostic strategy may be adaptively applied based upon the identified maneuver states of the vehicle. The diagnostic architecture contains three vehicle state observers (i.e., models) each based on inputs from only two of the three sensors (yaw rate, lateral acceleration, and hand wheel angle). More particularly, the first observer does not consider lateral acceleration input. The second observer does not consider yaw rate sensor input and the third does not consider hand wheel angle (UWA) sensor input in determining the vehicle state. However, estimated vehicle speed input is used by all the observers. For example, the first observer detects a maneuver state based on yaw rate and HWA and vehicle speed inputs. Then it diagnoses the lateral acceleration sensor failure based on the observer output.

Abstract: In a vane-type camshaft phaser, one vane extends over a much larger internal angle than the other two vanes. Because of its size and strength, the large vane is the vane designated for contact with the stator. The other vanes and lobes have extra clearance to prevent contact regardless of rotor position. In one embodiment, a first surface of the large vane engages a surface of a first adjacent lobe at one extreme rotor rotation, and a second surface of the large vane engages a surface of a second adjacent lobe at the opposite extreme of rotation. The contact surfaces of the lobes and the vane may be equipped with hardened wear pads. One or more wear pads may be machined to provide a desired rotor displacement angle.

Abstract: A telescoping steering column assembly and method of manufacturing the assembly are disclosed. The assembly includes an outer jacket defining at least one hole and a central axis. An inner jacket is disposed in the outer jacket and slides relative to the outer jacket along the central axis. A plug having a body portion and a flange extending radially outwardly from the body portion is disposed in the hole of the outer jacket. The plug defines at least one channel and the plug is heated to create a molten material that flows into the channel of the plug for securing the plug within the hole to prevent movement of the plug along the central axis and for aligning the inner jacket within the outer jacket to allow the inner jacket to slide within the outer jacket.

Abstract: In a method for forming an injection molded manifold, the portion of the mold that forms a septum is modified to provide a substantially thicker septum, preferably about 8.5 mm or greater. In the molding operation, one or more removable slides are inserted through this region of the mold, each slide being preferably about 2.5 mm thick and about 30 mm wide. The septum is cast around the slides which are then withdrawn from the septum after the polymer composite is set, resulting in a septum that is substantially thicker than a prior art septum, comprising first and second plates, each about 3 mm thick, and a plurality of open core voids about 2.5 mm high and about 30 mm wide between the plates. The improved septum is stiffer than a single 4 mm thick prior art septum, has a higher natural frequency, and improves suppression of engine noise.