Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating vehicle conditions based on vehicle component diagnostics and indications are provided. Specifically, various components of a vehicle may provide diagnostic information that can be collected and interpreted by a diagnostics module. The diagnostics module may determine to present the diagnostic information to a third party and/or vehicle occupant according to predetermined settings. Such diagnostic information may be presented in a conversational manner. Moreover, diagnostic information may be automatically evaluated in determining to provide course of action advice and other communications via the diagnostic module.

Abstract: Generally, methods and processes for assembling magnetic components are presented herein. More specifically, conductors are wound around a substantially hollow bobbin. Portions of the conductors may be temporarily positioned outside the bobbin through slots in the flanges of the bobbin during the assembly process. Insulating layers may be wrapped around the conductors. The center legs of a pair of magnetic core halves may be inserted into the bobbin. The base of the magnetic core halves may have a passage to allow a conductor to pass therethrough at a height less than the height of the base.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to generate a vehicle communication system. The vehicle communication system can determine which devices are within the vehicle. From this determination, the vehicle communication system may create a universal bus and hotspot where applications, data, multimedia information, and resources can be shared both with the vehicle and with the other devices in the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a complete vehicle ecosystem are provided. Specifically, systems that when taken alone, or together, provide an individual or group of individuals with an intuitive and comfortable vehicular environment. The present disclosure includes a system to generate a vehicle communication system. The vehicle communication system can determine which devices are within the vehicle. From this determination, the vehicle communication system may create a universal bus and hotspot where applications, data, multimedia information, and resources can be shared both with the vehicle and with the other devices in the vehicle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a controlling device features based on vehicle state and device location are provided. Specifically, the device may be any type of electrical device capable of transmitting and/or receiving a signal (such as a phone, tablet, computer, music player, and/or other entertainment device). In some instances, the device may be associated with one or more vehicles. Although the device may be configured to run one or more applications, the functionality of the one or more applications may be controlled by a system associated with the vehicle. In some cases, this control may depend on the device application type, device location (either inside or outside of a vehicle), law, operator state, and/or vehicle state.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a vehicle implementing one or more processing modules. These modules are configured to connect and interface with the various buses in the vehicle, where the various buses are connected with the various components of the vehicle to facilitate information transfer among the vehicle components. Each processing module is further modularized with the ability to add and replace other functional modules now or in the future. These functional modules can themselves act as distinct vehicle components. Each processing modules may hand-off processing to other modules depending on its health, processing load, or by third-party control. Thus, the plurality of processing modules helps to implement a middleware point of control to the vehicle with redundancy in processing and safety and security awareness in their applications.

Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting the degree to which the solder can splash onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted so as to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further contain the solder and limit the degree to which splashing solder can reach unintended locations.

Abstract: A camera module including a flexible tape substrate (e.g., a flexible printed circuit tape portion) having a plurality of surface mount components and a first frame member mounted to a first side of the substrate and an image sensor and a frame member mounted to an opposing second side of the substrate. The substrate includes a body portion and one or more leads or wing members having conductive contacts thereon extending from the body portion. The wing members may be folded onto the second frame member so that the conductive contacts of the wing members generally face in a different direction than conductive contacts of the body portion to provide an electrical path to the surface mount components in a manner that is free of using vias extending through the substrate. A tubular housing and lens barrel may be mounted to the substrate over the first frame member.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a tunable antenna system within a mobile device that enables the mobile device to receive broadcast communication signals. The antenna system includes a tunable antenna and a tuning module that is operable to selectively adjust the resonant frequency of the tunable antenna, such that the antenna may efficiently receive a plurality of discrete narrow band signals across a broad frequency spectrum. The tuning module may also include a lookup table for use by the tuning module to selectively adjust the resonant frequency of the antenna. Further, the antenna system may include a temperature compensation module that is operable to compensate for any temperature sensitive components in the tunable antenna system.

Abstract: A cascade power system comprises a non-isolated converter in a cascade configuration with an isolated converter and a controller that is coupled with the output of the isolated converter and the switching element of the non-isolated converter. The non-isolated converter steps-down the input voltage to a lower regulated voltage. The isolated converter converts the regulated voltage to a square wave signal that is output to a transformer and the controller. Thus, a the resulting feedback loop comprising the isolated converter, controller and non-isolated converter is completely independent from the output of the system. As a result, a feedback relation can be derived in the form of a feedback algorithm that can effectively regulate/adjust the output of the non-isolated converter and therefore the isolated converter output as well. Further, because the non-isolated converter steps down the voltage and the isolated converter operates on this low stepped down voltage, the system is able to be highly efficient.

Abstract: A novel design and method for manufacturing camera modules is disclosed. The camera module includes a flexible circuit substrate, an image capture device flip-chip mounted to the bottom surface of the flexible circuit substrate, a housing mounted over the top surface of the flexible circuit substrate, and a lens unit coupled to the housing. In an example embodiment, the camera module includes a stiffener formed directly over a plurality of electrical components mounted on the top surface of the flexible circuit substrate. In another example embodiment, the bottom surface of the flexible circuit substrate defines a recessed portion whereon the image capture device is flip-chip mounted.

Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting solder from splashing onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further limit splashing solder from reaching unintended locations.

Abstract: A multi-turn coil device comprising a flexible circuit board and a plurality of serially electrically coupled coils coupled to both sides of the flexible circuit board. The coils are formed such that when the circuit board is folded in an accordion manner, the coils are substantially aligned and have the same direction of current flow. The coils are serially coupled sequentially from front to back and back to front wherein the coupling of the coils is through a plated through hole in the flexible circuit board.

Abstract: A camera module including a housing with embedded conductive traces that allow for an increase in usable surface area of a corresponding printed circuit board (PCB) or multi-layer substrate, a reduced overall thickness of the module, a reduction in tilt management of a lens element of the module, and a facilitation in alignment of the lens element relative to the image sensor. An image sensor is electrically interconnected to first portions of the conductive traces by way of a flip chip process, and then the housing may be mounted over the PCB so that second portions of the conductive traces interconnect with corresponding conductive pads on the PCB to electrically interconnect the image sensor die to the PCB. In one arrangement, another die may be electrically interconnected to the PCB so that as assembled, the die is disposed between the image sensor and the PCB.

Abstract: A folded system-in-package (SiP) assembly is provided for minimizing the footprint of two corresponding circuit board modules in a handheld electronic device. The assembly includes top and bottom circuit board modules that are electrically interconnected through a flex circuit. Either a plate or wrapped heat spreader may be thermally coupled to the top circuit board module to conduct heat from the heat-generating components mounted to the top circuit board module and to a case of the electronic device.