Abstract: An automobile vehicle wiper arm system includes a wiper arm base rotatably connected to a fixed structural member. A wiper arm extension is slidably disposed to the wiper arm base during wiper arm base travel about an arc of travel. A motion link is rotatably connected to the wiper arm extension and is rotatably connected to the fixed structural member. The motion link induces the wiper arm extension to outwardly displace and inwardly displace opposite to the outward displacement during wiper arm base rotation about the arc of travel. A wiper blade is connected to the wiper arm extension and traverses an oval-shaped travel arc along a vehicle windshield by the slidable displacement of the wiper arm extension during wiper arm base rotation. A linkage group connects the wiper arm extension to a wiper motor with rotation of the wiper arm base induced by operation of the wiper motor.

Abstract: A composite fusion filament is disclosed that includes a polymer encasement and one or more mesogenic reinforcement bodies contained within the polymer encasement. The polymer encasement is comprised of a thermoplastic polymer, which has a melting temperature, and each of the one or more mesogenic reinforcement bodies is comprised of a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer, which has a clearing temperature. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer included in the polymer encasement is less than the clearing temperature of the thermotropic liquid crystal polymer included in the one or more mesogenic reinforcement bodies. Additionally, the thermotropic liquid crystal polymer of each mesogenic reinforcement body has a plurality of organized crystalline fibrils that are aligned lengthwise along a longitudinal axis of the polymer encasement. A method of using the composite fusion filament to form a bond with a substrate that includes a thermoplastic polymer is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-pack battery system having at least first and second battery packs each with positive and negative terminals, and each with upper and lower switches respectively connected to the positive and negative terminals. The battery packs have a first voltage level, and are connectable in either series or parallel. A controller controls an ON/OFF state of the switches in response to input signals to select between two series charging modes, three parallel charging modes, and one or more propulsion modes. Some embodiments have a series propulsion mode. An electric powertrain system includes first and second power inverter modules (“PIMs”), an electrical load, front and rear electric machines connected to a respective one of the first and second PIMs, and the battery system. The powertrain system may selectively provide all-wheel, front-wheel, or rear-wheel drive capabilities in each of the various propulsion modes.

Abstract: A reference electrode assembly for an electrochemical cell of a secondary lithium ion battery and methods of manufacturing the same. The reference electrode assembly includes a porous membrane having a major surface and a porous reference structure deposited on the major surface of the porous membrane. The porous reference structure includes a porous carbon layer and a porous reference electrode layer that at least partially overlaps the porous carbon layer on the major surface of the porous membrane.

Abstract: A method of predictive navigation control for an ego vehicle includes: comparing a cue node to each of a plurality of episodic memory nodes in an episodic memory structure, wherein the cue node represents a new event representing distances, speeds and headings of one or more newly observed objects about the ego vehicle, and wherein the episodic memory structure includes a network of nodes each representing a respective previously existing event and having a respective node risk and likelihood; determining which of the nodes has a smallest respective difference metric, thus defining a best matching node; consolidating the cue node with the best matching node if the smallest difference metric is less than a match tolerance, else adding a new node corresponding to the cue node to the episodic memory structure; and identifying a likeliest next node and/or a riskiest next node.

Abstract: An asymmetric hybrid electrode for a capacitor-assisted battery includes a current and first and second electroactive portions. The first electroactive portion is on a first surface of the current collector. The first electroactive portion includes a first battery layer. The first battery layer includes a first battery electroactive material and a first binder. The second electroactive portion is on a second surface of the current collector opposite the first surface. The second electroactive portion includes a second battery layer and a capacitive layer. The second battery layer includes a second battery electroactive material and a second binder. The capacitive layer includes a capacitive electroactive material and a third binder. The first and second electroactive portions are asymmetric. The first and second battery electroactive materials are both positive electroactive materials or both negative electroactive materials. The asymmetric hybrid electrode has a capacitor hybridization ratio of 0.01-1%.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to capacitor-assisted lithium-sulfur batteries including capacitor electrodes and/or capacitor-based interlayers. For example, a capacitor-assisted lithium-sulfur battery that includes two or more cells is provided. Each cell includes at least two electrodes selected from: a first electrode including a sulfur-containing electroactive material; a second electrode including a negative electroactive material; a first capacitor electrode including a positive capacitor active material; and a second capacitor electrode including a negative capacitor active material. Each electrode may be disposed adjacent to a surface of a current collector and a separator may be disposed between adjacent electrodes so as to provide electrical separation. One of the two or more cells includes the first electrode and the second electrode, and no cell includes both the first electrode and the first capacitor electrode or both the second electrode and the second capacitor electrode.

Abstract: A method of path planning for a host vehicle includes: receiving host vehicle, environmental and obstacle information; calculating one or more projected host vehicle locations; computing a projected obstacle location for each obstacle; and determining a collision potential between each projected host vehicle location and each projected obstacle location. Until a maximum number of steps is reached, and while at least one projected host vehicle location has an associated collision potential below a collision threshold, the method further includes repeating the calculating, computing and determining steps.

Abstract: Systems and methods for mobile platform localization for a mobile platform. The system includes three independent ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors mounted on the mobile platform and a UWB localization module operationally coupled to the first UWB sensor, the second UWB sensor, and the third UWB sensor, and programmed by programming instructions to: identify first beacon UWB transmissions from a first beacon external to the mobile platform and generate a spatial location of the first beacon; identify second beacon UWB transmissions from a second beacon external to the mobile platform and generate a spatial location of the second beacon; identify third beacon UWB transmissions from a third beacon located external to the mobile platform; and generate a spatial location of the mobile platform, as a function of the spatial location of the first beacon, the spatial location of the second beacon, and the spatial location of the third beacon.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrochemical cell having an elastic binding polymer that improves long-term performance of the electrochemical cell, particularly when the electrochemical cell includes an electroactive material that undergoes volumetric expansion and contraction during cycling of the electrochemical cell (such as, silicon-containing electroactive materials). The electrochemical cell can include the elastic binding polymer as an electrode additive and/or a coating layer disposed adjacent to an exposed surface of an electrode that includes an electroactive material that undergoes volumetric expansion and contraction and/or a gel layer disposed adjacent to an electrode that includes an electroactive material that undergoes volumetric expansion and contraction. The elastic binding polymer may include one or more alginates or alginate derivatives and at least one crosslinker.

Abstract: A method for forming a bipolar solid-state battery includes preparing a mixture of gel precursor solution and solid electrolyte. The gel precursor includes a polymer, a first solvent, and a liquid electrolyte. The liquid electrolyte includes a second solvent, a lithium salt, and electrolyte additive. The method includes loading the mixture onto at least one of a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. Each of the first, second, and third electrodes includes a plurality of solid-state electroactive particles. The method includes removing at least a portion of the first solvent from the mixture to form a gel and positioning one of the first, second, and third electrodes with respect to another of the first, second, and third electrodes. The method includes applying a polymer blocker to a border of the first, second, or third electrodes.

Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle includes a vehicle controller receiving a driver acceleration/deceleration command for the vehicle's powertrain and determining a torque request corresponding to the driver's acceleration command. The controller shapes the torque request and determines compensated and uncompensated accelerations from the shaped torque request. The compensated acceleration is based on an estimated road grade and an estimated vehicle mass, whereas the uncompensated acceleration is based on a zero road grade and a nominal vehicle mass. A final speed horizon profile is calculated as: a speed-control speed profile based on the uncompensated acceleration if the vehicle's speed is below a preset low vehicle speed; or a torque-control speed profile based on a blend of the compensated and uncompensated accelerations if the vehicle speed exceeds the preset low vehicle speed. The controller commands the powertrain to output a requested axle torque based on the final speed horizon profile.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a solid-state electrochemical cell having a uniformly distributed solid-state electrolyte and methods of fabrication relating thereto. The method may include forming a plurality of apertures within the one or more solid-state electrodes; impregnating the one or more solid-state electrodes with a solid-state electrolyte precursor solution so as to fill the plurality of apertures and any other void or pores within the one or more electrodes with the solid-state electrolyte precursor solution; and heating the one or more electrodes so as to solidify the solid-state electrolyte precursor solution and to form the distributed solid-state electrolyte.

Abstract: A port-door release assembly includes a door and a linkage coupled to the door to support the door during movement between open and closed positions. The port-door release assembly includes a drive shaft coupled to the linkage to drive movement of the linkage. The port-door release assembly includes a motor configured to rotate the drive shaft which moves the linkage and the door to the open and/or closed positions. The port-door release assembly includes a back-up release assembly movable relative to the linkage to disconnect the drive shaft from the linkage which allows the door to move to the open position without actuation of the motor. A door assembly includes the port-door release assembly as described above and a housing defining a port in which the door is movable relative to the housing between the open position that uncovers the port and the closed position that covers the port.

Abstract: An electric motor comprises a housing, a stator mounted stationary within the housing and having end turn windings, a rotatable central shaft, a rotor mounted onto the central shaft for rotation within the stator, the stator, central shaft and rotor all positioned co-axially within the housing, a rotor end ring mounted onto the central shaft adjacent an axial end of the rotor, the rotor end ring including a body, a plurality of outlets adapted to allow coolant to flow from a back side to a face of the body, and a recess formed within the face of the body, wherein coolant flowing through the outlets flows across the recess toward an outer circumference of the body, and the outer circumference of the body is configured to prevent coolant from flowing into a circumferential air gap between the stator and the rotor.

Abstract: A signal processing system includes a central processing unit (CPU) in communication with an accelerator, and an instruction scheduler in communication with the accelerator. A first memory device including a first instruction set is configured to operate the accelerator, a second instruction set is configured to operate the CPU, and a second memory device is configured to receive a datafile. The accelerator includes a plurality of processing engines (PEs) and an instruction scheduler, the instruction set includes a plurality of operators, and the instruction scheduler is configured to implement the operators in the accelerator employing the PEs. The CPU employs the operators implemented in the accelerator to analyze the datafile to extract a feature therefrom.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a machine rotor circumscribed by a machine stator, and having a rotor shaft, rotor stack, and end cap which rotate about an axis. The end cap includes lobes equal in number to a number of pole pairs of the machine rotor. A position sensor assembly has a predetermined alignment with the machine rotor and stator. The sensor assembly includes a sensor rotor formed by the lobes and a sensor stator having a printed circuit board with conductive sine and cosine traces. Machine rotor rotation causes the sensor assembly to output an unmodulated sine and cosine signals to a controller, which then calculates a calibrated reference angle. A magnetic axis of an electrical phase of the machine is aligned with and bisects a peak of the sine trace. A direct axis of the machine rotor aligns with an edge of a lobe.

Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a battery of the vehicle, a plurality of switches connected to the battery, and a plurality of subsystems of the vehicle connected to the battery via the switches and wires. The system includes a controller configured to control the switches and the subsystems, and to identify a variation in a rate of change of current characteristic in frequency domain for a current loop including one of the switches, one of the subsystems, and a plurality of the wires. The controller is configured to determine integrity of the plurality of the wires and connections of the wires in the current loop based on the variation in the rate of change of current characteristic for the current loop.

Abstract: A method of identifying and retrieving component digital images for component fault analysis includes generating a known-fault database of digital images of known faults of a previously analyzed component and corresponding remedial actions. The method also includes accessing the known-fault database with a digital image of a current fault of a new component. The method additionally includes comparing the digital image of the current fault with the digital images in the known-fault database based on a computed target characteristic. The method also includes sorting the digital images in the known-fault database in order based on a magnitude of the computed target characteristic for each respective digital image in the known-fault database relative to the digital image of the current fault. The method further includes outputting the sorted digital images to facilitate correlation of the current fault to a particular known fault and identifying the corresponding remedial action.

Abstract: A multi-layer bladder includes: a first bladder layer; a mask including a plurality of apertures; a second bladder layer bonded to the first bladder layer within the apertures in the mask and where the mask is not present between the first and second bladder layers, where the mask is configured to prevent bonding of the second bladder layer to the first bladder layer where the mask is present; and a fluid channel that is located between the first and second bladder layers and that extends to the mask from an outer edge of the multi-layer bladder.