Abstract: An engine includes a plurality of combustion cylinders configured to burn a fuel to power the engine, and a plurality of fuel injectors. Each of the fuel injectors is arranged to distribute fuel delivered from a fuel tank to one of the plurality of combustion cylinders. The engine also includes a controller programmed to adjust a fuel trim signal gain based on sensing exhaust flow downstream of the combustion cylinders. The controller is also programmed to monitor a cumulative misfire count for each of the plurality of combustion cylinders. The controller is further programmed to issue a prognosis message identifying a state of health of at least one of the plurality of fuel injectors in response to a fuel trim signal gain exceeding an adjustment threshold and a cumulative misfire count greater than a misfire threshold.

Abstract: Disclosed are multi-pulse fuel injection systems, control logic for operating such systems, and direct-injection engines having multi-pulse fuel delivery capabilities. A method is disclosed for operating the fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine (ICE) assembly. The method includes a vehicle controller transmitting command signals to the fuel injectors to inject a first pilot quantity of fuel (QP1) and, subsequently, inject a second pilot quantity of fuel (QP2), distinct from QP1, after a first dwell time between QP1 and QP2 during a single combustion cycle of the ICE assembly. The vehicle controller also transmits command signals to the fuel injectors to inject a third pilot quantity of fuel (QP3), greater than QP1 and QP2, after a second dwell time between QP2 and QP3, and then inject a fourth pilot quantity of fuel (QP4), less than QP3, after a third dwell time between QP3 and QP4 during the combustion cycle.

Abstract: A transmission range selection sensor includes a housing defining a bore extending along a central axis. A piston is slideably disposed within the bore. A magnet carrier is attached to and moveable with the piston. A magnet is supported by and moveable with the magnet carrier. A first magnetic sensor and a second magnetic sensor are supported by the housing and are spaced from each other along the central axis. A position of the magnet carrier along the central axis is determinable from a sensed magnetic flux from the first and second magnetic sensors. The sensor includes at least one magnetic flux concentrator attached to one of the magnet carrier or the housing. The flux concentrator is operable to concentrate the magnetic flux toward at least one of the first magnetic sensor or the second magnetic sensor depending upon a position of the magnet along the central axis.

Abstract: A transmission includes an input member, an output member, a first electric device, and a second electric device. A first planetary gear set is coupled to the first electric device. A second planetary gear set is coupled to the second electric device. The output is coupled to both the first planetary gear set and the second planetary gear set. The input is connected to the first planetary gear set. A fixed ratio gear reduction system couples the input and the second planetary gear set. The fixed ratio gear reduction system is operable to transmit rotation from the input to the second planetary gear set at a reduced rotational speed and at an increased torque.

Abstract: An engine block assembly includes an engine block casting including a plurality of cylinder bores disposed in series, each cylinder having a cylinder wall. Outer engine block walls are peripheral to the cylinder walls. A channel is formed between outer peripheral surfaces of the cylinder walls and the outer engine block walls. A coolant passage fluidly connects through the outer block walls to the channel. A water jacket insert includes an upper flange, a strut portion and a lower flange. A plurality of orifices are formed in the strut portion. A compressible seal attached to the lower flange of the water jacket insert, which is assembled into the channel and conforms to a bottom portion of the channel.

Abstract: An exhaust aftertreatment system includes a particulate filter element and a particulate matter sensor that is disposed to monitor the exhaust gas feedstream downstream of the particulate filter element. A method for monitoring the exhaust gas feedstream includes determining a temperature associated with the particulate matter sensor and monitoring engine operation and the exhaust aftertreatment system. A magnitude of ammonia is determined in the exhaust gas feedstream proximal to the particulate matter sensor based upon the monitoring of the engine operation and the exhaust aftertreatment system. An initial reading is determined from the particulate matter sensor and is adjusted based upon the magnitude of ammonia in the exhaust gas feedstream proximal to the particulate matter sensor and the temperature of the particulate matter sensor. A magnitude of particulate matter in the exhaust gas feedstream is determined based upon the adjusted initial reading from the particulate matter sensor.

Abstract: An after-treatment (AT) system used to treat an exhaust gas flow emitted by an internal combustion engine includes a catalyst monolith configured to actively remove a pollutant from the exhaust gas flow. The AT system also includes a heating element configured to heat the catalyst monolith. The AT system additionally includes an energy-discharge unit configured to power the heating element. The energy-discharge unit includes an energy-storage device configured to supply electrical energy. The energy-discharge unit also includes a capacitor configured to receive the electrical energy from the energy-storage device and discharge the received electrical energy to power the heating element and thereby heat the catalyst monolith. A vehicle having an internal combustion engine operatively connected to such an AT system is also contemplated.

Abstract: A panel assembly includes a frame and a textile panel. The frame has a first member and a second member spaced apart from each other. The textile panel is attached to and extends between the first member and the second member. A tension controlling system is attached to the textile panel. The tension controlling system is reconfigurable between a first state for tensioning the textile panel to provide a first tensile force and a first maximum sag distance, and a second state for tensioning the textile panel to provide a second tensile force and a second maximum sag distance. The first tensile force is greater than the second tensile force, and the first maximum sag distance is less than the second maximum sag distance.

Abstract: A method of exchanging data in a real-time operating system, between a primary core and a secondary core in a multi-core processor, includes executing a primary path via the primary core and executing a secondary path via the secondary core. The primary path is configured to be a relatively faster processing task and the secondary path is configured to be a relatively slower processing task. The method includes devising a freeze in process flag to have a respective flag status set and cleared by the primary path. The method includes devising a data frozen flag to have a respective flag status set and cleared by both the primary and the secondary paths. A component that is operatively connected to the multi-core processor may be controlled based at least partially on a difference between primary and secondary sets of calculations executed by the primary and secondary cores, respectively.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a thermal effect of torque converter clutch slip speed calibration settings on a torque converter includes estimating values of a plurality of vehicle operating parameters with a drive simulation model on a computer. The drive simulation model uses drive cycle inputs of a test drive cycle, and a slip speed calibration table to estimate values of the plurality of vehicle operating parameters over a pre-defined period of time for the test drive cycle. The temperature of each of a plurality of discrete regions of the torque converter are estimated with a temperature model on the computer. The temperature model uses the estimated values of the vehicle operating parameters to estimate the temperature of each discrete region of the torque converter at different times during the pre-defined period of time of the test drive cycle.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuator assembly is configured to receive a pressurized fluid from a pump. The hydraulic actuator assembly includes a housing and a piston arranged concentrically with respect to a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing is configured to receive a first portion of the pressurized fluid to displace the piston relative to the housing. The hydraulic actuator assembly also includes a sleeve arranged concentrically with respect to the housing and to the piston, and configured to restrain the piston relative to the housing and receive a second portion of the pressurized fluid from the pump to selectively release the piston. A vehicle including a suspension corner connecting the vehicle's road wheel to the vehicle's body, the fluid pump, and the subject hydraulic actuator assembly to change the vehicle's ride height at the suspension corner is also disclosed. The vehicle may also include a controller configured to control the actuator assembly.

Abstract: A method of controlling an alternating current (AC) motor includes following steps: (a) providing a voltage to the AC motor, wherein the voltage is a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, which is represented by a voltage reference vector; (b) determining that the voltage reference vector is in a distortion region; and (c) in response to determining that the voltage reference vector is in the distortion region, modifying, via a controller, the PWM signal by updating the voltage reference vector every half switching period to avoid the distortion region.

Abstract: An electric power system for supplying power to a permanent magnet electric machine includes a high-voltage DC power source that is disposed to supply electric power to a front-end converter connected via a high-voltage DC bus to an electric inverter that is connected to the electric machine. A method for operating a control system includes monitoring the electric machine. Upon detecting a fault associated with the electric machine, a controller commands operation of the front-end converter to generate a voltage level on the high-voltage DC bus that is a maximum setpoint voltage level and monitors back-emf voltage level from the electric machine. The inverter is controlled to a three-phase open state when the back-emf voltage level is less than the maximum setpoint voltage level. The inverter is controlled to a three-phase short state when the back-emf voltage level is greater than the maximum setpoint voltage level.

Abstract: A load floor assembly includes a storage bin including a bin body. The bin body defines an open inner cavity. The load floor assembly further includes a load floor movably coupled to the storage bin between a fully open position and a closed position. Further, the load floor is movable among a plurality of partially open positions. The load floor assembly further includes a multi-open position mechanism movably coupling the load floor to the storage bin. The multi-open position mechanism include a first link movably coupled between the storage bin and the load floor, a second link movably coupled between the storage bin and the load floor, and an elastic member coupled between the storage bin and the load floor to allow the load floor to remain stationary relative to the storage bin in the plurality of partially open positions.

Abstract: A vehicle includes at least one image capture device and a user display configured to display images receive from the at least one image capture device. The vehicle also includes a controller programmed to generate a user prompt to set a home vehicle position in response the vehicle entering a first parked state. The controller is also programmed to store at least one reference image indicative of an area in a vicinity of the vehicle corresponding to the home vehicle position. The controller is further programmed to collect a current image corresponding to a current vehicle position in response to a subsequent approach toward the vicinity, and compare the current image to the reference image. The controller is further programmed to generate a user display depicting the vicinity, the current vehicle position, and the home vehicle position.

Abstract: An engine fuel delivery system includes a fuel pump having a pumping chamber to increase fuel pressure and a closeable inlet valve, and a fuel rail to communicate pressurized fuel received from the fuel pump to at least one engine cylinder. The engine fuel delivery system also includes a controller programmed to issue a control signal to periodically close the inlet valve to generate a setpoint fuel pressure within the pumping chamber. The controller is also programmed to adjust a control signal gain value in response to deviation in an outlet fuel pressure relative to the setpoint fuel pressure. The controller is further programmed to issue a warning message in response to the control signal gain being adjusted by more than a predetermined threshold from a calibrated gain value.

Abstract: An electric power system includes a polyphase electric machine, battery pack, power inverter module, analog input sensor, and diagnostic controller executing a method. The sensor measures an electrical parameter that differs from a true value of the parameter by an initial offset value. The controller collects sample sets of the parameter, compares the initial offset of each sample to an outlier threshold in a first diagnostic loop, and transmits a bit flag indicative of an outlier sample to a slower second diagnostic loop when the initial offset of a sample exceeds the outlier threshold. The second control loop calculates a rolling average of the initial offsets of the sample sets, discards the set containing the outlier sample in response to the bit flag, and executes a control action when the average exceeds a threshold that is lower than the outlier threshold.