Abstract: A method for starting a motor vehicle includes recognizing an engine on event of the motor vehicle at a powertrain control module in communication with a vehicle bus system operatively disposed in the motor vehicle. In response to recognizing the engine on event, an authentication request is transmitted from a verification module to a device having an electronic pattern-entry user interface. The method further includes receiving an entered pattern entered on the electronic pattern-entry user interface, and recognizing, by an authentication system, that the entered pattern is an authenticated pattern. In response to the recognizing that the entered pattern is the authenticated pattern, an authenticated engagement command is transmitted to the powertrain control module to instruct the powertrain control module to enter into an engaged state, the engaged state electrically enabling the powertrain control module to provide tractive power to a vehicle drive wheel.

Abstract: A porous polymer battery separator includes variable porosity along its length and can increase the uniformity of the current density within electrochemical battery cells that may normally experience higher current density and higher temperatures near their terminal ends than they do near their opposite ends. By disposing a variable porosity separator between the electrodes of an electrochemical cell such that its terminal end has a lower porosity than its opposite end, the transport of ions through the separator can be more restricted in normally high current regions and less restricted in normally low current regions, thereby increasing the overall uniformity of current density within the cell. The separators may be produced by a dry-stretching process or by a wet process. These processes may include forming a polymer-containing film, producing a uniform distribution of pore sites within the film, and reforming the polymer-containing film to a uniform thickness.

Abstract: A number of variations may include a product comprising a cam guide mechanism for use with a string-damper comprising a body, wherein the body includes a profiled surface and a groove extending along the profiled surface.

Abstract: A method for controlling regeneration within an after-treatment component of an engine comprises receiving a signal indicative of whether the engine is in an operating state or a non-operating state and detecting, based on the signal, when the engine has departed an operating state and entered a non-operating state. When the engine has departed an operating state and entered a non-operating state, a regeneration event is initiated. The regeneration event comprises causing a stream of air to flow through the after-treatment component and initiating a flow of fuel into the stream of air.

Abstract: A method for controlling a direct-injection internal combustion engine includes monitoring internal combustion engine operational parameters, determining a start of injection in response to the engine operational parameters, monitoring an intake air flow comprising a residual gas component, monitoring an exhaust gas flow, monitoring a fuel flow, determining a time constant corresponding to an intake air flow reaction time based upon the intake air flow, the exhaust gas flow, and the fuel flow, modifying the start of injection with the time constant, and operating the engine subject to the modified start of injection.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine control system including an internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder configured to perform combustion of an air/fuel mixture therein during a drive cycle. An electronic engine control module is configured to selectively execute at least one soot-based diagnostic operation that diagnoses the internal combustion engine based on exhausted soot. An electronic diagnostic evaluation module is in electrical communication with the engine control module and is configured to disable the at least one soot-based diagnostic operation based on at least one transient drive event of the internal combustion engine during the drive cycle.

Abstract: A diagnostic system for a vehicle includes a purge valve control module that closes a purge valve. The purge valve regulates fuel vapor flow from a fuel vapor canister to an intake system of an engine. A pump control module, after the closing of the purge valve, turns on a pump that pumps fuel vapor toward the purge valve. A first pressure module, after the purge valve is closed, determines a first pressure measured using a pressure sensor located between the pump and the purge valve. A second pressure module, after the determination of the first pressure and while the pump is on, determines a second pressure measured using the pressure sensor located between the pump and the purge valve. A diagnostic module selectively diagnoses detachment of the purge valve from the intake system based on the first and second pressures.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improved target grouping of sensor measurements in an object detection system. The method uses road curvature information to improve grouping accuracy by better predicting a new location of a known target object and matching it to sensor measurements. Additional target attributes are also used for improved grouping accuracy, where the attributes includes range rate, target cross-section and others. Distance compression is also employed for improved grouping accuracy, where range is compressed in a log scale calculation in order to diminish errors in measurement of distant objects. Grid-based techniques include the use of hash tables and a flood fill algorithm for improved computational performance of target object identification, where the number of computations can be reduced by an order of magnitude.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to mitigate the severity of the bond-line read-out defect, and more specifically microwave heating to locally cure adhesive bond-line in a single or two stage process comprising heating thermoset adhesive with microwave radiation until the adhesive is fully cured or partially cured. If the adhesive is partially cured, it can be fully cured by being subjected to an additional thermal cycle.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for adapting a speech system. In one example a method includes: logging speech data from the speech system; detecting a user characteristic from the speech data; and selectively updating a language model based on the user characteristic.

Abstract: A method for localizing and estimating a pose of a known object in a field of view of a vision system is described, and includes developing a processor-based model of the known object, capturing a bitmap image file including an image of the field of view including the known object, extracting features from the bitmap image file, matching the extracted features with features associated with the model of the known object, localizing an object in the bitmap image file based upon the extracted features, clustering the extracted features of the localized object, merging the clustered extracted features, detecting the known object in the field of view based upon a comparison of the merged clustered extracted features and the processor-based model of the known object, and estimating a pose of the detected known object in the field of view based upon the detecting of the known object.

Abstract: A bonding system (100) comprises a first substrate (110) having a first contact surface (115) comprising a plurality of protuberances (130), a second substrate (120) having a second contact surface (125), an adhesive (200) in contact with the first contact surface (115) and the second contact surface (125), and a plurality of solder balls (300) positioned in the adhesive between the first contact surface (115) and the second contact surface (125). A bonding method to produce a solder-reinforced adhesive bond joining a first substrate (110) and second substrate (120), comprises applying an adhesive (200) on a first contact surface (115), of the first substrate (110), including a plurality of protuberances (130), positioning, at least partially into the adhesive (200), each a plurality of solder balls (300), and connecting, to a portion of the adhesive (200) opposite the first contact surface (115), a second contact surface (125).

Abstract: A method for calculating a response time is described. The response time is required in order to direct the attention of a vehicle's driver at the traffic on the road. The driver is monitored by sensors and a state of attentiveness of the driver is ascertained. The state of attentiveness is used to calculate a value, to which an anticipated response time is assigned. Further a method for operating a motor vehicle, a computer program product and a correspondingly equipped motor vehicle are described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic transmission assembly that prevents an erroneous operation. The automatic transmission assembly includes a housing including a detent part; a gear shift lever including a guide part and a detent bar that is movable up and down in the guide part. The detent bar is movable; and a stopper including a resilient part and a head on a side of the resilient part, the head being disposed to be located on a side of the detent part, where the stopper is pivotable in the front, back, left, and right directions, the detent bar, when moving rearward, makes contact with the outer front surface of the head to confine the movement of the gear shift lever, and the stopper pivots in the left and right directions to move irrespective of the head when the detent bar moves from the rearmost side to the front side.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a bonding system (100) comprising an adhesive (200), comprising thermoplastic material, in contact with a first contact surface (115) and a second contact surface (125), and a plurality of solder particles (300) positioned in the adhesive (200) in contact with the first contact surface (115).

Abstract: A testing device is disclosed for testing a connection interface coupled onto an assembly line between first and second vehicle components. The testing device includes a tool configured to couple the connection interface, at least one test adapter for testing the coupling of the connection interface, and a sensor device for acquiring a force progression which acts during and/or after the coupling in the connection interface, The testing device also includes an evaluation device to evaluate the force progression.

Abstract: An inverter electrically connected to an electric machine is described. A method for controlling switching in the inverter includes determining a torque output of the electric machine and determining a temperature related to an inverter cooling circuit. A preferred inverter switch control mode for controlling the inverter is selected based upon the torque output of the electric machine and the temperature related to the inverter cooling circuit.

Abstract: A method of controlling a concentration of hydrocarbons in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine includes sensing an oxygen percentage of the flow of exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine and determining a concentration of hydrocarbons in the flow of exhaust gas. An engine control module may then adjust the sensed oxygen percentage of the exhaust gas based on the determined concentration of hydrocarbons in the flow of exhaust gas to define a corrected oxygen percentage. The control module may then control at least one of a hydrocarbon injection rate for in-cylinder combustion of the internal combustion engine, and a hydrocarbon injection rate for a post combustion exhaust gas treatment process, based on the corrected oxygen percentage, to control the concentration of hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A method for positioning a vehicle includes deriving an estimated position of the vehicle by way of a satellite signal received from the vehicle, receiving a correction signal from a second vehicle, and correcting the estimated position by way of the correction signal.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a first pulley, a second pulley, and an endless rotatable device operatively interconnecting the first and second pulleys. The endless rotatable device includes a device body and a plurality of device teeth protruding from the device body. Each of the first and second pulleys includes a first sheave, a second sheave, and a pulley axle operatively coupled between the first sheave and the second sheave. The pulley axle defines a pulley center. The first sheave is movable relative to the second sheave along the pulley axle. Each of the first and second sheaves includes a sheave body and a plurality of sheave teeth protruding from the sheave body. The sheave teeth are annularly arranged around the pulley center. The sheave teeth are shaped to mate with the device teeth.