Abstract: The present invention relates to a crankcase ventilation device for a vehicle and, more specifically, to a crankcase ventilation device for a vehicle, which: prevents a back flow of blow-by gas to a new air inflow valve according to a rise in pressure and a rise in a flow rate inside a crankcase; prevents deterioration in the inside of an engine due to unburned fuel contained in the blow-by gas and minute particles of engine oil, generation of sludge, and an engine failure; and minimizes contamination of an intake system by providing a new air inflow control valve having a nozzle and a diaphragm, so as to block a back flow of the blow-by gas to a new air inflow hose due to an excessive rise in pressure inside the crankcase during a process for re-circulating and re-burning the blow-by gas discharged from the crankcase of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body defining a vehicle interior, doors attached to the body and providing access to the vehicle interior, windows, sensors, and a controller. The windows are disposed in a respective one of the doors, and each includes a window actuator. The sensors include a speed sensor operable for determining a speed of the vehicle and position sensors each operable for detecting a position of a respective one of the windows. The controller programmed to execute a method by receiving input signals from the set of sensors, including the speed of the vehicle and the detected position from each of the position sensors, and transmitting a control signal to at least one of the window actuators to cause one of the windows to move to a predetermined partially-opened position above a calibrated threshold vehicle speed. This action automatically mitigates effects of wind buffeting in the vehicle interior.

Abstract: A vehicle including a passenger compartment having a rear seating area is described. A method for monitoring the rear seating area of the passenger compartment includes monitoring a vehicle operating state comprising one of a key-on state and a key-off state and monitoring the rear seating area. A presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area is detected based upon the monitoring, and a control routine is executed based upon the vehicle operating state and the presence or absence of a passenger in the rear seating area.

Abstract: A strut includes a first end, a second end, a cylinder and a piston, wherein the piston is mechanically coupled to the first end and the cylinder is mechanically coupled to the second end. A fluidic chamber is formed between the cylinder and the piston. A first fluidic passageway fluidly couples the fluidic chamber and a fluidic reservoir, and a second fluidic passageway fluidly couples between the fluidic chamber and the fluidic reservoir. A check valve includes an open-biased moveable valve element coupled to a balance spring, and the valve element interacts with a valve seat to control fluidic flow through the second fluidic passageway. The valve element is responsive to urging of the balance spring.

Abstract: An engine assembly can heat or cool oil and includes an oil pan. The oil pan includes an oil pan body, and the oil pan body includes an inner pan surface and an outer pan surface opposite the inner pan surface. The inner pan surface defines a cavity configured to collect oil. The oil pan further includes a pan passageway extending through the oil pan body. The pan passageway is disposed between the inner pan surface and the outer pan surface. In addition, the pan passageway is configured to carry a heat transfer fluid in order to transfer heat between the oil disposed in the cavity of the oil pan and the heat transfer fluid.

Abstract: A method for monitoring a vehicle operator can be executed by a controller and includes the following steps: (a) receiving image data of a vehicle operator's head; (b) tracking facial feature points of the vehicle operator based on the image data; (c) creating a 3D model of the vehicle operator's head based on the facial feature points in order to determine a 3D position of the vehicle operator's head; (d) determining a gaze direction of the vehicle operator based on a position of the facial feature points and the 3D model of the vehicle operator's head; (e) determining a gaze vector based on the gaze direction and the 3D position of the vehicle operator's head; and (f) commanding an indicator to activate when the gaze vector is outside a predetermined parameter.

Abstract: A system includes a DC battery pack, an inverter coolant loop, first and second temperature sensors, a polyphase electric machine, and a power inverter module (PIM) connected to the battery pack and electric machine. The PIM includes a plurality of semiconductor switches. The controller is operable to selectively derate the PIM and thus reduce a commanded torque to the electric machine. The controller is programmed to execute a method and thereby receive a coolant temperature from the first temperature sensor and a PIM temperature from the second temperature sensor, and to determine a set of electrical values of the electric machine. The controller estimates a junction temperature of the semiconductor switches using the temperature of the coolant, the temperature of the PIM, and the set of electrical values. The controller selectively derates the PIM using the estimated junction temperature when the temperature of the PIM exceeds a calibrated maximum temperature.

Abstract: An oil monitoring system includes a level module, a limit module and an remedial action module. The level module is configured to determine N oil levels of an engine of a vehicle, where N is an integer greater than 1. The limit module is configured to determine an oil level trend based on the N oil levels and estimate when a level of oil in the engine is to be outside the predetermined range based on the oil level trend. The remedial action module is configured to perform a remedial action based on the estimate of when the level of the oil is to be outside the predetermined range.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a distance determination system for a vehicle includes an apparatus for generating and displaying a pattern generated by a holographic encoded medium in operable communication with an actuator and in communication with an electromagnetic radiation source configured to produce coherent electromagnetic waves. The distance determination system also includes an imager and a distance determination module in communication with the imager. The imager is configured to acquire image data representative of a field of view from the vehicle. The distance determination module is configured to locate at least one feature of the pattern in the image data and determine an estimated distance between the vehicle and the at least one feature based at least in part on a known position of the apparatus, a known position of the imager, and a layout of the pattern.

Abstract: A battery assembly including a plurality of battery cells and at least one frame having a support feature formed thereon is disclosed. The support feature supports electrically conductive tabs of the battery cells and militates against damage to the battery assembly during a joining of one of the electrically conductive tabs with another one of the electrically conductive tabs of an adjacent battery cell or during a joining of the electrically conductive tabs of adjacent battery cells with a connector.

Abstract: A method of managing wireless devices at a vehicle includes detecting a plurality of wireless devices at the vehicle using a short-range wireless communication protocol; determining that one of the plurality of wireless devices belongs to a preferred group of wireless devices; and creating a short-range wireless link between the wireless device belonging to the preferred group and a vehicle telematics unit.

Abstract: A lens assembly for a vehicle includes a light source, a preliminary lens, and a bending lens. The light source emits a stream of light rays. The preliminary lens has an entry surface and an exit surface disposed opposite the entry surface. The preliminary lens is disposed in adjacent relationship to the light source such that the entry surface faces the light source. The bending lens has a receptor surface and an emission surface disposed opposite the receptor surface. The receptor surface of the bending lens faces the exit surface of the preliminary lens. At least one optic extends from the emission surface of the bending lens. Each optic is configured to bend a portion of the stream of parallel light rays travelling therethrough such that a stream of bent light rays is emitted from the optic.

Abstract: A bipolar plate assembly for a fuel cell is provided. The bipolar plate assembly includes a first electroformed unipolar plate disposed adjacent a second electroformed unipolar plate. The first and second unipolar plates are bonded by a plurality of localized electrically and thermally conductive plugs by electroplated material deposited within apertures formed in the substrates onto which the unipolar plates are electroformed. A method for forming the bipolar plate assembly is also described.

Abstract: A bipolar plate used in a fuel cell and a method of making a bipolar plate. The sheet is made generally from a stainless steel, and in a more preferable form from a ferritic stainless steel. In one configuration, a stamping or related metal forming tool operation will introduce a negative clearance as a way to move or otherwise reallocate a portion of the material making up the sheet into other portions as a way to reduce stretching, necking, thinning and related thickness deviations associated with the bends formed in the bipolar plate.

Abstract: A method of joining a first thermoplastic component with a second thermoplastic component includes abutting a joint surface of the first thermoplastic component against a joint surface of the second thermoplastic component. The first thermoplastic component includes a thermoplastic protrusion extending from the joint surface, and the joint surface of the second thermoplastic component defines a receiving pocket adapted to receive the thermoplastic protrusion. Abutting a joint surface of the first thermoplastic component against a joint surface of the second thermoplastic component further includes inserting the thermoplastic protrusion into the receiving pocket. Once abutted, thermal energy is applied to a heat-apply surface of the second thermoplastic component, that is opposite the joint surface. The thermal energy is sufficient to melt a portion of the thermoplastic protrusion and a portion of the joint surface of the second thermoplastic component.

Abstract: A vehicle system includes a position sensor, a current supply module, and a mode indicator module. The position sensor includes: an electromagnet (EM) that generates a magnetic field proximate to one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of an engine; and a Hall-effect sensor that generates a position signal indicating a position of the one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve based on the magnetic field. The current supply module supplies current to the EM. The mode indicator module indicates whether the one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve is being actuated in a low lift mode or a high lift mode based on the position signal.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission having a position-controlled clutch with a synchronizer sleeve and a synchronizer fork, an input member with an input speed, and an output member with an output speed, and a controller. The controller is programmed to register a slip-away condition when the input speed falls within a calibrated speed band and the output speed remains below a calibrated threshold speed. In response to the registered slip-away condition, the controller records a diagnostic code indicative of the synchronizer sleeve being disengaged, changes an engaged position of the synchronizer sleeve by a calibrated amount to thereby adapt the engaged position, and commands the clutch to disengage and the fork to move to a neutral position after increasing the engaged position. The controller also moves the synchronizer sleeve toward the adapted engaged position and applies the clutch when the synchronizer sleeve attains the adapted engaged position.

Abstract: An apparatus for capturing an image includes a plurality of lens elements coaxially encompassed within a lens housing. A split-sub-pixel imaging chip includes an IR-pass filter coating applied on selected sub-pixels. The sub-pixels include a long exposure sub-pixel and a short-exposure sub-pixel for each of a plurality of green blue and red pixels.

Abstract: A product, and a method for forming a product, that includes a composite material having a polymeric carrier resin and a shape memory polymer material capable of transformation between a temporary shape and a permanent shape in the presence of an external stimuli, wherein said transformation from said temporary shape to said permanent shape changes at least one property of said composite material.

Abstract: A system includes a transceiver, processor, database, and memory. Instructions for executing a nearest neighbor search are recorded in memory. Receipt of a query point by the transceiver from a camera or other input device causes the processor to construct a KD-Fern having nodes as an ordered set of splitting dimensions and thresholds. All nodes at the same level of the KD-Fern have the same splitting dimension d and the same threshold ?. A binary bit is generated at each node describing a respective threshold comparison decision for that particular node. The processor associates each of a plurality of binary addresses in the binary map with a corresponding nearest neighbor index, determines the binary address of the query point, and returns, e.g., to a vehicle braking, steering, or body control module, a nearest neighbor result by extracting the nearest neighbor from the binary map.