Abstract: In a multi-phase brushless DC motor, a zero crossing N-bit filter includes a comparator and a phase multiplexer. The phase multiplexer connects each motor phase to each of a positive and a negative input of the comparator, with a switch in each connection to form a switch array. A microprocessor is disposed to operate the switches, and is configured to measure a BEMF for a first phase by opening the switches connecting all other phases to the positive input of the comparator and by opening the switch connecting the first phase being measured to the negative input of said comparator. The comparators output is received by a shift register. The microprocessor is configured to respond to a zero crossing when a majority of bits in the shift register change between high and low.

Abstract: A multifunction vehicle light has a housing, at least one light emitter mounted within the housing, and a lens mounted in cooperation with the light and the housing. A filter has a first position and a second position, with the first position being in a light path and the second position being out of the light path. The lens has a first portion and a second portion, with the first portion having a first color and the second portion having a second color. In one embodiment, the filter also has the first color; for example red. The light from the lamp appears to be entirely in the first color when the filter is in its first position and the light from the lamp appears in both the first and second colors when the filter is in its second position, with the colors corresponding to the first and second portions of the lens.

Abstract: A projection headlight for motor vehicles has a reflector device, a plurality of light sources, at least one of said light sources assigned to the reflector device. A lens device is arranged in front of the reflector device in the main radiation direction. A cover device in the area of a focal point of the lens device has a cover shaft rotatable across the main radiation direction of the rotating axis main source. The cover shaft is provided with a number of glare edges and/or glare surfaces to adjust light distributors having a number of various cut-off lines. The light sources are arranged on a common light source carrier, the carrier extending substantially perpendicular to the main radiation direction and the carrier being configured to fasten onto a flat side of a heat sink.

Abstract: An outdoor area light has a housing, a light source comprised of a printed circuit board, a plurality of LEDs, and a heat sink. The heat sink is disposed in thermally conductive proximity to said light source to conduct heat away from it for temperature control. The light source and heat sink are mounted in the housing. A passive impeller is mounted on the housing. A separate active impeller is also mounted on the housing. A conduit for air is in fluid communication with the active impeller and disposed to direct cooling air over the light source and/or the heat sink. The printed circuit board and/or the heat sink and/or their mounts have holes through them. The holes define fluid throughways disposed to convect heat away from the light source via air moving through the throughways. The fluid throughways may be sufficiently aligned to establish laminar flow through them. In high heat, the active impeller is engaged to cool the light; otherwise the passive impeller keeps the light cool.

Abstract: Arrangement for a motor vehicle with a camera and a display device for capturing and displaying an image of the surroundings of the motor vehicle and for displaying graphically representable information, such as for example guide lines, reference texts or the like, with a means for superimposing the image with the information, wherein means for superimposing changes values of the pixels at the points of the image, at which the information is displayed, information pixels, as a function of the values captured by the camera.

Abstract: The present invention is a light guide array constructed and arranged to be deployed with a two dimensional LED array such that the LED array establishes new focal points for the light emitted from each of a plurality of LEDs, which focal points are displaced from an original focal point of each LED. The light guide array is further configurable in fabrication to selectively control properties of the light emitted from the vehicle lamp having the light guide array including, direction, angle, luminance intensity and luminance pattern. In one embodiment, the light guide array directs light in a primary direction that is non-parallel with the primary direction of the light generated by the two dimensional LED array alone.

Abstract: The present invention is a light guide array constructed and arranged to be deployed with a two dimensional LED array such that the LED array establishes new focal points for the light emitted from each of a plurality of LEDs, which focal points are displaced from an original focal point of each LED. The light guide array is further configurable in fabrication to selectively control properties of the light emitted from the vehicle lamp having the light guide array including, direction, angle, luminance intensity and luminance pattern. In one embodiment, the light guide array directs light in a primary direction that is non-parallel with the primary direction of the light generated by the two dimensional LED array alone.

Abstract: In accordance with the described embodiments vehicular electronic control units and their operating methods are described which cost effectively compensate momentary external power loss by reducing the unit's power consumption while external power is lost. In an exemplary embodiment external power loss is detected by the electronic control unit's microprocessor. The microprocessor thereupon disables some components within the electronic control unit and operates with limited functionality for the duration of external power loss. The electronic control unit uses internal energy storage, e.g. a hold capacitor, to sustain its limited functionality operation. Upon recovery from the external power loss the electronic control unit resumes full operation.

Abstract: A lighting unit for vehicles has a plurality of semiconductor light sources distributed in a grid. The grid of semiconductor light sources is divided into at least two grid segments, the grid segments being each activatable independently of each other and/or assigned to a different light functions, with an optical element in the beam path of a light beam emitted by the semiconductor light sources. The semiconductor light sources (3) are arranged on a common carrier substrate (5), with a chip cover (6) transparent to light in the direction of light propagation, in that the chip cover (6) is filled with a light-scattering and/or light-converting auxiliary material (8) and in that a shading device (9) is provided such that, in the boundary region between the activated grid segment (10) and the unactivated grid segment (11), a relatively steep transition of light intensity is adjustable to form a light/dark boundary.

Abstract: A wheel angle determining device includes a position sensor being provided on a vehicle wheel assembly to directly measure a wheel angle. The wheel assembly having a first portion being fixedly connected to a vehicle and a second portion being rotatable about an axis formed in a plane substantially perpendicular to a vehicle travel direction. The second portion of the vehicle wheel assembly including a vehicle wheel. The position sensor having a first end operatively connected to the first portion of the vehicle wheel assembly and a second end operatively connected to the second portion of the vehicle wheel assembly.

Abstract: A headlamp for vehicle has at least one planar luminous panel of luminous-element chips, and an optical element arranged in the beam path of the light beam emitted by the luminous panel. The luminous-element chips (4) of the luminous panel (3, 21, 31) are arranged in a common recess (5). The recess (5) is on the side facing the direction of the light emission. The headlamp has an edge in spatial arrangement to the luminous-element chips such (4) that a predetermined luminance gradient (G, G?, G?) in a light distribution (L) of the headlamp is formed in the region of the edges (9, 25, 32).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating composition for the production of a hydrophilic coating on a plastic substrate comprising phase-segregated compartments of the following compound classes: a) at least one polyaromatic blocks having a molecular weight of about 1,000 to about 20,000 g/mole, b) at least one polyorganosiloxane block having a molecular weight of about 200 to about 50,000 g/mole and c) at least one hydrophilic polyether block having a molecular weight of about 100 to about 50,000 g/mole.

Abstract: A headlight for vehicles with a projection module is provided, which includes a bowl-shaped reflector, an illumination unit dedicated to the reflector, a lens, and a shutter arranged between the lens and the reflector. The shutter forms a light-dark-border of a light bundle. The lens features a convex front side facing away from the reflector and an optical element mounted to the headlight in the lower middle margin area on the front. The light beams emerging from the optical element are directed to an area above the light-dark-border of the light bundle of the headlight. In vertical second planar sections, to which the optical axis of the projection module extends perpendicularly, the surface of the optical element is concave-shaped, and in vertical planar sections extending parallel to the optical axis, it is convex-shaped.

Abstract: A headlight for motor vehicles is provided that includes an optical element, which is connected to a support element by at least one ball-and-socket joint. The ball-and-socket joint has a spherical ball and a spherical socket. The socket encloses the ball with socket segments and is inserted together with the ball into a receptacle, and contacts, via its socket segments, the inside of the receptacle. The socket contacts the bottom of the receptacle with a base, and has on the other side freestanding elastic socket segments that enclose the ball. Elastic detent elements of the receptacle engage behind the base of the socket and retain the socket axially in the receptacle.

Abstract: A method is described for producing an electrical connection between a plug element and a printed circuit board. A plug end of the at least one plug element is inserted in an opening extending through the printed circuit board. A solder, preferably in the form of solder paste, is applied essentially from above to at least parts of the opening or the area surrounding the opening. The connection between the board and the plug end is achieved by melting the solder. Prior to melting of the solder and/or application of the solder, the plug end is introduced into the opening in the printed circuit board essentially from below, and is held therein by a retaining arrangement such that during melting the solder enters the opening from above and contacts the plug end.

Abstract: A hot-melt adhesive contains a non-pressure-sensitive adhesive that is fluid at application temperatures and that is removable, residue-free, by peeling at small peel angles. The adhesive contains additives selected from the group consisting of fillers, stabilizers, dyes, carbon black, and moisture absorbents. The adhesive also containing the following: a) thermoplastic elastomers that may be grafted, b) grafted and poly-?-olefins, c) polyisobutylene or a softening oil, d) adhesive resin, and e) end block resin.

Abstract: A night vision device and method for vehicles is provided, including a radiation device for generating infrared radiation, a detection device for receiving an infrared image, wherein the detection device works together with the radiation device, and a display device for visual display of the infrared image for the vehicle driver, wherein the radiation device has a semiconductor radiation source that can be controlled such that the infrared radiation is emitted in a discrete-time fashion.

Abstract: A camera arrangement for motor vehicles with a camera that is arranged in a vehicle interior behind a window is described. In this arrangement, a transparent additional window is arranged behind and a distance away from the window, at least in the portion of the window viewed by the camera, so that a layer of air is enclosed between the window and the additional window.

Abstract: An electromagnetic relay includes a plurality of fixed contact terminals, a main body assembly formed by combining an electromagnetic assembly with an armature assembly, a terminal board having a plurality of pocket shaped recess portions engaged with the plurality of fixed contact terminals, and a convex band located on the terminal board so as to isolate the plurality of fixed contact terminals from each other, the convex band including a groove into which a back-stop metal or one of the plurality of fixed contact terminals is inserted, and a cover for receiving an electromagnetic relay main body formed by combining the main body assembly with the terminal board.