Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to detect and/or classify a vehicle occupant, such as a passenger seated within the cockpit of a vehicle. An occupant classification system includes an occupant weight sensor, an occupant presence sensor, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant weight sensor and the occupant presence sensor. The logic device is configured to receive occupant weight sensor signals from the occupant weight sensor and occupant presence sensor signals from the occupant presence sensor, determine an estimated occupant weight and an occupant presence response based, at least in part, on the occupant weight sensor signals and the occupant presence sensor signals, and determine an occupant classification status corresponding to the passenger seat based, at least in part, on the estimated occupant weight and/or the occupant presence response.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a solar roof tile module. The module includes a plurality of solar roof tiles positioned side by side and one or more tile spacers. The tiles are electrically and mechanically coupled to each other. A tile spacer is positioned between two adjacent solar roof tiles, thereby preventing water leakage. A solar roof tile can include a front cover, a back cover, and a plurality of photovoltaic strips positioned between the front and back covers. Each photovoltaic strip includes a first edge busbar located on an edge of a first surface and a second edge busbar located on an opposite edge of a second surface, and the photovoltaic strips are arranged in such a way that the first edge busbar of a photovoltaic strip overlaps with a second edge busbar of an adjacent photovoltaic strip, thereby forming a serial connection among the photovoltaic strips.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide systems, devices, and methods for decompressing encoded electronic data to increase decompression throughput using any number of decoding engines. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished by identifying and processing a next record in a pipeline operation before having to complete the decompression of a current record. Various embodiments take advantage of the knowledge of the method of how the records have been encoded, e.g., in a single long record, to greatly reduce delay time, compared with existing designs, when decompressing encoded electronic data.

Abstract: A battery pack includes an enclosure containing a plurality of battery modules. A cooling system disposed among and electrically isolated from the plurality of battery modules uses a coolant solution that is a first mixture of a first liquid and a second liquid in a predetermined ratio to produce a first boiling point. Boiling of the coolant solution changes the predetermined ratio to produce a second boiling point that is higher than the first boiling point and that is sufficient to induce a thermal runaway condition for the plurality of battery module. A sensor monitors at least one operational characteristic of the plurality of battery modules and a controller determines a possible high voltage electrolysis within the enclosure based upon the at least one operational characteristic. A remediation system is responsive to the possible high voltage electrolysis to decrease risks associated with the possible high voltage electrolysis when operated.

Abstract: A vehicle seatback includes: a first panel; a second panel coupled to the first panel so that a welding stitching pattern is exposed, each welding stitch of the welding stitching pattern accessible from a common direction; and a bracket, wherein at least one welding stitch included in the welding stitch pattern connects the bracket to one of the first or second panels. A vehicle latch system includes: a housing at a first edge of a movable vehicle seatback with a handle to assume an extended position outside the housing in which a flag on the handle is presented, and a retracted position inside the housing in which the flag is not presented; a latch configured for placement at a second edge of the movable vehicle seatback, the second edge opposite the first edge; and a cable connecting the handle and the latch to each other.

Abstract: A method of making an AC induction motor includes: providing a rotor and a stator for the AC induction motor; determining, for different geometries of an end ring of the rotor, a location of a first centroid of current density in the end ring; determining, for end turns of the stator, a location of a second centroid of current density in the end turns; selecting a geometry for at least the endring of the rotor so that an axial distance between the first centroid of current density and the second centroid of current density is minimized; and assembling the AC induction motor, wherein the end turns and the end ring have the selected geometries.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes an energy storage system, an integrated drive system assembly having a gearbox, a power inverter, and an electric motor, wherein the gearbox, the electric motor and the power inverter are assembled into a single unit with a multi-piece housing. The electric vehicle may also include two half shafts for respective wheels of the electric vehicle. The gearbox, the electric motor and the power inverter may be oriented such that the gearbox extends along a center line of the electric vehicle and the electric motor and the power inverter extend from the gearbox in opposite directions. The electric vehicle may also include a mutual thermal management system coupled to the integrated drive system assembly and having at least one liquid coolant loop that is thermally coupled to the electric motor, the power inverter, the gearbox, a cooling system, a refrigeration system, and an HVAC system.

Abstract: An autonomous control system generates synthetic data that reflect simulated environments. Specifically, the synthetic data is a representation of sensor data of the simulated environment from the perspective of one or more sensors. The system generates synthetic data by introducing one or more simulated modifications to sensor data captured by the sensors or by simulating the sensor data for a virtual environment. The autonomous control system uses the synthetic data to train computer models for various detection and control algorithms. In general, this allows autonomous control systems to augment training data to improve performance of computer models, simulate scenarios that are not included in existing training data, and/or train computer models that remove unwanted effects or occlusions from sensor data of the environment.

Abstract: A vehicle seat restraint system includes a control system and a second-row restraint system. The control system receives a first-row seat value and a second-row seat value from seat sensors. The control system generates relative position data for a first-row seat and a second-row seat based upon the first-row seat value and the second-row seat value. The control system selects a load limiter setting value using a multidimensional load limiter model based upon body impact values as a function of load limiter setting values and the relative position data, a selected load limiter setting value outside a value avoidance zone for the body impact values. The second-row restraint system is configured by the control system with the selected load limiter setting value. The control system may also determine an occupant weight value and select the load limiter setting value using the occupant weight value.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell includes a can configured to serve as one electric contact of the electrochemical cell, the can containing active materials, a diaphragm configured to serve as an opposite electric contact of the electrochemical cell, and a gasket that is initially of generally cylindrical shape, the diaphragm positioned inside the gasket in an opening of the can wherein an outer edge of the can is crimped onto the gasket, the gasket having an inner periphery inside the can and an outer periphery outside the can, the outer periphery comprising leaves that after crimping extend along an outer surface of the diaphragm.

Abstract: One embodiment can provide a solar module. The solar module can include one or more moisture-resistant photovoltaic structures. A respective photovoltaic structure can include a base layer, an emitter layer positioned on a first side of the base layer, and a moisture barrier layer positioned on a first side of the emitter layer, thereby reducing the amount of moisture that reaches a junction between the base layer and the emitter layer.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to an accelerated mathematical engine. In certain embodiments, the accelerated mathematical engine is applied to image processing such that convolution of an image is accelerated by using a two-dimensional matrix processor comprising sub-circuits that include an ALU, output register and shadow register. This architecture supports a clocked, two-dimensional architecture in which image data and weights are multiplied in a synchronized manner to allow a large number of mathematical operations to be performed in parallel.

Abstract: A vehicle seatback includes: a first panel; a second panel coupled to the first panel so that a welding stitching pattern is exposed, each welding stitch of the welding stitching pattern accessible from a common direction; and a bracket, wherein at least one welding stitch included in the welding stitch pattern connects the bracket to one of the first or second panels. A vehicle latch system includes: a housing at a first edge of a movable vehicle seatback with a handle to assume an extended position outside the housing in which a flag on the handle is presented, and a retracted position inside the housing in which the flag is not presented; a latch configured for placement at a second edge of the movable vehicle seatback, the second edge opposite the first edge; and a cable connecting the handle and the latch to each other.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to detect and/or classify a vehicle occupant, such as a passenger seated within the cockpit of a vehicle. An occupant classification system includes an occupant weight sensor, an occupant presence sensor, and a logic device configured to communicate with the occupant sensors. The occupant weight sensor includes at least first and second conductive electrodes separated by a dielectric layer, top and bottom protective plastic layers configured to support the respective first and second conductive electrodes, and adhesive layers disposed between the plastic layers and the conductive electrodes and between the conductive electrodes and the dielectric layer. The top protective plastic layer is longer and/or wider than the first conductive electrode and the bottom protective plastic layer is longer and/or wider than the second conductive electrode to provide edge protection against electrical shorts for the first and second conductive electrodes.

Abstract: An integrated coolant bottle assembly includes a reservoir configured for use in a thermal system. Examples of such thermal systems include a cooling/heating system of a battery powered electric vehicle, electric power generators (e.g., motor-based systems), other physical plant installations, etc. Such a reservoir includes a first section and a second section. The second section is joined to the first section at a reservoir interface thereby forming the reservoir that is configured for storage and/or flow of a liquid medium. The first section may include an integrated channel that provides a pathway for the flow of the liquid medium. The reservoir may also include a component interface configured to facilitate connection of a component thereto (e.g., a pump, a battery pump, a powertrain pump, a chiller, a heater, a filter, an aerator, a valve, a connector, a fan, or a radiator).

Abstract: A device includes an integrated circuit (IC) die, a top-side base plate to which the IC die is mounted, and a body attached to the top-side base plate such that the IC die is inside the body, the body configured for attachment to a printed circuit board (PCB) such that the top-side base plate faces away from the PCB. The device may or may not include legs that abut the PCB upon installation.