Abstract: An apparatus (10) includes a steering shaft (12) rotatable to turn steerable vehicle wheels. A steering wheel (14) has a hub (40) for connection to an axial end (20) of the steering shaft (12). The hub (40) has a tapered surface (50) defining an opening (42) into which the axial end (20) of the steering shaft (12) extends. A collet (60) has a tapered radially outer surface (64) engageable with the tapered surface (50) of the hub (40). The collet (60) also has a radially inner surface (62) engageable with the axial end (20) of the steering shaft (12). A fastener (80) connects the steering wheel (14) to the steering shaft (12). The fastener (80) applies force to the collet (60) to force the radially outer tapered surface (64) of the collet into engagement with the tapered surface (50) defining the opening (42) in the hub (40).

Abstract: A method and device to protect a drive circuit (32) of a power assist motor (22) from an over-current condition. A sensor (24) takes instantaneous measurements of the current provided to the motor (22). A charge accumulation determining function (28) determines charge accumulation from the instantaneous current samples. When the current provided to the motor (22) exceeds a threshold value (40) and the determined charge accumulation exceeds a threshold charge accumulation (50), the current provided to the motor (22) is decreased. When the current provided to the motor (22) is less than the threshold current value (40) for more than a predetermined period, the determined charge accumulation is reduced by a predetermined factor. After the charge accumulation has been reduced below a predetermined threshold (92), the current provided to the motor (22) is increased.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering gear (10) comprises a housing (12). A yoke assembly (40) is in the housing (12) for at least partially supporting and guiding movement of a rack bar (34) relative to a pinion gear (26). The yoke assembly (40) comprises a yoke (42) and a plurality of rotatable members. The yoke (42)has a first end surface (48) and an axis (A) that extends transverse to the direction of movement of the rack bar (34). Each of the plurality of rotatable members is supported by the yoke (42). A portion of each rotatable member projects outward of the first end surface (48) of the yoke (42) for contacting the rack bar (34). Each rotatable member is rotatable about its axis and is fixed against movement along the yoke axis (A) relative to the yoke (42).

Abstract: A vehicle has a seat (12) for a vehicle occupant (14) and a vehicle floor pan (16) for supporting the vehicle seat (12). An apparatus (40) includes a vehicle seat frame (42) for supporting a weight load of the vehicle occupant (14) in the vehicle seat (12), a support mount (60) connected to the vehicle floor pan (16), a lever (70), and a sensor (80). A support mount (60) transmits the weight load of the vehicle occupant (14) in the vehicle seat (12) from the vehicle seat frame (42) to the vehicle floor pan (16). The vehicle seat frame (42) moves vertically relative to the support mount (60) as the weight load on the vehicle seat frame (42) changes. The lever (70) has a first end (72) and a second end (74) opposite the first end (72). The lever (70) is rotatably attached to the vehicle seat frame (42) and rotatably attached to the support mount (60).

Abstract: A transparent conductive coating (TCC) formed from gallium nitride GaN on a sapphire substrate. In order to account for the lattice mismatch between the GaN and the sapphire substrate, a nucleation layer is formed on the sapphire substrate. A mask, for example, silicon dioxide SiO2, is formed on top of the nucleation layer with a plurality of openings. GaN is grown through the openings in the mask to form a lateral epitaxial overgrowth layer upon which defect-free GaN is grown. The lateral epitaxial overgrowth compensates for the lattice mismatch between the sapphire substrate and the GaN. The use of a sapphire substrate eliminates the need for a cover glass and also significantly reduces the cost of the TCC, since such sapphire substrates are about {fraction (1/7)} the cost of germanium substrates. The TCC may then be disposed on a GaAs solar cell.

Abstract: A distributed vehicle safety system (10) includes a plurality of devices (16), each of which performs a function associated with safety at a vehicle (12). A bus (18) conveys communication regarding the devices (16). An isolation device (28) is associated with each device (16) and electronically isolates one of the devices from the bus (18) upon occurrence of a fault condition. Preferably, the system (10) includes a plurality of control circuitries (26), each for controlling a respective one of the devices (16), and the control circuitry is isolated with the associated device (i.e., each control circuitry/device arrangement is isolated). In one embodiment, a plurality of bus connector/bus plug mated pairs (20 and 22) connects the plurality of control circuitry/device arrangements (26 and 16) to the bus (18). Each connector/bus plug pair (20 and 22) includes a switch (e.g.

Abstract: A remote convenience system (10) and an associated function remotely control convenience functions at a vehicle (16). A receiver/controller (14), located at the vehicle (16), receives vehicle remote convenience function request signals (30) that convey remote function request messages and controls vehicle systems (e.g., 48, 50, 52, and 68) to perform the remotely requested vehicle functions. The receiver/controller (14) includes a messaging processing portion (110) for providing a signal (e.g., 128/130) to activate an at-vehicle alarm component (e.g., 50/52) and for providing a signal (132) to activate a remote assistance-summoning component (68). A portable transmitter outputs the remote convenience function request signals (30) to cause remote control performance. The transmitter (12) includes a manually actuatable emergency pushbutton switch (94). The switch (94) is actuatable in a first operation mode (e.g.

Abstract: A mapping scheme that maps standard ATMs service classes (28) of the type used in a wired communications network into one of a plurality of available media access control channels (30) that allow the particular ATM service class (28) to be transmitted efficiently over the network, such as a satellite network. The various media access controlled channel types (30) reside in a media access control layer (24) between the ATM layer (22) and the physical layer (26). A predetermined uplink user protocol is assigned to each MAC channel 30 to efficiently transmit to the ATM cells on the satellite uplink.

Abstract: An electric assist steering system (10) includes a torque sensor (16) that provides an applied torque signal (24) indicative of applied steering torque. A motor position sensor (36) provides a motor position signal (40) indicative of the relative position between the rotor and the stator of an AC permanent magnet electric assist motor (22). A first controller (26) controls energization of the electric assist motor and a second controller (54) calculates a DQ vector value in response to applied steering torque and motor position. The second controller (54) also transforms the monitored motor current and position into DQ values. The second controller (54) compares the DQ values responsive to applied steering torque with the DQ value from monitored motor current and position. The electric assist motor (22) is disabled if the comparison indicates inconsistent results.

Abstract: An innovative channelizer design methodology is provided to adjust the narrowband channel frequency spacing and processing algorithm in order to develop a configurable multi-rate channelizer (20) for multiple applications with different input data rates and input channel group bandwidths. Given an input and output sampling rate and the input channel group bandwidth, the input channel spacing, the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) size, the valid output DFT bins, the dead zone implementation including the number of samples to blank for each chip, which exact samples to blank, the timing error immunity versus performance degradation balance may be derived to design hardware implementation of a configurable multi-rate channelizer for use in applications with different input data rates and input channel group bandwidths.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) helps protect an occupant (1) of a vehicle (100). The apparatus (10) includes first means (11) for non-intrusively sensing at least one health condition of the vehicle occupant (1) and for producing a first output signal (110) indicative of the health condition of the vehicle occupant (1). The apparatus (10) further includes first means (21) for transmitting a health condition signal derived from the first output signal (110) to a person at a location remote from the vehicle (100) to convey health condition information to the person and to enable the person to determine a suitable type of response.

Abstract: A bearing failure detector for an electrical generator includes a disc located within the bearing assembly near the location of the main bearings. The disc has a central opening through which the shaft extends, and the disc includes a thin, electrically conductive ring which is plated or formed as a film inside the central opening. The ring is exposed to the shaft along inside diameter of the detector disc adjacent to the periphery of the shaft, but a gap is normally provided around the shaft when the shaft is properly supported by the main bearings, so that the shaft does not contact the ring unless the bearings are significantly worn. The ring provides a closed circuit, and it is connected to a control circuit which monitors the closed circuit at all times. When the internal clearance of the main bearings has been enlarged by a predetermined amount, the ring contacts the shaft, causing the thin ring to be quickly worn away.

Abstract: An uplink demodulator system (44) for use in a processing satellite (12) in a satellite based communications system (10) is provided with a first multiplexer (62), a second multiplexer (82), a multichannel preamble processor (66), and a multichannel phase tracker (68). The first multiplexer (62) is operable to receive channelized data from a plurality of channelization modes at a plurality of inputs and operable to route the channelized data to a first output. The multichannel preamble processor (66) is operable to determine a phase estimate for each channel of the channelized data. The multichannel phase tracker (68) is operable to receive the phase estimates from the multichannel preamble processor (66) and operable to track a phase for each channel of said channelized data to phase align each channel of said channelized data to corresponding uplink signals.

Abstract: A method is provided for organizing a plurality of cells into a fixed size frame for transmission in the downlink of a processing satellite (12) to at least one of a plurality of earth terminals (14), comprising the steps of: (a) determining an inner coding rate (22) for a first set of data cells (20); (b) forming a group of codewords by applying an outer code (24) to the first set of data cells (20), such that the number of codewords being proportional to the inner coding rate; (c) entering the group of codewords row wise (26) into an interleaving array; and (d) applying an inner code column wise (28) to the group of codewords, thereby forming a fixed size frame body (30).

Abstract: A system (10) for monitoring wear of a vehicle component (12) includes a tire based unit including a transponder (20) positioned at least partially within structure of the component. The transponder (20) is positioned to undergo physical damage when the component (12) undergoes a predetermined amount of wear. The transponder (20) ceases to provide the radio frequency signal (24) when the physical damage occurs. The system (10) also includes a vehicle based unit (40) including a receiver (94) operatively connected to an electronic controller (90). The receiver (94) provides the radio frequency signal (24) to the electronic controller (90). The electronic controller (90) determines that the vehicle component (12) has undergone the predetermined amount of wear when the transponder (20) ceases providing the radio frequency signal (24).

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection apparatus (10) comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) and an inflator (20) for providing inflation fluid for the inflatable device. The inflator (20) has a relatively large diameter body portion (24) and a relatively small diameter neck portion (40) extending from the body portion. The neck portion (40) has an inflation fluid outlet (42). The occupant protection apparatus (10) also comprises a conduit (50) for directing inflation fluid from the inflator (20) into the inflatable device (14). The conduit (50) has a relatively large diameter main body portion (60) secured on the body portion (24) of the inflator (20) by interfitting portions (80, 34) of the main body portion and the body portion of the inflator. The main body portion (60) of the conduit (50) defines a fluid chamber (70) around the neck portion (40) of the inflator (20).

Abstract: A tire condition communication system (10) for a vehicle (12) that has a tire (e.g., 14A). A sensor (e.g., 74), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), senses at least one tire condition. A memory (e.g., 70), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A), holds an identification. Transmitter components (e.g., 80 and 22), associated with the tire (e.g., 14A) and operatively connected to the sensor (74) and the memory (70), transmit a condition signal (e.g., 24A) that indicates the held identification and the sensed tire condition. A vehicle-based unit (28) receives the transmitted condition signal (e.g., 24A) indicative of the held identification and the sensed tire condition. An identification provision unit (e.g., 42A), located on the vehicle (12) adjacent to the tire (e.g., 14A) and having a location identification, transmits the location identification in response to a request. A communication portion (e.g., 48A) of the tire condition sensor unit (e.g.

Abstract: An optical communication system, using a radio frequency (RF) signal for communicating an analog communication signal, includes an optical transmitter and an optical receiver. The optical transmitter generates a reference light beam, generates a phase modulated communication light beam by phase modulating the reference light beam with the analog communication signal, polarizes a portion of the reference light beam and combines the polarized reference light beam and the phase modulated communication light beam.

Abstract: An antenna system for a satellite including a gimbal device, such as a bi-axial gimbal, that employs a first uni-axial gimbal providing movement in one direction and a second uni-axial gimbal providing movement in a perpendicular direction. The first gimbal is mounted to a platform bracket, which is part of a moveable platform. The first gimbal is also mounted to the second gimbal, and the second gimbal is mounted to a satellite bracket secured to the satellite. Both a receive antenna array and a transmit antenna array are mounted to the moveable platform. Therefore, movement of the first gimbal causes the combination of the receive and transmit antenna arrays to move in one direction, and movement of the second gimbal causes the combination of the receive and transmit antenna arrays to move in the perpendicular direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for switching the value of a spring constant K used in a spring mass model (54, 56, 60, 70, 76) for modeling a vehicle occupant in an occupant restraint system (20) includes a sensor (22) for sensing a crash event and providing a crash signal (40) indicative thereof. The spring mass model adjusts the acceleration signal and determines a virtual velocity value (72) and a virtual displacement value (78). The spring value K of the spring mass model is controlled in response to the determined virtual velocity value and the determined virtual displacement value relative to associated switching quadrants defined by predetermined velocity and displacement thresholds.