Abstract: A collision notification circuit includes (i) a collision notification resistor, wherein a voltage change across the collision notification resistor is used to indicate the occurrence of a collision event and potential fault modes of the collision notification circuit, (ii) a high-side power stage circuit coupled between a first power supply and the collision notification resistor and including a first switching transistor, wherein the first switching transistor is controlled by a first drive signal related to the collision event, and (iii) a low-side power stage circuit coupled between the collision notification resistor and ground and comprising a second switching transistor, wherein the second switching transistor is controlled by a second drive signal related to the collision event, wherein the first drive signal and the second drive signal are independent of each other. A control method utilizing a collision notification circuit and an electronic control unit is also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for mixing, for example, salt with water to make brine, includes a mixing vessel removably mounted within a bulk vessel. The mixing vessel is provided with a divider/filtration wall separating a front portion, where solid granular material is provided and mixes with a liquid for purposes of dissolving the solid granular material into the liquid, and a rear portion. The mixing vessel is provided with an agitation pipe along a floor thereof, and is shaped to minimize settled granular material from collecting at the base of the mixing vessel. The divider/filtration wall serves to prevent overflow, includes one or more screens to allow liquid, but prevent granular material larger than the pore size of the screens, to pass from the front portion to the rear portion, and in the event of overflow, minimize turbulence in material passing over the divider/filtration wall, all of which promote delivery of a uniform distribution of dissolved material to the batch tank.

Abstract: A chip ground detection device includes (i) a current source, (ii) a switching device including one or more switching units, (iii) a voltage monitoring unit coupled to an exposed pad of a chip via the one or more switching units, and (iv) a control unit for controlling the one or more switching units and configured to close the one or more switching units when the current source is operating, such that the voltage monitoring unit obtains a first voltage V1 on the exposed pad; is configured to close the one or more switching units when the current source is not operating, such that the voltage monitoring unit obtains a second voltage V2 on the exposed pad; and determines a ground resistance for the exposed pad based on the first voltage V1 and the second voltage V2 . An application-specific integrated circuit chip, a method of chip ground detection, and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for operating a plurality of electronic modules of a vehicle is disclosed. The plurality of electronic modules are connected to a vehicle data bus for communication and the plurality of electronic modules are connected to a power cable for power. The method includes (1) transmitting first information from a first electronic module of a plurality of electronic modules through a vehicle data bus to a second electronic module, (ii) transmitting second information from a first electronic module through a power cable to a second electronic module, the second information including redundant information of the first information or negated information of the first information, and (iii) at the second electronic module, operating the second electronic module based on the first information obtained from the vehicle data bus and/or the second information obtained from the power cable. An in-vehicle communication system and a computer program product are also disclosed.

Abstract: A modular boom for attaching to a prime mover and configured to dispense a solution to remove snow and deice a surface. The boom includes a boom shroud having a main body extending from a first end to a second end. The main body of the boom shroud has a substantially wedge shaped portion with an edge configured to engage a snow pile or windrow of snow and cause snow to flow about the wedge shaped portion. The boom shroud includes an opening in a bottom of the main body that provides access to an interior cavity. The modular boom includes a boom pipe positioned within the interior cavity of the boom shroud and has ends that extend beyond the boom shroud. The boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along the length configured to dispense the solution onto the surface. The modular boom also includes first and second end caps configured to support the end of the boom pipe and to connect to the first and second ends of the boom shroud to provide structural rigidity to the modular boom.

Abstract: A method of operating a deicing system remotely, including connecting a control for the deicing system with the deicing system. When the control and the deicing system are connected, the method includes providing functionality for controlling operation of the deicing system, including control of application rates, and managing workflow and operation including job tracking.

Abstract: A method for the self-diagnosis of a vehicle system that is supplied with energy by an on-board vehicle electrical system and includes a control unit with at least one integrated system circuit, which includes at least one internal energy supply, a sequence and logic controller and a safety controller, and with at least one microcontroller, and a vehicle system for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A modular boom for attaching to a prime mover and configured to dispense a solution to remove snow and deice a surface. The boom includes a boom shroud having a main body extending from a first end to a second end. The main body of the boom shroud has a substantially wedge shaped portion with an edge configured to engage a snow pile or windrow of snow and cause snow to flow about the wedge shaped portion. The boom shroud includes an opening in a bottom of the main body that provides access to an interior cavity. The modular boom includes a boom pipe positioned within the interior cavity of the boom shroud and has ends that extend beyond the boom shroud. The boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along the length configured to dispense the solution onto the surface. The modular boom also includes first and second end caps configured to support the end of the boom pipe and to connect to the first and second ends of the boom shroud to provide structural rigidity to the modular boom.

Abstract: A modular boom for attaching to a prime mover and configured to dispense a solution to remove snow and deice a surface. The boom includes a boom shroud having a main body extending from a first end to a second end. The main body of the boom shroud has a substantially wedge shaped portion with an edge configured to engage a snow pile or windrow of snow and cause snow to flow about the wedge shaped portion. The boom shroud includes an opening in a bottom of the main body that provides access to an interior cavity. The modular boom includes a boom pipe positioned within the interior cavity of the boom shroud and has ends that extend beyond the boom shroud. The boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along the length configured to dispense the solution onto the surface. The modular boom also includes first and second end caps configured to support the end of the boom pipe and to connect to the first and second ends of the boom shroud to provide structural rigidity to the modular boom.

Abstract: A method of operating a brine dispensing system of a brine making system includes connecting remotely to a controller of the brine making system with a control application. A brine transfer from brine storage of the brine making system to an external storage is initiated with the control application.

Abstract: A system for mixing, for example, salt with water to make brine, includes a mixing vessel removably mounted within a bulk vessel. The mixing vessel is provided with a divider/filtration wall separating a front portion, where solid granular material is provided and mixes with a liquid for purposes of dissolving the solid granular material into the liquid, and a rear portion. The mixing vessel is provided with an agitation pipe along a floor thereof, and is shaped to minimize settled granular material from collecting at the base of the mixing vessel. The divider/filtration wall serves to prevent overflow, includes one or more screens to allow liquid, but prevent granular material larger than the pore size of the screens, to pass from the front portion to the rear portion, and in the event of overflow, minimize turbulence in material passing over the divider/filtration wall, all of which promote delivery of a uniform distribution of dissolved material to the batch tank.

Abstract: A method of operating a deicing system remotely, including connecting a control for the deicing system with the deicing system. When the control and the deicing system are connected, the method includes providing functionality for controlling operation of the deicing system, including control of application rates, and managing workflow and operation including job tracking.

Abstract: A modular boom for attaching to a prime mover and configured to dispense a solution to remove snow and deice a surface. The boom includes a boom shroud having a main body extending from a first end to a second end. The main body of the boom shroud has a substantially wedge shaped portion with an edge configured to engage a snow pile or windrow of snow and cause snow to flow about the wedge shaped portion. The boom shroud includes an opening in a bottom of the main body that provides access to an interior cavity. The modular boom includes a boom pipe positioned within the interior cavity of the boom shroud and has ends that extend beyond the boom shroud. The boom pipe having spaced apart apertures along the length configured to dispense the solution onto the surface. The modular boom also includes first and second end caps configured to support the end of the boom pipe and to connect to the first and second ends of the boom shroud to provide structural rigidity to the modular boom.

Abstract: A multi-line supply unit for a vehicle control unit, including at least two supply lines each connected to a vehicle voltage source at the input and brought together at a common node at the output; and a protective device, including, in each of the supply lines, at least one first damping diode looped into the supply lines in the forward direction, between the vehicle voltage source and the node; and an operating method for such a multi-line supply unit. At least one switch element is looped into each of the supply lines, respectively, in parallel with the damping diode, respectively; an evaluation and control unit measuring and evaluating a line voltage at the inputs of the supply lines, respectively, and measuring and evaluating a reverse-polarity-protected supply voltage at the common node, and controlling the switch elements in the supply lines as a function of the evaluation, using corresponding control signals.

Abstract: A multi-line supply unit for a vehicle control unit, including at least two supply lines each connected to a vehicle voltage source at the input and brought together at a common node at the output; and a protective device, including, in each of the supply lines, at least one first damping diode looped into the supply lines in the forward direction, between the vehicle voltage source and the node; and an operating method for such a multi-line supply unit. At least one switch element is looped into each of the supply lines, respectively, in parallel with the damping diode, respectively; an evaluation and control unit measuring and evaluating a line voltage at the inputs of the supply lines, respectively, and measuring and evaluating a reverse-polarity-protected supply voltage at the common node, and controlling the switch elements in the supply lines as a function of the evaluation, using corresponding control signals.

Abstract: A system and method are provided employing an improved re-sealable self-aligning sliding magnetic seal system comprising two cooperating parts. A first of two cooperating parts of the magnetic toner seal is configured with a foam base or support component attached to one material transport component. The foam base or support component has a thin flexible magnet layer formed or fixed on top of a portion that faces another material transport component in operation. A second of two cooperating parts of the magnetic toner seal may is configured as a corresponding thin flexible magnet layer attached directly to the another material transport component. The thin flexible magnet layers are cut so that the magnetic poles line up when the material transport components to which the two cooperating parts are attached are aligned. The disclosed configuration support making the two cooperating parts of the toner seal generally self-aligning.

Abstract: A system and method are provided employing an improved re-sealable self-aligning sliding magnetic seal system comprising two cooperating parts. A first of two cooperating parts of the magnetic toner seal is configured with a foam base or support component attached to one material transport component. The foam base or support component has a thin flexible magnet layer formed or fixed on top of a portion that faces another material transport component in operation. A second of two cooperating parts of the magnetic toner seal may is configured as a corresponding thin flexible magnet layer attached directly to the another material transport component. The thin flexible magnet layers are cut so that the magnetic poles line up when the material transport components to which the two cooperating parts are attached are aligned. The disclosed configuration support making the two cooperating parts of the toner seal generally self-aligning.