Abstract: A process for assembling a composite piece for use in the interior of an automobile. An outward facing skin of the composite piece is connected to a substrate by a foaming material, and at least one switch item is integrated seamlessly into the composite piece. Part of the process includes wrapping a visible portion of each switch item with the outward facing skin. A spare piece is placed against the surface of the visible area of each item opposite the surface located on the visible surface of the composite piece. A foaming material is injected between the skin and the substrate, and then each spare piece is removed. A control component is placed at each cavity left where the removed spare pieces blocked expansion of the foaming material.

Abstract: A process for assembling a composite piece for use in the interior of an automobile. An outward facing skin of the composite piece is connected to a substrate by a foaming material, and at least one switch item is integrated seamlessly into the composite piece. Part of the process includes wrapping a visible portion of each switch item with the outward facing skin. A spare piece is placed against the surface of the visible area of each item opposite the surface located on the visible surface of the composite piece. A foaming material is injected between the skin and the substrate, and then each spare piece is removed. A control component is placed at each cavity left where the removed spare pieces blocked expansion of the foaming material.

Abstract: An interior trim element provided with a display device and a method for producing such an element is disclosed. The interior trim element includes a substrate, an intermediate layer of foam material and a covering skin. It integrates the display device by means of backlighting a facing, the projection of which is shown on a display area of the covering skin. The interior trim element further includes a light box of the display device at least partly fitted into a corresponding receiving mount arranged in the substrate and the layer of intermediate material and extending up to the internal surface of the relevant display area of the skin, and in that a sheet of semi-rigid material is attached, directly or with the interposition of the facing, onto the internal face of the display area.

Abstract: A circuit for providing a D.C. voltage of high value from the output of a rectifying bridge on a capacitor of high capacitance, and for providing low supply voltages, including a first diode connected between the output of the rectifying bridge and the capacitor, first and second cascode-mounted transistors, circuitry for setting the potential of the control terminal of the first transistor, circuitry for reducing the potential of this control terminal when the rectified voltage exceeds a predetermined value, a regulation circuit connected at the connection node of the first and second transistors, and circuitry for applying, to the second transistor, a turn-on pulse of determined duration after the output voltage of the bridge has exceeded the determined value.

Abstract: Driving of a three-phase motor includes controlling the slip of the motor by way of a fuzzy logic algorithm. The simplicity and precision of the fuzzy control of the slip permits dynamically optimizing the efficiency of a three-phase motor under any operating condition, and thereby minimizing power consumption. The control is carried out by knowing: the effective speed of the motor that represents the feedback value, and that may be provided by a common encoder (typically a dynamo or an optic device) keyed on the motor's spindled; the stator frequency imposed on the motor; the required speed; and, of course, the characteristic curve (frequency-torque) of the motor.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling a brushless motor, with windings connected in star (`wye`) formation, including the steps of periodically applying a supply voltage between first and second windings, detecting the presence of a current in a third winding, and an instant of cessation of that current, monitoring the value of a back emf induced in the third winding and detecting a zero crossing point of the back emf, timing a predetermined delay from the zero crossing point, and after the end of the delay, applying the supply voltage to other windings. The invention also provides a method for use with motors having windings connected in delta formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pulse-controlled converter, and a motor electric controller including such a converter. A first switch is controlled by pulses applied to its gate, these pulses being produced by a digital control unit linked to the gate of the first switch via a transformer. The transformer is linked to the digital control unit via a primary circuit and to the gate of the first switch via a secondary circuit. A second switch is directly controlled by the digital control unit. The secondary circuit includes a Zener diode and a resistor which are connected in series between a first terminal of a secondary winding of the transformer and the gate. The digital control unit generates a specific pulse synchronization sequence to control the converter so that problems of short-circuiting on the different bridge arms are avoided.

Abstract: A system provides parallel sequences of control signals, each control signal having a determined duration (T), constant within a sequence, and a predetermined duty cycle, specific to the control signal. A microcontroller (20) includes a central processing unit (21) and a non-volatile memory (23) arranged in blocks (Bij) of lines and columns. Each line corresponds to a word containing at least as many bits as parallel sequences. A Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller (24) and an associated counter (25) sequentially address each word of a block at a fixed frequency and supply bits of this word in parallel to produce the parallel control signals.

Abstract: A pulse-controlled circuit for an insulate gate power transistor (Tp) comprises an auxiliary MOS transistor (T1) connected between the gate and a reference terminal of the power transformer in parallel with a pulse transformer secondary (W2). This circuit comprises two controlled unidirectionally conductive paths in parallel (D1, M1; D2, M2) between one terminal of the transformer secondary and the auxiliary transistor gate, these paths being alternatively rendered conductive when a positive or negative pulse is applied to the secondary of the transformer.

Abstract: A control and monitoring circuit for a power switch comprises a first portion (20) connected to this switch and fed with reference to a floating voltage (V.sub.F) of an electrode of this switch, a second portion (10) connected to circuits external to the switch and fed with reference to a fixed voltage, a coder (40) arranged on the side of the second portion and a suitable decoder (50) arranged on the side of the first portion.

Abstract: A control and monitoring circuit for a power switch comprises a first portion (20) connected to this switch and fed with reference to a floating voltage (V.sub.F) of an electrode of this switch, a second portion (10) connected to circuits external to the switch and fed with reference to a fixed voltage, a coder (40) arranged on the side of the second portion and a suitable decoder (50) arranged on the side of the first portion.