Abstract: A system is adapted to manage the distribution of content to one or more cooperating media/substrates. The system receives data representative of environment conditions for one or more cooperating media/substrates adapted to display digital content. The media/substrates may be located in public spaces. The system compares the received data representative of environment conditions with selection criteria to identify content for distribution to the media/substrates. The selected content is distributed to the one or more cooperating media/substrates.

Abstract: An exhaust component includes at least one muffler that has an inlet and an outlet. One pipe body is connected to each of the inlet and the outlet. The pipe bodies each have first and second ends that define a respective overall pipe length. Each pipe body defines a sole exhaust flow path between their first and second ends. A passive valve assembly is mounted outside of the muffler and within one of the pipe bodies. The passive valve assembly is positioned at a location within a first 25% of the overall pipe length of one of the pipe bodies relative to the inlet or outlet of the muffler.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve supported by a shaft within the valve body, and an actuator that drives the shaft to move the valve relative to the valve body. A side load feature engages one portion of the shaft to reduce valve chatter by side loading the shaft.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve supported by a shaft within the valve body, and an actuator that moves the valve relative to the valve body to control exhaust flow. The actuator is thermally isolated from the valve by a linkage mechanism that cooperates with exhaust flow to move the valve between open and closed positions. The actuator temporarily contacts the linkage mechanism to initiate opening and closing movement but then moves out of contact with the linkage mechanism as the exhaust flow exerts a force against the valve to move the valve to a fully open or fully closed position. This temporary contact between the linkage mechanism and the actuator reduces heat transfer from the valve to the actuator.

Abstract: A method of presenting weather phenomenon information including receiving weather data. At least one weather phenomenon represented by the weather data is identified. A plurality of current parameters related to the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon is determined. A plurality of historical parameters corresponding to one or more previous states of the at least one weather phenomenon is associated with the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon if at least one previous state of the at least one weather phenomenon has been identified. A plurality of forecasted parameters for the at least one weather phenomenon is calculated. Characteristics of the at least one weather phenomenon based on at least a first subset of the current parameters, the historical parameters, and the forecasted parameters are displayed.

Abstract: A method of presenting weather phenomenon information including receiving weather data. At least one weather phenomenon represented by the weather data is identified. A plurality of current parameters related to the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon is determined. A plurality of historical parameters corresponding to one or more previous states of the at least one weather phenomenon is associated with the current state of the at least one weather phenomenon if at least one previous state of the at least one weather phenomenon has been identified. A plurality of forecasted parameters for the at least one weather phenomenon is calculated. Characteristics of the at least one weather phenomenon based on at least a first subset of the current parameters, the historical parameters, and the forecasted parameters are displayed.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve fixed to a valve shaft where the flapper valve is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. A resilient member biases the flapper valve toward the closed position. An electric actuator actively moves the flapper valve at least from the closed position to the intermediate position. A coupling mechanism couples the valve shaft to an electric actuator shaft and allows the flapper valve to move to the open position in response to exhaust flow sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the resilient member without requiring input from the electric actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust component includes at least one muffler that has an inlet and an outlet. One pipe body is connected to each of the inlet and the outlet. The pipe bodies each have first and second ends that define a respective overall pipe length. Each pipe body defines a sole exhaust flow path between their first and second ends. A passive valve assembly is mounted outside of the muffler and within one of the pipe bodies. The passive valve assembly is positioned at a location within a first 25% of the overall pipe length of one of the pipe bodies relative to the inlet or outlet of the muffler.

Abstract: A control mechanism for a noise attenuation valve in a vehicle exhaust system is configured to significantly reduce operational noises. The noise attenuation valve includes a flapper valve (18) that is supported on a shaft (16) for rotation within an inlet tube (14). The shaft is coupled to an actuator (27) with a linkage assembly (30). The linkage assembly (30) includes a lever (42) that contacts noise attenuation pads (48) at maximum travel limits defined by a backing plate (46) to reduce operational noise. In one example configuration, the actuator provides a bottomless solenoid configuration and utilizes a pulse width modulation control module to further reduce operational noises.

Abstract: A passive valve assembly for an exhaust system is mounted within an exhaust tube. The exhaust tube has a bore that defines an exhaust flow path having a cross-sectional area. One end of the exhaust tube is to be connected to a first exhaust component and a second end of the exhaust tube is to be connected to a second exhaust component such that the exhaust tube forms a sole exhaust path between the first and the second exhaust components. The passive valve assembly includes a vane that is mounted within the bore, and which is moveable between an open position and a closed position. A resilient member biases the vane toward the closed position. When the vane is in the closed position, the vane covers 80% to 97% of the cross-sectional area.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve fixed to a valve shaft where the flapper valve is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. A resilient member biases the flapper valve toward the closed position. An electric actuator actively moves the flapper valve at least from the closed position to the intermediate position. A coupling mechanism couples the valve shaft to an electric actuator shaft and allows the flapper valve to move to the open position in response to exhaust flow sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the resilient member without requiring input from the electric actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve that is mounted on a shaft for rotation within an exhaust component housing between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. An electric actuator is coupled to the shaft to control movement of the flapper valve. The electric actuator moves the flapper valve to the open position for high speed engine conditions. When engine speeds are lowered, and while all engine cylinders remain active, the electric actuator moves the flapper valve to the intermediate position. Once the flapper valve is in the intermediate position, if an engine cylinder is subsequently deactivated, the electric actuator quickly and quietly moves the flapper valve from the intermediate position to the closed position.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve fixed to a valve shaft where the flapper valve is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. A resilient member biases the flapper valve toward the closed position. An electric actuator actively moves the flapper valve at least from the closed position to the intermediate position. A coupling mechanism couples the valve shaft to an electric actuator shaft and allows the flapper valve to move to the open position in response to exhaust flow sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the resilient member without requiring input from the electric actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a flapper valve fixed to a valve shaft where the flapper valve is movable between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position. A resilient member biases the flapper valve toward the closed position. An electric actuator actively moves the flapper valve at least from the closed position to the intermediate position. A coupling mechanism couples the valve shaft to an electric actuator shaft and allows the flapper valve to move to the open position in response to exhaust flow sufficient to overcome a biasing force of the resilient member without requiring input from the electric actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust system includes an exhaust tube for conveying a heated exhaust flow from an engine. A valve is mounted at least partially within the exhaust tube for noise attenuation. The valve includes a bias member mounted outside of the engine exhaust tube within a heat transfer environment to maintain the bias member at a low temperature. The bias member biases the valve against the heat exhaust flow toward a predetermined position. The valve is mounted within a section of the tube having a smaller cross-sectional area and pivots into a larger cross-sectional area section of the exhaust tube to avoid interference with tube walls and provide a relatively large range of movement.

Abstract: An exhaust valve for an exhaust component includes a shaft defining an axis and a flapper valve that is fixed to the shaft for rotational movement about the axis. The flapper valve is mounted within an interior cavity of a valve housing that is defined by an inner diameter. The flapper valve comprises a disc-shaped body that has a maximum flapper diameter that is less than the inner diameter. A unidirectional drive unit is used to move the flapper valve between open and closed positions such that the flapper valve only rotates in one direction about the axis.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve supported by a shaft within the valve body, and an actuator that moves the valve relative to the valve body to control exhaust flow. The actuator is thermally isolated from the valve by a linkage mechanism that cooperates with exhaust flow to move the valve between open and closed positions. The actuator temporarily contacts the linkage mechanism to initiate opening and closing movement but then moves out of contact with the linkage mechanism as the exhaust flow exerts a force against the valve to move the valve to a fully open or fully closed position. This temporary contact between the linkage mechanism and the actuator reduces heat transfer from the valve to the actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve supported by a shaft within the valve body, and an actuator that drives the shaft to move the valve relative to the valve body. A thermal isolator is associated with the shaft to reduce heat transfer from the valve to the actuator.

Abstract: An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve supported by a shaft within the valve body, and an actuator that drives the shaft to move the valve relative to the valve body. A side load feature engages one portion of the shaft to reduce valve chatter by side loading the shaft.

Abstract: An exhaust processor (12) comprises an isolated interior volume (16) that is defined in a housing (18) of the exhaust processor (12) so as to be isolated from exhaust gas in the housing (18). A motion converter (20) is positioned in the isolated interior volume (16) and is configured to convert in the isolated interior volume (16) linear movement of a linear valve actuator (22) into rotation of an exhaust valve (17). A cushioning pad (120, 122, 320, 420) can be used in a variety of exhaust processors (12, 212) to facilitate positioning of the exhaust valve (17). An associated method is disclosed.