Abstract: A sensor includes an electrode and a seed structure. The electrode is configured to measure current due to movement of particulate matter relative to the electrode. The seed structure is deposited on the electrode. The seed structure includes a plurality of elongated members extending outward from the surface of the electrode. The elongated members are configured to promote charge transfer to particles and/or agglomerates of the particulate matter during operation of the sensor.

Abstract: A sensor includes an electrode and a seed structure. The electrode is configured to measure current due to movement of particulate matter relative to the electrode. The seed structure is deposited on the electrode. The seed structure includes a plurality of elongated members extending outward from the surface of the electrode. The elongated members are configured to promote charge transfer to particles and/or agglomerates of the particulate matter during operation of the sensor.

Abstract: A sensor includes an electrode and a seed structure. The electrode is configured to measure current due to movement of particulate matter relative to the electrode. The seed structure is deposited on the electrode. The seed structure includes a plurality of elongated members extending outward from the surface of the electrode. The elongated members are configured to promote charge transfer to particles and/or agglomerates of the particulate matter during operation of the sensor.

Abstract: A sensor includes an electrode and a seed structure. The electrode is configured to measure current due to movement of particulate matter relative to the electrode. The seed structure is deposited on the electrode. The seed structure includes a plurality of elongated members extending outward from the surface of the electrode. The elongated members are configured to promote charge transfer to particles and/or agglomerates of the particulate matter during operation of the sensor.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a voltage source, a sensor electrode, a grounded assembly, an integration capacitor, and a current meter. The sensor electrode is coupled to the voltage source to receive a voltage. The sensor electrode is disposed within a directed and controlled exhaust flow to facilitate particle agglomeration into particulate matter structures at a surface of the sensor electrode. The grounded assembly is coupled to a ground reference and disposed at a distance from the sensor electrode. The integration capacitor is coupled to a negative side of the voltage source to integrate in time current pulses from charge transfers from the sensor electrode of the particulate matter structures. The current meter is coupled to the voltage source to measure an integrated value of current supplied to the voltage source in response to charge transfers from the sensor electrode to the particulate matter structures in the exhaust flow.

Abstract: A sensor includes a housing, a central sensor electrode assembly, an insulating member, and a trace. The central sensor electrode assembly is coupled to a supply side of a voltage source. The insulating member is coupled between the housing and the central sensor electrode assembly. The insulating member circumscribes a section of the central sensor electrode assembly. The trace is coupled to the insulating member and circumscribes the section of the central sensor electrode assembly. The trace directs at least a portion of leakage current away from a voltage ground offset on an opposite side of the central sensor electrode assembly.

Abstract: A sensor assembly to measure particulate matter is described. The sensor assembly includes a voltage source, a sensor electrode, a grounded assembly, an integration capacitor, and a current meter. The sensor electrode is coupled to the voltage source to receive a voltage. The sensor electrode is disposed within a directed and controlled exhaust flow within the sensor assembly to facilitate particle agglomeration into particulate matter structures at a surface of the sensor electrode. The grounded assembly is coupled to a ground reference and disposed at a distance from the sensor electrode. The integration capacitor is coupled to a negative side of the voltage source. The integration capacitor is configured to integrate in time current pulses from charge transfers from the sensor electrode of the particulate matter structures.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method maximizes efficiency and accuracy of measuring an ion concentration of a measured fluid by varying a flow of ions within a measuring cell in accordance with an output signal of a sensor cell. The pump current through a pump cell is switched between a constant positive current and a constant negative current when upper and lower thresholds of the output signal are reached. The pulse width ratio of the square wave produced by the varying current is compared to a pulse width ratio function derived from a calibration procedure to determine the ion concentration of the measured fluid. In one embodiment, the functions of the pump cell and sensing cell are performed by a single electrochemical cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a diesel engine in which an air ratio (?) of the fuel which is to be burnt and of the combustion air supplied is set by a control unit (14) according to predetermined values. When a value (15) which is predetermined as a switching criterion is recorded, the control unit (14) switches to a special operating mode for regeneration of a catalytic converter (22) and sets the fuel/air ratio according to predetermined values for this operating mode. To achieve more effective regeneration of the catalytic converter, according to the invention it is provided that at least one afterinjection, which is separated in time from a main injection, of fuel which is also to be burnt takes place in the special operating mode.

Abstract: A programmable vehicle gauge generates and presents display information in accordance with a user modifiable gauge processing configuration. In the exemplary embodiment, data from one or more digital sensor systems is extracted from a digital sensor signal in accordance with a user modifiable data extraction configuration, the extracted data is processed in accordance with a user modifiable display information generation configuration to generate the display information and a user modifiable presentation configuration defines how the display information is presented through an output device. In accordance with the user modifiable presentation configuration, a controller generates control signals to activate visual display devices in a particular format to present the display information generated from the extracted data.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a movable shut-off element, in particular a valve needle, of an injection valve in a motor vehicle engine. The shut-off element is driven by means of a piezo element for the opening or closing of the injection valve. A voltage signal assigned to an electrical voltage detected at the piezo element is determined and used for determining the position of the shut-off element. By means of a model, a modelled variation of the voltage is determined and is likewise used for determining the position of the shut-off element. In particular, the determination of the position of the shut-off element takes place by using the difference from the modelled variation of the voltage and the determined voltage signal.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method maximizes efficiency and accuracy of measuring an oxygen concentration of a measured gas by varying a flow of oxygen ions within a measuring cell (202) in accordance with an output signal of an oxygen sensor cell (206). The pump current (208) through a pump cell (204) is switched between a constant positive current and a constant negative current when upper and lower thresholds of the output signal are reached. The pulse width ratio of the square wave produced by the varying current is compared to a pulse width ratio function derived from a calibration procedure to determine the oxygen concentration of the measured gas.

Abstract: An exhaust guide guides exhaust gases within an exhaust system to an intake portion of a sensor when an input port and an output port of the exhaust guide are positioned within an exhaust gas flow. A high pressure region formed at the input port and a low pressure region formed at the output port facilitate the flow of the gases through a chamber housing that at least houses the intake portion of the sensor. Contamination of the sampled gases by outside air is minimized. In some configurations, the sensor is mounted outside of the exhaust system to increase the thermal isolation between the sensor and the exhaust system improving the performance and increasing the useful life of the sensor.

Abstract: In a method for open-loop and closed-loop control of the number and sequence of strokes in the motive process of a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, in particular a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine with direct injection, it being possible, in the case of leaner-than-stoichiometric combustion, for the residual oxygen not yet used for combustion to be used for further working strokes, and a gas exchange occurring only after the residual oxygen in the combustion chamber has been completely burned or the air ratio &lgr; in the combustion chamber has fallen below a lower limiting value &lgr;grenz.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a diesel engine in which an air ratio (&lgr;) of the fuel which is to be burnt and of the combustion air supplied is set by a control unit (14) according to predetermined values. When a value (15) which is predetermined as a switching criterion is recorded, the control unit (14) switches to a special operating mode for regeneration of a catalytic converter (22) and sets the fuel/air ratio according to predetermined values for this operating mode.

Abstract: In a method for open-loop and closed-loop control of the number and sequence of strokes in the motive process of a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, in particular a reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine with direct injection, it being possible, in the case of leaner-than-stoichiometric combustion, for the residual oxygen not yet used for combustion to be used for further working strokes, and a gas exchange occurring only after the residual oxygen in the combustion chamber has been completely burned or the air ratio &lgr; in the combustion chamber has fallen below a lower limiting value &lgr;grenz

Abstract: The invention provides for a method and device for determining a gas pressure and temperature in a hollow space, including a fuel/air mix in an internal combustion engine combustion chamber. According to the invention, pressure and temperature are detected by means of a measuring element (5) of an ultrasound transducer/pressure sensor combined unit, said measuring element acting both as a pressure measuring element and an ultrasound transducer element to determine temperature. Therefor, said measuring element can be operated at given moments, on one hand as a pressure measuring element and on the other hand as an ultrasound transducer element or continuously, as a pressure measuring element, and furthermore as an ultra-sound transducer element superimposed with the latter. In that case, it is provided that signals should be conveniently separated for the measuring element output signal. The invention can be used, for instance, to determine air volumes for car internal combustion engines.

Abstract: In a measuring arrangement for determining the lift of a valve including a cylindrical valve stem member arranged in overlapping telescopic relationship with a stationary cylindrical member so as to be movable relative thereto, one of the cylindrical members has on its surface adjacent the other cylindrical member first and third capacitor structures which are axially spaced, and insulated from, each other and the other is provided on its surface adjacent the one cylindrical member with a second capacitor structure extending axially over the first and third capacitor structures when the valve is in a closed position, all the capacitor structures being electrically connected to a control unit for determining from the capacitance difference between the first and third capacitor structures the position of the valve member.