Abstract: As one example, a method is provided for controlling a relative amount of air and fuel that is provided to a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The method comprises adjusting a relative amount of air and fuel provided to the combustion chamber during an engine start based on a volatility of the fuel identified during a previous engine start. As another example, a vehicle engine system is provided, comprising: an internal combustion engine including at least one combustion chamber; a fuel injector configured to provide fuel to the combustion chamber; a fuel system operatively coupled with the fuel injector including a fuel storage tank; a control system configured to vary an amount of fuel injected into the combustion chamber during an engine start based on a speed response of the engine during a previous engine run-up from rest and a change in an amount of fuel stored in the fuel storage tank before the engine start.

Abstract: A new variety of miniature rose suitable for garden decoration, having single-petaled flowers of cardinal red coloration and a small white eye zone.

Abstract: Magnetic stripe readers are disclosed that are configured to extract information from magnetic media and encrypt part of the extracted information. Embodiments of magnetic stripe readers include measures to resist tampering and inputs to receive unencrypted information from input devices. One embodiment includes a housing containing a magnetic reading head connected to a decoder circuit that is connected to an encryption engine. The magnetic reading head generates a signal indicative of a magnetic field. The decoder circuit is configured to extract data from the output of the magnetic reading head and the encryption engine is configured to encrypt a portion of the extracted data and the encryption engine is configured to pass a portion of the extracted data unencrypted.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a simplified remote control device for use by small children and others without supervision or assistance. Each button of a remote control device may be programmed to correspond to a specific track or chapter of a DVD or to a specific channel for a television. A menu card that slides in and out of a slot behind the remote control unit's buttons may be utilized to change the appearance of the remote control unit, such that the appearance may be tailored to the content of specific DVDs and the like. Other embodiments of the present invention provide for a simplified remote control device that may be used by seniors, or used by personnel in specialized settings such as sports bars.

Abstract: Systems and methods for personalizing data card are disclosed. One embodiment includes a card receiver configured to receive one or more data cards, a control system connected to the card receiver, the control system configured to receive personalization information, an encoder system connected to the control system, the encoder system configured to encode the one or more data cards with at least some portion of the personalization information, a card reader connected to the control system, the card reader configured to read magnetic fingerprint information from the one or more data cards, and the control system configured to store the magnetic fingerprint information.

Abstract: This invention is an advance in coating chemistry, curing technology, related apparatus and the products made thereby. The invention encompasses a substrate bonded to a coating cured, at least in part, cationically by a light having a wavelength in a range of 100 nm to 1200 nm and an intensity in a range of 0.0003 W/cm2/nm to 0.05 W/cm2/nm. Methods and systems for coating substrates and curing the coated products are encompassed. The invention encompasses apparatus and ink jet printers utilizing this curing technology.

Abstract: A system is described using a fuel quality sensor for controlling various aspects of engine operation. In particular, an acoustic wave sensor is utilized to measure viscosity and density of gasoline fuels. This measurement is utilized to predict engine combustion quality during an engine start. Based on the prediction, the method adjusts engine operating parameters (such as fuel injection amount and ignition timing) to achieve improved vehicle driveability and engine combustion.

Abstract: A method to deliver fuel during a start for an internal combustion engine is described. The method provides individual cylinder fuel control based on the number of fueled cylinder events. The method offers improved engine emissions while maintaining engine run-up performance.

Abstract: A trowel blade includes a pre-finished, hardened and tempered blade having at least two apertures formed therethrough. Each aperture has a cross section tapering from a larger opening in a bottom of the blade to a smaller opening in a top of the blade. At least two cleats are also provided, each cleat being disposed in one of the apertures and each cleat having a lower portion, deformed within the aperture to have a frusto-conical shape mating with internal walls of the aperture. Each cleat also has an upper, inverted frusto-conical portion having a lower surface mating with an upper surface of the blade, and an upper shoulder. The upper shoulder of the upper portion extends upwardly from the lower surface of the upper portion and outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the cleat. The cleats are formed of an integral, rigid material and are collectively configured to provide a substantially rigid interface between the pre-finished blade and a removable handle of the pre-finished blade.

Abstract: A system is described using a fuel quality sensor for controlling various aspects of engine operation. In particular, an acoustic wave sensor is utilized to measure viscosity and density of gasoline fuels. This measurement is utilized to predict engine combustion quality during an engine start. Based on the prediction, the method adjusts engine operating parameters (such as fuel injection amount and ignition timing) to achieve improved vehicle driveability and engine combustion.

Abstract: A method to deliver fuel during a start for an internal combustion engine is described. The method provides individual cylinder fuel control based on the number of fueled cylinder events. The method offers improved engine emissions while maintaining engine run-up performance.

Abstract: A method to deliver fuel during a start for an internal combustion engine is described. The method provides individual cylinder fuel control based on the number of fueled cylinder events. The method offers improved engine emissions while maintaining engine run-up performance.

Abstract: A system is described using a fuel quality sensor for controlling various aspects of engine operation. In particular, an acoustic wave sensor is utilized to measure viscosity and density of gasoline fuels. This measurement is utilized to predict engine combustion quality during an engine start. Based on the prediction, the method adjusts engine operating parameters (such as fuel injection amount and ignition timing) to achieve improved vehicle driveability and engine combustion.

Abstract: A system (12) and method for controlling the injection of fuel into a cylinder (14) of an internal combustion engine (10) are provided. The system (12) includes a fuel injector (22), a temperature sensor (48), and an electronic control unit (ECU) (50). The fuel is parsed into a plurality of components based on the boiling points of elements of the fuel. ECU (50) stores mass fraction values for each component relative to the total mass of a sample of the fuel along with vaporization rates for each component. These values are used by the ECU (50) to account for different vaporization rates among fuel elements. In accordance with the invention, ECU (50) is further configured to adjust the mass fraction values responsive to the combustion air-fuel ratio and the engine temperature to account for the different volatility characteristics of various fuels.

Abstract: A method and system 10 for reducing cold-start emissions of an automotive vehicle 12 having an internal combustion engine 26. System 10 includes a main controller or control system 14, a variable valve timing system 16, an ignition system 18, a fuel metering system 20, and vehicle operating condition sensors 22. Controller 14 detects cold-start conditions based on signals received from sensors 22, and in response to such a detection, controller 14 generates command signals to said variable valve timing system 16, to said ignition system 18, and to said fuel metering system 20, effective to respectively alter valve timing, spark timing, and said air/fuel delivery of engine 26 in a manner which synergistically increases air/fuel enleanment limits, improves combustion characteristics, and increases exhaust gas temperature, thereby reducing cold-start emissions.

Abstract: Air/fuel and ignition control of engine are used to more rapidly heat-up a catalytic converter. A control system generates a fuel command for fuel delivery to the engine based upon at least an amount of air inducted into the engine. The fuel command is corrected by a correction value so that the exhaust gas mixture is shifted more closely to the preselected air/fuel ratio. Correction values are adaptively learned during warm engine operation from a feedback signal derived from an exhaust gas oxygen sensor. Initial warm correction values are stored in a reference table. At engine shut-off the difference between the warm correction values and the reference table are stored in an offset correction table. This offset correction table is then used during the next engine cold start to schedule the open-loop air/fuel ratio by using the cold adaptive table values which have been modified by the values stored in the corresponding cells of the offset correction value table.

Abstract: A catalyst system employed in the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine (10) wherein the catalyst deterioration is monitored by an engine controller (26) connected to a first oxygen sensor (22) mounted upstream of a catalyst (18) and a second oxygen sensor (24) mounted downstream. After a cold start of the engine (10) a calibration of the first and second sensors is conducted, to assure accuracy between the two sensors and determine if one of the sensors has failed, and also a light-off time for the catalyst (18) is determined as one way to measure the deterioration of the catalyst. After the engine (10) has warmed up to operating temperature, a test is run to determine the ability of the catalyst (18) to store oxygen therein, being another indication of catalyst deterioration.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a quantity of fuel to be injected into a multi-cylinder, internal combustion engine during each combustion event of the engine includes an air flow sensor for sensing a quantity of air flowing through the engine. An electronic control unit is operative to determine a desired combustion fuel quantity based on the quantity of air flowing through the engine and determine a desired fuel injection quantity based on a previous fuel injection quantity delivered during a previous combustion event and the desired combustion fuel quantity. The control unit is further operative to control the amount of fuel injected into the engine for the current combustion event based on the desired fuel injection quantity.

Abstract: A catalyst system employed in the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine (10) wherein the catalyst deterioration is monitored by an engine controller (26) connected to a first oxygen sensor (22) mounted upstream of a catalyst (18) and a second oxygen sensor (24) mounted downstream. After a cold start of the engine (10) a light-off time for the catalyst (18) is determined as one way to measure the deterioration of the catalyst. After the engine (10) has warmed up to operating temperature, a test is run to determine the ability of the catalyst (18) to store oxygen therein, being another indication of catalyst deterioration.

Abstract: A method for accelerating the rotational speed of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders each having a spark plug wherein a predetermined amount of delivered fuel is to be combusted at a firing time within each of the plurality of cylinders with each rotation of the camshaft or crankshaft based on an acceleration input made by an operator includes the step of receiving the accelerating input, measuring the rotational speed of the crankshaft, defining an expected engine speed based on the acceleration input, calculating a speed error as the rotational speed of the crankshaft less the expected engine speed, calculating engine acceleration and adjusting the predetermined amount of fuel delivered to be combusted in each of the plurality of cylinders to reduce the speed error when the speed error is a function of the instantaneous engine speed. The preferred embodiment is implemented using fuzzy logic.