Abstract: Movable vehicular assembly including an electricity generating system includes a movable substrate such as a tire, a power generating system arranged on, in connection with or within the substrate and to generate energy from movement of the substrate, and a circuit coupled to the power generating system and including an energy storage device. The circuit is operable in an active mode when the substrate moves and the power generating system generates energy or the energy storage device contains energy for powering the circuit and in a passive mode when the substrate is not moving and the energy storage device does not contain sufficient energy to power the circuit. The circuit receives power to operate in the passive mode from a signal received by the circuit. Components which may be part of the circuit include a surface-acoustic-wave device and a radio-frequency identification device.

Abstract: Accident avoidance system onboard a host vehicle includes a position determining system for determining position information for the host vehicle based on signals received from a plurality of satellites, a transmitter for broadcasting the position information for the host vehicle to locations remote from the host vehicle, a receiver for receiving a traffic information broadcast from an infrastructure system including vehicle position information received from position-reporting vehicles and vehicle position information received from an active position determining system that acquires position information for non-position-reporting vehicles. and an accident risk warning system. The risk warning system alerts an operator of the host vehicle of a risk of an accident involving the host vehicle based on the vehicle position information for the host vehicle and map data representing a roadway that the host vehicle is approaching or traveling on including edges or lane boundaries of the roadway.

Abstract: Method and system for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle includes directing illumination into the compartment, spatial or temporally modulating the illumination, receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, and analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object. The compartment may be a passenger compartment of an automobile, the trunk of an automobile or the interior of a trailer of a truck. The illumination may be directed from a light source and the reflected light received at a receiver spaced apart from the light source. Analysis of the reflected light may therefore entail applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object. The same method and system can be adapted for monitoring the environment around the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicular system for determining the presence of an object in a passenger compartment of the vehicle includes a first image receiver arranged at a first location for obtaining a first two-dimensional view of a portion of the compartment, and a second image receiver arranged at a second location for obtaining a second two-dimensional view of the same portion of the compartment, the second image receiver being arranged relative to the first image receiver such that three dimensions of the portion of the compartment are encompassed by the first and second views. A processor receives images from the first and second image receivers and determines whether an object is present in the compartment based on the images. A reactive system, such as an airbag assembly, may be coupled to the processor and controlled thereby based on the determination of whether an object is present in the imaged portion of the compartment.

Abstract: Vehicle with tire monitoring capabilities includes at least one wheel, each including a rim, a tire mounted on the rim, a sensor system for sensing angular, radial, tangential and/or lateral acceleration of the tire and providing acceleration signals based thereon, and an antenna arranged on the rim or tire and coupled to the sensor system for communicating data about the sensed acceleration. A processor receives acceleration signals provided by the sensor system and determines the existence of an anomaly in the tire based thereon. When arranged on the wheel, the processor provides a signal indicative or representative of the determination of the existence of the anomaly via the antenna to a receiving antenna which conveys it to a reactive system. The reactive system may provide a visual and/or audible warning to the driver of the vehicle or to personnel at a vehicle or tire monitoring facility.

Abstract: Electronic system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Abstract: System and method for adjusting at least one pedal for a driver in a vehicle in which a determining system determines one or more morphological characteristics of the driver, a motor is coupled to the pedal(s) and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to move the pedal(s) relative to a floor of the vehicle and thus adjust the position of the pedal(s) relative to the driver, and a control circuit is coupled to the determining system and the motor for automatically controlling the motor based on the determined morphological characteristic(s) of the driver. The pedal may be an accelerator pedal and/or a brake pedal of the vehicle.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for classifying an occupying item in a seat includes at least one force sensor arranged to measure the force applied to the seat at time intervals, and a processor coupled to the force sensor(s) for receiving the force measurements therefrom. The processor analyzes the force measurements from each force sensor over time to discern patterns in the force measurements and analyzes any discerned pattern to determine if it approximates a known pattern indicative of an animate object or an inanimate object. The processor may be trained to discern patterns providing information about the occupying item by conducting tests in which different occupying items are placed in the seat and measurements of the force applied to the seat are obtained by the force sensor, before, during and after placement of the occupying item in the seat.

Abstract: Method and system for monitoring a vehicle driver includes an optical imaging system that obtains images of the driver, and a processor coupled to the optical imaging system and arranged to analyze the images obtained by the optical imaging system to locate a head of the driver in the images and monitor the driver's head or a part thereof over time. The processor also determines, based on the monitoring of the driver's head or part thereof, whether the driver has lost the ability to operate the vehicle. A reactive component is affected by the processor's determination that the driver has lost the ability to operate the vehicle, and requires action by the driver to indicate regaining of the ability to operate the vehicle or exerting control over the vehicle to slow the vehicle and bring it to a stop.

Abstract: Electronic system in a vehicle includes crash sensor systems each arranged to sense a crash involving the vehicle and occupant protection systems each including an occupant protection device arranged to protect an occupant in the event of a crash involving the vehicle. The crash sensor system(s) and the occupant protection system(s) are connected to a bus and supplied with power by the bus and communication through the bus. Each occupant protection device is actuated in the event of a crash involving the vehicle as sensed by a crash sensor system. Each occupant protection system may include a power supply for providing power to enable actuation of the occupant protection device, diagnostic circuitry for self-diagnosis, an occupant sensor and a controller for controlling actuation of the occupant protection device based on a signal received from a crash sensor system over the bus, and data from the occupant sensor.

Abstract: System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors fixed to a frame of the vehicle and arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors.

Abstract: Method and system for obtaining information about an object in a compartment in a vehicle includes directing illumination into the compartment, spatial or temporally modulating the illumination, receiving light reflected from an object in the compartment, and analyzing the reflected light to obtain information about the object. The compartment may be a passenger compartment of an automobile, the trunk of an automobile or the interior of a trailer of a truck. The illumination may be directed from a light source and the reflected light received at a receiver spaced apart from the light source. Analysis of the reflected light may therefore entail applying a triangulation calculation to enable a determination of a distance between the light source and illuminated point on the object. The same method and system can be adapted for monitoring the environment around the vehicle.

Abstract: Vehicular system for determining the presence of an object in a passenger compartment of the vehicle includes a first image receiver arranged at a first location for obtaining a first two-dimensional view of a portion of the compartment, and a second image receiver arranged at a second location for obtaining a second two-dimensional view of the same portion of the compartment, the second image receiver being arranged relative to the first image receiver such that three dimensions of the portion of the compartment are encompassed by the first and second views. A processor receives images from the first and second image receivers and determines whether an object is present in the compartment based on the images. A reactive system, such as an airbag assembly, may be coupled to the processor and controlled thereby based on the determination of whether an object is present in the imaged portion of the compartment.

Abstract: Vehicle including a first substructure and a second substructure arranged such that an interior space is defined by or between the first and second substructures, and an arrangement for determining whether an object is present in the interior space. The arrangement includes ultrasonic transducers arranged on the second substructure and to transmit ultrasonic waves toward the first substructure and receive any waves reflected by objects in the interior space and a processor coupled to the ultrasonic transducers and arranged to determine whether an object is present in the interior space based on reception of waves by the ultrasonic transducers. If the vehicle is an automobile and the interior space is the passenger compartment therein, the first substructure can be the passenger seat and the second substructure can be the A-pillar, in which case, the processor determines the presence or absence of a passenger in the passenger seat.

Abstract: Accident avoidance system for a host vehicle includes a global positioning system residing on the host vehicle for determining the host vehicle's location as the host vehicle travels, a communication system residing on the host vehicle operative to receive signals including information received directly from other vehicles indicating the locations thereof and traffic information received from an infrastructure-based station indicating the locations of other vehicles, and a navigation system residing on the host vehicle coupled to the global positioning system and the communication system.

Abstract: System and method for detecting the presence of contents of a vehicular compartment in which a detector system generates an output signal indicative of the absence of an object in the compartment when an object is not situated in the compartment and a different output signal indicative of a particular object in the compartment when such an object is situated in the compartment. Different output signals are thus generated for different objects. A processor is coupled to the detector system for processing the output signal to create a signal characteristic of the object which is indicative of whether the object is animate or inanimate. This system is coupled to a reactive system for affecting one or more vehicular components when the created signal is indicative of an animate object. The reactive system may be a release device for opening an access door or panel to the compartment.

Abstract: System and method for sensing one or more occupant characteristics of a vehicle occupant in which an electromagnetic energy signal is transmitted toward an occupant location within a vehicle and absorption of the energy signal by a vehicle occupant is detected, if such absorption occurs. An absorption signal indicative of the absorbed energy signal is detected and processed to determine the occupant characteristic(s). Occupant characteristics include the presence or absence of an occupant, size, location, biometric features such as a voice print, a hand print, a finger print, an iris scan and a facial feature, and type, e.g., a child seat. The occupant characteristic may be used to control a vehicular component such as an occupant protection device.

Abstract: Method for obtaining information about tires on a vehicle includes arranging a tire monitor on each tire, arranging an interrogator on the vehicle, arranging antennas on the vehicle, each antenna being spaced apart from one another and associated with some tires and further being spaced different distances from the tire monitors on the associated tires, wirelessly transmitting initiation signals from the interrogator to each tire monitor through the antennas to cause each tire monitor to provide signals containing information about one or more properties of the tire on which the tire monitor is arranged, receiving the signals provided by the tire monitors at the antennas, directing the signals from the antennas to the interrogator, and determining a location of each tire monitor and thus a location of a tire on which the tire monitor is arranged by analyzing the signals provided by each tire monitor.

Abstract: Security system and method for monitoring vehicular compartments includes at least one optical image receiving unit arranged to receive optical images of a compartment of the vehicle, e.g., from at least a portion of the face of a person located at a driver's station in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and produce image signals therefrom and a processor including an electronic facial-recognition system coupled to the optical image receiving unit(s) responsive to the image signals and controllably coupled to the enabling system, and an electronic storage device coupled to the facial-recognition system to store a set of image signals. The facial-recognition system enables ignition of the vehicle system only if signals representative of select characteristics of a scanned face of the person derived from the image signals produced by the optical image receiving unit(s) match a member of a set of signals stored in the electronic storage device.

Abstract: Method for in-vehicle communications during use of the vehicle, in which a first, data-processing component is arranged on the vehicle, at least one second component is arranged on a non-rotating part of the vehicle, each second component being a sensor arranged to measure a property of the vehicle or a component thereof or an actuator arranged to control a system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle, and the first and second components wirelessly communicate with one another. When the second component is a sensor, it wirelessly transmits data about the measured property and the first component receives the data wirelessly from the second component and processes the received data. When the first component is an actuator, it processes data relating to control of the second component and generates and wirelessly transmits signals to the second component to control the system, subsystem or other component of the vehicle.