Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

L-3 Communications Corporation

Borys Joseph Melnyk

Jeff Matson

Paul Allen Berneis

Thomas J Bray

Michael John Cullen

Thomas Scott Gee

Oded M Flascher

An audio signal processing system for a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle has a plurality of audio output producing devices. The system includes an audio input circuit, a processor, an audio output circuit, and at lease one speaker. The audio input circuit receives a plurality of audio signals from the plurality audio output producing devices. The processor is in communication with the audio input circuit for combining the plurality of audio signals. The audio output circuit is in communication with the audio input circuit for receiving the combined plurality of audio output signals. The audio output circuit conditions the plurality of audio signals for output. The at least one speaker broadcasts the conditioned plurality of audio signals to a vehicle occupant.

Audio routing for an automobile

A control device for controlling a plurality of user appliances is disclosed. The device is ergonomically designed to enforce hand placement and eliminate the problem of finding the correct switch to manipulate. Additionally, the controls on the device have software-defined functions, enabling the functions of a plurality of equipment to be managed from a single device. The device has a hand positioning portion having a first set of user actuatable switches for changing an operation of at least one of the plurality of user appliances. The hand positioning portion is configured to align a user's hand with the first set of user actuatable switches. Additionally, the device has a switch pad portion in juxtaposition with the hand positioning portion having a second set of user actuatable switches for changing an operation of at least one of another of the plurality of user appliances.

Control console for an automobile

A 'segmented' CAN bus is provided that extends the cabling scheme of a CAN network to permit isolation of individual nodes of identical type when needed and the ability for a host to determine the network topology. In addition, the CAN bus cabling scheme automatically assigns unique addresses to nodes and guarantees that the network will always be properly terminated. This eliminates the need for jumpers, DIP switches, pre-installation programming, or other hardware requiring human intervention to uniquely identify the nodes on the network. Furthermore, because the physical node topology is determinable, equipment installation and anomaly diagnostics are facilitated.

Communication network for an automobile

A system and method for managing a vehicle's electrical power consumption are disclosed. The vehicle has a plurality of electrical components. The electrical components have varying power requirements. The system of the present invention includes a first battery for supplying power to at least one of the plurality of electrical components and a second battery for supplying power to at least one other of the plurality of electrical components. Further, an isolator is provided for electrically isolating the first battery from the second battery. A power supply for supplying a regulated supply of electrical power and a power distributor in communication with at least one of the first and second batteries for selectively providing electrical power to the plurality of electrical components are also provided. Finally, the system has a processor in communication with the power supply and the power distribution box, the processor is configured to execute source code for managing the vehicle's electrical power consumption.

Power management system and method for an automobile

A system for controlling the idle speed of an automotive engine selects a desired initial idle speed based on a sensed value of at least one engine operating parameter and operates an idle speed module to maintain the engine's idle speed at the desired initial speed. Thereafter, the system determines a desired total heat build for the engine as a function of at least one engine operating parameter and adjusts the idle speed according to a calculated actual heat build for the engine while the engine is operating.

Automative engine idle speed control

A method is provided for maintaining the speed of a spark-ignited internal combustion engine operating at a desired idle speed to compensate for engine speed variations caused by torque disturbances, utilizing an actual idle speed and the desired idle speed expressed as an RPM error ratio. A desired operating torque ratio is determined based on the torque available, a torque ratio reserve created by retarding spark from the maximum spark advance value and a torque ratio correction which reflects the torque disturbance. A desired final spark advance value is obtained from the desired operating torque ratio utilizing a nonlinear relationship between spark advance and torque ratio. The spark advance is modified to the desired final spark advance value so as to vary the torque supplied by the engine in order to maintain the desired idle speed.

Growing community of inventors

Allen Park, MI, United States of America

Borys Joseph Melnyk