Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Lear Corporation

Charles Francis Weber

Ross Dykstra Pursifull

Allan Joseph Kotwicki

Kah S Oo

Darrel Alan Recker

Rodolfo Palma

David Lee Porter

Ronald Paul Russ

Gary M Klingler

Robert James Wilker

Paul Michael Suzio

Benjamin David Sweet

Bryan Vartanian

Charlie A Richlie

Jack Marshall

Douglas Hughson

Stephen Betts

Bruce S Green

Ct Thomas Clark

Viral Ashokkumar Amin

Gary Tkaczyk

Samuel A Heap, Jr

A seat assembly includes first and second bladders and a controller. The first bladder has a sensor configured to detect a pressure of the first bladder. The controller is configured to inflate the first bladder to a target pressure, as detected by the sensor, and to inflate the second bladder based on time expended for the first bladder to be inflated to the target pressure.

Seat assembly having massage bladders with reduced pressure sensor count

A circuit for interfacing to a limit switch configured to be closed when a wire connected to the limit switch is relatively hot and configured to be opened when the wire is relatively cold includes an input, an output, and a control portion. The input is configured to receive a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal having a duty cycle with a high pulse and a low pulse. The output is configured to apply the PWM signal to an external transistor associated with the wire, and a control portion. The high pulse actuates heating of the wire when the high pulse is applied to the external transistor. The control portion is configured to cause voltage across the limit switch to be substantially zero, whereby arcing of the limit switch is relatively minimal, when the limit switch closes while the high pulse is being applied to the external transistor.

Limit switch interface circuit

A system for measuring a battery voltage is provided. The system includes a battery, a time encoding circuit, and a controller. The time encoding circuit is in electrical communication with the battery to receive the battery voltage. The time encoded circuit is configured to generate a time encoded signal corresponding to the battery voltage. The controller is in electrical communication with the time encoding circuit to receive the time encoded signal and configured to determine the battery voltage based on the time encoded signal.

Circuit to measure vehicle battery voltage

An inductive power transfer system including a synchronous drive system having a resonance control module. The resonance control module includes a primary coil module with a primary LC circuit. The resonance control module seeks and detects the resonant frequency of the primary LC circuit. The synchronous drive system further includes a switching coil amplifier for selectively energizing the primary coil to keep the primary LC circuit operating at or as close as possible to its natural resonant frequency. The inductive power transfer system may further include a secondary receiving unit. The secondary receiving unit includes a secondary LC circuit coupled with the primary LC circuit for inductively receiving power. The secondary LC circuit includes an LC filter and a rectifier unit for operating the secondary LC circuit at a mutual resonance with the primary LC circuit.

System for inductive power transfer

The system includes a fuel sender and a controller. The fuel sender has a variable resistance and the variable resistance varies based on the quantity of fuel in the fuel tank. The controller is in electrical communication with the fuel sender. Further, the controller includes a voltage input for sensing a voltage across the fuel sender, and a voltage output that provides a biasing voltage to the fuel sender. The biasing voltage causes the voltage across the fuel sender to vary with relationship to the variable resistance of the fuel sender. Further, the voltage output is in communication with a circuit that is configured to alternate a direction of current flow through the fuel sender based on the voltage output. By alternating the direction of current flow through the fuel sender, corrosion to the fuel sender due to a reaction with the fuel is minimized.

Fuel level sender circuit with alternating current direction

A method and system are provided for processing multiple sensor output signals of different ranges/sensitivities so as to provide a seamless transition when switching between the different ranges. More specifically, a determination is made as to whether a selected sensor output range is of a sensitivity higher than a predetermined sensitivity. If the sensitivity is higher, the value of a higher sensitivity sensor output is converted to a value corresponding to the predetermined sensitivity range. An error value is then determined between the converted sensor output value and a sensor output corresponding to a range having the predetermined sensitivity. The sensor output is then modified based on the error value when the control process switches from the selected sensor output to the sensor output corresponding to the predetermined sensitivity. This insures that no glitches will occur in a controller output at the time of switchover.

Method and system for seamless transition between multiple feedback ranges

A system for identifying the location of a vehicle is provided. The system includes a sensor, a receiver, a processor, and a database. The sensor is configured to determine the status of a component and transmit a component ID signal and a component status signal to a controller for monitoring status of the vehicle. The receiver is located external to the vehicle and configured to collect the signals from the sensor. The processor is in communication with the receiver and adapted to correlate the component ID signal and the location of the receiver. The database is in communication with the processor and configured to store the component ID and the receiver location.

Vehicle tracking system

A method and system for selecting one of a plurality of voltage signals generated by a plurality of sensors in response to a common sensor input. The method determines which sensor to use based on a comparison the of the output of the sensors to each other and to known values.

Method and system for selecting between two sensor output signals in an electronic throttle system

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for driving and homing a stepper motor. In a preferred embodiment, 24 micro step pulse width modulated (PWM) voltage signals are used to drive the coils of the stepper motor. The phases between the driving signals are 90&#xb0; out of phase. Thus, a sine/cosine methodology is used to drive the motor. Using micro-programmable pulse width modulation (PWM) levels involves the microprocessor reading stored voltage levels from a table stored in memory which corresponds to the amount of angular displacement desired by the motor. These voltage levels are then applied to the motor's coils. The microprocessor performs these operations by executing software instructions stored in memory. The software can be stored in memory located in the controller or in a separate logic block or logic chip. The magnitude of the bounce of a pointer attached to the output shaft of the motor and the magnitude of the noise generated as the pointer contacts a mechanical stop, are both directly related to the applied voltage and speed or frequency of the homing strategy. To reduce the bounce of the pointer and the generated noise to barely discernable levels, the applied voltage is reduced to between 15% and 30% of the normal driving voltage (approximately 1 volt for a 5 volt system). Additionally, the speed of homing is set to a value below the new start-stop frequency of the motor.

Re-zeroing of a stepper motor without noise or movement

A system for generating an analog signal to produce sound using a precision multiple pulse width modulator circuit is disclosed. The system includes a control circuit, a pulse width modulation circuit, and a mixer circuit. The control circuit includes a memory for storing sound tables. The control circuit senses an event, accesses the sound table associated with the event, retrieves an entry value from the sound table, and communicates the entry value with the pulse width modulation circuit. The pulse width modulation circuit includes (I) number of pulse width modulators and the entry value is represented by a number having (I) places where each pulse width modulator represents a place of the number representing the entry value. The mixer circuit includes multiple resistors. Each resistor is connected to a pulse width modulator from the pulse width modulation circuit on one end and the common node of the mixing circuit on the other end. The resistors have the effect of scaling the signal from each pulse width modulator thereby creating an analog signal at the common node corresponding to the entry value of the sound subtable.

Precision, wide band pulse width modulator for digital to analog conversion

A method and system for providing vehicle control to a driver utilizes an accelerator pedal position and other various inputs. A powertrain control module uses the accelerator pedal position and the other various inputs to give the driver a combination of speed and torque control. In operating a vehicle at speeds ranging from zero to forty-five miles per hour, the powertrain controller provides the driver with torque control by mapping pedal position to electronic throttle angle according to a plurality of predetermined acceleration functions. In operating the vehicle at speeds greater than forty-five miles per hour, the powertrain controller provides the driver with speed control by mapping the electronic throttle angle according to a plurality of predetermined speed functions. Upon receiving other various inputs, the powertrain controller switches control from one form to the other.

Method and system for providing vehicle control to a driver

A powertrain control method for an internal combustion engine responsive to an accelerator pedal input, the engine having a throttle responsive to a commanded throttle position. The method comprises the steps of determining the engine speed, determining the accelerator pedal position, and generating a desired throttle position value as a function of at least the accelerator pedal position and engine speed. If the commanded throttle position is greater than the desired throttle position value, the commanded throttle position is limited to the desired value.

Powertrain output monitor

A powertrain control method for an internal combustion engine responsive to an accelerator pedal input, the engine having at least one fuel injector responsive to a commanded fuel signal. The method comprises the steps of determining the engine speed, determining the accelerator pedal position, and generating a desired fuel quantity value as a function of the accelerator pedal position and engine speed. If the commanded fuel signal is greater than the desired fuel quantity value, the commanded fuel signal is limited to the desired value.

A powertrain control method for an internal combustion engine having a throttle responsive to a throttle position command. The method comprises the steps of determining the engine speed, determining the actual throttle position, and generating a desired throttle position value. In one aspect of the invention, the desired throttle position value is generated as a function of the actual throttle position and engine speed. In particular, the throttle position divided by the engine speed can be resolved to a single constant. As such, a simplified powertrain control monitor can be obtained by comparing the throttle position divided by engine speed to a predetermined constant. If the throttle position is greater than the desired throttle position value, the commanded throttle position is limited to the desired value.

A method and apparatus for exciting a three-phase variable reluctance motor is used, for example, as an encoder system to commutate a rotor. The system includes a power source, a position sensor and excitation electronics. The position sensor is adapted to generate a plurality of variable induction values corresponding to relative motor torque rankings and absolute angular positions of the rotor. Excitation electronics is provided electric communication with the inductive sensor and the power source and is adapted to generate digital values of the inductance values corresponding to the motor torque rankings. Excitation electronics includes steering logic responsive to the digital values to generate an output signal having a value corresponding to the phase of the motor to apply current to so as to commutate the rotor.

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Dexter, MI, United States of America

Charles Francis Weber