Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Daniel Alexander Crawford

Lisa Marie Unuvar

Joyce D Carsey

Diana K Voges

William Frank Pakkala

Steven C Kekel

Kevin Richard Keegan

Robert James Byram

Daniel Frederick Smith

Steven Alan Kornburger

Paul Louis Du Bois

Donald G Witzel

Ulf Sawert

David L Ehle

Hugh Wesley Ireland

Robert Harold Wind

Michael D Lutton

Mark K Wolfenden

Wayne A Levijoki

Paschal J Romano

Susan Jean Lane

Thomas E Gyoergy

David Lynn Ehle

Michael G Schuplin

Adam L Burnham

Bryan S Kikta

Timothy Lee Budzier

A fuel level indication assembly for a fuel tank includes at least one ultrasonic sensor having a drum to emit and receive a sonic signal. The at least one ultrasonic sensor is adapted to be disposed in either one of a liquid fuel and a fuel vapor/air space within the fuel tank to measure a level of liquid fuel within the fuel tank.

Fuel level indication assembly

An embodiment of the invention is an actuator controller for use in an actuator assembly. The actuator controller includes a processor for controlling an actuator associated with the actuator controller. A communication device is in communication with the processor. The communication device receives control commands from a master controller and is capable of communicating in multiple languages. A memory is accessible by the processor and the processor determines the language of the control commands and retrieves a control program from the memory corresponding to the language.

Actuator controller for selecting a communication language

A method of monitoring faults in a vehicle bulb circuit including bulb and a fuse. The method includes detecting acceleration of the vehicle and comparing the acceleration of the vehicle to a limit. Based on the relationship of the acceleration to the limit, it is determined whether a fault exists in the bulb circuit. An indicator is activated in response to detecting a fault in the bulb circuit. A system for implementing the method is also disclosed.

Method and system for indicating bulb circuit failure

A method for automatically calibrating a vehicle speed sensor signal input to an electronic control system includes operating a vehicle at a reference speed. A speed signal pulse period, generated by a vehicle speed sensor operatively coupled to the vehicle, is measured. The measured speed signal pulse period is then compared to a stored set of pulse period scalings within the electronic control system. A corresponding pulse period scaling is stored in memory if the measured speed signal pulse period matches one of the stored set of pulse period scalings.

Automatic calibration of speed signal scaling

A pulse generator for indicating a change in the magnitude of an input signal includes a comparator, a first network connected to one input of the comparator for receiving the input signal, and a second network connected to the other input of the comparator for receiving the input signal. Both the first and second networks provide output signals to the comparator which transition in response to a magnitude change of the input signal from their respective baseline magnitudes to respective peak magnitudes, and back to their respective baseline magnitudes. The component values of the networks are selected such that one of the first or second network output signals is positive relative to the other network output signal over some period of time during the transition to the peak magnitude and return to the baseline magnitude to cause the comparator to generate a pulse indicating a change in the magnitude of the input signal.

Pulse generator for indicating a change in the magnitude of an input signal

An improved cruise control which produces a desired throttle position that is based in part on a selectively updated integral term. The integral term is only updated when the magnitude of the speed error exceeds a predefined value, thereby eliminating changes in the integral term when the speed error is smaller than the predefined threshold. In other words, the integral term is dynamic and responsive to a current error condition when the speed error magnitude exceeds the threshold, and static when the speed error is within the threshold. In this way, the operational advantages of the integral term are retained while avoiding its disadvantages, and the transition between the static and dynamic states of the integral term are smooth and seamless.

Motor vehicle cruise control with selectively updated integral gain

An improved reverse voltage protection circuit that protects sensitive electronic devices from damage due to both reversed battery connections and source voltage interruptions. An N-channel protection FET is inversely connected between the negative terminal of the protected device and ground, and the conduction of the protection FET is extended during a reverse transient protection period following interruption of the source voltage. A capacitor connected across the gate-to-source circuit of the protection FET is charged from the source voltage through a low impedance charging circuit including a diode to prevent the capacitor from discharging, and is discharged during an interruption of the source voltage through a high impedance discharging circuit connected in parallel with the charging circuit.

Load circuit having extended reverse voltage protection

A vehicle speed control system provides adaptive compensation for compliance in a linking mechanism between a throttle control member and a throttle which creates hysteresis in throttle movement. The system has a vehicle speed sensor, an actuator having an output linked to the throttle control member, an actuator position signal generator and a control responsive to the vehicle speed sensor and the actuator position signal generator for positioning the actuator in closed loop control with a major loop in response to vehicle speed and a minor loop in response to actuator position. The control repeatedly determines when vehicle speed is not within a predetermined range and responds (1) deriving a desired actuator position signal, a present actuator position signal and a position error signal from the difference therebetween, (2) deriving an output position signal from the desired actuator position signal when the position error signal is not zero, (3) modifying the output position signal by a compliance compensation value for actuator movement in a first direction, and (4) activating the actuator to a position corresponding to the output position signal. The control further accumulates the second and subsequent position error signals for actuator movement in the first direction as an accumulated difference value and, when actuator movement is initiated in a second direction, updates the compliance compensation value as a predetermined percentage of the sum of the compliance compensation value and the accumulated difference value.

Vehicle speed control with adaptive compliance compensation

Dynamic adjustment of the impact of automotive vehicle accelerator pedal position on engine inlet air valve position in which a gain is varied in accord with vehicle speed and a limit varied in accord with vehicle speed, the gain being applied in a transfer function between sensed accelerator pedal position and desired inlet air valve position, and the limit being applied to the desired inlet air valve position, with the transfer function varying in accord with an operator selection from a set of transfer functions.

Engine inlet air valve positioning

A recognition algorithm in automotive vehicles having electronic throttle control interprets a combination of operator commands including braking and acceleration commands and imposes a restriction on vehicle motion until a predetermined combination of operator commands are detected.

Recognition algorithm for electronic throttle control

A remote control lever module comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on a support. A friction pad has a pair or surfaces each of which frictionally resists rotation of the shaft with respect to the support and permits relative rotation between the shafts and the support. A bearing assembly is loosely fit about the shaft to assure that the shaft may rotate in the support.

Remote control lever module

A remote control lever module comprises an inner shaft coaxially located inside an outer shaft. The inner and outer shafts are rotatably mounted on a support and can rotate with respect to one another. A return mechanism is engageable with the inner and outer shafts enabling forward rotation of the inner shaft to cause forward rotation of the outer shaft. The return mechanism further enables extended forward rotation of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft, and urges backward rotation of the inner shaft to a rearmost position. The return mechanism limits backward rotation of the inner and outer shafts beyond a nonactuating position. A force spring urges the outer shaft to the nonactuating position. Sensors produce electrical signals proportional to the angular position of the inner and outer shafts. A friction pad can be disposed between the inner shaft and support to frictionally resist rotation of the inner shaft with respect to the support.

An aspirator using positive pressure from a suitable source generates a vacuum pressure when the primary source of vacuum pressure, typically the engine intake manifold, prodcuces insufficient vacuum pressure to operate a device such as a road speed control servomotor. The aspirator assembly is connected to the source of positive pressure and the engine intake manifold as well as to atmosphere and to the device to be operated by vacuum power. When there is sufficient intake manifold vacuum pressure for the desired purpose, there is no flow through the aspirator and the engine intake manifold supplies all of the vacuum needs of the servomotor. When aspirator vacuum pressure is required due to insufficient manifold vacuum pressure, the aspirator is opened to generate aspirated vacuum pressure and the connection between the servomotor and manifold vacuum is closed. The aspirated air is delivered to the engine intake manifold.

Growing community of inventors

Burton, MI, United States of America

Daniel Alexander Crawford