Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Larry Max Oberdier

David Kay Lambert

Da Yu Wang

Paul Casey Kikuchi

Bruno Lequesne

Thaddeus Schroeder

Donald T Morelli

Walter Thomas Symons

John Richard Troxell

Kaius Kiiren Polikarpus

Thomas Allen Baudendistel

Marie I Harrington

Yingjie Lin

Robert J Disser

Joseph Pierre Heremans

Ronald Helmut Haag

Raymond Leo Bloink

Warren Baxter Nicholson

Da Y Wang

David Sturge Eddy

Timothy J Newman

Christopher Mark Thrush

Eric J Detwiler

Jeremy M Husic

Elias Taye

Lone-Wen F Tai

Neil R Aukland

Tina M Dewar

A chemical vapor sensor is provided that passively measures a chemical species of interest with high sensitivity and chemical specificity. In an aspect, ethanol vapor in a vehicle cabin is measured, and sufficient sensitivity is provided to passively detect a motor vehicle driver that exceeds a legal limit of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), for use with vehicle safety systems. The sensor can be situated in an inconspicuous vehicle cabin location and operate independently without requiring active involvement by a driver. A vapor concentrator is utilized to amplify a sampled vapor concentration to a detectible level for use with an infrared (IR) detector. In an aspect, in comparison to conventional chemical sensors, the sensitivity of detection of ethanol vapor is increased by a factor of about 1,000. Further, a single channel of infrared detection is utilized avoiding spurious infrared absorption and making the chemical vapor sensor less costly to implement.

Chemical vapor sensor

Driver distraction in a motor vehicle is assessed by capacitively detecting the driver's head pose relative to the forward direction of vehicle motion. A symmetrical array of sensor electrodes is disposed in the cockpit ceiling above the driver's head, and pairs of electrodes disposed along varying axes of rotation with respect to the forward direction are successively activated for capacitance measurement. The capacitance measurements are combined to form a signal whose strength depends on the degree of alignment between the driver's head (i.e., the head pose) and the respective axes of rotation, and the driver's head pose is calculated to assess driver distraction.

Method and apparatus for detecting the head pose of a vehicle occupant

A system for measuring stress including a coilless sensor including at least one band of electrically conductive and magnetostrictive material, the band having a first end and a second end defining a gap therebetween, a measuring circuit electrically connected to the first and second ends of the coilless sensor, the measuring circuit being configured to pass a current through the coilless sensor and measure at least one of an inductance, a resistance and an impedance of the coilless sensor in response to the current, and a processor in electrical communication with the measuring circuit, the processor being configured to calculate an amount of stress being applied to the coilless sensor based upon the measured inductance, resistance and impedance.

Apparatus, system and method for measuring stress

An apparatus () is set forth for measuring a return signal of a magnetostrictive sensor () that detects a force, torque, or pressure. The return signal includes noise, a DC resistance (), an AC resistance and an inductance and the inductance is shifted ninety degrees from the AC resistance. The apparatus () includes a sensor filter () to remove the noise from the return signal. A sensor filter () shifts the return signal and more specifically, the inductance by an additional angle and the sum of the additional angle and the ninety degrees phase shift is defined as the final detection angle. To detect the inductance at the final detection angle, a wave filter () and a reference filter () shifts a reference signal by the final detection angle to trigger a first demodulator () to detect the inductance at the final detection angle. The inductance detected by the first demodulator () varies due to temperature. To remove the temperature from the measured inductance, the apparatus includes a DC detection circuit () to detect the DC resistance which is proportional to the temperature across the sensor (). The DC resistance and the measure inductance are inserted into a correction equation to produce a corrected inductance which is independent of temperature. Instead of inductance, an AC resistance may be used in the equation.

Robust detection of strain with temperature correction

A transparent overlay input device includes a transparent non-conductive substrate, a plurality of transparent conductive electrode pairs and a transparent non-conductive cover. The plurality of transparent conductive electrode pairs are formed on the substrate and each form a proximity sensitive region and include a first electrode that receives an input signal and a second electrode that provides an output signal. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled and the capacitance of the electrode pair changes when a conductive member, e.g., a user's finger, is located near the electrode pair. The transparent non-conductive cover is formed on the substrate over the electrode pairs.

Transparent overlay input device

An integrated switch-indicator unit includes a light emitting diode (LED) structure for providing a plurality of indicators and an overlay input device integrated with the LED structure. The overlay input device includes a non-conductive substrate and a plurality of conductive electrode pairs. The plurality of conductive electrode pairs are formed on the substrate and each form a proximity sensitive region and include a first electrode that receives an input signal and a second electrode that provides an output signal. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled and the capacitance of the electrode pair changes when a conductive member, e.g., a user's finger, is located near the electrode pair.

Retaskable switch-indicator unit

A magnetostrictive strain sensor () includes a magnetostrictive core () comprising a magnetostrictive material, such as a nickel-iron alloy, able to conduct a magnetic flux and whose permeability is alterable by application of a strain. A conductive coil () is proximate the magnetostrictive core () to generate the magnetic flux when electrically excited. A shell () surrounds the conductive coil () and the magnetostrictive core () for providing a conductive return path for the magnetic flux. An excitation source () is electrically connected to the conductive coil () for electrically exciting the conductive coil () with an alternating current having a constant magnitude. An in-phase voltage circuit () is electrically connected across the conductive coil (). The in-phase voltage circuit () senses an in-phase voltage that is in-phase with the alternating current. The in-phase voltage varies correspondingly to the strain subjected to the magnetostrictive core (). A processor () is operatively connected to the in-phase voltage circuit () to determine the strain applied to said magnetostrictive core () by comparing the in-phase voltage to a predetermined relationship between strain and in-phase voltage.

Magnetostrictive strain sensor and method

A capacitive sensor () for use with a automotive vehicle () having a power sliding door () has a flexible housing (). The housing () has a first set of electrodes () and a second set of electrodes () interdigitally spaced from each other and a ground electrode () made from a flexible metallic braid.

Capacitive proximity sensor

Soot content in Diesel engine lubrication oil is determined using electrical resistance measurements of the oil at high frequency. A sensor in the form of a capacitor is immersed in the oil, wherein the oil serves as a dielectric between the plates. The capacitance and resistance between the plates change as a function of engine oil condition. An inductor is placed in series with the sensor, and high frequencies are sweeped over a range to find resonance where the capacitive and inductive reactances cancel. At this frequency, the resistance of the oil is measured and the condition of the oil thereby determined.

Method for measuring high frequency resistance in diesel engine lubrication oil

A wide range oxygen sensor comprising a first oxygen pump cell, the first pump cell comprising: a first and a second electrode, with a first communication zone therebetween, the first electrode being exposed to exhaust gas, the second electrode being exposed to a heat source; and wherein at least one element of said first pump cell incorporates a gas-diffusion limiting characteristic; a second oxygen pump cell, operating at opposite polarity from said first oxygen pump cell, electrically isolated from said first oxygen pump cell, and disposed within a sensor substrate, the second cell comprising: a third and a fourth electrode, with a second communication zone therebetween, the third electrode being exposed to exhaust gas, the fourth electrode being exposed to a heat source; and wherein at least one element of said second pump cell incorporates a gas-diffusion limiting characteristic; at least one heating element for providing heat to said second electrode and said fourth electrode; and an electrical circuit for measuring the air-to-fuel ratio within the exhaust gas incident to said first and third electrodes.

Oxygen sensing device

A gas sensor is disclosed comprising an oxygen pump cell having at least one exterior pump electrode and at least one interior pump electrode disposed on opposite sides of a first solid electrolyte layer. An emf cell having a first and second emf electrodes and first and second reference gas electrodes are disposed on opposite sides of a second solid electrolyte layer. At least one insulating layer is in contact with the first and second emf electrodes. At least one via hole is disposed through the first solid electrolyte layer. At least one air channel is disposed through at least one insulating layer. An air vent is disposed in at least one insulating layer in contact with the first and second reference gas electrodes. A heater is disposed in thermal communication with the sensor. And at least five electrical leads are in electrical communication with said sensor. A method of using a gas sensor is also disclosed.

Gas sensor

A gas sensor, comprising an oxygen pump cell with a first pump electrode and a second pump electrode disposed on opposite sides of a first solid electrolyte layer and a second pump electrode. The sensor also comprises an emf cell with an emf electrode and a reference gas electrode disposed on opposite sides of a second solid electrolyte layer. The emf electrode is disposed in fluid communication to the second pump electrode. A via hole is disposed through the first solid electrolyte layer, such that the first pump electrode is in fluid communication with the second pump electrode. A protective insulating layer, having a passage for gas to be sensed, is disposed in contact with the first pump electrode. A first insulating layer, having a conduit, is disposed in contact with the emf electrode. A second insulating layer, having an air channel, is disposed in contact with the reference gas electrode. A heater is disposed in thermal communication with the emf cell. At least four electrical leads are in electrical communication with the sensor. A method of producing a gas sensor is disclosed.

Gas sensor and method of producing the same

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a sensing circuit for use with a proximity sensor having a first electrode and a second electrode and a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode. The sensing circuit includes a signal generator for generating an alternating signal. The signal generator is for connection to the first electrode of the sensor. A synchronous detector has a first input for connection to the second electrode of the sensor. A phase shifter is coupled to the signal generator and generates a phase shifted signal in response to the alternating signal. The phase shifted signal is provided to a second input of the synchronous detector. The synchronous detector detects a change in the capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode in response to a signal from the second electrode and the phase shifted signal.

System and method for interrogating a capacitive sensor

A diagnostic apparatus applied to internal combustion engine exhaust gas sensors employing electrochemical polarographic principles indicates sensor operation relative to a current limiting operating region in which a sensor output signal indicates oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas. A sensor drive signal is controllably perturbed and sensor sensitivity monitored by monitoring the sensor response to the perturbation. Current limiting operation may be diagnosed and indicated when the sensor response indicates an insensitivity to the perturbation.

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Larry Max Oberdier