Continental Automotive Systems Corporation

Temic Automotive of North America, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Thomas A Brey

Robert Faust D'Avello

James A Van Bosch

James R Snider

David R Zeiger

Peter Saladin

Robert Allen Gee

Shafer Burch Seymour

David Gerald Teteak

Edward Almquist

Jonathan Michael Lasch

Robert Pozdal

Don Peterson

Michael Daleki

Tony Asghari

Casey Szewc

Israel Cruz

Jake P Cassin

Bhavna Mantha

David M Lakickas

An energy-moving device (EMD) transfers heat between a low-temperature-rated device (LTRD) and a high-temperature-rated device (HTRD), wherein the LTRD is thermally separated from the HTRD such that the LTRD is not stacked above the HTRD. A temperature-controlling device (TCD) actively transfers heat between the LTRD and the EMD. An air-moving device (AMD) generates an air stream for transferring heat from the EMD to ambient air. A controller receives temperature information about the ambient air, the LTRD, and the HTRD; determines when heat should be removed from the LTRD, when heat should be added to the LTRD, and when no heat needs to be transferred to or from the LTRD; and determines a first voltage for the TCD and a second voltage for the AMD based on the received temperature information. And a neural network updates the voltage values based on how effectively the voltage values have performed.

Balanced heat transfer mechanism and control for automotive vehicles communication systems

The rear side of a head unit bezel is shaped and arranged to receive and retain an electronic device such as a radio, cell phone, GPS receiver, roadway toll payment transponder, stolen vehicle transponder, WI-FI or Bluetooth transceiver or an antenna. Electrical connectors provided to the rear side mate with connectors on the front side of a head unit. When the bezel and head unit are connected, the electronic device in the bezel is mechanically and electrically connected to the head unit.

Head unit with interchangeble functional bezel

An assembly for providing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and for dissipating heat from electronic components. The assembly including: a metallic frame including a wall extending upwardly from a circuit board; an EMI shield having a top with holes and having sidewalls that surround the top, extend downwardly, and are attachable to the wall of the frame in a first latched position and in a second, un-latched position; a layer of thermally-conductive, viscous heat sink grease on the top of the EMI shield and filling holes in the top of the EMI shield, heat sink grease in the holes being in direct physical contact with the top surface of the at least one electronic component when the EMI shield is in the second, un-latched position; and a heat sink on top of and in direct physical contact with the heat sink grease on top of the EMI shield.

Sliding thermal shield

The front side of a vehicle infotainment system head unit is provided with a removable faceplate that carries a network access device such as a cell phone or GPS receiver and an associated antenna. A removable user-interface display panel, also referred to herein as a display screen, is also carried by the faceplate. When the head unit and faceplate are assembled into a vehicle dashboard, a removable bezel conceals the network access device, antenna and provides access to the display panel. The network access device and its antenna are thus readily accessible by simply removing the bezel.

Network access device faceplate

Circuit boards are mechanically connected to each other by a U-shaped pin, the legs of which are forcibly inserted into holes along edges of the circuit boards. The holes are conventional through-holes having metal linings that are electrically connected to circuit board traces that extend to components on the circuit boards. The U-shaped pin thus electrically connects components on the two circuit boards to each other.

Compliant staple pin for connecting multiple printed circuit boards

When a vehicle is 'off' many electrically powered devices will continue to draw power from the battery, which will eventually deplete the battery. Instead of leaving such devices on, when the engine is shut off, a message is transmitted from a vehicle's telematics communications device to one or more of: the operator, a telematics service provider or elsewhere, and which notifies the recipient of the power-down condition. The recipient of the message can thereafter respond with a directive that tells the telematics communications device which devices to leave powered on, turn off or schedule to be shut off. Absent such a message, the system powers down devices according to a default power down ordering.

Telematics master of power

A garage door can be detected as being open by sensing various physical conditions the existence of which indicate the garage door as being open. When a door is determined to be open, a notification message is wirelessly transmitted to a predetermined entity or person notifying them that the door is open. Corrective action can then be taken to close the door to keep the vehicle and contents of the garage secure.

Garage door open alert

A trailer is provided with various parametric sensors. Trailer operating characteristics obtained from the sensors are conveyed to an attached tow vehicle. The tow vehicle is configured to respond to trailer operating conditions or characteristics and/or warn the tow vehicle operator of trailer conditions. The tow vehicle's operation can also be changed responsive to an attached trailer.

Smart trailer

A smart trailer RFID system includes a vehicle such as a trailer or cargo van having one or more RFID tag readers configured to acquire load-specific data from RFID tags attached to a load. The load-specific data is collected by a computer and conveyed wirelessly to a tow vehicle. Depending on the nature of the load, the load data can be used to control or change operation of the tow vehicle or be displayed to a vehicle operator.

Smart trailer RFID system

A circuit-board mountable antenna () has a substrate () compliant with the IPC/JEDEC J-STD_0202C and IEC-norm standard 60068, which specifies the spacing and pin arrangements for a printed circuit board (PCB) mountable connector commonly known in the automotive electronic art as a 'FAKRA' or 'Fakra.' A radio frequency (RF) energy transducer or antenna () is applied to or formed over the substrate () which is provided with at least one mounting pin () and a signal lead (), the spacing and locations of which are compliant with the Fakra ISO-compliant hole pattern. The antennae () thus provide a circuit board () mountable antenna, compliant with the Fakra standard. The Fakra-compliant antenna or a Fakra-compliant connector can be attached to the circuit board () for a communications device () at the time of assembly to enable the communications device to use either a concealed or concealable antenna or an external antenna.

Fakra-compliant antenna

Methods and systems for analyzing communication options, including determining one or more states of one or more communication-related conditions, and analyzing the one or more states and one or more communication options to determine an optimum communication option.

Systems and methods for analyzing communication options

A system and method of providing security for a vehicle starting system. The method including a first step of storing secure information identifying an authorized user of a vehicle. A next step includes detecting an attempt to start a vehicle without an authorized coded starting device. A next step includes placing a telephone call using a vehicle communication device to a service operator requesting service. A next step includes calling the vehicle by the service operator. A next step includes confirming the particular user of the vehicle using the stored information. A next step includes authorizing the starting of the vehicle. Unauthorized coded starting devices can include a non-programmable key, an unprogrammed programmable key, and a code scanning device.

Security for vehicle starting

A communication system and method for transmitting and receiving teletype information in a vehicle (). The communication system () includes an external interface () and a communication control unit (). The external interface (), embedded in the vehicle (), is capable of receiving a first set of teletype signals from a portable TTY terminal () and capable of sending a second set of teletype signal to the portable TTY terminal (). The communication control unit (), also embedded in the vehicle (), is connected to the external interface () and comprises a controller () and a transceiver (). The transceiver () is capable of transmitting messages over a wireless communication link (A) that contain information from the first set of teletype signals. The transceiver () is also capable of receiving messages over the wireless communication link (A) that contain information for the second set of teletype signals.

Device and method for communicating teletype information in a vehicle communication system

Method for communicating teletype information in a vehicle communication system between a vehicle and a remote station

A system and method for monitoring belt wear or tread wear of a tire includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with unique identification embedded in the belt or tread of the tire at one or more wear points. An RF tag reader periodically monitoring signals from the at least one RFID tag. If the RF tag reader fails to obtain any signals from the at least one RFID tag, indicating a destroyed RFID tag, the user can be warned about a wear problem of that belt or tire. RFID tags can be distributed at different depths of the tire(s), or across the tread at the same depth, of the tire(s) to determine different wear problems. The same RFID tag can also be used for inventory tracking purposes.

Growing community of inventors

Lake In The Hills, IL, United States of America

Thomas A Brey