34147results about "Electric/fluid circuit" patented technology

An imaging system for a vehicle includes a camera module positionable at the vehicle and a control. The camera module includes a plastic housing that houses an image sensor, which is operable to capture images of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle. The control is operable to process images captured by the image sensor. The portions of the housing may be laser welded or sonic welded together to substantially seal the image sensor and associated components within the plastic housing. The housing may include a ventilation portion that is at least partially permeable to water vapor to allow water vapor to pass therethrough while substantially precluding passage of water droplets and / or other contaminants. The housing may be movable at the vehicle between a stored position and an operational position, where the image sensor may be directed toward the exterior scene.

A system and method displays information using a vehicle-mount computer. The system includes (i) a computer touch screen for inputting and displaying information; (ii) a motion detector for detecting vehicle motion; (iii) a proximity sensor for detecting proximity to an item; and (vi) a vehicle-mount computer in communication with the computer touch screen, the motion detector, and proximity sensor, the vehicle-mount computer including a central processing unit and memory. The vehicle-mount computer's central processing unit is configured to store information associated with user-selected information from the computer touch screen and to display a zoomed view of the user-selected information on the computer touch screen. Further, the vehicle-mount computer's central processing unit is configured to override screen-blanking when user-selected information is displayed.

An imaging system for a vehicle includes a camera module positionable at the vehicle and a control. The camera module includes a plastic housing that houses an image sensor, which is operable to capture images of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle. The control is operable to process images captured by the image sensor. The portions of the housing may be laser welded or sonic welded together to substantially seal the image sensor and associated components within the plastic housing. The housing may include a ventilation portion that is at least partially permeable to water vapor to allow water vapor to pass therethrough while substantially precluding passage of water droplets and / or other contaminants. The housing may be movable at the vehicle between a stored position and an operational position, where the image sensor may be directed toward the exterior scene.

A primary portable device can access a vehicle by transmitting an activation message including a vehicle access credential to the vehicle. The primary portable device can additionally enable a secondary portable device to access the vehicle by transmitting the vehicle access credential to the secondary portable device. The connections between the primary portable device, secondary portable device, and vehicle can be based on a short-range wireless protocol, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth LE.

A speech dialog system wherein a process for automatic control of devices by speech dialog is used applying methods of speech input, speech signal processing and speech recognition, syntatical-grammatical postediting as well as dialog, executive sequencing and interface control, and which is characterized in that syntax and command structures are set during real-time dialog operation; preprocessing, recognition and dialog control are designed for operation in a noise-encumbered environment; no user training is required for recognition of general commands; training of individual users is necessary for recognition of special commands; the input of commands is done in linked form, the number of words used to form a command for speech input being variable; a real-time processing and execution of the speech dialog is established; and the speech input and output is done in the hands-free mode.

An interactive navigation system includes a navigation processing unit, a current position sensor, a speaker, a microphone and a display. When it is preliminary inferred, based on receipt of a detection signal from the sensor, that a vehicle has probably been diverted from a drive route determined by the navigation processing unit, a machine voice question is produced through the speaker for confirmation of the inferred probability of diversion. A driver or user in the vehicle answers the question, which is input through the microphone and analyzed to be affirmative or negative, from which a final decision is made as to the vehicle diversion. In a preferred embodiment the question is spoken by a personified agent who appears on the display. The agent's activities are controlled by an agent processing unit. Communication between the agent and the user improves reliability and accuracy of inference of any vehicle condition which could not be determined perfectly by a sensor only.

The invention relates to a device for improving the visibility conditions in a motor vehicle, having a radiation source for infrared radiation for irradiating the surroundings of the vehicle, having an infrared-sensitive camera for taking images of at least part of the irradiated surroundings, having a display unit for displaying collected image data, and having a control unit for controlling the device. Furthermore, a sensing unit for a recommended maximum velocity vmax is provided and is connected to the control unit. A velocity sensor which is connected to the control unit is provided in such a way that the control unit causes the display to be switched off when the vehicle velocity v exceeds the maximum velocity vmax. The display is preferably switched on when the vehicle velocity v drops below the maximum velocity vmax.

A control interface for accessing a plurality of systems of a vehicle, comprising: a first control interface disposed on a surface of a steering wheel; a second control interface disposed on a surface of a steering wheel, the second control interface being positioned remote from the first control interface; a visual display disposed within the vehicle, wherein the first control interface provides access to a vehicle system and the second control interface provides a means for modifying the state of the vehicle system access by the first control interface.

A speech dialogue system (SDS) is provided for carrying out a speech dialogue with a user to control an electronic device. The SDS includes a speech dialogue interruption unit for interrupting the speech dialogue and a speech dialogue continuation unit for continuing the interrupted speech dialogue. The system provides a method of conducting the speech dialogue between the speech dialogue system and a user. The method provides the steps of interrupting the speech dialogue upon receipt of a predetermined pause command from the user or from an electronic device. The method continues the speech dialogue with the speech dialogue system when the user or the electronic device provides a predetermined continuation command to the SDS. The method further allows the canceling of the speech dialogue when the user provides a predetermined cancellation command to the SDS.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for altering permitted settings of a vehicle according to a driver identified through short range wireless communication. The vehicle captures a unique identifier from a wireless communication device of the driver of the vehicle. This unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity of the driver as well as settings for the driver created by a controlling authority. The controlling authority may be, for instance, a parent or employer of the driver. The settings may limit certain devices within the vehicle and / or the vehicle itself. Speed control settings, radio settings, wireless communication device settings, and various other settings are all possible to limit distractions to the driver. Further, the settings may be influenced by the number or identities of passengers within the vehicle.

A system comprises an equipment service vehicle and an off-board computer system. The equipment service vehicle further includes a power source, a power transmission link, a plurality of input devices, a plurality of output devices, and an on-board computer system. The on-board computer system further includes a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules and a communication network. The plurality of interface modules are coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link and are interconnected to each other by way of the communication network. Each of the plurality of interface modules is coupled to respective ones of the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links. The on-board computer system stores I / O status information for the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices. The on-board computer system transmits at least some of the I / O status information by way of a wireless radio-frequency communication link to the off-board computer system.

A vehicle powering wireless receiver for use with a first electromagnetic resonator coupled to a power supply includes a load configured to power the drive system of a vehicle using electrical power, a second electromagnetic resonator adapted to be housed upon the vehicle and configured to be coupled to the load, wherein the second electromagnetic resonator is configured to be wirelessly coupled to the first electromagnetic resonator to provide resonant, non-radiative wireless power to the second electromagnetic resonator from the first electromagnetic resonator; and an authorization facility to confirm compatibility of the resonators and provide authorization for initiation of transfer of power.

A device is mounted in a vehicle which allows one or more of personified agent or imaginary living body to appear before a driver or passengers in the vehicle for communication therewith. A current status sensor (40) detects predetermined vehicle current status data, and a memory (292, 293) stores study data in response to entry of the latest current status data. One of a plurality of communication programs stored in a program table (291) may be selected in accordance with the current status data and / or the study data. An agent control unit (11) controls activity of the agent in accordance with the selected communication program. The determined agent activity is outputted through a display (27) and a speaker (25) for communication with the driver.

A charging system for simultaneously charging the batteries of a plurality of battery powered vehicles. The charging includes one or more DC-DC power converters having one or more charging ports configured to plug into the batteries. The DC-DC power converters are each configured to selectively connect to more than one charging port to selectively provide for higher port power levels. The DC-DC power converters connect to an AC rectifier through a DC bus. The AC rectifier connects to an AC power source having a limited power rating. The AC charging system also has a controller that controls the operation of the DC-DC power converters such that the total power draw on the AC rectifier does not exceed the power rating. The system is further configured such that the DC-DC power converters can drain selected batteries to obtain power for charging other batteries, thus allowing for batteries to be cycled.

A feedback and training system for use in a vehicle the vehicle comprising or connected to one or more sensors enabled to measure one or more physical parameters associated with the vehicle; the system comprising a database, configured to receive and store data from the sensors, a processor enabled to calculate at least one performance factor based at least partly on the current physical parameters measured from the one or more sensors, a display configured to display to a driver representations of one or more of the performance factors, wherein the calculation of a performance factor, or the timing of or the prominence given to the display of the representation of a performance factor, is dependent on historic sensor data stored in the database received previously from the sensors.

The present invention provides a touch input device for use in a vehicle such as an automobile. The touch input device includes a capacitive touch sensor that is disposed underneath a surface of the vehicle's interior that is accessible and touchable by an occupant of the vehicle. The touch sensor is configured so that a touch to a designated area of the surface activates the touch sensor by capacitive coupling between the touch implement and the touch sensor through the surface. The signals generated can be used to control or otherwise interact with displays and other electronic systems in the vehicle. The touch sensor can be constructed using a wide variety of substrate materials, including paper, cloth, plastic, and the object forming the touch surface. The touch surface can be provided by an airbag cover, and the touch sensor can be constructed to safely blow apart upon airbag deployment. Methods of making a touch input device for use in a vehicle are also provided.

An electrical network architecture including a reconfigurable interface layer, along with a corresponding reconfiguration methodology. The interface layer is comprised of reconfigurable interface devices which allow a plurality of sensors and actuators to communicate with a plurality of control units. Each sensor or actuator is connected to multiple interface devices, which in turn are connected to a bus. The control units are also connected to the bus. In the event of an interface device failure, other interface devices can be reconfigured to maintain communication between sensors, actuators and control units. In the event of a control unit failure, the interface devices can be reconfigured to route sensor and actuator message traffic to a different control unit which can handle the functions of the failed control unit. The overall number of control units can also be reduced, as each control unit has flexible access to many sensors and actuators.

Vehicle event recorder systems are arranged to be in constant communication with remote servers and administrators via mobile wireless cellular networks. Vehicle event recorders equipped with video cameras capture video and other data records of important events relating to vehicle use. These data are then transmitted over special communications networks having very high coverage space but limited bandwidth. A vehicle may be operated over very large region while maintaining continuous communications connections with a remote fixed server. As such, systems of these inventions may be characterized as including a mobile unit having: a video camera; a microprocessor; memory; an event trigger; and mobile wireless transceivers, and a fixed network portion including: mobile wireless cellular network, a protocol translation gateway, the Internet and an application-specific server.

The present invention provides a battery pack housing assembly for an electric vehicle, which is formed of a lightweight composite material to reduce the weight and configured to have a dual laminated structure with a closed cross-sectional area formed by composite molding to absorb impact energy. For this purpose, the present invention provides battery pack housing assembly for an electric vehicle using a plastic composite material, the battery pack housing assembly having an upper cover mounted at the bottom of a vehicle body, a lower housing, and a battery pack received and mounted in the lower housing, wherein the lower housing has a dual laminated structure with a closed cross-sectional area formed by bonding an upper plate and a lower plate, each composed of a fiber reinforced plastic composite material, to absorb impact energy, thus increasing structural stiffness.

An information center provides a control program which is usable by a vehicle within its effective area. The control program may be transmitted to a vehicle in conjunction with the effective area through a broadcast antenna. According to the detected result of the current location, a control apparatus on a vehicle applies a control program to device control when the current location sites within the effective area. The vehicle can take possession of a control program fits to a region at any places to which it moves and can utilize those. It is possible to substitute an effective period for the effective area.

Methods, systems, and software are disclosed for operating a driver analysis system, including receiving vehicle operation data corresponding to operation of vehicles by drivers, identifying a peer group associated with a target driver, processing at least a portion of the vehicle operation data to determine driving performance of the target driver relative to driving performance of the peer group, generating a driving report which identifies the driving performance of the target driver, and transferring the driving report to a target device for viewing by the target driver and a member of the justice system.

The invention relates to a system and method for restricting driver mobile device feature usage while the vehicle is in motion and particularly provides a method and system which may determine one or more mobile devices associated with a driver of a vehicle. The method and system may deactivate, if one or more vehicle parameters indicate the vehicle is configured for motion, one or more features of the one or more mobile devices associated with the driver of the vehicle. The method and system may reactivate, if the one or more vehicle parameters indicate the vehicle is no longer configured for motion, the one or more features of the one or more mobile devices associated with the driver of the vehicle. The one or more mobile devices may, in some embodiments, be mobile telephones and the one or more features may be text entry features.

A main power source (2) is, for example, an ordinary Pb battery and generates a voltage of 12-13 V. At the time of starting an engine, the main power source (2) supplies power to a starter (8a). The main power source (2) is given a higher priority than an auxiliary power source (3) to supply power to ordinary loads (8b). The auxiliary power source (3) is a high performance battery (e.g., Li ion battery), which has superior charge acceptance capability and better state detectability over the main power source (2). Furthermore, the auxiliary power source (3) has an internal resistance per unit capacity, which is smaller than that of the main power source (2), and generates a voltage of 9-12 V. A generator (1) is directly connected to the auxiliary power source (3). The auxiliary power source (3) stores regenerative power, which is generated by the generator (1) at the time of deceleration of a vehicle, and is used as a redundant power source for the main power source (2). The main power source (2) and the auxiliary power source (3) are connected to each other through a supply circuit (5), which has a DC / DC converter (4), and a second supply circuit 7, which has a switch (6).

An illumination module for a vehicle includes at least one illumination source for illuminating a target area at the vehicle. The illumination module may be mounted at a handle of a vehicle door and may be operable to illuminate the handle region and / or pocket region of the vehicle door and to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the vehicle and generally below the door handle assembly. The illumination module may include an icon established thereat and the at least one illumination source may back light the icon so that the icon, when the illumination module is activated, is viewable by a person viewing the vehicle. The illumination module may project or direct the illumination toward a targeted area so that the icon is discernible at the targeted area.

A new device for detection and prevention of an attack on a vehicle via its communication channels, having: an input-unit configured to collect real-time and / or offline data from various sources such as sensors, network based services, navigation applications, the vehicles electronic control units, the vehicle's bus-networks, the vehicle's subsystems, and on board diagnostics; a database, for storing the data; a detection-unit in communication with the input-unit; and an action-unit, in communication with the detection unit, configured for sending an alert via the communication channels and / or prevent the attack, by breaking or changing the attacked communication channels. The detection-unit is configured to simultaneously monitor the content, the meta-data and the physical-data of the data and detect the attack.

A vehicle system is disclosed that includes a vehicle lamp assembly including a plurality of LEDs that emit white light so as to function as an illuminator light. The lamp assembly also may include a plurality of LEDs that emit colored light to function as a signal light. The lamp assembly may include a camera. The lamp assembly may serve as a CHMSL or as a tail light. The system also includes a controller that rapidly pulses the LEDs at a rate that is imperceivable by the human eye. The pulsing intervals of the LEDs may be related to the readout intervals of the camera sensor array. In this manner, the LEDs may be pulsed on during camera readout to increase the illumination while the camera is capturing an image, or may be pulsed off during camera readout to prevent feedback glare from interfering with image capture by the camera.

A vehicle warning system is responsive to vehicle speed and position as determined by GPS or other location based system information to alert a vehicle operator of potentially unsafe conditions when either exceeding the speed limit on a given road segment or when approaching coordinates of a designated location alert point. The system comprises a portable device, a simple device personalization process using a single physical data communications interface to a local computing device connected to the Internet, and a remote server with a segmented database that provides access to common data services, positional data updates, and device personalization functionality.

Specific advertisements and other information can be communicated to the user of a mobile vehicle depending on the vehicles or occupants needs or preferences.