Computer System for Financing Ownership of a Vehicle
Granted: February 26, 2009
Application Number:
20090055310
A computer system for financing ownership of a vehicle is disclosed. The computer system includes a computer application for implementing the following steps on a computer: calculating an amount financed of a RIC or loan for financing the purchase and ownership of a first vehicle at or before inception of the purchase; at or before inception of the purchase, determining a first payment amount for each of a plurality of first payments to occur before a decision point and a second payment…
HUMIDITY GAS CONDITIONER
Granted: February 19, 2009
Application Number:
20090047552
A system and method for conditioning the temperature of at least one fluid stream that is passed through a fuel cell stack is provided. The system comprises a system module, at least one inlet and a conditioning device. The system module is operable to humidify the fluid stream to a reach a predetermined humidity level that corresponds to a predetermined temperature. The one inlet of the fuel cell stack receives the fluid stream at a first temperature that is different from the…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECIRCULATING UNUSED FUEL IN FUEL CELL APPLICATION
Granted: February 5, 2009
Application Number:
20090035618
A system and method for delivering an input fluid stream through a fuel cell stack and discharge an unused fluid stream is provided. An inlet of the fuel cell stack is adapted to receive the fluid stream. An ejector is configured to combine the supply fluid stream and the unused fluid stream to generate the input fluid stream and control the flow of the input fluid stream to the fuel cell stack. A blower is configured to control the flow of the unused fluid stream to the ejector. A…
SPRAY FORMED THIN LAYERS HAVING FINE FEATURES
Granted: January 22, 2009
Application Number:
20090023013
According to one embodiment, a composite mold for use in molding a part having a textured surface is disclosed. The composite mold includes a mold base that forms the base of the composite mold. The mold base includes a mold base surface. The composite mold also includes a spray formed thin layer including a first surface having one or more fine features and a second surface opposing the first surface. The second surface is coupled to the mold base to form the composite mold having the…
OXYGEN REMOVAL SYSTEMS DURING FUEL CELL SHUTDOWN
Granted: January 22, 2009
Application Number:
20090023040
A purging system for removing oxygen from a fuel cell system during a shutdown period for the fuel cell system. The purging system includes a separator having an inlet and an outlet; a first exhaust line for communicating a first exhaust gas stream from an outlet of the fuel cell system to the separator inlet during the shutdown period of the fuel cell system; and a second exhaust line for communicating a second exhaust gas stream to an inlet of the fuel cell system for delivering the…
Method And System For Emergency Notification
Granted: January 1, 2009
Application Number:
20090002145
Method and apparatus for notifying an emergency responder of a vehicle emergency. Communication is established with a cellular telephone located within the vehicle. The communication link is monitored and the vehicle occupant is notified of link loss. The apparatus monitors vehicle safety systems for detection of an emergency condition. Upon detection, the occupant is notified that an emergency call will be made. If no cancellation is received, vehicle location information is obtained…
FEATURE TARGET SELECTION FOR COUNTERMEASURE PERFORMANCE WITHIN A VEHICLE
Granted: December 25, 2008
Application Number:
20080319670
A target selection system (21) for a vehicle (12) includes an object detection sensor (17) that generates object detection signals associated with multiple detected objects. A feature target selection module (30) selects secondary targets from the objects and associates the secondary targets with respective features (23). A primary target selection module (31) selects primary targets from the secondary targets and associates each of the primary targets with a single respective…
FUEL CELL HUMIDITY CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD
Granted: December 18, 2008
Application Number:
20080311438
A control system for controlling the amount of water in at least one fluid stream that is passed through a fuel cell stack comprises a humidifier arrangement, a sensor and a controller. The humidifier arrangement is operable to humidify the fluid stream. The sensor is disposed downstream of the humidifier arrangement and configured to measure at least one characteristic of the fluid stream. The at least one characteristic of fluid stream is indicative of the amount of water in the fluid…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING OCCUPANTS OF VEHICLES
Granted: December 18, 2008
Application Number:
20080312788
Signals indicative of the identity and location of vehicle occupants are broadcast and received. Received signals are inspected for identity information. Indications are made as to whether received identity information matches stored identity information.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ROUTE INFORMATION TO A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE
Granted: November 6, 2008
Application Number:
20080275644
A system and method for providing route information to a driver of a vehicle given a predetermined destination having more than one route available to reach the predetermined destination includes receiving a driver input indicating a vehicle operating preference. Operating characteristics for the vehicle, such as a predicted time to reach the predetermined destination, are determined for at least some of the routes. One of the routes is selected based at least in part on the determined…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTING, IN A VEHICLE, AN ACTIVE PREFERENCE GROUP
Granted: November 6, 2008
Application Number:
20080275990
An occupant of a vehicle is presented with discussion groups of interest to the occupant. The discussion groups are selected based on the degree to which interests of friends of the occupant coincide with the interests of the occupant. Once a discussion group is chosen, a telematics gateway connects the occupant to the discussion group.
METHOD AND SYSTEM HAVING ULTRASONIC SENSOR MOVABLE BY TRANSLATION DEVICE FOR ULTRASONIC PROFILING OF WELD SAMPLES
Granted: November 6, 2008
Application Number:
20080271537
A system for ultrasonic profiling of a weld sample includes a carriage movable in opposite first and second directions. An ultrasonic sensor is coupled to the carriage to move over the sample as the carriage moves. An encoder determines the position of the carriage to determine the position of the sensor. A spring is connected at one end of the carriage. Upon the carriage being moved in the first direction toward the spring such that the carriage and the sensor are at a beginning…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR UPDATING VEHICLE COMPUTING PLATFORM CONFIGURATION INFORMATION
Granted: October 30, 2008
Application Number:
20080269979
A configurable vehicle computer is enabled based on identification information associated with a driver. Updates to the configurable vehicle computer are stored at a remote location. The updates are downloaded upon an authorized vehicle start-up.
Navigation System for a Vehicle
Granted: October 30, 2008
Application Number:
20080270016
A navigation system and method provides travel routes for a vehicle The method includes receiving an origin (62) destination (66) for the vehicle The method also includes determining a shortest distance route (70), a fastest time route (68), an optimal fuel efficient route, and a fuel economy of each route The method also includes comparing the fuel economy of the shortest distance route, the fastest time route, and the optimal fuel efficient route (82) Additionally, the method includes…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBTAINING, IN A VEHICLE, INFORMATION CONCERNING POINTS OF INTEREST
Granted: October 23, 2008
Application Number:
20080262725
To obtain point of interest information in a vicinity of a vehicle, the vehicle selects a reference point away from the current location of the vehicle. A region is formed, including the current location of the vehicle, based on the reference point. Points of interest falling within the region are communicated to the vehicle.
Computer System and Method For Monitoring Hydrogen Vehicles
Granted: September 25, 2008
Application Number:
20080234888
A system and method for remotely monitoring the status of a hydrogen vehicle includes a data acquisition/communication module configured to receive a plurality of signals representing one or more status conditions associated with the vehicle. The data acquisition/communication module is further configured to report one or more of the status conditions to a computer remote from the vehicle. The system is further configured to receive one or more signals from the remote computer in…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A VEHICLE TRAFFIC ROUTE
Granted: September 25, 2008
Application Number:
20080234926
Coordinate based vehicle navigation services are provided using text based traffic route information and associated coordinate data received from an off-vehicle source.
SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETERMINE, IN A VEHICLE, LOCATIONS OF INTEREST
Granted: September 25, 2008
Application Number:
20080234929
An occupant of a vehicle requests locations of interest from a remote provider. Locations of interest are identified based on the current location of the vehicle and a social network of the occupant. The locations of interest are provided to the vehicle via a network.
METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A VEHICLE
Granted: August 28, 2008
Application Number:
20080201952
A method of manufacturing a vehicle. A set of vehicle body structure components is assembled with interlocking mating features.
VEHICLE FRAMING METHOD AND FRAME
Granted: August 28, 2008
Application Number:
20080203768
A method is provided for assembling a vehicle frame from hydro-formed tubular metal components. Each hydro-formed component has a surface feature that is complementary to a surface feature on an adjacent component. The complementary surface features allow the hydro-formed components to be interlocked together. The components are permanently joined by a plurality of welds. A front hoop, a rear hoop and right and left side hoops may be assembled and joined together to form the passenger…
