Method for suppressing motor vehicle radio interference
Granted: November 25, 2008
Patent Number:
7457604
A method is provided for suppressing interference in a motor vehicle radio that is capable of executing a seek/scan function. Interference may occur from signals generated by a source of time varying signal that operates in the motor vehicle at a predetermined operating frequency. The method comprises the steps of sending a message indicating initiation of a seek/scan function. In response to this message, the operating frequency of the source of time varying signal is cycled between the…
Roll bonding of bipolar plates
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7451907
A current collector plate, also called a bipolar plate, for a fuel cell includes two facing metal sheets with fluid channels for the fuel (often hydrogen) on the non-facing side of one sheet and fluid channels for air on the non-facing side of the other sheet. Such a plate is made by applying a patterned coating of particles of a soft and reactive metal to at least one of the sheets and rolling them together so that the soft metal particles deform and interact with the facing sheets to…
Fuel cell dielectric coolant and evaporative cooling process using same
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7452617
The present invention is directed to a fuel cell dielectric coolant and evaporative cooling process using same. The coolant comprises an emulsion that defines a polar internal phase and a hydrocarbon external phase. The polar internal phase comprises an azeotropic mixture that includes one or more polar compounds selected from water, alcohol, or combinations thereof. The fuel cell is configured to react fuel with oxygen to generate an electric current and at least one reaction product,…
Cost structure method including fuel economy and engine emission considerations
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7454278
A powertrain control selects engine operating points in accordance with power loss minimization controls. Power loss contributions come from a variety of sources including engine power losses. Engine power losses are determined in accordance with engine operating metrics such as power production per unit fuel consumption and power production per unit emission production. Engine power losses are combined in accordance with assigned weighting into a single engine power loss term for use in…
Method and system for eliminating redundant voice recognition feedback
Granted: November 18, 2008
Patent Number:
7454352
A method and system for eliminating redundant voice recognition feedback includes receiving a voice command input at a command processor and determining a feedback requirement. The method further provides a voice command feedback based on the feedback requirement. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is provided for eliminating redundant voice recognition feedback.
Clutch cooling grooves for uniform plate temperature in friction launch
Granted: November 11, 2008
Patent Number:
7448483
Clutch cooling grooves formed on a friction plate are provided. The grooves are shaped to provide for substantially uniform steel disk temperatures in friction launch of a vehicle. The grooves are shaped such that the largest cross-sectional area is located adjacent to what would otherwise have been a hot area on the steel disk and the smallest cross-sectional area is located at the coolest location on the steel disk, at the cooling fluid inlet. Thus, the groove is shaped such that the…
Managing service life of a battery
Granted: November 11, 2008
Patent Number:
7449891
A hybrid electric vehicle has an energy storage system including one or more batteries. Battery service life is managed by establishing an amp-hour throughput budget and limiting battery current substantially to the budget.
System and methods of wireless vehicle to vehicle data sharing
Granted: November 11, 2008
Patent Number:
7450603
System, methods, and apparatus are provided for wireless vehicle-to-vehicle sharing of multimedia data. The system includes a data storage device configured to store multimedia data packets transmitted by a system broadcast, a processor coupled to the data storage device and configured to determine a non-received group of multimedia data packets based on the stored multimedia data packets of the system broadcast, and a transceiver coupled to the processor. The transceiver is configured…
Oil pan assembly and method of selecting an oil pan
Granted: November 4, 2008
Patent Number:
7444729
A transmission oil pan assembly includes an oil pan matable with a transmission case to at least partially define a transmission interior space, and an accessing component for accessing an interior component located inside of the transmission interior space from outside of the transmission interior space. The oil pan is formed with structure adapted to support the accessing component. The oil pan may be formed with an opening adapted to receive the accessing component. A method of…
Modular chassis with simplified body-attachment interface
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7441615
A chassis having systems responsive to a nonmechanical control signals and a simplified body-attachment interface includes preassembled modules to enhance ease and simplicity of chassis assembly. The chassis is preferably configured to minimize the possibility of a preassembled module being incorrectly positioned within the chassis. Methods for advantageously employing preassembled modules to assemble vehicle chassis are also provided.
Offensive material control method for digital transmissions
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7444402
The present invention is a method and a system for screening offensive material in a digital transmission. A digital transmission including at least one embedded offensive material code associated with a portion of the digital transmission is received. The digital transmission is monitored for the offensive material code. The digital transmission is modified based on the embedded offensive material code and an offensive-material control input, and the modified digital transmission is…
Fuel processing system having gas recirculation for transient operations
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7442461
A fuel processor system capable of circulating fuel processor system gases, such as reformate, anode exhaust, and/or combustor exhaust, through the fuel processor to provide a number of distinct advantages. The fuel processor system having a plurality of fuel cells discharging an H2-containing anode effluent and an O2-containing cathode effluent. A fuel processor is also provided for converting a hydrogen-containing fuel to H2-containing reformate for fueling the plurality of fuel cells.…
Fuel cell system with compressor and also a method for operating such a fuel cell system
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7442457
A fuel cell system comprising a plurality of fuel cells combined together to form a fuel cell stack, with the fuel cell stack having an anode side with an inlet for a fuel and an outlet for non-consumed fuel and exhaust gases arising at the anode side as well as a cathode side with an inlet for a gaseous oxidising agent such as air and an outlet for exhaust gases which arise at the cathode side, and a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, the compressor outlet of…
Current control for parallel fuel cell stacks
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7442456
A fuel cell system includes fuel cell stacks electrically connected in parallel and supplying a gross current to a load. A controller determines the gross load current, and produces a desired current through the load by adjusting, based on the gross load current, at least one parameter affecting at least one of the inputs to and outputs from the system. This system allows a stack design and its voltage output to be kept constant while stacks are added for increased power.
Integrated fuel processor for rapid start and operational control
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7442217
A fuel processor for rapid start and operational control. The fuel processor includes a reformer, a shift reactor, and a preferential oxidation reactor for deriving hydrogen for use in creating electricity in a plurality of H2—O2 fuel cells. A heating and cooling mechanism is coupled to at least the shift reactor for controlling the critical temperature operation of the shift reactor without the need for a separate cooling loop. This heating and cooling mechanism produces or removes…
Method for pre-cooling automotive vehicle passenger compartment
Granted: October 28, 2008
Patent Number:
7441414
The present invention concerns a method for pre-cooling the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle. The vehicle includes at least one electrically actuatable window and a HVAC system having at least a controller, a blower, a passenger compartment temperature sensor, and a HVAC ducting leading to the passenger compartment. The controller and the blower are connected to a vehicle battery. The method includes determining the passenger compartment temperature and comparing the…
System for detecting purge valve malfunction
Granted: October 21, 2008
Patent Number:
7438060
A diagnostic control system for a purge valve that regulates fuel vapor flow from a fuel system into an intake manifold for an engine includes a calculation module and a malfunction module. The calculation module estimates a plurality of areas based on a plurality of pressure signals and calculates an average rate of increase of vacuum pressure in the fuel system during operation of the purge valve. The malfunction module determines whether the average rate of increase of vacuum pressure…
Pressure regulator valve with boost feature
Granted: October 21, 2008
Patent Number:
7438660
A pressure regulator valve is provided having a valve spool slidably disposed within a stepped bore defined by a valve body. A first pressure responsive surface area is defined on the valve spool and is subject to pressurized fluid from a main pressure source. A second pressure responsive surface area is defined on the valve spool and is subject to pressurized fluid from a control source. Additionally, a third pressure responsive surface area is defined on the valve spool and is…
Direct water vaporization for fuel processor startup and transients
Granted: October 21, 2008
Patent Number:
7438734
A fuel cell system including a fuel reforming processor having a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to produce a reformate stream including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, a water gas shift reactor downstream of the fuel reforming processor and wherein the water gas shift reactor includes a catalyst therein constructed and arranged to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the reformate stream, a preferential oxidation reactor downstream of the water gas shift reactor and wherein…
System and method for morphable model design space definition
Granted: October 21, 2008
Patent Number:
7440877
A system, method, apparatus and product for designing, on a display device, a geometric shape is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of displaying an initial set of similarly structured model exemplars on a display device, selecting a chosen set of models from the initial set of similarly structured model exemplars to apply to a model mix, mixing the set of models to form a currently displayed shape, providing on the display device at least one selectable feature for manipulating…
