Patents Examined by Adam Clarke
  • Patent number: 9465053
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical fiber birefringence compensation mirror. Also disclosed is a current sensor wherein vibration resistance has been increased due to the optical connection of the optical fiber birefringence compensation mirror. The optical fiber birefringence compensation mirror includes: an optical fiber, a birefringence element, a lens, a magnet, a Faraday rotator, and a mirror. From the light incidence/emission end surface of the optical fiber, the birefringence element, Faraday rotator, and mirror are arranged in said order. Light comes in from the optical fiber, and is separated into two linearly polarised lights by the birefringence element. The polarisation planes of the two linearly polarised lights are rotated by the Faraday rotator, and the two linearly polarised lights are point-symmetrically reflected at one point by the mirror, then again rotated by the Faraday rotator, then re-combined into one light by the birefringence element and made to enter the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ADAMANT KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Konno, Masaru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9459296
    Abstract: An electrode arrangement for an electric field sensor device with a transmitting electrode and at least one receiving electrode may have a nonconductive substrate having a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. A first electrode is arranged within the first conductive layer, wherein the first electrode is a receiving electrode of the electric field sensor device, and a second electrode is arranged within the second conductive layer, wherein the second electrode is a transmitting electrode of the electric field sensor device wherein the second electrode covers a larger area than the first electrode and wherein the second electrode is textured to reduce the capacitance between the first and second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY GERMANY GMBH II & CO. KG
    Inventors: Roland Aubauer, Claus Kaltner
  • Patent number: 9430957
    Abstract: A virtual load board includes a connection port, a conversion circuit, and an indication unit, wherein the connection port comprises at least one terminal. The terminal receives an output voltage from the liquid crystal display control board. The conversion circuit converts the output voltage into an operating voltage for the indication unit and supplies the operating voltage to the indication unit. A test system and a test method for liquid crystal display control board are also provided. With the above-discussed arrangement, the virtual load board replaces a liquid crystal display panel to carry out a reliability test of the liquid crystal display control board, and has the advantages of small volume and low cost and can be accommodated, together with the liquid crystal display control board, in reliability test equipment in order to carry out a reliability test of the liquid crystal display control board in a specific environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shiue-shih Liao, Chun-jiang Li, Xiao-xin Zhang, Jung-mao Tsai
  • Patent number: 9424739
    Abstract: Apparatus for a self-powered wireless transmitter system. One such system includes an inductor, a delay circuit, and a transmitter with an antenna. The magnet interacting with the inductor generates both power and a trigger signal. The inductor generates sufficient power for the transmitter to transmit a wireless signal corresponding to when the magnet interacts with the inductor. Precise timing is insured by the inductor being connected to the trigger input of the transmitter unit and the delay circuit adding a short delay to the signal from the inductor with the delayed signal connected to the supply voltage connection of the transmitter. The transmitter transmits the wireless signal upon being energized through the delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Inventor: Terry Pennisi
  • Patent number: 9423420
    Abstract: A test system may be provided in which devices under test are loaded into test trays and tested at a plurality of test stations. To test a device under test at a given test station, the test tray may be installed into a test fixture at the test station. Test equipment at each test station may communicate with the device under test via the test fixture and the test tray. Each test tray may have a spring-loaded corner portion that may be used to secure the device under test to the test tray. The test tray may have contacts that mate with corresponding contacts at each test fixture and may have a built in cable that connects to the device under test. The test fixture may have a detector that can detect whether or not a test tray is present on the test fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Peter G. Panagas
  • Patent number: 9417281
    Abstract: A practical method for greatly enhancing the strength of the modulated signal from laser probing of IC's is described. An IC device under test (DUT) is scanned with two spatially separated laser beams. The output from a single laser source is split into two separate components with each focused on different areas of the DUT. The separation between the beams and their intensity is adjustable to maximize the strength of the modulated return signal. Typically a NIR laser is used with flip-chip IC devices to account for the band-gap (transmission) characteristics of the substrate material. Upon reflection from the DUT, the reflected beams are recombined to interfere with one another. The phase difference of the two beams is adjustable to gain maximum interference. This signal is then processed to obtain the waveforms that correspond to the actions of the active gates and nodes as the chip is electronically cycled through its prescribed test loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: CHECKPOINT TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Horst E. Groneberg, Guoqing Xiao, Krishna Kuchibhotla
  • Patent number: 9366715
    Abstract: A method of determining a fault direction parameter of a fault on an AC transmission line of a power distribution system relative to a measurement location of the transmission line. The method includes measuring a time-dependent AC current of the transmission line at the measurement location to obtain time-domain current data indicative of the measured current, obtaining a time of the fault on the transmission line, identifying first and second times by identifying a periodically re-occurring feature of the current data, such that the fault time is between the first and second times, extracting, from the current data, an offset indicative parameter indicative of a time offset of the current at the fault time and between the first and second times, calculating an offset direction parameter by comparing the offset indicative parameter to a non-offset indicative parameter, and establishing the fault direction parameter based on the offset direction parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Abhisek Ukil, Bernhard Deck, Vishal H. Shah
  • Patent number: 9348053
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting an electrically conducting target in soil, including the steps of generating a repeating transmit signal cycle of a fundamental period using transmit electronics, the repeating transmit signal cycle including a first period and a second period within each fundamental period; generating a transmit magnetic field using a magnetic field transmitter, based on the repeating transmit signal cycle, for transmission into the soil; receiving a receive magnetic field using a magnetic field receiver; producing a receive signal induced by the receive magnetic field; arranging for a current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter to flow to a first potential through a damping resistor during the second period for providing a damping effect on the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter; arranging for the current flowing through the magnetic field transmitter to flow to a second potential, predominantly through an alternative path with a lower re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Minelab Electronics Pty Limited
    Inventor: Bruce Halcro Candy
  • Patent number: 9341686
    Abstract: A single-package power meter is disclosed for measuring the power consumed by a load connected to an electrical conductor. The power meter is galvanically isolated from the electrical conductor through the use of magnetic sensors or through the combination of magnetic sensors and capacitors. Instantaneous power consumed at the load and other desired parameters are determined by measuring the voltage of the load and current flowing through the electrical conductor. Current is measured using a magnetic sensor to detect the magnetic field associated with the current flowing through the electrical conductor. Voltage is measured by one of two possible techniques involving magnetic sensors to measure the current flowing through a coil connected in parallel with a load, or through the use of a capacitively coupled voltage divider connected in parallel with the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James G. Deak, Insik Jin, Weifeng Shen, Songsheng Xue
  • Patent number: 9329221
    Abstract: A partial discharge sensor includes a top-loading monopole antenna including a disc and a post to be installed even in a branch pipe with a small diameter such that a length between the disc and a structure is adjusted to set thereto a frequency band to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Fukasawa, Hiroaki Miyashita, Takashi Itoh
  • Patent number: 9322795
    Abstract: A plate of substantially uniform thickness is formed from an electrically conductive material. The plate has a top surface defined to support a part to be measured. The plate has a bottom surface defined to be connected to a radiofrequency (RF) transmission rod such that RF power can be transmitted through the RF transmission rod to the plate. The plate is defined to have a number of holes cut vertically through the plate at a corresponding number of locations that underlie embedded conductive material items in the part to be measured when the part is positioned on the top surface of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jaehyun Kim, Arthur H. Sato, Keith Comendant, Qing Liu, Feiyang Wu
  • Patent number: 9322840
    Abstract: A resistive element includes a resistive region in a semiconductor substrate, a first contact structure and a second contact structure. The semiconductor substrate includes a first main surface area. The resistive region extends in a lateral direction parallel to the main surface area and in a vertical direction perpendicular to the main surface area, and includes a first piezo-resistive coefficient for a current flow in the lateral direction and a second piezo-resistive coefficient for a current flow in the vertical direction. The first contact structure contacts a portion of a first face of the resistive region and the second contact structure contacts a portion of a second face of the resistive region. The resistive element generates a current flow distribution within the resistive region having a lateral component and a vertical component that results in a piezo-resistive coefficient of the resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 9310327
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for making noncontact measurements of liquid conductivity are disclosed. This apparatus forms a conductivity cell and uses two toroids, one to generate a magnetic field and another to sense the magnetic field, placed in an enclosure which allows liquid to pass through it for measurement. Ground planes constructed preferably of printed circuit boards with conductive layers are used to reduce capacitive coupling between the toroids and provide better shielding. Circuitry on or near these circuit boards are used to convert local, low level signals from a sensing toroid to signals which can be more readily passed to and from a recording system or operator without degradation. Sensors on or near these circuit boards can be used to sense environmental conditions in order to improve operation and stability of the conductivity cell. Methods and apparatus for increasing circuit sensitivity and calibrating the sensor are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: SGS Instruments LLC
    Inventors: Brian Keith Roper, Todd Kenneth Roper, Steve Lurcott, Robert Trepp
  • Patent number: 9297834
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include devices and methods for searching IQ-based time-domain traces for events, marking the events, and analyzing intervals of interest at or around the events on a display unit of a test and measurement instrument. The test and measurement instrument can include an input terminal to receive an RF signal, an ADC to digitize the RF signal, a digital downconverter to produce I (in-phase) and Q (quadrature) baseband component information from the digitized RF signal, an acquisition memory to acquire and store a record, a trace generation section to generate one or more IQ-based time-domain traces, and a search unit to scan the IQ-based time-domain traces for one or more events. The search unit can locate and mark the events for display on a display unit of the test and measurement instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: TEKTRONIX, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth P. Dobyns, Gary J. Waldo
  • Patent number: 9285419
    Abstract: Electronic devices may be tested using a test station with a test fixture. The test fixture may include a first holding structure in which a device under test may be placed and a second holding structure for supporting test probes. The second holding structure may be mated with a test probe alignment structure during test station setup operations. The test probe alignment structure may include registration features configured to set the relative position of the first and second holding structures to a known configuration and may include test probe alignment features that can be used to correctly position the placement of the test probes. If at least one of the test probes is not sufficiently aligned to its corresponding alignment feature, the test probe alignment structures will not be able to engage properly with the second holding structure, and the position of the problematic test probe may be adjusted accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua G. Nickel, Jr-Yi Shen
  • Patent number: 9279865
    Abstract: A structure and method are provided for self-test of a Z axis sensor. Two self-test current lines are symmetrically positioned adjacent, but equidistant from, each sense element. The vertical component of the magnetic field created from a current in the self-test lines is additive in a flux guide positioned adjacent, and orthogonal to, the sense element; however, the components of the magnetic fields in the plane of the sense element created by each of the two self-test current line pairs cancel one another at the sense element center, resulting in only the Z axis magnetic field being sensed during the self-test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Lianjun Liu, Phillip Mather
  • Patent number: 9279757
    Abstract: A blood measuring apparatus includes: a first chamber which includes a first wall provided with an aperture and in which diluted blood is contained; a second chamber which includes the first wall, a second wall opposed to the first wall and a peripheral wall and in which diluting solution is contained, the first and second chambers communicating with each other through the aperture; first and second electrodes which are disposed in the first and second chambers, respectively; a measuring unit which performs a blood measurement by causing a current to flow between the first and second electrodes; a diluting solution supplying unit which supplies diluting solution along a part of the peripheral wall which is adjacent to a peripheral edge of the first wall; and a sucking unit which sucks the diluting solution from the second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Niiyama
  • Patent number: 9267987
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing integrated circuits includes a test probe having test contacts configured to be pressed onto electrical contacts of a substrate and a frame to which the test probe is attached. A substrate support is configured to hold the substrate. A magnetic element is configured to generate a force with which the test contacts are pressed onto the electrical contacts of the integrated circuit. The magnetic element includes at least three magnet actuators which each have a distance sensor associated therewith and which are arranged around the substrate support such that distances between the magnet actuators and the frame, and between the substrate support and the test probe, are adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ETEL S.A.
    Inventor: Jean-Marc Vaucher
  • Patent number: 9250102
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic encoder which includes plural rows of magnetic encoder tracks. One magnetic encoder track of the magnetic encoder tracks includes magnetic pattern magnetized thereto to generate signals of equal pitch for detection of rotation. The magnetized magnetic pattern includes N poles and S poles arranged in alternate fashion. The magnetic encoder is configured to be employed spaced through an air gap from sensors that read magnetic signals of the respective magnetic encoder tracks. The magnetic encoder track is configured such that the magnetic pattern thereof acting on position of the corresponding sensor is, under the interference of magnetism of the plural rows of magnetic encoder tracks, detected by the corresponding sensor as an equal pitch magnetic pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Takahashi, Shintarou Ueno, Pascal Desbiolles, Cyril Peterschmitt
  • Patent number: 9252703
    Abstract: Method of diagnosis for a photovoltaic generator characterized in that it implements a step of observing the evolution of its voltage when it passes from a short-circuit mode of operation to an open-circuit mode or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat a L'energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Nicolas Chaintreuil, Franck Barruel, Antoine Labrunie