Abstract: A differential capacitor one terminal capacitor interface circuit for sensing the capacitance of first and second capacitors includes a differential integrating amplifier having first and second summing nodes and an input common mode voltage; and a switching circuit for charging a first capacitor of said differential one terminal capacitor to a first voltage level and a second capacitor of said differential one terminal capacitor to a second voltage level in a first phase, in a second phase connecting said first capacitor to said first summing node and said second capacitor to said second summing node of said amplifier to provide first and second output changes substantially representative of the difference between said first and second voltage levels and said input common mode voltage, in a third phase charging said first capacitor to said second voltage level and said second capacitor to said first voltage level, and in a fourth phase connecting said first capacitor to said second summing node and said seco

Abstract: A test chip performs measurements to evaluate the performances of interconnects. In particular, the statistical failure distribution, the electromigration and the leakage current are measured. An algorithm detects a via failure at any of the available n metal layers. The test chip includes a ROM memory array. The vias to be measured are formed in the columns of the array. Via or contact failures are detected by forcing a predetermined current through both an array column and a reference column. The failure analysis is obtained by comparing the resulting voltage drops.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for detecting and amplifying sensor and sensor array (102, 104) output signals are presented. According to some aspects, a nonlinear feedback loop containing a sensor element provides a nonlinear transformation that compensates for a corresponding nonlinear response of the sensor element thereby providing a linearized final output signal. In other aspects, idle sensors are coupled to a reference on non-idle sensor elements. Other aspects include sensor and amplification circuits which operate without traditional filtering or switching elements, such that a higher throughput is achieved and no settling time is required due to traditional transients, thus allowing for faster scanning of larger sensor arrays. Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to variable gap capacitive sensor arrays and the signal processing electronics.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus including a valid signal generator to input print data and a video clock to synchronize the print data, and generate binary image data, a pixel counter to calculate the number of pixels of the print data based on the binary image data, a data stream counter to calculate the number of particular data streams of the binary image data, a coefficient memory to store coefficients with respect to average toner consumption amounts per pixel, a weight memory to store a lookup table containing weights corresponding to percentages of the number of pixels to the particular data streams, and a controller to calculate a percentage of the number of pixels to the number of particular data streams to read out a weight, and calculate the consumed amount of toner by use of the read weight, the number of pixels, and a toner consumption amount coefficient.

Abstract: A sensor interface circuit is provided to interface many sensors simultaneously in a simple circuit arrangement consisting of two parts. Sensors in both parts operate under identical constant voltage. The circuit provides higher front end sensitivity than the Wheatstone bridge, with temperature compensation from all sensors. The circuit also can provide output zeroing to obtain high resolution measurements. The invention can be used as a unique constant voltage anemometer with auto zeroing, and with much higher sensitivity than related devices. Further, in the constant voltage anemometer embodiment, the time constant and the overheat of the hot-wire/hot-film can be measured in true in situ mode under actual test conditions. In another embodiment, the circuit can be used to measure dynamic capacitance from capacitance sensors, without any effect of associated cable capacitance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a manual lamp, especially for optical crack testing according to the magnetic powder testing and dye penetration method. Said manual lamp comprises at least one LED having an emission wavelength located in the UVA range as an illuminating means.

Abstract: A relay controller for connecting a power source includes at least one relay having at least two contacts. The relay controller includes a processing device operable to selectively switch the relay contacts, and a feedback circuit adapted to identify an actual state of the relay contacts. The processing device is configured to recognize a fault contact condition of a disparity between an expected state of the relay contacts and the actual state of the relay contacts. The processing device is also configured to responsively communicate information relating to the relay fault condition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the thermal noise integrated on a storage element are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a sampling circuit comprising a sampling capacitor to store a charge, the sampling capacitor being exposed to an ambient temperature. The sampling circuit further comprises circuitry to sample the charge onto the capacitor, wherein thermal noise is also sampled onto the capacitor, and wherein the circuitry is constructed such that the power of the thermal noise sampled onto the capacitor is less than the product of the ambient temperature and Boltzmann's constant divided by a capacitance of the sampling capacitor. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of controlling thermal noise sampled onto a capacitor. The method comprises an act of independently controlling the spectral density of the thermal noise and/or the bandwidth of the thermal noise.

Abstract: A circuit for detecting whether an intermittent clock waveform signal of 50 MHz is received or not includes an offset receiver, a charge pump, a capacitor and a hysteresis comparator. A circuit for detecting whether a random data waveform signal of 500 MHz is received or not includes an offset-less receiver, a transition counter, a delay circuit and an AND circuit. An OR circuit outputs as a signal detection signal a signal indicating the OR operation result of respective outputs of the hysteresis comparator and the AND circuit.

Abstract: A system for detecting a fault in a power supply having at least one power supply unit and a redundant power supply unit. The system includes a printed circuit board and a common voltage bus disposed on the printed circuit board. A plurality of diodes is disposed on the printed circuit board having first electrodes connected to the common voltage supply bus. The diodes have second electrodes connected to a corresponding one of the at least one power supply unit and the redundant power supply unit. The diodes are connected to the common bus in a logic OR configuration. A controller, disposed on the printed circuit board, is fed by a voltage at the second electrode of a corresponding one of the diodes and a reference voltage for determining whether the voltage at the second electrode of the corresponding one of the diodes is producing a predetermined voltage relative to the reference voltage.

Abstract: Methods and systems of detecting one or more characteristics of a load are disclosed. One or more characteristics of a first signal may be detected at the output of a Radio Frequency (RF) power generator. The first signal may have a fundamental frequency. The one or more characteristics of the first signal may be sampled at a sampling frequency to produce a digital sampled signal. The sampling frequency may be determined based on a function of the fundamental frequency of the first signal. One or more characteristics of a load in communication with the RF power generator may then be determined from the digital sampled signal.

Abstract: A measurement instrument is provided with an FFT module providing a frequency domain output; and a power calculator connected to the frequency domain output to measure power statistics for a test signal of arbitrary length. In some embodiments, a spectrum integration module is provided to calculate the power contained within a frequency band. In an embodiment, a filter/averaging module is provided to compute signal power statistics over an arbitrary time period. Accumulators may be provided to store data related to maximum power, minimum power, average power, or peak to average power. A CCDF module may be provided in some embodiments to calculate CCDF related measurements. Also provided are methods of making power statistic measurements.

Abstract: A method of estimating a resistance value for ballast, over a given length of track, used at a crossing on a railroad track that has a crossing warning system where a inductance of the track over the given length, an inductance of the track over the given length of the track, a capacitance of the track over a given length of track, and an operating frequency of the warning crossing system are all known, the method including calculating a track impedance having a magnitude and a phase angle, applying a current waveform and a voltage waveform through the track at a known frequency, measuring the phase angle, calculating a ballast resistance by using the measured phase angle in place of the calculated phase angle, the given track length, resistance over the given length of track, inductance over the given length of track, capacitance over the given length of track, and the operating frequency.

Abstract: A method of correcting distortions resulting from loss and dispersion in cable fault measurements. A cable is measured in the frequency domain to obtain a reflected response. Fractional sinusoidal components of the reflected response having attenuated amplitude and delayed phase values at points defining the junctures of adjacent equal predetermined lengths are collected and normalized. Then the fractional sinusoidal components of the reflected response are extracted from normalized sum by mathematically calculating the real value at each point, thereby removing all loss and dispersion distortion components.

Abstract: An ionization gauge for isolating an electron source from gas molecules includes the electron source for generating electrons, a collector electrode for collecting ions formed by the impact between the electrons and gas molecules, and an electron window which isolates the electron source from the gas molecules. The ionization gauge can have an anode which defines an anode volume and decelerates and retains the electrons in a region of the anode. The ionization gauge can have a plurality of electron sources and/or collector electrodes. The collector electrode(s) are be located within the anode volume. The ionization gauge can be a Bayard-Alpert type that measures pressure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a high-voltage measuring device capable of providing sufficient electric isolation between resistors and between resistors and a voltage measurement circuit without necessity of enlarging a size of a substrate for carry thereon the circuit. A high-voltage measuring device mounted on a substrate, including a high-voltage input terminal pair, a measuring terminal pair, a voltage measuring circuit having input terminals connected to the measuring terminal pair, and two resistive parts. One of the resistive parts electrically connects one of high-voltage input terminal pair and one of measuring terminal pair. The other of resistive parts electrically connects between the other of high-voltage input terminal pair and the other of measuring terminal pair.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting or suppressing electrical arcing or other abnormal change in the electrical impedance of a load connected to a power source. Preferably the load is a plasma chamber used for manufacturing electronic components such as semiconductors and flat panel displays. Arcing is detected by monitoring one or more sensors. Each sensor either responds to a characteristic of the electrical power being supplied by an electrical power source to the plasma or is coupled to the plasma chamber so as to respond to an electromagnetic condition within the chamber. Arcing is suppressed by reducing the power output for a brief period. Then the power source increases its power output, preferably to its original value. If the arcing resumes, the power source repeats the steps of reducing and then restoring the power output.

Abstract: A circuit and method of operation for simulating a capacitive load for an integrated circuit or chip. The circuit adds a small capacitor to a test cell that tests the performance of a chip, such as a DRAM memory device, so that it may be tested realistically before being soldered into a final assembly, such as a DRAM module. Other passive devices, such as inductors or resistors may also be used in place of or in addition to a capacitor. By providing increased capacitance, or inductance or resistance for the test sequence, each circuit is tested under more realistic conditions. In one example, DRAM memory device modules may be realistically tested for performance by using sockets with small capacitors hard wired between pins of the DRAM device and a test interface used to perform the tests.

Abstract: Unlike known wheel-speed sensors, the wheel-speed sensor in accordance with the present invention is readily serviceable without disassembly of major components of the wheel assemblies and is relatively simple, and thus less expensive to manufacture, than known wheel-speed sensors. Two embodiments of the wheel-speed sensor in accordance with the present invention are disclosed. One embodiment relates to a “between-the-rows” wheel-speed sensor which includes a magnetic exciter ring that is adapted to be affixed to a rotating axle between rolling element rows of a wheel bearing. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the wheel-speed sensor is configured to form a grease seal which typically inserts into the end of an axle tube. A wheel-speed sensor utilizes a multiple pole magnetic exciter ring that is adapted to be attached to a rotating axle shaft. The wheel-speed sensor includes a two-piece stator which also functions as a grease seal which concentrates flux from a rotating multiple pole exciter ring.

Abstract: An electroimpedance tomograph is provided with a plurality of electrodes (1), which can be placed on the body of a patient and are connected to a control and evaluating unit (20) via a selector switch (60). The control and evaluating unit (20) cooperates with the selector switch (60) such that two electrodes each are supplied with alternating current from an AC power source (22). The detected analog voltage signals of the other electrodes are sent into the control and evaluating unit (20) via a measuring amplifier (62) and AD converter (64) and are processed there in order to reconstruct the impedance distribution of the body in the plane of the electrodes therefrom. A symmetrical AC power source (22) is used to reduce common-mode signals.