Patents Examined by Anthony T. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 6760680
    Abstract: Apparatus for testing functionality of a printed circuit board used to control operation of a printing press, including a plurality of input switches for providing to the circuit board test input signals simulating function control signals from a printing press control input, the function control signals controlling a plurality of functions of the printing press; a plurality of test loads simulating printing press loads for receiving from the circuit board output drive signals developed in response to the test input signals; and a processor for controlling operation of the input switches and for monitoring responses of the test loads in response to the output drive signals, whereby proper functionality of the printed circuit board in response to each of the plurality of function control signals is analyzed under simulated conditions of an actual operating printing press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: NYT Press Services LLC
    Inventor: Alan S. McNulty
  • Patent number: 6754600
    Abstract: An extremely convenient apparatus for evaluating the inner quality of vegetables and fruits which is small and inexpensive, can be introduced easily even by small-scaled enterprisers, in which an installation place can be changed easily, and safety and promptness of the replacing work of light sources are fully taking into consideration is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsui Mining & Smelting Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotsugu Hashimoto, Norio Taniguchi, Motoshi Tanaka, Yoshihide Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 6751565
    Abstract: Waveform data contains waveform signals having transition events and is subdivided into data blocks. Indexing elements are provided for each waveform signal that correspond to a time range of the waveform data, and have a pointer to a data block within which transition events for the waveform signal are stored. Each indexing element has a maximum interval value that indicates the maximum amount of time spanned between transition events of the waveform signal. A minimum time resolution that may be adequately resolved on the display is computed. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that exceed the minimum time resolution, the pointers of the indexing elements are used to access and draw transition events for the waveform signals. For indexing elements having maximum interval values that are less than the minimum time resolution, a predetermined image in place of transition events for the waveform signals is drawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Springsoft, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Kurt Naroska, Fei-Pei Lai, Chung-Chia Chen
  • Patent number: 6745135
    Abstract: A system, method, and software are disclosed that determine a proportion of a majority component of a fluid that is flowing through a Coriolis flowmeter. Circuitry receives pickoff signals and a temperature signal from the Coriolis flowmeter responsive to the fluid being flowed through the Coriolis flowmeter. The circuitry processes the pickoff signals and the temperature signal to determine a proportion of the majority component relative to the fluid. To determine the proportion of the majority component in one example, the circuitry determines a first volumetric flow rate based on a measured mass flow rate of the fluid and a reference density of the majority component. The circuitry then determines a second volumetric flow rate based on a measured volumetric flow rate, a temperature-varying density, and the reference density. The circuitry determines the proportion of the majority component based on the first volumetric flow rate and the second volumetric flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Keilty, Andrew T. Patten
  • Patent number: 6745153
    Abstract: A vehicle maintenance system predicts potential failure of a component or system using statistical data and methods. The maintenance system preferably includes a communications apparatus for communicating component or system performance data to an offboard network or data collection device. Methods for advantageously using the collected performance data are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Tommy E. White, Adrian B. Chernoff
  • Patent number: 6741948
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for fixing at least one location in an examination field (9) with respect to a coordinate system (13). The method includes determining, in response to a request (65), coordinates of a first location (59) as a first coordinate set (x, y, z) allocated to the first location (59). A first recording and a second recording of topological data (69) in a spatially extended area around the first location (59) in the examination field (9) are obtained. The first and second recordings are compared to determine a displacement (&Dgr;x, &Dgr;y, &Dgr;z) of the first location (59) of the examination field (9) with respect to the coordinate system (13), the coordinates of the first coordinate set (x, y, z) allocated to the first location (59) are changed dependent upon the determined displacement (&Dgr;x, &Dgr;y, &Dgr;z) such that the changed coordinates substantially correspond to the coordinates of the first location (59) in the examination field (9) after the displacement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
    Inventors: Christoph Hauger, Werner Pöltinger, Peter Reimer, Margit Krause-Bonte, Theo Lasser
  • Patent number: 6735537
    Abstract: A method for measuring the current in each phase of a three-phase motor (26) by the sensor (32), the motor (26) being controlled by a plurality of switching devices (S1-S6) that receive pulse width modulation signals from a controller (34). In one embodiment, a first and second sampling window (t1 and t2) are monitored. When both the first and second sampling windows (t1 and t2) are less than a minimum sampling window (mw), the voltage pulse trains associated with the highest output (V_h) and the lowest output (V_l) are shifted to form a first modified sampling window (t1′) and a modified second sampling window (t2′). When the first sampling window (t1) is less than the minimum sampling window and the second sampling window (t2) is greater than the minimum sampling window (mw), then the voltage pulse train associated with the highest output (V_h) and/or the middle output (V_m) may be shifted to form the first and second modified sampling windows (t1′ and t2′).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Guang Liu, Alexander Kurnia, Ronan De'Larminat
  • Patent number: 6735533
    Abstract: A recloser trips on one phase for single-phase only fault conditions, two phases for two-phase fault conditions, or all three phases for three-phase fault conditions. During power delivery, the recloser monitors the three phases of a power line (e.g., phases A, B, and C). If a fault is detected on one phase, then a timer is started and subsequently decremented. If the timer finishes counting down while the fault is still present, then it is determined if any of the other two phases are timing a fault. If so, then those phases having a fault are tripped. Thus, only the faulted phase(s) is (are) tripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Graeme N. McClure, Carl J. LaPlace, David G. Hart, William M. Egolf
  • Patent number: 6735534
    Abstract: A recloser trips on one phase for single-phase only fault conditions, or all phases for multi-phase fault conditions. During power delivery, the recloser monitors the three phases of a power line (e.g., phases A, B, and C). If a fault is detected on one phase, then a timer is started and subsequently decremented. If the timer finishes counting down while the fault is still present, then it is determined if any of the other two phases are timing a fault. If so, then all three phases are tripped; otherwise, only the faulted phase is tripped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Graeme N. McClure, Carl J. LaPlace, David G. Hart, William M. Egolf
  • Patent number: 6728651
    Abstract: A phase-locked loop circuit having a programmable tuning voltage. As the input reference clock frequency is changed, the tuning voltage is changed accordingly to compensate for the propagation delay through the phase detector and thereby reduce discrepancies in the phase relationship between the input reference clock signal and the output clock signal at different frequencies. A set of compensation values corresponding to input reference clock frequencies are stored in a memory device. When the input reference clock frequency is changed, a corresponding compensation value is programmed to a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC outputs a voltage that is proportional to the value of the digital input to the DAC and can thus be used to regulate the tuning voltage of the PLL circuit so that the relationship of the input reference clock signal to the output clock signal remains stable with frequency changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: LTX Corporation
    Inventors: Tim Alton, Wai-Kong Chen, Michael Davis, Warren Necoechea
  • Patent number: 6721674
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for in-situ calibration of quantity measurement of a fluid flowing in a channel, in which a device for measuring the volume of the fluid is disconnected from the fluid flow, measuring fluid is accumulated in a pre-determined amount on site of the calibration, this pre-determined amount of measuring fluid is led through the measuring device with a pre-determined volume flow, in the course of which the volume values measured by the measuring device are saved, then the measured volume values and the real values of the fluid led through are compared to each other and, with this, the quantity measurement of the flowing fluid is calibrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Inventor: Andras Borzsonyi
  • Patent number: 6718286
    Abstract: System and method for monitoring a processor when it executes software code for a computer program. A register collects information regarding instructions executed by the processor, from the program counter; and a sampler, operatively connected to the register, asynchronously from the operation of the processor, samples contents of the register. The sampler may provide the samples to a host computer via a shift register in a JTAG port, and the host computer may provide a statistical record of the instructions executed by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell L. Rivin, Lori A. Bellavance
  • Patent number: 6704664
    Abstract: A method for determining the sensitivity of the fatigue life of a structural component with respect to specific design parameters includes obtaining the stress profile for a structural component under random process establishing a relationship between the stress profile and the fatigue life of the structural component, developing the sensitivity of the fatigue life with respect to design parameters, optimizing the design of the structural component based upon the design parameters to which the fatigue life is most sensitive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Su, Shang-Rou Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6701267
    Abstract: A calibration reference work sphere is measured to obtain measured values by using a probe vector given before updating is made by exchanging the probe for a new one or by changing the posture of the probe. Then, the measured values are error-corrected by using the probe vector given before updating to thereby obtain the coordinates of the center of the reference sphere. The difference between the obtained coordinates and the coordinates of the center of the reference sphere before updating of the probe is obtained to thereby calculate a predicted probe vector. A calibration measurement part program for measuring the calibration reference sphere by using the predicted probe vector is generated and executed for performing calibration measurement. A calibration value of the probe vector is calculated on the basis of the result of the calibration measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Noda, Kozo Sugita
  • Patent number: 6701268
    Abstract: After preparatory measurement of a calibration reference with a scanning probe is performed, apart program for measuring the calibration reference is generated and executed so as to perform calibration measurement. After a calibration value of a coordinate transformation function and reference coordinates of the calibration reference are obtained, a new part program for measuring the calibration reference again is generated by use of the calibration value and the reference transformation coordinates and the part program is executed to perform calibration measurement. Accordingly, the calibration value of the coordinate transformation function and the reference coordinates of the calibration reference can be obtained with higher accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Noda, Hiromi Deguchi, Koji Takesako
  • Patent number: 6691050
    Abstract: An electronic instrument includes instrument hardware. A data acquisition engine schedules time sharing of the instrument hardware. Channel objects act each as a client of the data acquisition engine. The channel objects each included a channel buffer that contains data obtained from the instrument hardware. Measurement objects are each a client of one of the plurality of channel objects. Each measurement object processes data obtained from a channel buffer of a channel object to which the measurement object is a client. Display window objects are each a client of at least one of the plurality of measurement objects, each display window object displaying data processed by any measurement object to which the display window object is a client. Memory within the electronic instrument is allocated among object types to accommodate a user specified mix of object types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Wilson Stark
  • Patent number: 6681189
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for determining a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a conduit having an obstruction flow meter includes receiving a &bgr; ratio value indicative of a &bgr; ratio of the obstruction flow meter, receiving a pressure differential value indicative of a pressure differential across the obstruction flow meter, receiving a density value indicative of a density of the fluid, receiving a discharge coefficient formula for the obstruction flow meter, the discharge coefficient formula being a function of the &bgr; ratio of the obstruction flow meter and an Euler number for the fluid flowing through the conduit, and determining, by the computer, the flow rate based on the received &bgr; ratio value, the received pressure differential value, the received density value, and the received discharge coefficient formula. The determined flow rate may either be the volumetric flow rate or the mass flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Gerald L. Morrison, Kenneth R. Hall
  • Patent number: 6665624
    Abstract: Generating and using calibration information includes using a test circuit to generate calibration information that is representative of how changes in at least one variable affect operation of a first element of a controlled circuit and using the calibration information to provide control signals to the first element and to at least one other element of the controlled circuit to adjust operation of the first element and the other element to accommodate changes in the variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas D. Simon, Rajeevan Amirtharajah
  • Patent number: 6636815
    Abstract: A system, method, and software are disclosed that determine a proportion of a majority component of a fluid that is flowing through a Coriolis flowmeter. Circuitry receives pickoff signals and a temperature signal from the Coriolis flowmeter responsive to the fluid being flowed through the Coriolis flowmeter. The circuitry processes the pickoff signals and the temperature signal to determine a proportion of the majority component relative to the fluid. To determine the proportion of the majority component in one example, the circuitry determines a first volumetric flow rate based on a measured mass flow rate of the fluid and a reference density of the majority component. The circuitry then determines a second volumetric flow rate based on a measured volumetric flow rate, a temperature-varying density, and the reference density. The circuitry determines the proportion of the majority component based on the first volumetric flow rate and the second volumetric flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Keilty, Andrew T. Patten
  • Patent number: 6629041
    Abstract: The prior art knows two different approaches to calibration of multichannel instruments, viz., the so-called physical and statistical calibration methods. The new methods translate the difficult inverse-problem posed by the statistical method into simpler, forward-problem, “physical” measurements of the signal and the noise. The new methods combine the quality of the statistical method with the low cost and interpretability of the physical method. The new methods disclose how to compute the optimal regression vector; how to update the optimal regression vector to account for small changes in the noise; how to choose a “good” subset of channels for measurement; and how to quantify the noise contributions from the multichannel measurement and from the reference measurement individually. The new methods are adapted to different situations to enable users in different situations to realize maximum cost savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Inventor: Ralf Marbach