Patents Examined by Brent J Andrews
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Patent number: 10247764Abstract: A measurement device that performs a predetermined measurement task together with a plurality of other measurement devices is provided. This measurement device is provided with a sampling phase generator for generating a sampling phase for instructing a timing of sampling, and a communication unit for communicating with at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices. The communication unit transmits the sampling phase generated by the sampling phase generator to at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices. The sampling phase generator is configured to generate a third sampling phase, using an operation that is based on a generated first sampling phase and a second sampling phase received by the communication unit from at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: DAIHEN CorporationInventors: Akihiro Ohori, Nobuyuki Hattori
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Patent number: 10238313Abstract: A sensor unit for use in measurements on a subject is presented. The sensor unit includes a near field electromagnetic sensor and a flexible signal transmission structure, which are integral with one another by means of at least one common continuous surface. The flexible signal transmission structure is constructed from a first layer including signal connection lines associated with sensor cells near field electromagnetic sensor and a second electrically conductive layer electrically coupled to the electrically conductive material of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: DUNE MEDICAL DEVICES LTD.Inventors: Gil Cohen, Dan Hashimshony, Iddo Geltner, Harel Golombek
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Patent number: 10191101Abstract: A ground fault detection system for locating a ground fault in a direct current (DC) power transfer system is provided. The system includes a ground fault detection component and a current sensor. The ground fault detection component includes a first switch and a first resistive element electrically coupled to each other in a series configuration. The ground fault detection component also includes a second switch and a second resistive element electrically coupled to each other in a series configuration. Furthermore, the current sensor is operatively coupled to a load and is configured to measure a fault current at the load upon switching at least one of the first switch or the second switch to a conducting state.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2014Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Dong Dong, Yan Pan, Rixin Lai
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Patent number: 10088290Abstract: A proximity detecting apparatus for detecting a proximity event includes a capacitive sensing device, an auxiliary detecting device, and a controller. The capacitive sensing device is arranged for generating a capacitive sensing output. The auxiliary detecting device is arranged for detecting an operational status of an electronic device in which the capacitive sensing device is disposed and accordingly generating a status output. The controller is arranged for detecting the proximity event according to the capacitive sensing output and the status output.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2012Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.Inventors: Chih-Pin Chu, Yu-Han Lin, Shu-Ching Chen
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Patent number: 10074593Abstract: A semiconductor module includes a housing, a circuit carrier having an insulation carrier and a metallization layer applied to a side of the insulation carrier, and a connection lug having a first and second load connection sections and a shunt resistor region. The shunt resistor region is electrically arranged between the first and second load connection sections and connected in series with the first and second load connection sections. The shunt resistor region has an ohmic resistance with a temperature coefficient having an absolute value of less than 0.00002/K at a temperature of 20° C. The connection lug in the region of the second load connection section is electrically conductively connected to a first section of the metallization layer by a first cohesive connection. The first load connection section is led out from the housing and has a free end arranged on the outer side of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2013Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Thorsten Kurz, Andreas Schulz
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Patent number: 10060951Abstract: In a case in which an input offset voltage of a main amplification circuit deviates from a predetermined range, a retaining operation of retaining an output voltage of a low pass filter in a sample and hold circuit stops, and an output voltage of the low pass filter is directly output to a correction signal supply circuit. As a result, for example, negative feedback control is not temporarily performed due to influence or the like of an excessive input voltage on the main amplification circuit, and in a case in which the input offset voltage of the main amplification circuit deviates from the predetermined range, a response delay due to the retaining operation of the sample and hold circuit does not occur, and the response speed of an offset correction circuit increases.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Masahiko Ota
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Patent number: 10054627Abstract: A testing jig includes a substrate and a plurality of conductive elastic pieces, wherein the substrate has a recess and a plurality of circuits; the recess is located on a top surface of the substrate, while the circuits are provided on the top surface of the substrate. The conductive elastic pieces are provided on the substrate, and are respectively electrically connected to the circuits. Each of the conductive elastic pieces has a contact portion located within an orthographic projection range of the recess, wherein each of the contact portions contacts a pad of a DUT. Whereby, attenuation happens while transmitting test signals with high frequency can be effectively reduces by using the conductive elastic pieces to transmit test signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: MPI CORPORATIONInventors: Wei-Cheng Ku, Hao Wei, Chia-Nan Chou, Chih-Hao Ho
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Patent number: 10054418Abstract: An apparatus for determining the thickness of passing mail items M conveyed on a conveying deck (12) of a mail processing machine (10) comprising a deflecting element (18) which is positioned to successively contact without active compression each conveyed mail item, measures a parameter that indicates a change in a resistivity of the deflecting element, and generates a signal indicative of the measured parameter; and a processing unit (24) which receives the signal from the deflecting element and determines a thickness value for each conveyed mail item based on the measured parameter.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: NEOPOST TECHNOLOGIESInventor: Dominique Bernard
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Patent number: 10018688Abstract: Systems and methods to detect when the external magnetic field becomes higher than the saturation field of AMR material are described. Approaches include saturation detection by combining sensors with different full-scale ranges, saturation detection using DC current and saturation detection by arranging sensitive axes at 45° offsets.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: MEMSIC, INC.Inventors: Daniel Vasquez, Yongyao Cai, Shuo Gu, James Fennelly
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Patent number: 9998026Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for assessing the conditions of LEDs and power supplies of solid state lighting systems. The techniques can be used, for example, to measure the capacitance of an output capacitor C in a switch-mode power supply (SMPS), and to measure the condition of the LEDs being driven by that power supply. In some cases, this assessment can be implemented in a lighting controller that controls the lighting system, which may be configured to simultaneously determine C and the conditions of LEDs. In one example case, the techniques can be implemented, for instance, in a micro-controller operating the lighting system. A lighting system implementing the techniques can be periodically assessed so as to provide real-time diagnostic capability. Numerous example embodiments of SMPS LED lighting systems will be apparent in light of this disclosure.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2013Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.Inventors: Bernhard Siessegger, Marijan Kostrun
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Patent number: 9933378Abstract: A power feeding coil unit (a coil unit) is provided with a power feeding coil (a coil for power transmission) and an apparatus for detecting foreign matter. The apparatus for detecting foreign matter is provided with a plurality of resonators having a resonator coil and capacitor and also an excitation coil for exciting the plurality of resonators. The plurality of resonators are disposed in rows and columns to cover at least an area interlinking with a magnetic flux generated by the power feeding coil. The excitation coil makes resonators adjacent in a row direction and a column direction among the plurality of resonators to generate an alternating magnetic field with resonance frequencies different from each other within a frequency band in which the power feeding coil is not excited.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: TDK CORPORATIONInventor: Takashi Urano
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Patent number: 9927926Abstract: A capacitance sensing system can include a plurality of transmit (TX) electrodes disposed in a first direction; a plurality of first electrodes disposed in a second direction and coupled to the TX electrodes by a mutual capacitance, and coupled to a capacitance sense circuit when at least one TX electrode receives a transmit signal; and a plurality of second electrodes structures, interspersed with the first electrodes and coupled to a ground node at least while the one TX electrode receives the transmit signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor CorporationInventor: Tao Peng
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Patent number: 9915697Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes, by one or more processors in electronic communication with a tunneling magnetoresistive sensor, wherein the tunneling magnetoresistive sensor is a component of a magnetic storage drive configured to read magnetic data from a magnetic storage medium, detecting a short across the tunneling magnetoresistive sensor, measuring a change in resistance of the tunneling magnetoresistive sensor, measuring a change in voltage amplitude for the tunneling magnetoresistive sensor, and dividing said change in voltage amplitude by said change in resistance to yield a ratio. The computer-implemented method further includes, responsive to the ratio being greater than a predetermined ratio threshold, determining that the short is caused by a magnetic shunt. A corresponding computer program product and computer system are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2017Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert G. Biskeborn, Wlodzimierz S. Czarnecki, Icko E. T. Iben, Hugo E. Rothuizen
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Patent number: 9857171Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring probe for non-destructive measuring of the thickness of thin layers on an object with a measuring head, which comprises at least one sensor element for contact on a measurement surface of an object, and with a support device for receiving the measuring head, which is at least partly surrounded by a housing, wherein at least one further measuring head, which is adjacent to and separated from the first measuring head, is arranged on the support device, which can be controlled independently of the first measuring head.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2011Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Assignee: HELMUT FISCHER GMBH INSTITUT FUER ELEKTRONIK UND MESSTECHNIKInventor: Helmut Fischer
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Patent number: 9851416Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatuses for magnetic field sensors with self-test include a detection circuit to detect speed and direction of a target. One or more circuits to test accuracy of the detected speed and direction may be included. One or more circuits to test accuracy of an oscillator may also be included. One or more circuits to test the accuracy of an analog-to-digital converter may also be included. Additionally one or more IDDQ and/or built-in-self test (BEST) circuits may be included.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2014Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLCInventors: P. Karl Scheller, James E. Burgess, Steven E. Snyder, Kristann L. Moody, Devon Fernandez, Andrea Foletto
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Patent number: 9816837Abstract: A magnetic angle detector (10) includes a detected object (20a) including a plurality of concave and convex parts (21a) formed at a predetermined pitch on an outer peripheral surface, and a detection body (30a) disposed to face an outer peripheral surface of the detected object. The detection body is a polyhedron, and at least two magnetic detection units (34a and 34b) matching a different detected object are arranged on one plane of the polyhedron. The at least two magnetic detection units are arranged rotationally symmetrically around an arbitrary axis of the detection body.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2014Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventor: Akira Nishioka
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Patent number: 9804213Abstract: A capacitive sensor device comprises a first sensor electrode, a second sensor electrode, and a processing system coupled to the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with the first sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the emitting and the other of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the receiving, and wherein the first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate. The processing system is configured to determine positional information using the first and second capacitive measurements.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2010Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Joseph Kurth Reynolds, Kirk Hargreaves, Shahrooz Shahparnia, Phillip Acker
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Patent number: 9797751Abstract: A readhead is provided for reading an absolute scale, optionally a passive magnetic scale, that encodes a series of data bits. The readhead includes a plurality of sensors, such as an array of Hall sensors, for producing a plurality of sensor signals. A plurality of signal combiners are also provided to receive at least two of the sensor signals and produce therefrom a combined sensor signal. A plurality of data bit extractors are arranged to receive at least two combined sensor signals and to determine the value of a data bit encoded in an associated absolute scale. The readhead also comprises an incremental signal generator for generating at least one incremental signal from the combined sensor signals produced by a plurality of the signal combiners. In this manner, both absolute and incremental position is measured.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignees: RLS MERILNA TEHNIKA D.O.O., RENISHAW PLCInventors: Gregor Dolsak, Aljaz Ogrin, Matjaz Janezic
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Patent number: 9799757Abstract: A sensor device (100, 2800) for detecting particles, the sensor device (100, 2800) comprising a substrate (102), a first doped region (104) formed in the substrate (102) by a first dopant of a first type of conductivity, a second doped region (106, 150) formed in the substrate (102) by a second dopant of a second type of conductivity which differs from the first type of conductivity, a depletion region (108) at a junction between the first doped region (104) and the second doped region (106, 150), a sensor active region (110) adapted to influence a property of the depletion region (108) in the presence of the particles, and a detection unit (112) adapted to detect the particles based on an electric measurement performed upon application of a predetermined reference voltage between the first doped region (104) and the second doped region (106, 150), the electric measurement being indicative of the presence of the particles in the sensor active region (110).Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: NXP B.V.Inventors: Evelyne Gridelet, Almudena Huerta, Pierre Goarin, Jan Sonsky
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Patent number: 9762234Abstract: An interference determining circuit for a capacitive sensor device comprises an amplifier, absolute differential circuitry, and comparator circuitry. The amplifier is configured for receiving a reference voltage at a first input and for receiving a resulting signal at a second input. The resulting signal is from a sensor electrode of the capacitive sensor device. The absolute differential circuitry is coupled with an output of the amplifier and configured for outputting a difference signal. The difference signal represents an absolute differential between currents utilized in the amplifier. The comparator circuitry is coupled with the absolute differential circuitry and configured for generating a non-linearity indication based on a comparison of the difference signal with at least one reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2011Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Synaptics IncorporatedInventors: Vivek Pant, Farzaneh Shahrokhi, Shahrooz Shahparnia