Patents Examined by Dustin Dickinson
  • Patent number: 9472473
    Abstract: A method and device for testing a thin film transistor (TFT) provided on an array substrate are provided in an embodiment. The method comprises determining periods and signal amplitudes in each period of the gate electrode test voltage signal and the source-drain-electrode test voltage signal corresponding to the TFT characteristics to be tested, wherein both the gate electrode test voltage signal and the source-drain-electrode test voltage signal are alternative current signals; according to the period and the signal amplitude in each period of the gate electrode test voltage signal and those of the source-drain-electrode test voltage signal, applying the gate electrode test voltage signal to a gate electrode of the TFT to be tested, and applying the source-drain-electrode test voltage signal across source and drain electrodes of the TFT; and obtaining the TFT output signals related to the TFT characteristics to be tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hongjun Yu
  • Patent number: 9453891
    Abstract: A magnetic field detection device includes: a resonance circuit having a winding coil for converting a magnetic field signal of an alternating magnetic field into a voltage signal and having a capacitor connected in parallel to the coil; an element connected in series to an output stage of the resonance circuit; and a low noise amplifier connected to an output stage of the element. The element has a reactance whose sign is opposite to that of an imaginary part of an impedance of the resonance circuit at a detected frequency of the alternating magnetic field. An absolute value of a combined impedance of the resonance circuit and the element is smaller than an internal resistance of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9453892
    Abstract: Integrated circuit Hall sensor system comprising a plurality of elementary blocks (EB), each elementary block including a Hall cell (4), a differential pair (8) of an input stage of a Differential Difference Amplifier (DDA), and terminals (12a, 12b), wherein the terminals (12a, 12b) are placed laterally on opposing outer sides of each elementary block parallel to a Y axis and the plurality of elementary blocks are arranged in a juxtaposed manner to form at least one row (6a, 6b) extending along an X axis orthogonal to the Y axis and interconnected by the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: LEM Intellectual Property SA
    Inventors: Pavel Kejik, Serge Reymond
  • Patent number: 9448186
    Abstract: A system for determining a concentration of gas in a confined space includes a first frequency generator for generating a first RF signal. A first antenna transmits the first RF signal across the confined space and second antenna receives the first RF signal. First and second RF signal power detectors detect the power of the first RF signal both prior to and after transmission through the confined space. A first comparator circuit determines a concentration of oxygen in the confined space based on the power of the first RF signal prior to transmission through the confined space and the power of the first RF signal received by the second antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: John A. Marchetti
  • Patent number: 9443609
    Abstract: A voltage monitoring test circuit includes a switching control signal generation unit configured to receive first and second switching signals, control the first and second switching signals such that an enable period of the first switching signal and an enable period of the second switching signal do not overlap with each other, and generate first and second switching control signals where a first voltage is transmitted in response to the first switching control signal and a second voltage is transmitted in response to the second switching control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Young Geun Choi
  • Patent number: 9435831
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a magnetic sensor module including a plurality of magnetic sensor units connected in series. The magnetic sensor units each include a first magnetic sensor element and a second magnetic sensor element which have sensitivity axes oriented in opposite directions. A first terminal of the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to a first potential source. A third terminal of the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to a second potential source. A second terminal and a fourth terminal of the last magnetic sensor unit are connected to constitute a sensor output terminal. The first terminal of each of the magnetic sensor units excluding the first magnetic sensor unit is connected to the second terminal of the next magnetic sensor unit and the third terminal thereof is connected to the fourth terminal of the next magnetic sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS GREEN DEVICES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Aratono, Masahiro Iizuka, Masamichi Saito, Akira Takahashi, Shigenobu Miyajima, Kenji Ichinohe, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Yosuke Ide, Shinji Mitsuya
  • Patent number: 9413174
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics of solar panels (photovoltaic modules) wherein the apparatus measures current versus voltage (“I-V”) relationships for both illuminated (“light I-V”) and/or non-illuminated (“dark I-V”) conditions; optionally provides single, dual, or four-quadrant source/sink capability; and measures one or more devices under test (DUTs). The apparatus comprises one or more source measurement units (SMUs), wherein each SMU is connected to one DUT, and optionally includes a positive high-voltage programmable power supply and/or a negative high-voltage programmable power supply. Additionally, the apparatus includes a controller which controls the functions of the SMUs, the high-voltage supplies, and other components of the apparatus, wherein the controller communicates with the SMUs over a signal bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Atonometrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Gostein, Russell Apfel, Lawrence R. Dunn, Stan Faullin, Naoum Gitnik, Jason Schneider
  • Patent number: 9404941
    Abstract: A contact probe includes a conductive first plunger including, on a same axis, a distal end portion, a flange portion, a boss portion, and a base end portion, a conductive second plunger including, on the same axis, a second distal end portion and a boss portion, and a coil spring including a coarsely wound portion formed by winding at a predetermined pitch with an inner diameter equal to or larger than a diameter of the boss portion of the first plunger and a tightly wound portion formed by tightly winding with an inner diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the boss portion of the second plunger, so that the first plunger and the second plunger are connected to each other on the same axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Kazama, Kazuya Souma, Akihiro Matsui
  • Patent number: 9395390
    Abstract: A probe for transporting a nondestructive inspection sensor through a tube, that employs wheels to reduce friction. The radial travel of the wheels are mechanically linked through a cam and axially reciprocal plunger arrangement that centers the probe at tube diameter transitions. Internal wire bending is minimized and a dynamic seal is provided to facilitate an insertion force at the probe and reduce or eliminate compressive load buckling of the flexible cable carried by the probe. Like the wheel arrangement, radial travel of the seal segments are mechanically linked to provide probe centering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Phillip J. Hawkins, Lyman J. Petrosky
  • Patent number: 9395424
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor has a magnetoresistive rod having a stack of stacked layers that include a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction almost perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, a free layer comprising a magnetostrictive material having a coefficient of magnetostriction greater than 20 ppm to 25° C. and a longitudinal axis of easiest magnetization, the magnetization changing when the free layer is exposed to a magnetic field, a non-magnetic spacer layer interposed between the free and pinned layers to form a tunnel junction or spin valve, and a stress-generating layer for exerting uniaxial stress essentially such that a product of stress and magnetostriction coefficient is greater than 500 ppm·MPa at 25° C. The rod's length is at least ten times its greatest width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Bertrand Delaet, Bernard Viala
  • Patent number: 9389250
    Abstract: A load testing apparatus includes a resistive unit that includes one or more resistor groups having a plurality of resistors and is connected with a power source to be tested for a load test. A cooling fan cools the resistors in the resistive unit. The resistive unit includes a current/voltage detection part that detects a current flowing through or a voltage applied to the resistors, the resistor groups, or the resistive unit and a temperature detection part that detects an exhaust temperature at a downstream of the resistive unit. A rotation state detection part detects a rotation state of the cooling fan. A control unit performs off control that stops power supply from the power source to be tested to the resistive unit based on information from the current/voltage detection part, information from the temperature detection part, and information from the rotation state detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Tatsumi Ryoki Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Toyoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 9335152
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotation angle detection device mainly used for rotation angle detection of a steering wheel of an automobile and the like. In the rotation angle detection device of the present invention, support portions for supporting lower surfaces of magnets and retention portions for retaining upper surfaces of the magnets are provided in respective accommodation portions of first and second detection bodies. The magnets are turned in the accommodation portions, and the magnets are press-fitted into lower surfaces of the retention portions so as to be retained and fixed between the support portions and the retention portions. Thereby, an inexpensive rotation angle detection device in which the magnets can be easily and reliably installed in the detection bodies with a simple configuration without individually using holders can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Noda, Shozoh Shiraga
  • Patent number: 9322673
    Abstract: A position sensor, preferably an angle sensor for detecting the rotational angle of a shaft. The position sensor has a lead frame on which the electronic components of the position sensor are arranged and to which they are electrically connected A plastic encapsulation enclosing at least the electronic components, thereby forming a sensor module with the lead frame, and a plurality of electrical connections of the sensor module which are formed by the lead frame and a carrier module accommodating the sensor module. The carrier module has electrical connections connected to the electrical connections of the sensor module in an electrically conducting manner. The carrier module has at least two domes between which the sensor module is arranged. The respective free ends of the domes are deformed in such manner that the sensor module is clamped fixed in its position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Günther Bender, Werner Wallrafen, Stefan Kohler
  • Patent number: 9322860
    Abstract: An electrical resistance measuring device for a tire (T) that measures the electrical resistance from a bead portion (71) to a tread portion (70) and includes a measuring tip (5a) that is curvedly deformable along the shape of the tire (T).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ueda, Jiro Agawa
  • Patent number: 9316671
    Abstract: A fault sensing system for a power system including a protected unit is disclosed. The fault sensing system is adapted to sense a fault in the protected unit. The fault sensing system includes at least one current sensing unit adapted to sense at least one first current in a first position in the protected unit and at least one second current in the second position in the protected unit and at least one voltage sensing unit adapted to sense at least one first voltage in the first position and at least one second voltage in the second position, and at least one processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventor: Niclas Johannesson
  • Patent number: 9316686
    Abstract: A handler for conveying a plurality of devices under test to a socket for a test that can reduce a test time includes: a test section provided with the socket; a heat applying section into which a tray having a plurality of devices under test placed on its surface is conveyed and that controls the temperature of the devices under test to a predetermined test temperature and conveys the tray into the test section; a device image capturing section that in the heat applying section, captures images of the respective devices under test by moving with respect to the surface of the tray in two non-parallel directions of a first direction and a second direction; and a position adjusting section that adjusts the positions of the devices under test with respect to the socket based on the images of the devices under test captured by the device image capturing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Horino, Masataka Onozawa
  • Patent number: 9310438
    Abstract: A deposition detection circuit (3) provided in a deposition detection device (1) includes a determination circuit (4) determines whether the movable contact (9) is deposited based on a step input signal and a transient response signal when a drive signal is in an off state. The transient response signal is generated so as to correspond to voltage less than or equal to operating voltage of the electromagnetic relay switch (5) according to an excitation coil (6) and a fixed resistor (R1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Kinoshita, Hiroyuki Iwasaka, Wataru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9285393
    Abstract: Provided is a handler apparatus which can connect devices under test to sockets of a test apparatus quickly and with low power consumption. The handler apparatus for conveying and connecting a plurality of devices under test to a plurality of sockets provided on a test head of a test apparatus, includes a position adjusting section that moves each of the plurality of devices under test on the test tray and adjusts the position thereof to a corresponding one of the plurality of sockets; and a device mounting section that mounts the plurality of devices under test whose positions have been adjusted by the position adjusting section, to the plurality of sockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Mitsunori Aizawa
  • Patent number: 9273947
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sensing magnet apparatus for an motor, the apparatus including a disk-shaped plate centrally inserted by a rotation shaft, a ring-shaped sensing magnet so installed as to surface-contact an upper surface of the plate, formed at a position near to a periphery with a main magnet, and formed at a position near to a through hole with a sub magnet, and a separation inhibition unit physically coupling the plate and the sensing magnet to maintain the coupled state between the plate and the sensing magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung Keun Kim, Dong Geun Chang
  • Patent number: 9261570
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a non-bias structure element section that has a laminated structure in which a fixed magnetic layer, a non-magnetic material layer, a free magnetic layer, and a protection layer are laminated, and that is extended in an X1-X2 direction; and soft magnetic bodies that are arranged on the element section in a contactless manner. The soft magnetic bodies include a first section, a second section, and a third section. The second section is located on a Y2 side of the element section and the third section is located on a Y1 side thereof. The second section of one of soft magnetic bodies faces the third section of the other soft magnetic body in a Y1-Y2 direction through the element section. An electrode layer is provided on the element section which faces the joint sections of the second section and the third section in the Y1-Y2 direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Obana, Hideto Ando, Shinji Sugihara