Patents Examined by Emily Chan
  • Patent number: 8841918
    Abstract: Provided is a switching apparatus comprising a contact point section that includes a first contact point; an actuator that includes a second contact point and moves the second contact point to contact or move away from the first contact point; and a control section that controls a first drive voltage. The actuator includes a first piezoelectric film that expands and contracts according to the first drive voltage and a support layer disposed on the first piezoelectric film. The control section causes the first piezoelectric film to contract by causing a change from a voltage that applies an electric field that is less than a first coercive electric field to a voltage that applies an electric field that exceeds the first coercive electric field, and causes the first piezoelectric film to expand by outputting a voltage that applies an electric field that is less than a second coercive electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Hisao Hori, Yoshikazu Abe, Yoshihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8823376
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a magnetic resonance data acquisition unit and a cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit. The magnetic resonance data acquisition unit consecutively acquires a plurality of magnetic resonance data for generating a plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data, each corresponding to a different data acquisition time, after a labeling pulse is applied. The cerebrospinal fluid image data generation unit generates the plurality of cerebrospinal fluid image data based on the plurality of magnetic resonance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tobshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Yamashita, Nobuyasu Ichinose, Shinichi Kitane
  • Patent number: 8810266
    Abstract: A micro-spray cooling system beneficial for use in testers of electrically stimulated integrated circuit chips is disclosed. The system includes micro-spray heads disposed about a probe head. The spray heads and probe head are disposed in a sealed manner inside a spray chamber that, during operation, is urged in a sealing manner onto a sealing plate holding the integrated circuit under test. The atomized mist cools the integrated circuit and then condenses on the spray chamber wall. The condensed fluid is pumped out of the chamber and is circulated in a chiller, so as to be re-circulated and injected again into the micro-spray heads. The pressure inside the spray chamber may be controlled to provide a desired boiling point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: DCG Systems, Inc., Isothermal Systems Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Tahir Cader, Charles Lester Tilton, Benjamin Hewett Tolman, George Joseph Wos, Alan Brent Roberts, Thomas Wong, Jonathan D. Frank
  • Patent number: 8797029
    Abstract: The receive coil arrangement includes an inner coil adjacent the part to be imaged so as to maximize the received MR signal and an outer coil, which may be the built in body coil of the magnet, connected by cable to the signal processing system. Both the coils are individually tuned to the common resonant frequency and the receive coil include an arrangement to halt current flow therein during the transmit stage. The first coil has no cable and is arranged to communicate the MR signal therein to the signal processing system through the outer coil by inducing the MR signal onto the outer coil. Despite inherent losses by interfering with the tuning of the loops and in the inductive coupling this magnifies the MR signal and makes the first coil wireless. Arrangements are provided for generating from the output of the second coil separate signals for separate channels of the signal processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Imris Inc
    Inventors: Haoqin Zhu, Labros Petropoulos, Wayne Schellekens, John Saunders
  • Patent number: 8791695
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on samples in metallic holders and vessels or in proximity to metallic objects is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: University of New Brunswick
    Inventors: Bruce Balcom, Derrick Green, Hui Han
  • Patent number: 8791704
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for identifying a fault type in an electric power delivery system using an angle difference between a total zero-sequence current and a total negative-sequence current and a comparison of phase-to-phase currents against a threshold. The angle difference falls into one of a number of predetermined angle difference sectors. Each sector is associated with a phase-to-ground fault type and a phase-to-phase-to-ground fault type or two phase-to-phase-to-ground fault types. The phase-to-phase current(s) of the indicated phase-to-phase-to-ground fault type(s) associated with the sector are compared with a threshold to determine which of the fault types of the sector is the actual fault type. The threshold may be a multiple of a maximum phase-to-phase current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Mangapathirao Venkata Mynam, Yanfeng Gong
  • Patent number: 8773127
    Abstract: A transmission line array is used for explosive/contraband detection using nuclear quadrupole resonance in which the array is driven in-phase with synchrony frequency-swept signals. Each of the balanced transmission lines is fed with a low power swept frequency source and stimulated emissions are picked out with a directional coupler. Location is provided using a cross grid array or a phase detector is used for each balanced line, with phase determining the distance to the sensed substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: R.A. Miller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Apostolos, Paul A. Zank
  • Patent number: 8773144
    Abstract: To detect whether energy accumulated in an inductive load section has been discharged. Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a power supply section that generates a power supply voltage to be supplied to the device under test; an inductive load section that is provided in a path between the power supply section and the device under test; a housing section that houses a substrate that includes at least the inductive load section; and a lock maintaining section that keeps an opening/closing section, which allows an operator to access the substrate within the housing section, in a locked state when a voltage at a predetermined position on the substrate is greater than a set voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8773142
    Abstract: An electronic component includes an oscillator element, a driving circuit outputting a driving signal to the oscillator element, a clock frequency generator outputting a clock signal to the driving circuit, a clock frequency controller controlling a frequency of the clock signal, a consumption-current detection unit detecting a consumption current of the driving circuit, and a fault detection unit electrically connected to the consumption-current detection unit and the clock frequency controller. When the clock frequency controller changes the frequency of the clock signal, the detected consumption current changes, and allows the consumption-current detection unit to detect the change of the consumption current. The fault detection unit detects a fault based on the change of the frequency of the clock signal and the change of the consumption current. This electronic component can have a fault detection function and a small size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujii, Keisuke Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8742758
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of coil elements for receiving magnetic resonance signals of a subject in a plurality of selectable combinations. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus also includes a sensitive region storage device for storing respective sensitive regions for the combinations of the coil elements, a setting device for setting scan regions, a calculation device for calculating a scan volume rate indicating each of proportions of overlap regions between the scan regions and the sensitive regions to the scan regions, and a sensitivity volume rate indicating each of proportions of the overlap regions to the sensitive regions, and a selection device for selecting each combination of the coil elements used to receive the magnetic resonance signals of the subject, out of the combinations of the coil elements, based on the scan volume rate and the sensitivity volume rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Miho Nagasawa, Yoshihiro Oda, Antoine Choppin, Takeshi Kubota
  • Patent number: 8742756
    Abstract: An object is to enhance usability of parameter check when an imaging parameter is changed in multistation imaging, and easily obtain a desired image with high quality. In the multistation imaging, it is determined in a lump before imaging whether an image having desired quality is obtained by using the changed value of the imaging parameter, and the result is presented to an operator. The determination is executed in the order of “possible or impossible” determination of execution of imaging itself and “possible or impossible” determination of combination of obtained images. When it is determined that it is impossible to execute the imaging itself, the determination processing is finished. At this time, a recommended value may be presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Binrong Wu, Hiroyuki Itagaki, Takashi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8742753
    Abstract: Stimulated emissions due to nuclear quadropole resonance are detected utilizing a terminated balanced transmission line and a directional coupler for the detection of explosives, contraband, narcotics and the like that exist between the transmission lines, with either a stepped frequency generator utilized to scan between 100 KHz and 10 MHz, or wherein parallel fixed frequency sources are coupled to the transmission line, thereby to permit correlation with expected lines, with the frequency sources being low power so as to not create a safety hazard and so as not to interfere with radiation sensitive devices such as film or electronic circuits that are in the vicinity of the balanced transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: R.A. Miller Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Zank, John T. Apostolos
  • Patent number: 8729918
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a test circuit that is provided on a test substrate and tests the device under test; a sealing section that covers a region of the test substrate on which the test circuit is formed, and seals the test circuit to form a sealed space that is filled with a cooling agent; and a through-connector that passes through the sealing section and electrically connects the test circuit to an element provided outside the sealing section, such that the connection is not through the test substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ataka, Atsushi Ono
  • Patent number: 8729917
    Abstract: The inspection of semiconductors or like substrates by the present mechanism minimizes deflection in the checkplate and probe card. An inspection device including a housing, a toggle assembly within the housing, an objective lens assembly attached within the toggle assembly including an objective coupled within an objective focus, wherein the objective focus is deflectable along an optics axis, and a cam assembly including a rotary cam and a window carrier, wherein the window carrier is moveable along the optics axis with rotation of the rotary cam, wherein the cam assembly is coupled to the toggle assembly with the objective and window are aligned along the optics axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Mark Gunderson, Greg Olmstead
  • Patent number: 8729895
    Abstract: A method for regulating radio frequency (RF) signals in a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system, comprising a spectrometer, a control loop, and an NMR probe head with RF components (BE, LE, BK), wherein the spectrometer comprises a transmitter that transmits RF signals at measuring frequencies with a transmission power (PS), the NMR probe head contains an RF oscillating circuit, and the RF oscillating circuit comprises an RF coil (LE), is characterized in that the control loop controls the duration and/or the phase and/or the power of the transmitted RF signals. Measurement of a parameter is performed by means of the NMR probe head, via which parameter the current in or the voltage across one of the RF components (BE, LE, BK) can be determined, and the transmission powers (PS) and/or the phases and/or the duration of the RF signals are regulated in dependence on the measured parameter. Any occurring losses can thereby be compensated for without reducing the pulse duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Bruker BioSpin AG
    Inventor: Nicolas Freytag
  • Patent number: 8723542
    Abstract: A testing jig of a pogo pin connector for testing a connection between at least one pogo pin and an electrical plug is disclosed. The testing jig includes a first support element, a second support element, and a platform. The first support element has a first groove and at least one opening defined therein. The second support element has a second groove corresponding to the first groove for receiving the electrical plug. The platform is disposed below the first support element, and at least one receiving hole is defined in the platform. The at least one pogo pin is disposed in the at least one receiving hole and exposed in the first groove through the at least one opening. The pogo pin is configured in various tilt angles through the platform with the opening for solving high cost of various mold developments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Cheng Uei Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jui-pin Lin
  • Patent number: 8723529
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes; a first pad that receives an external voltage during a test, a second pad coupled to an external impedance during the test, a voltage-current converter coupled to the first pad and the second pad and generating a bias current substantially in response to only the external voltage and the external impedance, and an internal circuit responsive to a test current during the test, such that the level of the test current is defined by the level of the bias current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young-Don Choi
  • Patent number: 8710837
    Abstract: For container-carried explosives or contraband in which the container is made of conductive material and can therefore constitute a Faraday cage, stimulated emissions due to nuclear quadrupole resonance are detected utilizing a terminated balanced transmission line and a directional coupler for the detection of explosives, contraband, narcotics and the like that exist in metal containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventors: Paul A. Zank, John T. Apostolos, Judy Feng
  • Patent number: 8704516
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a local coil (40) for receiving a resonance signal induced by a whole body quadrature coil (32). The local coil (40) includes a dielectric former (68) in which a plurality of receive coils (60, 74, 76, 78) and a passive B0 and B1 field shim (62, 82) are mounted. The passive shim includes a plurality of capacitively coupled elements (64) of an electrically conductive diamagnetic, paramagnetic, ferromagnetic material which passively shield and enhance the field in local regions. A surface configuration of the elements is tailored to optimize local B1 homogeneity and a mass of the elements is configured to optimize local B0 field homogeneity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Johan Samuel Van Den Brink, Cornelis Leonardus Gerardus Ham
  • Patent number: 8698498
    Abstract: Low field SQUID MRI devices, components and methods are disclosed. They include a portable low field (SQUID)-based MRI instrument and a portable low field SQUID-based MRI system to be operated under a bed where a subject is adapted to be located. Also disclosed is a method of distributing wires on an image encoding coil system adapted to be used with an NMR or MRI device for analyzing a sample or subject and a second order superconducting gradiometer adapted to be used with a low field SQUID-based MRI device as a sensing component for an MRI signal related to a subject or sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Konstantin I. Penanen, Byeong H. Eom, Inseob Hahn