Abstract: A method for detecting the presence of a twin peak pulse in a waveform, generated by a microwave level transmitter, that is used to detect levels of first and second material interfaces relating to materials contained in a tank. The waveform develops a twin peak pulse when the first and second material interfaces are in close proximity to one another. The twin peak pulse contains overlapping first and second received wave pulses reflected from the first and second material interfaces, respectively. The method determines that the waveform contains a twin peak pulse when both a first peak point relating to the first received wave pulse and a valley are detected. A microwave level transmitter having an interface detection module that is configured to use the method of the present invention to detect the existence of a twin peak pulse in a waveform.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rotary position sensor which includes a housing, connector terminals mounted in the housing, whose connecting portions are exposed inside of the housing, a base plate mounted in the housing, on which a detection circuit is formed, and a rotor rotated relative to the base plate. Terminal portions of the detection circuit are exposed on a surface of the base plate. The terminal portions of the detection circuit are placed to face the connecting portions of the connector terminals. And, a conductive resilient member is disposed between the terminal portions of the detection circuit and the connecting portions of the connector terminals, so that the conductive resilient member allows electrical connection only between the terminal portions of the detection circuit and the connecting portions of the connector terminals.

Abstract: A probing method for inspecting electrical characteristics of an object by probes, including mounting the object on a main chuck having an X-axis, a Y-axis and a Z-axis which are driven by X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis driving mechanisms, moving the main chuck in X-, Y-, and Z-directions by driving the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis by the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis driving mechanisms such that each of electrode pads of the object mounted on the main chuck is brought into contact with each of probes of a probe card above the main chuck, and overdriving the main chuck by simultaneously and collectively controlling the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis driving mechanisms such that the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis driving mechanisms simultaneously overdrive the main chuck to keep a tip portion of each of the probes within a surface area of the electrode pad of the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and device for a network hub that includes a single valued resistor placed in series with each transmission line such that reflected and other unwanted waves in the transmission line are rapidly dampened to prevent interference and errors in transmission. The present invention also provides a method and system for determining an appropriate single valued resistor serially placeable within a transmission line in a network such that reflected and other unwanted waves in the transmission line are rapidly dampened to prevent interference and errors in transmission. The present invention locates the single valued resistors on a network hub board. The present invention further provides resistors having resistance of approximately 22 ohms for use with a wide range of impedance transmission lines and signal baud rates.

Abstract: A sampling function generator capable of providing continuous output corresponding to a sampling function. The sampling function generator 1 comprises a B spline function generation circuit 10, delay circuits 12 and 14, inverting amplifiers 16 and 18, and adding circuits 20 and 22. The B-spline function generation circuit 10 continuously produces signal waveforms according to a third order B spline function. After delayed by predetermined time or attenuated to 1/4 amplitude and inverted, the signal waveforms are combined in the adding circuits 20 and 22 to form a signal waveforms of a sampling function that is differentiable once over the range and has values of local support.

Abstract: An apparatus and a system for stocking and sorting wafers in a wafer processing system reduce cycle time in manufacturing and reduce excessive handling of delicate wafers. In an example embodiment, the apparatus includes in an enclosure having therein a scanner adapted to identify codes located on the wafer carriers that indicate the position of a wafer within the carrier. A sorting mechanism for sorting wafers and carriers within the enclosure is also included as well as a computer arrangement that communicates with the management system of the wafer processing system. One of the advantages of the present invention is the reduction in cycle time that is achieved by sorting wafers immediately on demand while at a stocking location.

Abstract: A capacitor discharge engine ignition system that includes an ignition coil having a primary winding and a secondary winding for coupling to an engine ignition spark plug. A first electronic switch has primary current conducting electrodes in circuit with an ignition charge storage capacitor and the primary winding of the ignition coil, and a control electrode responsive to trigger signals for operatively connecting the ignition charge storage capacitor to discharge through the primary winding of the ignition coil. A charge/trigger coil arrangement generates periodic signals in synchronism with operation of the engine. The charge coil generates a charge signal to charge the ignition charge storage capacitor, while the trigger coil generates a trigger signal for triggering discharge of the capacitor through the ignition coil.

Abstract: Dynamic quantitative displacement is converted stably and straight into voltage (D.C. output) by using a high speed detection driving frequency without restricting a response of an operational amplifier. When a dynamic quantity detection electrostatic capacitance changes according to a dynamic quantity, electric charges stored in this element and in a reference electrostatic capacitance become unbalanced to produce a difference value, and an output of an operational amplifier changes according to the difference in electric charge quantity. However, the output becomes finally stable when the electric charges in the dynamic quantity detection electrostatic capacitance and in the reference electrostatic capacitance become equal. The output is proportional to a reciprocal of the dynamic quantity detection electrostatic capacitance and it is a D.C. voltage. Further, output without depending on integration feedback capacitance (feedback condenser) CF can be obtained.

Abstract: An arc fault detector for detecting electric power lines includes a sensor for sensing the derivative of the current on the electric power line, a converter circuit for converting the derivative of the line current into first and second signals, the first signal responsive to positive step transitions of arc fault current, and the second signal responsive to negative step transitions of arc current, and a temporal detector for signaling the presence of an arc fault when one of the first and second signals follows the other within a predetermined time, or window, and in which a sequence of one of the signals following the other signal occurs in a second predetermined interval of time.

Abstract: A pneumatic planar probe for electrical transmission lines containing single or multiple contacts is provided for planar termination to a receiving structure. The pneumatic planar probe includes a header, a first probe body and a second probe body that are arranged as an extension of a transmission line having a center conductor and an outer conductor, the first probe body and second probe body extending the outer conductor and center conductor, respectively. The first probe body and second probe body are received in the header. The second probe body is supported in a dielectric body, the second probe body and dielectric body being concentrically slidably mounted in the first probe body. A first probe body interface at a free end of the first probe body is configured to contact a ground planar surface of the receiving structure. A second probe body interface at a free end of the second probe body is configured to contact a signal planar surface of the receiving structure.

Abstract: The winding testing unit provides a system and method for determining a characteristic signature of a winding residing in a device, such as a transformer or generator. A pulse/signal generator applies a suitable number of non-precise and non-identical pulses to the winding. A sensor detects output pulses after each applied input pulse has propagated through the winding. Data corresponding to the applied input and the detected output pulses are stored as data pairs in a memory. The processor executes logic to compute the auto-spectral density (Gxx) and the cross-spectral density (Gxy) for the data pairs. The logic then computes the characteristic signature, H(f), for the winding such that H(f) equals the average of Gxy divided by the average of Gxx for the data pairs. Comparison of the characteristic signatures over a period of time indicates winding deformation or displacement during the time period.

Abstract: A microwave probe for use with densely populated surface mount and hybrid microwave circuit assemblies includes a housing, a RF signal pin, and ground pins, wherein the pins extend outwardly from the housing. The pins are preferably individually spring-loaded contacts, and are oriented on the housing relative to each other so as to permit contact with a planar transmission line when the pins are perpendicular to the surface of the transmission line or circuit board.

Abstract: A configuration is provided for testing chips produced from a wafer. The chips are supplied with test signals through the use of a test head. The test signals can be applied in a serial or parallel manner to the chips which are actually in the wafer, through the use of test lines provided in a sawing edge of the chips.

Abstract: An arc fault detecting circuit using a pulse width modulation, or PWM, technique is used to sense series or parallel arc faults. When arc faults occur, typically an arc step in current is followed by broad band arc noise which is caused by the random fluctuations in arc column resistance. In this invention, a logic signal is created which has a duration or width that corresponds to the time interval during which the broad band arc noise generated by the arc is present. Typically an arc fault randomly starts, generates broad band arc noise, and then extinguishes as the next current zero cross of the AC load current is approached. The random start causes PWM of the logic pulse whenever the start of the arc randomly moves with respect to the current zero cross. An arc fault that randomly starts, and then randomly stops, will also cause PWM with respect to the zero cross.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a new apparatus for detecting a diaphragm failure. The apparatus according to the present invention has a line-shaped resistor (r) formed on a diaphragm (23), one end of the line-shaped resistor (r) connected to a failure detection terminal (S1, S2). When any failure is found in the diaphragm (23), the resistance value of the entire line-shaped resistor is different than when the diaphragm is normal. A failure of the diaphragm can be detected by using the failure detection terminal (S1, S2) to measure the resistance value of the line-shaped resistor and comparing the result with a normal value.

Abstract: A system for testing for opens in and shorts between conductor traces on a printed circuit board is provided. The system includes an electron gun assembly for generating an electron beam and an electron optics assembly for directing the electron beam to the traces on the surface of the board, the traces having a reference potential. A grid located proximate to and substantially parallel with the surface of the board is placed at a first potential before the electron beam is directed to a first point on a trace to charge the trace to a first potential. The grid is then placed at a second potential, the second potential being between the reference potential and the first potential, before the electron beam is directed to a second point on the trace to cause emission of secondary electrons.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic circuit and an array of such circuits for precisely measuring small amounts or small changes in the amount of charge, voltage, or electrical currents. One embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic circuit for measuring current or charge that can be used with a variety of sensing media (including high impedance sensing media) that produce a signal by either charge or current production or induction in response to physical phenomena occurring within the sensing media. In another embodiment, the voltage level (bias) of either the sensing or reference electrode can be switched relative to the other upon receipt of a triggering pulse. This changes the polarity of the electric field to cause charge of the opposite polarity to be driven to the sensing electrode, thereby eliminating the need to electrically connect a discharge path to the sensing electrode to clear the charge accumulated at the sensing electrode.

Abstract: A device for increasing the sensitivity of a testing instrument in determining the presence of an electronic component, such as a miniature ceramic chip capacitor, at the test station before beginning the test procedure, including a signal booster having an input and an output in operable arrangement for boosting an incoming alternating signal from the testing device by a multiple greater than one, connecting the input of the signal booster between the signal output of the testing device and the station for positioning the component for measuring, and connecting the output of the signal booster between an independent direct current power supply and the test station to boost the signal of the presence testing program by a multiple that brings the measurable signal of the component within the range of sensitivity of the testing instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for determining proportions of solid matter in a test material. In order to reliably and easily determine proportions of solid matter in a test material, even in the case of transparent matter or matter of a similar color to the test material, the test material is exposed to an electric field and dielectric properties of the field are determined with the test material present. Two electrical quantities are determined from the dielectric properties and combined, resulting in a characteristic value which is independent of the mass of the test material. The characteristic value is compared with a previously determined characteristic value for the matter in question and the proportion of solid matter is determined therefrom.

Abstract: A method and a system for wafer level burn-in testing of a circuit featuring a flip-jumper to permit selectively connecting signals to the interconnect sites on the wafer that are in constant electrical communication with the circuit.