Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for software configurable electromagnetic tracking. Certain embodiments of the system include a transmitter and/or a receiver for measuring a position in a coordinate system. The system also includes tracker electronics for determining position of the transmitter and/or receiver using information from the transmitter and/or receiver. The tracker electronics are configurable for a plurality of tracking system architectures. The tracker electronics may generate a processing scheme for a tracking system architecture. Additionally, the tracker electronics may simultaneously support a plurality of tracking system architectures. The tracker electronics may be modular, configurable tracker electronics. The tracker electronics may use software to generate support for a plurality of tracking system architectures.

Abstract: A rotation sensor including: a main rotor that integrally rotates with a rotor to be measured; a sub-rotor that rotates in accordance with rotation of the main rotor with a different number of revolutions from that of the main rotor; a first detector detecting rotation of the main rotor; and a second detector detecting rotation of the sub-rotor. The rotation sensor detects an absolute rotation angle of the rotor to be measured from detection signals from the first detector and the second detector. Respective detection signals obtained from the first detector and the second detector are cyclically output in accordance with rotation of each rotor, and the following relationship is satisfied: (Tm?Tc×i)×n=Tm (i and n are positive integers), wherein Tc is a cycle of the detection signal from the first detector, and Tm is a cycle of the detection signal from the second detector.

Abstract: A sensing apparatus that includes first and second magnet assemblies. The first magnet assembly includes first and second magnets that have respective first and second opposite magnetic fields, and respective first and second dimensions. The first dimension is relatively smaller than the second dimension. The second magnet assembly is positioned at a distance from the first magnet assembly. The second magnet assembly includes a third magnet that has a third magnetic field which is opposite to the first magnetic field.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring apparatus comprising a sensing head (15) for determining the position of a primary part (27) on a secondary part. The sensing head (15) is fixedly connected to a primary part (27) or is integrated therein while the primary part (27) and the secondary part form a linear motor (30). Furthermore, the secondary part is embodied as a rack (16) which is provided at least with ferromagnetic material and preferably equidistant teeth (18) in a preferred direction (13), said teeth (18) containing at least ferromagnetic material. The sensing head (15) can be moved in the preferred direction (13) and opposite thereto. An air gap is located between the sensing head (15) and the rack (16) while the sensing head (15) is equipped with at least one sensor (1-12, 19, 31), by means of which magnetic fields can be measured in order to determine a position.

Abstract: An inductive sensor or detector includes as its sensitive element, preferably defining a front working plane of the sensor, a coil system forming an air-core transformer arrangement with a primary coil or winding (2) and a secondary coil or winding (3). The primary coil or winding of the system is associated with a capacitive component (4) in order to constitute a LC oscillating circuit whose oscillation is sustained by an adapted generator (5) in the form of an operational amplifier (6) and an associated resistance arrangement (R, R5, R13). The sensor also includes a signal processing circuit, for example signal adding (8), amplifying, converting (9) and/or evaluating circuits (10), fed by at least one signal provided by at least one component of the coil system. The inductive sensor comprises a direct or indirect feedback line (11) from the secondary coil or winding (3) to the input of the operational amplifier (6) of the generator (5).

Abstract: An inspection system for detecting a flaw in a part is provided. The inspection system includes a generally C-shaped core having an opening for receiving the part. The system also includes a driver coil wrapped around the core for creating a magnetic field in the opening. The system further includes at least one single element or multiple element eddy current sensor disposed in the opening.

Abstract: Reference standards or articles having prescribed levels of damage are fabricated by monitoring an electrical property of the article material, mechanically loading the article, and removing the load when a change in electrical properties indicates a prescribed level of damage. The electrical property is measured with an electromagnetic sensor, such as a flexible eddy current sensor, attached to a material surface, which may be between layers of the article material. The damage may be in the form of a fatigue crack or a change in the mechanical stress underneath the sensor. The shape of the article material may be adjusted to concentrate the stress so that the damage initiates under the sensor. Examples adjustments to the article shape include the use of dogbone geometries with thin center sections, reinforcement ribs on the edges of the article, and radius cut-outs in the vicinity of the thin section.

Abstract: A sensor includes a magnetic position sensing element to generate angular position information, a first signal generator, a second signal generator, a first inverter to invert the first waveform for providing a first inverted waveform and a second inverter to invert the second waveform for providing a second inverted waveform, wherein the first and second waveforms are inverted about an offset voltage, and an analog signal processing module to generate a linear output signal from the first waveform, the second waveform, the first inverted waveform, and the second inverted waveform.

Abstract: An MR element having a magnetically free layer and a magnetic bias layer that applies a bias magnetic field to the magnetically free layer are included. Furthermore, a measuring section that measures a ferromagnetic resonance frequency f0 of the magnetically free layer under a condition of applying a predetermined external magnetic field Hm to the magnetically free layer, and an operation section that computes the bias magnetic field Hb according to a following conditional expression (1): Hb={(2*?*f0/?)2/Ms}?(Hk+Hm)??(1) where ? is a gyroscope constant, Ms is a saturation magnetic field of the magnetically free layer, and Hk is a shape anisotropy magnetic field of the magnetically free layer.

Abstract: The invention concerns a probe for analysis of a collection of rods or tubes comprising an elongated casing which bears, at a first end, at least one first magnetometer and, at a position sufficiently remote from the magnetometer, a permanent magnet, the north-south axis of which is perpendicular to the axis of the rods.

Abstract: In a system in which a transmitter is moved through the ground in a region, the system including a locating arrangement for tracking the position of and/or guiding the transmitter as the transmitter moves through the ground, a locating arrangement includes a configuration, forming part of the transmitter, for transmitting a locating signal at a current one of at least two locating frequencies and for transmitting a frequency designation identifying one of the frequencies of the locating signal. A locator receives the frequency designation and the locating signal for use in tracking the transmitter and a frequency tracking arrangement switches the locator between different ones of the locating frequencies, as the current locating frequency, based on said frequency designation. In one feature, the locating arrangement is configured for automatically switching between the frequencies based on the frequency designation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for look-ahead boundary detection and distance estimation are disclosed. In some embodiments, a drilling method includes extending a borehole with a drill string that includes a resistivity logging tool. The logging tool makes upward-looking and downward-looking resistivity measurements based on radial current flow. The upward looking and downward looking resistivity measurements are processed to estimate the distance to approaching bed boundaries, and drilling can be halted when the estimated distance reaches a desired value. Such information can be used to anchor casing at advantageous points and can further be used to avoid penetrating water-containing formations below a hydrocarbon reservoir.

Abstract: A distance measuring device, in particular a magnetostrictive distance measuring device wherein a distance measuring element extends in longitudinal direction of the device along the measurable measuring distance, relative to which a signal generating signal generator can be moved in longitudinal direction, with a longitudinal housing shaped as a circumferentially enclosed profile (1) with constant cross section contour in longitudinal direction (10), a wave conductor unit in the interior of the profile (1), wherein the wave conductor of the wave conductor unit extends in longitudinal direction (10) of the profile (1), processing electronics in the interior of the profile (1), a traveler moveable in longitudinal direction (10) along the outside of the profile (1), in particular with a magnet as signal generator, wherein the profile (1) is shaped so that it can be positioned in lateral direction in a form fit manner, within a circular interior contour surrounding the outside contour of the profile (1) by more

Abstract: A sensor device for measuring a magnetic field in the region of a primary part of a permanently excited electrical machine or a corresponding primary part having teeth includes a sensor metal plate for conducting a magnetic field, a spacer, and a sensor for measuring a magnetic field. A distance between the sensor metal plate and a flank of a tooth of the primary part can be created by the spacer. The sensor may be a Hall sensor and is arranged in a region of the sensor metal plate between the sensor metal plate and the primary part.

Abstract: A magnetic direction sensor can detect at higher precision the magnitude and direction of a detected magnetic field. The magnetic direction sensor has a measuring section, a storage section and an operating section. The measuring section has first and second MR elements, and detects resistance values of these elements in accordance with an attitude change of the sensor and the presence or absence of a bias magnetic field to be applied through a coil in a direction orthogonal to a magnetization direction of each pinned layer in the first and second MR elements. The storage section stores fixed data invariable in response to a detected magnetic field direction, in resistance values of these elements measured by the measuring section. The operating section calculates a detected magnetic field vector from variable data of resistance values of these elements measured by the measuring section, and fixed data stored in the storage section.

Abstract: Disclosed is a position detecting device provided with a magnetoresistive element that can accurately detect a position using a magnet and a detector that moves opposite to the magnet. A front surface of a magnet having a circular shape is magnetized to the N-pole, and a rear surface thereof is magnetized to the S-pole. A detector moves in the X-Y plane at a position that is spaced from the front surface of the magnet. The detector is provided with an X direction detecting element and a Y direction detecting element. The X direction detecting element and the Y direction detecting element are magnetoresistive elements. The front surface of the magnet is tapered such that the center thereof protrudes.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the location of a remote object connected to an induction coil using a magnetic tracking sensor. The system and method include locating a magnetic core asymmetrically disposed within the induction coil located near the remote object, and operably connecting a single DC electrical circuit o ends defining the induction coil. The DC electrical circuit provides a DC current to the induction coil while the induction coil is disposed in an external AC magnetic field. The DC current adjusts the level of saturation of the magnetic core, and hence varies a response signal of the induction coil disposed in the external AC magnetic field to provide magnetic tracking of the induction coil.

Abstract: A process and device for detecting electrically conductive particles in a liquid flowing in a pipe section, the liquid being exposed to periodic alternating electromagnetic fields by a transmitter coil which induces eddy currents in the particles, a probe made as a coil arrangement and which has an effective width producing a periodic electrical signal based on the eddy currents. The signal ha a carrier oscillation with an amplitude and/or phase which is modulated by particles passing across the effective width of the coil arrangement, the probe signal being filtered by a frequency-selective first filter unit, the filtered signal being sampled by a triggerable A/D converter stage to obtain a demodulated digital measurement signal, the digital measurement signal being filtered by a digital, frequency-selective adjustable second filter unit to obtain a useful signal, and the useful signal being evaluated to detect passage of electrically conductive particles in the pipe section.

Abstract: The magnetic sensor comprises a spin-valve GMR including a free layer having an elongated form as seen in a laminating direction and a permanent magnet layer having an elongated form as seen in the laminating direction. The permanent magnet layer is arranged in parallel with the free layer.

Abstract: Methods of use of ferromagnetic Group III-V semiconductor/non-magnetic Group III-V semiconductor heterojunctions, with a magnetodiode device, to detect heterojunction magnetoresistance responsive to an applied magnetic field.