Patents Examined by Jay M. Patidar
  • Patent number: 7777454
    Abstract: A battery charger integrated circuit with temperature control is disclosed that includes a temperature sensor circuit and a charging current generator circuit. Upon receiving a temperature reading voltage (VDT), the temperature sensing circuit is operable to generate a second reference voltage (VREF) that is a function of the first reference voltage (VREF1). The charging current generator circuit generates and continuously adjusts a reference current (I1) and a charging current (IOUT) according to the second reference voltage (VREF). Whenever the temperature reading voltage (VDT) exceeds the first reference voltage, the temperature sensor circuit is operable to adjust the second reference voltage (VREF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhengwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 7777481
    Abstract: A self-energizing, non-contacting sensing device for detecting movement of ferrous elements, methods of use and assemblies therewith. The device includes a permanent magnet, a pair of ferrous conductors, an inductor coil and a microprocessor. The ferrous conductors are attached to the permanent magnet with free ends of the ferrous conductors being spaced from one another to provide a gap. The gap provides an open circuit in the absence of the moving ferrous elements and a substantially closed circuit in the presence of the moving ferrous elements. When the circuit alters between open and closed states, in the absence and presence of the moving ferrous elements, respectively, an electromotive force imparted on the inductor coil generates an alternating current. The microprocessor is configured to detect the alternating current produced in the inductor coil, and thus, can assess whether the ferrous elements are moving in a normal or abnormal manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Danaher Motion, LLC
    Inventors: Bir Inder Singh, Forrest Scott Seitz
  • Patent number: 7777482
    Abstract: A joining element is proposed which, for force measurement, senses a relative motion between a magnet system and a magnet sensor apparatus. The magnet system is disposed with respect to the magnet sensor apparatus in such a way that a component of the magnetic field perpendicular to the relative motion is linearized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Munz, Helmut Grutzeck, Johann Wehrmann, Conrad Haeussermann, Klaus Kasten, Uwe Schiller, Konrad Dirscherl
  • Patent number: 7777483
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for measuring the thickness of a test object. The apparatus includes an eddy current sensor having first and second sensor heads. The sensor heads are positioned to have a predetermined gap therebetween for passage by at least a portion of the test object through the gap. The sensor heads make measurements at given sampling locations on the test object as the test object is moved through the gap. The apparatus also includes a position sensing mechanism to determine positions of the sampling locations on the test object. The apparatus also includes an evaluation circuit in communication with the eddy current sensor and to the position sensing mechanism for determining the thickness of the test object at the sampling locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence C. Lei, Siqing Lu, Yu Chang, Cecilia Martner, Quyen Pham, Yu Ping Gu, Joel Huston, Paul Smith, Gabriel Lorimer Miller
  • Patent number: 7769284
    Abstract: A lens barren assembly for a camera is disclosed. The lens barrel assembly comprises a lens barrel, at least one optical element disposed within the lens barrel, and an actuator configured to move the optical element. The actuator can be disposed entirely or partially within the lens barrel. The actuator can be a MEMS actuator, such as a MEMS actuator that is formed at least partially of silicon. The optical element can be a lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Silmpel Corporation
    Inventors: Tony K. Tang, Jing Xu, Roman C. Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 7764063
    Abstract: A brushless resolver (10) comprises exciting signal transmitting means for transmitting a resolver exciting signal from the stator (3) side to the rotor (4) side in a noncontact way and a resolver part (7) for modulating the resolver exciting signal according to the angle of rotation to be detected. The resolver part (7) also serves as exciting signal transmitting means. The resolver part (7) is constituted of a pair of a rotor (4) composed of a rotor iron core (43) having slots and wrapped with a rotor winding (44) and a stator (3) composed of a stator iron core (33) having slots and wrapped with a stator winding (34). The manufacturing cost can be lowered, and an arbitrary shaft multiple angle such as a shift multiple angle 1 can be set up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Tamagawa Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kimura
  • Patent number: 7759931
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic impedance measurement device comprising an apply coil for generating an alternate magnetic field of variable frequency, a power source for the apply coil, at least one magnetic sensor means comprising a pair of magnetic sensors for detecting orthogonal vector components of a magnetic field generated from a test object, the vector components being parallel to the face of the apply coil, a measurement means for the magnetic sensor for measuring a detected signal from said magnetic sensor mean, the measurement means being located at a distance from the face of the apply coil and facing the test object, a lock-in amplifier circuit for detecting from an output of the measurement means a signal having the same frequency as the frequency of the apply coil and an analysis means for analyzing intensity and phase changes of an output of the magnetic sensor means with the use of an output signal of the lock-in amplifier circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: National University Corporation, Okayama University
    Inventors: Keiji Tsukada, Toshihiko Kiwa
  • Patent number: 7759929
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for detecting an angle of rotation of a rotating body. At least one first sensor and one second sensor are connected to one another in a cascade in such a manner that the sensor signal from the first sensor is converted into a first control current which is applied as a bias current to the second sensor, the two angular dependencies of the first and second sensors being multiplied. This achieves improved interpolation when determining the angle of rotation on the basis of the sensor signals provided by the sensor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Austriamicrosystems AG
    Inventor: Richard Forsyth
  • Patent number: 7750627
    Abstract: A magnetic film sensor comprises a magnetic film for generating a magnetostriction, and a magnetostrictive structure for generating a magnetostriction in the magnetic film. The magnetostrictive structure is constructed so as to generate a magnetostriction by curving the magnetic film, for example. The magnetostrictive structure is obtained, for example, by providing a depressed insulating layer having a surface formed with a depression and forming the magnetic film across the depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignees: Headway Technologies, Inc., SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Koji Shimazawa, Tatsushi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7746077
    Abstract: A method for measuring magnetotelluric response of the Earth includes measuring transient controlled source electromagnetic response of the subsurface below a body of water over a plurality of actuations of an electromagnetic transmitter. The transient response measurements are stacked. The stacked transient responses are subtracted from measurements of total electromagnetic Earth response over a time period including the plurality of transient response measurements to generate the magnetotelluric response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: KJT Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt M. Strack, Stefan L. Helwig
  • Patent number: 7746078
    Abstract: Calculating resistivity of an earth formation. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are systems including: a first current source current return (CSCR) pair, said first CSCR pair comprises a first current source and a first current return, the first current return receives current from the first current source; a second CSCR pair, the second CSCR pair disposed along a longitudinal axis of said apparatus from the first CSCR pair, the second CSCR pair comprises a second current source and a second current return, and the second current return receives current from the second current source; and a monitor electrode disposed between the first CSCR pair and the second CSCR pair, a distance between the first current source and the monitor electrode is substantially equal to the distance between the second current source and the monitor electrode, and the monitor electrode monitors a first voltage and a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Bittar, Guoyu (David) Hu, James Buchanan
  • Patent number: 7741813
    Abstract: Provided are a method and a system for inventorying batteries. In exemplary embodiments, a computer assisted method for inventorying batteries includes identifying a battery string at a location and reading battery identification data associated with one or more batteries in the battery string which includes a battery voltage. After reading the battery identification data and aggregating the magnitudes of the battery voltages in the battery string, if the aggregate of the magnitudes of the voltages is not equal to a required voltage then an error message is generated. If the aggregate of the voltages of the batteries is equal to the required voltage then the process may be repeated for the next string, if any, at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L. P.
    Inventor: James Ellis Taylor
  • Patent number: 7737683
    Abstract: A device for detecting parts in a material flow which influence an electromagnetic alternating field comprises an oscillator (1) and at least one transmitting coil (2) for generating an electromagnetic alternating field extending across the width of a conveying distance of the material flow. At least one detector coil (4) comprising two windings (4a, 4b) connected inversely detects the electromagnetic alternating field and generates a detection signal (DS), the phase signal portion (PS?) of which is detected by means (7), from the relative motion between the alternating field and a field-influencing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventors: Bernd Graze, Michael Kiss, Bernhard Kohla
  • Patent number: 7737682
    Abstract: A wheel speed detecting apparatus incorporated with a wheel bearing apparatus. The wheel speed detecting apparatus has an encoder, and an annular sensor holder arranged opposite to the encoder. The sensor holder has an annular fitting member formed from a steel plate. A holding portion is integrally molded with the annular fitting member. A wheel speed sensor is arranged opposite to the encoder. Several substantially circular arc notches are formed on the outer circumference of the holding portion so that portions of the periphery of the annular fitting member are exposed from the holding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Ono, Hiroshi Kawamura, Kikuo Fukada
  • Patent number: 7733676
    Abstract: A non-contact power supply system is provided in which current phases of induction lines are matched. According to the output current of a power supply unit (21) and the power consumption of induction lines (19), a lead time corresponding to a phase difference between the output currents of the induction lines is determined. A signal for driving transistors (52) is advanced ahead of a drive synchronization signal (?) according to the lead time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nunoya, Kazutoshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 7728582
    Abstract: To hold a pulsar ring (1) of a magnetic rotary encoder well concentrically by a pressure inserting jig (4) when the pulsar ring is installed on a rotary body (3), the pulsar ring (1) comprises a metallic annular holder (10) and a pulsar main body (20) of a magnetic rubber material, the holder (10) comprises a disk portion (11) where the pulsar body (20) is bonded, a mounting tube portion (12) having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the disk portion (11) and being fixed to the rotary body (3), a fold-back portion (15) folded inward, and an intermediate portion (13) extending therefrom toward the mounting tube portion (12) so as to be separated from the disk portion (11), and the outer circumference of the fold-back portion (15) or a guide portion (22) mounted thereon is fitted to a circumferential wall portion (42) of the jig (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7728595
    Abstract: In a system in which a transmitter is moved through the ground in a region, the system including a locator for tracking the position of and/or guiding the transmitter as the transmitter moves through the ground, a locating signal is transmitted from the transmitter that is selectively operable at a current one of at least two frequencies for use in tracking the transmitter by receiving the locating signal at the frequency using the locator. A selected one of the frequencies of the locating signal is indicated to the locator using a frequency code that is produced by a locating signal frequency control arrangement which forms part of the transmitter, which frequency code can individually identify each of the frequencies. An associated transmitter is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Merlin Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Guenter W. Brune, John E. Mercer
  • Patent number: 7728581
    Abstract: An exemplary method for testing rotating speed of a fan, includes the following steps: coupling a fan and a resistor in series to a power supply; coupling an oscilloscope in parallel with the resistor; plotting voltage across the resistor on a screen of the oscilloscope, and obtaining the period of the voltage according to the image; and obtaining the rotating speed of the fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying Chen, Jin-Liang Xiong
  • Patent number: 7728583
    Abstract: An encoder for use with a machine includes at least one moveable member. The encoder also includes at least one sensor configured to activate via magnetic flux and is configured to dissipate electrical signals with a power amplitude less than approximately one microwatt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Lyngle Waters, Michael Charles Spalding
  • Patent number: 7723989
    Abstract: Transducer apparatus for subsurface use. A tubular configured for subsurface disposal is equipped with a cylindrical transducer module formed of a non-conductive material. The module is mounted to surround a section of the tubular and includes a transducer element disposed thereon such that only a surface of the element is exposed along the exterior of the module body. The transducer element is linked to a lead routed through the cylindrical body to exit near the inner bore of the body. The ends of the cylindrical body are covered with a material to form a hydraulic seal. A method for constructing the transducer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Qingyan He, Chris Del Campo, Richard Dan Ward