Abstract: An in-line inspection tool comprising primary and secondary sensor suites is disclosed. The primary sensor suite may detect both interior and exterior defects. The secondary sensor suite may comprise a plurality of housings distributed in the circumferential direction around the body of the tool. Each housing may contain at least one flux sensor and at least one flux concentrator. The flux concentrator may increase the flux delivered to the flux sensor, thereby increasing the sensitivity of the secondary sensor suite while reducing the number of flux sensors required. The secondary sensor suite may detect substantially exclusively interior defects. By comparing the outputs of the primary and secondary sensor suites, a user may determine whether a defect is located on the interior or exterior of a pipeline being inspected.

Abstract: A method of accurately measuring earth resistance even when the composition state of soil that affects the installation of a metering device for measuring earth resistance is unknown. The method comprises measuring a potential at a first potential electrode point, measuring a potential at a second potential electrode point, calculating a voltage slope corresponding to a change rate of potential difference, using a potential difference between the first and second potential electrode points, and setting a potential point according to voltage slope characteristics and measuring earth resistance. A measurement approximating an accurate value of earth resistance can be performed even when soil composition characteristics are unknown at a site.

Abstract: The invention concerns a system suited for carrying out eddy current measurements on components for nuclear reactors when these components are located in water. The system comprises a control unit, a measurement probe and a first cable suited to constitute at least a part of the connection between the control unit and the measurement probe. The system also comprises a switching unit, suited to be located in water and arranged to be connected with said first cable, and to be connected with the measurement probe. The switching unit has a switching device which can assume at least a first and a second state. In the first state, the first cable is connected with the measurement probe. In the second state, the first cable is not connected with the measurement probe. The invention also concerns the use of the system.

Abstract: A rotation angle sensor is provided for determining mechanical angular positions and transposing them into signals transferable through electricity. The sensor includes a housing (2), a rotation indicator (4) located outside of the sensor housing (2a) so that it can rotate and coupled with the sensor element (3) so it operates in a non-contracting manner through the wall of the housing (2). A sensor element (3) is located in the interior of the housing (2). An intermediary element (5) is rotationally supported in the interior of the housing (2) between the sensor element (3) and the rotation indicator (4) and coupled to the rotation indicator (4) in a rotationally fixed, but non-contacting manner.

Abstract: The device for measuring magnetic field by using a magnetoresistive sensor comprises at least one magnetoresistive sensor (5), a module (50) for measuring the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5), a generator module (40, 6) for generating an additional magnetic field in the space containing the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and a control unit (60) firstly for selectively controlling the generator module (40, 6) to apply an additional magnetic field pulse possessing a first value with first polarity that is positive or negative and magnitude that is sufficient to saturate the magnetoresistive sensor (5), and secondly for selectively controlling measurement of the resistance of the magnetoresistive sensor (5) by the module (50) for measuring resistance.

Abstract: Test methods and components are disclosed for testing resistances of magnetoresistance (MR) sensors in read elements. Test components are fabricated on a wafer with a first test lead, a test MR sensor, and a second test lead. The test leads and test MR sensor are fabricated with similar processes as first shields, MR sensors, and second shields of read elements on tie wafer. However, the test MR sensor is fabricated with an area that is larger than areas of the MR sensors in the read elements. The larger area of the test MR sensor causes the resistance of the test MR sensor to be insignificant compared to the lead resistance. Thus, a resistance measurement of the test component represents the lead resistance of a read element. An accurate resistance measurement of an MR sensor in a read element may then be determined by subtracting the lead resistance.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor including a magnetoresistive effect element has the following structure. Element units each having an element width W1 and an element length L1 perpendicular to the element width W1 and producing a magnetoresistive effect in which electrical resistance changes in response to an external magnetic field are arranged in an element-length direction with a space therebetween. An intermediate permanent magnet layer is disposed in the space, and the element units are connected to each other with the intermediate permanent magnet layer therebetween to form a connected-element body. A plurality of the connected-element bodies are arranged so as to be adjacent to one another in an element-width direction with a space therebetween, the ends of the connected-element bodies are connected to each other with an outer permanent magnet layer therebetween to form a magnetoresistive effect element having a meandering shape.

Abstract: A method that involves developing an electromagnetic property model of a near surface area and using this electromagnetic property model and electromagnetic data acquired using one or more electromagnetic transmitters located above the near surface area and one or more electromagnetic receivers located within a wellbore to determine one or more electromagnetic properties of a subsurface area. Also an electromagnetic data acquisition system that includes one or more electromagnetic transmitters capable of being operated on the earth's surface, one or more first electromagnetic receivers capable of being operated within a wellbore and capable of receiving signals from the one or more electromagnetic transmitters, and one or more second electromagnetic receivers capable of being located on the earth's surface near the one or more electromagnetic transmitters and capable of receiving signals from the one or more electromagnetic transmitters. Related embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method for removing a static frequency domain, by (1) installing multiple sampling devices; (2) performing conventional processing whereby obtaining conventional observation curves; (3) adding electric-filed components of two adjacent observation points, those of three adjacent observation points, and adding electric field components of up to n adjacent observation points whereby obtaining electric fields of different polar distance, i.e. a sequence of electric field components of topology points; (4) using the sequence of the electric field components and the encrypted topology points sequence as an observation field value to perform power spectrum analysis and impedance tensor estimate; (5) drawing a resistance-variation of polar distance curve of a single frequency point of the record point; observing and analyzing a variation rule of resistivity, editing and deleting static interference resistance; and (6) repeating the previous step to complete edition of all frequency points of all record points.

Abstract: A switch adapter is integrateable into a seat belt lock and used for monitoring the locking and unlocking state of the lock. The switch adapter includes a monolithic plastic part and is at least two adapter areas which are movable with respect to each other. The first adapter area carries a first switch element and the second adapter area carries a second switch element. The switch adapter is suitably integrateable into the lock of the seat belt which is provided with a frame and a locking element which is movably mounted so as to switch the seat belt buckle between a locking position and an unlocking position. The switch adapter is used for detecting the locking state of the seat belt locking element. For this purpose, the switch adapter and the locking element are actively connectable to each in such a way that the switching state of the switching adapter and the position of the locking element are modifiable only simultaneously.

Abstract: A highly accurate displacement sensor using GMR elements for detecting displacement of a physical quantity such as angle provides a diminished waveform distortion of output voltage. At least two Wheatstone bridge circuits having a predetermined angular offset are installed, with each bridge circuit including a plurality of GMR elements. Each of the GMR elements has a fixed magnetic layer set to a predetermined magnetization direction. An AC power supply is used, and displacement of a physical quantity, such as a rotational angle, is detected on the basis of AC-modulated outputs from the bridge circuits.

Abstract: A control element is provided for a motor vehicle, particularly a rotary actuator, having at least one pivoted control knob, an extension formed on the control knob, and an electrical device to detect the rotary movement of the control knob, whereby the electrical device works together with the extension of the control knob, and whereby the electrical device is formed of at feast two oppositely polarized magnets connected torsion-proof to the extension and by at least two sensors held stationary in the control element and detecting the magnetic field lines of the magnets.

Abstract: At least one time-varying signal is applied to a plurality of coil elements in cooperative relationship with and spanning different portions of a vehicle. The coil elements generate an associated plurality of magnetic field components that interact with the vehicle. At least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to signal components from the coil elements so as to provide for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: At least one time-varying signal is applied to a plurality of coil elements in cooperative relationship with and spanning different portions of a vehicle. The coil elements generate an associated plurality of magnetic field components that interact with the vehicle. At least one detection circuit generates a detected signal responsive to signal components from the coil elements so as to provide for detecting a change in a magnetic condition of the vehicle.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive continuous seat track position sensor system to determine longitudinal movement of the seat along a length of a track is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a magnetic array in a fixed position and having a width and a length along the seat track length. The array is equipped with a plurality of magnets arranged along the length of the array. The magnets have a polarity oriented at an angle ? relative to each other. The system further includes a magnetoresistive sensor in spaced apart close proximity to the magnetic array. In one embodiment, the magnetoresistive sensor is movable relative to the array. Movement of the sensor relative to the array creates a sensor signal indicative of the longitudinal position of the seat in the track to control auxiliary safety features.

Abstract: Orthogonal fluxgate sensor for measuring an external magnetic field Hext, comprising a conductor for carrying an excitation current lexc, a ferromagnetic material adapted to saturate in the presence of a magnetic field generated by the excitation current, and at least one pick-up coil adapted to detect variations in the magnetic field in the vicinity of the magnetic material. The excitation conductor comprises a substantially linear elongated portion of conductive, non-magnetic material, forming an excitation rod (6). The magnetic material surrounds the excitation rod in the form of a cladding (8).

Abstract: A sensing mechanism includes a magnetic source, a magnetic flux sensor, a sensor backing on which the magnetic source and flux sensor are mounted, and a ferromagnetic target, where the magnetic source, magnetic flux sensor, and ferromagnetic target are positioned to form a magnetic circuit from the magnetic source to the target, from the target to the sensor, and returning to the magnetic source through the sensor backing.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor have a magnetic field sensing portion having an alloy metal thin film including Ni, Fe and Co as main components and having a magneto-resistance effect, and detects two or more magnetic fields, at least one of which magnetic fields to be detected is 2.5 mT or more, and among which magnetic fields to be detected the minimum magnetic field and the maximum magnetic field are separated by 0.5 mT or more. The alloy metal thin film has an absolute value of magneto-striction constant of 1.5×10?5 or less, an anisotropic magnetic field of 8 Oe or more as well as 16 Oe or less, and a magnetic resistance change ratio of 2.5% or more. The alloy metal thin film is within a composition range which concurrently fulfills the following relations: 21x+19y?1869, 5x+28y?546, y?11, and x+y?85, where the composition ratio of Ni is represented by x % by weight, while the composition ratio of Co is represented by y % by weight.

Abstract: Coil is made to be disposed with gap opposed to the surface of wafer, and wafer stage is made to move in X and Y direction and R and ? direction. When supplying an alternating current to coil with the frequency swept by impedance analyzer, the magnetic field made to be induced in coil will operate on the conductive film of wafer. By changing a parameter (a frequency or an angle) influencing the skin effect of the conductive film and giving the parameter to coil, the state where a magnetic field is not made to penetrate relatively the film of wafer and the state where the magnetic field is made to penetrate relatively the film can be formed. From the variation of various values corresponding to the eddy current induced based on the change of state influenced by the skin effect of the conductive film, the film thickness of wafer can be measured with sufficient accuracy.

Abstract: An airborne electromagnetic prospecting system (10) is disclosed. The system (10) comprises a transmitter loop structure (12) hat is attached to, and arranged to be towed by, a helicopter (14). A transmitter (22) is fitted to the transmitter loop structure (12) for transmitting a primary electromagnetic field. A high drag bird (26) is attached to, and arranged to be towed by, the transmitter loop structure (12). A receiver (38) is fitted to the high drag bird (26) for receiving a primary and secondary resulting electromagnetic field, the secondary field arising from the interaction of the primary field with ground conductors that are traversed by the helicopter (14). Significantly, the high drag bird (26) is also attached to, and arranged to be towed by, the helicopter (14), so as to keep the position of the receiver (38) relative to the transmitter (22) substantially constant.