Patents Examined by Neel Shah
  • Patent number: 9638763
    Abstract: A resonant impedance sensing system includes a negative impedance control loop incorporating the resonator as a loop filter, and including a class D negative impedance stage implemented with a class D comparator, and a loop control stage implemented with an output comparator clocked (D_clk) by the class D comparator. The class D comparator receives resonator oscillation voltage, and generates a class D switching output synchronized with resonator oscillation frequency. A discrete current source (such as a current DAC) drives the resonator through an H-bridge switched by the class D switching output, so that the time average of the discrete drive current corresponds to resonator oscillation amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: George P. Reitsma
  • Patent number: 9634558
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a negative charge pump feedback circuit, wherein the feedback circuit is connected between an AND gate and the output terminal of the negative charge pump, and a clock signal is connected to the negative charge pump through the AND gate and under the control of the feedback signal, with the feedback circuit including a switch-capacitor circuit and a comparator; a first terminal of a first capacitor of the switch-capacitor circuit is connected to the output terminal of the negative charge pump through a first switch, and grounded through a second switch; a first terminal of a second capacitor is connected to a second terminal of the first capacitor, grounded though a third switch, and connected to the comparator though a fourth switch; an adjustable capacitor is connected in parallel to both terminals of the second capacitor; a positive-phase input terminal of the comparator is connected to a reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SHANGHAI HUAHONG GRACE SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
    Inventor: Guoyou Feng
  • Patent number: 9632453
    Abstract: A differential transformer magnetic permeability sensor includes a substrate, a drive coil, a first differential coil, a second differential coil, a first interconnection pattern, and a second interconnection pattern. The first differential coil is disposed at a side of a first surface of the substrate, and an induced voltage is generated therein when the drive coil is driven. The second differential coil is disposed at a side of a second surface of the substrate, and an induced voltage is generated therein when the drive coil is driven. The first interconnection pattern is located on the first surface and allows the first differential coil to serve as a reference coil, and the second differential coil as a sensing coil. The second interconnection pattern is located on the second surface and allows the second differential coil to serve as a reference coil, and the first differential coil as a sensing coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Aikawa
  • Patent number: 9618554
    Abstract: A system and method for performing radiation source analysis on a device under test (DUT) uses discrete Fourier transform on measured field components values at different sampling locations away from the DUT to derive field component values at locations on the DUT. The results of the discrete Fourier transform are multiplied by a complex phase adjustment term as a function of distance from the sampling locations to the DUT to translate the measured field component values back to the locations on the surface of the DUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Amber Precision Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Hamed Kajbaf
  • Patent number: 9618568
    Abstract: A method of testing a semiconductor device using the test equipment includes loading an undivided printed circuit board (PCB) including unit PCBs in a test equipment. A semiconductor device is mounted in each of the unit PCBs. Product information of the undivided PCB loaded in the test equipment is confirmed. The undivided PCB whose product information has been confirmed is electrically connected to one of a plurality of main testers of the test equipment. Each of the main testers includes a main test interface directly connected to a cloud server in which firmwares for various kinds of tests are stored. The product information of the undivided PCB is transmitted to the main tester electrically connected to the undivided PCB. The main tester to which the product information has been transmitted performs a main test of the undivided PCB using the product information. The undivided PCB on which the main test has been performed by the main tester is unloaded from the test equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young-Chul Lee, Nam-Hong Lee, Kyung-Sook Lee, Jung-Hyun Park, Sang-Youl Lee
  • Patent number: 9600704
    Abstract: An novel impedance sensor is provided having a plurality of substantially parallel drive lines configured to transmit a signal into a surface of a proximally located object, and also a plurality of substantially parallel pickup lines oriented substantially perpendicular to the drive lines and separated from the pickup lines by a dielectric to form intrinsic electrode pairs that are impedance sensitive at each of the drive and pickup crossover locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: IDEX ASA
    Inventor: Fred G. Benkley, III
  • Patent number: 9599739
    Abstract: A material-discerning proximity sensor is arranged to include an antenna that is arranged to radiate a radio-frequency signal. A capacitive sensor is arranged to detect a change in capacitance of the capacitive sensor and to receive the radio-frequency signal. An electrical quantity sensor is arranged to detect a change of the received radio-frequency signal and a change of a radio-frequency signal at an output of the at least one band pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Alan H. Leek, Damian M. Szmulewicz
  • Patent number: 9593965
    Abstract: A non-contact adjustable hysteretic magnetic encoder includes a bipolar magnetic block, two magnetic sensing components, a storage, and a controller. After retrieving the current rotation angle by accessing a rotation angle table, the controller determines, by an encoding rule, digital logical values of a first phase signal (A-phase signal) and digital logical values of a second phase signal (B-phase signal) and outputs the digital logical values. The phase difference between a first phase signal and a second phase signal is adjusted, and a hysteresis range, also known as hysteresis angle, is adjusted, according to the grids attributed to the predetermined number of grids before the turning point and the grids attributed to the predetermined number of grids after the turning point. Hence, the non-contact adjustable hysteretic magnetic encoder features enhanced potential of expansion and marked industrial practicability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL CHUNG SHAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Ruh-Hua Wu, Chung-Tseng Chang
  • Patent number: 9575014
    Abstract: A material-discerning device is arranged to include an antenna, a proximity sensor, a band pass filter and a processor. The antenna radiates a radio-frequency signal and a material object is located in the field created by the antenna and near the proximity sensor. Change in the amplitude of the radio-frequency signal due to the presence of the material object is detected by the proximity sensor. The change in amplitude of the radio-frequency signal is stored. The frequency of the radio-frequency signal is changed and the process is repeated until a range of frequencies have been swept and stored. After the range of frequencies has been swept and stored, the processor determines the type of material of the material object using the results of the changes in amplitude of the radio-frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Alan H. Leek, Damian M. Szmulewicz
  • Patent number: 9568632
    Abstract: An electromagnetic gradiometer (EMG) survey kit includes a lightweight man-carry boom about ten feet long. Matched magnetic dipole antennas are attached at each end and connected to a differential EMG receiver able to make measurements in the picoTelsa range. A pair of staging tripods allow the man-carry boom to be prepared for field use and assist the user in positioning themselves under a shoulder sling. An air core transmitter loop antenna and a low frequency square wave generator are spotted nearby a survey on the ground surface. Its emissions will illuminate any underground conductive structures with primary electric field waves. These in turn will reradiate near field magnetic waves that can be detected by the EMG receiver while walking around in a search area on the ground surface. GPS navigation receivers are used to locate and log the changing positions of the EMG receiver and stationary loop transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Stolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald Lee Stolarczyk, Tito Sanchez, Chance Dain Valentine, Ernest M. Salazar, Beaux L. Beard, John G. Howard, Brecken H. Uhl
  • Patent number: 9568635
    Abstract: The invention describes a method and system, for mapping non-magnetic soils in terms of their local permittivity and velocity of the traversing electromagnetic waves, by measuring the straight-line attenuation and elapsed time between transmitters and receivers located within tubes inserted into the soil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventor: Avraham Suhami
  • Patent number: 9562928
    Abstract: An active probe pod used in a logic analyzer is disclosed. The active probe pod may be connected to the logic analyzer having a FPGA decoder and to a DUT circuit board. The active probe pod may include a LVDS differential ire component connected to the FPGA decoder and a front-end circuit board for capturing a weak signal input from the DUT circuit board. The front-end circuit board is adapted not to transmit the captured weak signal input over a long-distance signal transmission path, which helps minimize interferences with the weak signal input, while outputting a LVDS differential signal to the FPGA decoder for decoding. As the front-end circuit board is used for capturing the weak signal input, which falls within the category of one short-distance signal transmission, the signal reflection may not take place, without affecting the signal quality and/or attenuating the signal strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: ZEROPLUS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chiu-Hao Cheng, Chih-Ming Tsai
  • Patent number: 9557363
    Abstract: A large scale automated test system employs one or more relay boxes that contain and support one or more relay boards. Each relay board is operated to selectively communicate an item being designed, for example a cell phone, an automobile, or an aircraft, with two or more electrical components being considered in the design of the item to evaluate the performance of each electrical component in the item being designed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: James C. Ouderkirk, Adam L. Iseman, Ryan T. Greenland, Kenneth L. Kildall
  • Patent number: 9550422
    Abstract: A vehicle high voltage system may include switches (e.g., IGBTs, contactors, relays, etc.), wires, a traction battery, electrical components with electrical properties and at least one controller. The at least one controller may be programmed to modulate a switch to provide a testing voltage for the electrical components, which is less than an operating voltage of the battery, and in response to a current flow associated with the testing voltage being less than a predetermined threshold, stop current flow between the battery and electrical components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Richard Luedtke, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Edward William Haran
  • Patent number: 9541369
    Abstract: A position detection device includes a detection portion and a magnetism generation portion. The detection portion includes a first magnetism detection element and a second magnetism detection element. The first magnetism detection element and the second magnetism detection element are disposed on a plane. The magnetism generation portion is disposed at a position opposite the detection portion. The magnetism generation portion includes mutually opposing magnetic fluxes with respect to the detection portion by performing bipolar magnetization on a face opposite the plane where the first magnetism detection element and the second magnetism detection element are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Enomoto, Makoto Umeda, Kenichi Miyamori
  • Patent number: 9523748
    Abstract: A probe for detecting magnetic particles. In one embodiment, the probe includes: a cylindrical probe core having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical probe core defining two channels for containing coils of wire, one of the channels being adjacent the first end of the cylindrical probe core; two sense coils, one each of the sense coils being located in a respective one of the channels; and two drive coils, one each of the drive coils being co-located with the respective sense coil in a respective one of the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Endomagnetics Ltd
    Inventors: Simon Richard Hattersley, Peter Georg Laitenberger
  • Patent number: 9519010
    Abstract: An integrated high-speed probe system is provided. The integrated high-speed probe system includes a circuit substrate for transmitting low-frequency testing signals from a tester through a first probe of the probe assembly to a DUT, and a high-speed substrate for transmitting high-frequency testing signals from the tester to the DUT. The high-speed substrate extends from the upper surface of the circuit substrate in the testing area to the lower surface of the circuit substrate in the probe area for being adjacent to the probe assembly and electrically connecting the second probe. In this way, the tester can transmit testing signals of different frequencies through the integrated high-speed probe system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: MPI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chun-Chi Wang, Chia-Tai Chang, Ya-Yun Cheng, Wei-Cheng Ku, Chao-Ping Hsieh
  • Patent number: 9513243
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide methods and systems for detecting cracks in ceramic electrolytes using electrical conductors. A method for testing an electrolyte material, such as a ceramic electrolyte material for use in a solid oxide fuel cell device, includes providing a conductive path on the electrolyte material, electrically connecting a probe across the conductive path, and measuring a value associated with the conductive path to determine the presence or absence of a crack in the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthias Gottmann, Sanjiv Kapoor
  • Patent number: 9482686
    Abstract: In some aspects of what is described herein, an aircraft wheel speed sensor system includes a pair of conductors coupled between an electro-mechanical system and a control system. The control system is configured to apply a carrier voltage signal to the pair of conductors and to detect a modulated current signal on the pair of conductors. The electro-mechanical system includes a stator and a rotor that moves upon rotation of an aircraft wheel. The stator includes a winding disposed about the rotor. The winding is configured to produce the modulated current signal on the pair of conductors in response to movement of the rotor. The modulated current signal has a frequency that is dependent on a rotational speed of the aircraft wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen B. Warner
  • Patent number: 9477004
    Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring subsurface electrical conductivity, using first and second sensor coils. The second sensor coil has a smaller effective area and a greater bandwidth than the first sensor coil. The first and second sensor coils are positioned with respect to each other to achieve zero or near zero mutual inductance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Geonics Limited
    Inventor: Miroslav Bosnar