Patents Examined by Thang Le
  • Patent number: 10048333
    Abstract: Example minimalist magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radio frequency (RF) coils that are connected to off coil circuitry by capacitive coupling plates are described. A minimalist MRI RF coil may have some elements that form a traditional coil located off the coil in off coil circuitry. An MR procedure may involve a number of minimalist MRI RF coils that are moved through an excitation zone as a patient is moved through the excitation zone. Example minimalist MRI RF coils may be selectively connected to off coil circuitry while the coils are in the excitation zone. The coupling may be made by capacitive coupling plates. Unlike conventional systems, example systems have capacitive coupling plates with properties that facilitate maintaining a constant capacitance between a coupling plate associated with the coil and coupling plates associated with the off coil circuitry as the coupling plates move relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Quality Electrodynamis, LLC
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fujita, Oliver Heid, Xiaoyu Yang
  • Patent number: 10048327
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a high voltage circuit, a sensor and a charge storage. The sensor utilizes a low voltage supply. The high voltage circuit includes a blocking device and a regulating device. The blocking device is configured to block negative voltages of the high voltage supply. The regulated device is configured to receive a high voltage supply and generate the low voltage supply from the high voltage supply. The high voltage supply is DC. The charge storage has a vertical capacitor and is configured to maintain the low voltage supply during a power break and to store and maintain charge during non-break periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Mario Motz
  • Patent number: 10048331
    Abstract: The embodiments relate to a local coil for an imaging magnetic resonance tomography system. The local coil includes at least one displacement facility for a displacement of at least part of the local coil along at least axes running, in particular, in the axial patient direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Martin Harder
  • Patent number: 10041997
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical probing of a DUT is disclosed. The system enables identifying, localizing and classifying faulty devices within the DUT. A selected area of the DUT is imaged while the DUT is receiving test signals, which may be static or dynamic, i.e., causing certain of the active devices to modulate. Light from the DUT is collected and is passed through a rotatable diffracting element prior to imaging it by a sensor and converting it into an electrical signal. The resulting image changes depending on the rotational positioning of the grating. The diffracted image is inspected to identify, localize and classify faulty devices within the DUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: FEI EFA, Inc.
    Inventors: Herve Deslandes, Prasad Sabbineni, Regina Freed
  • Patent number: 10018666
    Abstract: A partial discharge monitoring system includes: electromagnetic wave detection sensors disposed in insulating gas enclosures being objects to be monitored, converting devices, and an interface device. The interface device includes: a detecting part detecting a zero cross point of a voltage signal synchronous with a voltage signal applied to conductors disposed in the insulating gas enclosures, and deciding a sampling timing of signals of electromagnetic waves; a transmitting part notifying the sampling timing decided by the detecting part to the converting devices; an integrating part integrating digital data which are received from the converting devices on per converting device basis; and a transmitting part transmitting the integrated digital data to a monitoring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shiro Maruyama, Minoru Saito, Takashi Nakajima, Shin Hasegawa, Hiroyuki Hayata, Toshiyuki Saida
  • Patent number: 10019863
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device includes: a magnet; yokes arranged on the magnet; and a magnetoresistance effect element to which is applied a leakage magnetic field emitted from the yokes to an exterior thereof. A detection region of the magnetoresistance effect element is at the side opposite to the magnet. The magnetoresistance effect element detects a change of a bias magnetic field of the magnetoresistance effect element that occurs when the object to be detected including the hard magnetic material passes through the detection region. The magnetic sensor device can accurately detect an object to be detected using a hard magnetic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Asano, Tomokazu Ogomi, Kenji Shimohata, Sadaaki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 10018685
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a magnetic field detector circuit, whereby the magnetic field detector circuit is operated alternately in an active state or in a sleep state and the magnetic field detector circuit has a magnetic field measuring device and a wake-up timer, whereby the magnetic field measuring device comprises a magnetic field sensor. In the active state, the magnetic field measuring device is operated with a supply voltage and an output signal is generated by the magnetic field sensor. The magnetic field detector circuit comprises a wake-up timer, whereby the wake-up timer is operated with the supply voltage in the sleep state and a wake-up signal is generated by the wake-up timer after a predetermined sleep interval, and the magnetic field measuring device changes from the sleep state to the active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: TDK-Micronas GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kauter, David Muthers, Joachim Ritter
  • Patent number: 10012715
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for recording a magnetic resonance data set of a target region of an object, wherein the target region contains at least one interfering object with a susceptibility difference from the rest of the target region that influences the homogeneity of the basic magnetic field, in particular a metal object and/or an air inclusion, in addition to a first raw data set of the target region recorded without additional dephasing, at least one further raw data set of the target region is recorded that corresponds to a raw-data specific additional dephasing of the spins in the target region. For each image point of the magnetic resonance data set, the maximum value raw data of the corresponding image points of all raw data sets in spatial domain are selected as magnetic resonance data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 10006943
    Abstract: A semiconductor testing fixture is provided. The semiconductor testing fixture comprises a substrate having a surface; a plurality of testing probes formed on the surface of the substrate; and a dielectric layer filling space between adjacent testing probes and covering side surfaces of the plurality of testing probes formed on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TONGFU MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lei Shi
  • Patent number: 10001509
    Abstract: A semiconductor testing fixture is provided. The semiconductor testing fixture includes a substrate having a plurality of testing regions; and a plurality of testing probes with a predetermined distribution pattern formed on the substrate in each of the plurality of testing regions. Etch of the testing probes comprises a first testing tip; an insulation layer formed on a side surface of the first testing tip; and a second testing tip being coaxial with the first testing tip and surrounding the first testing tip formed on a side surface of the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: TONGFU MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lei Shi
  • Patent number: 9995771
    Abstract: A shunt resistor, at least a part of which has a resistive element with pre-set resistivity, is configured to bridge between two electrodes and detect a current value of a current flowing between the electrodes by detecting a voltage drop in the resistive element. The shunt resistor includes two connecting parts affixed to the electrodes via a conductive adhesive, respectively, and the connecting parts electrically connected to the affixed electrodes, a bridging part bridging between the connecting parts by being extended from one of the connecting parts to the other one of the connecting parts, and two bonding wires used to detect a voltage drop in the resistive element. The bonding wires are bonded to the bridging part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ippei Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 9995813
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein provides methods for implementing Sampling Interval Modulation Magnetic Resonance Elastography (“SLIM-MRE”), based on simultaneous encoding and acquisition of individual displacement components using motion encoding gradients with different time discretization intervals to MRI analysis. The components are modulated with different frequencies in the MR signal phase, which can be expressed as a harmonic function of the start time, or equivalently of initial phase, of the motion encoding gradient components. As a result, all displacement components can be acquired faster than in conventional MRE, and can be derived from the same temporally-resolved MR phase images. This also allows for simultaneously acquired 3D displacement data and storage of such data in the same k-space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Dieter Klatt, Temel Kaya Yasar
  • Patent number: 9989558
    Abstract: Probe head assemblies, components of probe head assemblies, test systems including the probe head assemblies and/or components thereof, and methods of operating the same. The probe head assemblies are configured to convey a plurality of test signals to and/or from a device under test and include a space transformer, a contacting assembly, and a riser that spatially separates the space transformer from the contacting assembly and conveys the plurality of test signals between the space transformer and the contacting assembly. The contacting assembly may include a frame that defines an aperture and has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is within a threshold difference of that of the device under test, a flexible dielectric body that is attached to the frame, maintained in tension by the frame, and extends across the aperture, and a plurality of conductive probes. The plurality of conductive probes may include a dual-faceted probe tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Cascade Microtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Koby Duckworth, Eric Hill
  • Patent number: 9983167
    Abstract: The present disclosure outlines a device having a multi-channel potentiostat circuit and a microcontroller for controlling the multi-channel potentiostat circuit. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit includes a counter electrode, a reference electrode, and a first switch between the counter electrode and the reference electrode. The multi-channel potentiostat circuit also includes a plurality of measurement circuits coupled to respective second switches. The microcontroller can configured to provide a first signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control the first switch, wherein a state of the first switch changes an operating mode of the multi-channel potentiostat circuit. The microcontroller is also configured to provide a second signal to the multi-channel potentiostat circuit to control at least one of the second switches to couple at least one of the plurality of measurement circuits to a working electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Zansors, LLC
    Inventor: Baichen Li
  • Patent number: 9983259
    Abstract: A dual loop type temperature control module and an electronic device testing apparatus having the same are provided. The temperature control module comprises a first loop through which a first working fluid of a first temperature flows, a second loop through which a second working fluid of a second temperature flows, a controller for controlling a first switching valve such that the first or second working fluid flows through a temperature regulating device, and a second switching valve such that the working fluid flowing through the temperature regulating device returns to the first or second loop. The temperature regulating device adjusts a thermoelectric cooling device to reach two different reference temperatures based on the rise/fall of its temperature dependent on the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CHROMA ATE INC.
    Inventors: Xin-Yi Wu, Chien-Hung Lo
  • Patent number: 9977072
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) and a method for operating the IC are provided. The IC comprises a device under test and a first heater. The first heater is located at a first side of the device and provides heat to control a temperature of the device. The first heater comprises a semiconductor device having a first doped region and a second doped region having a conductivity type opposite to that of the first doped region, the first doped region interfacing with the second doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Jiaw-Ren Shih, Jhong-Sheng Wang, Shih-Hsin Chen, Jen-Hao Lee, Ting-Sheng Huang
  • Patent number: 9970979
    Abstract: This application relates to a circuit for determining whether a first transistor device is in a predetermined operation mode. The circuit comprises comprising: a second transistor device, wherein control terminals of the first and second transistor devices are connected, and one of input and output terminals of the first transistor device is connected to the other one of input and output terminals of the second transistor device, a buffer amplifier connected between the one of input and output terminals of the first transistor device and the other one of input and output terminals of the second transistor device, and circuitry for determining whether the first transistor device is in the predetermined operation mode based on an indication of a current flowing through the second transistor device. The application further relates to a method of determining whether a first transistor device is in a predetermined operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Danilo Gerna, Enrico Pardi, John Kesterson
  • Patent number: 9971006
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus and a method for operating an MR apparatus, MR data are acquired and evaluated with regard to multiple tentative signal models for producing a parameter map based on one of those signal models. The parameter map shows multiple parameters that have respective effects on the MR data. Each tentative signal model is initially analyzed to determine whether any of the parameters used therein can be assumed to be at least locally constant, and the initially analyzed tentative signal model is then subjected at least to a quality of fit analysis. The tentative signal model having at least the best quality of fit analysis result is then used to generate a parameter map that is displayed at a display monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Kannengiesser, Marcel Dominik Nickel, Xiaodong Zhong
  • Patent number: 9970997
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensing apparatus including a substrate, first, second, and third magnetic field sensing units, and a switching circuit is provided. The substrate has a surface, and has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface. The first magnetic field sensing unit includes a plurality of magnetoresistance sensors connected together to form a Wheatstone full bridge and disposed on the surface. The second magnetic field sensing unit includes a plurality of magnetoresistance sensors connected together to form a Wheatstone half bridge and disposed on the first inclined surface. The third magnetic field sensing unit includes a plurality of magnetoresistance sensors connected together to form a Wheatstone half bridge and disposed on the second inclined surface. The switching circuit electrically connects the second magnetic field sensing unit and the third magnetic field sensing unit. A magnetic field sensing module is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: iSentek Inc.
    Inventors: Fu-Te Yuan, Pei-Chun Kao, Meng-Huang Lai
  • Patent number: 9971054
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring resistivity in a borehole includes first and second modules configured to be conveyed through the borehole and a transmitter connected to the first module, the transmitter transmitting a transmitter signal that causes a field signal to be created in a formation surrounding the borehole. The apparatus also includes a receiver connected to the second module configured to sense the field signal, a reflection generator and a delay determination circuit that includes a pulse generator and a timer. The apparatus also includes a communication link coupling the delay determination circuit and the reflection generator. The delay determination circuit causes a first pulse to be transmitted to the reflection generator and determines an indication that is related to the time until a reflection is received back from the reflection generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY, LLC
    Inventor: Kersten Kraft