Patents Examined by Vincent Q. Nguyen
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Patent number: 11415538Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly comprises a sensor module and a housing assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor module comprises a substrate, a capacitor with a first electrode and a second electrode on the substrate, and a capacitive-to-digital converter (CDC) electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. In an embodiment, the housing assembly is attached to the sensor module and comprises a shaft, wherein the shaft is hollow, and a cap over a first end of the shaft, wherein the cap has an opening to expose the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yaoling Pan, Patrick John Tae, Leonard Tedeschi, Michael D. Willwerth, Daniel Thomas McCormick
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Patent number: 11395886Abstract: A single plate capacitive bubble detection sensor. The detector may employ a single active plate. A parasitic capacitance of the active plate relative to the environment may be monitored without reference to any particular ground source. In this regard, highly sensitive measurements may be made of a tube disposed adjacent to the active plate to detect, for example, the presence of air, liquid, or a change between liquid and air in the tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2020Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: BAXTER CORPORATION ENGLEWOODInventors: Yuriy Konstantinovich Umanskiy, David Lee Holien, Brian William Ward
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Patent number: 11385293Abstract: A battery state estimating apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention includes a state estimator, a power estimator, and a determiner. The state estimator estimates a state of a battery. The power estimator estimates first power amount charged/discharged by the battery within a charging/discharging period, based on the state. The determiner compares the first power amount with second power amount inputted/outputted to/from the battery within the charging/discharging period and thereby determines validity of the state.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Yumi Fujita, Tomokazu Morita, Nobukatsu Sugiyama
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Patent number: 11376459Abstract: Devices and methods for the detection of streams of water or other extinguishants. A device has a substrate, an array including a plurality of capacitance sensors disposed on the substrate, and a controller operatively connected to each of the plurality of capacitance sensors to measure a capacitance of each respective sensor. The controller is configured to analyze a time-varying component of a series of measured capacitances for each sensor and to output a signal representing how closely that time-varying component matches a stored reference component of a reference signal in which a sensor is proximate to a stream of an extinguishant. A corresponding method obtains a series of measured capacitances from each of a plurality of capacitance sensors disposed upon a substrate, analyzes a time-varying component of the each of the series, and outputs a signal representing a degree of similarity between that series and such a reference signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: LION GROUP, INC.Inventor: Brian P. Bradley
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Patent number: 11378415Abstract: A method of detecting conditions indicative of energy meter tampering, meter faults or energy loss (e.g. due to energy theft) is disclosed. The method includes receiving energy consumption data from an energy meter indicating consumption of energy at a location served by the energy meter. Event data is also received from the meter comprising one or more events generated by the energy meter. The consumption data is analysed to detect a predetermined consumption condition. The event data is analysed to detect a predetermined event or event pattern in the event data. An alert condition is generated in response to detecting both the consumption condition and the event or event pattern.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: GB GAS HOLDINGS LIMITEDInventors: Jane Chang, Laura Shemilt, Timothy Wong, Andrew Woods
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Patent number: 11372030Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to electrical overstress protection devices, and more particularly to electrical overstress monitoring devices for detecting electrical overstress events in semiconductor devices. In one aspect, a device configured to monitor electrical overstress (EOS) events includes a pair of spaced conductive structures configured to electrically arc in response to an EOS event, wherein the spaced conductive structures are formed of a material and have a shape such that arcing causes a detectable change in shape of the spaced conductive structures, and wherein the device is configured such that the change in shape of the spaced conductive structures is detectable to serve as an EOS monitor.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited CompanyInventors: David J. Clarke, Stephen Denis Heffernan, Alan J. O'Donnell, Patrick M. McGuinness
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Patent number: 11372036Abstract: A sensor device includes a sensor unit that generates a detection signal having the same detection frequency as an entered sinusoidal analog signal and matching a physical quantity to be detected; a reference signal generating unit that generates a reference signal having the detection frequency, according to the entered analog signal; converting units that convert the detection signal and reference signal to digital signals in synchronization with a clock signal; a demodulating unit that multiplies the digital detection signal by each of two sinusoidal synchronization signals having the detection frequency, the phases of the two synchronization signals being shifted from each other by one-fourth of a cycle, and generates two demodulated signals free from a harmonic component; and a correcting unit that corrects the demodulated signals according to the digital reference signal so as to suppress variations, in the demodulated signals, caused by variations in the clock signal phase.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyoshi Sasai, Masahiro Kimura
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Patent number: 11374561Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit having a loopback path electrically coupled to an inverter and a test circuit having a controller and a counter. The test circuit is electrically coupled to the first circuit, and the controller is configured to select the loopback path. The first circuit is configured to receive a first voltage signal and to generate an oscillating signal from the received first voltage signal. The first voltage signal is either a substantially low logic level signal or a substantially high logic level signal. The counter is configured to count oscillations of the oscillating signal.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Jinn-Yeh Chien
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Patent number: 11368032Abstract: The present disclosure provides a test system and a test method for a charging device. The test system for the charging device includes a charging device and a power supply module. The charging device has a switch tube and a control module. The power supply module is coupled to a control electrode of the switch tube and is configured to output a voltage signal to the control electrode of the switch tube, so that a voltage between a first end and a second end of the switch tube is greater than a preset voltage protection value. The control module is configured to determine whether the charging device enters a protection state when the voltage between the first end and the second end of the switch tube is greater than the preset voltage protection value, thereby testing a protection function against abnormal voltage drop of the charging device.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2018Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.Inventor: Chen Tian
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Patent number: 11360158Abstract: An insulation resistance measuring apparatus designed to calculate a complex impedance of an ac circuit including a measuring resistor, a coupling capacitor, an insulation resistor installed in a vehicle, and a ground capacitance. The insulation resistance measuring apparatus includes a sine wave current applying device which applies an ac signal to the measuring resistor and measures a voltage change appearing at a junction of the sine wave current applying device and the measuring resistor. The ac signal and the voltage change are used to determine the complex impedance. A resistance value of the insulation resistor is calculated as a function of the complex impedance. This structure enables the circuit to be reduced in size.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Tomomichi Mizoguchi
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Patent number: 11360127Abstract: A device for self-adjusting an electrical threshold includes a framing unit that compares a setpoint signal representative of the supply signal to a plurality of successive intervals of reference signals that increase in value according to a geometric sequence. The framing unit generates an output based on the interval bounding the setpoint signal, wherein the output controls a switch that is configured to provide one of the plurality of reference signals as an output, wherein the output reference signal is representative of the electrical detection threshold.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Inventors: Jörg Wallerath, Emmanuel Boudoux
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Patent number: 11353488Abstract: A radio wave measurement method used in a transmitter and a receiver, includes transmitting a radio wave from the transmitter, receiving the radio wave by the receiver through a scatterer, measuring, a plurality of times, reception qualities of the radio waves received by the reception antenna of the main reception surface and received respectively by the reception antennas of the plurality of sub-reception surfaces while changing a position of the receiver, and determining a position of the receiver when the reception quality of the radio wave corresponding to the reception antenna of the main reception surface and the reception qualities of the radio waves corresponding to the plurality of sub-reception surfaces satisfy a predetermined condition as a measurement position used for derivation of a material constant of the scatterer.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Tatsuta, Takuya Asada, Taichi Hamabe, Teppei Emura
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Patent number: 11353520Abstract: A chopping technique, and associated structure, is implemented to cancel the magnetic 1/f noise contribution in a Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) field sensor. The TMR field sensor includes a first bridge circuit including multiple TMR elements to sense a magnetic field and a second circuit to apply a bipolar current pulse adjacent to each TMR element. The current lines are serially or sequentially connected to a current source to receive the bipolar current pulse. The field sensor has an output including a high output and a low output in response to the bipolar pulse. This asymmetric response allows a chopping technique for 1/f noise reduction in the field sensor.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2021Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: EVERSPIN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Bradley Neal Engel, Phillip G. Mather
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Patent number: 11346806Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for a low profile PID typically including a flexible substrate; two or more electrodes containing an array of holes; a spacer with one or more holes; and two or more contacts corresponding to the electrodes. Typically, the unfolded flexible substrate defines a plane, and the electrodes are disposed on the flexible substrate such that when the flexible substrate is folded, one electrode is located on a top plane and another electrode is located on a bottom plane and the spacer is disposed between the electrodes to form an ionization chamber for use with a UV radiation source.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2017Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Aimin Su, Bing Chen, Junhui Zhang, Feng Liang
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Patent number: 11338679Abstract: A method of displaying a residual capacity of a secondary battery causes a computer of a display device to calculate a residual capacity of a secondary battery that stores electric power for driving a motor-driven vehicle based on an estimated value of an open-circuit voltage of the secondary battery storing the residual capacity calculated at the time of stopping of supply of electric power of the secondary battery and displaying the residual capacity at the time of stopping of supply of electric power on a display at the time of starting of supply of electric power of the secondary battery and subsequently displaying the residual capacity of the secondary battery on the display within a range with an upper limit value and a lower limit value with respect to the residual capacity at the time of stopping of supply of electric power.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Taisuke Tsurutani
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Patent number: 11340264Abstract: Techniques for identifying electrical theft are described herein. In an example, a secondary voltage of a transformer may be inferred by repeated voltage and current measurement at each meter associated with the transformer. A difference in measured voltage values, divided by a difference in measured current values, estimates impedance at the meter. The calculated impedance, together with measured voltage and current values, determine a voltage at the transformer secondary. Such voltages calculated by each meter associated with a transformer may be averaged, to indicate the transformer secondary voltage. A transformer having lower-than-expected secondary voltage is identified, based in part on comparison to the secondary voltages of other transformers. Each meter associated with the identified transformer may be evaluated to determine if the unexpected voltage is due to a load on the transformer. If a load did not result in the unexpected secondary voltage, power diversion may be reported.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Itron, Inc.Inventors: Timothy James Driscoll, Robert Sonderegger
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Patent number: 11340302Abstract: By a first energization process of applying a voltage with the power supply to cause a current for charging the electrical storage device to flow through the circuit and a second energization process of, when a transition condition is satisfied during the first energization process, decreasing the voltage of the power supply to cause the current to further flow, a condition of an electrical storage is determined. An effective resistance value of the circuit is set to 0.1? or below. A decrease in the voltage of the power supply in transition from the first energization process to the second energization process is set such that the effective resistance value in the second energization process is an intermediate value between a parasitic resistance value of the circuit and the effective resistance value in the first energization process.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshio Matsuyama, Ruri Tanaka, Kiwamu Kobayashi
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Patent number: 11313914Abstract: An energy storage system includes a lead-acid battery, a battery management unit. The battery management unit defines, based on an open voltage of the lead-acid battery, a first amount of change in a capacity of the lead-acid battery from a reference state, correlating with the open voltage of the lead-acid battery and caused by a first deterioration factor and defines, based on the first amount of change in the capacity and an amount of change in overall internal resistance of the lead-acid battery from the reference state, a second amount of change in a capacity of the lead-acid battery, not correlating with the open voltage and caused by a second deterioration factor. The battery management unit defines, based on the first and second amounts of change in the capacity, at least one of a battery capacity of the lead-acid battery or an amount of change in the battery capacity from the reference state.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2018Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: GS Yuasa International Ltd.Inventors: Toshihiro Yoshida, Yuki Nakanishi, Kazuhiro Sugie
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Patent number: 11313824Abstract: The detecting device includes a detecting unit including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being used as a first capacitor. The detecting device includes a drive unit configured to apply a first drive signal to the first drive terminal such that the first drive signal is alternately inverted between a first period and a second period. The detecting device includes a converting unit configured to convert a charge charged at the signal terminal into a voltage and includes a difference processing unit configured to obtain a difference between the first output voltage and the second output voltage.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.Inventors: Fumihiro Inoue, Shinya Otsuka, Kosuke Yamamoto
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Patent number: 11313888Abstract: Techniques for hot socket detection are disclosed. In an example, a meter includes a current transformer with a secondary bifilar winding. The meter is in proximity to a current coil. The secondary bifilar winding includes a first bifilar winding and a second bifilar winding. A start lead of the first bifilar winding is connected to a start lead of the second bifilar winding. The meter further includes a voltage source configured to generate a direct current (DC) voltage signal. The DC voltage signal is provided to a finish lead of the first bifilar winding. A first sense resistor is connected between a finish lead of the second bifilar winding and ground. A processing circuit receives a signal indicating a voltage across the first sense resistor and determines a temperature associated with the current coil. The processing circuit is further configured to detect a hot socket condition based on the temperature.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: Landis+Gyr Innovations, Inc.Inventors: Matthew E. Kraus, Frank J. Boudreau, Jr.