Patents by Inventor Stephen McAdam

Stephen McAdam has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9804285
    Abstract: A balanced coil system (2) of a metal detection system has a transmitter coil (21) connected to a first transmitter unit (1), to provide a transmitter signal (s1) comprising at least first and second operating frequencies (fTX1, fTX2). First and second receiver coils (22, 23), which compensate one another when the system is in balance, provide output signals (s22, s23) to a receiver unit (3). The respective operating frequencies are applied separately together each with a monitoring frequency (fMON) to inputs of first and second modulation units (52, 53), which provide first and a second modulated monitoring signals (sM1, sM2), each comprising a first or second modulated monitoring frequency (fMM1, fMM2) without a carrier. When applied to a summation unit (54), the modulated monitoring signals result in a combined output signal (sM12) that is applied to a monitoring coil (24), inductively coupled with at least one of the receiver coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Ltd.
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Publication number: 20150276964
    Abstract: A balanced coil system (2) of a metal detection system has a transmitter coil (21) connected to a first transmitter unit (1), to provide a transmitter signal (s1) comprising at least first and second operating frequencies (fTX1, fTX2). First and second receiver coils (22, 23), which compensate one another when the system is in balance, provide output signals (s22, s23) to a receiver unit (3). The respective operating frequencies are applied separately together each with a monitoring frequency (fMON) to inputs of first and second modulation units (52, 53), which provide first and a second modulated monitoring signals (sM1, sM2), each comprising a first or second modulated monitoring frequency (fMM1, fMM2) without a carrier. When applied to a summation unit (54), the modulated monitoring signals result in a combined output signal (sM12) that is applied to a monitoring coil (24), inductively coupled with at least one of the receiver coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Patent number: 9018935
    Abstract: A method for operating a metal detection apparatus that comprises a transmitter unit with a drive circuit that alternately applies two different drive voltages via a first set of two drive switches to a first tail and via a second set of two drive switches to a second tail of a transmitter coil that is coupled to a receiver coil, which is connected to the input of a receiver unit. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided. In one embodiment, at least a first waveform is generated for controlling the first set of drive switches and at least a second waveform is generated for controlling the second set of drive switches, wherein the first and second waveforms that correspond to a selected operating frequency are shifted relative to one another in order to allow a desired drive current to flow through the transmitter coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Limited
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Publication number: 20130069620
    Abstract: A method for operating a metal detection apparatus that comprises a transmitter unit with a drive circuit that alternately applies two different drive voltages via a first set of two drive switches to a first tail and via a second set of two drive switches to a second tail of a transmitter coil that is coupled to a receiver coil, which is connected to the input of a receiver unit. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided. In one embodiment, at least a first waveform is generated for controlling the first set of drive switches and at least a second waveform is generated for controlling the second set of drive switches, wherein the first and second waveforms that correspond to a selected operating frequency are shifted relative to one another in order to allow a desired drive current to flow through the transmitter coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO SAFELINE LIMITED
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Patent number: 8314713
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the operation of a metal detection system that comprises a balanced coil system with a transmitter coil that is connected to a transmitter unit, which provides transmitter signals having a fixed or variable transmitter frequency, and with a first and a second receiver coil that provide output signals to a receiver unit. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided. According to one embodiment, a carrier signal having the transmitter frequency and a monitoring signal having a monitoring frequency are provided to a modulation unit that suppresses the carrier signal and provides a modulated monitoring signal, which is supplied to a monitoring coil that is inductively coupled with at least one of the receiver coils, whose output signals are demodulated in a demodulation unit that provides a demodulated monitoring signal, which is compared in phase and/or in amplitude with a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Limited
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Patent number: 8278918
    Abstract: A method for operating of a metal detection system may comprise a balanced coil system with a transmitter coil that is connected to a transmitter unit, which generates transmitter signals having a transmitter frequency that is selected from a group of at least two transmitter frequencies, and with a first and a second receiver coil that provide output signals to a signal input of at least one amplifier unit included in a receiver unit, wherein the output signals compensate each other so that the system is in balance. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Limited
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Publication number: 20120098667
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the operation of a metal detection system that comprises a balanced coil system with a transmitter coil that is connected to a transmitter unit, which provides transmitter signals having a fixed or variable transmitter frequency, and with a first and a second receiver coil that provide output signals to a receiver unit. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided. According to one embodiment, a carrier signal having the transmitter frequency and a monitoring signal having a monitoring frequency are provided to a modulation unit that suppresses the carrier signal and provides a modulated monitoring signal, which is supplied to a monitoring coil that is inductively coupled with at least one of the receiver coils, whose output signals are demodulated in a demodulation unit that provides a demodulated monitoring signal, which is compared in phase and/or in amplitude with a reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Limited
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Publication number: 20120086455
    Abstract: A method for operating of a metal detection system may comprise a balanced coil system with a transmitter coil that is connected to a transmitter unit, which generates transmitter signals having a transmitter frequency that is selected from a group of at least two transmitter frequencies, and with a first and a second receiver coil that provide output signals to a signal input of at least one amplifier unit included in a receiver unit, wherein the output signals compensate each other so that the system is in balance. A system adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: METTLER-TOLEDO SAFELINE LIMITED
    Inventor: Stephen McAdam
  • Patent number: 7406356
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for characterizing the timbre of a time-varying sound signal s(t) using at least one descriptor, where the at least one descriptor includes a harmonic spectral spread of the sound signal s(t). The sound signal s(t) may be compared to other sound signals using the at least one descriptor. The at least one descriptor may also include a harmonic spectral deviation of the sound signal s(t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: France Telecom
    Inventors: Geoffroy Peeters, Stephen McAdams, Jochen Krimphoff, Patrick Susini, Nicolas Misdaris, Bennett Smith
  • Publication number: 20040220799
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for characterizing in accordance with at least a descriptor, the timbre of a time-variable sound signal (s(t) for a duration D, which consists in defining said descriptor by the harmonic spectral scope of the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: FRANCE TELECOM
    Inventors: Geoffroy Peeters, Stephen McAdams, Jochen Krimphoff, Patrick Susini, Nicolas Misdaris, Bennett Smith