Magnetic Patents (Class 324/200)
  • Patent number: 8674685
    Abstract: A magnetic flux position sensor includes a primary coil, a secondary coil, and a magnetic flux conductor. The primary coil generates a magnetic flux and the secondary coil senses magnetic flux. The primary and secondary coils are substantially concentric and spaced apart by an annular passage. The annular passage has first and second ends, and the magnetic flux conductor is slidable from the first end to the second end of the annular passage. The magnetic flux transferred from the primary coil to the secondary coil varies as a function of position of the magnetic flux conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce Paradise
  • Patent number: 8638090
    Abstract: A sensor system method of production includes forming first and second structures of the magnetoresistive system, heating the first and second structures, applying a magnetic field in a reference direction to the first and second structures, and cooling the first and second structures to fix a reference magnetization in the first and second structures in the reference direction. The structures are heated to near or above a blocking temperature, whereby the shape anisotropy of the first structure forces the reference magnetization to rotate into a first new orientation and the shape anisotropy of the second structure forces the reference magnetization to rotate into a second new orientation whereby the reference magnetization in the first and second structures rotate in opposite directions. The rotated reference magnetizations of the first and second structures are pinned in the respective new orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Juergen Zimmer
  • Patent number: 8628525
    Abstract: An interventional device (12) is configured to be positioned in a body and includes an electrically operable unit (E1, E2) configured to carry out an interaction with the body upon a receipt of electric power. The device further includes a sensor (2) configured for wirelessly receiving electromagnetic energy from a remote source. The sensor is configured as a resonant circuit (2a, 2b) which converts the received electromagnetic energy into the electric power. The electrically operable device may include a diagnostic and/or therapeutic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Wirtz, Oliver Lips, Sascha Krueger, Bernd David, Steffen Weiss
  • Patent number: 8610428
    Abstract: This variable-response magnetic radiofrequency device integrated into a substrate comprises: a beam that is mobile relative to the substrate having, at each end, a transversal part mechanically anchored to the substrate and at least one central arm connecting the transversal parts to each other, at least one of the transversal parts being made out of a piezoelectric material, actuating electrodes associated with the piezoelectric material to apply a stress on the central arm, a magnetic element directly deposited on the central arm whose permeability varies as a function of the stress, and a conductive strip comprising a central part fixed to an upper face of the magnetic element opposite the lower face of this magnetic element pointed towards the central arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche, Universite Brest-Bretagne Occidentale
    Inventors: Bernard Viala, Smaali Rafik, Patrick Queffelec, Evangeline Benevent, Jean-Philippe Michel
  • Publication number: 20130320963
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for evaluating a calibration of a magnetometer on a mobile device. The method includes obtaining a parameter associated with the calibration, determining a component of the parameter along an axis of the magnetometer and determining a calibration quality indicator using the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Tennessee Carmel-Veilleux, Robert George Oliver, Nazih Almalki
  • Patent number: 8587301
    Abstract: A method for operating a metal detection system that comprises a balanced coil system. One embodiment of the method comprises: determining the phase and magnitude of related signals at least for a first metal contaminant for at least two transmitter frequencies and for at least two particle sizes of the first metal contaminant; determining the phase and magnitude of the related signal for a specific product for the at least two transmitter frequencies; comparing information established at least for the first metal contaminant and the information established for the product; determining a transmitter frequency with which signal components of smallest sized particles of the at least first metal contaminant differ sufficiently or most in phase and amplitude from the phase and amplitude of the product signal; and selecting the transmitter frequency for measuring the product. A metal detection apparatus adapted to operate according to an exemplary method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mettler-Toledo Safeline Limited
    Inventor: Max Derungs
  • Patent number: 8587293
    Abstract: A simple position determination is enabled by a device and a method to determine the position of a local coil in a magnetic resonance apparatus, wherein at least one signal emitted by at least one transmission coil is received by the local coil and is evaluated with a position determination device in order to determine the position of the local coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Thorsten Feiweier, Wolfgang Renz
  • Patent number: 8523429
    Abstract: A remote, noncontact temperature determination method and apparatus is provided, which is operable to determine the temperature of a conducting member forming a part of or in operative thermal communication with an object of interest. The method comprises the steps of first inducing a closed vortex eddy current (28) in a conducting member (16, 38, 44) by subjecting the member (16, 38, 44) to a magnetic field, such that the corresponding eddy current magnitude changes exponentially over time. A characteristic time constant of the exponential current magnitude changes is then determined, and this is used to calculate the temperature of the object. The apparatus (24) includes a field transmitting coil (14) coupled with a waveform generator (12) for inducing the eddy current (28), and a field receiving coil assembly (18) which detects the corresponding magnetic field induced by the eddy current (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: TSI Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Vladimir Malyshev, Evgeni Sorkine
  • Patent number: 8461833
    Abstract: A method for determining the sensitivity of a sensor provides the following steps: a) first and second deflection voltages are applied to first and second electrode systems of the sensor, respectively, and first and second electrostatic forces are exerted on an elastically suspended seismic mass of the sensor by the first and second electrode systems, respectively, and a restoring force is exerted on the mass as a result of the elasticity of the mass, and a force equilibrium is established among the first and second electrostatic forces and the restoring force, and the mass assumes a deflection position characteristic of the force equilibrium, and an output signal characteristic of the force equilibrium and of the deflection position is measured; and b) the sensitivity of the sensor is computed on the basis of the first and second deflection voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Classen, Arnd Kaelberer, Hans-Joerg Faisst, Axel Franke, Mirko Hattass, Holger Rank, Robert Sattler, Alexander Buhmann, Ramona Maas, Marian Keck
  • Patent number: 8450998
    Abstract: A system for determining the quantity of a liquid agricultural product available for spraying on a field from a tank in an airplane comprising a payload storage tank for holding the agricultural product, an elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube located vertically in the aircraft payload storage tank, a probe float slidably coupled to move up or down on the elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube, and a permanent magnet coupled to the probe float. The position of the magnet is sensed by the elongated magnetostrictive linear displacement transducer tube which generates a signal that marks the level of the liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank, and converter means converts the generated signal that marks the level of the liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank to a quantity of liquid in the aircraft payload storage tank which is displayed to the pilot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventor: Troy Robert Reabe
  • Patent number: 8442180
    Abstract: A control rod position detector including a permanent magnet that is attached on a control rod inserted in a reactor pressure vessel, where the permanent magnet is capable of moving together with the control rod, and a plurality of reed switch mechanisms that are arranged in the reactor pressure vessel at regular intervals in an insertion direction of the control rod. Each of the reed switch mechanisms is provided with a pair of reed switches that are placed so as to overlap with each other in the insertion direction of the control rod. The pair of reed switches are connected to a common wiring. The common wiring is connected to a detector that detects a position of the control rod based on signals from the reed switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mitsuharu Nakamura, Tsukasa Suwazono, Yoshikazu Ui, Yutaka Sosa, Goro Yanase, Kazuhiro Kawagoe, Shinichi Ishizato, Norimitsu Komai
  • Patent number: 8441252
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a rotational angle measurement apparatus that is capable of correcting an error due to pin-angle error with a small amount of calculation operation. The rotational angle measurement apparatus includes a magnetic sensor 301 and a signal processing unit 303M. The magnetic sensor includes two bridges comprising magneto-resistance elements each having a pinned magnetic layer. A ratio-calculation unit 381 of the signal processing unit 303M calculates a ratio Vy/Vx of output signals Vx and Vy. A parameter correction unit 382 subtracts a predetermined correction parameter ? from the ratio Vy/Vx calculated by the ratio-calculation unit. An a tan-processing unit 383 conducts arctangent processing on the value calculated by the parameter correction unit and calculates an angle of magnetic field ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mutsumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8427134
    Abstract: A current detection printed board includes: a board having a penetration hole that penetrates the board; and at least one wire that is formed in a coiled shape having both ends by penetrating the board along the periphery of the penetration hole and alternately connecting a front surface layer and a rear surface layer of the board, wherein, when a conductor, in which an AC current flows, is disposed to pass through the inside of the penetration hole, a current flowing in the wire is output through electromagnetic induction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Daihen Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Ibuki, Shuji Omae, Hideo Ito
  • Patent number: 8427136
    Abstract: A magnetic displacement sensor, where, in order to achieve an improved measurement behavior, magnets are formed in a direction of an x-axis such that a z-component (Bz) of the flux density has an essentially linear characteristic curve in a region of travel and/or the magnets are formed in a direction of a y-axis such that the z-component (Bz) is essentially constant in a region of a transversal offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Conti Temic Microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Hinkel, Michael Nagel, Andreas Schulze, Roger Pohlmann, Bernd Seitz
  • Patent number: 8427142
    Abstract: Provided is a rotation angle detecting device with high detection accuracy, which can be structured with a small number of teeth even if a shaft angle multiplier increases, thus enhancing winding workability and becoming suitable for mass production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masatsugu Nakano, Shinsuke Henmi, Satoru Akutsu
  • Patent number: 8423228
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a decrease in air pressure of a tire attached to a vehicle includes a rotation speed detection means for periodically detecting rotation speeds of tires of respective wheels of the vehicle; a rotation wheel speed ratio calculation means for calculating a rotation wheel speed ratio between front wheels and rear wheels of the vehicle; a wheel torque calculation means for calculating a wheel torque of the vehicle; an initialization means for obtaining a relation at a normal internal pressure between the wheel torque and the rotation wheel speed ratio; a comparison means for comparing the rotation wheel speed ratio with the rotation wheel speed ratio at a normal internal pressure obtained from the wheel torque and the relation; and a determination means for correcting the comparison result by a front-to-rear direction acceleration and determining whether there is a tire having a decreased air pressure or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Oshiro
  • Patent number: 8415945
    Abstract: A sheet coil type resolver includes: a stator section in which a stator transformer coil composed of first and second stator transformer coil layers is disposed to axially overlap with a resolver stator coil composed of first and second resolver stator coil layers; and a rotor section in which a rotor transformer coil composed of first and second rotor transformer coil layers is disposed to axially overlap with a resolver rotor coil composed of first and second resolver rotor coil layers, whereby the axial dimension is reduced, lead wires can be easily led out from the coils, and high reliability is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Fujita, Takado Fukuda, Takaaki Ochiai
  • Patent number: 8416076
    Abstract: A magnetic proximity sensor is attached to a ferrous object such that the sensor alerts a practitioner if a threshold of magnetic strength has been exceeded by bringing the ferrous object within a certain proximity to the magnet of an MRI scanner. The magnetic proximity sensor includes at least one magnetic field sensor for sensing a magnetic field strength. An alarm in communication with the field sensor alerts a practitioner that a threshold of magnetic strength has been exceeded. A battery powers the field sensor and the alarm. The field sensor may produce an output voltage corresponding to the sensed magnetic field strength, and a potentiometer may provide a reference voltage corresponding to a threshold magnetic field strength. A comparator compares the reference voltage to the output voltage, and triggers an alarm if the output voltage exceeds the reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: The Trustees of Dartmouth College
    Inventors: Alexander Mamourian, Michael Holland
  • Publication number: 20130082691
    Abstract: A headset or earphone is provided, having an electro-acoustic reproduction transducer with an oscillator coil arranged in an axis. An amplifier is coupled to the electro-acoustic reproduction transducer. The headset or earphone also has a magnetic interference sensor for measuring a magnetic interference field. A correction unit, for analyzing an output of the magnetic interference sensor and for producing a compensation signal, is coupled to the magnetic interference sensor. In addition, the headset or earphone also includes an adding unit for adding the compensation signal to an input signal and for outputting the result to the amplifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventor: Oliver GELHARD
  • Patent number: 8395376
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying, measuring, and monitoring metal loss through corrosion or other deleterious factors in ferromagnetic piping and ferromagnetic objects. Drive coils secured to the object are driven to emit a magnetic field which is transmitted through the object by magnetic domains in the object. Response coils detect the magnetic domains and generate a response signal. The drive and response signals can penetrate insulating materials and non-ferromagnetic metallic coverings of the piping and vessels. The system operates reiteratively over an extended period of time, e.g., months or years, to detect loss of magnetic domains which is an important indicator of corrosion and deterioration of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: 4D Imaging, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerome R. Singer, Glen Stevick, David Rondinone, John Zalabak
  • Patent number: 8358124
    Abstract: A magnetic absolute encoder with enhanced resolution is provided. A first cycle determining section 27 utilizes data stored in a fourth angle data storing section 23 to determine in which cycle of m cycles of the fourth angle data, fifth angle data, which has been newly computed in response to rotation of a rotary shaft 1, occurs. A second cycle determining section 29 determines in which cycle of n cycles of first angle data that occur in first determined cycle, the newly computed fifth angle data occurs. A third cycle determining section 31 determines in which cycle of N1 cycles of the first angle data, the current first angle data occurs, based on the first determined cycle and second determined cycle. An absolute position determining section 33 determines the absolute position based on third determined cycle and the digital value of the current first angle data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sayno Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Katou, Kazuhiro Makiuchi, Shoji Ito, Tooru Miyajima, Tomohito Yamazaki, Toshiaki Ayuzawa, Masato Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20130015842
    Abstract: A current detection apparatus includes two magnetic detectors that are arranged oppositely on a front surface and a back surface of a board which is located above a current path in order to detect a strength of a magnetic field, an electromagnetic shielding frame member that is mounted on the current path so that the two magnetic detectors and a part of the current path are accommodated inside the electromagnetic shielding frame member, and a control circuit that determines whether a failure which occurs in either of the two magnetic detectors from a difference between magnetic fields detected by the two magnetic detectors, respectively. Sensitivities of the two magnetic detectors are made adjusted so that current values outputted from the two magnetic detectors depending on detected magnetic fields are identical to each other in a normal state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasunori Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130009630
    Abstract: A magnetic detection device includes a layered film including a self-pinned magnetic layer, a free magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic material layer disposed between the pinned magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, and a top capping layer. The pinned magnetic layer includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a nonmagnetic intermediate layer disposed therebetween. A first magnetization of the first magnetic layer is pinned in antiparallel with a second magnetization of the second magnetic layer. The capping layer is formed of tantalum, and an as-deposited thickness of the capping layer is 55 ? or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumihito KOIKE, Kota ASATSUMA, Kazuya OMINATO
  • Patent number: 8350565
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor having a high magnetic sensor sensitivity and a wide measurement range. The MI sensor comprises an MI element, an electric current supply unit and a signal processing circuit. The MI element comprises a magnetosensitive wire formed of an amorphous soft magnetic alloy having zero magnetostriction, and a detection coil provided around the magnetosensitive wire with an electric insulator disposed therebetween, thereby detecting voltage generated at the detection coil and corresponding to an external magnetic field upon application of a high frequency electric current to the magnetosensitive wire. The electric current supply unit supplies the high frequency electric current to the MI element. The signal processing circuit processes an output signal from the detection coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Honkura, Michiharu Yamamoto, Norihiko Hamada, Akihiro Shimode
  • Patent number: 8319492
    Abstract: A rotary encoder comprising a magnet, AMR or GMR sensors and an evaluation means. The AMR or GMR sensors are arranged to generate two signals that unambiguously encode the rotary position of the magnet within a predetermined range of rotary positions and a direction of rotation of the magnet. The evaluation means is arranged to derive single-turn and multi-turn information solely from the signals. The encoder is arranged to be switched to a power saving state for a predetermined period of time, to be at least partially reactivated thereafter and to compare a current value derived from the signals with a stored previous value derived from the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Dall Production APS
    Inventors: Jorgen Schmidt, Morten Christiansen, Hans Hilmar Dall
  • Publication number: 20120293806
    Abstract: An optical fibre sensor assembly comprises a source of a plurality of different frequency substantially monochromatic signals (1, 2, 3, 4); a modulator connected to the output of the source to produce a train of output pulses of the monochromatic signals; a plurality of sensor sub-assemblies connected to the output of the modulator, each sub-assembly comprising an optical drop multiplexer (ODM) (13), a sensor array (14) comprising a plurality of sensor elements and an optical add multiplexer (OAM) (15); a wavelength demultiplexer (WDM), having an input coupled to the sub-assemblies output; a plurality of detectors, each detector having an input connected to receive a respective output of the WDM and providing at an output thereof a signal corresponding to a respective frequency of the modulated monochromatic signals; and an interrogation system, having a plurality of inputs connected such that each input receives the output signal from a respective detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: QinetiQ Limited
    Inventor: Geoffrey A. CRANCH
  • Patent number: 8283184
    Abstract: In a method for measurement of very small local magnetic fields, in particular of local magnetic stray fields produced by magnetic beads, at least one magnetoresistive element is used. The element includes a hard-magnetic reference layer and a soft-magnetic sensor layer, whose magnetization can be rotated to a parallel position or an antiparallel position with respect to the reference layer magnetization, and whose output signal which can be tapped off is dependent on the position of the sensor layer magnetization with respect to the reference layer magnetization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Rührig
  • Patent number: 8280690
    Abstract: A dimension-gauging system to determine at least one dimension of a non-ferrous, electrically conducting object produces a magnetic field inside the object and changes the excitation of the magnetic field. A signal processing unit measures the reaction of the magnetic field to the change in excitation, obtains an actual field transfer function between the excitation and the measured field reaction and determines the at least one dimension of the object by fitting the measured field transfer function to a predetermined field transfer function, where the predetermined field transfer function represents the dynamic behavior between the excitation and the measured field reaction with the one dimension as a parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: ABB AB
    Inventor: Jarl Sobel
  • Publication number: 20120242328
    Abstract: A magnetic particle producing part including magnetic and counterpart members in a path of a particle-includable liquid, at least one of the members being moved to press the other member in the liquid, the magnetic member being worn by particles in the liquid to produce magnetic particles; a magnetic particle measuring part positioned in the path same as in the producing part to measure the magnetic particle concentration in the liquid; and a control part converting the concentration of the magnetic particles detected by the measuring part into a concentration of particles in the liquid on the basis of a calibration line representing a correlation preliminarily measured between the concentrations of the magnetic particles and of the particles in the liquid to detect the concentration in the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicants: DIESEL UNITED, LTD., IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hidemi Ukai, Takashi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8274279
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in electrically conductive materials by observing properties of the back-EMF of the eddy current field generated by driving magnetic flux through the object to be examined. The input signal may include sweeps at several frequencies, and may do so at one time under the principle of wave superposition. The sectorial observations of eddy currents summations may be compared to a known datum for a defect free material, the presence of anomalies in eddy field back EMF divergence tending to provide an indication of an irregularity in the underlying eddy field, and hence in the underlying material itself. The portable unit may have a number of different configurations depending on the nature of the object to be examined, be it a flat or large radius plate, a flange, a rail, or some other structural element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Athena Industrial Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul D. Gies
  • Publication number: 20120236299
    Abstract: Methods and devices for the formation of droplets of a first fluid in a second fluid and the encapsulation of particles or cells within such droplets are disclosed. Impetus for droplet formation is provided by the creation of a transient bubble, which may be induced using a pulsed laser. Droplet volume and the frequency at which droplets are formed can be controlled by modulation of the pulsed laser. The disclosed methods and devices are particularly suitable for use in microfluidic devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
    Inventors: PEI-YU CHIOU, TING-HSIANG S. WU, SUNG-YONG PARK, MICHAEL A. TEITELL
  • Patent number: 8269486
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a first magnetoresistive sensor resistor including a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed orientation in a reference magnetization direction. The first sensor resistor is configured such that its resistance changes in response to an angle defined between the reference magnetization direction and a magnetic field. A plurality of second magnetoresistive sensor resistors are configured to provide a differential signal. Each of the second sensor resistors includes a pinned magnetic layer having a fixed orientation in the reference magnetization direction. Another sensor system includes a first magnetoresistive sensor resistor having a length axis oriented by 90°+an angle ?, where ?<90° relative to a reference magnetization axis. A second magnetoresistive sensor resistor has a length axis oriented by 90°?? relative to the reference magnetization axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Dirk Hammerschmidt, Juergen Zimmer
  • Patent number: 8253411
    Abstract: A configuration of a pair of inductor coils within a local measuring range which can comprise a position range or an angle range. For the coil configuration, a nominal distance to a damping part is predefined which comprises an eddy current damping part which covers the coils, to a certain degree. In the evaluation circuit, the coils are connected to a capacitor, forming an oscillator part, whose inductance and capacitance determine a resonant frequency. The characteristic curve, oscillator frequency as a function of the position or the angle is linear. The rectangular inductors of the pair of coils overlap within the measuring range. The linear characteristic curves have a common point of rotation, outside of the measuring range, which is independent from interferences by the measuring configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Andreas Schmitt
  • Patent number: 8228028
    Abstract: Methods for accurately tracking position and orientation of a magnetic-field sensor in a tracking volume when a large magnetic-field distorter is present in the tracking volume. In some of the methods, magnetic field data is collected from within the tracking volume both with and without the large magnetic-field distorter present in the tracking volume. This data is used to obtain correction information that is subsequently used during real-time operation of the magnetic-field sensor to correct the position and orientation solutions for the sensor for magnetic-field distortions caused by the presence of the large magnetic-field distorter in the tracking volume. Others of the methods involve modeling the large magnetic-field distorter using dipole and multipole modeling. Magnetic tracking systems for implementing the methods include hardware and software for carrying out the methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ascension Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Mark R. Schneider
  • Patent number: 8228148
    Abstract: A persistent-mode magnet, assembled from superconducting annuli, provides a micro coil NMR, in which compactness and manufacturability are provided for a variety of applications. An annular magnet for micro NMR can include a YBCO-annulus Helmholtz coil, for example, that can energized by a magnet system and then transported for use at a second location with an operating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Railway Technical Research Institute
    Inventors: Yukikazu Iwasa, Masaru Tomita
  • Publication number: 20120150458
    Abstract: Apparatus, method, and computer-accessible medium embodiments for a noninvasive mapping of electrical properties of tissues or materials. For example, it is possible to apply a plurality of stimulations to a target. It is possible to receive at least one signal from the target in response to the applied stimulations. Further, it is possible to process the at least one signal to determine electromagnetic-field-related quantities associated with the stimulations and the target response. Also, it is possible to supply the electromagnetic-field-related quantities to a system of equations relating these quantities to a plurality of electrical property values and residual field-related unknown values of the at least one target. It is also possible to determine a solution to the system of equations, including determining at least one electrical property of the at least one target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: New York University
    Inventors: Daniel K. Sodickson, Yudong Zhu
  • Publication number: 20120135337
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide methods for testing a fuel cell interconnect including the steps of providing a fuel cell interconnect and performing a non-destructive test on the fuel cell interconnect comprising at least one of detecting a magnetic response of the interconnect, calculating a volume by optically illuminating the interconnect, detecting an acoustic response of the interconnect, and detecting a thermal response of the interconnect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Bloom Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Harald Herchen, Arne Ballantine, Martin Janousek, Stephen Couse
  • Patent number: 8179124
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inductive proximity sensor for embedding in a mild steel mounting plate, comprising an enclosure with a front wall of synthetic material forming a sensing face at a front end of the enclosure, an oscillator comprising a sensor coil with a core made of a material with a relative magnetic permeability larger than 1, typically a ferrite, which is arranged within the enclosure behind the front wall so that an open side of the core is directed towards the sensing face in order to direct the magnetic field of the coil towards a target in front of the sensing face, a hollow cylindrical metal member arranged perpendicular to the sensing face and surrounding the core, and a measuring circuit for measuring an attenuation of the oscillator due to eddy currents. The core is radially surrounded by a metal layer with a low electrical resistivity of less than 15 ??·cm and with a thickness of less than 40 ?m, in order to improve the embeddability of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Optosys SA
    Inventors: Marc De Huu, Peter Heimlicher, Charles Rhême, Philippe Venier
  • Patent number: 8159182
    Abstract: A contactless power transferring coil unit is provided. The contactless power transferring coil unit includes a flat coil, a magnetic film, and a leaking flux detecting coil. The flat coil is formed by winding a conductive wire into a spiral on a substantially flat plane. The magnetic film is disposed so as to cover one entire flat surface of the flat coil. The leaking flux detecting coil is disposed in a periphery outside an outer edge of the flat coil and the magnetic film and detects leaking magnetic flux from the flat coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignees: Sony Mobile Communications Japan, Inc., Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kato, Kuniharu Suzuki, Katsuya Suzuki, Manabu Yamazaki, Kota Onishi, Kentaro Yoda, Yoichiro Kondo, Mikimoto Jin, Takahiro Kamijo, Haruhiko Sogabe
  • Patent number: 8134359
    Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic rotational-angle detector capable of detecting a position and a rotational angle of a rotating member with excellent accuracy. The magnetic rotational-angle detector includes device arrays (51, 52) constituted by a plurality of magnetic sensor devices which are arranged to cancel the n-th order harmonic components by each other. In the device arrays, the magnetic sensor devices corresponding to each other are arranged such that they are spaced apart with a distance of (2m+1)?, and the arrangement of all the magnetic sensor devices and their orientations with respect to a power-supply terminal and a ground terminal are axisymmetrical about a straight line (2b) passing through a barycenric position (59) of all the magnetic sensor devices which is positioned on a straight line along a radial direction of a rotating drum (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishizawa, Hajime Nakajima, Takeshi Musha, Yoichi Ohmura
  • Publication number: 20120014175
    Abstract: A magnetic memory device includes a magnetic tunnel junction having a free magnetic layer having a magnetization orientation that is switchable between a high resistance state magnetization orientation and a low resistance state magnetization orientation and a memristor solid state element electrically coupled to the magnetic tunnel junction. The memristor has a device response that is an integrated voltage versus an integrated current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Xiaobin Wang, Yiran Chen, Alan Wang, Haiwen Xi, Wenzhong Zhu, Hai Li, Hongyue Liu
  • Patent number: 8089268
    Abstract: A directional resistivity tool includes at least one receiver deployed axially asymmetrically between at least one pair of transmitters. The transmitters are configured to transmit electromagnetic waves at first and second correspondingly distinct frequencies f1 and f2 such that: f1/f2=L2/L1, where L1 and L2 represent the corresponding axial distances between the first and second transmitters and the receiver. Exemplary embodiments of the invention further include a method for reducing the near-bed anisotropy effect. The anisotropy effect may be advantageously reduced (or removed) while at the same time providing for freedom in selecting the axial transmitter and receiver spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Smith International, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsili Wang
  • Patent number: 8089276
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor assembly has at least one magnetic field sensor integrated into a semiconductor chip and has at least one magnetic field source. The semiconductor chip and the at least one magnetic field source are arranged in an encapsulation material in a predetermined position relative to each other in such a way that a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field source is detectable with the aid of at least one magnetic field sensor. The magnetic field source is arranged in the semiconductor chip and/or in the plane of extension of the semiconductor chip laterally adjacent to said chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Kentsch
  • Patent number: 8078098
    Abstract: A multi-path data dissemination method for a magnetic diffusion wireless network and a system thereof overcome environmental interferences in wireless data transmissions. Each node of the network is provided for figuring out its good neighbors by broadcasting a good-neighbor exploratory message in a bootstrap process. Each node keeps a good-neighbor table containing nodes with a RSSI higher than a threshold of the good-neighbor table. A magnetic field of a magnetic diffusion (MD) dissemination method capable of determining a data dissemination path is created according to the good-neighbor tables to ensure that the data can be forwarded to a data sink successfully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: National Taiwan University
    Inventors: Polly Huang, Tsung-Han Lin, Shu-Yu Hu, Ting-Hao Chang, Shin-Lung Huang, I-Hei Wu, Seng-Yong Lau
  • Patent number: 8058864
    Abstract: A magnetic field has a threshold that adapts in relation to a magnitude of a magnetic field signal representative of a movement of an object. A corresponding method adapts a threshold in relation to a magnitude of a magnetic field signal representative of a movement of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: P. Karl Scheller, Andreas P. Friedrich, William P. Taylor
  • Patent number: 8046946
    Abstract: A device for counting shots fired by a firearm including a permanent magnet mounted to moving portion of the firearm and electrically coupled to a coil mounted on a relatively stationary portion of the firearm. Movement of the magnet relative to the coil induces an electromotive force within the coil. The induced electromotive force can be used increment a shot-count indictor and thereby record the number of shots fired by the firearm. The electromotive force can also be measured by a verification circuit to determine the strength of a shot and thereby verify whether a round was actually discharged by the firearm. In some embodiments, information regarding the number of shots discharged and the strength of the shots can be transmitted to an external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Packer Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Packer, Alan D. Wilks, Peter J. Schubert, Thomas E. Long
  • Patent number: 8049489
    Abstract: Systems and methods for sensing external magnetic fields in implantable medical devices are provided. One aspect of this disclosure relates to an apparatus for sensing magnetic fields. An apparatus embodiment includes a sensing circuit with at least one inductor having a magnetic core that saturates in the presence of a magnetic field having a prescribed flux density. The apparatus embodiment also includes an impedance measuring circuit connected to the sensing circuit. The impedance measuring circuit is adapted to measure impedance of the sensing circuit and to provide a signal when the impedance changes by a prescribed amount. According to an embodiment, the sensing circuit includes a resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit. The impedance measuring circuit includes a transthoracic impedance measurement module (TIMM), according to an embodiment. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Gauglitz, Thomas M. Bocek, Mark Rutzer, Lorin W. Matthews, William E. Reagor, Blair Erbstoeszer
  • Patent number: 8035262
    Abstract: A drive unit includes a motor being a drive source, a velocity reduction gear for reducing the revolution of the motor, an output shaft for connecting the velocity reduction gear to the rotation shaft of a photosensitive drum, and a velocity detection mechanism including an encoder and sensor members and detecting the revolution of the output shaft. The velocity reduction gear and the velocity detection mechanism are placed in a unit housing including a housing body made of a resin with one end opened and a support plate made of metal closing the opening of the housing body, and the output shaft is rotatably supported by the housing body and the support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Omura, Yuuya Shimohara
  • Patent number: 8022695
    Abstract: A rotation angle detection device includes a rotary body rotating in linked motion with a steering wheel; a detector rotating in linked motion with the rotary body; a magnetic detection element placed on a wiring board and detecting magnetism of a magnet placed at the detector; a control part for detecting a rotation angle of the rotary body based on a detection signal from the magnetic detection element; and a holder latched onto the wiring board and rotatably holding the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Koma, Hideki Tsukaoka
  • Publication number: 20110221426
    Abstract: A medium process apparatus is provided. The medium process apparatus comprises a state detection unit configured to detect a state of a transferring medium and a support unit configured to support the transferring medium. The support unit comprises a plurality of support parts successively disposed in a transfer direction of the medium. The plurality of support parts comprise a second support part facing the state detection unit and a first support part disposed at a front or rear side of the second support part in the transfer direction of the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: LG N-SYS INC.
    Inventor: Seung Oh Han