Electrically Energized Patents (Class 324/207.16)
  • Patent number: 11978588
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a multi-stage solenoid actuator. In one example, a system may include a solenoid actuator comprising a series of coils, the first coil enclosed by a first housing, the second and third coils enclosed by a second housing, and a plunger enclosed by the second housing. The method may include the first and second housing, and the plunger, moving in series, increasing the total displace of the actuator via single electric signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Perry M. Paielli
  • Patent number: 11977119
    Abstract: A solenoid system and method can include: providing an energizing voltage to a coil of a solenoid; providing an AC signal superimposed onto the energizing voltage; detecting current through the coil including an AC current amplitude induced by the AC signal and including a DC offset current amplitude; determining the AC current amplitude is a low AC current amplitude based on an armature within the solenoid being in a retracted position or determining the AC current amplitude is a high AC current amplitude based on the armature being in an extended position with the control logic, and where the AC current amplitude is determined utilizing the AC signal for synchronous demodulation; and determining a temperature fault based on the DC offset current amplitude falling below a DC offset current amplitude threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Onno Martens, Lars Larsson, Christof Heilemann
  • Patent number: 11970952
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling rotor dynamics at a rotor assembly. The system includes a magnetic actuator and a controller. The magnetic actuator is positioned in magnetic communication with the rotor assembly and is configured to obtain a measurement vector corresponding to the rotor assembly and a measurement vector indicative of a rotor dynamics parameter. The magnetic actuator is further configured to selectively output an electromagnetic force at the rotor assembly. The controller is configured to store and execute instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Guoxin Li
  • Patent number: 11971769
    Abstract: A context hub receives and processes data from multiple sensors. An operation method of the context hub includes identifying a pattern of context data input to the context hub from at least one of the sensors, determining a dynamic voltage-frequency scaling (DVFS) level corresponding to the identified pattern of the context data, and processing, at the context hub, the context data by using a clock signal or a driving voltage corresponding to the determined DVFS level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyungsoo Lee, Taekkyun Shin
  • Patent number: 11959742
    Abstract: This sensor includes: a housing 10 which houses an electronic component in the internal space; a detection unit 40 which has a coil 42 and a core 41 that houses the coil 42 and which is arranged on the end side in the internal space; a substrate 30 which is arranged more inside the internal space than the detection unit 40 and on which a circuit electrically connected to the coil 42 is provided; a first shield 451 at least one portion of which is arranged further on the end side in the internal space than the detection unit 40 and which suppresses the penetration of noise from outside of the housing 10; and a spacer 51 which is positioned between the first shield 451 and the detection unit 40 and which separates the surfaces of the first shield 451 and the detection unit 40 that face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakayama, Takuya Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11946777
    Abstract: A position detection device includes a position sensor including a coil and a magnetic core, and a signal processor. The signal processor generates a rectangular wave voltage applied to the coil, converts a current which flow through the coil by the rectangular wave voltage into a voltage and outputs the voltage, and acquires a voltage measurement value obtained by sampling the output voltage after predetermined time in synchronization with a timing of rising or falling of a waveform of the rectangular wave voltage. The predetermined time is set such that the voltage measurement value is restricted within a range of 40% or more and 99.999% or less with respect to a maximum value of the rectangular wave voltage when the coil is at a position where an inductance of the coil is minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: AKEBONO BRAKE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhito Watanabe, Toru Ikeuchi
  • Patent number: 11923916
    Abstract: A system for transmitting power and data between two circuit boards may include a fixed circuit board having a primary coil and a rotatable circuit board having a secondary coil. The system may further include a sensor in communication with the secondary coil of the rotatable circuit board. The fixed circuit board's primary coil may be inductively coupled to the secondary coil and may provide power and receive data from the sensor when inductively coupled to the secondary coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NUSTEP, LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Smith, Daniel C. Shnidman, Kevin G. Obrigkeit, Neil M. Cole, Nathan V. Goslee
  • Patent number: 11852472
    Abstract: An eddy current sensor assembly includes an eddy current sensor and an output signal processing circuit that processes an output signal from the eddy current sensor. The output signal processing circuit includes a mixer circuit that accepts the output signal and a signal of the predetermined frequency as input, multiplies the two signals received as input, and outputs an output signal obtained by the multiplication, and a low-pass filter that accepts the output signal output by the mixer circuit as input, cuts a high-frequency signal included in the output signal received as input, and outputs at least a direct-current (DC) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroto Yamada, Taro Takahashi, Hiroaki Shibue, Atsushi Abe, Shinpei Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 11852286
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a sensor bracket structure adapted to mount an external sensor to a moving body via a bracket. The bracket includes a fixing surface and a load receiving surface connected to the fixing surface. The external sensor is fixed to the fixing surface. The load receiving surface extends from the fixing surface toward the top in a direction where the load receiving surface intersects with the fixing surface. The load receiving surface extends from an outermost side of the external sensor toward the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Oguri, Yoshinori Gemba, Daisuke Tsuburaoka, Shinya Matsumoto, Yu Hidaka
  • Patent number: 11822035
    Abstract: A proximity sensor comprises a reference inductor, a first set of sensor inductors, a first set of comparators, each comparator of the first set of comparators corresponding to one of the sensor inductors of the first set of sensor inductors, and an alternating current voltage source to output a sinusoidal voltage to the reference inductor and each of the sensor inductors. Each comparator of the first set of comparators receives a voltage across the reference inductor as a reference voltage and each comparator of the first set of comparators receives a voltage across a corresponding sensor inductor as an input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventor: Eric J. Hoekstra
  • Patent number: 11789174
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects. In some aspects, an apparatus for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits, each of the plurality of sense circuits including a primary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, a secondary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, and a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the capacitor is electrically connected to the second terminals of each of the primary sense coil and the secondary sense coil. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the primary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a measurement circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the secondary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 11776727
    Abstract: A coil component includes a magnetic portion that includes metal particles and a resin material, a coil conductor embedded in the magnetic portion and having a core portion, and outer electrodes electrically connected to the coil conductor. The magnetic portion includes a magnetic outer coating and a magnetic base having a protrusion portion. The coil conductor is disposed on the magnetic base such that the protrusion portion is located in the core portion. The magnetic outer coating is disposed so as to cover the coil conductor, and the bottom surface of the magnetic base includes a recessed portion in an area opposite to the protrusion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gota Shinohara, Takuya Ishida
  • Patent number: 11768088
    Abstract: A representative phase-shift based method for using a transformer system to detect movement of an object, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative transformer system detects movement of an object and includes an excitation coil configured to receive an excitation coil input signal that results from an input sinusoidal signal. The transformer further includes first and second sensing coils, and a core configured to be operatively coupled to the object. The core moves relative to the first and second sensing coils when the object moves. First and second impedance loads are connected to the first and second sensing coils, respectively. The two impedance loads have different phase-shifting characteristics. A phase-shift sensing circuit determines a phase-shift between the excitation coil input signal and the input sinusoidal signal that is correlated with a position of the core relative to the first and second sensing coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Blue Origin, LLC
    Inventor: Carlos G. Parodi
  • Patent number: 11761304
    Abstract: A system includes a subsurface safety valve assembly connected to a production tubing string and including a sensor assembly disposed on its outer surface. The sensor assembly includes a magnetic sensor configured to measure a magnetic field or a sonic sensor configured to measure a sonic signal, and is configured to measure a change in a parameter caused by change in position of a closure member that is configured to selectively permit fluid flow through the central bore of the subsurface safety valve. The system further includes a control unit positioned at a surface location and that is configured to receive, from sensor assembly, a measurement of the change in the parameter, wherein the measurement is a change in the magnetic field or a change in the sonic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Emeka Agbo, Luai A. Sukkar
  • Patent number: 11740105
    Abstract: A sensor device for measuring a rotational position of an element that is rotatable about an axis of rotation includes a sender member emitting a magnetic field, a first receiving member formed by a first conductor and receiving the magnetic field, and a second receiving member formed by a second conductor and receiving the magnetic field. The first receiving member and the second receiving member are arranged within an annular ring segment having a period along a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation. The first conductor and the second conductor each define a plurality of loops. A shape of each of the loops follows in the circumferential direction a base function with half the period, the shape of only some of the loops deviates from the base function by a correction function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: TE Connectivity Belgium BV, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Tom Ocket, Tobias Becker, Moritz Harz
  • Patent number: 11733260
    Abstract: A sensor device is provided with a magnetic field sensitive element being positioned in a magnetic field of a magnet. The magnetic field sensitive element is configured to sense an orientation angle of the magnetic field in the range between 0° and 360° and generate a sensing signal. The electronic circuitry is configured to receive and process the sensing signal from the magnetic field sensitive element to generate an angle signal indicating the orientation angle of the magnetic field and an angular speed of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Helmut Koeck, Leo Aichriedler, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Andrea Monterastelli, Friedrich Rasbornig, Peter Slama, Dietmar Spitzer, Tobias Werth, Harald Witschnig
  • Patent number: 11692534
    Abstract: An axial piston pump having several pistons has a magnetic encoder (5), which is arranged on a swash plate, and a magnetic field sensor, which is arranged in such a way that it faces towards the magnetic encoder (5). The magnetic encoder (5) has at least two permanent magnets (2, 3) and a plate (4) which consists of a ferromagnetic material. The permanent magnets (2, 3) are arranged on the plate (4) in such a way that they each faces a magnetic pole towards the plate (4), and this pole is at least partially covered by the plate (4) in each case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Contelec AG
    Inventors: Meric Amstutz, Rolf Bachmann
  • Patent number: 11679666
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting pinching or twisting of a discharge pipe connecting a fuel tank and an absorbent filter of an evaporation system of a motor vehicle. The method includes the steps, with the valve being initially in its closed position, of moving the valve by the gases circulating in the absorbent filter, of measuring, in the absence of control of the solenoid, the voltage generated at the terminals of the solenoid by the movement of the valve, and of detecting pinching or twisting of the discharge pipe when the voltage measured is between a first predetermined threshold and a second predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventor: Thierry Collet
  • Patent number: 11668280
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods which comprise receiving a wind direction signal indicative of an instantaneous wind direction at a wind turbine, filtering the wind direction signal to determine a filtered wind direction signal and determining a yaw error signal of the wind turbine indicating a difference between a yaw angle of the wind turbine and the instantaneous wind direction indicated by the filtered wind direction signal. The methods furthermore comprise determining a control signal for a yaw system of the wind turbine based on the yaw error signal. Filtering the wind direction signal comprises applying a low pass filter with a variable time constant, wherein the variable time constant is dependent on a wind condition. The present disclosure further relates to control systems for wind turbines which are configured to implement such methods. The present disclosure further relates to methods of operating wind turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Luca Vita
  • Patent number: 11652430
    Abstract: A method for determining an offset of an angular position encoder is associated with a rotor of an electric machine, wherein a reference offset of a reference angular position encoder of a reference electric machine is known at a reference rotational speed and a reference current with a reference phase angle and a reference absolute value. The method includes the steps of applying a current having the reference absolute value; setting a phase angle of the current to achieve the reference rotational speed; comparing the phase angle with the reference phase angle and the reference offset; and determining the offset on the basis of this comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO SIEMENS EAUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH
    Inventors: Bassel Sahhary, Andreas Walter
  • Patent number: 11642243
    Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing the application of pulse width modulation (PWM) in a voltage signal for delivering a current in a valve used to alternatively deliver pressurized gas to and vent from chambers in a vitrectomy probe used to drive a cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Daryush Agahi, Jiansheng Zhou
  • Patent number: 11603893
    Abstract: A method of setting a clutch control reference value includes monitoring the pressure of a clutch while a controller applies test current having a predetermined amplitude and frequency to a solenoid valve in the manner of gradually reducing the magnitude of the test current from a predetermined entry value, applying, when the amplitude of the pressure of the clutch starts to change, predetermined checking current, the checking current vertically oscillating based on the magnitude of current when the amplitude of the pressure of the clutch starts to change as a central value, and determining a volumetric kiss point (VKP) by comparing the amplitude of the pressure of the clutch according to application of the checking current with a predetermined reference range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Young Ho Ko, Chi Hun Cho, Soo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11598656
    Abstract: An encoder (10) for determining an angular position, the encoder (10) comprising a shaft (14, 16), a housing (18) and a transition region (32), the shaft (14, 16) projecting outwards from the housing (18) into the transition region (32), a measuring element (20) connected to the shaft (14), a sensor (22) for detecting the measuring element (20), and a control and evaluation unit (28) for generating, from the signals of the sensor (22), an angle signal in dependence on the angular position of the measuring element (20), wherein a protective cap (34) is arranged in the transition region (32) for protection against fluids (12) directed with pressure onto the transition region (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventors: Rolf Hartlieb, Jarrod Haupt
  • Patent number: 11585680
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a technique for dynamically switching between or mixing position and orientation determinations in a hybrid tracking system using both electromagnetic and non-electromagnetic tracking, and having a transmitter coil array for generating a magnetic field, a receiver circuit for sensing the magnetic field, and at least one non-magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ALKEN Inc.
    Inventors: Henry E. Himberg, Allan G. Rodgers, Jr., Robert F. Higgins
  • Patent number: 11572885
    Abstract: A compressor is provided. The compressor according to the present disclosure includes: one or more impellers suctioning and compressing refrigerant; a motor rotating the impeller; a rotation shaft to which the impeller and the motor are connected; a gap sensor measuring a displacement change of the rotation shaft as a frequency change; a temperature compensation sensor determining a frequency compensation value according to a temperature change around the gap sensor; and a control unit calculating a displacement amount of the rotation shaft by reflecting the frequency compensation value provided by the temperature compensation sensor and the frequency change measured by the gap sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Seongki Baek, Kiwook Lee, Sena Jeong
  • Patent number: 11532417
    Abstract: Provided are a coil unit for electromagnetic forming capable of stably processing a plurality of portions in the longitudinal direction of a tubular member while preventing the contact between the tubular member and a conductor or the contact between the conductors even when the tubular member is long, and a method for producing a formed article using the coil unit. The coil unit for electromagnetic forming includes: a shaft core member made of a resin; a conductor having a wound portion, which is wound around the shaft core member, and a pair of conductor extension portions; an insulating support; and a resin coating layer formed on the outer peripheral surface of the wound portion. In the insulating support, a conductor holding portion for holding the conductor extension portions apart from each other is formed along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihaya Imamura, Takayoshi Sugisaki, Chieko Imai
  • Patent number: 11525716
    Abstract: A method of determining a set of calibration values for offset-compensation of an inductive angular sensor arrangement includes: a substrate with a transmitter coil and three receiver coils, and a rotatable target. The method involves the steps of: a) exciting the transmitter coil; b) positioning the target at or near predefined positions, c) measuring and processing the signals, including calculating sums of squares of difference signals. A sensor device, and an angular sensor system may be arranged or adapted in view of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES SA
    Inventors: Mohammed El-Shennawy, Paul Jordan, Yassine Akermi
  • Patent number: 11513251
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes techniques for detecting foreign objects. In some aspects, an apparatus for detecting objects is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of sense circuits, each of the plurality of sense circuits including a primary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, a secondary sense coil having a first terminal and a second terminal, and a capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal of the capacitor is electrically connected to the second terminals of each of the primary sense coil and the secondary sense coil. The apparatus further includes a driver circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the primary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits. The apparatus further includes a measurement circuit electrically connected to the first terminal of the secondary sense coil of each of the plurality of sense circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 11507139
    Abstract: A wearable device for assisting a human body movement according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a sensor including an inner electrode arranged at a center of an arbitrary circle, a plurality of outer electrodes arranged at regular intervals in a circumferential direction at positions spaced apart from the inner electrode in a radial direction so as to be arranged on a circumference of the circle, and a plurality of deformation elements disposed between the inner electrode and each of the outer electrodes and formed of a material whose resistance is changed by deformation; a controller configured to apply different control signals to an actuator according to a combination of different resistance values of the deformation elements of the sensor; and the actuator operating based on the control signals of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: CHUNG-ANG UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION
    Inventor: Seung Hwan Chang
  • Patent number: 11486779
    Abstract: A tactile sensor has an elastically deformable sheet, a coil that is provided in the sheet, a powdery or fibrous magnetic material that is provided in the sheet with the coil, and a detection portion that detects an inductance of the coil. The coil is wound in a spiral shape and the powdery or fibrous magnetic material is dispersed in the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yohei Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11486735
    Abstract: An electromagnetic inductive encoder that can suppress the effect of changes in magnetic flux received by the receiver section and maintain the accuracy of measurement results is provided. The electromagnetic inductive encoder 1 includes a scale 2 and a head 3 that is provided to face the scale 2 and moves relative to the scale 2. The head 3 includes a transmitter section 4 and a receiver section 5 with a plurality of receiving coils 500. The receiver section 5 has a first receiver section 51 with at least one receiving coil 500, a second receiver section 52 that is provided apart from the first receiver section 51 and has at least one receiving coil 500 different from the first receiver section 51, and connection wiring 53 that connects the first receiver section 51 and second receiver section 52.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Miyako Mizutani
  • Patent number: 11467003
    Abstract: A representative phase-shift based method for using a transformer system to detect movement of an object, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A representative transformer system detects movement of an object and includes an excitation coil configured to receive an excitation coil input signal that results from an input sinusoidal signal. The transformer further includes first and second sensing coils, and a core configured to be operatively coupled to the object. The core moves relative to the first and second sensing coils when the object moves. First and second impedance loads are connected to the first and second sensing coils, respectively. The two impedance loads have different phase-shifting characteristics. A phase-shift sensing circuit determines a phase-shift between the excitation coil input signal and the input sinusoidal signal that is correlated with a position of the core relative to the first and second sensing coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Blue Origin, LLC
    Inventor: Carlos G. Parodi
  • Patent number: 11402946
    Abstract: A system may include a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits. Each of the plurality of control circuits may further be configured to configure a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors and control time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Duewer, Michael A. Kost, Matthew Beardsworth, Tejasvi Das, Siddharth Maru
  • Patent number: 11391338
    Abstract: A shock absorber includes a cylinder which is a conductor; a rod inserted into the cylinder from one end side of the cylinder, a suspension spring arranged outside the cylinder, a spring receiver which receives a load of the suspension spring on the one end side of the rod, and a protective member arranged on the one end side of the rod and configured to protect the rod. The protective member has a coil configured to detect a relative position between the cylinder and the protective member, and an end portion formed on the one end side of the protective member is arranged so as not to receive a load from the spring receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Kuroiwa, Yosuke Fujikawa, Yosuke Murakami
  • Patent number: 11376442
    Abstract: An interface relay system for use with a fully implantable medical devices that permits transcutaneous coupling of the implanted medical device to a consumer electronics device. In one embodiment, coupling the implanted medical device to the external electronics device provides a back-up source of power for operating the implanted medical device. In another embodiment, coupling the implanted medical device to the external electronics device allows for providing unidirectional and/or bidirectional data transfer between the devices. In one arrangement, the consumer electronics device may be connectable to a communications/data network to allow for network communication between the implantable medical device and a remote processing platform/server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Scott Allan Miller, Denis Dupeyron
  • Patent number: 11367972
    Abstract: A vehicle controller has a modification prevention device, and the vehicle controller includes: a printed circuit board; a security module frame seated on the printed circuit board and having multiple coupling holes; and security modules inserted into the coupling holes and configured to electrically communicate with a circuit of the printed circuit board. In particular, the security modules include non-conductive insertion pins and conductive insertion pins inserted into the coupling holes, and the non-conductive insertion pins and the conductive insertion pins are scattered while being separated from the coupling holes of the security module when the vehicle controller is disassembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI KEFICO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 11366550
    Abstract: A system may include a plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors and a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits configured to control operation of a respective set of the actively-driven inductive sensors, each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits communicatively coupled to the other control circuits via a connection configured to distribute synchronization information among the plurality of control circuits. Each of the plurality of control circuits may further be configured to configure a schedule for controlling time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors and control time-division multiplexed operation of its respective set of actively-driven inductive sensors based on the schedule and the synchronization information in order to minimize interference among the plurality of actively-driven inductive sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce E. Duewer, Michael A. Kost, Matthew Beardsworth, Tejasvi Das, Siddharth Maru
  • Patent number: 11333529
    Abstract: A magnetic position sensor may include a coil arrangement, a magnetic coupling element, and a test element movable along a measurement path. The coil arrangement may include at least one transmitter coil and at least one receiver coil. The at least one transmitter coil may provide an alternating magnetic field. A magnetic flux provided via the at least one transmitter coil may at least partly pass through the at least one receiver coil. The magnetic coupling element may be configured to at least one of amplify the magnetic flux and at least partly guide the magnetic flux to the at least one receiver coil. The test element may provide a magnetic field large enough to locally magnetically saturate the magnetic coupling element. The magnetic coupling element may include at least one of a high-resistance material that is magnetizable, and a magnetizable material and a material with a specific electrical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Inventors: Bernd Mack, Sorin Petrusan
  • Patent number: 11324120
    Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board includes: an electrically insulating substrate layer; an electrically conductive pattern stacked on at least one surface of the substrate layer; and a cover layer that is disposed on a stack including the substrate layer and the electrically conductive pattern and covers a surface of the stack, which surface is on the side on which the electrically conductive pattern is present. The electrically conductive pattern has a coil region including a coil. In the substrate layer or the cover layer, a high-magnetic permeability member is present in at least a region that overlaps the coil region in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC PRINTED CIRCUITS, INC.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Takemoto, Hiroshi Ueda
  • Patent number: 11226211
    Abstract: A position detecting system detects and responds to the movement of a target through a sensing domain area of a plane. The movement causes the amount of the target that lies within a first sensing domain area of a first sensor to change. A second sensor detects a height from the plane to a sensor for enhancing accuracy of measurements from the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Joyce Mullenix, George Reitsma
  • Patent number: 11215477
    Abstract: A motor control system can include a resolver configured to output resolver signals and a plurality of motor drives, each motor drive configured to drive a segment of a segmented motor. A resolver signal splitter can be connected between the resolver and the plurality of motor drives to split the resolver signals from the resolver to provide each motor drive with the resolver signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick B. Palanca, Mustansir Kheraluwala
  • Patent number: 11168999
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses relating to error detection in contactless position sensing are provided. An actuator moves a device between a plurality of predetermined positions. The device is contactlessly detected with a sensor when the device is connected to the actuator. The predetermined position of the device is determined with a controller based on contactless detection of the device by the sensor when the device is connected to the actuator. The device is controlled to become undetectable by the sensor when the device disconnects from the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Kongsberg Inc.
    Inventors: William DeShaies, Rémi Tétreault, Bertrand Mallette
  • Patent number: 11134342
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image by emitting light, and a sound generating device on a rear surface of the display panel. The sound generating device includes a bobbin, and a protection member on the bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: YeongRak Choi, KwanHo Park, Sungtae Lee
  • Patent number: 11118940
    Abstract: A displacement sensor includes an induction element and sensor element. The induction element has an electrically conductive measurement track element extending along a measurement path, and two electrically conductive correction track element positioned adjacent to each other relative to the path. The sensor element is movable relative to the induction element along the measurement track element, and has a measurement coil positioned over the measurement track element and two correction coils positioned adjacent to each other relative to the path. A position change of the measurement coil on the path changes an overlap of the measurement coil and the measurement track element along the path such that an induction of the measurement coil is configured with reference to the position of the measurement coil on the measurement path. Each correction coil is positioned over a respective corrective track element such that an overlap of the correction coil over the respective corrective track element is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Fabian Utermoehlen, Dayo Oshinubi, Stefan Leidich
  • Patent number: 11086383
    Abstract: A moving object sensing control circuit includes: a control circuit configured to determine, based on a mode signal, whether to operate in a sensing mode or a power saving mode, and control, in the power saving mode, a sensing operation in a sensing stage and a standby operation in a standby stage; an LC oscillation circuit configured to generate an oscillation signal based on an impedance value corresponding to relocation of a moving object, by performing the sensing operation or the standby operation in response to control of the control circuit; and a sensing circuit configured to obtain a period count value of the sensing oscillation signal using a reference oscillation signal and a main oscillation signal, and output an output signal having movement information of the moving object based on the period count value, by performing the sensing operation in response to the control of the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong Woo Lee, Je Hyuk Ryu, Joo Yul Ko, Soo Woong Lee, Yong Woon Ji
  • Patent number: 11060888
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the armature position of a solenoid having a coil with a movable armature, constructed as a bistable linear magnet and activated in a switched mode by means of pulse width modulation, wherein the depth of the current peaks at the solenoid is measured as a measure of the inductance and the position of the movable armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Stefan Brantweiner, Reinhard Mick
  • Patent number: 11054454
    Abstract: A wireless passive field strength probe includes monopole antennas; a detection module; a micro processing device; a wireless transmission module and an antenna module, wherein the wireless transmission module is connected to the micro processing device and the antenna module; a frequency of the antenna module is different from a frequency of the field to be measured, and is not a harmonic of the frequency of the field to be measured; and a power module connected to the detection module or the antenna module. The wireless passive field strength probe of the present invention transmits the vector electric field, the probe serial numbers and the coordinate signals of the probe in real time through the wireless transmission module, and provides the power supply to the communication module through detecting or receiving microwave signals through the antenna, thereby avoiding inaccurate wireless measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Sichuan University
    Inventors: Yang Yang, Kama Huang, Huacheng Zhu, Xing Chen, Changjun Liu
  • Patent number: 10989572
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for checking the plausibility of an excitation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Lechner, Daniel Raichle, Daniel Zirkel, Michael Ungermann
  • Patent number: 10921157
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a position sensor assembly is disclosed. The position sensor assembly includes a first bearing ring defining a first bearing raceway, and a second bearing ring defining a second bearing raceway. A ferromagnetic component is arranged on the first bearing ring. The ferromagnetic component defines a surface that has a non-uniform circumferential profile that varies for at least 90 degrees in a circumferential direction. An inductor assembly is arranged on the second bearing ring, and the inductor assembly includes at least two inductors that are circumferentially spaced from each other by at least 90 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Kevin Rauh
  • Patent number: 10904651
    Abstract: A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image and a supporting member at a rear surface of the display panel. The display apparatus also includes a sound generator between the display panel and the supporting member, and at least one vibration member between the display panel and the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwangho Kim, YeongRak Choi, Sungtae Lee, Sungsu Ham