Measuring, Testing, Or Sensing Electricity, Per Se Patents (Class 324/76.11)
  • Patent number: 10742009
    Abstract: Provided is a power distribution box distributing commercial electric power supplied from lead-in electric power lines into branch electric power sources and supplying the branch electric power sources to respective loads connected thereto. More particularly, the present invention relates to a power distribution box equipped with a resistive leakage current detector extracting a resistive leakage current simply and accurately from a resultant leakage current and causing leakage current interruption and alarm to be actuated according to the extraction result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: TOZZTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyeon Jin Ha, Hak Su Oh, Hyun Do Lee, Kook Wang Noh, Dong Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 10739414
    Abstract: The present application discloses systems and methods to determine loss of at least one electric power transmission line in an electric power transmission system. In various embodiments, a system consistent with the present disclosure may include an electrical parameter monitoring subsystem configured to receive electrical parameter measurements and to determine a change of the electrical measurements. An analysis subsystem may determine whether a change in the electrical measurements is indicative of loss of at least one transmission line and may calculate a number of transmission lines lost based on the change. In some embodiments, a remedial action subsystem may be configured to implement a remedial action in response to loss of at least one transmission line. The number of transmission lines lost may be determined based on an angle difference ratio and a power ratio between two buses in electrical transmission system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnanjan Gubba Ravikumar, Ashish Upreti, Bharath Nayak, Yusuf Zafer Korkmaz
  • Patent number: 10742050
    Abstract: Simplified interfaces for charging and communication between accessories and docking stations. One example may provide an interface for charging and communication between an accessory and docking station where data and a charging voltage are provided over the same pins. An accessory may determine that it is in a powered docking station by receiving a charging voltage. The accessory may determine that it is in an unpowered docking station by providing a voltage to the unpowered docking station, where the unpowered docking station uses the voltage to power an oscillator. The oscillator signal may be received by the accessory, which may use the presence of the signal to determine that it is in an unpowered docking station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Zachary C. Rich, Daniel S. Naito, Kirill Kalinichev, Jahan C. Minoo, James L. McPeak, Jason W. Brinsfield
  • Patent number: 10725097
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for platform component interconnect testing is disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit comprises: a plurality of interface circuitries, wherein each interface circuitry comprises a driver with adjustable pullup and pulldown resistances and having a driver output to output a driver voltage to a pad during test mode, and a comparator having a first input coupled to the driver output and a second input coupled to a voltage reference, the comparator being operable to generate a comparator output in response to comparing the driver voltage with the voltage reference; and analysis circuitry coupled to receive the comparator output, the analysis circuitry operable, during the test mode, to detect existence of a fault associated with a signal path coupled to the pad for each interface circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana Pappu, James J. Grealish
  • Patent number: 10693665
    Abstract: A method is provided to conserve power in a power sourcing equipment (PSE) that provides a PSE port voltage at PSE ports. The method includes, in response to detecting a powered device (PD) is connected to the PSE port, providing a power supply output voltage at a default value and turning on the PSE port. After turning on the PSE port, the method includes determining the PSE port voltage. When the PSE port voltage is greater than a threshold value, the method includes decreasing the power supply output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Su Yin Ho, Kah Hoe Ng, Kay Seah Ng
  • Patent number: 10690680
    Abstract: A method to analyze the activity of an ion channel comprising: providing in a hydrophobic medium a first droplet of an aqueous solution AS1 comprising a concentration q of an ion I with c1?0, wherein the droplet is surrounded by a monolayer of amphiphilic molecules; providing in the hydrophobic medium a second droplet of an aqueous solution AS2 comprising a concentration c2 of the ion I with c2?0, and c2?c1, wherein the second droplet is surrounded by a monolayer of amphiphilic molecules further comprising the ion channels to an analyzed; bringing the first droplet and the second droplet into contact so as to form a bilayer of amphiphilic molecules, wherein the bilayer further comprises ion channels to be analyzed, and measuring the radius of the two droplets when they are brought into contact referred to as initial state; and maintaining the first droplet and the second droplet in contact until equilibrium is reached and measuring the radius of the two contacted droplets or determining the number of resultin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignees: Paris Sciences Et Lettres - Quartier Latin, Universite Paris Diderot Paris 7, COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Abdou Rachid Thiam, Béatrice Schaack
  • Patent number: 10677825
    Abstract: A system for detecting theft of electricity from a utility includes a controller configured to receive electricity readings from a metering device configured to sense electricity flowing therethrough to a primary load, disaggregate the electricity readings from the metering device into electricity readings for sub-loads identified within the primary load, and compare the disaggregated electricity readings for the identified sub-loads to expected electricity readings for each identified sub-load. The controller is also configured to calculate a level of interference with an electrical path through the metering device based on an extent that the disaggregated electricity readings deviate from the expected electricity readings and output to the utility the level of interference with the electrical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Michael McClintock Sharp, Perry Lynn Baesler, Jay Edward Tolle, Aaron Thomas Beckius
  • Patent number: 10678668
    Abstract: A device, which may be embedded in a power distribution enclosure, enables analysis of the conditions of an electromechanical machine operating on a commonly supplied network with other electromechanical machines. The analysis preferably uses aggregate operating voltage and current signals supplied to or from such machines along with known changes in steady-state conditions of one or more machines to discern the discrete effect of one or more machines to the aggregate electrical signal. Such discrete effect can then be associated with the operating performance of the individual machine. And, since such voltage and current signals are normally readily available at the enclosure, wiring or any other communication means to any sensors on the electromechanical machines or devices are not necessary. The embedded device may optionally receive or transmit information to a computing or monitoring device remote from the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Fischer Block, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory R. Wolfe, Margaret P. Paietta
  • Patent number: 10670638
    Abstract: A microelectronic device has a common terminal transistor with two or more channels, and sense transistors in corresponding areas of the channels. The channels and the sense transistors share a common node in a semiconductor substrate. The sense transistors are configured to provide sense currents that are representative of currents through the corresponding channels. The sense transistors are located so that a ratio of the channel currents to the corresponding sense currents have less than a target value of cross-talk. The microelectronic device may be implemented without a compensation circuit which provides a compensation signal used to adjust one or more of the sense currents to reduce cross-talk. A method of forming the microelectronic device, including estimating a potential distribution in the semiconductor substrate containing the common node of the common terminal transistor, and selecting locations for the sense transistors based on the estimated potential distribution, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Vijay Krishnamurthy, Abidur Rahman, Min Chu, Sualp Aras
  • Patent number: 10651841
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a voltage divider circuit including a plurality of series-connected capacitors and including an input terminal of one of the capacitors configured to receive a first voltage from a switch, and a ring node comprising the connection between at least two of the series-connected capacitors. The apparatus further includes a negative clamp circuit coupled to the ring node of the voltage divider circuit and a bias voltage node. The bias voltage node is configured to receive a bias voltage and responsive to a ring voltage on the ring node being less than the bias voltage, the negative clamp circuit is configured to clamp the ring voltage at a first threshold voltage. The apparatus also includes a peak detector circuit coupled to the ring node of the voltage divider circuit and configured to detect a peak amplitude of the ring voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rajdeep Bondade, Nathan Schemm, Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay
  • Patent number: 10644748
    Abstract: A test instrument can be coupled to a test point and measure signals in the network. The test instrument may determine whether the test instrument is connected to a cable of the network and provide notification if the test instrument is not connected to a cable. The test instrument may also detect when it is connected to a customer premises that has been previously been tested through reflected signal signatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: VIAVI SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Robert J. Flask
  • Patent number: 10634719
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for improving the operation of a TAP architecture in a device through the use of Command signal inputs to the TAP architecture. In response to a Command signal input, the TAP architecture can perform streamlined and uninterrupted Update, Capture and Shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device or streamlined and uninterrupted capture and shift operation cycles to a target circuit in the device. The Command signals can be input to the TAP architecture via the devices dedicated TMS or TDI inputs or via a separate CMD input to the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 10627253
    Abstract: Systems and methods for environmental monitoring of high activity facilities, generally comprising low profile devices having sensing elements for various environmental uses, designed to provide the wireless communications network as a basis for performing a wide variety of tasks. The devices may be installed on an existing electrical system and may measure, among other things, electrical current on various circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Ivani, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Wootton, Justin McKinney, Michael Crowell-Ingram, Evan Dorsky, Saarth Mehrotra, Erin Pierce, Victoria Preston, Jonathan Clark, Zhen Wei
  • Patent number: 10620237
    Abstract: A power supply is described having a current measurement circuit connected between a supply voltage terminal and an output voltage terminal of the power supply. The current measurement circuit comprises a set of two or more sense resistors in a parallel configuration, first and second ones of the sense resistors having different impedances. Switching circuitry is provided, which is responsive to a control signal to connect one or more of the sense resistors between the supply voltage terminal and the output voltage terminal. A controller is operable to generate the control signal in dependence on a measured current level across the set of sense resistors. In this way, by switching the resistors in and out of the circuit, the voltage drop across the measurement circuit can be kept to a desired range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: QUARCH TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Michael Dearman, Iain Robertson
  • Patent number: 10605378
    Abstract: The sensor unit (40) includes a case (41) having a bottom surface (41a); a sensor element (42) including a sensor element main body (421) and a power supply terminal (42a); and a power supply bus bar (44) including an inclined part (44d). An end on one side of the power supply terminal (42a) is electrically connected to the sensor element main body (421). The case (41) further includes a terminal passage part (412a). In a state where the power supply terminal (42a) passes through the terminal passage part (412a), an end on the other side of the power supply terminal (42a) is in contact with the inclined part (44d) and the terminal passage part (412a) is in contact with a side surface of the power supply terminal (42a), so that movement of the power supply terminal (42a) in a direction away from the bottom surface (41a) is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC TOSOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shirai, Toshiaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10607690
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array with multiple memory cells and one or more sense amplifiers connected to the memory array. Each sense amplifier may include a matched pair of transistors. An active matching fill feature may also be included proximate to at least one transistor of the matched pair of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve V. Cole, Benjamin A. Millemon, Toby D. Robbs, J. W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10600346
    Abstract: A display driving device includes a timing controller configured to generate test data having a predetermined periodicity, and a source driver configured to drive source lines of a display panel using the test data, determine that a bit error has been generated when aperiodicity appears in the test data, and measure a bit error rate (BER) based on the bit error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyong Ho Kim, Young Min Choi, Dong Hoon Baek, Jae Youl Lee, Hyun Wook Lim
  • Patent number: 10593485
    Abstract: A logic cell including a fixed assembly including a first electrode, a mobile assembly including a second electrode, and third, fourth, and fifth electrodes, wherein: the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth electrodes are insulated from one another; the first and second electrodes define a capacitor variable according to the position of the mobile assembly relative to the fixed assembly; the third electrode is connected to a node of application of a first logic input signal; the fourth electrode is connected to a node of application of a second logic input signal; the fifth electrode is connected to a reference node; and the position of the second electrode relative to the first electrode is a function of a combination of the first and second logic input signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives
    Inventors: Gaël Pillonnet, Yann Perrin, Ayrat Galisultanov, Hervé Fanet
  • Patent number: 10564205
    Abstract: In order to provide a voltage abnormality detection circuit and a semiconductor device which are capable of detecting a voltage abnormality in an internal power supply voltage of the semiconductor device with a simple circuit configuration, the voltage abnormality detection circuit includes: a reference voltage circuit configured to output a first reference voltage, which is higher than the internal power supply voltage, and a second reference voltage, which is lower than the internal power supply voltage; a first voltage detection circuit configured to detect that the internal power supply voltage has exceeded a desired voltage value, with the use of the first reference voltage; and a second voltage detection circuit configured to detect that the internal power supply voltage has dropped lower than the desired voltage value, with the use of the second reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: ABLIC INC.
    Inventor: Atsushi Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10555413
    Abstract: An inverter includes a power substrate mounting power element groups arranged apart from each other, each power element group constituted by power elements arranged, a control substrate disposed apart from the power substrate in a plate thickness direction of the power substrate and mounting an electronic component for controlling the power elements, a capacitor substrate disposed between the power substrate and the control substrate and mounting capacitors, a release member fixed to the power substrate, and a spacer electrically connecting the power substrate and the capacitor substrate. The spacer includes a body portion disposed between two adjacent power element groups of the power element groups and a heat transfer portion disposed outside the power element groups in a direction in which the power elements are arranged and provided at a position not overlapping with the capacitors as viewed in a plate thickness direction of the capacitor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ito, Naohito Kanie, Kazuyoshi Kontani, Takuya Higashi
  • Patent number: 10545191
    Abstract: A load system includes a first load test device, and a communication terminal that performs wireless communication with the first load test device. The first load test device includes a first communication unit that performs wireless communication with the communication terminal. The first communication unit transmits information related to an on/off state of the first load test device to the communication terminal, and receives a signal related to an instruction for operating the first load test device from the communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: TATSUMI RYOKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toyoshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 10539595
    Abstract: A measurement circuit measures a waveform of electrical energy generated by a generator. The measurement circuit includes a sensor configured to sense a waveform having a first range of amplitudes, first and second circuits configured to filter the sensed waveform. Each circuit includes an attenuator configured to amplify an amplitude of the waveform by multiplying the waveform by an attenuation factor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to digitally sample the amplified waveform, which has a second range of amplitudes, to obtain digital samples, a gain element configured to multiply the digital samples by a gain factor, and a factor adjustor configured to adjust the attenuation factor and the gain factor. The measurement circuit further includes a controller configured to calculate voltage and current of the waveform based on the digital samples and to control the generator based on the calculated voltage and current. The first range includes and is larger than the second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Dean C. Buck
  • Patent number: 10530425
    Abstract: A device for power transmission includes a power transmission section and a detection section. The power transmission section is configured to transmit an electric power wirelessly. The detection section is operatively connected to the power transmission section and configured to detect an object within a range from the power transmission section based on a change in impedance in vicinity of the power transmission section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Kozakai, Takaaki Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 10488448
    Abstract: An electric energy meter for a poly-phase electricity network includes a power transformer having a primary side and a secondary side, a first analog front end (AFE) unit is coupled to the secondary side of the power transformer, and a microcontroller coupled to the primary side of the power transformer. The first AFE unit is to be coupled to a first phase of the poly-phase electricity network. The microcontroller is configured to transmit a digitized request signal to, and to receive a measurement signal from, the first AFE unit via the power transformer. More specifically, the first AFE unit, upon receiving the digitized request signal, is to extract information from the digitized request signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rujun Ji, Cong Deng
  • Patent number: 10481216
    Abstract: A power testing device includes a communication port with pins that receive signals from a device under test. First test circuitry is coupled to a first set of pairs of the pins, and second test circuitry is coupled to a second set of pairs of the pins. A switch is coupled to the first test circuitry and/or the second test circuitry. While the switch is in a first state, the first test circuitry and the second test circuitry are electrically isolated from each other. While the switch is in a second state, the first test circuitry and the second test circuitry are not electrically isolated from each other. A processor is coupled to the first test circuitry, the second test circuitry, and the switch. A memory stores instructions that cause the processor to control operation of the first test circuitry, the second test circuitry, and the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FLUKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Paul Hittel
  • Patent number: 10447488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to device and method for detecting powered devices connected to a power source equipment in a Power over Ethernet system that provides multiple signal/power channels. A series of inspection signals including one discriminative signal is applied to the respective channels and response signals to the discriminative signal and other detection signals are compared in order to determine whether multiple channels are connected to one single powered device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: IC Plus Corp.
    Inventors: Philip Huang, Chef Hsiao, Pai-Yi Chiu
  • Patent number: 10418093
    Abstract: A memory device may include a memory array with multiple memory cells and one or more sense amplifiers connected to the memory array. Each sense amplifier may include a matched pair of transistors. An active matching fill feature may also be included proximate to at least one transistor of the matched pair of transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve V. Cole, Benjamin A. Millemon, Toby D. Robbs, J. W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 10408867
    Abstract: A spectrum analyzer for a signal IRF comprising a plurality of frequencies fi comprises N entities each made up of a structure formed by a stack of magnetic and non-magnetic layers having in at least one of the magnetic layers a magnetic configuration in the shape of a vortex, the excitation modes of the magnetic configuration being suitable for detecting the frequencies contained in an incident signal in real time, each entity having a first lower electrode and a second upper electrode, a voltage-measuring device suitable for measuring an electric voltage showing the presence of a frequency fk in the analyzed signal IRF, the device being connected to the lower electrode and to the upper electrode, a measurement-processing device suitable for determining the value of the frequencies fk in the signal IRF, and a line carrying the signal to be analyzed to each of the entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: THALES, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Julien Kermorvant, Paolo Bortolotti, Bruno Marcilhac, Jean-Claude Mage, Vincent Cros
  • Patent number: 10401155
    Abstract: A method of inspecting a structure including a photonic material using a movable inspection apparatus includes irradiating a section of the structure, receiving radiation diffracted from a photonic material in the section of the structure, determining a deformation of the photonic material as a function of at least one of i) an intensity of the radiation received ii) a position of the radiation received and iii) a wavelength of the radiation received, and determining if a magnitude of the deformation is higher than a threshold. If the magnitude of the deformation is higher than the threshold data is stored concerning the deformation of the photonic material; contrarily, if the magnitude of the deformation is not higher than the threshold: the inspection at the location of the photonic material is stopped and the inspection apparatus is moved in order to inspect another section of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Enrico Bovero
  • Patent number: 10383192
    Abstract: A lighting network includes a lighting network base station and one or more contactless lighting network components. The lighting network base station includes: a radio frequency (RF) amplifier which supplies an RF power signal to a lighting network line pair; and a first power line communication coupler which couples the lighting network line pair to a first power line communication device. The contactless lighting network component extracts electrical power from the RF power signal on the lighting network line pair, and couples the lighting network line pair to a second power line communication device. The first and second power line communication devices communicate network data via the lighting network line pair. The contactless lighting network component may include a lighting fixture (e.g., including one or more LED light sources), a sensor, and/or a lighting network interface adaptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Brian Roberge, Dirk Fieberg, Jonathan Stuart Levy
  • Patent number: 10349848
    Abstract: A conversion circuit for converting a current signal into a first output voltage signal, where the current signal flows through a sensing component, is provided. The conversion circuit includes: a first current eliminating circuit, configured to eliminate a first current in the current signal. The first current eliminating circuit includes: a current sample and hold circuit; and a current driving circuit, coupled between the sensing component and the current sample and hold circuit; a second current eliminating circuit, coupled to the sensing component and configured to eliminate a second current in the current signal; and an integrating circuit, coupled to the sensing component and configured to integrate a third current in the current signal, and output a first input voltage signal between a first integration output terminal and a second integration output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SHENZHEN GOODIX TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Pi, Mengwen Zhang, Chang Zhan
  • Patent number: 10338115
    Abstract: A digital measurement system includes an oscillator, a mixer, and a controller coupled to each other. The oscillator provides a reference signal having a second frequency. The mixer generates a down-converted signal based on the output signal and the reference signal. The controller then determines a characteristic of the output signal (e.g., frequency or phase) based on the down-converted signal. An analog measurement system includes a filter having a center frequency, a rectifier, and a controller. The filter filters the output signal and the rectifier rectifies the filtered signal. The controller samples the rectified signal and determines a characteristic of the output signal based on the level of the rectified signal. The reference signal controller may adjust a characteristic of the output signal based on the determined frequency and/or phase of the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Wayne L. Moul, Robert J. Behnke, II, Scott E. M. Frushour, Jeffrey L. Jensen
  • Patent number: 10338145
    Abstract: A voltage monitoring system having a microcontroller with an analog-to-digital converter with a first channel, and a memory device is provided. The microcontroller includes a monitoring application and a hardware abstraction layer. The monitoring application sends a first encoded channel number to the hardware abstraction layer. The hardware abstraction layer determines a first channel number based on the first encoded channel number, and obtains a measured voltage value associated with the first channel number. The hardware abstraction layer sends a second encoded channel number and the measured voltage value therein to the monitoring application. If the first encoded channel number is equal to the second encoded channel number, then the monitoring application stores the measured voltage value in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kerfegar K. Katrak
  • Patent number: 10317973
    Abstract: A computing system includes a system board having a system controller device with an interrupt input. A system expansion bus connector is located on the system board and includes power pin(s) and an interrupt signal pin connected to the interrupt input. A peripheral device expansion card system is coupled to the computing system through system expansion bus connector and includes a system power reporting device coupled to the power pin(s) to receive power from the computing system via the power pin(s), and a card controller device coupled to the system power reporting device and to the interrupt signal pin. The card controller device determines, using the system power reporting device, a power state of the computing system. The card controller device also sends, to the system controller device through the interrupt signal pin, an interrupt signal that the system controller device interprets as a hot plug event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Yimin Xiao, Terry L. Matula
  • Patent number: 10312041
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for estimating a period and frequency of a waveform. In one embodiment, a system may comprise an input configured to receive a representation of the input waveform. A period determination subsystem may perform an iterative process to determine the variable period of the input waveform. The iterative process may comprise selection of an estimated window length, determination of an autocorrelation value based on the estimated window length, determination of an adjustment value to the window length to identify a maximum of the autocorrelation value; and determination of the variable period based on the window length associated with the maximum of the autocorrelation value. The period determination subsystem may perform the iterative process to track changes in the variable period of the input waveform. A control action subsystem may implement a control action based on the variable period of the input waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Bogdan Z. Kasztenny
  • Patent number: 10305283
    Abstract: A method for reducing a delay between a power command and actual power of a power system includes receiving, via a power angle estimator, a power command of the power system. The method also includes receiving, via the power angle estimator, one or more grid conditions of the power grid. Further, the method includes estimating, via the power angle estimator, a power angle signal across the power system based on the power command and the one or more grid conditions. Moreover, the method includes receiving, via a phase locked loop (PLL), the estimated power angle signal. In addition, the method includes generating, via the PLL, a PLL phase angle signal based, at least in part, on the estimated power angle signal. Thus, the method further includes controlling, via a converter controller, a power conversion assembly of the power system based on the PLL phase angle signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Einar Vaughn Larsen
  • Patent number: 10302681
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a current detection circuit (12) includes: a detection resistor (Rs) provided between a solenoid valve (106) and a solenoid driver (11); an amplification unit (121) configured to amplify a detected voltage of the detection resistor (Rs); an AD converter (122) that is driven by a reference voltage (Vref) generated based on a reference current (Iref) and configured to convert an output voltage from the amplification unit (121) into a digital value and output the digital value as a detected current value (D1); and a correction unit configured to perform a correction on the detected current value (D1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Otsuka, Wataru Saito, Yoshitaka Jingu, Yasuhiko Kokami, Satoshi Kondo, Junya Horishima
  • Patent number: 10261117
    Abstract: A method includes a) counting whole periods of a signal during a first period of a reference signal, b) repeating step a) for each period of the reference signal until a first duration is equal to a first quantity of periods of the reference signal, and c) determining a first average of the whole periods. The method also includes repeating at least one of steps a) to c) and at each repetition shifting a start of the counting of step a) by at least one period of the reference signal, and in steps b) and c) accounting for whole periods of the signal already counted during the at least one preceding group of steps a) and b). The method includes determining a second average of the first averages, and determining the frequency of the signal from the second average and the frequency of the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Marc Houdebine, Sebastien Dedieu
  • Patent number: 10254427
    Abstract: A foreign object detection device in the present disclosure includes: a set sensor coil; and a determination device that detects a foreign object, based on voltage of the set sensor coil. A first sensor coil group in the set sensor coil includes unit sensor coils wound in a first winding direction and unit sensor coils wound in a second winding direction opposite to the first winding direction, these coils wound in the respective directions being electrically connected in series. Each unit sensor coil includes a coil conductor prescribing its external shape. Coil conductors are continuously and electrically connected in series. A part or the whole of the coil conductor forming the unit sensor coil in the first winding direction is a part or the whole of the coil conductor forming the unit sensor coil in the second winding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Adachi
  • Patent number: 10234494
    Abstract: A system for testing radio frequency (RF) characteristics of a wireless device includes a test fixture. The test fixture includes a base plate that receives a wireless device, and a back plate that receives an RF antenna and positions the RF antenna relative to the wireless device. Additionally, the system includes test equipment that in operation performs RF testing on the wireless device using the RF antenna to determine RF characteristics of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: FEDEX SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS & ELECTRONICS, INC
    Inventors: Carlos Valmonte Jimenez, Jimmie Paul Partee, Fredrick Oluoch Onyango
  • Patent number: 10203360
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to a power monitoring system. In some embodiments, the power monitoring system includes: a sampling device configured to measure patterns of energy consumed by loads included in the power system; an electric meter configured to measure an amount of second energy supplied from a system to the power system; a power supply configured to supply power stored therein or generate power to supply the power system and measure an amount of third energy supplied; and an external server configured to receive at least one of the patterns, the amount of the second energy and the amount of the third energy and analyze the patterns to acquire an amount of first energy for each of the loads. In some embodiments, the external server calculates at least one of the amount of the first, second and third energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hun Park, Young-Gyu Yu, Hee-Tae Roh
  • Patent number: 10203378
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to apparatuses, methods, and systems for detecting a capability of a power source connected to a device. For example, a device may include a standardized connector that may allow an unknown power source to provide power to the device. When a power source is connected with a device, a controller powers up and initiates power capability detection procedures. A ramping current sink begins drawing current from the power source at an initial value and increases that amount to a maximum current value. If a voltage on the device voltage bus falls below a voltage threshold during the ramping current sink operation, the current sink is disconnected and an indication is provided to the controller that the power source is underpowered. Further, a safety timer turns off the ramping current sink to prevent excessive heat generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gang Wang, Jesse Liang, Hanh Thuy Phan
  • Patent number: 10199822
    Abstract: A voltage balance control device and a voltage balance control method for a flying-capacitor multilevel converter are provided. A current direction forecasting unit acquires a voltage change amount of any selected flying capacitor of the flying-capacitor multilevel converter, and receives a feedback signal of two adjacent switch elements corresponding to the selected flying capacitor. A computing result is generated according to an average value or a cumulative value of the feedback signal in the adjusting period. After multiplication and/or division is performed on the voltage change amount and the computing result, the current direction can be forecasted according to the obtained sign. Consequently, the voltage balance of the flying capacitor of the flying-capacitor multilevel converter can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guoqiao Shen, Guojin Xu, Jinfa Zhang
  • Patent number: 10181847
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a voltage divider circuit including a plurality of series-connected capacitors and including an input terminal of one of the capacitors configured to receive a first voltage from a switch, and a ring node comprising the connection between at least two of the series-connected capacitors. The apparatus further includes a negative clamp circuit coupled to the ring node of the voltage divider circuit and a bias voltage node. The bias voltage node is configured to receive a bias voltage and responsive to a ring voltage on the ring node being less than the bias voltage, the negative clamp circuit is configured to clamp the ring voltage at a first threshold voltage. The apparatus also includes a peak detector circuit coupled to the ring node of the voltage divider circuit and configured to detect a peak amplitude of the ring voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rajdeep Bondade, Nathan Schemm, Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay
  • Patent number: 10156592
    Abstract: The present application relates to a circuit arrangement for sensing a current. The circuit arrangement comprises a current sense circuit configured to cause the sense current through a sense transistor, wherein the sense current is representative of a load current through a load transistor. The current sense circuit comprises a differential difference amplifier with a first differential input terminal pair coupled across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the load transistor and a second differential input terminal pair coupled across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the sense transistor. The current sense circuit is operable to force the same voltage difference value across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the load transistor as across the drain electrode and the source electrode of the sense transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Denis Shuvalov
  • Patent number: 10152348
    Abstract: A job for which execution is requested is classified as one of classes. The amount of data to be written into a non-volatile storage device by execution of the job for which execution is requested is acquired. The efficiency index is calculated for each of the classes based on an execution evaluation value of the class and the amount of data to be written into the non-volatile storage device by execution of at least one job that has been already classified as the class. From among the classes, a class having an efficiency index of no greater than an efficiency threshold value is determined as the execution suspending class. When the job for which execution is requested belongs to the execution suspending class, execution of the job is suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Tomoki Oyasato
  • Patent number: 10139435
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring alternating current (AC) voltage of an insulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) are provided, without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a test electrode or probe. A non-galvanic contact (or “non-contact”) voltage measurement system includes a conductive sensor, an internal ground guard and a reference shield. A common mode reference voltage source is electrically coupled between the internal ground guard and the reference shield to generate an AC reference voltage which causes a reference current to pass through the conductive sensor. At least one processor receives a signal indicative of current flowing through the conductive sensor due to the AC reference voltage and the AC voltage in the insulated conductor, and determines the AC voltage in the insulated conductor based at least in part on the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Steuer, Paul A. Ringsrud, Jeffrey Worones, Peter Radda, Christian Karl Schmitzer
  • Patent number: 10115348
    Abstract: A pixel circuit, a driving method thereof and an organic electroluminescent display panel are disclosed. The pixel circuit comprises a driving transistor, a data write module, a compensation control module, a storage module and a light emitting control module. By means of cooperation of the above four modules, the working current of the driving transistor that drives the light emitting device to emit light can be unrelated to the threshold voltage of the driving transistor, which can avoid drift of the threshold voltage from influencing the light emitting device, thereby enabling the working current that drives the light emitting device to emit light to remain stable, so as to improve brightness uniformity of the displayed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhanjie Ma
  • Patent number: 10031189
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to apparatuses, methods, and systems for detecting a capability of a power source connected to a device. For example, a device may include a standardized connector that may allow an unknown power source to provide power to the device. When a power source is connected with a device, a controller powers up and initiates power capability detection procedures. A ramping current sink begins drawing current from the power source at an initial value and increases that amount to a maximum current value. If a voltage on the device voltage bus falls below a voltage threshold during the ramping current sink operation, the current sink is disconnected and an indication is provided to the controller that the power source is underpowered. Further, a safety timer turns off the ramping current sink to prevent excessive heat generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Gang Wang, Jesse Liang, Hanh Thuy Phan
  • Patent number: RE47944
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method performed by an active stylus includes wirelessly receiving a synchronization signal from a touch controller. The method also includes determining a synchronization parameter of the synchronization signal, the synchronization parameter including an integer part and a fractional part, the integer part representing a positive integer multiple of an active-stylus clock period and the fractional part representing a fractional portion of the active-stylus clock period. The method further includes wirelessly transmitting information for reception by the touch controller, where the information includes a series of data portions, a successive data portion in the series being separated from a preceding data portion by a time interval. The time interval is based at least in part on the active-stylus clock period, the integer part of the synchronization parameter, and an updated fractional error value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Wacom Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eivind Holsen