Patents Represented by Attorney Rene E. Grossman
  • Patent number: 6104342
    Abstract: A scanned antenna array and the ferrite scanning source controlling the array which includes a ferrite scanning line source (21) comprising a ferrite element (23) having an RF input (25), a current source (31) extending through the ferrite element and a plurality of RF outputs (27) spaced apart along the ferrite element and an antenna element (33) coupled to each of the RF outputs. Each of the RF outputs is equally spaced apart from adjacent RF outputs. The ferrite element has an input end portion and an output end portion and an axis therebetween, the RF outputs being disposed along the axis. The ferrite element comprises a pair of ferrite toroids (43, 45) spaced apart by a layer of dielectric material (47), the RF outputs (49) being disposed in the dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Philip L. Noel, Arno L. Lindorfer
  • Patent number: 5870014
    Abstract: A thermally actuatable auxiliary switch (10, 10', 100) used with a refrigerator compressor system (60) has a generally U-shaped bimetallic element (12) mounted at one end on a base plate (16, 16', 102) and with a movable contact (28) mounted on the high expansion side (12a) of the bimetallic element in alignment with a stationary contact (32) mounted on a stationary contact support (18, 18', 116). A thermal generator (34) in the form of a PTC pill (36) wire-wound resistor (28), or other electrically energizable heater or in the form of a discharge tube (60e) of a compressor, provides heat to the bimetallic element (12) causing it to deflect after the solid state starter (50) has switched to its high resistance state to switch out the solid state starter while the compressor motor remains energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph G. Nield, Jr., James T. Racine, Alfred Raulino
  • Patent number: 5867557
    Abstract: A communication line diagnostic unit (10, 10') that allows telephone central office equipment to perform a test of a communication line and determine the ability of the line as a communication medium is shown. The device is completely passive and transparent during normal operation and responds only to a unique trigger signal generated from the central office verification controller (VC). The unit is powered from a capacitor storage element (C1) charged by the communication line through an AC coupling network (pins 11, 12 and 8) as well as through a DC network comprising voltage regulator device (Q2; Q23; Q24, Q25) when the unit is awakened. Upon receipt of the trigger signal the device responds as by disconnecting the subscriber apparatus and then providing certain electrical terminations through a single solid state switch (Q10) to allow for identification, loop resistance, noise and frequency response measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Anthony G. D'Andrea, Claude A. Charland
  • Patent number: 5861794
    Abstract: An open ended cup shaped housing (12) has first and second spaced electric terminals (14,16) extending through the bottom wall of the housing into a switch chamber with a snap acting, current carrying disc (18) cantilever mounted on one terminal and having a movable contact (20) movable into and out of engagement with a stationary contact (22) mounted on the other terminal. A reset member (28) is received in the housing and has a first leg (28b) formed with a catch (28g) normally biased against the edge of the disc with the catch receivable under the disc upon opening of the contacts. A force applying member (32, 38) is mounted on a lid and upon depression applies a force through a flexible, environmental gasket disposed across the open end of the housing causing a second leg (28c) to displace the catch and allow the contacts to reengage. In a modified embodiment a two piece (34, 36) reset member is shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Christian V. Pellon
  • Patent number: 5847624
    Abstract: A discrete increment attenuator for processing an input signal by effecting discrete attenuation increments of the input signal to create corresponding attenuation states for the output signal resulting from the input signal, comprising a parallel branched attenuator network providing at least three attenuation states defining corresponding attenuation increments, coupled to receive the input signal and provide the output signal. A separate attenuation branch circuit having an input end and an output end corresponding to a particular plural parallel branch is selectively activated by an attenuation control signal for effecting a discrete incremental attenuation of the input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Samuel Dale Pritchett
  • Patent number: 5834943
    Abstract: A microprocessor control (10, 24) has one or more temperature responsive thermistor sensors (20, 26, 28) used to provide temperature inputs to control operation of a temperature control system. The microprocessor control subjects the thermistor sensors to a series of diagnostic tests prior to reading the thermistor sensors, the tests including short and open circuits, shorts to ground or power and leakage paths to ground. The thermistors, along with a reference resistor (R11, R26) form an RC charge circuit with a capacitor (C6, C6'). The capacitor is charged through each thermistor and reference resistor for selected open and short tests while a watch dog timer is used to determine the time taken to charge the capacitor via a timer capture port coupled to the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Inventor: Mark E. Miller
  • Patent number: 5819401
    Abstract: A method of constructing a printed circuit board module and the module which comprises providing a substrate core having a first aperture extending therethrough and a pair of printed circuit boards, each board having at least one electrically conductive layer, secured to the substrate core and having a second aperture therethrough aligned with the first aperture. An electrically conductive member having an electrically insulating member is disposed around the electrically conductive member. The electrically conductive member having an electrically insulating member disposed therearound is positioned so that the electrically insulating member is disposed in the first aperture and the electrically conductive member extends into the second aperture of each of the printed circuit boards. The printed circuit boards are secured to the substrate core to lock the electrically insulating member in the first aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: William R. Johannes, Patrick H. O'Neill, David M. Mendez
  • Patent number: 5818700
    Abstract: First and second electronic devices interconnected by a nonconductive nanoporous film, the film having metal-filled pores extending through the thickness of the film, such that each of the devices is contacted by the metal in at least several pores, the film having other pores that remain unfilled, in order to enhance the compressibility of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald L. Purinton
  • Patent number: 5816828
    Abstract: A socket (2, 52) for attachment to a printed substrate (10, 60), has a central aperture therethrough. A connective part (3, 53) including a flexible insulative sheet (8, 58) is provided to cover the aperture and act as an electrically connective interface between an electrical part (31, 81) mounted in the socket and the printed substrate. The flexible sheet (8, 58) has a first contact means (5, 55) associated with a first surface of the flexible sheet for electrically connecting with leads (32, 82) of the electrical part and a second contact means (6, 56) associated with a second surface of the flexible sheet for electrically connecting with the printed substrate. An electroconductive member (7, 57) provides electrical connection between the first and second contact means. Such a socket is especially useful for testing electrical parts with high clock speeds and a large number of leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Ikeya, Shinji Tsuboi
  • Patent number: 5814779
    Abstract: A fluid pressure responsive electric switch (100) is shown in which first and second discrete electrical switches are controlled. A first movable support ring (122) mounts first and second snap acting discs (120a, 124a) on opposite sides thereof, the discs each having the normally concave surface facing the support ring. The first disc receives a force through a pressure to force converter (134) which is transferred through the second disc to a second movable support (126) and a third snap acting disc (128a) having a normally concave surface facing a related movable contact arm. When the system pressures exceeds a first minimum level the third disc (128a) snaps allowing a motion transfer pin to transfer a force to the movable contact arm (118a) of a compressor actuation switch (118) to energize the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: George Verras, Daniel Morin
  • Patent number: 5808255
    Abstract: A fluid pressure responsive electric switch (10) is shown having an elongated base (12) in which first and second terminals (34, 48) are mounted by dropping them into respective slots (26, 28). The terminals are provided with tabs (38, 52) to engage with a platform (30) of the base to limit motion in one direction and are in turn engaged by a guide member (62) to prevent motion in an opposite direction. The guide member (62) has a cylindrical force transfer portion (86) aligned with the weld portion (104) of a sensor assembly (92) to transfer force without adversely affecting the calibration of the sensor assembly. Electrical leads (118, 120) have connectors (126, 128) attached to an end thereof along with cylindrical gaskets (134) which form an interference fit in bores (22, 20) of the base to provide an environmental seal at the same time electrical connection is made to the terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Scott B. Sehlhorst, James R. Thayer, John T. Hancock
  • Patent number: 5807104
    Abstract: A socket with a main socket body 10 for use in a burn-in test of a bare chip 80 with a large number of contact connectors BP is provided with a positioning plate 42 in the top of the socket body 10. This positioning plate has a plurality of through holes 42c with contact members 48 slidingly contained therein. The through holes 42c and contact members 48 are aligned in one to one relationship to contact connections on the bare chip on one side of positioning plate 42 and a plurality of electroconductive film contacts 50 on the other side of the positioning plate 42. The film contacts are movably supported in the socket. Additionally, the film contacts 50 are electrically connected in a one-to-one relationship to socket contact 56 contained in the socket for providing electrical connection between bare chip 80 and socket 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Ikeya, Francois A. Padovani
  • Patent number: 5805425
    Abstract: First and second electronic parts interconnected by a nonconductive nanoporous film having first and second parallel surfaces, said film having metal-filled pores extending through the thickness of the film, such that each of said parts is contacted by the metal in at least several pores, a number of the pores being perpendicular to the surfaces of the film, and other pores being oblique to the surfaces of the film, whereby thermal dissipation is enhanced in the plane of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert K. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5805424
    Abstract: First and second electronic parts interconnected by a nonconductive nanoporous film, said film having metal-filled pores extending through the thickness of the film, such that each of said devices is contacted by the metal in at least several pores, wherein said film comprises liquid crystal or rigid rod polymer films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Donald L. Purinton
  • Patent number: 5805426
    Abstract: First and second electronic devices interconnected by a nonconductive nanoporous film, said film having metal-filled pores extending through the thickness of the film, such that each of said devices is contacted by the metal in at least several pores, wherein said film comprises a silicone polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gordon D. Merritt, Billy D. Ables
  • Patent number: 5792954
    Abstract: A condition responsive capacitive transducer, such as an accelerometer, is shown using a material system having refractory metal for the sensing element and glass material for a supporting substrate. The refractory metal is preferably tungsten, tantalum or molybdenum, and is coated with a glass seal enhancing material, such as titanium or nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: David L. Corkum, June Park
  • Patent number: 5777468
    Abstract: A variable differential transformer system (10), both linear and rotary (L/RVDT) includes a primary coil (12) drive by a primary drive (20) having a triangle wave generator whose frequency is set by an external frequency control (R.sub.osc and C.sub.osc) which includes compensation for gain temperature error. Secondary coils (14, 16) have a common connection for balanced loading with an input stage arrangement (R7, R8, R9, R10) providing low common mode range and a way to differentiate between normal operation and coil faults detected by a fault detection network (28). Synchronous demodulation (22) extracts both magnitude and direction from the secondary coil signals. Electronic calibration (24) is shown which compensates for sensor offset and gain. Sensor offset calibration is accomplished by adding a percentage of the synchronous demodulation reference wave form to the differential secondary signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas R. Maher
  • Patent number: 5770977
    Abstract: The ability to achieve ultra-fast frequency settling times with good frequency resolution and high absolute accuracy over significant bandwidth at microwave frequencies ranging over three octaves. The implementation is an open-loop system requiring little or no compensation of temperature. This is accomplished by providing a frequency doubled direct digital synthesizer output to up/down convert a microwave frequency source. A special tracking filter architecture coupled to the microwave source provides the suppression of unwanted products. Fixed frequency set-on and swept bandwidths in excess of 300 MHz have been demonstrated. This is accomplished by using a direct digitally synthesized quadrature phased carrier which can be set to any frequency within a 350 MHz bandwidth to coherently up/down convert a low phase-noise microwave frequency to the sum or the difference frequency product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Stephen J. Uurtamo
  • Patent number: 5767670
    Abstract: A variable differential transformer system (10), both linear and rotary (L/RVDT) includes a primary coil (12) drive by a primary drive (20) having a triangle wave generator whose frequency is set by an external frequency control (R.sub.osc and C.sub.osc) which provides compensation for gain temperature error. Secondary coils (14, 16) have a common connection for balanced loading with an input stage arrangement (R7, R8, R9, R10) providing low common mode range and a way to differentiate between normal operation and coil faults detected by a fault detection network (28). Synchronous demodulation (22) extracts both magnitude and direction from the secondary coil signals. Electronic calibration (24) compensates for sensor offset and adjust circuit gain by adding a percentage of the synchronous demodulation reference waveform to the secondary differential voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas R. Maher, Keith W. Kawate
  • Patent number: 5756368
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor package and the package comprising the steps of providing a base having a plurality of cavities therein, forming a plurality of sets of spaced apart first apertures extending entirely through the base, each of the sets of spaced apart first apertures surrounding one of the cavities, forming a plurality of sets of second apertures extending partially through the base, each of the second apertures of a set being interconnected with a pair of adjacent ones of the first apertures from one of the sets to form a continuous groove extending partially through the base and surrounding one of the cavities and then causing the second apertures to extend entirely through the base to form individual packages associated with each of the cavities. The base is a cast base and the first and second apertures are preferably cast into said base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert K. Peterson, Burhan Ozmat