Abstract: A detecting device includes a detecting part configured to detect a change in an object to be detected so as to output a detection signal, an amplifying part configured to amplify the detection signal output from the detecting part to output a first amplification signal, a reference voltage supply part configured to supply a reference voltage to the amplifying part, the reference voltage being input to the amplifying part to be output as a second amplification signal, a switching part configured to switch a connection between the detecting part and the amplifying part or a connection between the amplifying part and the reference voltage supply part based on a control signal input thereto, and a comparing part configured to compare a predetermined amplification factor in the amplifying part, with an amplification factor obtained from the second amplification signal so as to output the comparison result as a comparison signal.

Abstract: A detecting device includes a detecting part configured to detect a change in an object to be detected so as to output a detection signal, an amplifying part configured to amplify the detection signal output from the detecting part to output a first amplification signal, a reference voltage supply part configured to supply a reference voltage to the amplifying part, the reference voltage being input to the amplifying part to be output as a second amplification signal, a switching part configured to switch a connection between the detecting part and the amplifying part or a connection between the amplifying part and the reference voltage supply part based on a control signal input thereto, and a comparing part configured to compare a predetermined amplification factor in the amplifying part, with an amplification factor obtained from the second amplification signal so as to output the comparison result as a comparison signal.

Abstract: A flow meter includes a heater for heating a fluid flow along a membrane. A temperature difference is measured between and upstream point and a downstream point. There are additionally provided one or more strips of material having a relatively high heat conductivity. Strips that are substantially perpendicular to the flow direction direct heat from the heater to the sides of the membrane, causing a large proportion of the heat that would otherwise drive heat flows to be dispersed and decreases inaccuracies or bias in the measured flow rate. Strips of material that are provided parallel to the flow direction act to direct heat from the heater along the direction of flow. This increases the proportion of heat that flows along this axis and guides the flow and hence reduces the proportion of heat available to drive heat flows that cause inaccuracies and bias in the measured flow rates.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is formed from three initially unfired (or green) ceramic substrates. The first substrate has a temperature sensitive means printed on a first surface. Additionally first and second conducting elements are also printed thereon. The third substrate has a temperature sensitive means in the form of a resistor printed on a first surface. Additionally first and second conducting elements and are also printed thereon. The second substrate is provided with a conducting via in the form of a hole extending through the substrate, the hole being filled with conductive material. The via is adapted to be aligned with the ends of conducting elements. To construct the sensor the first surfaces of substrates are aligned with substrate such that via is aligned with conducting elements. The substrates are then pressed together. Subsequently the substrates are fired to provide the completed sensor.

Abstract: During operation of a 3 phase BLDC motor it is driven by use of a PWM waveform applied to one of the driven phase (curve a). The other driven phase is connected thereto but no driving signal is applied (curve b). The third phase is left floating (curve c). This allows the back EMF in the third phase to be monitored for the purpose of determining rotor position by detection of zero crossing points. The rapid switching of the PWM pulses causes ringing in the back EMF signal indicated for one pulse by the ringed portions 1 of curve c. The ringing in the back EMF signal introduces inaccuracy into position calculations derived from back EMF signal measurement. In order to reduce this ringing, in the present invention, a reverse pulse is applied to the other driving coil shown (curve b) prior to a PWM on pulse. The reverse pulse has a polarity such that it drives the phase current through the linked coils in a direction opposite to that caused by the PWM on pulse.

Abstract: Circuitry for driving an LED light source (100) from a mains supply (10) is shown. Before reaching the driver circuit (40) for LED (100), the mains supply (10) passes via a TRIAC dimmer (20) and a rectifier (30). The TRIAC dimmer (20) may comprise a dimmer switch in series with a TRIAC. The rectifier (30) is provided to convert the AC mains supply (10) to DC. The driver circuit (40), comprises a load switch (41) for controlling the driving of the LED (100), a ballast switch (42) for controlling the driving of a ballast resistance (43) and oscillator/driver (44) for controlling the load switch (41) and ballast switch (42). The oscillator (44) enables the LED (100) to be driven in a constant or pulsed manner and the ballast (43) to be driven in a pulsed manner. The pulsed current can be utilized to ensure that the TRIAC does not shut down when there is a low throughput of power, unlike the situation wherein an equivalent power is drawn via a steady state current of less than the TRIAC threshold current.

Abstract: A MEMS structure for a combined gyroscope and accelerometer unit (100) based on in-plane vibratory movements comprises a proof mass (101) and comb-drives (102) operable to cause the proof mass (101) to resonate in the x-direction, commonly referred to as the primary mode. Under the influence of a rotation ?z around the z-axis, a Coriolis force acting in the y-direction results. This excites the secondary (or sense) mode. A set of parallel-plate capacitors 103 are provided to enable position readout along the secondary axis. In addition to the above, the comb-drive capacitors (102) of the primary mode can also be used for readout of position along the primary axis, and the parallel-plate capacitors (103) for actuation along the secondary axis. This can be achieved either by time-multiplexing these capacitors (102, 103) or by providing separate sets of capacitors (102, 103) for sensing and actuation along each axis. The unit can operate in separate ?? force-feedback loops with respect to both axes.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is formed from three initially unfired (or green) ceramic substrates. The first substrate has a temperature sensitive means printed on a first surface. Additionally first and second conducting elements are also printed thereon. The third substrate has a temperature sensitive means in the form of a resistor printed on a first surface. Additionally first and second conducting elements and are also printed thereon. The second substrate is provided with a conducting via in the form of a hole extending through the substrate, the hole being filled with conductive material. The via is adapted to be aligned with the ends of conducting elements. To construct the sensor the first surfaces of substrates are aligned with substrate such that via is aligned with conducting elements. The substrates are then pressed together. Subsequently the substrates are fired to provide the completed sensor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the occurrences of pulses for implementing a pulse count monitoring method for driving a brushed DC motor driven by a pulse width modulated (PWM) driving current. The method comprises acquiring the driving current signal; performing peak detection on the acquired signal; identifying the largest peaks and thus determining the occurrence of pulses. The peak detect is implemented by fast peak detection or diode peak detection operable to detect appropriate peak widths as determined by the chosen PWM frequency, duty cycle and PWM pulse height.

Abstract: A Hall sensor array has two Hall sensors arranged in opposed quadrants of a two by two array. Each Hall sensor has four contacts, arranged as two pairs of opposite contacts, the axes of each pair being substantially perpendicular.

Abstract: Antibodies or other ligands specific for the binary uPA-uPAR complexes, for ternary complexes comprising uPA-uPAR and for complexes of uPAR and proteins other than uPA such as integrins inhibit the interaction of uPA and uPAR with additional molecules with which the complexed interact. Such antibodies or other ligands are used in diagnostic and therapeutic methods, particularly against cancer.

Abstract: A 2-phase BLDC motor is driven by a trapezoidal waveform. For one-half of the motor rotation period T, the phase is driven by the trapezoidal waveform and for the other half-period, the coil remains undriven. Accordingly, if the optimum slope duration is around 10% of the duration of the driven portion, then it is of the order of T/20. An up down counter is operable to increment at a first frequency f1 and to decrement at a second frequency f2. Incrementing operation is initiated at the start of the driven period of the waveform and stopped at the start of the down slope of the waveform. Decrementing operation is initiated at the start of the down slope of the waveform and stopped at the end of the down slope. The ratio of frequencies f1:f2 is used to measure the relative duration of the slope to the driven period and is selected to mirror the desired ratio of slope duration:driven period duration.

Abstract: A testing apparatus for a radiation sensing integrated circuit comprises a load board (101), a test socket (102), suitable for the device under test DUT (103), and a plunger (104). A radiation source (107) is provided on the load board (101) adjacent to the test socket (102). The radiation source (107) generates radiation for testing the response to stimulus of the radiation sensing element of the DUT (103). To enable the sensing element of the DUT (103) to be exposed to the radiation, a pathway (108) is provided through plunger (104). The pathway (108) has a U-Shape with the end of one side of the U being adjacent to the radiation source (107) and the other end of the U being adjacent to the sensing element of DUT (103).

Abstract: In order to determine the orientation of the rotor of a brushless DC motor 100, a sequence of current pulses may be applied to the stator phases U, V, W by the respective drivers HS0, LS0, HS1, LS1 HS2, LS2. The current generated in the stator phases U, V, W in turn generates a current in a shunt resistor 110. The current in this shunt resistor 110 is monitored by use of a current voltage converter 120 and a comparator 130 to determine when it exceeds a predetermined threshold. The rise time until the threshold current is exceeded is recorded in capture unit 140. A processor unit 150 then calculates a scalar parameter SU, SV, SW for each respective stator phase U, V, W from the recorded rise times associated with each pulse.

Abstract: In a three phase BLDC motor the rotor position is monitored by detecting the zero crossing points of the induced back EMF signals BEMF_U, BEMF_V, BEMF_W in the phase windings U, V, W. As they are illustrated, the back EMF signals are substantially sinusoidal but they may in other situations be substantially trapezoidal. The three back EMF signals are 120° out of phase with each other. In order to accurately monitor the back EMF in a phase winding, the driving waveform for each phase U, V, W includes an undriven period P close to the expected zero crossing point. The period P can be a preset part of the driving waveform or can be an interruption of the normal driving waveform in response to suitable interrupt signals. In order to determine the zero crossing points of each back EMF signal, two (or more) samples of the back EMF are taken during the undriven period P and used to interpolate the back EMF signal to determine the zero crossing point.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device comprises an internal pull up current source Ipup and a pull up resistor Rpup connected in parallel between a voltage supply pin Vs and an output node OUT. A standby switch SBY is connected in series with the pull up resistor Rpup. The standby switch SBY is controlled by a standby detect means SBY Detect, which is also connected to the output node OUT. If it is desired to switch the device to standby mode, the output node OUT is externally drawn to ground by microprocessor 200. The circuit stays in the standby mode as long as the OUT is drawn to ground. In order to save current during standby mode, the SBY Detect is operable to disconnect the pull-up resistance Rpup by means of switch SBY. As the pull-up resistance Rpup is disconnected during the standby mode, the current source Ipup supplies a minimal current to OUT. This ensures that the circuit can always leave an undesired standby mode rapidly.

Abstract: To monitor the rotation speed and torque transmitted by a shaft (120) in order to determine the power transmitted by the shaft (120). To achieve this torque sensing means 124 and rotation speed sensing means (103) are provided, each connected to an interface means (104). Signals are transmitted between said torque sensing means (124) and said interface means (104) by way of a coupling arrangement comprising a first coupling element (121) is fixed to and co-rotates with shaft (120) and a second coupling element (102) is fixed to a stator (101) surrounding said shaft (120) and thus remains stationary whilst shaft (120) rotates. The first coupling element (121) is in the form of a split ring having a ring gap (127) and is electrically connected to the torque sensing means (124). The first coupling element (121) has a comb-like form wherein the ring provides a spine upon which are formed a plurality of teeth (122), which project from said spine.

Abstract: A sensing device in the form of a sensing array includes sensing elements on a first integrated circuit and means for processing the signals on a second integrated circuit. The output of the sensing elements is sampled, modulated on to a carrier signal and transferred from the first to second integrated circuits wherein it is demodulated and passed to a processing means.

Abstract: A DC motor drive circuit includes a switching circuit that drives the coils of a small permanent magnetic DC motor. The drive circuit is preferably implemented in an integrated circuit device, such as a silicon CMOS device. Integrated into the same integrated circuit device is a magnetic sensor arranged to detect the position of the permanent magnet as it passes a defined point, or points, in its revolution, and control circuitry to derive the timing waveforms for driving the coils. The integrated power devices for driving the coils are also arranged to limit the rise and fall times of the applied voltages and currents so as to reduce or eliminate the generation of unwanted RFI. Additional circuitry is also integrated into the same integrated circuit device to derive the necessary power to operate the magnetic sensor, the control circuitry and the switching circuitry from the connections between the switching circuitry and the coils so as to remove the need for a separate power supply connection.

Abstract: Elements of a sensor system are encapsulated into a single package. The sensor elements are covered with a flexible gel coat and then inserted into a molding tool cavity. Each element may be individually coated with a gel blob, or all elements may by coated with a single gel blob. One or more retractable pins are incorporated into the molding tool and in their normal position are each in contact with the gel. A molding compound is injected into the cavity so as to encapsulate the device and gel coat. When the pins are extracted and the device ejected from the molding cavity, one or more passageways in the molding are left defined by the pins. The passageways expose the flexible gel covering the device elements to the atmosphere. For pressure sensitive elements, the gel, being flexible, transfers the local air pressure to the pressure sensitive element. For optical elements, the exposed gel is preferably removed to allow for the passage of radiation to and from the device elements.