Abstract: A switching sensor may automatically configure itself to a sinking or a sourcing mode by monitoring the voltage of its switched output to determine a loading configuration associated with each of these operating modes. The auto detection may occur not only at start up but also during operation of the sensor by monitoring the output voltage or current in coordination with knowledge about the intended state of the output by the sensor. A manual selection of the operating mode and override of the autodetect feature may be provided for cases when multiple sensors are connected in parallel.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein describes a system for controlling torque in a soft starter. In particular, torque ripple is reduced when transitioning between two different operating modes of a soft starter. A soft starter may include a first operating mode, designed for improved performance during low-speed operation of a motor, and a second operating mode, designed for improved performance during high-speed operation of the motor. However, transitioning between two different operating modes may result in significant transient currents in the motor, which, in turn, produce torque in the motor. The system described herein reduces this transient torque production in the motor.

Abstract: A self contained device for harvesting electrical energy from linear and rotary motion has a sensor with amplifiers for tensile stretching of a piezoelectric body with magnification of the applied force. The piezoelectric body is a monolithic plate with surface electrodes covering its top and bottom surfaces.

Abstract: Low voltage logic circuitry is used to permit an entire subsystem of an industrial controller to be placed within a hazardous environment to receive a high speed serial link and undertake the control of multiple control points without expensive and awkward long cable runs and electrically isolating circuits for each cable run. Energy and bandwidth limiting on the high speed link allows power levels commensurate with high data rates yet intrinsic safety of the media allowing it to freely pass in and out of the hazardous area. A mixture of intrinsically safe and non-intrinsically safe equipment on the same logical rack is allowed through a bus isolator providing isolated data communication in backplane fashion between modules while wholly isolating power transmission along the backplane.