Patents Assigned to Sensor Technology, Inc.
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Patent number: 6747572Abstract: An autonomous sensor system is provided for powering sensors using thermoelectric modules driven by thermal energy. The system includes solid-state thermoelectric (TE) modules for the conversion of thermal energy to electrical energy. The TE modules are composed of p-type and n-type semiconductors that are interdigitated so that the p-type and n-type elements form thermocouples. The TE modules derive electrical power from thermal energy available in the immediate environment. The system also includes sensors that are powered by the TE module, wherein a corresponding free space signal is generated.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2001Date of Patent: June 8, 2004Assignee: Oceana Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Mark F. Bocko, Richard W. Lally
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Patent number: 6698269Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for in-situ testing of transducers, and more particularly to the testing of piezoelectric transducers including piezoelectric accelerometers. Circuits, measurement techniques, and interpretative algorithms to enable in-situ testing of piezoelectric accelerometers are described. Accelerometers that employ a piezoelectric material to convert mechanical strains into electronic signals are reciprocal electromechanical transducers. In such transducers the electrical output impedance of the sensor is dependent upon the electrical and mechanical parameters of the sensor. The procedure described in this disclosure includes methods of measuring the transducer electrical output impedance as a function of frequency and the extraction of the electrical and mechanical transducer parameters from the measured data. The measured values of the transducer parameters may be interpreted to provide an indication of the operational status of the transducer.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2002Date of Patent: March 2, 2004Assignee: Oceana Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Isaak Baber, Mark F. Bocko, Joseph E. Pegg, William Simmons
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Patent number: 6545483Abstract: An analyzer sensor for detecting signal waveforms on a pair of conductors. The apparatus includes capacitive couplers connected to termination impedance and adapted for placement adjacent to the conductors to capacitively couple the signals of the conductors to the associated termination impedance. The invention further includes a first and second buffer amplifier responsive, respectively, to the signals at the termination impedances, for providing at a first and second output thereof, respectively, an amplified difference of the signals. Furthermore, the invention includes a utility module having a battery source connected to the buffer amplifiers by a line for providing power to the buffer amplifiers at a location distant from the buffer amplifiers.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2001Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Phil Douglas
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Publication number: 20030024298Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for in-situ testing of transducers, and more particularly to the testing of piezoelectric transducers including piezoelectric accelerometers. Circuits, measurement techniques, and interpretative algorithms to enable in-situ testing of piezoelectric accelerometers are described. Accelerometers that employ a piezoelectric material to convert mechanical strains into electronic signals are reciprocal electromechanical transducers. In such transducers the electrical output impedance of the sensor is dependent upon the electrical and mechanical parameters of the sensor. The procedure described in this disclosure includes methods of measuring the transducer electrical output impedance as a function of frequency and the extraction of the electrical and mechanical transducer parameters from the measured data. The measured values of the transducer parameters may be interpreted to provide an indication of the operational status of the transducer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Applicant: Oceana Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Isaak Baber, Mark F. Bocko, William Simmons, Joseph E. Pegg
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Patent number: 6449042Abstract: The present invention relates to a backscattering apparatus and method for optical scanning along a circular path using one or more optical illuminators and receivers. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus and method of focusing one or more beams of light into one or more beam spots, scanning the common beam spot(s) across a circular path and receiving light backscattered from the beam spot(s) with one or more detectors. A rotationally mounted scanning optics having an optical axis parallel to but not coaxial with the axis of rotation is used to accomplish these functions. A motor may be operatively linked to the scanning optics to cause the same to rotate at a constant angular velocity whereby, with appropriate signal generating detector and signal processing electronics, the number and size of particles suspended in a fluid medium exposed to the beam spot(s) can be determined.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Laser Sensor Technology, Inc.Inventor: Oliver Hamann
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Patent number: 6411108Abstract: A noncontact sensor detects the signal waveform of analog and digital signals transmitted individually and, alternately, in combination, in designated transmission frequency bands on a pair of conductors.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 25, 2002Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Philip Douglas, Alan G. Johnson, Brent Beamer
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Patent number: 6255653Abstract: A diffusion-type NDIR gas analyzer with an improved response time due to convection flow created by a temperature gradient between gas located within a waveguide and gas located within a diffusion pocket of space created between the waveguide and a semi-permeable membrane which surrounds the waveguide. The temperature gradient may be created by a thermally resistive radiation source that is not thermally isolated from the waveguide. The semi-permeable membrane is made of a hydrophobic material and has a thickness sufficient to provide its own structural integrity. The semi-permeable membrane can have a porosity less than approximately 50 microns and be comprised of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene or Teflon®.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2000Date of Patent: July 3, 2001Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Andrian Kouznetsov
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Patent number: 6232130Abstract: A method of evaluating a carbohydrate in a sample. The method includes providing a low valency carbohydrate binding ligand, providing a glycoconjugate which includes a label, and a carbohydrate moiety, contacting the low valency carbohydrate binding ligand and the glycoconjugate with the sample, determining the extent of binding of the low valency carbohydrate binding ligand with the glycoconjugate, the binding of the low valency carbohydrate binding ligand with the glycoconjugate being correlated with the amount of carbohydrate in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1998Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: David E. Wolf
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Patent number: 6122959Abstract: An acceleration recorder and related method for monitoring, discriminating, and recording acceleration events only when the acceleration and calculated velocity change both exceed selected trigger values. While the acceleration values meet a first, user-defined threshold, the acceleration values are integrated to calculate a velocity change value. If the velocity change value meets a second, user-defined threshold, the acceleration event, including the velocity change, is recorded in memory.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 1998Date of Patent: September 26, 2000Assignee: Instrumented Sensor Technology, Inc.Inventors: Gregory D. Hoshal, Rodney J. Lambert, Stefano A. M. Lassini
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Patent number: 6040194Abstract: An in vivo method and apparatus for detecting an analyte in an individual. A sensor that includes a fluorescence reagent is placed in communication with the body fluids of the individual suspected of containing the analyte in such a way that once in place said sensor does not exit the skin of the individual. The sensor is configured to retain the fluorescence reagent while allowing analyte to diffuse into and out of said sensor. The sensor is illuminated transdermally, and the fluorescence from the fluorescence reagent associated with the presence of the analyte is measured.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: William L. Chick, David E. Wolf, Richard A. Cardullo
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Patent number: 6023069Abstract: A power circuit for use with a resistive thermal radiation source in which the power delivered to the resistive thermal radiation source will remain constant within a preselected deviation over a fixed period of time as the source resistance of the source varies between an initial source resistance and a second source resistance at the operating temperature. The power circuit is designed to maintain constant power within a preselected deviation by using the resistance of the resistive thermal radiation source to calculate a preselected resistance used in the power circuit according to the following equation: ##EQU1## wherein .DELTA.P=P.sub.si -P.sub.s ; P.sub.si =the initial power on the resistive thermal radiation source; P.sub.s =the power on the resistive thermal radiation source when the source resistance is equal to the second source resistance; K.sub.1 =RO/R.sub.si ; R0=the preselected resistance; R.sub.si =the initial source resistance; K.sub.2 =R.sub.s /R.sub.si ; and R.sub.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 1997Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Steinthal, Andrian Kouznetsov
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Patent number: 5966077Abstract: A fire detector with a maximum average response time of less than 1.5 minutes is obtained by combining a smoke detector with a CO.sub.2 detector that uses NDIR sensor technology. The smoke detector is used to detect smoldering fires and to help prevent false alarms attributable to the CO.sub.2 detector. The CO.sub.2 detector is used to rapidly detect fires by measuring the rate of change of CO.sub.2 concentration. A signal processor generates an alarm signal when a smoldering fire is detected or alarm logic indicates that a fire has been detected.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1998Date of Patent: October 12, 1999Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies Inc.Inventor: Jacob Y. Wong
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Patent number: 5815264Abstract: An in-situ imaging system suitable for analyzing particles or droplets contained in process reactor vessels or pipelines at full process concentrations is disclosed. The system includes a light source capable of high peak power output operated in a pulsed mode that is located inside of a probe. The light from the light source is coupled into an optical fiber. The light is carried by the optical fiber to a lens system near the end of the probe which focuses the light through a window to the area which coincides with the field of view in the focal plane of the imaging optics. The imaging optics collect the light which is back-scattered from particles or droplets, magnifying the image and projecting it onto an image detector such as a CCD array.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Laser Sensor Technology, IncInventors: Barry W. Reed, Jon V. Hokanson, Oliver S. Hamann, Thomas W. Montague
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Patent number: 5798700Abstract: A fire detector having a greatly reduced frequency of generating false alarms. An AND gate is responsive to outputs from first and second fire detector modules that are responsive to the detection of first and second characteristics of a fire, respectively, to signal the detection of a fire if both of these characteristics have been detected. At least one override path is included to enable the occurrence of a particular type of fire to be signaled that would not otherwise be signaled by the output of said AND gate.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1996Date of Patent: August 25, 1998Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Jacob Y. Wong
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Patent number: 5767776Abstract: A fire detector with a maximum average response time of less than 1.5 minutes is obtained by combining a smoke detector with a CO.sub.2 detector that uses NDIR sensor technology. The smoke detector is used to detect smoldering fires and to help prevent false alarms attributable to the CO.sub.2 detector. The CO.sub.2 detector is used to rapidly detect fires by measuring the rate of change of CO.sub.2 concentration. A signal processor generates an alarm signal when a smoldering fire is detected or alarm logic indicates that a fire has been detected.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Jacob Y. Wong
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Patent number: 5754449Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording time history data of physical variables during a recording session divided into discrete time windows each uniquely paired with a discrete segment of memory. Each recordable event is stored in the segment of memory corresponding to the time window during which it occurred. If the corresponding segment of memory is filled, the event is processed using an overwrite scheme that considers for replacement only those events in that segment of memory.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 1995Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Instrumented Sensor Technology, Inc.Inventors: Gregory D. Hoshal, Matthew R. Busdiecker, Jack H. Jenkins
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Patent number: 5721430Abstract: Multichannel infrared detector assemblies for use in the detection and monitoring of gas concentrations are provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies Inc.Inventor: Jacob Y. Wong
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Patent number: 5691704Abstract: A fire detector which combines an NDIR CO.sub.2 gas detector with a photoelectric smoke detector to minimize false alarms by logic means that can be integrated into a single chip that can have an ASIC section and a microprocessor section. The NDIR CO.sub.2 detector can be single or dual channel. The NDIR CO.sub.2 gas detector and the photoelectric smoke detector can be separate or combined in a single device in which they are optically isolated by a light-tight barrier but still use a common light source. Also, the CO.sub.2 and smoke detectors can be combined on a single substrate within a common housing.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1996Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Engelhard Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Jacob Y. Wong
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Patent number: D427536Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2000Date of Patent: July 4, 2000Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Marshall A Quick
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Patent number: D433643Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2000Date of Patent: November 14, 2000Assignee: Sensor Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Marshall A. Quick