Abstract: A circuit having a digital output for connecting an electrical wire that is connected to an actuator, the digital output having a high level in a first voltage range, a low level in a second voltage range, and a third voltage range that is formed between the first voltage range and the second voltage range. The circuit being configured to output a test voltage, wherein the test voltage differs by a voltage difference from the high level and the low level.

Abstract: A digital compass with two or more multi-axis magnetometers and a processing element to determine a heading and detect any offset error in the heading is described. One electronic device includes first and second magnetometers. The second magnetometer can be disposed at least a specified distance or co-located and offset at least a specified angle from the first magnetometer. A processing device determines a magnetic field at the electronic device using a first output from the first magnetometer, detects an offset error in the magnetic field using a second output from the second magnetometer, and reports the offset error in the magnetic field.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first and a second conductive path over a substrate, a coil structure over the substrate, a voltage sensing circuit electrically coupled with the coil structure, and a ferromagnetic structure including an open portion. The first conductive path is configured to carry a first time-varying current and to generate a first time-varying magnetic field. The second conductive path is configured to carry a second time-varying current and to generate a second time-varying magnetic field. The first conductive path and the second conductive path extend through the open portion of the ferromagnetic structure. The first conductive path includes a first conductive line below the ferromagnetic structure, a second conductive line above the ferromagnetic structure, and a first via plug coplanar with the ferromagnetic structure, the first via plug electrically coupling the first conductive line and the second conductive line.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques implemented at least in part by a fuse-monitoring device to detect when a fuse cutout in an electric power system opens to disconnect a device and/or a load from a power line, and provides an indication of a location of the opened fuse cutout to a utility provider. The fuse-monitoring device may be attached to a fuse holder of the fuse cutout, and may include a movement sensor that detects when the fuse holder swings open due to its fuse melting, or blowing. The fuse-monitoring device may send a notification to the utility provider indicating that the fuse holder has swung open. The fuse-monitoring device may include a GPS sensor to determine the location of the fuse cutout, and may also notify the utility provider of the location of the fuse cutout so a line crew can quickly locate the fuse cutout that requires maintenance.

Abstract: A defect inspection system includes a storage. The defect inspection system also includes a corrosion enhancing defect manager that obtains a circuit card including a trace that is to be encapsulated by a protective layer adapted to reduce corrosion of the trace; applies a voltage potential to the trace while the circuit card is disposed in a visual indicator bath; obtains an image of the trace while the voltage potential is applied; makes a determination, based on the image, that a visual indicator generated by the visual indicator bath is included in the image; and based on the determination: identifies a portion of the trace corresponding to the visual indicator; and applies encapsulant to the portion of the trace.

Abstract: An electric current imaging system, device, and method includes an array of vector magnetometers that senses one or more magnetic fields in three directions produced by a flow of electric current. Such a system (and devices and methods thereof) can further include a display that displays a visual reconstruction of the original electric current that produced the magnetic field(s). The disclosed embodiments image electric current flow (both magnitude and direction) without the need for rastering or relative motion between the sensors and the conductor/device being viewed. Such embodiments can be scaled to fit both large and small applications by using discreet devices or manufacturing a single, miniaturized array with MEMS technologies.

Abstract: This invention presents a new packaging technique that allows for the use of a wider range of isolating materials for inductive conductivity sensors, thereby significantly reducing the cost of producing the sensors, improving their precision and accuracy, and increasing their sensitivity.

Abstract: A magnetism detection device includes: a transmission line set having a transmission line including a linear first conductor including a magnetic material; and a detector that: inputs, from a first end of the transmission line set, a pulse signal as a first incident wave and detects, at the first end, a first reflected wave of the first incident wave; inputs, from a second end opposite to the first end, a pulse signal as a second incident wave and detects, at the second end, a second reflected wave of the second incident wave; and detects a strength of a magnetic field applied to the transmission line set based on compositing of the first reflected wave and the second reflected wave.

Abstract: A duplex squib module is provided. The duplex squib module may include a first squib, a second squib, a first active blocking circuit, and a second active blocking circuit: The first active blocking circuit being in series with the first squib. The first active blocking circuit having a transistor in series with a first diode to block current in a first direction. The second active blocking circuit being in series with the second squib. The second active blocking circuit having a transistor in series with a first diode to block current in a second direction opposite of the first direction.

Abstract: Improved electrically conductive guide plates for vertical probe arrays are provided by patterning a thin metal layer disposed on an insulating substrate. Holes passing through the guide plate for guiding probes can be electrically connected or isolated from each other in any pattern according to the deposition of the metal. Such structures can include several distinct ground and/or voltage planes. Furthermore, passive electrical components can be included in the guide plate, by patterning of the deposited metal and/or by integration of passive electrical components with the deposited metal traces.

Abstract: A power conversion system includes a sensing circuit to sense a system voltage of a DC bus circuit with a first DC bus terminal with a first voltage positive relative to a second voltage of a second DC bus terminal. The sensing circuit includes a first capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the second DC bus terminal, and a second terminal; a second capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first capacitor, and a second terminal coupled to a reference node; and a resistive divider circuit coupled across the first capacitor and having an output terminal that delivers a voltage signal corresponding to a voltage across the first capacitor.

Abstract: Motor vehicles use biomagnetic sensors to determine global position by detecting Earth's geomagnetic field. Magnetosensitive bioparticles, such as magnetotactic bacteria or organelles from a magnetoreceptive eukaryotic species, are dispersed in a gel medium. The magnetosensitive bioparticles generate a local magnetic moment that changes in response to fluctuations in the immediate geomagnetic field vector, the latter of which is dependent on global position. An integrated circuit, such as an array of superconducting quantum detects changes in the local magnetic moment, and a controller thereby determines the ambient geomagnetic field vector. The controller accesses a database having a correlation of geomagnetic field vector and geolocation.

Abstract: An active bypass control device and an active bypass control method for a photovoltaic module are provided. The device includes a power source, a sampling unit, a controller, N first driving circuits, and N first controllable switches. Each first controllable switch is connected between one pair of bypass ports and includes a first switch and a first diode that are antiparallel. The first diode is reversely connected between the pair of bypass ports, and a control end of the first switch is connected to the controller via the corresponding first driving circuit. Based on a sampling signal provided by the sampling unit, the controller determines whether analog quantity information of the first controllable switch meets a predetermined bypass condition. If the predetermined bypass condition is met, the first switch is controlled to be turned on by using the first driving circuit.

Abstract: A method and arrangement for detecting partial discharges in an electric operating device, wherein electromagnetic pulses are detected by means of a sensor device, a narrow frequency band from a frequency spectrum of the electromagnetic pulses is selected by a filter device, the narrow frequency band is amplified by an amplifier device, and signals contained in the narrow frequency band are compared with a threshold value for the amplitude by an evaluation device, wherein a partial discharge is identified in the event that the threshold value is exceeded.

Abstract: A capacitance sensing system for sensing frost and ice accumulation. The capacitance sensing system comprises a first capacitor formed by a portion of a metal heat exchanger and a sensor electrode electrically isolated from the metal heat exchanger, a tank oscillator comprising a second capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel with each other and coupled in parallel with the first capacitor, and a circuit coupled to the tank oscillator. The circuit coupled to the tank oscillator is configured to determine a resonant frequency of the tank oscillator, determine a capacitance value based on the resonant frequency of the tank oscillator, determine that the capacitance value is greater than a predefined threshold, and transmit a heater activation command in response to determining the capacitance value is greater than the predefined threshold.

Abstract: A probe for non-intrusively detecting imperfections in a test object made from metallic, non-conductive, and/or composite materials. The probe may include a capacitive measuring apparatus that includes at least two coplanar electrodes, an adjustment device to adjust a spatial separation between the electrodes, and a separation device. The separation device may maintain a substantially constant distance between the at least two coplanar electrodes and the test object during test measurements.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided where switches associated with a magnetic field sensor are used to provide error information. In particular, a device is provided that includes a magnetic field sensor, a plurality of switches associated with the magnetic field sensor, and a control circuit configured to control the plurality of switches and to provide at least one signal indicative of a fault based on operation of the switches.

Abstract: A nanoparticle characterized by sensitivity to an analyte of interest, and comprising a conductive core in contact with a plurality of ligands bound to the conductive core is disclosed. Additionally, a chemiresistor sensor comprising the nanoparticles of the invention and a method of using thereof such as for detection of an analyte of interest in a gaseous sample are disclosed.

Abstract: In MRI system, acquired MR signals that will have a greater impact on the quality of the final reconstructed MRI image if a data link error occurs are encoded with a higher, or more robust, level of encoding prior to being transmitted over a data communications link. Conversely, acquired MR signals that will have a lesser impact on the quality of the final reconstructed MRI image if a data link error occurs are encoded with a lower, or less robust, level of encoding prior to being transmitted over the data communications link. The overall result is improved data link robustness and efficiency for data being sent over the data link.

Abstract: A method of determining whether a silicon-carbide semiconductor device, which has a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gate structure and a built-in diode, is a conforming product. The method includes measuring an ON voltage of the silicon carbide semiconductor device, passing a forward current through the built-in diode of the silicon carbide semiconductor device, measuring another ON voltage of the silicon carbide semiconductor device, which is the ON voltage of the silicon carbide semiconductor device after passing the forward current, calculating a rate of change between the ON voltage and the another ON voltage, and determining that the silicon carbide semiconductor device is a conforming product unless the calculated rate of change is less than 3%.