Patents Examined by Alvaro E Fortich
  • Patent number: 11460323
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor package is disclosed. The package includes a substrate that has a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The substrate can comprise a lead frame. The package also includes a first magnetic field sensor die that is electrically and mechanically mounted on the front side of the substrate. The package also includes a second magnetic field sensor die that is electrically and mechanically mounted on the front side of the substrate. The package further includes a magnet that is disposed on the back side of the substrate. The magnet can provide a bias field for the first magnetic field sensor die and the second magnetic field sensor die. The package can also include a molding material that is disposed about the lead frame, the first magnetic field sensor die, the second magnetic field sensor die, and the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Jochen Schmitt, Michael J. Cusack, Enda Joseph Nicholl, Brian O'Mara
  • Patent number: 11454659
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a metering system including a base housing configured to be coupled to a supply of a consumable, and including a plurality of meter slots, wherein each meter slot is configured to couple with a removeable meter module. Further, the metering system includes a removeable cover housing configured to removably couple to the base housing, and a meter module that includes at least one meter core and at least one data transfer functionality or assembly. The meter module can independently meter at least a portion of the consumable consumed by at least one consumer. A metering assembly with a removeable meter module and an associated meter slot can independently meter at least a portion of a consumable consumed by at least one consumer, and metering of the consumable to a consumer from one meter slot is independent of metering of the consumable from another meter slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Earle S. Davis, Quoc Hoang, Alan S. Jones, Duong M. Nguyen, Tri Q. Nguyen, Edmond A. Padrones, Shelley R. Williams, Alex P. Yan
  • Patent number: 11454679
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic field measuring apparatus for: acquiring the measurement data measured by a magnetic sensor array that is configured by arraying the plurality of magnetic sensor cells to form a surface covering at least a part of a target object to be measured; performing signal separation on a magnetic field spatial distribution indicated by the measurement data based on a position and magnetic sensitivity of each magnetic sensor; generating a calibration magnetic field at a position on a straight line that can be drawn without crossing the plurality of magnetic sensor cells from the measurement space outside the measurement space; and calibrating a sensor error for the magnetic sensor based on a separation error in a case where signal separation has been performed on a spatial distribution of the calibration magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeki Okatake, Makoto Kataoka, Takenobu Nakamura, Seiichi Kato
  • Patent number: 11448525
    Abstract: A sensor device comprises at least one test magnet which is designed to provide a magnetic test field, a first sensor element which is designed to capture a magnetic field and to provide a first sensor signal, wherein the first sensor signal comprises a first signal contribution on the basis of the magnetic test field, a second sensor element which is designed to capture a magnetic field and to provide a second sensor signal, wherein the second sensor signal comprises a second signal contribution on the basis of the magnetic test field, wherein the magnetic test field at the location of the first sensor element differs from the magnetic test field at the location of the second sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 11448713
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a magnetic field sensor having first and second arrays of magnetic field sensing elements with at least first and second orthogonal axes of sensitivity. The first array of magnetic field sensing elements is spaced a first distance from the second array of magnetic field sensing elements. A turns counter counts a number of times a magnetic pole pair of a moving target passes the magnetic field sensing elements with a selected pole pair resolution and a module determines absolute angular position of the target from differential signals from the first and second arrays of magnetic field sensing elements and the turns counter. The first distance is configured to match a pitch of the poles of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Till-Jonas Ostermann, Simon E. Rock, Emil Pavlov
  • Patent number: 11442074
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor module includes an axially polarized back-bias magnet having a body that radially extends from a magnet center axis and a bore extending along the magnet center axis. The magnet generates a radial bias magnetic in-plane field about a magnetization axis in a sensor plane. The magnetic field has a magnetic flux density of substantially zero along the extension of the magnetization axis and at a perimeter of a zero-field closed loop located in the sensor plane. The magnetic sensor module includes a shim polepiece mechanically coupled to an end of the axially polarized back-bias magnet. The shim polepiece includes a second bore centered on a polepiece center axis that is aligned with the magnet center axis. The second bore extends through the shim polepiece along the polepiece center axis and is congruent with the first bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Gernot Binder
  • Patent number: 11441341
    Abstract: A door handle assembly for a motor vehicle door includes a handle base configured to be secured to the door, a grip cover coupled to the handle base such that the handle base and the grip cover cooperatively define a door handle grip, a first sensor positioned relative to the handle base and configured to produce a detectable change in a first sensor signal upon detection of one of an object within a detection proximity thereof, the detectable change in the first sensor signal enabling the latch to unlock or unlatch, and a second sensor positioned relative to the grip cover and configured to produce a detectable change in a second sensor signal upon deflection of a portion of the grip cover to within a detection proximity of a sensing surface of the second sensor, the detectable change in the second sensor signal enabling the latch to lock or latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: ADAC Plastics, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Scheiern, Anne Adamczyk, Alexander Gabier, Josh Goulet, Ryan Bussis
  • Patent number: 11444700
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring antenna radiation patterns comprising: an array of test antennas coupled to at least one transmitter; an antenna under test located proximate to the array of test antennas and a compressive sensing processor coupled to the antenna under test and the array of test antennas to control signals emitted and received by the antenna under test and the array of test antennas and processing the signals using compressive sensing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Michael L. Don
  • Patent number: 11437893
    Abstract: A planar-drive system includes a rotor and stator module with a housing, a stator assembly for driving the rotor, and a sensor module for detecting the rotor position. The sensor module has a 2D arrangement of magnetic-field sensors arranged on a carrier in first and second periodic grids, extending in first and second directions. Adjacent magnetic-field sensors are arranged at first and second distances in the first and second directions. The grids are shifted by a vector having first and second components smaller than the respective first and a second distances. The rotor has first and second magnet units, each with an arrangement of magnets with first and second periodic lengths aligned in the first and second directions. The first and second components of the vector, and a difference between the first and second distances and the respective components, are each smaller than the respective first and second periodic lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Beckhoff Automation GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Brinkmann, Lukas Bentfeld, Uwe Pruessmeier
  • Patent number: 11432751
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic sensor includes a first magnetic element, a second magnetic element, a third magnetic element located between the first and second magnetic elements in a first direction, a fourth magnetic element located between the third and second magnetic elements in the first direction, a first conductive member, a second conductive member, a third conductive member located between the first and second conductive members in the first direction, a fourth conductive member located between the third and second conductive members in the first direction, a first magnetic member, a second magnetic member, a third magnetic member located between the first and second magnetic members in the first direction, a fourth magnetic member located between the third and second magnetic members in the first direction, and a fifth magnetic member located between the third and fourth magnetic members in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Satoshi Shirotori, Hitoshi Iwasaki, Akira Kikitsu, Yoshihiro Higashi, Yoshinari Kurosaki
  • Patent number: 11428756
    Abstract: A magnetic field recording system includes a headgear for a user; optically pumped magnetometers (OPMs) disposed in or on the headgear to detect magnetic fields and, in response to the detection, produce magnetic field data; at least one sensing modality including an optical sensing modality having at least one light source and at least one camera or light detector to receive light reflected or directed from the user and to produce an optical data stream; a tracking unit to receive the optical data stream and track a position or orientation of the headgear or user; a system controller to control operation of the OPMs and receive, from the tracking unit, the position or orientation of the headgear or user; and a processor to receive the optical data stream and the magnetic field data from the OPMs and analyze the magnetic field data using the optical data stream for validation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey Iwata, Ricardo Jiménez-Martínez, Jamu Alford
  • Patent number: 11428758
    Abstract: A tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor device is disclosed that includes one or more TMR resistors. The TMR sensor device comprises a first TMR resistor comprising a first TMR film, a second TMR resistor comprising a second TMR film different than the first TMR film, a third TMR resistor comprising the second TMR film, and a fourth TMR resistor comprising the first TMR film. The first and fourth TMR resistors are disposed in a first plane while the second and third TMR resistors are disposed in a second plane different than the first plane. The first TMR film comprises a synthetic anti-ferromagnetic pinned layer having a magnetization direction of a reference layer orthogonal to a magnetization direction a free layer. The second TMR film comprises a double synthetic anti-ferromagnetic pinned layer having a magnetization direction of a reference layer orthogonal to a magnetization direction of a free layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chih-Ching Hu, Yung-Hung Wang, Ming Mao, Daniele Mauri, Ming Jiang
  • Patent number: 11420674
    Abstract: An ECU includes plural sensor units and plural control units. The sensor units include magnetic field detection elements for detecting a rotation of a motor, and output mechanical angles related to the rotation angle in one rotation and count values related to the number of rotations of the motor, respectively. One rotation of the motor is divided into indefinite regions, in which detection deviation of the count values may occur, and definite regions, in which no detection deviation occurs. The definite region of the count value is set to deviate from the definite region of the other count value. Absolute angle calculation units calculate the absolute angles using the count values of the definite regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Fujita, Nobuyori Nakajima, Masaya Taki, Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11421453
    Abstract: A device for detecting a user's intention to lock or to unlock a motor vehicle door. The device contained in a watertight housing, integrated into a non-watertight handle, the lower part of which includes drainage holes, a part of the housing being immersed in water. The device including: a capacitive approach and/or contact detection sensor, having at least one detection electrode, a variable detection capacitance representative of the approach of the user's hand, a charging/discharging capacitor Cs, and a protective electrode Ep situated in the part of the housing that is immersed in water, electrically coupled to the detection electrode and connected to a terminal of the charging/discharging capacitor Cs such that the protective electrode Ep is simultaneously at the same potential as the terminal of the charging/discharging capacitor during the various steps of charging/discharging the detection capacitor and the charging/discharging capacitor that are necessary to estimate the detection capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventors: Gabriel Spick, Bertrand Vaysse, Bernadette Peris, Stéphan Baudru
  • Patent number: 11420522
    Abstract: Methods and systems for activating electric vehicles are provided. One method includes, in response to a first command to activate the vehicle, transitioning the vehicle from an inactive state to a wake state where a controller of the vehicle is activated and the vehicle is prevented from being propelled by an electric motor of the vehicle. The method also includes, in response to receiving a second command to activate the vehicle after receiving the first command, transitioning the vehicle from the wake state to a ready state where the vehicle is permitted to be propelled by the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TAIGA MOTORS INC.
    Inventor: Gabriel Bernatchez
  • Patent number: 11414840
    Abstract: A controller acquires a size of a recess included in an actual topography within a work range. The controller determines whether the size of the recess is larger than a predetermined recess threshold. When the size of the recess is larger than the predetermined recess threshold, the controller determines a first area and a second area divided at a position of the recess in the work range. The controller determines a first target design topography indicative of a target trajectory of a work implement for the first area. The controller generates a command signal to operate the work implement according to the first target design topography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventor: Yukihisa Takaoka
  • Patent number: 11415623
    Abstract: An example test system includes power amplifier circuitry to force voltage or current to a test channel and one or more processing devices configured to control the power amplifier circuitry to comply with a compliance curve. The compliance curve relates output of the voltage to output of the current. According to the compliance curve, maximum current output increases as an absolute value of the voltage output increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Messier, Bryce M. Wynn, Ernest DiMicco
  • Patent number: 11415641
    Abstract: A calibration arrangement of a magnetic field measurement device includes at least one attachment point nub configured for attachment to the magnetic field measurement device; mounting arms extending from the at least one attachment point nub; and reference coil loops distributed among the mounting arms. A magnetic field measurement system includes the calibration arrangement and a magnetic field measurement device including a sensor mounting body, magnetic field sensors disposed on or within the sensor mounting body, and at least one primary attachment point formed in or on the sensor mounting body configured to receive the at least one attachment point nub of the calibration arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HI LLC
    Inventor: Zachary Bednarke
  • Patent number: 11408939
    Abstract: A power distribution unit includes a circuit protection device having output terminals and a current transformer board connected to the output terminals of the circuit protection device. The power distribution unit further includes a signal board connected to the current transformer board and a measurement board connected to the signal board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Josiah Daniel Smith, George Chen, Long Larry Le
  • Patent number: 11408925
    Abstract: A semiconductor element encompasses a first external electrode on an upper surface side of a semiconductor chip, a second external electrode, spaced apart from the first external electrode, provided in parallel with the first external electrode; and a protective film covering the first and second external electrodes, having first and second windows to expose portions of upper surfaces of the first and second external electrodes, respectively. Planar patterns of the first and second windows are in two-fold rotational symmetry with respect to a center point of an area including the first and second external electrodes and to be asymmetric with respect to a center line between the first and second external electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Taichi Karino