Patents Examined by Andrew H. Hirshfeld
  • Patent number: 7230435
    Abstract: A CBCM circuit is capable of separately measuring each component of a measuring target capacitance. A node (N1) is electrically connected to a terminal (P2) between the drains of PMOS and NMOS transistors (MP2, MN2). As a target capacitance forming part, a coupling capacitance (Cc) is formed between the node (N1) and a node (N2). The node (N2) is connected to a pad (58) through the terminal (P2) and an NMOS transistor (MN3), and a node (N3) is connected to a terminal (P3) between the drains of PMOS and NMOS transistors (MP1, MN1). A reference capacitance (Cref) is formed at the node (N3) as a dummy capacitance. Currents (Ir, It) supplied from a power source to the nodes (N3, N1) are measured with current meters (61, 62), respectively and a current (Im) induced from the node (N2) and flowing to a ground level is measured with a current meter (63).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kunikiyo, Tetsuya Watanabe, Toshiki Kanamoto, Kyoji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7230431
    Abstract: An aerosol particle spectrometer utilizes a high voltage central electrode and a series of annular, axially arranged collector electrodes maintained at ground, for collecting positively charged particles suspended in an aerosol flowing between the electrodes. Each collector electrode provides current to an integrating electrometer including circuitry that rapidly charges and discharges the integrating capacitor during a brief reset cycle, to generate accurate particle characterizing information based on low currents, with high bandwidth and high dynamic range, virtually in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Inventor: Aadu Mirme
  • Patent number: 7226021
    Abstract: A rail break or vehicle detection system includes a plurality of voltage sources, each coupled to one of the plurality of zones. A plurality of resistors are provided, each coupled in series with one of the plurality of voltage sources. A plurality of current sensors are provided, each coupled to one of the plurality of resistors and adapted to measure a first set of values and second set of values indicative of current flowing through the resistor. At least one control unit is adapted to receive input from the plurality of current sensors and to compare a difference between the second set of values and the first set of values to a predetermined threshold limit to detect presence of a rail vehicle on the block. The control unit is further adapted to switch a polarity of each voltage source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Todd Alan Anderson, Kenneth Brakeley Welles, II
  • Patent number: 7227346
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a digital phase detector that comprises a splitter and phase shifter to receive a signal of a device under test and produce a first signal that is substantially identical to the received signal and a second signal that is phase shifted relative to the first signal. A first analog-to-digital channel processes the first signal to produce an in-phase and quadrature signals. The second signal is processed by a second analog-to-digital channel to produce a second set of in-phase and quadrature signals. The two sets of in-phase and quadrature signals are used to determine a phase difference between the signal of the device under test and a local oscillator signal associated with the two analog-to-digital channels. The invention is further directed to a direct digital synthesizer that is capable of use within the digital phase detector and in other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Timing Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Wayne E. Solbrig
  • Patent number: 7227345
    Abstract: A fibre channel cable locator for locating an unidentified plugged end of a fibre channel cable within a fibre channel SAN at a location of an identified unplugged end of the fibre channel cable. In operation, the fibre channel cable locator determines the identified unplugged end of the fibre channel cable is connected to the fibre channel cable locator, logs into the fibre channel SAN device connected to the unidentified plugged end of the fibre channel cable based on the connection of the identified unplugged end of the fibre channel cable to the fibre channel cable locator, and queries the fibre channel SAN device via the login for SAN device identification information indicative of a location of the fibre channel SAN device win the fibre channel SAN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David F. Dehaan, Louie A. Dickens
  • Patent number: 7227366
    Abstract: Biasing a transistor connected to a voltage converter, the method includes: (i) providing at least one bias voltage to at least one well of at least one transistor of a test circuitry; (ii) measuring at least one parameter of a test circuitry representative of at least one characteristic of the transistor and of at least one characteristic of the voltage converter; (iii) altering at least one bias voltage and repeating the stages of providing and measuring until a predefined control criteria is fulfilled; and (iv) providing a voltage bias to a well of the transistor in response to the measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Rozen, Dan Kuzmin, Michael Priel
  • Patent number: 7224171
    Abstract: An inverter output current detection device is provided which can calculate an output current of an inverter easily by using a low-performance calculating device without lowering a calculation accuracy. A current ic? equivalent to a capacitor current ic is digitally calculated according to a predetermined expression. This expression is ic?=V×?0×C×[cos Wavedata]×K, where V is an effective value or average value of an output voltage vo, C is a capacitance of a capacitor C, ?0 is an angular frequency of the output voltage, and K is a value obtained by multiplying a detection ratio for detecting the output voltage vo, a conversion ratio for converting an analog value into a digital value, and a conversion ratio for converting the effective value or average value V into a maximum value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nagai, Hiroyuki Hanaoka
  • Patent number: 7222955
    Abstract: The recording paper is transported to a paper inversion unit in such a manner that, when recording of a first surface of a recording paper is performed, the recording paper is transported to a position where a rear end of the recording paper is released from a pair of sheet transport rollers, the sheet transport roller and a pinch roller are released at the position, the recording paper is transported in a direction opposite to the direction in the first surface recording to the pair of sheet transport rollers by a pair of sheet discharge rollers, the sheet transport roller is pressed against the pinch roller again, and the transport of the recording paper in the reverse direction is further continued.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuyo Ohashi, Junichi Yoshikawa, Masahiro Taniguro, Koya Iwakura
  • Patent number: 7223030
    Abstract: A printing system (250) includes a printing subsystem (255) in the form of a printer assembly (14). The printing subsystem (255) includes a printer housing (257) in which a print engine (259) resides and a memory (261) for storing data indicating the position of labels on media. The contents of memory (261) can be obtained from an end user application (270) which may supply the position data to the printing subsystem (255) in a print data stream. Pre-programmed position data is read from a tag (88) on print media (28) having multiple tags embedded thereon. The pre-programmed position data is compared to position data received in a print request data stream to determine the position of at least one tag on the print media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: John Thomas Fessler, Keith Bryan Hardin, Mark Stephen Underwood
  • Patent number: 7224920
    Abstract: In a sheet processing apparatus, which is connected to an image forming apparatus, applies a predetermined process to a plurality of sheets that have undergone image formation as a unit, and has power storage means capable of storing electric power required to execute the process, the output voltage from the power storage means is detected, and when the detected voltage exceeds a predetermined value, the process is controlled to execute the process using the electric power stored in the power storage means in accordance with an instruction from the image forming apparatus. Since the process is executed using the electric power supplied from the power storage means, consumption power can be prevented from temporarily increasing upon execution of the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Koyama
  • Patent number: 7221138
    Abstract: A method for measuring output current of a charge pump, the method including providing a charge pump including a plurality of n charge pump stages, wherein an output of stage n?1(Von?1) is output to stage n, an output voltage of stage n being referred to as charge pump voltage output Vout, connecting an additional output pass device to the output of stage n?1, an output voltage of the additional output pass device being referred to as Voutm, forcing Voutm to be at least approximately equal to Vout, drawing at least one of output voltage (Voutm) and output current (Ioutm) from the additional output pass device, measuring Ioutm (e.g., comparing Ioutm with a reference current), and correlating Iout with Ioutm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Saifun Semiconductors Ltd
    Inventor: Oleg Dadashev
  • Patent number: 7221168
    Abstract: Presented is a system and method for reading a microwave readable barcode formed from a pattern of dielectric material. The dielectric pattern creates a strong microwave contrast with the surrounding media selectively resonating with or scattering an interrogating microwave signal. Dielectric bars can be fabricated by inkjet printing, injection, spraying, drawing or any other technique. Barcode information is encoded using different lengths, angles, or positions of dielectric bars. A microwave readable dielectric barcode system includes a barcode fabricated from a dielectric material, a transmitter with an antenna, and a sensor that senses the effect produced by the dielectric barcode on the microwave signal. The dielectric barcode system can use multiple microwave signals that differ in one or more respects, such as polarization or frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Somark Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander M. Grishin, Ramos M. Mays
  • Patent number: 7221139
    Abstract: A radiometer system includes a housing and an RF board contained within the housing. Balanced radiometer channels receive an unknown signal and known reference. Each balanced radiometer channel includes at least one quadrature hybrid and amplifier circuit to provide distributed gain and an amplified output signal. A detection circuit receives and detects the amplified output signal forming a detected signal. A controller board is contained within the housing and has an integration circuit and microcontroller that receives the detected signal and performs video signal digitization and conditioning and real-time corrections on any radiometer channels to account for changes in temperature or gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Xytrans, Inc.
    Inventor: Danny F. Ammar
  • Patent number: 7221882
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming parts, a moving medium continuously moving on the image forming parts, first and second image forming devices, a test image density measuring device, and a control device. The first test image forming device forms a first test image on the medium by using the image forming parts in a first order. The second test image forming device forms a second test image on the medium. The control device controls image forming processing in the image forming parts based on a result of a density measurement of the second test image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ken Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 7221137
    Abstract: A measuring apparatus with storage that measures and analyzes both stray currents from subway rails or power lines and the pipe-to-soil voltage of a buried metallic structure simultaneously is disclosed. The data measuring apparatus with storage for measuring stray currents from subway rails or power lines and the pipe-to-soil voltage of a buried metallic structure in accordance with the present invention comprises measuring means, which is a portable module that allows easy installation at one or multiple measurement points of the buried metallic structure, for measuring stray currents from the subway rails or power lines and the pipe-to-soil voltage of a buried metallic structure simultaneously and for storing and transmitting the measurement data and analytic computing means for receiving the measurement data transmitted from the measuring means and for databasing and graphically displaying the received measurement data for time-synchronous data analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jeong Hyo Bae, Dae Kyeong Kim, Tae Hyun Ha, Hyun Goo Lee, Yun Cheol Ha
  • Patent number: 7218120
    Abstract: Various component parts of a driver circuit for drive sources such as electric motors and clutches, such as relays and FETs as well as the drive sources can be tested by selectively energizing the relays and evaluating the voltage levels of the selected points by using the first and second test voltage detection circuits. This testing process is typically executed before the power up of the drive circuit. The test current is so small that the drive sources would not be inadvertently activated and various components would not be damaged even when there is any faulty component in the driver circuit. When any faulty component is detected in the testing process, the driver circuit may be prevented from being powered up so that any undesired operation of the drive sources or permanent damage to various components owing to such a faulty component may be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Mikihito Shimoyama, Takayuki Kawakura, Tomoyuki Ogawa, Naohiko Shiga, Yuichi Yanagita, Katsuhiro Tanino
  • Patent number: 7218124
    Abstract: One type of capacitive sensing apparatus has a sensing element that includes a first portion and a second portion adjacent opposite edges of a sensing region. Signals from the first and second portions are combined. Another type of apparatus includes: a first sensing element including first and second portions; a second sensing element including third and fourth portions; and a third sensing element including fifth and sixth portions. The first, third and fifth portions form a first pattern, and the second, fourth and sixth portions form a second pattern. The patterns are bilaterally symmetrical about a median of a sensing region. In another type of apparatus, an electrical conductor coupled to a first sensing element passes through a gap in a second sensing element. An electrical conductor coupled to the second sensing element is dimensioned such that a capacitive coupling to the second sensing element is compensated for the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
    Inventors: Bob Lee Mackey, Mykola Golovchenko
  • Patent number: 7218125
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a voltage, such as a bias voltage, supplied by an integrated circuit. A nominal terminating resistor is connected across a first and a second input/output pads from which the voltage is supplied. The voltage is measured across third and fourth pads connected, respectively, to the first and second pads. In an alternative embodiment the functionality of the third and the fourth pads is multiplexed between chip operational circuitry unrelated to the voltage to be measured and a connection to the first and second pads for measuring the voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc
    Inventors: David John Fitzgerald, Neil Petrie, Barrett L. Connolly, Gregory P. Micko
  • Patent number: 7218119
    Abstract: A method for testing an electronic assembly (10) is provided. A portion (22) of the electronic assembly is electrically isolated from a remainder (24) of the electronic assembly. Power is provided to the electronic assembly such that a reduced amount of current flows only through the portion of the electronic assembly. The reduced amount of current is determined. A combined amount of current flowing through both the portion and the remainder of the electronic assembly when power is provided to both the portion and the remainder of the electronic assembly is calculated based on the reduced amount of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductors, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul T. Bennett, Randall C. Gray
  • Patent number: 7218090
    Abstract: A spectrum analyzer includes a resonator board that in turn has a substrate and a plurality of resonators. Each resonator may include a first segment that includes a first segment discontinuity and that may also define a boundary and a second segment that has a second segment discontinuity. The second segment may be spaced from the first segment and wherein the second segment is disposed within the boundary defined by the first segment. The resonator board may also include a plurality of wires each of which may be generally parallel to each other and each having a resonator interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army.
    Inventors: Vahakn Nalbandian, Ernest Potenziani, II