Patents Examined by Bot L. Ledynh
  • Patent number: 7705591
    Abstract: An embodiment includes a radio frequency (RF) sensor system having a plurality of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors, where each MR sensor includes a configuration of MR elements and is adapted to produce a time-varying output voltage in response to a time-varying, external magnetic field. The RF sensor system also includes combiner circuitry, electrically coupled to the plurality of MR sensors, and adapted to receive and combine a plurality of time-varying output voltages from the plurality of MR sensors to generate a sensor output voltage. Another embodiment includes an electromagnetic sensor array having a plurality of MR sensors arranged in an array configuration, where each MR sensor includes a plurality of MR elements forming a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and where each MR sensor is adapted to produce a time-varying output voltage in response to a time-varying, external magnetic field. Still another embodiment includes a method for manufacturing an electromagnetic sensor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William P. Geren, Robert J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7705587
    Abstract: According to the invention, the position sensor is characterized in that the correction means (3) are achieved by at least one saturated magnetic pole, a so-called stabilization pole (Ps), having a sign opposite to the sign of the irregular pole (Pi) which is also saturated, each stabilization pole (Ps) extending from one to the other edge of the magnetic ring, by being inserted in the irregular pole, so as to stabilize the magnetic signal delivered by the passage of the poles adjacent to the irregular pole, said magnetic signal delivered between the passage of the adjacent poles not passing through the zero value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Electrifil Automotive
    Inventors: Bertrand Legrand, Olivier Andrieu
  • Patent number: 7705598
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods which can be employed to locate or detect presence of various materials, including nonferrous metals. These systems include new and useful sensors, circuits, systems and devices which power and/or interoperate with the sensors, and methods of making, operating and using such systems. Any or all of the systems, devices or processes can be combined with other systems, devices or processes disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Admiralty Corporation
    Inventor: James Wagner Larsen
  • Patent number: 7701221
    Abstract: A device for environment detection having a first magnetic alternating field is situated in a vehicle. The device detects the at least one object in the environment of the vehicle by a second magnetic alternating field which is produced in the object as a function of the first magnetic alternating field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Kolatschek
  • Patent number: 7696747
    Abstract: Any inspection object regardless of material can easily be inspected or discriminated with high accuracy and high sensitivity by being placed in a magnetic field generated by applying an alternating current to an exciting coil and detecting changes of voltage level and phase of electromotive force induced by a detection coil unit. The discrimination of the inspection object is performed on the basis of a DC voltage value with respect to a standard specimen and a phase differential voltage value with respect to a phase difference between the phase of a voltage signal from the induction coil and the phase of the exciting current to the exciting coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kaisei Engineer Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kohama, Kazuhiko Yasohama, Makio Iwamoto, Takayuki Yamaki, Ichiro Fujitomi
  • Patent number: 7696746
    Abstract: A turbine wheel of a turbocharger has a turbine blade. The turbine blade has a fin shape of which width in the rotation direction of the turbocharger is narrow, and is projected from the base portion of the turbine wheel. An inclined part of the turbine blade is inclined with respect to the rotation direction of the turbocharger. A coil is disposed so that the inclined part passes nearby as the turbine wheel rotates in a posture that an end in the center axis direction is directed toward the turbocharger. A detector detects a change in inductance, which occurs when the inclined part of the coil passes nearby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignees: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Shimomura, Tsutomu Nakamura, Kenji Takeda, Akitoshi Mizutani, Takao Ban
  • Patent number: 7687284
    Abstract: A small-size magnetic sensor comprises three axial sensors each configured using plural giant magnetoresistive elements, wherein an X-axis sensor and a Y-axis sensor are arranged on the planar surface of an embedded layer of a substrate, and giant magnetoresistive elements forming a Z-axis sensor are formed on slopes of projections, which are formed by etching the embedded layer. It is possible to form an elongated projection on a substrate by way of the high-density plasma CVD method or by way of plasma etching and microwave etching, so that giant magnetoresistive elements are formed on the slopes of the elongated projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Naito, Hideki Sato, Hiroaki Fukami, Syuusei Takami
  • Patent number: 7688065
    Abstract: The device for counting the strokes of a piston sliding within a cylinder comprises a support housing a magnet which generates a magnetic field. The support also houses a sensor arranged to sense the magnetic field, such that the passage of the piston into a position corresponding with the magnet causes a disturbance in the magnetic field, which is sensed by the sensor, to indicate a stroke of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Sunbird Investments Limited
    Inventor: Walter Divisi
  • Patent number: 7688064
    Abstract: Apparatus for assessing field distortion includes a probe and a processor. The probe includes a mechanical fixture for placement at a location to be tested, and one or more field generators, which are attached to the mechanical fixture and are arranged to generate respective magnetic fields. The probe further includes one or more field sensors, which are attached to the mechanical fixture at known positions with respect to the one or more field sensors and are arranged to sense the magnetic fields generated by the one or more field generators and to output signals responsively to the sensed magnetic fields. The processor is arranged to process the signals so as to assess a distortion of the magnetic fields sensed by the field sensors at the tested location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Biosense Webster Inc.
    Inventors: Avi Shalgi, Ya'aeov Nitzan
  • Patent number: 7688066
    Abstract: A rotation detector includes: a magnet to form a magnetic field between the magnet and a rotary member; a magnetism detection element positioned in the proximity of the magnet to detect a variation in the magnetic field due to a rotation of the rotary member; and a signal processing circuit 3 to process a signal from the magnetism detection element and which is coated and sealed with a resin 7, recess portions 14a, 14b which are lower than electrode forming regions 15 are formed at adjoining regions adjacent to electrode forming regions 15 on which surface electrodes 4 are installed and resin 7 is filled within recess portions 14a, 14b. Thus, the rotation detector which can suppress the deficiency generated at a part mounted on a circuit forming portion, at junctions between the part and surface electrodes, or so forth due to expansion and shrinkage involved in a temperature variation can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuhide Aoki
  • Patent number: 7683612
    Abstract: The thin film magnetic sensor comprising a GMR film having a Giant Magneto-Resistance effect; and thin film yokes formed of a soft magnetic material connected electrically to both ends of the GMR film; wherein the thin film yoke has a high sensitivity portion with a demagnetizing factor of NL in a magnetic sensitive direction, and a low sensitivity portion with a demagnetizing factor of NH(>NL) in the magnetic sensitive direction, the low sensitivity portion being connected electrically in series with the high sensitivity portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Daido Steel Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigenobu Koyama
  • Patent number: 7683611
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device and method for pipeline inspection, The inspection device may include an exciter coil capable of providing an alternating current magnetic field and producing eddy currents. A plurality of sensors may then be provided which are capable of sensing a magnetic field produced by the eddy currents and the sensors may be engaged with a sensor shoe. The sensors may then be capable of being positioned at a first distance D1 with respect to an inner pipe wall surface and capable of providing coupling to the magnetic field produced by the eddy currents. The sensor shoe may also be capable of retracting to a second distance D2, wherein D1<D2. The sensor shoe may be connected to a sensor support arm wherein the support arm may be pivotably attached to a fixed hub and to a control arm which control arm may then be pivotably attached to a driven hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Gary Lane Burkhardt, Alfred Eugene Crouch, Albert Joseph Parvin, Jr., Ronald Herbert Peterson, Todd Hegert Goyen, Richard Franklin Tennis
  • Patent number: 7679368
    Abstract: A galvanic resistivity tool with one or more measurement electrodes and guard electrodes, and one or more shielding electrodes. The impedance seen by the measurement electrode (indicative of the formation resistivity) is determined by using a directional coupler that measures a reflection coefficient of an electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Martin Folberth
  • Patent number: 7675284
    Abstract: A rotation angle detecting device includes a permanent magnet member, a pair of magnetic sensor elements disposed in a magnetic field formed by the permanent magnet member to provide a pair of output voltage signals when the magnetic field changes as the rotating object rotates; and a rotation angle calculating unit. The rotation angle calculating unit calculates a phase difference between the pair of output voltage signals from a magnitude of the output signal of one of the magnetic sensor elements when detecting a specific magnitude of the output signal of the other magnetic sensor elements whose phase angle is known.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichirou Matsumoto, Takashi Kawashima, Tatsuya Kitanaka
  • Patent number: 7675289
    Abstract: A system for detection of linear underground anomalies passing under surface roads comprises an electromagnetic (EM) gradiometer mounted on a vehicle trailer. A transmitter is mounted to the front bumper of a car or vehicle towing the trailer and provides carrier synchronization information to the EM-gradiometer. An opportunistic radio station can be used as an illuminator. The transmitter or ground wave from an opportunistic radio station directs radio waves down into the ground where objects like linear underground anomalies and their equipment will produce reflections and scattered waves. These reflections will have phase angles and magnitudes that can be interpreted for characterizing information about the linear underground anomalies. Each EM-gradiometer measurement is tagged with GPS location information and then stored in a database. Subsequent passes over the same roadways and tracks are compared (change detection) to the earlier stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Stolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry G. Stolarczyk, Tito Sanchez, Gerald Stolarczyk, Beaux Beard, Eduardo Bonnin, Ernest Salazar, John Myers, Chance Valentine, Robert Troublefield, John Howard
  • Patent number: 7671582
    Abstract: The magnetic encoder is constituted by integrally bonding a magnet portion obtainable by forming a magnetic material containing a magnetic powder and a binder for the magnetic powder in a circular ring shape to a slinger. The binder contains at least a thermoplastic resin and an impact resistance-improving agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Yabe, Takeshi Murakami, Nariaki Aihara
  • Patent number: 7663373
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying a location of a magnetic field source. A total magnetic field is measured during a calibration routine prior to a drilling procedure. During the drilling procedure, a magnetic field measurement is obtained. Using a ratio of the measured magnetic field and the calibrated field, a set of possible angles and distances is calculated. After the source is advanced a known distance, a second magnetic field measurement is obtained. A second ratio is calculated and a second set of possible angles and distances is calculated. The relative location of the source is then determined using the first set and second set of values, along with the known distance and a pitch angle of the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael F. Gard, Kody D. Mason, Floyd R. Gunsaulis
  • Patent number: 7664386
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a heat generating member arranged in a body, and a heat transmission member of a shape of a three-dimensional body having at least a first surface that is joined to the heat generating member and a second surface that is joined to an inner surface of the body. The first surface of the heat transmission member has an area greater than or equal to an area of the heat transmission member joined to the heat generating member, and an entire area of the second surface is joined to the inner surface of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Ito
  • Patent number: 7659715
    Abstract: Inspecting an open cavity by successive broaching movements of an eddy-current sensor. The inspection device includes a probe body including the sensor installed laterally in the vicinity of the end of a rod and in line with a ramp, together with a resilient bias device acting on the probe body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Patrick Briffa, Patrick Cabanis, Patrick Gaisnon, Luc Ravize
  • Patent number: 7656154
    Abstract: Provided is a highly accurate optical pumping magnetometer, in which a static magnetic field and an oscillating field to be applied to a vapor cell are stabilized. To this end, the optical pumping magnetometer includes: Helmholtz coils for applying a constant static magnetic field to a vapor cell serving as a magnetic field detector; fluxgate magnetometers for detecting environmental magnetic noise in two directions of X-axis direction and Y-axis direction other than Z-axis direction which is a direction for detecting a magnetic field coming out of a measurement object while locating the vapor cell in the center thereof; magnetometer drive circuits for driving the fluxgate magneotometers; current converters for converting outputs of the magnetometer drive circuits into amount of currents; and magnetic field generating coils for generating a magnetic field in a phase opposite to the environmental magnetic noise in the two directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuuzou Kawabata, Akihiko Kandori