Abstract: A vehicle incorporates a crank battery, a rechargeable auxiliary battery, and an onboard electrical power source separate from the crank battery and the auxiliary battery. A battery charge controller manages a supply of electrical energy to the auxiliary battery to charge the auxiliary battery. The battery charge controller includes a first comparator for monitoring a voltage level of the crank battery, and a second comparator for monitoring a voltage level of the onboard electrical power source. A first switching device electrically couples the crank battery and the auxiliary battery to charge the auxiliary battery when the voltage level of the crank battery exceeds a first voltage threshold, and electrically decouples the crank battery and the auxiliary battery when the voltage level of the crank battery is below the first voltage threshold.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for transferring power without requiring direct electrical conductive contacts. There is provided a primary unit having a power supply and a substantially laminar charging surface having at least one conductor that generates an electromagnetic field when a current flows therethrough and having an charging area defined within a perimeter of the surface, the at least one conductor being arranged such that electromagnetic field lines generated by the at least one conductor are substantially parallel to the plane of the surface or at least subtend an angle of 45° or less to the surface within the charging area; and at least one secondary device including at least one conductor that may be wound about a core. Because the electromagnetic field is spread over the charging area and is generally parallel or near-parallel thereto, coupling with flat secondary devices such as mobile telephones and the like is significantly improved in various orientations thereof.

Abstract: A media portal for a vehicle includes a structure within a vehicle passenger compartment that defines a cavity. The cavity is selectively variable in size in order to retain a portable electronic device. A sensor is configured to detect the presence of the portable electronic device in the cavity. An inductive charger is positioned to generate a changing magnetic field in the cavity to inductively charge a battery of the portable electronic device. At least one user interface device is included through which data can be received from or transmitted to the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a battery, i.e. a power storage unit having a capacity different from a reference capacity, a current sensor for detecting a current inputted to the power storage unit or outputted therefrom and delivering the detection value by converting it depending on the ratio of the capacity of the power storage unit to the reference capacity, and a controller performing current integration by receiving the output from the current detecting section and judging charged state of the power storage unit. The current sensor preferably comprises a sensor for measuring a current flowing through wiring connected with the power storage unit, and a converting section for converting the sensor output depending on the ratio of the capacity of the power storage unit to the reference capacity. When the capacity of the power storage unit is equal to n times of the reference capacity, the converting section delivers the sensor output while multiplying by 1/n.

Abstract: The digital camera capable of printing shot images by directly connecting a digital camera to the printing device, and even if the printing device does not support at least one of the index printing and the multiple printing, a synthetic image corresponding to the printing mode not supported by the printing device is generated by the digital camera and is sent to the printing device. Thereby, even if the printing device does not support one of, or both of the index printing and the multiple printing, the index printing and/or the multiple printing can be conducted.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inductive position measuring device or goniometer having two to no more than five digital oscillators, each of which contains measuring coils or reference coils. Particularly favorable for one application as a transmission sensor is a coil array for three or four oscillators that includes two measuring coils and/or two reference coils. When one plate-shaped measuring element that is sensitive for eddy currents passes through the measuring area, a measuring coil arranged in a planar manner is increasingly covered. One reference coil is arranged such that it does not touch the movement track of the measuring element, but is exposed to the same ambient conditions (temperatures) as the measuring coil. Another reference coil is arranged such that it is covered by the measuring element in the entire measuring area and therefore can compensate the fluctuations in the spacing height between the planar coil array and the measuring element that occur during operation.

Abstract: A waveguide driving circuit for generating a current pulse in a waveguide includes a voltage source for providing a direct voltage, a choke the first terminal of which is coupled to a first terminal of the voltage source, a first switch the first terminal of which is coupled to a second terminal of the choke and the second terminal of which is coupled to a second terminal of the voltage source, the waveguide the first terminal of which at a first waveguide end is coupled to the first terminal of the first switch and the second terminal of which at the first waveguide end is coupled to a second terminal of the voltage source, and a controller implemented to open and close the first switch, to generate a current pulse at the terminals of the waveguide at the first waveguide end.

Abstract: An image shooting and display apparatus includes: a plurality of image pickup portions. An image pickup controller switches image pickup portions to be used in accordance with the image shooting mode. It also switches the image shooting mode in accordance with the image pickup portions to be actuated in accordance with the usage condition of the apparatus. A mode switching controller switches shooting mode and display mode, and controls image pickup portions suitable for each mode by way of the image pickup controller and also controls an image display portion.

Abstract: An AMR gear tooth rotation sensor and a method for utilizing it are disclosed. These facilitate easy manufacture of the device without sacrificing either high sensitivity or high signal output. This is achieved by forming individual sensing elements out of AMR stripes and then connecting four such sensing elements as a Wheatstone bridge. The latter is attached to a permanent magnet that provides a bias field whose value rises and falls as wheel teeth and valleys (respectively) move past the rotation sensor.

Abstract: A detection device and a rotation angle sensor include a case body and a cover member. A support portion in the case body is provided with fitting protuberances fitted in fitting holes of a printed board, on which a detection component is mounted, so as to position the printed board. Each protuberance has ribs protruding from an outer peripheral surface thereof. The ribs are elastically or plastically deformed by contact with an inner peripheral surface of the corresponding fitting hole of the board, and position the board along a support surface of the support portion. A projecting portion of the cover member is elastically or plastically deformed so as to urge the board toward the support surface of the support portion so that the board is clamped between the projecting portion and the support surface and is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the support surface of the support portion.

Abstract: A real time electronic metal detector including a magnetic transmitter (1) and a receiver (3), wherein the receiver includes approximate sine-wave weighted synchronous demodulation and a switched voltage signal is applied to the magnetic transmitter and the said receiver approximate sine-wave weighted synchronous demodulation is selected to receive synchronously with the switched voltage signal, such that the switched voltage signal and the receiver approximate sine-wave weighted synchronous demodulation may be altered by means of operator selection.

Abstract: Oil-based mud imaging systems and methods having standoff compensation. In some embodiments, disclosed logging systems include a logging tool in communication with surface computing facilities. The logging tool is provided with a sensor array having at least two voltage electrodes positioned between two current electrodes energized by an excitation source to create an oscillatory electric field in a borehole wall. The two current electrodes are each shielded with conductive shields to prevent current leakage into the logging tool body. A common mode voltage is measured, and the phase and amplitude of the excitation source is controlled to reduce the difference between the common mode voltage and reference voltage of a voltage detector. The logging tool is further provided with electronics coupled to the voltage detector and the current electrodes to determine a differential voltage between the voltage electrodes and two current flows from separate ones of the current electrodes.

Abstract: A probe is pulled along a cooling slot of a turbine wheel to detect defects along the slot surfaces. The cooling slot extends radially inwardly of the bases of both the dovetails and dovetail slots. A housing assembly is releasably coupled to the rim of the turbine wheel and a motor draws the probe along the cooling slot at constant speed. A guide and brushes on the probe serve to bias the probe radially outwardly against the surfaces to be inspected as the probe is drawn along the cooling slot.

Abstract: Inductive angular-position sensor, including a partially metallized disk that moves in rotation around its axis of revolution; and a stator that includes a primary coil and several secondary coils, whereby the secondary coils are arranged essentially symmetrically in pairs relative to the axis of revolution, so as to form one or more pairs of secondary coils, whereby the secondary coils of each pair are connected, on the one hand, to one another, in series and in phase opposition relative to one another, and, on the other hand, to the terminals of a measuring element that can generate an output signal that depends on the voltage at the terminals of the pair.

Abstract: A resistivity sub including a resistivity sensor forms part of a bottom hole drilling assembly. The sensor is maintained at a substantially fixed offset from the wall of a borehole during drilling operations by, for example, a stabilizer. In WBM, galvanic sensors may be used, with or without commonly used focusing methods, for obtaining a resistivity image of the borehole wall. In OBM, capacitive coupling may be used. The apparatus is capable of using other types of sensors, such as induction, MPR, shielded dipole, quadrupole, and GPR sensors. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Abstract: An imaging device includes an imaging sensor having an imaging surface upon which an object image is formed via a photographing optical system; a guiding device for guiding the imaging sensor in a direction parallel to the imaging surface of the imaging sensor; and a driving device for driving the imaging sensor, while being guided by the guiding device, based on an output of an image-shake detector which detects a direction and magnitude of an amount of vibration applied to the photographing optical system. One and the other of the guiding device and the driving device are respectively provided in front of and behind an image-stabilizing plane, which is coincident with the imaging surface of the imaging sensor, with respect to an optical axis direction of the photographing optical system.

Abstract: A method is shown for magnetostrictive testing of structures using a magnetostrictive strip and magnetostrictive techniques. A torsional guided wave is generated in the magnetostrictive strip which is dry coupled or bonded to the structure. A magnetic field creates an induced bias along the longitudinal axis of the magnetostrictive strip, which magnetic field is sufficiently strong so that when an AC pulse applies an AC bias perpendicular to the induced bias, the AC bias does not override or saturate the induced bias. This allows for an increased signal to noise ratio in a reflected signal indicating a defect in the structure. The induce bias and the AC bias are created by respective windings around the magnetostrictive strip, which windings are perpendicular to each other.

Abstract: A multi-track sense magnet for use in a system for sensing the relative displacement of two elements, and including a magnetic structure that is moveable relative to detector devices for detecting movement of the magnetic structure. The magnetic structure includes at least a first track and a second track extending generally parallel to each other, each track including a plurality of sectors of alternating magnetic poles. A blocker track is located between the first and second tracks, wherein the blocker track includes a predetermined number of sectors corresponding to the number of sectors on the first track. Each sector of the blocker track is aligned with and defines an opposite magnetic pole to an adjacent sector of the first track to alter the magnetic field of the first track extending toward the second track.

Abstract: A device rotates at least one static magnetic field about an axis, producing a rotating magnetic dipole field, and is movable in relation to the surface of the ground. The field is periodically sensed using a receiver to produce a receiver output responsive to the field. A positional relationship between the receiver and the device is monitored using the output. In one aspect, changing the positional relationship, by moving the device nearer to a boring tool which supports the receiver, causes an increase in accuracy of depth determination. In another aspect, determination of an actual overhead position of the boring tool, and its application, are described. Use of a plurality of measurements over at least one-half revolution of each magnet is disclosed. Establishing a surface radial direction toward a boring tool and resolution of multi-valued parameters is described. Calibration techniques, as well as a three transmitter configuration are also described.

Abstract: A magnetic field position sensing device for sensing the position, on a front surface of a wall, of a magnet of known magnetic field intensity secured to a rear surface of the wall. The sensing device has a magnetic field transducer which produces signals proportional to the strength of the magnetic field detected. These signals are treated in a microcontroller and compared to a reference signal value representative of the magnetic field intensity of the magnet, when not obstructed, whereby to generate signals to a display device which displays a numerical value indicative of the thickness of the wall. Audible/visual signaling devices are also provided whereby to direct the movement of the sensing device by a user person to locate same on the front surface of the wall substantially adjacent the magnet and this is accomplished by displacing the sensing device in a diminishing spiral path.