Patents Examined by Bot Ledynh
  • Patent number: 9846254
    Abstract: A proposed marine electric survey apparatus complex includes a generator line exciting electric field, bottom stations on a sea bottom profile, receiving lines interconnecting the stations. Each receiving line has two measuring electrodes defining a symmetric main space separation equal to the receiving line's length. Two adjacent bottom stations define a pair of electrodes, each electrode is located opposite to the other electrode, providing for measuring the electric field in one point ensuring measurements continuity and uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventors: Vladimir Kiasper, Evgeny Lisitsyn, Alexander Petrov, Andrey Tulupov
  • Patent number: 9846057
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for computing the angle (?) of rotation of a rotational-angle sensor apparatus (10) with a first Hall measuring plate (20) and a second Hall measuring plate (30) which are arranged orthogonally to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: TDK—Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Lothar Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9835752
    Abstract: A sensor for the location of metallic objects and also an associated method comprise a plurality of transmitting coils (2.1, 2.2) and at least one receiving coil (1.9) which are arranged such as to be inductively coupled to one another and overlap to a partial extent for the purposes of decoupling the interaction therebetween, whereby there can be obtained a point of optimal cancellation of the interaction. Due to the fact that a flow of current is passed through the transmitting coils (2.1, 2.2) by a sensor electronic system, equal flows of current through the transmitting coils have an effect upon the at least one receiving coil (1.9) which results in a local point of optimal cancellation which moves in a first direction when there is a flow of current in a first transmitting coil (2.1), whereas it moves in another direction when there is a flow of current in a further transmitting coil (2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SHANGHAI LANBAO SENSOR CO., LTD
    Inventor: Gerd Reime
  • Patent number: 9829345
    Abstract: A rotation detection apparatus includes a signal detector and a determination circuit. The signal detector outputs a first signal and a second signal based on changes in respective resistance values of magnetoresistive element pairs. The first signal has a waveform corresponding to convexities and concavities of a rotor, while the second signal has a waveform differing in phase from the first signal. Upon receiving the first signal and second signal, the determination circuit compares each of the first signal and second signal against a binarization threshold value to generate a first binarized signal and a second binarized signal. The determination circuit permits output of the first binarized signal during one of a concavity period and a convexity period of the second binarized signal, and prohibits output of the first binarized signal during the other one of the concavity period and convexity period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Kenji Chikuan
  • Patent number: 9829421
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining surface wetting of metallic materials at downhole wellbore condition with fixed or changing well fluids are disclosed. In general, the methods according to the disclosure include carrying out an electrical impedance spectroscopy (“EIS”) for a system simulating downhole conditions for the wetting of a surface by simultaneously dynamically moving electrodes exposed to the well fluid while measuring the changes in electrical characteristics between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Gopala Rao Palla, Bhargav Gajji, Sameer Bardapurkar, Sairam K S Pindiprolu
  • Patent number: 9823314
    Abstract: A device includes a diamond with one or more nitrogen vacancies, a light emitting diode configured to emit light that travels through the diamond, and a photo sensor configured to sense the light. The device also includes a processor operatively coupled to the photo sensor. The processor is configured to determine, based on the light sensed by the photo sensor, a magnetic field applied to the diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Hahn, Gregory S. Bruce, Wilbur Lew
  • Patent number: 9823379
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for delivering current to a lower exposed end of a well in which a source of current is connected to a middle section of a well casing or tubing inserted in the casing with the middle section being electrically isolated from a first or upper section by an insulative coupler and treated to be electrically resistive. A cable is attached to the middle section and used to deliver current along the wall of the middle section to the lower exposed end such that the lower exposed end is used to generate an electric field in nearby geological zones. Changes in the generated electric field resulting from the nature of materials in the geological zones can be detected by surface or below ground monitors or sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GroundMetrics, Inc.
    Inventor: H. Frank Morrison
  • Patent number: 9823316
    Abstract: A magnetic biosensor can include a magnetic stack comprising a free layer, a fixed layer, and a nonmagnetic layer between the free layer and the fixed layer. At least one of the free layer or the fixed layer may have a magnetic moment oriented out of a major plane of the free layer or the fixed layer, respectively, in an absence of an external magnetic field. The magnetic biosensor also may include a sample container disposed over the magnetic stack, a plurality of capture antibodies attached to a bottom surface of the sample container above the magnetic stack, and a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field substantially perpendicular to the major plane of the free layer or fixed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Jian-Ping Wang, Md Tofizur Rahman, Yi Wang
  • Patent number: 9817081
    Abstract: A device includes a diamond assembly. The diamond assembly includes a diamond with a plurality of nitrogen vacancy centers and electrical components that emit electromagnetic waves. The device also includes a light source configured to emit light toward the diamond and a photo detector configured to detect light from the light source that traveled through the diamond. The device further includes an attenuator between the diamond assembly and the photo detector. The attenuator is configured to attenuate the electromagnetic waves emitted from the electrical components of the diamond assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph W. Hahn, Gregory S. Bruce, Duc Huynh, Wilbur Lew
  • Patent number: 9818934
    Abstract: A hall effect device includes an active Hall region in a semiconductor substrate, and at least four terminal structures, each terminal structure including a switchable supply contact element and a sense contact element, wherein each supply contact element includes a transistor element with a first transistor terminal, a second transistor terminal, and a control terminal, wherein the second transistor terminal contacts the active Hall region or extends in the active Hall region; and wherein the sense contact elements are arranged in the active Hall region and neighboring to the switchable supply contact elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Markus Eckinger
  • Patent number: 9810551
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to magnetic field sensors, such as magnetic field angle sensors with generally on-axis arrangements of sensor elements relative to a rotation axis of a magnet or shaft. The shaft comprises or is coupled to an end portion that comprises a soft magnetic material, in embodiments, with the end portion having an end surface proximate the sensor that is rotationally asymmetric with respect to the rotation axis running through the length of the shaft. The sensor comprises at least three magnetic field sensing elements arranged in a plane generally perpendicular to the shaft and rotation axis. Circuitry forming part of or coupled to the sensor is configured to estimate a rotational position of the shaft by combining the signals of the at least three magnetic field sensing elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 9791585
    Abstract: Various embodiments are described that relate to a loop with a constant phase. The loop can function as an antenna and be used in object detection. A current source can be used to power the loop such that the loop produces a magnetic field and an electric field. The magnetic field can be powerful enough to detect a dielectric while the electric field is so small that it does not interfere with nearby communication equipment. Thus, detection can occur without disruption of other important devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Daniel Charles Heinz, Adam William Melber, Thomas Albert Burst, Michael Leonard Brennan, Michael Steer
  • Patent number: 9777567
    Abstract: A steering tool is movable by a drill string to form an underground bore along an intended path. A sensing arrangement of the steering tool detects its pitch and yaw orientations at a series of spaced apart positions along the bore, each position is characterized by a measured extension of the drill string. The steering tool further includes a receiver. At least one marker is positioned proximate to the intended path, for transmitting a rotating dipole field to expose a portion of the intended path to the field for reception by the receiver. The detected pitch orientation, the detected yaw orientation and the measured extension of the drill string are used in conjunction with magnetic information from the receiver to locate the steering tool. The steering tool may automatically use the magnetic information when it is available. A customized overall position determination accuracy can be provided along the intended path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Merlin Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Guenter W. Brune, Albert W. Chau, Rudolf Zeller, John E. Mercer
  • Patent number: 9772202
    Abstract: An electronic absolute position encoder includes a scale extending along a measuring axis direction (MA) and including a signal modulating scale pattern defining a corresponding absolute range R along MA, a detector including sensing elements arranged along MA and configured to provide detector signals which respond to the signal modulating scale pattern, and a signal processing configuration that determines an absolute position of the detector along the scale based on the detector signals. The signal modulating scale pattern includes a coarse periodic pattern component as a function of position along the scale having a spatial wavelength ?C, wherein n*?C=R and n is an integer, and a fine periodic pattern component as a function of position along the scale having a spatial wavelength ?F, wherein (mn+1)*?F=R and m is an integer that is at least two. The wavelengths ?C and ?C may be widely separated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Ted Staton Cook
  • Patent number: 9768771
    Abstract: A superconducting switch system is provided that includes a filter network having a first SQUID coupled to a second SQUID via a common node, an input port coupled to the common node, a first output port coupled to the first SQUID, and a second output port coupled to the second SQUID. The superconducting switch system also includes a switch controller configured to control an amount of induced current through the first SQUID and the second SQUID to alternately switch the first and second SQUIDS between first inductance states in which a desired bandwidth portion of a signal provided at the input terminal passes to the first output terminal and is blocked from passing to the second output terminal, and second inductance states in which the desired bandwidth portion of the input signal passes to the second output terminal and is blocked from passing to the first output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Ofer Naaman
  • Patent number: 9767153
    Abstract: A method of data binning includes the steps of partitioning a circumference of a tool face into M number of sectors, defining each data point relating to resistivity information by a fidelity function g(?), assigning to each data point a weight for each of the M number of sectors, wherein the weight is associated with an integral of the fidelity function g(?) over the sector, and computing an average of the data points weighted by their respective weights for each of the M sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Well Resolutions Technology
    Inventor: Tsili Wang
  • Patent number: 9766260
    Abstract: A sensor device for contactlessly determining a revolution rate and a direction of rotation of a component that rotates during operation of the component, the component having, on at least one peripheral region, a circumferential structure of web-shaped or tooth-shaped radial protrusions and interposed grooves or tooth gaps includes: a threaded segment configured to positionally fix an arrangement of the sensor device so that the circumferential structure of the component is movable past the sensor device; a magnetic field generating device; and a magnetic field detecting device having at least three magnetic field sensors that are not arranged in alignment along a line. A distance between the magnetic field sensors that are the farthest apart from each other is less than or equal to a width of the grooves or tooth gaps of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG
    Inventors: Peter Kock, Günter Bücklers, Christoph Steinberg
  • Patent number: 9759749
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to coreless magnetic field current sensors, systems and methods, such as magnetoresistive sensors, systems and methods, to sense current flow in a conductor via a related magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner
  • Patent number: 9753175
    Abstract: Methods and systems for characterizing a formation are disclosed. A tool is placed in the formation. The tool comprises a perpendicular antenna set and a parallel antenna set. The perpendicular antenna set comprises at least one transmitter antenna oriented perpendicular to at least one receiver antenna and the parallel antenna set comprises at least one transmitter antenna oriented parallel to at least one receiver antenna. Data is obtained from the tool and used to determine a compensated geosignal for each of the perpendicular antenna set and the parallel antenna set. The determined compensated geosignal is used to characterize the formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Haliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Shanjun Li, Hsu-Hsiang Wu, Michael Bittar
  • Patent number: 9752426
    Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include well ranging apparatus, systems, and methods which operate to receive normal components of electromagnetic field strength azimuthal measurements within a first well at different tool azimuth angles in the first well. Further activities include determining an approximate range from the sensors to a second well that serves as a source of an electromagnetic field, via direct transmission or backscatter transmission, using the normal components of the electromagnetic field strength azimuthal measurements. In some embodiments, the approximate range can be determined without introducing sensor azimuthal separation into range calculations. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Hsu-Hsiang Wu