Patents Examined by Bot Ledynh
  • Patent number: 9605978
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to magnetic field angle sensing systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Udo Ausserlechner, Mario Motz
  • Patent number: 9599693
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a magnetic field sensing device that utilizes a single coil for calibrating the response of the sensor to compensate for temperature dependent sensitivity drift and also for resetting the magnetic field sensor in order to eliminate hysteresis. The single coil configuration is advantageous since it reduces the size of the sensor chip by decreasing the number of contact pads on the chip and also because it wastes less space, which permits an increase in the density of the magnetoresistive elements on the sensor chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Weifeng Shen, Xiaofeng Lei, Songsheng Xue
  • Patent number: 9581719
    Abstract: An oil-based mud formation imaging tool for measuring electrical properties of surrounding formation includes at least one base plate, a first port and a second port deployed on the base plate, surface conductors covering both sides of the base plate, and inside conductors deployed in the first port and the second ports and with gaps from the edges of the first and second ports. The first port is fed with electromagnetic signals by a waveguide and a coupling is formed between the imaging tool and the surrounding formation accordingly. Resonance signals are induced at the second port to be used to compute corresponding formation resistivity and dielectric constant. A corresponding imaging method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Bitswave, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Liu, Qingjie Bai, Qihui Zhao, Yuzhou Lu, Tao Huang, Zhong Wang, Suming Wu, Ce Liu
  • Patent number: 9574865
    Abstract: A method for detecting magnetic fields, particularly for detecting the position of objects with a preferably oblong, soft-magnetic element, which is connected to electronics, with via the electronics the impedance of the soft-magnetic material is measured, characterized in that a magnetic field is used in which by the position of an object which is located in an arrangement with the soft-magnetic material the magnetic field develops at the location of the soft-magnetic material, with the magnetic permeability ? of the soft-magnetic material adjusting, depending on the magnetic field and thus the position of the object. A respective device serves for applying the method according to the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MICRO-EPSILON Messtechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Pfaffinger, Johann Hofer, Felix Mednikov, Thomas Wisspeintner, Guenter Schallmoser
  • Patent number: 9568563
    Abstract: A magnetic core flux sensor assembly may include a flux sensor core portion and at least one elongated opening for receiving a conductor winding through the flux sensor core portion. An electrical current flowing through the conductor winding generates a magnetic field about the conductor winding and a magnetic flux flow about the elongated opening. A plurality of pairs of sensor holes are positioned relative to the elongated opening for preventing significant disruption of the magnetic flux flow and for sensing the magnetic flux flow at different distances from an edge of the elongated opening. A sensor conductor winding passes through each pair of sensor holes. The magnetic flux flow generates an electrical signal in each sensor conductor winding. The electrical signal in a particular sensor conductor winding corresponds to the magnetic flux flow at a location of the particular sensor conductor winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: James Leo Peck, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9551763
    Abstract: Systems and apparatuses are disclosed for providing a uniform RF field and magnetic bias field to a nitrogen vacancy center diamond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph W. Hahn, Gregory S. Bruce, Duc Huynh, Wilbur Lew
  • Patent number: 9551762
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor and a method include a modulator coupled in a feedback arrangement and operable to modulate a calibration feedback signal with a modulator clock signal having a selected frequency and a selected relative phase operable to remove a gain error in the magnetic field sensor and in the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Juan Manuel Cesaretti
  • Patent number: 9547048
    Abstract: Output signals from two or more vertical Hall elements arranged in a circle are combined is ways that reduce an offset voltage as the two or more vertical Hall elements are sequenced to generated a sequential output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Allegro MicoSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Hernan D. Romero
  • Patent number: 9541611
    Abstract: A structure for mounting a Hall effect sensor, the structure including: a mounting bracket, a mounting plate, a left supporting column, a right supporting column, and a first supporting column. The left supporting column and the right supporting column are protruded upwards from top surfaces of two adjacent teeth at the inner side of a certain winding slot, respectively. The first supporting column is protruded upwards from the top surface of the circular yoke at the outer side of the winding slot. The mounting plate is disposed on top surfaces of the first supporting column, the left supporting column, and the right supporting column. The mounting bracket is installed at the bottom of the mounting plate. The Hall effect sensor is installed in the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: ZHONGSHAN BROAD-OCEAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiongcheng Wang, Guiwen Fu, Yueqiang Yu
  • Patent number: 9541370
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus, including: an arrangement that includes at least one pair of oppositely directed, spaced apart, radiating-capable elements along a common axis, each of said elements being hollow with internal space, and being slotted throughout its entire extent; a first circuitry coupled to said arrangement and being configured to sense an electric field projection along said axis and to convey it to a first feeding terminal; and a second circuitry coupled to at least one slot of said arrangement configured to sense a magnetic field's projection along said axis and to convey it to a first feeding terminal. The apparatus being further configured to resolve a polarization vector of incoming wavefront propagating in an orthogonal direction to said common axis based on at least said sensed electric field projection and said magnetic field projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: ELTA SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventor: Benyamin Almog
  • Patent number: 9541610
    Abstract: A system for magnetic detection of an external magnetic field is disclosed. The system includes a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers, a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field, a radio frequency (RF) excitation source that provides RF excitation, an optical excitation source that provides optical excitation, an optical detector that receives an optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a control magnetic field, control the magnetic field generator to generate the control magnetic field, receive a light detection signal from the optical detector based on the optical signal due to the sum of the generated control magnetic field and the external magnetic field, store measurement data based on the received light detection signal, and calculate a vector of the external magnetic field based on the stored measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Peter G. Kaup, Arul Manickam
  • Patent number: 9541373
    Abstract: A magnetic detector includes a rotor including a signal generation unit in a surface perpendicular to a rotary shaft and configured to rotate around the rotary shaft, and a detection unit configured to detect a rotational angle of the rotor by using magnetism via the signal generation unit. A plurality of concave and convex portions of the signal generation unit is formed by electroforming or sintering. In the surface, a projection portion is preferably disposed radially inside or outside the rotor with respect to the signal generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Hirosato Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9541641
    Abstract: A non-invasive method of buried-utility-mapping includes using a long wavelength gradiometric ground penetrating radar to “see” patches of conductive material below ground and buried pipes and electrical conductors that are all constantly radio-illuminated by local AM radio broadcasts. The underground infrastructure of entire cities can be surveyed this way, point-by-point over time. A short wavelength part of the gradiometric ground penetrating radar operates shoulder-to-shoulder with the magnetic part and is able to improve shallow object resolution, map moisture build-ups under roads, and spot contaminated soils. Two gradiometric ground penetrating radar technologies, cameras, and navigation receivers can be mounted on city vehicles and a daily collection of their data batch transformed by digital processing algorithms into detailed and automatically updating false-color maps of the underground utilities of the whole city and other buried infrastructures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Stolar, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald L. Stolarczyk, Larry G. Stolarczyk, Igor Bausov
  • Patent number: 9535139
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor of the present invention includes a Hall-effect sensor configured to detect magnetism and an IC being configured to drive the Hall-effect sensor and perform signal processing therefor and having two or more metal interconnection layers. The Hall-effect sensor and the IC are electrically connected to each other via wire interconnections and sealed in one package. Metal interconnections on the IC to input output voltage of the Hall-effect sensor to a signal processing unit of the IC have a grade-separation junction portion in order to suppress an induced electromotive force which a change in the magnetic flux density externally applied generates at output terminals of the Hall-effect sensor, the wire interconnections connected to output electrode pads of the Hall-effect sensor, and the metal interconnections to input the output voltage of the Hall-effect sensor to the signal processing unit of the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventors: Sosuke Nishida, Toshinori Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 9528858
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an electronic device includes an excitation control; a first excitation element coupled to the excitation control; a second excitation element coupled to the excitation control; a target positioned near the first and second excitation elements and within the electromagnetic fields generated by the first and second excitation elements; a receiving element positioned near the target and within the electromagnetic fields generated by the first and second excitation elements; and a signal processor coupled to the receiving element and coupled to the excitation control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jacques Bertin
  • Patent number: 9523744
    Abstract: A sensing apparatus and sensing device using the sensing apparatus are capable of identifying a relative position of a body which includes a magnetic module by using sensing data of a sensor unit which may be arranged in a 3 dimensional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eunjoong Kim
  • Patent number: 9518957
    Abstract: A magnetic signal measuring apparatus includes a first magnetic field applying unit that applies a first magnetic field to magnetic substances when a measured substance is binding to the magnetic substances, a second magnetic field applying unit that applies a second magnetic field to the magnetic substances to which the first magnetic field has been applied, and a SQUID that measures a magnetic signal derived from the magnetic substances. The first magnetic field has an intensity of such a degree that the magnetic substances do not flocculate with each other and such a degree that directions of magnetic moments in the magnetic substances can be aligned with each other. The second magnetic field has an intensity of such a degree that the magnetic substances do not flocculate with each other and such a degree that a magnetic signal can be obtained from the magnetic substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Enpuku, Takako Mizoguchi, Akihiko Kandori
  • Patent number: 9520551
    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 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Tecnologies AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kolb, Markus Eckinger
  • Patent number: 9513398
    Abstract: Illustrative permanent electromagnetic (EM) monitoring systems and methods have a casing string positioned inside a borehole and equipped with one or more EM transducer modules having a layer of soft magnetic material that substantially encircles the casing string to amplify a signal response of a magnetic field transmitting and/or sensing element. The layer preferably has an axial dimension at least twice an axial dimension of the magnetic field sensing element, with a relative permeability at least twice that of the casing material. The magnetic field transmitting element can be a coil. The magnetic field sensing element can be a coil or a piezoelectric or magnetostrictive element that applies stress to an optical fiber. A well interface system communicates with the one or more EM transducer modules to transmit and/or collect EM signals over time. Additional casing strings may be provided in other nearby boreholes to enable tomographic mapping and monitoring of fluid interfaces in the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Wilson, Burkay Donderici
  • Patent number: 9513345
    Abstract: A system for magnetic detection of an external magnetic field is disclosed. The system includes a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers, a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field, a radio frequency (RF) excitation source that provides RF excitation, an optical excitation source that provides optical excitation, an optical detector that receives an optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material, and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate a control magnetic field, control the magnetic field generator to generate the control magnetic field, receive a light detection signal from the optical detector based on the optical signal due to the sum of the generated control magnetic field and the external magnetic field, store measurement data based on the received light detection signal, and calculate a vector of the external magnetic field based on the stored measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Peter G. Kaup, Arul Manickam