Patents Examined by Brent J Andrews
  • Patent number: 12298155
    Abstract: An inductive position sensor device includes at least a first terminal to couple the position sensor device with a first receiving antenna coil for providing a first reception signal, and at least a second terminal to couple the position sensor device with a second receiving antenna coil for providing a second reception signal. The device further includes a unique receiver channel to evaluate the first and second reception signal, and a multiplexer. The multiplexer is configured to selectively couple the at least one first terminal or the at least one second terminal with the unique receiver channel in dependence on operating the multiplexer in a first or second operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: AMS SENSORS SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Matteo Colombo
  • Patent number: 12241738
    Abstract: There is provided a detection signal processing circuit and a detection signal processing method for an eddy current sensor that are less easily influenced by a change in ambient environment than conventional technologies. A detection signal processing apparatus includes a converter configured to convert a first analog signal output by a detection coil into a first digital signal, a converter configured to convert a second analog signal output by a dummy coil into a second digital signal, and a detector which is a digital signal processing circuit configured to detect the first digital signal and the second digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroto Yamada, Taro Takahashi, Hiroaki Shibue
  • Patent number: 12241925
    Abstract: Arc fault detection modules for vehicles intended to supervise circuits and detect arc fault conditions in both alternating current and direct current circuits. A number of these arc fault detection modules may be integrated into a vehicle's electrical system in strategic locations. Each arc fault module contains sensing capabilities for monitoring the circuit, and may also include signal conditioning capabilities, processing capabilities for determining the occurrence of an arc fault, contactors for disabling the supervised circuit, and communications capabilities to interact with other vehicle components and telematics systems. As a result arc fault detection odules can be customized to leverage existing features of a vehicle's electrical system or to provide fully redundant arc fault protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Chaitanya Bhalwankar, Ritika Shetty, Brandon William Fisher, Kumar Prasad Telikepalli, Naresh Kumar Kodela
  • Patent number: 12210083
    Abstract: A system and method for phase and gain calibration of a current sensor system. The system comprises a microcontroller configured to execute software in an energy measurement component and a calibration computer having a calibration application. The energy measurement component receives first and second digital signals representing current and voltage signals, respectively, received from a test source, and calculates active power and a power factor, and provides those values to the calibration computer. The power factor is converted to a converted phase angle. Based on the information received from the energy measurement component, the calibration application calculates parameters used to update components within the microcontroller to maximize the accuracy of the current sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Erick Macias, James Daniel Evans, Kripasagar Kay Venkat
  • Patent number: 12196789
    Abstract: A current sensor includes: four first uniaxial TMR chips and at least two second uniaxial TMR chips, each first uniaxial TMR chip and each second uniaxial TMR chip being located on the same virtual ring, wherein magnetic sensitive directions of the four first uniaxial TMR chips are perpendicular to a radius of the virtual ring, magnetic sensitive directions of two adjacent first uniaxial TMR chips are perpendicular to each other, magnetic sensitive directions of the two second uniaxial TMR chips are parallel to the radius of the virtual ring and opposite to each other, and the two second uniaxial TMR chips respectively have the same positions as two first uniaxial TMR chips; each first uniaxial TMR chip and each second uniaxial TMR chip are configured to collect a magnetic induction intensity, the magnetic induction intensity is configured to calculate a target current value of a to-be-measured wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Digital Grid Research Institute, China S. Pwr Grid
    Inventors: Peng Li, Qiancheng Lv, Bing Tian, Licheng Li, Bofeng Luo, Zhong Liu, Zhiming Wang, Hongdi Sun, Xu Yin, Jiaming Zhang
  • Patent number: 12188967
    Abstract: The invention enables an optical voltage sensor, comprising a piezoelectric actuator mechanically coupled to an optical strain sensor (such as a fibre Bragg grating), to withstand lightning impulses, the effects of which would otherwise be harmful or destructive to the piezoelectric actuator and/or other sensitive components. As such, the optical voltage sensor, comprised within a photonic voltage transducer which also comprises a lightning impulse attenuator, is able to comply with relevant standards and be used for applications in power networks and exposed to the highest voltages for equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: University of Strathclyde
    Inventors: Pawel Niewczas, Grzegorz Fusiek
  • Patent number: 12179310
    Abstract: An eddy current sensor has an exciting coil and a detection coil. A holding circuit holds reference data indicating a characteristic of an output signal output from the detection coil at a reference state and outputs the reference data at a state other than the reference state. A pseudo signal generating circuit generates and outputs a balance coil pseudo signal corresponding to the output signal output from the detection coil at the reference state from the reference data output from the holding circuit. A bridge circuit, at the state other than the reference state, receives the output signal output from the detection coil and the balance coil pseudo signal and outputs a bridge output signal corresponding to a difference between the output signal and the balance coil pseudo signal as a bridge output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Abe, Taro Takahashi, Hiroaki Shibue, Shinpei Tokunaga, Katsuhide Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12174231
    Abstract: A measurement device includes an electric field generator, an electric field detector, a thickness gauge, and a processor. The electric field generator generates an alternating current electric field. The electric field detector detects the alternating current electric field generated by the electric field generator. The thickness gauge measures a thickness of a measurement target in a non-contact manner. The processor derives a calibration curve representing a relationship between a specific dielectric constant and an intensity of an alternating current electric field. The measurement target is insertable between the electric field generator and the electric field detector. The electric field detector detects an intensity of the alternating current electric field attenuated by the measurement target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignees: Yokogawa Electric Corporation, Hosei University
    Inventors: Jun Katsuyama, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Mitsuru Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 12176909
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of capacitance-to-digital code conversion are described. One capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) includes front-end circuitry, including a comparator. The CDC further includes a first capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) coupled to a first input of the comparator and, in a first phase, to a sensor cell. The CDC further includes a second CDAC coupled to a second input of the comparator and, in a second phase, to the sensor cell. The front-end circuitry provides a digital output. The digital output is proportional to a sensor capacitance of the sensor cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Walsh, Mark Healy
  • Patent number: 12163922
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting flaws in objects comprised of ferromagnetic materials are disclosed. A wireless energizing unit is disclosed that includes an array of permanent magnets is used to induce a magnetic field into the objects and transducers are configured to detect a magnetic flux property in the presence of a flaw in the object. Embodiments that are configured to be clamped over the object are also disclosed. In addition, methods for retrofitting EMI detection systems with a wireless energizing unit are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: SPScanco LLC
    Inventor: Lester Guillotte
  • Patent number: 12140456
    Abstract: A method for capacitive detection of nearby objects that may be located in the environment of an equipment provided with a capacitive detection device including a detection step, called discriminative detection step, including the following operations: polarizing a first nearby object at a first alternating potential (V1), different from a ground potential (M), and from the potential of at least one second nearby object, at a first frequency (F1); and determining a first discriminative signal representative of a capacitance, called electrode-object capacitance, seen by the at least one measurement electrode, at said first frequency (F1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: FOGALE SENSORS
    Inventors: Didier Roziere, Christian Neel, Frédéric Ossart, Jérôme Porque
  • Patent number: 12135335
    Abstract: A wafer probe station system for reliability testing of a semiconductor wafer. The wafer probe station is capable of interfacing with interchangeable modules for testing of semiconductor wafers. The wafer probe station can be used with different interchangeable modules for wafer testing. Modules, such as probe card positioners and air-cooled rail systems, for example, can be mounted or docked to the probe station. The wafer probe station is also provided with a front loading mechanism having a rotatable arm that rotates at least partially out of the probe station chamber for wafer loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: QualiTau, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward McCloud, Jacob Herschmann
  • Patent number: 12072215
    Abstract: A capacitive coupling sensor (1) is equipped with a sensor unit (10) which has: a detection electrode layer (11) which generates capacitance between the detection electrode layer (11) and a detection target, a shield electrode layer (12), and an insulation layer (13) which is arranged between the detection electrode layer (11) and the shield electrode layer (12), wherein the insulation layer (13) has a cross-linked polymer obtained by cross-linking of a thermoplastic polymer. The capacitive coupling sensor (1) has high heat resistance, can be made thinner, and has an excellent tactile quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Sumitomo Riko Company Limited
    Inventors: Ryo Minoshima, Kazutaka Katayama, Tomohiro Fukuta
  • Patent number: 12038784
    Abstract: An electronic device according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise: a housing comprising a front plate facing in a first direction, a rear plate facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and a side member disposed to surround a space between the front plate and the rear plate; a rigid display disposed between the front plate and the rear plate of the housing, for externally displaying information in the first direction; a flexible display extending from one side of the rigid display and bending relative to the rigid display, thereby forming a curved surface, or disposed in parallel to the rigid display, thereby forming a flat surface; a plurality of magnets arranged at a specified interval in the flexible display; and a first sensor disposed in the rigid display and configured to sense the degree of bending of the flexible display by sensing magnetic forces provided by the plurality of magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Changryong Heo, Valeriy Prushinskiy, Mijeong Song, Minuk Kim, Hajoong Park
  • Patent number: 11946961
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking energy consumption. An energy tracking system comprises at least one switching element, at least one inductor and a control block to keep the output voltage at a pre-selected level. The switching elements are configured to apply the source of energy to the inductors. The control block compares the output voltage of the energy tracking system to a reference value and controls the switching of the switched elements in order to transfer energy for the primary voltage into a secondary voltage at the output of the energy tracking system. The electronic device further comprises an ON-time and OFF-time generator and an accumulator wherein the control block is coupled to receive a signal from the ON-time and OFF-time generator and generates switching signals for the at least one switching element in the form of ON-time pulses with a constant width ON-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Horst Diewald, Johann Zipperer, Peter Weber, Anton Brauchle
  • Patent number: 11946740
    Abstract: A coating thickness measuring instrument comprising: a magnetic induction probe comprising at least one drive coil and at least one pick-up coil; a driver for driving an alternating current in the or each drive coil; and a detector for detecting the output of the or each pick-up coil; and a processor configured to: apply a transfer function to the detector output to produce an output which corresponds to a measured coating thickness; and, scale both the drive current and detector output simultaneously in response to the output. The scaling may be changed in a step-wise manner. The scaling applied to the drive current may be inversely proportional to the scaling applied to the detector output. The scaling may be defined by a first and second scaling factor, stored as a pair. The instrument may store two or more pairs of scaling factors and select a pair in response to the measured coating thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Elcometer Limited
    Inventors: Philip Anthony May, Simon Trevena Coulton, Alan James Dodd, Maria Isabel Jimenez-Lopez
  • Patent number: 11933925
    Abstract: The invention relates to a particle energy measuring device (14) for determining the energy of a particle beam (26) with (a) at least twenty capacitors (30.n) that (i) each comprise a first capacitor plate (32.n) and (ii) a second capacitor plate (34.n), and (iii) are arranged one behind the other with respect to a beam incidence direction (S), (b) a multiplexer (46) that has (i) a multiplexer outlet (48) and (ii) a plurality of multiplexer inputs (50.n), each multiplexer input (50.n) being designed to connect to precisely one capacitor (30.n) and (iii) that is configured to connect one of the capacitor plates (32.n, 34.n) of the respective capacitor to the multiplexer outlet (48), (c) a total charge measuring device (52) that (i) comprises a total charge measuring device input (54), which is connected to the second capacitor plates (34.n) in order to detect a total charge (Q?) of the charges on all the capacitors (30.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND, VERTRETEN DURCH DAS BUNDESMINISTERIUM FUR WIRTSCHAFT UND ENERGIE, DIESES VERTRETEN DURCH DEN PRASIDENTEN DER PHYSIKALISCH-TECHNISCHEN BUNDESANSTALT
    Inventor: Christoph Makowski
  • Patent number: 11927604
    Abstract: A wafer probe test system having a probe card with a probe head, a rotary magnet, a magnetic sensor positioned to sense the magnetic field of the rotary magnet and a controller coupled to the probe card, where the probe head has probe needles to engage features of test sites of a wafer in a wafer plane of orthogonal first and second directions, and the rotary magnet is rotatable around an axis of a third direction to provide a magnetic field to the wafer, in which the controller includes a model of magnetic flux density in the first, second and third directions at the respective test sites of the wafer as a function of a rotational angle of the rotary magnet, a probe needle height along the third direction and a measured magnetic flux density of the magnetic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Xinkun Huang, Dok Won Lee, Christopher Michael Ledbetter, Bret Alan Dahl, Roy Deidrick Solomon
  • Patent number: 11906329
    Abstract: A testing apparatus and method for detecting faults in encoders are disclosed. The testing apparatus includes a signal conditioning circuit board that receives an encoder signal and a central processing unit in communication with the circuit board and configured to: check for faulty amplitude, check for signal symmetry, check for signal offset, and/or check for signal transmission rate. The testing apparatus includes a real-time controller for real-time signal processing and fault detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Octava Engineering, LLC
    Inventors: Clint Switzer, Nishant Pathak
  • Patent number: 11899045
    Abstract: A system and method for calibrating a capacitor voltage sensor that measures voltage on a power line coupled through a switch to a primary coil of a transformer. The method includes measuring a control voltage on a secondary coil of the transformer and measuring voltage on the capacitor sensor when the switch is known to be closed. The method identifies a calibration factor that when multiplied by the measured voltage on the capacitor sensor when the switch is closed makes the measured voltage on the capacitor sensor substantially equal to the control voltage. The method subsequently measures voltage on the capacitor sensor when the switch is open or closed during operation of the transformer, and multiplies the subsequently measured voltage on the capacitor sensor when the switch is open or closed by the calibration factor to obtain a measured voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: S&C Electric Company
    Inventor: David G. Porter