Patents Examined by Christopher McAndrew
  • Patent number: 8680866
    Abstract: An electromagnetic energy transmitter is provided for borehole to surface electromagnetic (BSEM) surveying. The transmitter is lowered into a well borehole to a desired location in a well borehole to emit electromagnetic energy for the surveys. The transmitter affords more accurate measurements of its position in the well borehole. The transmitter also senses pressure and temperature conditions at its borehole location to provide indications of detected potential problems in the well from the survey or other sources, and to reduce risks and enhance safety and quality of the operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, BGP Arabia Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Alberto Marsala, Mohammad H Al-Buali, Zhanxiang He, Tang Biyan
  • Patent number: 8653837
    Abstract: A sensor system and an evaluation method for monitoring surroundings on a mechanical component, having at least one capacitive sensor element that is attachable on the surface of machines or machine parts, in which at least one sensor element is made up of a layered structure of flexible, electrically conductive and electrically insulating layers, electrically conductive surfaces of one layer being positioned with lateral spacing above insulating layers lying between them in such a way that electrical field lines form between the conductive surfaces, which change measurably upon approach to and/or contact with a body or object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Frangen
  • Patent number: 8633722
    Abstract: In one embodiment a circuit for testing delays is provided. A test signal generator circuit toggles a plurality of output signals 1 through N in sequential order, separating the toggles by a delay period. Each output signal is coupled to an input of a respective one of a plurality of delay circuits. A phase detector circuit is coupled to the delay circuits and is configured to determine the order in which signals output from delay circuits X?1, X, and X+1 are toggled for each delay circuit X. In response to the output signals being toggled in the order X?1 followed by X followed by X+1, the phase comparator circuit is configured to output a first signal indicating correct operation. Otherwise, the phase comparator circuit is configured to output a second signal indicating incorrect operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew W. Lai
  • Patent number: 8629675
    Abstract: A linear sensor is described with a casing (5), with a pin (7) which contains a permanent magnet (1) and which is mounted in the casing (5) in a linearly displaceable manner against the force of a spring (6), and with a magnetic field sensor (3) attached to said casing (5) for detecting of a displacement of the permanent magnet (1). The invention provides that the pin (7) is controlled by a first cylindrical guide (8) and a second cylindrical guide (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignees: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH, BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Christmann, Stefan Leopold, Arno Marto, Wolfgang Schuele, Klaus-Juergen Wagner
  • Patent number: 8629688
    Abstract: A method for performing corrosion testing is provided. The method includes applying a thin film of silicone to an electrical device to be tested, positioning the device in a chamber, connecting the device to electrical testing equipment for determining any change in electrical resistance of the device, and disposing a gaseous compound of sulfur in the chamber. The method also comprises monitoring the device for any change in electrical resistance for indicating failure of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: King M. A. Chu, Steven R. Nickel, Timothy J. Tofil
  • Patent number: 8624578
    Abstract: A tool for configuring a branch current monitor facilitates mapping the connections of branch circuits to voltage sources in a power distribution panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Veris Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Rupert, Marc Bowman, Michael Bitsch, Martin Cook
  • Patent number: 8618795
    Abstract: A sensor assembly is provided for use in tracking a medical device. The sensor assembly comprises a magnetoresistance sensor capable of providing position and orientation information. In certain implementations, the magnetoresistance position and orientation sensor is originally configured for connection to a substrate using one type of interconnect approach but is modified to be connected using a different interconnect approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaustubh Ravindra Nagarkar, William Hullinger Huber, Daniel Eduardo Groszmann
  • Patent number: 8614585
    Abstract: An impedance correction device and a method thereof are provided. A step generator is used to generate a step signal and send to a circuit under test. A reflected signal returned back from the circuit under test is used as a measurement signal; and the measurement signal can be measured to obtain a characteristic impedance value. When the measurement signal is greater than the initially measured step signal, an impedance value of a correction resistor is increased; when the measurement signal is smaller than the initially measured step signal, the impedance value of the correction resistor is reduced. Through adjustment of the correction impedance value, impedance matching between the correction impedance value and the characteristic impedance value is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Wen-Shan Wang, Ting-Ying Wu
  • Patent number: 8598902
    Abstract: A probe comprises: a membrane having a bump which contacts an input/output terminal of an IC device built into a semiconductor wafer under test; a pitch conversion board having a bottom surface on which a first terminal is provided and a top surface on which a second terminal connected to the first terminal is provided; a circuit board which is electrically connected to a test head and has a third terminal; a first anisotropic conductive rubber member having a first conductor part which electrically connects the bump of the membrane and the first terminal of the pitch conversion board; and a second anisotropic conductive rubber member having a second conductor part which electrically connects the second terminal of the pitch conversion board and the third terminal of the circuit board, and the second conductor parts are provided on the whole of the second anisotropic conductive rubber member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Advantest Corporation, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Umemura, Kensuke Kato, Yoshirou Nakata, Naomi Miyake
  • Patent number: 8593130
    Abstract: A detector is provided that detects a detection signal corresponding to a driving vibration, which excites a vibrator in an oscillation loop, and a physical quantity to be measured. The detector includes an amplifying circuit, a synchronous detection circuit, an impedance conversion circuit, a first low pass filter, and a second low pass filter, wherein each of the first and second low pass filters is formed by a switched capacitor filter circuit, a gain of the first low pass filter is different from that of the second low pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8593163
    Abstract: A surface-conforming obscured feature detector includes a plurality of sensor plates flexibly connected together, each having a capacitance that varies based on the dielectric constant of the materials that compose the surrounding objects and the proximity of those objects. A sensing circuit is coupled to the sensor plates to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates. A controller is coupled to the sensing circuit to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit. One or a plurality of indicators are coupled to the controller, and are selectively activated to identify the location of a relative high capacitance, which can be indicative of an obscured feature behind a surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Franklin Sensors, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Dorrough
  • Patent number: 8593170
    Abstract: A method and device for testing through-substrate vias (TSVs) in a 3D chip stack are disclosed. In one aspect, the 3D chip stack includes at least a first die having a first electrical circuit and a second die having a second electrical circuit. The first die further includes at least one first TSV for providing electrical connection between the first electrical circuit and the second electrical circuit. The first die further includes test circuitry and at least one second TSV electrically connected between the first TSV and the test circuitry. The electrical connection between the first TSV and the second TSV is made outside the second die. In one aspect, this allows testing the first TSV in the first die even if the second die is not provided with dedicated test circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventors: Geert Van der Plas, Erik-Jan Marinissen, Nikolaos Minas, Paul Marchal
  • Patent number: 8593132
    Abstract: A parameter calculating apparatus includes a signal generator that generates at least two input signals which each contain different frequency components; a signal inputting unit that inputs the input signals generated by the signal generator to respective ports of a test object at the same time; a frequency component deconstructing unit that deconstructs an output signal which is obtained by synthesizing the input signals input by the signal inputting unit and output from an output port into the frequency components; and a parameter calculator that calculates parameters which indicate transfer coefficients among ports of the test object based on output values of the frequency components obtained via the deconstruction performed by the frequency component deconstructing unit and on input values of the frequency components of the input signals input at the same time to a plurality of ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Toshiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8587328
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining characterizing attributes of an actuator is provided. An actuator may be moved to a maximum capacitance position. At the maximum capacitance position, an initial measurement of the actuator capacitance is made. The actuator is moved a predetermined increment toward a first extreme position, and the actuator capacitance is again measured. If the capacitance changed by a threshold amount, the signal preceding the signal that caused the actuator to move is recorded as an approximate response curve end point, or the first extreme position. The actuator is again moved a predetermined increment toward a second extreme position. After each move, the capacitance is measured. If it is determined the capacitance did change by a threshold amount from the previously measured capacitance, the signal related to the previously measured capacitance is recorded as an approximate response curve end point, or the second extreme position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Eduardo Martinez, Christian Jimenez, Jose Ibanez-Climent, Colm Donovan
  • Patent number: 8587329
    Abstract: The invention proposes a circuit arrangement for determination of a measuring capacitance (1), comprising a reference circuit portion for defined periodic charging and discharging of a predefined reference capacitance (1a), and a measuring circuit portion for defined periodic charging and discharging of the measuring capacitance (1) to be determined, and at least one circuit portion (4, 7; 4a, 7a) intended to determine at least one value (M2) characteristic of the charging time curve of the reference capacitance (1a) and for deriving at least one value (M1) characteristic of the charging time curve of the measuring capacitance (1), as well as a circuit portion (9) for comparing the at least one value (M2) characteristic of the charging time curve of the reference capacitance (1a) with the at least one value (M1) characteristic of the charging time curve of the measuring capacitance (1), and for deriving from that comparison the value of the measuring capacitance (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Balluff GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Winkens
  • Patent number: 8581596
    Abstract: An inverter is forcibly operated to supply electric power to a motor, thereby performing detection of a current leakage, on condition that a power-on operation is performed, that the motor is stopped, and that determination as to occurrence or non-occurrence of the current leakage has not yet been made even once after the power-on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Kagoshima
  • Patent number: 8575938
    Abstract: A marine electromagnetic receiver cable includes a plurality of signal processing modules disposed at spaced apart locations along the receiver cable. A power supply line is connected to each of the signal processing modules and to an electric current source. A current regulation device is connected in the power supply line proximate each signal processing module. The current regulation devices are connected such that an amount of current flowing through the power supply line is substantially constant. At least one electromagnetic receiver is functionally coupled to an input of each signal processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Kenneth Karlsen, Ulf Peter Lindqvist
  • Patent number: 8564280
    Abstract: An electricity meter comprises a single current sensor with a toroidal coil that has an inner bore extending substantially through the sensor. The meter also has two current conductors that form one of a pair of line-side blades of the meter. The electricity meter also has a disconnect switch with a pair of moveable contacts and a pair of fixed contacts. One of the pairs contacts is electrically connected to the current conductors. The other pair forms a respective load-side blade of the meter. One current conductor passes through the inner bore of the current sensor in a first direction relative to its line-side blade and the other current conductor passes through the inner bore of the current sensor in a substantially opposite direction relative to its line-side blade so that current passing through the conductors passes through the inner bore of the current sensor in a same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Elster Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Garry M. Loy
  • Patent number: 8558534
    Abstract: An ECU detects a steering angle that is an absolute angle based on a sine signal and a cosine signal that are output from a steering sensor. The ECU includes a three-phase pulse generator that generates, based on the sine signal and the cosine signal, three-phase pulse signals that have edges corresponding to predetermined rotational angles and that are set in such a manner that the predetermined rotational angles corresponding to the respective edges do not overlap each other and are at regular intervals. A microcomputer has a function as a second rotational angle detector that calculates a steering angle based on the pulse signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 8552718
    Abstract: In a method for the nondestructive testing of pipes made of ferromagnetic steel for flaws by means of stray flux, the pipe is magnetized by a constant field and the discontinuities in the near-surface region of the outer or inner surface of the pipe cause magnetic stray fluxes, which exit the pipe surface and are detected by probes of a test unit, wherein the association of the detected amplitude signals is performed on the basis of the amplitude height and/or the frequency spectrum with respect to an external or internal flaw via defined flaw thresholds respectively. For this, prior to associating the detected amplitude signals to an external or internal flaw, the angular position of the flaw relative to the respective magnetic field direction is determined, and a correction of the signals is carried out via a previously determined correction factor for amplitudes and/or frequencies of a perpendicular angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: V & M Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Groos, Stefan Nitsche