Patents Examined by Daniel A Miller
  • Patent number: 9810645
    Abstract: A system for measuring a permittivity includes a resonant chamber, a conductive probe, a platform, a pillar, a detector, and a computing module. The resonant chamber has a cavity. The conductive probe is configured for introducing a microwave into the cavity of the resonant chamber. The platform is configured for carrying a sample. The pillar is positioned between the platform and a chamber wall, so that the platform protrudes from the chamber wall. The detector is used to detect a resonant frequency of the microwave when resonance occurs within the cavity. The computing module is configured for calculating a permittivity corresponding to the measured resonant frequency according to a corresponding relationship between resonant frequency and permittivity. The above-mentioned system for measuring a permittivity is capable of measuring a broader range of permittivity with simplified measurement steps and higher accuracy. A method for measuring a permittivity is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tsun-Hsu Chang, Hsein-Wen Chao, Wei-Syuan Wong
  • Patent number: 9797962
    Abstract: A sensor element based on a magneto-thermoelectric effect and realizing method thereof are provided, the sensor element includes a plurality of thermoelectric elements having an angular structure and are located in a magnetic field; the thermoelectric element is made of magnetic material having a thermoelectric effect, and includes a first side, a second side, and an angular part formed by connecting the two sides; the angular part is provided with a heating device; and the temperature in the region where the other end of the first side and the second side are located are less than or equal to the ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Guoqing Di
  • Patent number: 9797932
    Abstract: A voltage sampling system is provided. The voltage sampling system includes a voltage sampling device, two optic-fiber transmission lines and a control device. The voltage sampling device includes a voltage-dividing resistor module, a common mode rejection circuit and an analog-to-digital converter. The voltage-dividing resistor module generates a first and a second divided voltages according to a voltage source. The common mode rejection circuit receives the first and the second divided voltages to perform a common-mode noise rejecting process to generate an output voltage. The analog-to-digital converter converts the output voltage to generate a digital data signal. The two optic-fiber transmission lines transmit the digital data signal and a clock signal respectively. The control device receives the digital data signal from the analog-to-digital converter and the clock signal to perform a digital data processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Yu Pu, Yi Zhang, Ming Wang, Hong-Jian Gan, Jian-Ping Ying
  • Patent number: 9791493
    Abstract: Fault detection techniques for control of sensor systems. A sensor control integrated circuit (“IC”) may include a fault detection system for coupling to the sensor supply lines. The system may detect faults for each of the sensor supply lines. The fault detection system may level shift sensor supply line signals from a first voltage domain to a second voltage domain appropriate for the fault detection system of the controller IC. The fault detection system may level shift source potential voltages from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain to detect predetermined fault types. The fault detection system may compare the second domain voltages from the sensor supply lines to voltages representing predetermined fault types and may generate fault status indicators based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhishek Bandyopadhyay, Khiem Quang Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9763594
    Abstract: A magnetic particle imaging device is provided. The device includes a magnetic field source configured to produce a magnetic field having a non-saturating magnetic field region, an excitation signal source configured to produce an excitation signal in the non-saturating magnetic field region that produces a detectable signal from magnetic particles in the non-saturating magnetic field region, and a signal processor configured to convert a detected signal into an image of the magnetic particles. Aspects of the present disclosure also include methods of imaging magnetic particles in a sample, and methods of producing an image of magnetic particles in a subject. The subject devices and methods find use in a variety of applications, such as medical imaging applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Patrick W. Goodwill, Steven M. Conolly
  • Patent number: 9759581
    Abstract: The electronic measurement circuit comprises a measurement sensor with two differential mounted capacitors each comprising a fixed electrode, and a common electrode arranged to move relative to the fixed capacitor electrode to alter the capacitive value when the physical parameter is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: EM MIRCOELECTRONIC MARIN S.A.
    Inventors: Christophe Entringer, Luca Rossi, Sylvain Grosjean, Jean-Michel Daga
  • Patent number: 9759767
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method wherein selective voltage binning and leakage power screening of integrated circuit (IC) chips are performed. Additionally, pre-test power-optimized bin reassignments are made on a chip-by-chip basis. Specifically, a leakage power measurement of an IC chip selected from a voltage bin can is compared to a bin-specific leakage power screen value of the next slower voltage bin. If the leakage power measurement is higher, the IC chip will be left in the voltage bin to which it is currently assigned. If the leakage power measurement is lower, the IC chip will be reassigned to that next slower voltage bin. These processes can be iteratively repeated until no slower voltage bins are available or the IC chip cannot be reassigned. IC chips can subsequently be tested according to testing parameters, including the minimum test voltages, associated with the voltage bins to which they are finally assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Igor Arsovski, Jeanne P. Bickford, Paul J. Grzymkowski, Susan K. Lichtensteiger, Robert J. McMahon, Troy J. Perry, David M. Picozzi, Thomas G. Sopchak
  • Patent number: 9746498
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring power lines comprises a plurality of sensory assemblies each connected to a phase of a power line and comprising a sensory transceiver that transmits a signal comprising a digital representation of a voltage wave and a current wave on a single phase of a power line. A common assembly comprising a common transceiver receiving the signal from each sensory transceiver and a microprocessor. A precision timing device directs the common transceiver to send signals to each of the sensory assemblies to synchronize the sensory assembly reading on a phase of a power line. The microprocessor for analyzing the timed signals synchronized for a plurality of phases by determining the net real time sum of the current of the plurality of phases to determine ground or neutral current and for determining instantaneous voltage between any two phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CLEAVELAND/PRICE INC.
    Inventor: Hershel Roberson
  • Patent number: 9746532
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to carry out magnetic resonance imaging of a patient using a transmitting QD coil that allows at least one of phase and amplitude of a radio-frequency transmit pulse on at least one input channel of the transmitting QD coil to be adjusted independently of each other, and an adjustment unit arranged to adjust at least one of the phase and the amplitude of the radio-frequency transmit pulse according to imaging conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki Umeda, Takahiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: 9739822
    Abstract: An input circuit has a plurality of input terminals connected to a plurality of input lines transmitting input signals outputted from a plurality of input signal sources. The input circuit includes a controller which outputs a control signal when performing self-diagnosis of a short-circuit fault between the input lines a pulse circuit which generates pulsed self-diagnosis voltage once, twice or more times based on a control signal of the controller a switch which, when performing the self-diagnosis, applies the pulsed self-diagnosis voltage to any one of the input lines based on the control signal of the controller and a comparing/determining section which, when the self-diagnosis voltage is applied to the any one of the input lines, determines whether the short-circuit fault between the input lines has occurred based on voltage variation in the input line different from the input line to which the self-diagnosis voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, ADVICS CO LTD
    Inventor: Ken Onodera
  • Patent number: 9726719
    Abstract: A backing apparatus for use in a semiconductor automatic test equipment including: a probe card holder configured to rigidly affix one or more first portions of a flexible probe card to the probe card holder, wherein a respective back side of each of the one or more first portions is adjacent to the probe card holder when the one or more portions are rigidly affixed to the probe card holder; linear actuators; and a rigid backing plate configured to rigidly affix a second portion of the flexible probe card to the rigid backing plate, wherein one side of the rigid backing plate is adjacent to a back side of the second portion when the second portion is rigidly affixed to the rigid backing plate, wherein each linear actuator is configured to provide backing of another side of the rigid backing plate against the probe card holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriele Kuczera, Eckhard Kunigkeit, Quintino Lorenzo Trianni
  • Patent number: 9722667
    Abstract: A system for sensing proximity using EHF signals may include a communication circuit configured to transmit via a transducer an EM signal at an EHF frequency, and a proximity sensing circuit configured to sense a nearby transducer field-modifying object by detecting characteristics of a signal within the communication circuit. A system for determining distance using EHF signals may include a detecting circuit coupled to a transmitting communication circuit and a receiving communication circuit, both communication circuits being mounted on a first surface. The transmitting communication circuit may transmit a signal toward a second surface, and the receiving communication circuit may receive a signal relayed from the second surface. The detecting circuit may determine distance between the first surface and a second surface based on propagation characteristics of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Keyssa, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Davis McCormack, Ian A. Kyles
  • Patent number: 9714920
    Abstract: A detection system comprising a plurality of magnetic field generators and a plurality of magnetic field detectors located adjacent to a detection area, and a control system arranged to generate magnetic field using the generators, and, for each of the generators, to make measurements of the magnetic field generated using each of the detectors, and processing means arranged to process the measurements to generate a data set characterizing the detection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: RAPISCAN SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: William Robert Breckon Lionheart, Anthony Peyton, Xiandong Ma
  • Patent number: 9714979
    Abstract: A method for performing contactless signal testing includes receiving, with a testing pad of an integrated circuit, a signal within a beam. The method further includes converting, with a number of diodes connected to a positive voltage supply, an electrical current signal created by the electron beam to a voltage signal, wherein the number of diodes includes a diode stack of multiple diodes. The method further includes extracting, with a digital inverter, a test signal from the voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Bo-Jr Huang, Nan-Hsin Tseng, Yen-Ling Liu
  • Patent number: 9707984
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a device for inspecting railway wheels with respect to use-related wear and/or a material defect. The task of the present invention is to create a technical solution in this regard by means of which various configurations of railway wheels can be tested in a short time. In particular, an inspection should be carried out in override mode so that the test results for a complete train can be prepared during the passage time over an allocated test device. This task is accomplished in that the rolling railway wheelset passes through a spatially restricted magnetic field that is coupled through the rails along which the allocated rail vehicle is guided. For this purpose, a device is used in which an electromagnet (4; 5) is arranged between the rails (2; 3) on which a measuring coil is also configured for registering changes in the magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hegenscheidt-MFD GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Camilo De La Riva
  • Patent number: 9703306
    Abstract: In one example, a method for compensating for a temperature effect during operation of a voltage regulator circuit includes applying a load current at an output of the voltage regulator circuit, measuring a first output voltage at the output, measuring a reference current or voltage, increasing the load current, measuring a change in the reference current or voltage corresponding to the increased load current, measuring a second output voltage when the measured change in the reference current exceeds a threshold, and determining a temperature coefficient (TC) value based on the measured second output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Day, Mark Szostkiewicz
  • Patent number: 9693417
    Abstract: Measurement circuits which are configured to measure wide ranges of the input voltage using a sensed input voltage of the driver circuits for solid state lighting (SSL) devices are presented. The measurement circuit comprises a first resistor which is coupled at a first side to the input voltage. The measurement circuit comprises current mirror circuitry coupled at an input to a second side of the first resistor, and which translates an input current at the input of the current mirror circuitry into an output current at an output of the current mirror circuitry, such that the output current is proportional to the input current by a current mirror ratio. The measurement circuit comprises a second resistor coupled to the output of the current mirror circuitry and to provide the sensed input voltage, when the input voltage is coupled to the first side of the first resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Horst Knoedgen, Julian Tyrrell, Hidenori Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9684052
    Abstract: A method of assessing functionality of a probe card includes providing a probe card analyzer without a probe card interface, removably coupling a probe card having probes to a support plate of the probe card analyzer, aligning a sensor head of the probe card analyzer with the probe card, and measuring a component of the probes with the sensor head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Rudolph Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Greg Olmstead
  • Patent number: 9678051
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for distinguishing, classifying and measuring soft and hard inclusions in a liquid metal that includes obtaining a flow through cell disposed on a tube with a top to allow the liquid metal to flow through the flow through cell and into the tube. There is also a mounting and a vacuum system disposed on top of the tube to draw the liquid metal through the flow through cell and into the tube that utilizes a pair of electrodes set inside and outside of the tube to apply an electric current to the liquid metal passing through the flow through cell. An electric resistance change is then measured and an electric resistance pulse is applied to the liquid metal to measure deformed behavior of the inclusions. The resistance pulse method can be used with liquid droplets, steel slag, bubbles and other deformable inclusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventor: Xiaodong Wang
  • Patent number: 9673116
    Abstract: An approach for monitoring electrostatic discharge (ESD) event of an integrated circuit. The approach includes a canary device for exhibiting an impedance shift when affected by an ESD pulse, wherein circuit drain of the canary device is connected to an input terminal of the circuit structure. The approach further includes circuit source and logic gates of the canary device, connected to a circuit drain of ESD transistor of the circuit structure, wherein circuit source of the ESD transistor is connected to an output terminal of the circuit structure. The approach further includes a logic gate of the ESD transistor, connected to an enable signal of the circuit structure, and wherein the enable signal is connected to the output terminal through a capacitor of the circuit structure. In addition, the enable signal is also connected to the input terminal through a resistor of the circuit structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John B. DeForge, Junjun Li, Alain F. Loiseau, Kirk D. Peterson