Patents Examined by David Frederiksen
  • Patent number: 9985419
    Abstract: A voltage transformer circuit is described for supplying a spark plug with ignition energy and for ionic current measurement. A transformer of the circuit generates a secondary voltage from a primary voltage and applies the secondary voltage to the spark plug to ignite an electric arc. Using a current effected by the secondary voltage, a capacitor is charged to a breakdown voltage of a Zener diode bridging the same, via a first branch, which leads from the transformer to a first of two sides of the capacitor. The primary voltage is disconnected from the transformer in order to extinguish the electric arc. The capacitor delivers charges for an ionic current via a second branch, which connects the second side of the capacitor to the transformer. A measuring signal of the ionic current is obtained by measuring a voltage drop at a measuring resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: BORGWARNER LUDWIGSBURG GMBH
    Inventor: Dirk Wüstenhagen
  • Patent number: 9970918
    Abstract: A portable device for detecting the nutrition level of a plant includes an outer casing and a detection circuit. The outer casing includes belt pulleys, a cam, upper and lower clamping plates. The detection circuit is arranged in the outer casing and realizes an electric signal processing function and a display function. The portable device for detecting the nutrition level of the plant has the following beneficial effects: the device can be used for analyzing whether nutrient elements in crops are deficient or excessive, which is taken as the basis for accurate fertilization, and the device has low detection cost, high real-time capability, small size and is portable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Jiangsu University
    Inventors: Zhiyu Zuo, Tianyuan Lv
  • Patent number: 9970785
    Abstract: An in-vehicle detection device includes a cable that includes a plurality of insulated electric wires that are formed by covering a central conductor with an insulator, and a sheath that collectively covers the insulated electric wires, a sensor that includes a sensor main body including a detection element, and a lead wire that is led from the sensor main body and connected to the central conductor, and a fixing member that includes a tubular portion to house the sensor and fixes the sensor and the cable to each other. The fixing member holds the insulated electric wires that are exposed from the sheath in a bent state thereof between an end of the sheath and the lead wire. A central axis of a part of the sheath that is held by the fixing member intersects with a central axis of the tubular portion at a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Ikeda, Shinya Oeda
  • Patent number: 9964520
    Abstract: To provide a surface property inspection device and method capable of inspecting the surface treatment state of treated material subjected to surface treatments. A surface property inspection device 1 includes an AC power supply 10, an AC bridge circuit 20, and an evaluation apparatus 30, and the AC bridge circuit 20 is formed by a variable resistor 21 with a distribution ratio of ?, a reference detector 22, and an inspection detector 23. The inspection detector 23 includes a coil 23b wound so as to oppose the surface property inspection area of the test object M; an eddy current is excited in the test object M by supplying AC power to the coil 23b. A reference test object S with the same structure as the test object M is placed in the reference detector 22 to cancel inspection environment effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SINTOKOGIO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Makino, Kazuhiro Ota, Hideaki Kaga
  • Patent number: 9958294
    Abstract: An electronic absolute position encoder is provided including a scale, a detector portion and a signal processing configuration. The scale includes a first scale pattern of signal modulating elements, wherein the first scale pattern includes a spatial characteristic of the signal modulating elements which progressively changes as a function of position along a measuring axis direction and defines an absolute measuring range. The spatial characteristic includes at least one of a spatial wavelength or a spatial frequency of the signal modulating elements and is unique at each unique position in the absolute measuring range. The detector portion includes a group of sensing elements, and the signal processing configuration determines an absolute position of the sensing elements relative to the scale within the absolute measuring range. In various implementations, the signal processing configuration may utilize Fourier transform processing and/or other processing for determining the absolute position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
    Inventor: Ted Staton Cook
  • Patent number: 9953200
    Abstract: On the basis of the physical principle that a capacitance value is inversely proportional to the distance between capacitive electrodes, the spatial structure of the surface of an object can be imaged by measuring a coupling capacitance between the surface of measured object and the electrode arrays on a surface of a sensor; for example, imaging may be performed to uneven spaces between ridge lines and valley lines of fingerprints. The present application provides a C-Q-T type capacitive fingerprint sensor. Firstly, coupling capacitance differences between the fingerprints and the electrodes of the sensor are converted into charge quantity differences, then the charge quantity differences are converted into time differences, and edge signals carrying the time differences are output. Fingerprint sensors are grouped into an array, reading and data combination may be performed to the edge signals, and imaging may be performed to fingerprints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: MICROARRAY MICROELECTRONICS CORP., LTD
    Inventor: Yangyuan Li
  • Patent number: 9939466
    Abstract: A non-contact current sensor includes a spin valve structure (2), an electrical unit (4) that applies a varying current to the spin valve structure (2), and a resistance reading unit that electrically reads out a resistance value of the spin valve structure (2). When a current-induced magnetic field is detected, a coercive force of a free layer (14) is configured to be larger than the current-induced magnetic field as a detection target, and the electrical unit (4) allows the magnetization directions of a pinned layer (12) and the free layer (14) to transition between a mutually parallel state and a mutually anti-parallel state by applying the current to the spin valve structure (2). The resistance reading unit (5) detects a threshold value corresponding to the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: III HOLDINGS 3, LLC
    Inventor: Yasushi Ogimoto
  • Patent number: 9933281
    Abstract: A Halbach array is formed from first to third magnets provided to a rotor. Of shortest straight-line distances (clearance distances) between the first to third magnets and a Hall element as facing the first to third magnets after moving relative to the first to third magnets, the shortest straight-line distance between the second magnet and the Hall element is set the longest. In other words, the second magnet is placed at a position offset from the first magnet. In addition, the second magnet may be offset from the third magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 9904308
    Abstract: Interconnection meter socket adapters are provided. An interconnection meter socket adapter comprises a housing enclosing a set of electrical connections. The interconnection meter socket adapter may be configured to be coupled to a standard distribution panel and a standard electric meter, thereby establishing connections between a distribution panel and a user such that electrical power may be delivered to the user while an electrical meter measures the power consumption of the user. A power regulation module is disposed between the interconnection meter socket adapter, and configured to selectively connect one or more energy sources or energy sinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: San Diego Gas & Electric Company
    Inventors: Ken Parks, Michael Colburn
  • Patent number: 9891763
    Abstract: Examples of the present disclosure generally provide current feedback techniques for capacitive sensing with an input device. A processing system for an input device includes an operational amplifier having a non-inverting input, an inverting input, and an output. A voltage source is coupled to the non-inverting input. A first voltage-controlled current source is coupled between the output and the inverting input to form a feedback path. A second voltage-controlled current source is coupled to the output and configured for modifying a charge on a capacitor based on a control voltage at the output. A determination module is coupled to the capacitor and configured for determining a capacitance measurement at the inverting input based on the charge on the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Tracy Scott Dattalo
  • Patent number: 9891277
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a normal voltage detector configured to detect a normal voltage at which the integrated circuit being fully functional. A first voltage detector detects a first voltage that is less than the normal voltage. A second voltage detector detects a second voltage that is less than the first voltage. A reset module is coupled to a supply voltage, the normal voltage detector, the first voltage detector, and the second voltage detector. The reset module includes test logic to, when the supply voltage rises to the first voltage from the second voltage, perform a pass/fail test when the integrated circuit is in a pass/fail test mode, and perform a power up reset when the integrated circuit in not in the pass/fail test mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel R. Knight, James B. Eifert, Stefano Pietri, Steven K. Watkins
  • Patent number: 9866121
    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: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Horst Diewald, Johann Zipperer, Peter Weber, Anton Brauchle
  • Patent number: 9857925
    Abstract: A display device having a capacitive sensing device, a processing system, and a method are provided for detecting presence of an input object using a capacitive sensing device having a plurality of sensor electrodes arranged in a matrix. The described technique programmatically combines multiple sensor electrodes into a larger sensor electrode for absolute capacitive sensing. The sets of sensor electrodes that are combined may be selectively coupled based a window size and a step size associated with a number of sensor electrodes in common between the sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: SYNAPTICS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Jeffrey A. Small, Christopher A. Ludden, Joseph Kurth Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9853330
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting leaked cooling fluid in a battery pack or container. The sensor is part of a sensor wire, where one end of the wire is electrically coupled to the positive terminal or the negative terminal of the battery pack and the other end of the wire is positioned at a location where the leaked cooling fluid may accumulate. A fault isolation detection circuit monitors a voltage output from the sensor and determines that there is a cooling fluid leak if the measured voltage potential is greater than a predetermined voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Roland Matthe, Andrew J. Namou
  • Patent number: 9817027
    Abstract: In the field of the counting of objects, a use is provided of a photosensitive assembly comprising at least one photodiode or one photoresistor, and a source of uniform illumination for illuminating the assembly, the establishment of a reference current supplied by the photosensitive assembly for an illuminated region of this assembly corresponding to a given fraction of the surface of the assembly, the disposition of objects to be counted against the photosensitive assembly, the illumination of the assembly by the source, the objects masking a part of the surface of the assembly, measurement of the current supplied by the assembly, and determination of a ratio between measured current and reference current to deduce the proportion between the surface area of photosensitive element illuminated and the surface area masked by the objects disposed. From this ratio, information on the number of objects disposed on the photosensitive assembly is extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignees: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Isorg
    Inventors: Josep Segura Puchades, Christophe Premont
  • Patent number: 9817085
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to sensors, such as speed sensors and angle sensors, that use a modulated supply voltage to approximately double output signals of the sensors because the sensor element and the supply voltage exhibit the same frequency. In embodiments, the sensor element is an xMR element, and the modulated supply voltage is generated on-chip, such as by another xMR element. Direct frequency doubling of the output signal of the sensor element therefore can be obtained without additional and complex circuitry or signal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Juergen Zimmer
  • Patent number: 9810629
    Abstract: An apparatus for recognizing a position of a crystal in a nuclear detector, including: a silicon semiconductor detector array arranged in a crystal array in the nuclear detector, where each row/or column of silicon semiconductor detectors is configured to output a sum of voltages outputted by the silicon semiconductor detectors in the row/or column at a row/or column signal output end; row signal comparing modules, one to one correspondingly connected to each row signal output end and configured to obtain a row comparison result for each row of silicon semiconductor detectors; column signal comparing modules, one to one correspondingly connected to each column signal output end and configured to obtain a column comparison result for each column of silicon semiconductor detectors; and a crystal position recognizing module configured to recognize a position of a crystal hit by a photon according to each row comparison result and each column comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Shenyang Neusoft Medical Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nan Li, Guodong Liang, Yuqiu Zhao, Guocheng Wu, Jian Zhao
  • Patent number: 9804209
    Abstract: A method and a device are provided for monitoring an electrical power supply network. A temporal frequency change value is determined for at least two sections or for at least two points of the power supply network. The frequency change value indicates the respective temporal frequency change of the network frequency. A conclusion is drawn regarding a possible islanding within the power supply network, and a warning signal which indicates the possible islanding within the power supply network is generated when the difference between the frequency change values, exceeds a predetermined frequency change threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Andreas Litzinger, Stefan Piel
  • Patent number: 9804197
    Abstract: A probe position inspection apparatus which incorporates a rotatable internal prism is attached to a supporting unit for supporting semiconductor device, thus making it possible to accurately inspect in-plane positions of tips of probes in a short time and also making it possible to adapt the probe position inspection apparatus to a double-sided prober.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiro Takesako, Akira Okada, Takaya Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9786567
    Abstract: An embodiment method includes providing a standardized testing structure design for a chip-on-wafer (CoW) structure, wherein the standardized testing structure design comprises placing a testing structure in a pre-selected area a top die in the CoW structure, and electrically testing a plurality of microbumps in the CoW structure by applying a universal testing probe card to the testing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Cheng Wu, Li-Han Hsu, Sao-Ling Chiu, Shang-Yun Hou, Shin-Puu Jeng, Chen-Hua Lin