Patents Examined by Dharti Patel
  • Patent number: 9496690
    Abstract: A set of circuit interrupters and electrical enclosures that are configured to permit an electrical enclosure having a current rating to have connected therewith a circuit interrupter having a current carrying rating no greater than the current rating. However, a current interrupter having a current carrying rating less than the current rating of the electrical enclosure potentially may be connected therewith. Such electrical interruption equipment employs threaded studs on bus bars that are of varying sizes and/or are separated by varying distances in order to resist an electrical enclosure having a current rating from being electrically connected with a circuit interrupter having a current carrying rating greater than the current rating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: James Gerard Maloney, Tony Ray Benson, Eric Alan Samuelson
  • Patent number: 9496705
    Abstract: A protection circuit of a communication interface includes: a first-level protection circuit, a second-level protection circuit and a third-level protection circuit that are sequentially connected, wherein the first-level protection circuit comprises a current discharge circuit comprising a first connection end, a second connection end and a third connection end, wherein the first connection end is connected with a first signal line of an RS-485 port, the second connection end is connected with a second signal line of the RS-485 port, and the third connection end is connected to the protection ground; the second-level protection circuit comprises a first current limiting resistor, a second current limiting resistor and a bidirectional transient suppression diode; and the third-level protection circuit comprises a voltage discharge circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventors: Guohua Tang, Shihao Qin, Jianye Liu
  • Patent number: 9484739
    Abstract: A protection device is provided that exhibits a turn on time of order of one nanosecond or less. Such a device provides enhanced protection for integrated circuits against electrostatic discharge events. This in turn reduces the risk of device failure in use. The protection device can include a bipolar transistor structure connected between a node to be protected and a discharge path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES GLOBAL
    Inventors: Edward John Coyne, John Twomey, Seamus P. Whiston, David J. Clarke, Donal P. McAuliffe, William Allan Lane, Stephen Denis Heffernan, Brian A. Moane, Brian Michael Sweeney, Patrick Martin McGuinness
  • Patent number: 9480134
    Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes a metal body, a metallic lens barrel provided movably in an optical axis direction of an imaging optical system, and a metallic exterior casing having an opening that exposes the lens barrel from inside to outside the image pickup apparatus. The metal body includes a cut-and-raised portion formed by cutting and raising a part of the metal body, and the cut-and-raised portion is electrically connected with the exterior casing or inductively coupled with the exterior casing. The cut-and-raised portion is formed to electrically discharge the lens barrel charged with static electricity via a discharge path including the cut-and-raised portion. A static electrical current generated in the lens barrel flows to ground via the discharge path including the exterior casing, the cut-and-raised portion and the metal body, without flowing via any electric substrate, to discharge a charged lens barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Kumoi, Masato Tobinaga
  • Patent number: 9478966
    Abstract: A protection relay is provided for protection of an electric network. The protection relay measures an electric signal in the network, converts the measured signal to a frequency domain representation of the measured signal, and generates a measuring phasor based on the frequency domain representation, where the phase rotation of the measuring phasor is dependent on one or more frequency components present in the measured electric signal. The protection relay compares the measuring phasor to the reference phasor, where the phase rotation of the reference phasor is based on either a nominal or a measured frequency of the electric network, and launches protection if the comparison of the of the measuring phasor and the reference phasor fulfils a predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Kari Vanhala, Petri Koivula
  • Patent number: 9472947
    Abstract: A protecting circuit includes: a discharge switch configured to connect to a first terminal and a second terminal; a trigger circuit comprising load devices configured to be connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, each of the load devices being configured to consume power; and a shunt circuit comprising, between the trigger circuit and the first terminal or the second terminal, at least one shunt pathway configured to be capable of bypassing at least one of the load devices. The trigger circuit is configured to turn on the discharge switch when a voltage between the first terminal and the second terminal is higher than a first voltage value, and the shunt circuit is configured to electrically connect the shunt pathway when the voltage is higher than a second voltage value that is greater than the first voltage value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi Namizaki
  • Patent number: 9471083
    Abstract: A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) device is provided that includes a converter, having a switched mode topology, where the switched mode topology includes a boost topology that establishes a variable transfer ratio between a variable input voltage and a variable output voltage of the converter, where the switched mode topology changes according to a power load on a power generator. The MPPT device further includes a control section, where the control section maximizes an output power of the power generator by controlling the variable transfer ratio, where the MPPT device optimizes an electrical operating point, of the power generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
    Inventor: Paul Arnold Christiaan Beijer
  • Patent number: 9472410
    Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a pixilated electrostatic chuck which enables both lateral and azimuthal tuning of the RF coupling between an electrostatic chuck and a substrate placed thereon. In one embodiment, the pixilated electrostatic chuck (ESC) may include a dielectric body having a workpiece support surface configured to accept a substrate thereon, one or more chucking electrodes disposed in the pixilated ESC, and a plurality of pixel electrodes. The plurality of pixel electrodes are switchable between a floating state and a grounded state, having variable capacitance to ground, or both. The pixel electrodes and the chucking electrodes form a circuit operable to electrostatically chuck the substrate to the workpiece support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Reza Sadjadi, Wendell Glen Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Maxim Mikhailovich Noginov
  • Patent number: 9466448
    Abstract: A high voltage relay sticking control system for a vehicle having at least one contactor, a high voltage battery pack interfacing with the contactor and a weld diagnostic detection system interfacing with the high voltage battery pack and the contactor includes an increment counter adapted to interface with the contactor, the high voltage battery pack and the weld diagnostic detection system. The increment counter is adapted to transmit at least one set of coil power cycles through the contactor if a weld exists at the contactor. A high voltage relay sticking control method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Derek Hartl
  • Patent number: 9466973
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an overload and short-circuit sensing circuit and a converter protecting circuit and method. The overload and short-circuit sensing circuit includes: an overcurrent sensing unit sensing a primary current of a converter; a voltage level adjusting unit adjusting a voltage level of the sensed primary current; a rectifying unit rectifying the signal adjusted by the voltage level adjusting unit; a short-circuit sensing unit sensing a current induced to a primary side of the converter due to a short-circuit or an overcurrent at a secondary side of the converter, separately from the overcurrent sensing unit; and a delay unit delaying the signal provided from the rectifying unit and the induced current sensing signal provided from the short-circuit sensing unit and providing the delayed signals to a control circuit for protecting the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: SOLUM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Jin Jang, Jeong Mo Yang, Hwan Cho
  • Patent number: 9466969
    Abstract: An electrical system includes a first circuit breaker that digitally senses a first current to a first load, and a second circuit breaker that digitally senses a second current to a second load and provides an output to the first circuit breaker. The first circuit breaker determines an average current based upon the first sensed current and the output from the second circuit breaker, and the first and second circuit breakers terminate power to the first and second loads if the average current is greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Markus Greither
  • Patent number: 9466970
    Abstract: An ESD protection device having high insulation reliability and excellent discharge characteristics is provided. In an ESD protection device including a first and a second discharge electrode disposed to face each other, a discharge auxiliary electrode (18) formed so as to bridge the first and second discharge electrodes, and an insulating substrate holding the first and second discharge electrodes and the discharge auxiliary electrode (18), the discharge auxiliary electrode (18) is formed of an aggregate of metal grains (24) each having a core-shell structure comprising a core portion (22) primarily formed of a first metal and a shell portion (23) primarily formed of a metal oxide containing a second metal, and the aggregate of metal grains (24) further includes an insulating resin (27) which bonds the metal grains (24) to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Sumi, Jun Adachi, Takayuki Tsukizawa, Kumiko Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9461465
    Abstract: An apparatus relates generally to an analog switch. In such apparatus, the analog switch has a transistor. A first node of the transistor is coupled to an input node of the analog switch. A second node of the transistor is coupled to an output node of the analog switch. An overvoltage protection circuit is coupled to provide a control voltage to a gate node of the transistor. The overvoltage protection circuit is used to at least substantially reduce an overvoltage state caused by an analog voltage at the input node of the analog switch exceeding an overvoltage threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Pericom Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Yiu-Ming Tam, Chi-Wa Lo, Sin-Luen Cheung
  • Patent number: 9456785
    Abstract: A performance measuring system integrated with an article of clothing, the system has a computing unit for coordinating, processing and transmission of sensor data connected to a bus and an antenna. A sensor for measuring performance characteristics is connected to the bus; the bus facilitates transmission and reception of control and data values between the computing unit and the sensor. Also, an antenna is connected to the computing unit for communicating with other computing devices and transmission of sensor data. The other computing devices display the sensor data to a user or forward the sensor data onto another communication media such as the internet or interactive television. A social networking system sharing athletic statistics using a webservice, a personal processing unit connectible to the webservice, and a computing unit having an activity program for at least one sensor. This system has an activity update service integrally associated with the webservice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Mayfonk Athletic, LLC
    Inventors: Martin Matak, Jef Spaleta
  • Patent number: 9449778
    Abstract: The object of the invention is a combined surge protection device with an integrated spark gap and with a fuse connected in series thereto, wherein the spark gap has two main electrodes and one auxiliary ignition electrode, having a housing with a first connector and a second connector, with the first connector being electrically connected to the fuse, and with the second connector being electrically connected to the first main electrode of the spark gap, and with the second main electrode of the spark gap being electrically connected to the fuse on the interior of the housing, with the combined surge protection device also having an auxiliary fuse element that is connected electrically on one side to the first connector, and with the auxiliary fuse element being connected on the other side via an ignition circuit, which is arranged on the interior of the housing, to the auxiliary ignition electrode, with the combined surge protection device having another connector in the region of the auxiliary fuse elem
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Durth
  • Patent number: 9443686
    Abstract: A circuit breaker is described herein. The circuit breaker comprising: a first plurality of electrical wires to the circuit breaker; a strain relief connecting the plurality of electrical wires to the circuit breaker; a securing mechanism attaching the strain relief to the circuit breaker; and a plurality of tethers attached to the circuit breaker positioned over the strain relief.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Alan Whitaker, Erik Russell Bogdon, Robert Stephen Estok
  • Patent number: 9431384
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit (FIG. 5A) for an integrated circuit is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes a first ESD cell having a current path coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal. A second ESD cell has a current path coupled between the second terminal and a power supply terminal. A passive circuit is connected in parallel with one of the first and second ESD cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Farzan Farbiz, John Eric Kunz, Jr., Aravind C. Appaswamy, Akram A. Salman
  • Patent number: 9431283
    Abstract: A system and method manipulate micro objects. A field generator is configured to generate a force field varying in both space and time to manipulate the micro objects on a substrate. The substrate is not permanently affixed to the field generator and allows the force field to pass through the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Jason Thompson, Eugene M. Chow, JengPing Lu, Gregory L. Whiting, David K. Biegelsen, Janos Veres
  • Patent number: 9425188
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a semiconductor surface, a high power supply rail (VDD) and a low power supply rail (VSS) on the semiconductor surface. A trigger circuit including at least one trigger input and at least one trigger output is coupled between VDD and VSS. An active shunt including at least a large MOSFET is coupled between VDD and VSS. The trigger output is coupled to a gate electrode of the large MOSFET, and at least one diode or diode connected transistor (blocking diode) is coupled between VDD and the trigger circuit, within the trigger circuit or between the trigger output and gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Muhammad Yusuf Ali, Rajkumar Sankaralingam
  • Patent number: 9425614
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a lightning protection radio remote unit RRU, which includes a primary circuit, a secondary circuit, and a working circuit, where the primary circuit and the secondary circuit are configured to convert a power supply output by a power supply system into a working power supply to power the working circuit; the shield layer located on the RRU side of the shielded cable and the shield layer located on the power supply system side of the shielded cable are grounded respectively; a surge over-voltage withstand capability between the primary circuit and the earth is not less than a lightning over-voltage; a surge over-voltage withstand capability between each inner conductor in the shielded cable and the shield layer of the shielded cable is not less than the lightning over-voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying Xiong, Xianghu Qu