Patents Examined by Dustin R Dickinson
  • Patent number: 11016138
    Abstract: A diagnostic system for a power conversion apparatus including a semiconductor device and performing a switching operation for carrying and interrupting a main current to a main current is disclosed. This system includes a trigger circuit that acquires reference time for the switching operation; and a delay time calculation circuit that acquires first time at which the main current takes a first main current set value and second time at which the main current takes a second main current set value, and that detects numerical data about a difference between the first time and the reference time and numerical data about a difference between the second time and the reference time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Kimura, Junichi Sakano, Kimihisa Furukawa, Takashi Ogawa, Renichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 11002765
    Abstract: A non-contact electric potential meter system to determine voltage between an AC conductor and a reference potential without direct electrical contact to the conductor. A housing provides a shielded measurement region that excludes other conductors and holds power supply means; an AC voltage sensing mechanism includes a conductive sense plate and an electrical connection to the reference potential. Waveform-sensing electronic circuitry obtains an AC voltage waveform induced by capacitive coupling between the conductor and the conductive sense plate. Capacitance-determining electronic circuitry obtains a scaling factor based on the coupling capacitance formed between the conductor and the conductive sense plate. Signal processing electronic circuitry uses the AC voltage waveform and the coupling capacitance-based scaling factor to obtain the voltage between the conductor and the reference potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Vizi Metering, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Lorek, Aaron Block, Prabal Dutta
  • Patent number: 11001466
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to systems and apparatuses for tracking usage of a packetized item. In one scenario, an apparatus may be provided for tracking use of a packetized item. The apparatus may include a roll of packets where each packet is designed to contain packetized items such as pills. The packets may have an electrically conductive material applied to various parts thereof. The apparatus may also include an enclosure configured to track usage of the packets. The enclosure may include a power source, a display, a transceiver, and a microcontroller that is configured to control operation of the display and may also analyze signals from the electrically conductive material to determine the distribution status of the packets. In one example, as packets are removed from the roll of packets, the microcontroller can determine when, where and how many packets were removed from the roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Counted, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Isom, Duane Michael Scott Johnson
  • Patent number: 10998116
    Abstract: An example actuator assembly includes an actuator configured to move a rod. A variable differential transformer (VDT) is situated adjacent to the actuator. The VDT includes a core coupled to the rod such that movement of the rod causes a corresponding movement of the core. A plurality of windings surround the core for measuring displacement of the core. A shield surrounds the plurality of windings and shields the plurality of windings from a magnetic field of the actuator. The shield having a maximum permeability of 50,000-500,000. A LVDT configuration method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Eldridge, Steven A. Avritch
  • Patent number: 10983077
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the oleophilic fluid to aqueous fluid ratio of a drilling fluid includes selecting a sample of the drilling fluid that has been recirculated, measuring the NMR response of the sample of the drilling fluid and determining the oleophilic fluid to aqueous fluid ratio of the drilling fluid based at least in part on the NMR response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Songhua Chen, Magdalena Traico Sandor, Cato Russell McDaniel, Jason Glen Bell, William W. Shumway
  • Patent number: 10983239
    Abstract: Multi-frequency buried object location system transmitters and locators are disclosed. A transmitter may generate and provide output signals to a buried object at a plurality of frequencies, which may be selected based on a connection type. Corresponding locators may simultaneously receive a plurality of magnetic field signals emitted from the buried object and generate visual and/or audible output information based at least in part on the plurality of received magnetic field signals. The visual and/or audible output may be further based on signals received from a quad-gradient antenna array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SEESCAN, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, David A. Cox, Stephanie M. Bench, Jan Soukup, Timothy M. Turner, Ryan B. Levin, Ray Merewether
  • Patent number: 10982974
    Abstract: A magnet has a circular cylinder or circular tube shape and contains magnetic crystal grains, wherein an orientation of magnetization of the magnet is in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the circular cylinder or the circular tube, and directions of axes of easy magnetization of the magnetic crystal grains are isotropic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Mori, Hiroshi Ito, Yoshiaki Okada
  • Patent number: 10976182
    Abstract: A method of position estimation including: a signal detection step in which N (where N is an integer of 3 or more) sensors each detect a magnetic field which is in accordance with a position of a mover and output a detection signal as an electrical signal, the detection signals being displaced in phase by an angle obtained by dividing 360 degrees by N; a crossing detection step in which a crossing detection section sequentially detects a crossing at which each detection signal having been output through the signal detection step crosses another; a subdivision detection step in which a subdivision detection section detects a portion of the detection signal that connects from a crossing to another crossing which is adjacent to that crossing, as one or more subdivision signals; and a line segment joining step in which a line segment joining section sequentially joins the subdivision signals and estimates the position of the mover based on the plural subdivision signals having been joined, to generate an estimate
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukumura, Atsushi Fujita, Shota Ishigami
  • Patent number: 10976354
    Abstract: A current sensor includes core components that form a magnetic circuit and form a space where to dispose a probe coil on the magnetic circuit; and a clip that press-joins the core components with each other. Since magnetic reluctance decreases at a portion where the core components are press-joined by the clip, an amount of magnetic flux of an external magnetic field passing through this portion increases, and accordingly, an amount of magnetic flux interlinked with the probe coil decreases. This improves the immunity of the current sensor to an external magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kasuga Amano, Yusuke Okayama
  • Patent number: 10969245
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic marker detection method with high detection reliability. The magnetic marker detection method for detecting a magnetic marker (10) laid on a road while a vehicle (5) having a plurality of, at least two or more, magnetic sensors attached thereto is travelling includes a gradient generating process of generating a first magnetic gradient, which is a difference between magnetic measurement values of two magnetic sensors and a filter processing process of generating a filter output value by performing filter processing by a high-pass filter as to a change of the first magnetic gradient in a travelling direction of the vehicle. The magnetic marker (10) is detected by an arithmetic operation process regarding the filter output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 10968581
    Abstract: Provided are a magnetic marker and a magnetic marker detection system with a reduced magnetic force. The magnetic marker detection system (1S) in which magnetism generated from the magnetic marker (1) laid on a road surface (53) is detected by a magnetic sensor (2) attached to a vehicle's body floor (50) of a vehicle (5) is a system with the magnetic marker (1) and the magnetic sensor (2) in combination, the magnetic marker having a surface with a magnetic flux density equal to or smaller than 40 mT and the magnetic sensor using a magneto-impedance element including an amorphous wire as a magneto-sensitive body with impedance in a high-frequency region changing in accordance with an external magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 10972063
    Abstract: Amplifier systems for measuring a wide range of current are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an amplifier system includes a controllable sensing circuit, a first amplifier including an output configured to drive a device under test (DUT) through the controllable sensing circuit, and a second amplifier including an input coupled to the controllable sensing circuit and operable to generate a measurement signal indicating an amount of measured current of the DUT. The amplifier system further includes a control circuit operable to control a configuration or mode of the controllable sensing circuit suitable for a particular type of DUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Analog Devices Global Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Simon Nicholas Fiedler Basilico, Yoshinori Kusuda, Camille Louis Huin, Gary Carreau, Gustavo Castro, Sean Patrick Kowalik, Michael C. W. Coln, Scott Andrew Hunt
  • Patent number: 10961670
    Abstract: Provided are a magnetic marker and a magnetic marker detection system with a reduced magnetic force. The magnetic marker detection system (1S) in which magnetism generated from the magnetic marker (1) laid on a road surface (53) is detected by a magnetic sensor (2) attached to a vehicle's body floor (50) of a vehicle (5) is a system with the magnetic marker (1) and the magnetic sensor (2) in combination, the magnetic marker having a magnetism reach ratio Gh/Gs, which is a ratio of a magnetic flux density Gh at a position at a height of 250 mm with respect to a magnetic flux density Gs of a surface, being equal to or larger than 0.5% and the magnetic sensor using a magneto-impedance element including a magneto-sensitive body with impedance changing in accordance with an external magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 10964131
    Abstract: A state monitoring device for a plate spring mounted on a railcar bogie is configured to monitor a state of the plate spring, the plate spring including fiber-reinforced resin containing electrically conductive reinforced fibers containing reinforced fibers extending in a longitudinal direction of the plate spring. The state monitoring device includes: an electrode pair provided at both width direction side end surfaces of the plate spring and sandwiching the plate spring, a width direction of the plate spring being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the plate spring and a thickness direction of the plate spring; and a measuring unit electrically connected to the electrode pair and configured to measure an electrical characteristic of the plate spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Mitsue, Teruhisa Nakaoka, Tomohei Kobayashi, Katsuyuki Kawashima, Takehiro Nishimura, Yousuke Tsumura
  • Patent number: 10962617
    Abstract: Methods for fast magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) using a combination of outer volume suppression (“OVS”) and accelerated imaging, which may include simultaneous multislice (“SMS”) imaging, data acquisitions amenable to compressed sensing reconstructions, or combinations thereof. The methods described here do not introduce fold-over artifacts that are otherwise common to reduced field-of-view (“FOV”) techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Sebastian Weingartner, Steen Moeller, Mehmet Akcakaya
  • Patent number: 10962604
    Abstract: An arrangement for injection-based ground fault protection handling including a number of stator windings of an electric machine that are connected to a neutral point, a first transformer including at least one primary winding connected to at least one measurement point of the stator windings and at least one secondary winding for measuring an electrical quantity of the machine at the measurement point. There is also a second transformer having a primary winding connected between the neutral point and a ground potential and a secondary winding for connection to a signal generation and detection unit in order to inject a signal into the neutral point and receive a response. The impedance of the second transformer is in the range of the impedance of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Stefan Roxenborg, Zoran Gajic, Tord Bengtsson, Mikael Sehlstedt
  • Patent number: 10957943
    Abstract: A jig device for inspecting quality of a secondary battery, which fixes the secondary battery and inspects quality of the secondary battery, is provided in which the jig device includes a jig base having a seating hole, a fixed module mounted on the jig base at one side of the seating hole, a first gliding module mounted on the jig base at a side opposite to the fixed module and glidable toward the fixed module, and a support part extending across the seating hole. A masking block is mounted on one or more portions of the fixed module and the first gliding module, which comes into contact with an edge of the secondary battery to fix the secondary battery. The first gliding module is detachable from the jig base, and the support part is separable from the fixed module and the first gliding module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Seok Jin Kim, Sang Hyun Koo, Cha Hun Ku
  • Patent number: 10942226
    Abstract: A cable with a resin compact includes: a cable; a circuit board having one end on which a connecting portion connected to the cable is formed and the other end on which a sensor electrically connected to the cable through the connecting portion is formed; a holder housing the circuit board; and a cover member made of a resin partially covering the holder. The holder is partitioned by a first covered region surrounded by a first covering portion of the cover member, a second covered region surrounded by a second covering portion of the cover member, and a non-covered region not surrounded by the cover member. The first covered region, the non-covered region and the second covered region are aligned on a line in this order from a rear side toward a front side of the holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masanori Sagawa
  • Patent number: 10928421
    Abstract: A handheld differential contact probe includes a housing configured to be held in a hand of a user, a pair of probe arms carried by the housing, and a pair of opposing probe tip assemblies each carried by one of the respective probe arms and each having a probe tip circuit coupled to a probe tip at a distal end thereof. A probe tip span adjustment mechanism is carried by the housing and coupled to the pair of probe arms, and configured to adjust a span between the probe tips. A ground path mechanism is coupled between the probe tip circuits of the respective probe tip assemblies, and includes a pair of curved conductive ribbon springs each coupled at an outer end thereof to a respective probe tip circuit, and each curved conductive ribbon spring slidably engaging each other at a respective inner end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Swaim
  • Patent number: 10920583
    Abstract: A system for locating water floods, in some embodiments, comprises: multiple transducers for coupling to a borehole casing to inject current into a formation within which the casing is disposed; and multiple electrodes, each of the electrodes coupled to a different one of the multiple transducers when coupled to the casing, wherein each of the multiple transducers is used to determine a potential between the casing and a corresponding one of the multiple electrodes to which the transducer is coupled, wherein the potentials from the multiple transducers are used to determine a water flood location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmed Elsayed Fouda, Glenn Andrew Wilson, Burkay Donderici