Patents Examined by Dustin R Dickinson
  • Patent number: 10520535
    Abstract: A groundless radio frequency (RF) test probe comprises a first connector to receive a signal from a system under test and a second connector to present the signal as an output. The probe further comprises an antenna array coupled between the first connector and the second connector, the antenna array to couple the signal from the first connector to the second connector, wherein the antenna pair is impedance matched with the system under test. The probe does not have a physical ground connection with the system under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kwan Yin Lau, Chin Hsiu Chuang, Adrian Napoles
  • Patent number: 10520628
    Abstract: A ranging system utilizes gradiometric data to determine the direction to and distance between a first and second well without any knowledge or involvement of the borehole or formation characteristics in order to intersect and/or avoid the second well. In general, this is achieved by deploying a downhole assembly comprising transmitters and receivers having magnetic dipoles, along with bucking receivers positioned between the transmitters and receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burkay Donderici, Baris Guner
  • Patent number: 10514476
    Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes one or more of a radially-wound coil, a hall-effect sensor, a power source, and a control circuit. The radially-wound coil is configured to produce a first magnetic field in response to a DC current applied to the coil. The hall-effect sensor includes a sensor output that indicates proximity of a magnet to the hall-effect sensor. The magnet produces a second magnetic field and the sensor output indicates proximity in response to a sum of a strength of the first magnetic field and a strength of the second magnetic field at the hall-effect sensor exceeds a trip level. The radially-wound coil is in fixed proximity to the hall-effect sensor. The power source is coupled to the hall-effect sensor and is configured to provide power that alternates between on and off voltages to the hall-effect sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventor: Christopher James Hahn
  • Patent number: 10502762
    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: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Swaim
  • Patent number: 10495700
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for providing information about a target based on pulse widths. The information can be provided in a formatted output signal which uses a pulse width protocol to code information by varying amplitudes and widths of successive pulses in an output signal pulse train portion. The method includes detecting a first feature of the target and in response to detecting the first feature, generating an output signal pulse train portion comprising two or more pulses with at least two of the pulses having different amplitudes and each of the two or more pulses having a width corresponding to a logic value. The widths of the two or more pulses in the output signal pulse train portion can be measured in response to the detected first feature reaching a first amplitude threshold, whereby the widths can correspond to different logic values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Seth Prentice, Andrea Foletto, Marcus Hagn
  • Patent number: 10488427
    Abstract: A wheel speed sensor includes an electromagnetic sensor having an electromagnetic sensor head disposed at a distal end thereof and a flange acting as a sensor support. The electromagnetic sensor head includes a magnet and an integrated circuit for sensing movement of a tone ring formed of magnetic attractive material. A sensor interface disposed at the distal end of the electromagnetic sensor is mechanically secured to a flange interface of the flange. The sensor interface can include outwardly projecting opposing tabs on opposing sides of the electromagnetic sensor head that are received by opposing apertures in parallel, spaced projecting arms that form the flange interface. In another arrangement, the sensor is inserted into an opening defined in the flange, and a retainer element is inserted into a slot formed on the electromagnetic sensor head such that the sensor cannot be extracted from the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ket Seng Koh, Walter Heinrich
  • Patent number: 10483958
    Abstract: A voltage detector includes a comparison unit which is equipped with a plurality of comparators and which is configured to compare a threshold voltage and determination voltages corresponding to each comparator and output a first result of High or Low for each comparator and configured to compare an input voltage and the determination voltages and output a second result of High or Low for each comparator, and a determination unit configured to determine based on the first result and the second result whether or not the input voltage is less than or equal to the threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Endo, Kazuhiro Kamiya
  • Patent number: 10459015
    Abstract: A vehicle information terminal is used in a vehicle equipped with an energy converter for converting an external energy to an electric power. The vehicle information terminal includes a management unit that generates a power generation information associated with a vehicle position and a power generation amount of the energy converter. The management unit is operative to transmit the power generation information to an external device. A transmission condition of the power generation information of the management unit is set so that transmission frequency of the power generation information during travel of the vehicle is higher than transmission frequency of the power generation information during stop of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10451666
    Abstract: Methods for enabling in-line detection of TS-PC short defects at the TS-CMP processing stage are provided. Embodiments include providing a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a plurality of partially formed MOSFET devices; performing a first defect inspection on the substrate, the first inspection including ACC; identifying one or more BVC candidates on the substrate based on the first inspection; performing a second defect inspection on the one or more BVC candidates, the second inspection performed without ACC; and detecting one or more BVC defects on the substrate based on the one or more BVC candidates appearing during both the first and second inspections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventor: Ming Lei
  • Patent number: 10451685
    Abstract: A voltage measurement unit for detecting voltage of secondary battery cells on a block by block basis, and outputting the detected voltage as block voltage, an information acquisition unit for acquiring information about a module among a plurality of modules that accommodates a block where a difference between the block voltage and a corresponding block voltage with a first order lag has been changed to exceed a predetermined voltage value, a notification reception unit for receiving a notification of an abnormality having occurred in the secondary battery cells, and a module identification unit for identifying a module corresponding to the information about the module, as a module having the abnormality at the time of receiving the notification by the notification reception unit, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Motohiro Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10444294
    Abstract: An inspection device (20) for inspecting a structure body (10) including a pair of electrodes and a separator disposed between the pair of electrodes is provided, the inspection device (20) includes: a measurement unit (30) including a direct-current constant voltage generator (32) that generates a constant inspection voltage applied to the pair of electrodes, and a detection circuit (34) that detects a current value between the pair of electrodes resulting from the application of the inspection voltage; and a processing unit (50) that determines whether the structure body (10) is defective or non-defective based on the detected current value, and the processing unit (50) has a function that, if two or more points at which a ratio (?I/?t) of a current value variation amount (?I) to a time variation amount (?t) varies from a value of no less than 0 to a negative value are observed or no point at which the ratio (?I/?t) varies from a value of no less than 0 to a negative value is observed during a period of tim
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: J.E.T. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shigeki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10444404
    Abstract: In-situ calibration of a resistivity logging tool is accomplished using a variety of methods in which deep measurement signals are calibrated using acquired and simulated measurement signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC.
    Inventor: Burkay Donderici
  • Patent number: 10429428
    Abstract: A method of detecting a ground fault in a faulty electronic control unit. A ground fault detection technique executed by a processor is enabled. The processor determines a message count for each respective electronic control unit transmitted during a ground offset condition over a predetermined time period. The message count includes messages communicated within a communication bus having a measured voltage at least a predetermined voltage value above an expected voltage value. The message counts for each respective electronic control unit are normalized. The faulty electronic control unit is identified as a function of the normalized message counts. A fault signal is output to identify the fault electronic control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xinyu Du, Shengbing Jiang, Atul Nagose, Aaron B. Bloom
  • Patent number: 10429429
    Abstract: In a differential protection method for monitoring a line of a power grid, current indicator measured values are measured at the ends of the line and are transmitted to an evaluation device. A differential current value is formed with current indicator measured values temporally allocated to one another. The time delay between local timers of the measuring devices is used for the temporal allocation of the current indicator measured values measured at different ends. A fault signal indicating a fault affecting the line is generated if the differential current value exceeds a predefined threshold value. A check is carried out using electrical measured quantities temporally allocated to one another and a line-specific parameter to determine whether the time delay information indicates the actual time delay between the respective local timers. A time error signal is generated if erroneous time delay information is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Torsten Kerger, Robert Matussek
  • Patent number: 10431127
    Abstract: This invention is referred to a guarantee seal for non-opening electrical energy consumption meters with mechanical seal type padlock, disposable of a single use; for sealing or closing some container, box, door, cabinet, meter, valve, pump, bag, carrier bag, water tank, etc., meanly used for the electricity meters commonly used in countries of North America, Central and South America; whose purpose is protecting and controlling the electricity theft, guarantying its immobility. Such guarantee seal has a unique shape that fits exactly with the cavities of the meters and it gets in by pressure, therefore if the seal is located outside of such cavity its external manipulation is evident, furthermore, it has a lid, a base, a verification system by continuity and tag or RFID tag to ensure the integrity of such seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventor: Dario Iturria Avalos
  • Patent number: 10416224
    Abstract: An insulation detector for highly accurately detecting or measuring, with a simple configuration, insulation resistance of a load or an apparatus to a ground or a housing and connected to an electric apparatus including one or both of an intra-apparatus capacitor and a battery, the insulation detector including an intra-insulation detector capacitor, a voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage of the intra-insulation detector capacitor, and a current-path forming switch for connecting the ground or the housing, the intra-apparatus capacitor, and the intra-insulation detector capacitor in series and forming a current path including insulation resistance of the electric apparatus. The insulation detector measures the insulation resistance by measuring a time constant of a change in the voltage of the intra-insulation detector capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Taichiro Tamida, Masayuki Uematsu, Akira Tanabe, Yoshitomo Hayashi, Yoji Tsutsumishita, Kosuke Tsujikawa
  • Patent number: 10416213
    Abstract: A sensor includes a hollow enclosure, an antenna disposed external to the hollow enclosure and configured to collect emission of electromagnetic energy, a circuit disposed within the hollow enclosure and comprising a low noise amplifier (LNA) connectable to the antenna, and an analog to digital converter (ADC) in a connection with the LNA, circuit connections connecting, during use of the sensor, the circuit to each of the antenna, a source of electric energy and a signal processing component, a connection between the enclosure and an enclosure of an integrated circuit (IC), whereby the antenna id disposed between the sensor and the IC, and the sensor configured to at least measure a low-level electromagnetic energy emitted from the IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: NOKOMIS, INC.
    Inventors: Bogdan Amaru Pathak, Walter John Keller
  • Patent number: 10393823
    Abstract: An object is to achieve management control of an assembled battery using an accurate measured value of a cell voltage. A battery system monitoring apparatus 10 that monitors and controls a battery system includes battery monitoring circuits 100 provided for respective cell groups 120. Each of the battery monitoring circuits 100 includes a cell voltage measurement module 6 that is connected with two electrodes of respective single battery cells 110 of a corresponding cell group 120 via voltage detection lines 2 and that measures a cell voltage of each of the single battery cells 110 at each of predetermined timings. An RC filter 4 is connected with the voltage detection lines 2. The RC filter 4 includes resistors and capacitors. The cell voltage measurement module 6 extends intervals at which the cell voltage is to be measured when a stored charge amount in the capacitor in the RC filter 4 changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiko Kudo, Tomonori Kanai, Tomoyuki Arima, Akiko Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 10369567
    Abstract: A microfluidic chip comprising a microchannel fillable with a liquid, the microchannel comprises a pair of electrodes, and a liquid flow path defined between the electrodes, wherein each of the electrodes extends along the flow path and parallel to a direction of a liquid filling the microchannel, in operation, and an electrical circuitry connected to each of the electrodes and configured to continuously measure, via the electrodes, a capacitance of the electrodes being wet by a liquid continuously filling the flow path, as a function of time, in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Emmanuel Delamarche, Yuksel Temiz
  • Patent number: 10365319
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided to determine deterioration of a photocoupler. The apparatus includes a detecting unit and a determining unit. The detecting unit receives an electric pulse signal outputted from the photocoupler. The amplitude of the outputted pulse signal depends on that of an electric AC voltage applied to the photocoupler. The detecting unit detects a duty ratio of the pulse signal. The determining unit determines whether or not the duty ratio is less than a threshold given for the determination. The determining unit also determines that the photocoupler has deteriorated in performance thereof more than a usable level if it is determined that the duty ratio is less than the threshold given for the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Yoko Sumiyoshi