Abstract: Provided is a power detection circuit for tracking a maximum power point of a solar cell. The power detection circuit includes: an average voltage extracting unit which extracts an average voltage VPV,LPF from an external voltage VPV input from an external energy source; a ripple voltage extracting unit which extracts a ripple voltage including current information of the external voltage VPV from the external voltage VPV; a voltage-time converter which generates a ramp voltage VRAMP changing at a predetermined rate and converts the average voltage VPV,LPF and the ripple voltage into corresponding time information ?t1 and ?t2 based on the ramp voltage VRAMP; a time-digital converter which converts the time information ?t2 for the ripple voltage into a digital code t2 [n:0]; and a time multiplier which multiplies the digital code t2 [n:0] and the time information ?t1 for the average voltage VPV,LPF to output a specific voltage value.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor cell including a magnetic tunnel junction including a reference layer having a reference magnetization oriented substantially parallel to the plane of the reference layer, a sense layer having a sense magnetization, and a tunnel barrier layer between the sense and reference layers. The sense layer includes an intrinsic anisotropy substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer such that the sense magnetization is orientable between an initial direction perpendicular to the plane of the sense layer and a direction parallel to the plane of the sense layer; the intrinsic anisotropy having in anisotropy field being above 150 Oe.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a missing utility ground detection circuit includes a pair of balanced resistors each connected to receive utility voltage from a different one of a pair of utility power lines, the balanced resistors being connected together at a summing node to be capable of summing the voltages from the pair of utility power lines. It includes an unbalance resistor connected to shunt voltage from one of the utility power lines. It has a summing amplifier with an input coupled to the summing node and to a reference voltage, and an input coupled to a second reference voltage. It has an averaging circuit connected at the output of the summing amplifier. A comparator is provided having an input connected to the averaging circuit an input connected to a threshold voltage.

Abstract: A heat-resistant device for current detection may include a heat-resistant substrate including a ceramic material; a group of power wirings embedded in the heat-resistant substrate; and a coil structure. The coil structure may include a coil wiring in which coil units each including or corresponding to one turn of the coil wiring are arranged in a circumferential direction around the group of power wirings. The coil unit may include: a first conductor; a second conductor; a first connection wiring; and a second connection wiring which may be embedded in the heat-resistant substrate. At least the first conductor and the second conductor may not be exposed outside of the heat-resistant substrate. The respective first conductors may be spaced by the substantially same minimum distance from an outer circumferential line surrounding the group of power wirings in a plane orthogonal to the extending direction of the group of power wirings.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck includes: an electrostatic charge sensor disposed on a substrate to obtain data indicative of an electrostatic charge on an electrostatic chuck; and a transmitter disposed on the substrate and having an input in communication with an output of the electrostatic charge sensor to transmit the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing radio-frequency (RF) signals suitable for magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) and/or magnetic-resonance spectroscopy (MRS) from radio-frequency (RF) coils that have strongly-coupled coil loop pairs, each pair including a transmit loop and a receive loop, wherein the transmit loop and the receive loop are of equal sizes and shapes and in close proximity to each other, and wherein a suitable attenuated and phase-adjusted version of a transmit pulse is subtracted from a receive signal obtained from tissue being examined to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the received signal.

Abstract: Systems, methods and piezoelectric patches are provided for monitoring the structural health of connectors in overhead transmission lines. A plurality of piezoelectric patches is mounted to different locations on the connector. At least one of the patches is actuated using an AC voltage and certain electrical properties either from the same patch or of a different patch are evaluated over time to determine the structural health of the connectors.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for generating corrected magnetic resonance measurement data in an examination region of an object undergoing examination, a magnetic resonance sequence is applied to a subject in order to acquire magnetic resonance measurement data from an examination region within a time period. A first resonant frequency of nuclear spins in the examination region is determined at a first time point within the time period. A second resonant frequency of nuclear spins in the examination region is determined at a second time point within the time period. Magnetic resonance measurement data that are acquired at a further time point within the time period are corrected, based on the first resonant frequency and the second resonant frequency.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for monitoring water cresting in a subsurface formation. Embodiments include, for each of a plurality of locations along a length of a horizontal section of a wellbore extending into a hydrocarbon reservoir of a subsurface formation, advancing an omnidirectional electromagnetic logging tool (ODEMLT) to the location, operating the ODEMLT to transmit (into a portion of the subsurface formation below the horizontal section of the wellbore) an electromagnetic (EM) source signal comprising a multi-frequency waveform, operating the ODEMLT to sense an EM return signal comprising a reflection of the multi-frequency waveform from the subsurface formation, and generating a subset of saturation data for the location corresponding to the sensed EM return signal, and generating, based on the subsets of saturation data, a radargram including a two-dimensional mapping of water saturation within the portion of the subsurface formation.

Abstract: A die edge crack and delamination detection device includes a semiconductor device including an IC active area surrounded by at least one mechanical protection barrier (MPB); one or more metallization layers stacked on the IC active area; a plurality of passive electronic devices placed within the metallization layers at respective predetermined distances from the MPB; and a detection circuit having circuitry. The circuitry is configured to determine a specific metallization layer in which a crack or a delamination is encroaching from an edge of the semiconductor device, determine a lateral distance of a lead end of the crack or the delamination from the MPB, and determine a rate of approach of the crack or the delamination encroaching towards the MPB, via a nominal change in an electrical measurement of at least one of the passive electronic devices.

Abstract: A integrated circuit includes a plurality of first connection terminals (410) and second connection terminals (420) for receiving an input of electrical signals, a first detection section, a second detection section, a plurality of switches (432), and a switch control section (430). The first detection section is connected to first connection terminals (410) and obtains input electrical signals. The second detection section is connected to second connection terminals (420). Each switch (432) connects adjacent second connection terminals (420) among second connection terminals (420) to each other, and are connected to each other in series. Switch control section (430) controls to turn off switches (432) and allows electrical signals input to second connection terminals (420) to be input to the second detection section, and controls to turn on any switch among switches (432) to bring adjacent second connection terminals (420) into electrical continuity.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for testing TSVs within a semiconductor device. According to embodiments illustrated and described in the disclosure, a TSV may be tested by stimulating and measuring a response from a first end of a TSV while the second end of the TSV held at ground potential. Multiple TSVs within the semiconductor device may be tested in parallel to reduce the TSV testing time according to the disclosure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for powering a pipeline inspection system. The system includes an induction generator extending along a radially curved plane. The induction generator having an outer surface and an opposing inner surface. The outer surface is positioned proximate to an inner surface area of a pipeline. The system also includes a controller circuit configured to generate a plurality of periodic waveform signals. The plurality of periodic waveform signals are received by the induction generator. The induction generator is configured to generate active power that charges an electric power source based on the plurality of periodic waveform signals and the inner surface area.

Abstract: Continuous monitoring of an electric power system during testing of a primary electric power meter is described herein. Electric power system signals or test signals may be selectively supplied to the primary electric power meter. Electric power system signals may be supplied to a secondary meter while a test signal is applied to the primary electric power meter. The secondary meter may record and/or transmit monitoring functions and communicate the results of the monitoring functions to the primary electric power meter while the test signals are supplied to the primary electric power meter.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for testing the function of a standard insulation monitoring device, installed in an ungrounded power supply system, during operation. The basic concept of the invention rests upon adding a testing apparatus to the ungrounded power supply system, which is being monitored using an insulation monitoring device according to regulations, between the active conductors of an ungrounded power supply system and ground, said testing apparatus systematically changing an insulation resistance of the ungrounded power supply system and observing the reaction of the insulation monitoring device in a fully automated manner in perpetually repetitive testing cycles. The power supply system is monitored perpetually during its operation.

Abstract: A fault location of a fault on a line of an electrical energy supply network is determined from measured current and voltage values at the first and second line ends. Highly accurate fault location with measured values from both line ends is provided even in the absence of temporal synchronization of the measurements at the line ends. Characteristics of first and second fictitious fault voltage values present at a fictitious fault location on the line are defined using the first and second current and voltage values. A fictitious fault location is determined for which the characteristic of the first fictitious fault voltage values corresponds most closely to the characteristic of the second fictitious fault voltage values. The fictitious fault location is used as the actual fault location. We also describe a correspondingly configured device and a system for determining a fault location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting gases in an environment using chemical and thermal sensing. In one embodiment, a method includes exposing a chemiresistor embedded within a sensor pixel to a gas in an environment; setting a heater embedded within the sensor pixel to a sensing temperature, the sensing temperature being greater than room temperature; measuring an electrical resistance of the chemiresistor in response to setting the heater to the sensing temperature; and in response to a difference between the electrical resistance of the chemiresistor and a reference electrical resistance being less than a threshold, supplying a fixed power input to the heater embedded within the sensor pixel and measuring a temperature of the sensor pixel relative to a reference temperature.

Abstract: A switching module switches between receiving a first output from a sensor and a second output from a sensor-less position detection module each indicating a rotor position error of a motor. A position determining module determines a rotor position of the motor based on an output of the switching module and generates a control signal to control a parameter of the motor. A sample and hold module operates on a sum of the output of the switching module and an output of the sample and hold module from a prior instance of switching between the first and second outputs. The position determining module scales the output of the sample and hold module using first and second gains to generate first and second scaled outputs, and generates the control signal based on the output of the switching module and the first and second scaled outputs.

Abstract: A lightning strike alarm system using a Bipolar Conventional Air Terminal (BCAT) is provided. The lightning strike alarm system using BCAT including a rod element to which a ground charge is electrified and an electrification plate-cone or an electrification plate-tube electrified by a thunderstorm cloud, includes a luminescence unit to be electrically connected to the rod element and the electrification plate-cone or the electrification plate-tube and emits light by electric energy electrified to the electrification plate-cone or the electrification plate-tube by the thunderstorm cloud. The lightning strike alarm system enables a user to find that an impulse current of the thunderstorm is normally and safely flown to the ground, and thus, the user may have psychological security.

Abstract: A particle sensing device, including a substrate and at least one particle sensing element, is provided. The substrate has a groove, and a through hole is disposed at a bottom of the groove. The through hole penetrates a bottom of the substrate. The particle sensing element is disposed in the substrate. The particle sensing element may include a first electrode pair and a second electrode pair. Two first sub-electrodes of the first electrode pair are disposed nearby two sides of the groove, respectively. And, a first distance is provided between the two first sub-electrodes. Two second sub-electrodes of the second electrode pair are disposed nearby two sides of the groove, respectively. And, a second distance is provided between the two second sub-electrodes. The first distance is smaller than the second distance.