Patents Examined by Gail Kaplan Verbitsky
  • Patent number: 10971383
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring the temperature of epoxy resin in an electronics package are provided herein. In some embodiments, apparatus for encapsulating an electronics package includes: a process chamber having a chamber body enclosing a processing volume; a substrate support having a support surface for receiving and supporting a substrate for forming an electronics package; and a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of an epoxy resin in an electronics package. The temperature sensor includes: an input apparatus including at least a light source disposed outside the chamber body to provide an excitation light energy to a portion of the epoxy resin; and an output apparatus including at least a signal analyzer disposed outside the chamber body to detect fluorescent light energy emitted by the portion of the epoxy resin and determine a temperature of the epoxy resin based on the excitation light energy and the fluorescent light energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Preetham P. Rao, Ananthkrishna Jupudi
  • Patent number: 10969280
    Abstract: A temperature measurement correction method for a temperature detection device is provided. The temperature detection device includes a case and a focal plane array module disposed on an inner of the case. The temperature measurement correction method includes measuring an ambient temperature, a temperature of the case and a temperature of the focal plane array module, determining a plurality of radiometric regression coefficients according to the ambient temperature, the temperature of the case and the temperature of the focal plane array module, utilizing the temperature detection device to sense infrared energy radiated from an object to generate an electrical signal, and calculating an actual temperature value of the object according to the plurality of radiometric regression coefficients and the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Shiang-Feng Tang, Shun-Lung Yen, Kun-Chi Lo, Wen-Jen Lin
  • Patent number: 10959383
    Abstract: A distributed sensor grid may be used to monitor the growth conditions of plants in an agricultural environment. In one example, a distributed sensor grid may include sensors that are arranged as a grid defined by a vertical axis and a first horizontal axis. The sensors may each be coupled to a cable and/or a port that provides operating power and/or network communications access. In some implementations, a plurality of lighting fixtures disposed in the agricultural environment may be configured to provide the power and network communications access to one or more sensors, thus alleviating use of excess cabling for connectivity and simplifying installation. The sensors may be correspondingly disposed within the vicinity of respective lighting fixtures to monitor growth conditions for a portion of the agricultural environment. The sensors used may also be packaged as an integrated sensor assembly, further simplifying installation and deployment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Agnetix, Inc.
    Inventors: Ihor Lys, Nicholas Maderas
  • Patent number: 10962422
    Abstract: A system for determining a side of an electrical circuit exposed to a high temperature includes a printed circuit board having at least two outer edges and first and second board stiffeners of a first material disposed along the outer edges. The system also includes a control unit and a plurality of traces formed of a material that is different than the first material and has a second Seebeck coefficient. The control unit determines whether the first edge or second edge is closer to the high temperature based on a voltage differential between a trace connecting it to the first end of the first board stiffener and a trace connecting to the first end of the second board stiffener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: William E. Villano, Dean Anthony Rametta
  • Patent number: 10955491
    Abstract: A method determines temperature information associated with a current coil connection in a meter. The method includes conveying heat from a current coil connection to a location proximate a winding disposed about a core. The core includes an opening through which a current carrying coil is disposed, the current carrying coil carrying current measured by the meter. The method also includes measuring a resistance of the winding disposed about a core, wherein the winding has a resistance that varies as a function of temperature. The method includes determining a temperature value based on the measured resistance and storing or communicating the determined temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr, Inc.
    Inventor: John T. Voisine
  • Patent number: 10948360
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a temperature monitoring for switching elements, in particular for a module having bipolar transistors with an insulated gate. For this purpose, the current operating parameters of the IGBT module are detected and, on the basis of said operating parameters, an expected temperature of the switching element is determined at a predetermined position. Said expected temperature is compared with a temperature detected at this position. If the actual temperature exceeds the expected temperature, then this is an indication of a malfunction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Jiahang Jin
  • Patent number: 10948361
    Abstract: A new and useful thermochromic liquid crystal Indicator is disclosed that provides an indication of the temperature of the Object to which the Indicator is attached, and is an improvement over the existing art for at least the fact that the impact of ambient air circulating around the Indicator and circulating the Object is reduced by several means, such as i) the use of a novel cap or housing to isolate the liquid crystal Structure from ambient air and from touching or ii) using a novel liquid crystal formulation that reduces the reaction time of the thermochromic liquid crystal contained in the Indicator to changing temperatures conveyed by the ambient air. The new and useful liquid crystal Indicator can also employ either a template or a colored filter as a mask that narrows the colors and narrows the range of temperatures indicated by the Indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Inventors: Kevin K. Diehn, Bani H. Cipriano, Rel S. Ambrozy
  • Patent number: 10948353
    Abstract: Examples described herein generally relate to apparatus and methods for rapid thermal processing (RTP) of a substrate. In one or more embodiments, a process chamber includes chamber body, a window disposed on a first portion of the chamber body, a chamber bottom, and a shield disposed on a second portion of the chamber body. The shield has a flat surface facing the window to reduce reflected radiant energy to a back side of a substrate disposed in the process chamber during operation. The process chamber further includes an edge support for supporting the substrate and a cooling member disposed on the chamber bottom. The cooling member is disposed in proximity of the edge support to cool the edge support during low temperature operation in order to improve the temperature uniformity of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lara Hawrylchak, Samuel C. Howells, Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Leonid M. Tertitski, Michael Liu, Dongming Iu, Norman L. Tam, Ji-Dih Hu
  • Patent number: 10942070
    Abstract: Provided is a temperature sensor including a carrier substrate; a sensor unit positioned on the carrier substrate and including a base layer and an electric conductive layer, the base layer having surface hygroscopicity, and the electric conductive layer being on an external surface of the base layer; a pad unit electrically connected to opposite ends of the sensor unit; and a cover unit positioned on the sensor unit and configured to cover the sensor unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: HAESUNG DS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jin Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 10935434
    Abstract: A temperature sensor 10 according to the present invention includes a coil element (10) connected to a coil of an electric apparatus, an element main body (51) that includes a thermosensitive body (52) detecting heat of the coil element (10) and paired electric wires (55 and 56) connected to the thermosensitive body (52), and a housing (25) that includes an electric insulating resin material and is configured to house the coil element (10) and the element main body (51). The housing (25) according to the present invention includes, at a position corresponding to the thermosensitive body (52), a view window (76) allowing for visual confirmation of the thermosensitive body (52) from outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: SHIBAURA ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Yoshihara, Michiru Takemura, Masanori Kirihara
  • Patent number: 10935440
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a clinical thermometer for non-invasive measurement of sub-cutaneous temperature of tissue of a human or animal subject. Probe light is collected from a collection region spatially offset from an entry region on a visible surface of the subject, following scattering within the tissue, and a temperature of the tissue is determined from Raman spectral features in the collected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: United Kingdom Research and Innovation
    Inventors: Pavel Matousek, Nicholas Stone, Benjamin Gardner
  • Patent number: 10935433
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a food probe (10) for determining the temperature or the temperatures in the interior of food stuff. The food probe (10) comprises an elongated rod (12). A front portion of the rod (12) is provided for penetrating the food stuff. The rod (12) is subdivided into at least three pipe sections (16, 18, 20) arranged serially. The rod (12) includes a cone end (22) arranged at its front end. The food probe (10) comprises at least three temperature sensors (32, 34, 36). A most one of the temperature sensors (32, 34, 36) is arranged inside one pipe section (18, 20) and/or inside the cone end (22). The food probe (10) comprises a connector (38, 40, 42) provided for an electric connection to a control unit. The connector comprises at least three connector elements (38, 40, 42) connected to the temperature sensors (32, 34, 36) according to the predetermined scheme. Further, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a cooking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag
    Inventors: Martin Kessler, Eric Bosscher, Fabienne Reinhard-Herrscher
  • Patent number: 10919186
    Abstract: A color based heating system is disclosed. A film for repair of aircraft components of fiber reinforced plastic has color changing properties that can include being temperature-dependent. The color changing properties can be reversible. A system for heating a repair site of a component of fiber reinforced plastic includes the film, a camera and a heating plate. The heating plate can have individually controllable heating zones. A controller can use local color signals of the camera for locally controlling local heating zones of the heating plate. The controller can assign local color signals of the camera to temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Roman Kleinpeter, Tobias Karrasch
  • Patent number: 10921194
    Abstract: A thermal sensing system includes an electrical contact, a sensing element, and a position sensor. The electrical contact includes a shaft that defines a channel. The channel extends into the shaft from an opening along an outer surface of the shaft. The sensing element is disposed at least partially outside of the channel and is operably connected to the channel through the opening. The sensing element is movable relative to the electrical contact based on a temperature change within the channel. The position sensor is spaced apart from the electrical contact and the sensing element. The position sensor is configured to detect a position change of a portion of the sensing element outside of the channel responsive to the temperature change within the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TE CONNECTIVITY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nathan Philip Myer, Zachary Wood Lyon, David Bruce Sarraf
  • Patent number: 10909438
    Abstract: Passive radio frequency identification (RFID) real-time temperature sensors based on programmable liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are provided. The sensors can be used for monitoring the temperature for various items, including perishable goods, foods, and medicines in the cold supply chain. The sensors can convey changes in temperature through a controlled shift of the operating frequency in the RFID ultra high frequency (UHF) band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Florida International University Board of Trustees
    Inventors: Stavros Georgakopoulos, Yousuf Shafiq
  • Patent number: 10911850
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide for an integrated temperature sensor and microphone package where the temperature sensor is located in, over, or near an acoustic port associated with the microphone. This placement of the temperature sensor near the acoustic port enables the temperature sensor to more accurately determine the ambient air temperature and reduces heat island interference cause by heat associated with the integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the temperature sensor can be a thermocouple formed over a substrate, with the temperature sensing portion of the thermocouple formed over the acoustic port. In another embodiment, the temperature sensor can be formed on an application specific integrated circuit that extends into or over the acoustic port. In another embodiment, a thermally conductive channel in a substrate can be placed near the acoustic port to enable the temperature sensor to determine the ambient temperature via the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Minervini, Kieran Harney, Aleksey S. Khenkin, Baris Cagdaser
  • Patent number: 10908030
    Abstract: A sensor element and a method for producing a sensor element are disclosed. In an embodiment a sensor element includes a ceramic carrier having a top side and an underside, a respective NTC layer arranged on the top side and on the underside of the carrier and at least one electrode, wherein a resistance of the respective NTC layer depends on a thickness and/or geometry of the respective NTC layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Jan Ihle, Anke Weidenfelder, Christl Lisa Mead, Gerald Kloiber
  • Patent number: 10900843
    Abstract: A sensor for detecting a temperature distribution imparted on a substrate in an environment is disclosed. The sensor includes a sensor substrate with one or more temperature sensing elements formed on the sensor substrate. In embodiments, a temperature sensing element includes at least one cavity with a thermally expandable material disposed within the cavity and a channel extending from the cavity with a slug disposed within the channel. In embodiments, the cavity has a fixed volume and is enclosed by a cover layer disposed or formed over the cavity. The thermally expandable material is configured to extend from the cavity into the channel to actuate the slug from a first position within the channel to at least a second position within the channel, where the position of the slug is indicative of a temperature of a respective portion of the sensor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventor: Earl Jensen
  • Patent number: 10883885
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating a temperature measuring device of a dental oven by means of at least one calibration element, which is heated in the dental oven during a heating time interval (dt), wherein the at least one calibration element has at least one measurement material having a reversible phase transition occurring at a first transition temperature (TC1), the phase transition causes an abrupt change of at least one first parameter (I) of the dental oven, the temperature in the furnace chamber is measured by means of the temperature measuring device as an actual temperature (T), and the parameter (I) is measured, at least one first abrupt change (dI1) of the first parameter (I) is identified, a deviation of the first actual temperature value (T1), which is measured by the temperature measuring device when the first abrupt change (dI1) of the first parameter (I) occurs, from the first transition temperature (TC1) is determined, and the actual temperature (T) of the temperature measu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: DENTSPLY SIRONA INC.
    Inventor: Christian Kurz
  • Patent number: 10876905
    Abstract: The disclosed invention is an improved TPW cell design that is designed to provide a method of removing contaminants from the TPW cell water, and improved resistance to breakage in shipping. An additional storage volume provides for transferring the liquid water from the cell body into the storage volume by inverting the cell, followed by a series of rotations. Subsequent distillation of the water into the cell body by a sub-boiling process (with vapor moving through a transfer tube and condensing in the cell body) results in removal of contaminants from the water in the cell body. The upper volume and transfer tube are configured so that transport damage is minimized by storing the liquid water in the storage volume during transport, and preventing any liquid water from moving from the storage volume into the lower cell body regardless of orientation of the cell during shipping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventors: Stanley Pond, Michael Pond