Abstract: A signal detector has a SQUID, a bias current supply circuit for supplying a bias current to the SQUID, and a drive circuit for detecting a magnetic flux by receiving a voltage signal of the SQUID and reading out the input signal as an output voltage. The drive circuit has two systems including a flux-locked loop system for converting a voltage signal of the SQUID into a current signal and making a magnetic flux inside the SQUID constant by feeding back a signal whereto, and an output system separate from and operating independently of the flux-locked loop system for converting a voltage signal of the SQUID and reading out the converted voltage signal without feeding back a signal to the SQUID.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor, linear or rotary, including a stator and at least a mobile part along at least a direction OX, with an effective stroke Xc. The stator includes at least two components made of soft magnetic material defining at least a secondary air gap in which is housed at least a magneto-sensitive probe. Each stator part component has a length Xs in the direction OX not less than Xc. The magnets of one mobile part are extended over at least one edge by a mobile ferromagnetic component having a thickness e, in the direction of a magnetization of one magnet, such that 0.1 L<e<0.9 L, L being a length of the magnet in a magnetization direction, and moving parallel to the stator ferromagnetic components at a constant minimum distance and having a magnetization perpendicular to OX and a length in the direction of displacement OX not less than Xc.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus repairing read heads of a merged magnetoresistive read-write head without the use of external magnets nor the exclusive use of read bias current to heat the read head.

Abstract: The invention comprises a fixed platform (1) and a displaceable platform (2) that are coupled by six tension springs (3) and an elastic spacer member (6). The spacer member forms with each platform, for instance, a ball-and-socket joint, such that the platforms can be displaced in a total of five to six degrees of freedom in respect to each other. The displacement is detected by measurements at the tension springs (3) or at the spacing member (6). This is preferably done by measuring the inductivity of the tension springs (3), thereby making it possible to easily determine the relative position of the platforms.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a spool that has magnetic filaments incorporated therein. The magnetic filaments are magnetized to create a magnetic flux around the spool. A coil is wound around the spool such that it is within the magnetic flux field generated by the spool. A target wheel having plural teeth and plural slots is placed so that its outer periphery is slightly spaced from the target wheel. As the target wheel rotates, it induces changes in the magnetic flux density sensed by the coil. The changes in flux density can be used to determine the angular position and angular speed of the target wheel and a moving part attached thereto. Since the spool is magnetized, the need for a separate magnet is obviated.

Abstract: The method allows communication with a built-in sensor, in particular a rotational speed sensor, which supplies successive signal pulses as output signal. The sensor is preferably built into a motor vehicle in such a way that it can be supplied with a supply voltage externally via a voltage supply line. The sensor is placed into a detection mode. The supply voltage on the voltage supply line is externally modulated. The modulated supply voltage received in the sensor is analyzed with regard to the fulfillment of a predetermined criterion stored in the rotational speed sensor. And, finally, the received modulated supply voltage is interpreted as an external communication signal if the criterion is fulfilled.

Abstract: A sensor device for detecting a physical measurement variable is proposed including a sensor module as well as an electronic circuit module, wherein each value of the measurement variable is determined by comparison of an electrical voltage signal generated in the sensor module with a reference voltage generated in the circuit module and each value is output as a digital or analog coded signal at an output. Such a sensor device should solve the technical problem of making information about the amplitude of an internal electrical voltage signal accessible at all times for evaluation of the current tolerance situation. This is achieved in that the amplitude of this electrical voltage signal is represented by the period of a delay between the activation of the supply voltage for the sensor device and the output of the first valid measurement value.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for measuring nonferrous electrical resistance measurement. The method includes providing a nonferrous material, inducing a magnetic field on the nonferrous material, measuring the remote magnetic field of the nonferrous material, and comparing the measured remote magnetic field to a standard.

Abstract: A Barkhausen probe includes a magnetizing field generator, a magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor, a direct current power supply for biasing the magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor and signal conditioning electronics. The Barkhausen probe is capable of generating and sensing the Barkhausen noise emanating from the surface of a cyclic magnetized specimen. The conditioned Barkhausen noise output of the signal conditioning electronics is usable as input to various analysis systems where textural analysis of the material can be performed.

Abstract: Metal detector and method in which soil mineralization effects and responses to other undesired materials are eliminated. A periodic excitation signal is transmitted into an area where a target is to be detected, and signals returned by the target are processed to provide an output signal corresponding to the target. A plurality of signals are extracted from the output signal during different phase intervals in the period of the excitation signal and processed to provide signals which are free from ferrite response and/or response to other undesired materials. The signals which are free from response to ferrite and/or other undesired materials are then compared to identify the target.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting and marking delamination defects on thin film disks are disclosed. The apparatus includes a read/write (R/W) head and a burnishing head mounted on separate arms that access the disk while spinning on the test stand. The controller uses the R/W head to perform an initial magnetic test of selected areas on the disk to establish an initial defect map. The burnish head is then flown over the surface for an extended time to accelerate and open up the latent delamination defects by impacting protruding material. The R/W head is then used to perform a second magnetic test which is compared against the first test to identify the delamination defects which have been developed by the burnishing. The delamination defects are then marked with a magnetic pattern which aids in optically locating the defect during subsequent failure analysis.

Abstract: A magnetic detection apparatus is able to ensure good performance in detecting the position of an detected portion even with a shift or displacement in the position of a magnetoelectric conversion element. The magnetic detection apparatus includes at least one magnetoelectric conversion element 15 disposed to face one of teeth 12a and grooves 12b of a rotating member 11, a magnet 14 with a direction of magnetization thereof oriented in a direction perpendicular to a radial direction of the rotating member 11 in which the magnet 14 faces the rotating member 11, and a magnetic guide 21 having a first pole projection 21a and a second pole projection 21b formed in a spaced apart relation with respect to each other in a radial direction of the magnetic moving object in which the magnetic guide 21 faces one of the teeth 21a and the grooves 21b of the rotating member 11.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor for sensing the position of a foot pedal in a motor vehicle and producing an electrical signal representative of the foot pedal position. The position sensor has a stator 7 with a channel 17 and a magnet 8 which can move along the surface 7a of the stator, the magnetic field in the stator channel 17 being dependent on the position of the magnet 8 relative to the stator 17. The magnet is connected to the foot pedal so that the movement of the foot pedal causes the magnet 8 to move along the stator surface and changes the magnetic field in the channel 17, the magnetic field in the channel 17 being sensed by a Hall probe 6 which produces an electrical signal proportional to the displacement of the magnet 8.

Abstract: A distance measurement system, comprising at least one resonant circuit, at least one magnetic element with predetermined magnetic properties, a transmitter operable to transmit an electromagnetic pulse, a receiver operable to detect oscillations emitted by said resonant circuit in response to said electromagnetic pulse, and an analyzer operable to analyze an amplitude envelope property of said oscillations, to thereby determine a distance between the resonant circuit and the magnetic element.

Abstract: A scale and a detecting head each include input/output connectors. Either of the input/output connectors is connected to receiving-side connector. By connecting the receiving-side connector to either of the scale and the detecting head, which is fixed in use, there is no change that a receiving-side cable will be disconnected by movement of the counterpart of the fixed member. This results in improvement of the reliability. Additionally, device is operable at high speed since the cable does not restrict motion of the movable member.

Abstract: A sensor of position and/or of displacement of a moving member generating magnetic pulses. The sensor comprises a plurality of aligned sensitive elements that are divided into at least two subassemblies. The signals emanating from the subassemblies are processed by an electronic circuit able to deliver two analog signals in substantially perfect quadrature.

Abstract: A magnetization yoke having an exciting coil wound thereon is arranged to hold a magnetic member and a metal ring so that a magnetic flux passes through and magnetizes the magnetic member in the portion held by the magnetization yoke for successively magnetizing the magnetic member along the circumferential direction thereby multipolarly magnetizing the magnetic member in the circumferential direction. Thus, a magnetic encoder having large magnetization strength and a small magnetization pitch error, a wheel bearing employing the same and a method of manufacturing a magnetic encoder can be obtained.

Abstract: A rotary position sensing assembly (10) includes a sensor (12) that monitors angular position, and which is fixedly attached to a first member (14), and a first arm (16) having a first end (18) pivotally attached to the sensor (12) and a second end (22) including a first portion (24) of a universal joint (26). The rotary position sensing assembly (10) also includes a second arm (28) having a first end (30) that includes a second portion (32) of the first universal joint (26) pivotally attached to the first portion (24) of the first universal joint (26), and a second end (34), including a first portion (36) of a second universal joint (38). The rotary position sensor assembly (10) further includes a second portion (40) of the second universal joint (38) fixedly attached to a second member (42) and pivotally attached to the first portion (40) of the second universal joint (38).

Abstract: A solid-state quantum computing structure includes a d-wave superconductor in sets of islands that clean Josephson junctions separate from a first superconducting bank. The d-wave superconductor causes the ground state for the supercurrent at each junction to be doubly degenerate, with two supercurrent ground states having distinct magnetic moments. These quantum states of the supercurrents at the junctions create qubits for quantum computing. The quantum states can be uniformly initialized from the bank, and the crystal orientations of the islands relative to the bank influence the initial quantum state and tunneling probabilities between the ground states. A second bank, which a Josephson junction separates from the first bank, can be coupled to the islands through single electron transistors for selectably initializing one or more of the supercurrents in a different quantum state. Single electron transistors can also be used between the islands to control entanglements while the quantum states evolve.

Abstract: A solid-state quantum computing structure includes a set of islands that Josephson junctions separate from a first superconducting bank. A d-wave superconductor is on one side of the Josephson junctions (either the islands' side or the bank's side), and an s-wave superconductor forms the other side of the Josephson junctions. The d-wave superconductor causes the ground state for the supercurrent at each junction to be doubly degenerate, with two supercurrent ground states having distinct magnetic moments. These quantum states of the supercurrents at the junctions create qubits for quantum computing. The quantum states can be uniformly initialized from the bank, and the crystal orientations of the islands relative to the bank influence the initial quantum state and tunneling probabilities between the ground states.