Patents Examined by John E. Barlow
  • Patent number: 7444255
    Abstract: A system for analyzing lengths of branches of signal paths is disclosed. The system includes: a signal path naming module for naming all signal paths of a PCB; a signal path group selecting module for selecting a group of signal paths to be analyzed from the database; a signal path selecting module for selecting signal paths to be analyzed from the group of signal paths; a branch searching module for analyzing the selected signal paths, to search passive circuit components and external circuits connected to the selected signal paths for corresponding branches of the selected signal paths; a branch length calculating module for calculating a length of each branch; and a branch length comparing module for comparing each calculated branch length with a corresponding predefined maximal branch length to determine whether the calculated branch length is more than the predefined maximal branch length. A related method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shou-Kuo Hsu, Chia-Nan Pai, Cheng-Shien Li
  • Patent number: 7440858
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is utilized to determine the bearing and/or location of sources, such as, alternating current (A.C.) generators and loads, power lines, transformers and/or radio-frequency (RF) transmitters, emitting electromagnetic-wave energy for which a Poynting-Vector can be defined. When both a source and field sensors (electric and magnetic) are static, a bearing to the electromagnetic source can be obtained. If a single set of electric (E) and magnetic (B) sensors are in motion, multiple measurements permit location of the source. The method can be extended to networks of sensors allowing determination of the location of both stationary and moving sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: David J. Simons, Charles R. Carrigan, Philip E. Harben, Barry A. Kirkendall, Craig A. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7433800
    Abstract: A system for measuring performance of a voltage regulator module (VRM) attached to a microprocessor includes: a voltage transient tester (VTT) fixture (5) for setting different working voltage levels of the VRM; an oscillograph (2) for measuring transient voltage levels of the VRM, and generating a transient voltage waveform according to the transient voltage levels; an voltmeter (3) for measuring steady voltage levels of the VRM under thermal effects generated by the microprocessor; a direct current (DC) electronic load (4) for educing load currents from the VRM; and a measurement control module (10) installed in a computer (1) for generating load current control signals, controlling the DC electronic load to educe the load currents from the VRM according to the load current control signals, and generating a performance report of the VRM by integrating various measurement results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Shiu Ou Yang, Wei-Yuan Chen, Sung-Kuo Ku, Cho-Hao Wang
  • Patent number: 7433794
    Abstract: A method of mitigating propagation of a thermal event in an energy storage system having a plurality of cells is disclosed. The method includes the steps of identifying the heat sources within the energy storage system and plurality of cells. The method then controls a temperature of the energy storage system and plurality of cells and also detects predetermined conditions within the energy storage system. The method then performs a predetermined action based on when one of the predetermined conditions is detected. A plurality of sensors and switches along with associated hardware or software will be used to control the temperature of the energy storage system upon detection of predetermined conditions involving overheating, over current, over voltage of the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Michael Berdichevsky, Philip David Cole, Arthur Joseph Hebert, Weston Arthur Hermann, Kurt Russell Kelty, Scott Ira Kohn, David Frederick Lyons, Jeffrey Brian Straubel, Noel Jason Mendez
  • Patent number: 7433792
    Abstract: A disc drive testing method is provided for testing a plurality of disc drives. The disc drive testing method includes steps of: selecting a disc drive as a current testing disc drive; sending load/unload commands to the current testing disc drive to drive the current testing disc drive to perform a load/unload operation; timing a load/unload duration of the current testing disc drive; and selecting a next disc drive as the current testing disc drive if the current testing disc drive is busy performing the load/unload operations. A related disc drive testing apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Ko, Shuang-Quan Luo
  • Patent number: 7430480
    Abstract: A particulate determination method determines by onetime scanning, the size of a particulate included in a plurality of particulates of various sizes which are arranged on a disc. False recognition of the number of particulates is avoided even when a plurality of particulates are adjacent to each other. A photodetector detection signal is judged using plural threshold values according to the sizes of particulates to be detected. Results of determinations corresponding to the respective threshold values are stored on mutually independent memory maps. When counting particulates, a particulate size and a particulate count value are determined from a combination of stored data appearing in a scanning window at the same position on the respective memory maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Tada, Hideyuki Kurokawa, Yoshiyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 7430482
    Abstract: A waveform recorder device for mounting to an electronic circuit breaker having an electronic trip unit and a communication port is disclosed. The device includes a connector configured to connect with the communication port, and a processing circuit in signal communication with the connector. The processing circuit is responsive to instructions which, when executed by the processing circuit, facilitate responding to a conditional signal received from the circuit breaker, and in response thereto recording waveform information arising from an additional signal received from the circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Geoff Butland, Michael S. Tignor, John J. Dougherty, Craig Benjamin Williams, Mark Culler
  • Patent number: 7428472
    Abstract: A device supported by a user while the user is in locomotion on foot during an outing may monitor a performance parameter of the user. The performance parameter may comprise a pace and/or a speed of the user. Prior to the outing, the device may be configured to specify a first interval and second interval, corresponding to a first and second performance zone, respectively, for the outing. Each performance zone may be different from one another and each zone may comprise one of a zone of paces and a zone of speeds. During the first interval, an action may be taken with the device in response to determining that the monitored performance parameter has fallen outside of the first performance zone. During the second interval, an action may be taken with the device in response to determining that the monitored performance parameter has fallen outside the second performance zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Darley, Thomas P. Blackadar
  • Patent number: 7428471
    Abstract: A user in locomotion on foot during an outing may identify a grade of a surface with at least one device supported by the user. A performance parameter of the user may be determined with the device based upon the grade of the surface, which may be based upon a measured physiological parameter of the user. An average foot contact time and an average pace of a user during a first outing may be identified and a relationship between them may be determined. No other average foot contact times or average paces identified during a different outing may be used to define the relationship. A single user-specific calibration contestant may define a relationship between foot contact times of a user and corresponding paces of the user, wherein no other user-specific calibration constants are used to define the relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Darley, Thomas P. Blackadar
  • Patent number: 7426444
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods for determining a phase shift acquired by an entangled N-qubit system represented by a NOON state. In one embodiment, a probe electromagnetic field is coupled with each qubit system. The phase shift acquired by the qubit systems is transferred to the probe electromagnetic field by transforming each qubit-system state into a linear superposition of qubit basis states. An intensity measurement is performed on the probe electromagnetic field in order to obtain a corresponding measurement result. A counter associated with a measurement-result interval is incremented, based on the measurement result falling within the measurement-result interval. A frequency distribution is produced by normalizing the counter associated with each measurement-result interval for a number of trials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Raymond G. Beausoleil, William J. Munro, Timothy P. Spiller, Pieter Kok, Sean D. Barrett, Kae Nemoto
  • Patent number: 7425097
    Abstract: An inertial measurement unit comprises an outer case assembly including an upper gas plenum and a lower gas plenum, with upper and lower support shells surrounded by the upper and lower gas plenums. A sensor assembly includes a sensor shell, with the sensor assembly surrounded by the upper and lower support shells. A plurality of gas bearing pads extend through apertures in the upper and lower support shells and are configured to inject a first pressurized gas into a gap that separates the gas bearing pads and the sensor shell. A wireless power transfer transformer includes a power transmitting core mounted to the outer case assembly, and a power receiving core mounted in an opening of the sensor shell. The receiving core is configured to be aligned with the transmitting core for wireless power transfer. The transmitting core is configured to inject a second pressurized gas into a gap between the transmitting core and the receiving core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Charles D. Chappell, Robert E. Johnson, David A. Bowen
  • Patent number: 7426452
    Abstract: A dual-protocol handheld field maintenance tool is provided with radio frequency communication. The radio frequency commination can be provided by virtue of an SDIO card inserted within an SDIO slot in the handheld field maintenance tool. A method of interacting with a process using a dual-protocol handheld field maintenance tool is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems. Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Zielinski, Alan R. Dewey, Alden C. Russell, II
  • Patent number: 7424394
    Abstract: A utility diagnosing equipment can recognize an abnormality or a normality in a plurality of utilities of an identical type, which would not be recognized when an absolute threshold is set. The equipment accepts state values from the plurality of utilities, sets an average value of the state values of each utility to a proxy value, finds a relative value between the state value of each utility and the proxy value thereof, and displays the relative value for each utility. The relative values of the utilities exceeding a predetermined threshold is highlighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Suzuki, Masahiko Saito, Toshimi Yokota, Tomotsune Taira
  • Patent number: 7424395
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for detecting an abnormal event for process units of an ethylene processing system. The method compares the operation of the process units to a model developed by principal components analysis of normal operation for these units. If the difference between the operation of a process unit and the normal operation indicates an abnormal condition, then the cause of the abnormal condition is determined and corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Kenneth F. Emigholz, Richard B. McLain, Robert K. Wang, Stephen S. Woo
  • Patent number: 7421345
    Abstract: A multicomponent induction logging tool is used on a MWD bottomhole assembly. Multifrequency focusing that accounts for the finite, nonzero, conductivity of the mandrel is applied. Using separation of modes, the principal components and a direction of a conductivity tensor are determined. The results are used for reservoir navigation in earth formations. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Leonty A. Tabarovsky, Michael B. Rabinovich
  • Patent number: 7421348
    Abstract: A method for predicting emissions from an emissions source. Test values of process variables relating to operation of the emissions source are gathered, along with corresponding time-correlated test values of the emissions variable to be predicted. Using the test values of the process variables, test values of a plurality of first coefficients are calculated for each process variable and associated with the process variable, and test values of a plurality of second coefficients are calculated for each value of each process variable and associated with the value of the process variable. Comparison values of the process variables relating to operation of the emissions source are gathered, along with corresponding time-correlated comparison values of the emissions variable to be predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Inventor: Brian G. Swanson
  • Patent number: 7421355
    Abstract: There is provided a measuring apparatus for measuring a signal-under-test, having a comparator for sequentially comparing voltage values of the signal-under-test with a threshold voltage value fed thereto at timing of strobe signals sequentially fed thereto, a strobe timing generator for sequentially generating the strobe signals placed almost at equal time intervals, a capture memory for storing the comparison result of the comparator and a digital signal processing section for calculating jitter of the signal-under-test based on the comparison result stored in the capture memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Hou, Takahiro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7421376
    Abstract: A characteristic thumbprint is extracted from a data signal, the thumbprint based on statistics relating to the data signal. The data signal can be compared indirectly by matching this thumbprint against one or more reference thumbprints. The data signal may be any type of signal, including streaming digitized audio or obtained from static files. A database for containing a number of such thumbprints and methods for searching the database are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Auditude, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey L. Caruso, William S. Yeager, Nicholas Seet
  • Patent number: 7421377
    Abstract: Present application provides a method for suppressing noise in a spectral Doppler system, comprising the steps of: obtaining a power spectrum of Doppler signals demodulated in the spectral Doppler system, by performing spectral analysis on the Doppler signals; estimating an average noise power of the spectral Doppler system; designing a noise suppression filter by determining its filter coefficients based on the power spectrum of the Doppler signals and the estimated average noise power; filtering the Doppler signals by using the designed noise suppression filter so as to reduce the noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yu Zhang
  • Patent number: 7421358
    Abstract: By performing a contingency-based correlation test of measurement data, such as defect data, with respect to electrical test data after progressively filtering the measurement data, an enhanced analysis of process flow characteristics may be accomplished. Consequently, an efficient yield loss estimation may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Garry Tuohy