Patents Examined by John Le
  • Patent number: 7324906
    Abstract: In a compass sensor unit, an azimuth data computing method is carried out by the steps of: inputting a signal from a geomagnetic sensor to measure magnetic field; determining whether to store measurement data of the magnetic field based on a distance from the last stored measurement data; calculating an offset value based on the stored data; making a comparison for each component of a plurality of measurement data used for calculating the offset value, and judging the offset value to be valid when a difference between the maximum and minimum values of each component is a given value or more; updating the already stored offset value to the offset value judged to be valid; and correcting newly provided measurement data by the updated offset value to compute azimuth data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sato, Yukio Wakui, Masayoshi Omura
  • Patent number: 7321837
    Abstract: Apparatus and method support the synchronization and calibration of a plurality of clocks in a medical device system that may provide treatment to a patient with a nervous system disorder. The plurality of clocks, which may be located at different components of the medical device system, comprises a first clock and a second clock. The second clock may be synchronized to a first clock by disabling a run mode operation and setting the second clock to a selected time. When a reference time of the first clock approximately equals the selected time, the second clock enables the run mode operation. Additionally, a drift time that is indicative of a time difference between the first clock and the second clock is determined. If the drift time is greater than a predetermined amount, an indication to resynchronize the first and second clocks is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ivan Osorio, Naresh C. Bhavaraju, Thomas E. Peters, Mark G. Frei, Jonathan C. Werder
  • Patent number: 7317999
    Abstract: A method for mapping a spectrum obtained from signals under test corresponding to linearly spaced frequencies to logarithmically spaced frequencies in a measuring apparatus. A spectrum within a predetermined frequency range from logarithmically spaced frequencies is selected from this spectrum corresponding to linearly spaced frequencies and vector averaging of the selected spectrum is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ninomiya, Yoshiyuki Yanagimoto
  • Patent number: 7313486
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a detection element having a detection element property that changes when exposed to a corrosive substance, a testing device coupled to the detection element, the testing device configrued to measure the detection element property, and a processor in communication with the testing device, the processor configured to indicate the presence of the corrosive substance using the detection element property. In an embodiment, the detection element is metal and the detection element property is resistivity. In another embodiment, the apparatus further includes a comparison element coupled to the testing device and shielded from the corrosive substance, the comparison element having a comparison element property, and wherein the processor is configured to compare the detection element property to the comparison element property to determine whether the detection element property is within a predetermined range of the comparison element property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Daniel Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John Stanley Love, Vipin Malik
  • Patent number: 7310584
    Abstract: A detector for locating a sonde includes a plurality of antennas, an analogue to digital converter 11 and a digital signal processor to isolate the magnetic signal produced by the sonde. The digital signal processor includes a phase feedback loop 21 to allow the digital processing unit to follow variations in the frequency of oscillation of the magnetic signal produced by the sonde.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Radiodetection Ltd.
    Inventor: John Mark Royle
  • Patent number: 7305315
    Abstract: The present general inventive concept relates to a method of compensating tilt using a two-axis geomagnetic sensor and an acceleration sensor and an apparatus. Using the principle where a geomagnetic field value measured in a state where one axis of the two-axis geomagnetic sensor is set up vertically is identical to a Z-axis geomagnetic field value, the Z-axis geomagnetic field value can be evaluated by using two axes of the two-axis geomagnetic sensor. Accordingly, an azimuth angle can be easily calculated, so that the azimuth angle changed by tilt can be compensated. Therefore, there is an effect that a constant azimuth can be always output even though tilt occurs. In addition, when a module of the two-axis geomagnetic sensor and the acceleration sensor is used in a mobile equipment, the two-axis geomagnetic sensor can automatically measure geomagnetic field values of three axes by a simple motion where a user vertically sets up or rotates up and down the mobile equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oh Jo Kwon, Won Tae Choi, Chang Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 7302355
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a circular portion of an object, such as to determine the center point of the object, is provided. The method includes determining spatial coordinates of at least two points on a circumferential edge of the circular portion of the object, and calculating the center point of the circular portion using the spatial coordinates of the two points and a geometric parameter representative of the diameter of the circular portion. A calibration device and system are also provided for use with a computer tracking system in order to calibrate such an object having a circular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Orthosoft Inc.
    Inventors: Herbert André Jansen, Pierre Couture
  • Patent number: 7299149
    Abstract: A portable information device has an action recognizing function. An action detector precisely detects a single 3-dimensional movement of the device. A plurality of reference action patterns each linked to predetermined functions are registered in an action shortcut table. An action comparator compares the input action with the registered reference action patterns to activate a corresponding function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 7292941
    Abstract: A geospatial modeling system may include a geospatial model database and a processor. The processor may cooperate with the geospatial model database for extracting ground data from foliage and building data, and performing a plurality of noise filtering operations on the foliage and building data including a first loose tolerance filtering to determine an inclusive estimate of building locations and a second strict tolerance filtering to reduce false building locations. The processor may also cooperate with the geospatial model database for performing at least one edge recovery operation to compensate for noisy building perimeters, and separating foliage data from the building data based upon the noise filtering operations and the at least one edge recovery operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Rahmes, Stephen Connetti, Harlan Yates, Anthony O'Neil Smith
  • Patent number: 7289935
    Abstract: A method for evaluating an alarm system for continuous or semi-continuous processes that gives an indication of the actual loading on the operator. A transformations is applied to a data set consisting of alarms and associated times, resulting in the data being much more amenable to common techniques of statistical quality control. The technique requires only a history of alarm events, and the transformation has a strong intuitive appeal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Inventor: Alan J. Hugo
  • Patent number: 7289919
    Abstract: A cyclic time averaging method is directed at processing time-domain vibration data of the machine to produce an averaged time waveform over a selected cyclic time period. It is not necessary to employ a triggering signal to obtain the averaged time waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: SKF Condition Monitoring Inc.
    Inventor: Johannes I. Boerhout
  • Patent number: 7289939
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and system for predicting future values of a target metric associated with a task executed on a computer system. The method comprises the steps of, over a given period of time, measuring at least one defined metric, transforming that measurement into a value for a predictor source metric, and using the value for the predictor source metric to obtain a predicted future value for said target metric. The preferred embodiment of this invention provides a flexible performance multi-predictor to solve the problem of providing accurate future behavior predictions for adaptive reconfiguration systems. The multi-predictor makes predictions about future workload characteristic by periodically reading available hardware counters. Also disclosed is a method and system for periodically reconfiguring an adaptive computer system by rescheduling tasks based on future behavior predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gheorghe C. Cascaval, Evelyn Duesterwald, Sandhya Dwarkadas
  • Patent number: 7283910
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for logging an earth formation and acquiring subsurface information wherein a logging tool is conveyed in borehole to obtain parameters of interest. The parameters of interest obtained may be density, acoustic, magnetic or electrical values as known in the art. The parameters of interest are acquired with a plurality of sensors. For time based image data, the time separation values between signals acquired from separate sensors for individual subsurface features are determined. The time separation values may be determined using correlation or other methods illustrated herein or as known in the art. Using known sensor spatial separations and time separation values a drill rate is determined and an incremental depth for the subsurface feature is defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Gamal A. Hassan, Phil Kurkoski
  • Patent number: 7280930
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting for deterministic jitter in a sequential sampling timebase. The value of a fine analog delay is held at a substantially constant nominal rate during a duration of a counting of a digital clock. A time difference between a trigger at which a fine analog delay starts measuring time and the occurrence of a digital pulse of a stable clock used to count a coarse delay is measured. An input waveform is sampled at a sample time having a nominal delay time. After sampling, a desired compensation time is provided for the sample of the input waveform in accordance with combinations of three independent variables defining a calibration table. The waveform is reconstructed by shifting a delay time of a sampled value of the input waveform from its nominal delay time in accordance with a value defined by the calibration table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Lecroy Corporation
    Inventor: Kensuke Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7280938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining properties of a negative sequence component of a space vector quantity in an electrical network. The method according to the invention includes the steps of determining on the basis of the properties of an ellipse formed by a space vector of the space vector quantity in the electrical network the magnitude of the negative sequence component of the space vector quantity in the electrical network and the location of the negative sequence component of the space vector quantity in the electrical network in relation to a positive sequence component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Oy
    Inventor: Antti Tarkiainen
  • Patent number: 7280927
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a linear signal from a flow transducer. A non-linear raw signal can be obtained from a mass flow transducer. An approximated error comprising a discrete sinusoidal function incremented by a variable and selectable omega value can then be subtracted from the non-linear raw signal, in order to provide a subtracted result and reduce an error range thereof. The linear signal can then be obtained from the subtracted result in order to linearize a raw output from the flow transducer. A user is thus permitted to tune a frequency increment associated with the variable and selectable omega value in order to reduce the error range thereof. Linearized airflow and liquid flow sensor outputs can thus be generated by allowing a user the freedom to tune the frequency increment depending upon the user's flow range for reducing errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony M. Dmytriw
  • Patent number: 7280925
    Abstract: The present invention's efficient and economical maintenance strategy for a system of operation (such as involving various kinds of instrumentation) features a unique decision-making logic that incorporates reliability-centered maintenance principles. The initial logical inquiry filters out the non-critical cases, i.e., those instruments the failure of which does not jeopardize or compromise safety, or the environment, or an important function or operation. The logical construct proceeds as to the remaining (unfiltered) instruments in a series of logical steps wherein the satisfaction of one or more given conditions by a subject instrument directs the practitioner to the appropriate maintenance action for the subject instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Eker, Shawn A. Egnak, Charles L. Savage, Margaret A. Connolly, Vincent L. DiFilippo
  • Patent number: 7277802
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a linear signal from mass flow transducer approximates the error from the original raw signal using discrete sine functions and subtracts the approximated error from the original raw signal. The method and system can be implemented using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) mated with a raw mass flow transducer. The method and system for linearizing the signal can be contained in the ASIC, and allows for improved accuracy in the linear signal with few coefficients and mathematical steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony M. Dmytriw
  • Patent number: 7274997
    Abstract: A method of measuring discrete incremental feedback from motion systems that creates a discrete feedback pulse for every unit of motion that is accomplished by the motion system. The method comprises establishing a minimum feedback pulse sampling period, and accumulating feedback pulses during a sampling period. Upon the first feedback pulse after the minimum feedback pulse sampling period has passed, the current sampling period is ended, and the next sampling period is begun. The quantity of feedback pulses accumulated during the current sampling period is then determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Inventor: Craig E. Goldman
  • Patent number: 7275008
    Abstract: An apparatus-based method is disclosed for calibration of a 3D field sensor. The method includes accessing a plurality of samples, where the samples are from the 3D field sensor. Each sample represents a magnitude and an orientation of a three-dimensional field sensed by the 3D field sensor. Using the plurality of samples, a plurality of parameters is determined of an ellipsoid. The determination of the plurality of parameters is performed so that the ellipsoid fits the plurality of samples. A transformation is determined that transforms the ellipsoid into a sphere. The transformation is applied to a sample to create a transformed sample. Apparatus and signal bearing media are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Timo Pekka Plyvänäinen