Abstract: A probe cartridge assembly and a multi-probe assembly (10) including a mounting plate having a plurality of the probe cartridge assemblies mounted on the mounting plate. The probe cartridge assembly generally includes a mounting member, a probe insulator (30), a probe (40), a ferrule (50), a lead insulator (60), a retaining member (70), and a wire having an electrical lead. The electrical lead is positioned within a cavity in the ferrule, and an inclined surface of the ferrule is contacted to an inclined surface of the probe within an area defined by the probe insulator and the lead insulator. The probe insulator and the lead insulator are held within an area defined by the mounting member and the retaining member. The retaining member and the mounting member are adjustably mated to each other in order to provide a clamping force to ensure proper electrical interconnection between the electric lead, the ferrule, and the probe.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a capacitive sensing system, comprising a sensing conductor coupleable to a grounded target by a gap capacitance Cd, said grounded target separated from said sensing conductor by a gap having a width. The capacitive sensing system also comprises a circuit connected to said sensing conductor, an input signal having an input frequency fosc provided to said circuit through an input resistance Rd, an output signal of said circuit having an output voltage varying linearly with the width of the gap when the impedance of the gap capacitance 1/(2?foscCd) approaches or exceeds the input resistance Rd.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the performances of at least one micromachined or microelectromechanical device (MEMS device) intended to carry a high frequency signal having an intended working frequency is disclosed. The MEMS device comprises a capacitive structure with at least one movable part, able to move with a frequency. The apparatus comprises a voltage signal source, at least one voltage divider circuit arranged between the capacitive structure and the voltage signal source, and a detection unit for detecting and measuring the voltage at the outlet of the voltage divider. The detection unit provides a combined voltage signal of an actuation voltage able to act on the moveable part of the capacitive structure with an actuation frequency and of a measurement voltage having a measurement frequency lower than the intended working frequency.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for determining a superstrate on or near a sensor, e.g., for detecting the presence of an ice superstrate on an airplane wing or a road. In one preferred embodiment, multiple measurement cells are disposed along a transmission line. While the present invention is operable with different types of transmission lines, construction details for a presently preferred coplanar waveguide and a microstrip waveguide are disclosed. A computer simulation is provided as part of the invention for predicting results of a simulated superstrate detector system. The measurement cells may be physically partitioned, non-physically partitioned with software or firmware, or include a combination of different types of partitions. In one embodiment, a plurality of transmission lines are utilized wherein each transmission line includes a plurality of measurement cells.

Abstract: An apparatus accurately measures the time difference between two signal edges by optically detecting the emission from a “beacon device” that is modulated as a function of time difference. Through the use of this modulation it is possible to perform timing measurement accurately. Embodiments of a voltage modulator circuit modulate timing information into emission intensity. The method and system of the present invention can be used in applications such as clock skew and pulse width measurements.

Abstract: A calibration system for measurement device is operable to calibrate each channel response to compensate its own gain error for a desired frequency range. The channel modes may include voltage range and a coupling mode. Each channel of the plurality of channels may have a certain number of channel mode combinations, including different voltage ranges and coupling modes. Each channel also may have a different frequency response, and as a result each channel mode combination may require an individual digital filter. As a result, the frequency response of each channel may be characterized and the digital filter may be designed to flatten each channel mode combination. The designed filter coefficients for each of the one or more channels of the plurality of channels may be stored in the measurement device. The filter coefficients may be used by a digital filter in order to compensate each one of the one or more channels on the measurement device.

Abstract: An arc fault protection device protects a branch circuit portion of an electrical distribution system. The branch circuit is connected to a load. A first sensor detects fluctuations in load current, while a second sensor detects fluctuations in line voltage. The polarities of the fluctuations are compared, and the comparison indicates whether an arc signature, potentially indicative of an arc fault, is located in the branch circuit portion or located in a remainder of the electrical distribution system.

Abstract: A condom testing apparatus having a plurality of electrically conductive mandrels having condoms loaded thereon, a first set of condom-contacting electrode members, a second set of condom-contacting electrode members, and a gapped electrical circuit between each of the mandrels and the first set of condom-contacting electrode members and between each of the mandrels and the second set of condom-contacting electrode members during testing, wherein defects within a condom being tested are detected by passage of current between the mandrels and the first and second sets of condom-contacting electrode members, wherein the first set of condom-contacting electrode members contacts less than 100 percent of the circumference of each of the condoms and the second set of condom-contacting electrode members contacts less than 100 percent of the circumference of each of the condoms, such that two condoms can be tested at once.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring and suppressing arcing between a first electrode and a second electrode of an electro-kinetic system. A current (or voltage) associated with the electro-kinetic system is monitored in order to adjust a first count and a second count. Each time a monitored value reaches a threshold, the first count is incremented. Each time the first count reaches a first count threshold, the electro-kinetic system is temporarily shut down for a predetermined period, the second count is incremented, and the first count is re-initialized. The electro-kinetic system restarts after the predetermined period. When the second count reaches a second count threshold, the electro-kinetic system is shut-down until a reset condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A time difference signal having a pulse width corresponding to the time difference between an output of a resonant pressure sensor and a reference clock is prepared. The pulse width of the time difference signal is expanded by a given magnification. Based on a count value obtained by counting the reference clock during the expanded pulse width and a count value obtained by counting the reference clock during one cycle of the output of the resonant pressure sensor or a period which is integer times as long as the one cycle, the output frequency of the resonant pressure sensor is obtained. It is possible to obtain the fast processing and the high resolution without increasing the frequency of the reference clock.

Abstract: A gas analyzing apparatus including a reactor for decomposing a target substance contained in a gas to produce a product gas containing a decomposition product, a contacting chamber connected to the reactor and having a quartz oscillator disposed therewithin. The quartz oscillator has opposing surfaces each provided with an electrode, at least one of the electrodes being reactable with the decomposition product so that the decomposition product when contacted with the reactable electrode is reacted with the reactable electrode to cause a frequency deviation which is detected by a frequency measuring device.

Abstract: The present invention provides an inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of inspecting at a high speed by using a sensor having flexibility and excellent productivity. When a circuit board 100 as a subject of inspection is selected, CAD data of the circuit wiring 101 on this circuit board 100 is analyzed to detect the position of the end of each wiring. Then, two or more sensor elements adjacent to the end (from which the voltage variation can be detected) are specified. The switching circuit 16 is controlled to connect the selected sensor elements to an output terminal 12 and to connect the remaining sensor elements to the GND terminal 15. In this state, when an voltage is applied to one of the selected circuit wirings and then an inspection signal (voltage variation) is output from the output terminal 12, it will be determined that no disconnection exists in the circuit wiring.

Abstract: A widely used scanner device that rotates a single helically shaped wire probe in and out of a particle beam at different beamline positions to give a pair of mutually perpendicular beam profiles is modified by the addition of a second wire probe. As a result, a pair of mutually perpendicular beam profiles is obtained at a first beamline position, and a second pair of mutually perpendicular beam profiles is obtained at a second beamline position. The simple modification not only provides more accurate beam profiles, but also provides a measurement of the beam divergence and quality in a single compact device.

Abstract: Disconnection defects, short-circuit defects and the like in wiring patterns of submicron sizes within TEGs (a square of 1 to 2.5 mm for each) numerously arranged in a large chip (a square of 20 to 25 mm) can be inspected with respect to all the TEGs, with good operability, high reliability and high efficiency. A conductor probe for applying voltage to the wiring patterns by mechanical contact is composed of synchronous type conductor probe that synchronizes with movement of a sample stage (16), and fixed type conductor probe means (21) that is relatively fixed to an FIB generator (10). Positions of probe tips are superimposed to an SIM image and displayed on a display unit (19).

Abstract: A two conductor measuring device (MS) is supplied with a current of a current loop, which originates from a source circuit (Q). The source circuit is certified in accordance with a valid standard IEC-1000-4-5, especially in accordance with standard IEC-1000-4-5:1995, is supplied with power by a primary vehicle electrical system (NP), and serves to supply a secondary vehicle electrical system (NS) with power. The two conductor measuring device (MS) is designed in such a way that it cannot be certified for an electromagnetic compatibility in accordance with valid standard IEC-1000-4-5. During testing the two conductor measuring device (MS) for electromagnetic compatibility, a hybrid generator, especially in accordance with standard IEC-60-1 or IEC-469-1, is used for generating a current/voltage surge. A decoupling network for simulating the source circuit (Q) is connected in an outgoing circuit to the hybrid generator.

Abstract: To detect a variation of capacitance in a path of a piping and enable to decide a fluid state of a fluid substance flowing through the path in the piping, a capacitance sensor (15) includes a measuring electrode (33) and a grounding electrode (35) made of a conductive metallic film and wound around a path in the piping (1), with an insulator (17) in between. A shield member (23) covers the measuring electrode and grounding electrode, with an insulator in between. The grounding electrode is narrower than the measuring electrode, and the measuring electrode and the grounding electrode are alternately disposed and are wound to be spiral along a flow direction.

Abstract: An electric circuit system for detecting a short circuit between output PINs of different ICs, particularly CMOS-ICs, which in each case have a first switching element, particularly a highside transistor and a second switching element, particularly a lowside transistor as output driver, the first switching element and the second switching element of the respective output drivers having different source-drain resistances in the switched-on state.

Abstract: An apparatus for calibrating the DC voltage level of measurement equipment supplies a calibration voltage through a DC voltage superposition means to the measurement equipment, detects the voltage level supplied to the measurement equipment, and adjusts the calibration voltage. Therefore, in the high-frequency range, the calibration apparatus can reduce the effect on the measurement accuracy of the measurement equipment and supply a highly accurate calibration voltage to the measurement equipment.

Abstract: The embodiments of the invention are directed to a new apparatus and method of measuring the water content using time domain reflectometry (TDR), or electrical conductivity in deep soil levels to. The method uses flat, flexible, waveguides attached to a flexible sleeve filled with a filling material which press the flexible waveguides against an irregularly shaped interior borehole wall.

Abstract: Detection of degradation of the degree of vacuum in a vacuum interrupter suffers from poor sensibility because of mixed presence of various noises other than that due to discharge resulting from degradation The present invention allows accurate detection of degradation of the degree of vacuum by detecting the continuity of discharge produced between an electrode and a shield due to degradation of the degree of vacuum and the duration of discharge. The continuity of discharge is detected in accordance with a time slightly longer than 1 cycle time of a power-source voltage, and the duration of discharge is detected in accordance with a time sufficiently longer than 1 cycle time.