Patents Examined by Lamarr Brown
  • Patent number: 8441275
    Abstract: An electronic device test fixture deploys a plurality of contact elements in a dielectric housing. The plumb arrangement of contact elements each include an armature or transversal configured to first depress and then slide laterally when urged downward by the external contacts of a device under test. The rotary movement of the transversal is optimized via the configuration of a surrounding forked regulator such that surface oxide deposition on the external device under test terminal is disrupted to reliably minimize contact resistance without damaging or unduly stressing the electrical junction of the device under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Tapt Interconnect, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick J Alladio
  • Patent number: 8436621
    Abstract: A pH measurement system using a glass pH sensor includes a power supply applying a voltage to the glass pH sensor through a resistor; a detector detecting the output voltage of the glass pH sensor; and a calculator calculating the pH of a solution based on the detected output voltage. The resistor provides a resistance of at least ten times less than the equivalent internal resistance of the glass pH sensor. The pH measurement system can improve the response rate by reducing the time constant depending on the dynamic characteristics of the glass pH sensor, and it is possible to diagnose whether the pH measurement system is defective or not by calculating the equivalent internal resistance and the supply voltage of the glass pH sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Kyungpook National University Industry-Academic Corporation Foundation
    Inventors: Jie Tae Lee, Dae Ryook Yang, Seung Jae Lee, Su Whan Sung
  • Patent number: 8436626
    Abstract: An embodiment is a method for de-embedding. The method comprises forming a primary structure in a semiconductor chip and forming an auxiliary structure in the semiconductor chip. The auxiliary structure replicates a first portion of the primary structure. The method further comprises determining a transmission matrix for each of the primary structure and the auxiliary structure based on measurements and extracting a transmission matrix of a first component of the primary structure by determining a product of the transmission matrix of the primary structure and an inverse of the transmission matrix of the auxiliary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manfacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsiu-Ying Cho
  • Patent number: 8432171
    Abstract: An analyte concentration, in a sample fluid, is determined by differential measurement. Two or more capacitive field effect sensors have an identical basic structure and are arranged in a shared measuring cell. One of the sensors forms a measuring sensor with an active transductor layer. Another sensor forms a reference sensor without an active transductor layer. The sensors are contacted with the sample fluid and the sensors, have an associated reference electrode, or have a shared reference electrode. A bias voltage composed of an electric DC voltage and a superimposed AC voltage is applied between each sensor and associated reference electrode(s) Capacitance changes due to the analyte are eliminated by controlling the bias voltage applied to the measuring sensor in a closed control loop. A measuring signal is obtained by calculating a difference between voltage values representative of DC voltage potentials applied to the measuring sensor and reference sensor, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Buerkert Werke GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Coppe, Jean-Luc Henry, Michael Schoening
  • Patent number: 8432181
    Abstract: A reconfigurable number of at-speed pulses and reconfigurable dead cycles between pulses is utilized to enhance test coverage of an Integrated Circuit. A reconfigurable number of programmable at-speed phase-locked loop clock pulses without a dead cycle is emitted through an integrated circuit. Further, a plurality of programmable at-speed phase-locked loop clock pulses is emitted through the Integrated Circuit such that a reconfigurable number of dead cycles is between the plurality of programmable at-speed phase locked loop clock pulses. In addition, data associated with the reconfigurable number of programmable at-speed phase-locked loop clock pulses is capture. Finally, data associated with the reconfigurable number of dead cycles is captured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Dinakaran Chiadambaram
  • Patent number: 8432163
    Abstract: The method for cancellation of low frequency noise in a magneto-resistive mixed sensor (1) comprising at least a superconducting loop with at least one constriction and at least one magneto-resistive element (6) comprises a set of measuring steps with at least one measuring step being conducted with the normal running of the mixed sensor and at least another measuring step being conducted whilst an additional super-current is temporarily injected in the at least one constriction of the at least one superconducting loop of the mixed sensor (1) up to a critical super-current of the constriction so that the result of the at least another measuring step is used as a reference level of the at least one magneto-resistive element (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Claude Fermon, Hedwige Polovy, Myriam Pannetier-Lecoeur
  • Patent number: 8415957
    Abstract: A capacitance measurement circuit and method are provided. A storage capacitor is pre-charged. Charge transfer is performed between an under-test capacitor and the storage capacitor. The storage capacitor is discharged and charged according to a relationship between a voltage of the storage capacitor and a reference voltage. The capacitance of the under-test capacitor is measured according to the voltage on the storage capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: He-Wei Huang, Chih-Yuan Chang, Hui-Hung Chang
  • Patent number: 8410804
    Abstract: A system for making high frequency measurements on a DUT includes a high frequency measurement instrument; a plurality of DUT probes; a first coaxial cable having a center conductor and a coaxial conductor for connection between the instrument and a first DUT probe; and a second coaxial cable having a center conductor and a coaxial conductor for connection between the instrument and a second DUT probe, at least one of the first and second cables being selectively shortable between the respective center conductor and coaxial conductor at a location near the respective DUT probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Keithley Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Wayne C. Goeke
  • Patent number: 8400181
    Abstract: A wafer is disclosed that includes a plurality of pipeline interconnected integrated circuit dies that form a plurality of pipelines. A plurality of dies in each pipeline is connected to receive scanned output test data from a neighboring die in a pipeline. A wafer level test access mechanism (TAM) transceiver circuitry, located outside the plurality of pipeline interconnected IC dies, is connected in common to each of the pipelines to provide input test data in a parallel fashion to the plurality of pipelines. The wafer level test access mechanism transceiver circuitry also provides output test results from each of the pipelines for evaluation by a computerized test system. In one embodiment, the wafer level test access mechanism transceiver circuitry is wireless so that it wirelessly receives test data to be passed through the multiple pipelines on a wafer and also includes wireless transmit circuitry to transmit test results from each of the pipelines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Sravan Kumar Bhaskarani
  • Patent number: 8395398
    Abstract: Mixtures containing homogeneously-sized particles with a minimum concentration of agglomerates or larger particles are desired in various manufacturing processes such as, for example, in the manufacture and use of chemical mechanical polishing slurries, food emulsions, pharmaceutical products, paints, and print toner. The method disclosed herein provides these industries with an accurate and efficient method of screening such mixtures for such agglomerates and large particles. The method generally includes preparing a suspension of the mixture in an electrolyte, wherein the suspension includes a specified concentration of small particles per unit of electrolyte. The method further includes passing the prepared suspension, and a plurality of the particles therein, through an aperture of a device capable of characterizing particles according to the Coulter principle to obtain data on the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Beckman Coulter, Inc.
    Inventors: Renliang Xu, Yiming Yang
  • Patent number: 8390295
    Abstract: A system for measuring a resistivity parameter of an earth formation includes: at least one measurement electrode electrically connected to a first electrical source; at least one guard electrode; a shielding electrode interposed between the at least one guard electrode and the at least one measurement electrode, the shielding electrode being electrically connected to a second electrical source independent from the first electrical source, and the guard electrode being electrically connected to a third electrical source independent of the first and second electrical sources; at least one return electrode; insulators positioned between (i) the measurement electrode and the shielding electrode, (ii) the shielding electrode and the guard electrode and (iii) the measurement electrode, the guard electrode and the return electrode; and a processor configured to adjust at least one of the first electrical source and the second electrical source to minimize a current flow through the shielding electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthias Gorek, Martin Folberth, Christian Fulda
  • Patent number: 8384405
    Abstract: A method of the invention for performing burn-in test includes assembling, on a fixture stand, a plurality of light source elements and a plurality of light detectors for monitoring a light output from a corresponding one of the plurality of light source elements; and electrifying the plurality of light source elements in a state where at least the plurality of light source elements and the plurality of light detectors are immersed in an insulation liquid. Thereby, it is realized to hold a stable temperature in a short period of time, to maintain a temperature that does not deviate from normal load conditions, and to perform a sorting test between defect parts and good part for light source unit chips without causing damage to the elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shimazawa, Ryo Hosoi, Yasuhiro Ito, Masaaki Kaneko, Takashi Honda, Ryuji Fujii, Koji Hosaka
  • Patent number: 8384376
    Abstract: In order to be able to measure over more than 360° with a magnetic angle sensor, it is proposed not to adjust the distance between the encoder magnet and the sensor element in addition to the rotation, e.g. by means of a thread, like in the prior art, but to maintain said distance constant, but instead to adjust a magnetic variator with respect to its axial distance from the sensor element, or also in transversal direction, which variator can be a flux conductor or also a secondary magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: ASM Automation Sensorik Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Manfred Steinich, Peter Wirth
  • Patent number: 8378661
    Abstract: A solar simulator which uses a honeycomb structure for providing highly collimated light for testing one or more photovoltaic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha-Omega Power Technologies, Ltd.Co.
    Inventor: William Ray Cravey
  • Patent number: 8373421
    Abstract: An ambulatory infusion device for infusion of a liquid drug into a patient's body over an extended period of time and methods thereof are disclosed. The device includes a sensor assembly, which produces a sensor assembly output based on an infusion characteristic of the ambulatory infusion device and based on a supply voltage/current, and a supply unit which is coupled to a sensor of the sensor assembly and generates the supply voltage/current. A sensor testing unit detects a failure of the sensor assembly, wherein the sensor testing unit is coupled to the sensor assembly and the supply unit, and the sensor testing unit carries out a sensor testing sequence. The sensor testing sequence includes controlling the supply unit so as to produce a variation of the supply voltage/current, and determining whether the variation of the supply voltage/current produces a corresponding variation of the sensor assembly output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics International AG
    Inventors: Stefan Lindegger, Reto Schrotberger, Alex Muri
  • Patent number: 8368404
    Abstract: A discharge amount measuring device includes a power source, first and second sensors, a calibration wire, and a measuring portion. The power source applies a voltage to a coil of a rotational electric machine. The first sensor detects a current flowing through the coil. The calibration wire has an end connected to the coil. The second sensor detects a current flowing through the calibration wire. The measuring portion forms a calibration line based on a first waveform detected by the first sensor and a second waveform detected by the second sensor. The measuring portion calculates a discharge amount based on the calibration line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignees: Nippon Soken, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Wakimoto, Yoshimitsu Takahashi, Shinji Kouda
  • Patent number: 8362784
    Abstract: A capacitor capacitance diagnosis device includes a power supply which is for charging a capacitor, a discharge circuit which is connected to the capacitor in parallel to discharge energy of the capacitor, a resistance dividing circuit which is for measuring voltage drop value during discharging, a measurement circuit which measures divided voltage, and a diagnosis circuit which determines adequacy of capacitor capacitance from a time change in voltage due to the discharge. This makes it possible to diagnose adequacy of capacitor capacitance of an electric power apparatus during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8358126
    Abstract: A method of testing for defects in the bottom of an above ground storage tank, the tank bottom having a lip extending outwardly from the tank wall around the circumference of the tank. A special magnetostrictive sensor is designed to be placed on this lip. The sensor is placed over a strip of magnetostrictive material, which generally conforms in length and width to the bottom of the probe, with a couplant being applied between the strip and the lip surface. The sensor is then operated in pulse echo mode to receive signals from defects in the bottom of the tank. It is incrementally moved around the circumference of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Glenn M Light, Alan R Puchot, Adam C Cobb, Erika C Laiche
  • Patent number: 8354842
    Abstract: A segmented magnetostrictive patch array transducer capable of generating a high frequency shear wave in a structure such as a rod or a pipe, a structural fault diagnosing apparatus including the segmented magnetostrictive patch array transducer, and a method of operating the segmented magnetostrictive patch array transducer are shown. The segmented magnetostrictive patch array transducer includes a plurality of magnetostrictive patches attached along a circumference of a rod member; a plurality of insulators that are disposed on the magnetostrictive patches; a plurality of meander coils, each of the meander coils comprising a plurality of coil lines extending along the circumference direction of the rod member on each of the insulators, wherein a current flows through adjacent coil lines in opposite directions to one another; and a plurality of magnets that respectively form a magnetic field along the circumferential direction of the rod member on the magnetostrictive patches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: SNU R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Hoe Woong Kim, Young Eui Kwon, Yoon Young Kim
  • Patent number: 8350575
    Abstract: An electrical connection defect detection system to detect whether an electrical connection between an under-test pin of an under-test device and a signal line of a circuit board is normal is provided. The electrical connection defect detection system comprises a signal provider providing a test signal to the under-test pin through the signal line, a detection module, an electrode board and a plurality of grounding paths. The electrode board comprises a detection surface to be adapted to a surface of the under-test device opposite to the under-test pin to make the detection module detect a capacitance value associated with the electrode board, the under-test pin and the signal line larger than a threshold value when their connection is normal. The grounding paths are connected to one of not-under-test pin groups respectively to further connect to the ground potential. An electrical connection defect detection method is disclosed herein as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Test Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Su-Wei Tsai, Shang-Tsang Yeh