Abstract: Methods that include: subjecting an article including a moisture sensor to steam sterilization in a steam sterilizer to produce a sterilized article, the moisture sensor having a moisture absorbing layer and a resonant circuit; subjecting the sterilized article to drying; and interrogating the resonant circuit, wherein the interrogation is affected by an amount of water present in the moisture absorbing layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a probe card device and a conductive probe thereof. The conductive probe includes a metallic pin, an outer electrode, and a dielectric layer. The metallic pin includes a middle segment, a first connecting segment and a second connecting segment respectively extending from two opposite ends of the middle segment, and a first contacting segment and a second contacting segment respectively extending from the first connecting segment and second contacting segment along two opposite directions away from the middle segment. At least part of the outer electrode corresponds in position to the middle segment and is arranged adjacent to the first connecting segment. The dielectric layer is sandwiched between and entirely separates the metallic pin and the outer electrode, so that the outer electrode, the dielectric layer, and the metallic pin are jointly configured to generate a capacitance effect.

Abstract: To reduce effects of noise and improve detection accuracy, a sensor device includes: a detection electrode opposing an external electrode to which a predetermined voltage is applied, and configured to generate a voltage corresponding to a change in electrostatic capacitance; and a capacitive amplifier circuit having a first capacitor and a second capacitor connected in series to each other, and configured to detect the voltage generated in the detection electrode, and output a detection signal obtained by amplifying the voltage generated in the detection electrode based on a capacitance ratio between the first capacitor and the second capacitor.

Abstract: Electrostatic field sensor and security system in interior spaces and exterior spaces which can measure electrostatic fields and the variations thereof along a metal conductor that acts as a detection probe or antenna (1). The antenna (1) is connected to an electronic circuit (2, 3, 4, 31, 32) which is able to decode the changes in the electrostatic field around the conductor and to detect minuscule variations in the electrostatic field by means of a processor (7) enabling the clear detection of a human presence in an area surrounding the antenna (1) and the ability to differentiate between a human presence and any other type of animal or object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a voltage meter rating for a utility meter connected to a distribution system via one or more distribution lines. The system accesses voltage measurements provided by a meter that represent a voltage at different time intervals. The system filters the voltage measurements to remove any voltage measurements that fall outside a voltage range for the distribution line. The system further determines a measured voltage rating from a set of candidate voltage ratings for the meter. The system compares a stored voltage rating for the meter and the measured voltage rating to determine a confidence level for the measured voltage rating. When the confidence level for measured voltage rating exceeds a confidence threshold, the system uses the measured voltage rating to maintain the distribution system.

Abstract: A system chip, and a built-in self-test circuit and a self-test method thereof are provided. The system chip includes an analog front end circuit, a digital physical layer circuit and a built-in self-test circuit. The digital physical layer circuit is coupled to the analog front end circuit, and the built-in self-test circuit is coupled to the digital physical layer circuit and is arranged to test the analog front end circuit with aid of the digital physical layer circuit.

Abstract: A system for identifying an arc fault in a wire, the system comprising a controller operably connected to a first load via first wire; the controller configured to supply a current to the first load, wherein the controller is operable to measure and filter the first voltage on the first wire with a bandpass filter having a selected pass band to select and retain spectral content, amplify the retained spectral content, and identify an envelope of the amplified retained spectral content. The controller also operable to measure a first current in the first wire and correlate changes in the first current with a characteristic of the amplified retained spectral content to identify an arc fault, wherein the characteristic includes a buffered envelope as a signal indicative of the amount of energy in the selected passband frequency range.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor device comprises a first sensor electrode, a second sensor electrode, and a processing system coupled to the first sensor electrode and the second sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a first capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a first electrical signal with the first sensor electrode. The processing system is configured to acquire a second capacitive measurement by emitting and receiving a second electrical signal, wherein one of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the emitting and the other of the first and second sensor electrodes performs the receiving, and wherein the first and second capacitive measurements are non-degenerate. The processing system is configured to determine positional information using the first and second capacitive measurements.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for locating a fault in a mixed power transmission line. The method is implemented by an Intelligent Electronic Device (IED) of the mixed line. The IED detects a travelling wave from one or more signals received from one or more measurement equipment. Thereafter, the IED identifies a line section with the fault, and generates two or more estimates for the location of the fault based on a time difference between arrival of two peaks of the travelling wave, a velocity of propagation of the travelling wave in the line section identified with the fault, and a length of one or more line sections. The IED determines the location of the fault based on a comparison of each estimate with a threshold, wherein the threshold is estimated based on the one or more signals, equivalent source impedance of each source and total line impedance.

Abstract: A probe card device includes a first die, a second die, and a plurality of rectangular probes. Each of the rectangular probes includes a middle segment, two extending segments, and two contact end segments. In each of the rectangular probes, the two extending segments are respectively arranged in the first die and the second die, the two contact end segments respectively extend from two opposite ends of the two extending segments along a direction away from the middle segment, each of the two contact end segments includes a conductive portion, and at least one of the two contact end segments includes a piercing portion partially embedded in the conductive portion thereof. A conductivity of the piercing portion is less than that of each of the two conductive portions, and a Vickers hardness number of the piercing portion is larger than that of each of the two conductive portions.

Abstract: A measurement device that performs a predetermined measurement task together with a plurality of other measurement devices is provided. This measurement device is provided with a sampling phase generator for generating a sampling phase for instructing a timing of sampling, and a communication unit for communicating with at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices. The communication unit transmits the sampling phase generated by the sampling phase generator to at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices. The sampling phase generator is configured to generate a third sampling phase, using an operation that is based on a generated first sampling phase and a second sampling phase received by the communication unit from at least one of the plurality of other measurement devices.

Abstract: A method of identifying an arc fault in a wire operably connected between a controller and a load. The method includes operably connecting a sense wire to the wire in close proximity to a load supplied by the controller via the wire, measuring a first voltage on the wire at the load via the sense wire, measuring a second voltage on the wire at an output interface of the controller and measuring a current in the first wire. The method also includes identifying any differences between the voltage on the wire measured at the load and the second voltage on the wire measured at the output interface, ascertaining any anomalies in the current measured in the wire, and correlating the differences between the first voltage and the second voltage with any anomalies in the current to identify an arc fault.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for testing and/or programming a thread-type string of RFID tags or devices. A thread-type RFID tag is formed on a length or thread having an RFID chip, a first antenna section and a second antenna section, the first and second antenna sections being positioned on the length of thread on opposite sides of the RFID chip. An RFID reader is positioned in electronic communication with a first coupler and a second coupler lying along a path, and the RFID tag and couplers are in relative motion with respect to each other such that the first and second couplers are on opposite sides of the RFID chip. A differential electric field is applied between the first coupler and the second coupler and across the RFID chip whereby the RFID reader couples to the RFID chip and interacts with the RFID tag to carry out testing and/or programming tasks with respect to the RFID tag.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrical line testing. The method and apparatus provides audio, visual and/or electronic information to indicate electricity is flowing or not flowing through an electrical circuit controlled by a remote circuit breaker. The method and system help identify which electrical sockets are controlled by which remote circuit breakers. The method and apparatus is used over short distances in a residential home or over long distances in a commercial building such as a warehouse or factory. The method and apparatus is used with or without an external network devices such as a smartphone, electronic tablet, wearable device, etc.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a probe structured for electrical and photonics testing of a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) die, the probe including: a membrane having a first surface and an opposing second surface and including conductive traces, the membrane being configured for electrical coupling to a probe interface board (PIB); a set of probe tips positioned on the membrane, the set of probe tips being configured to send electrical test signals to the PIC die or receive electrical test signals from the PIC die; and a photonic test assembly disposed on the membrane and electrically coupled to the conductive traces of the membrane, the photonic test assembly positioned for substantial alignment with a photonic I/O element of the PIC die, wherein the photonic test assembly is configured to transmit a photonic input signal to the photonic I/O element or detect a photonic output signal from the photonic I/O element.

Abstract: A method for detecting corrosion may comprise placing an electromagnetic logging tool into a wellbore, emitting an electromagnetic field from a transmitter, energizing a casing with the electromagnetic field to produce an eddy current, recording the eddy current from the casing with a receiver, creating a well log from the recorded eddy current, removing a collar signal from the well log to obtain a collar-removed signal, calculating a baseline signal from the collar-removed signal, subtracting the baseline signal from the collar-removed signal to obtain a baseline-subtracted signal, calculating an artifact-removed signal with the baseline-subtracted signal, and displaying the artifact-removed signal. A system for detecting corrosion may comprise an electromagnetic logging tool, wherein the electromagnetic logging tool comprises a transmitter and a receiver. The system may further comprise an information handling system.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor includes at least one coil responsive to an AC coil drive signal; at least two spaced apart magnetic field sensing elements responsive to a sensing element drive signal and positioned proximate to the at least one coil; and a circuit coupled to the at least two magnetic field sensing elements to generate an output signal of the magnetic field sensor indicative of a difference between a distance of a conductive target with respect to each of the at least two spaced apart magnetic field sensing elements.

Abstract: A probe card, for testing an electrical characteristic of a device under test (DUT) including a plurality of semiconductor devices, includes a substrate, a first probe pin disposed on a surface of the substrate and including a tip portion capable of contacting a pad of the DUT, and a second probe pin disposed on the surface of the substrate and including a tip portion capable of contacting the pad of the DUT. The first probe pin protrudes further than the second probe pin protrudes from the surface of the substrate in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of water sensors having multi-value outputs are disclosed. A water sensing circuit measures the impedance between two contacts of a water sensor and compares it with a reference signal. The impedance between two contacts varies depending on the wetness of the contacts, and so the sensing circuit may provide a measured wetness level. The water sensor may transmit measurements or other information wired or wirelessly. The water sensor may display indicia of measurements or other information via a display on a housing.

Abstract: An electrosurgical generator includes a radio frequency output stage configured to output at least one radio frequency waveform and a sensor for sensing current. The sensor includes a current sensor coil having: an outer coil, an inner coil coupled to and disposed within the outer coil, and at least one shielding member disposed over the outer coil. Each of the at least one shielding member and the outer coil define an opening therethrough. The generator also includes at least one active lead coupled to the radio frequency output stage and passing through the current sensor coil. The current sensor coil is configured to output a signal indicative of a current within the at least one active lead.