Patents Examined by Martin Walter Braunlich
  • Patent number: 11933811
    Abstract: A measuring device (1) for measuring a preload of a frameless door windowpane (2) of a vehicle (3) includes: a holding device (4) for affixing the measuring device (1) to a door windowpane (2) to be checked; an acceleration measuring unit (5) for recording spatial acceleration data (6, 7, 8) about the movement of the measuring device (1); and a communications interface (9) for operating the measuring device (1) and for reading acceleration data (6, 7, 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h. c. F. Porsche AG
    Inventor: Thomas Schmidberger
  • Patent number: 11921004
    Abstract: A linear motion drive device including a ball screw, a linear motion table driven by the ball screw to move linearly, and an abnormality detection device configured to detect a decrease in a preload applied to the ball screw. The abnormality detection device includes a vibration sensor configured to measure vibration during operation of the ball screw, a calculation processing unit configured to acquire a vibration value of a vibration signal in a specific frequency band among vibration signals measured by the vibration sensor, and an abnormality detection unit configured to determine that a decrease in the preload has occurred in the ball screw when the vibration value is less than a previously determined threshold with respect to a reference value, the reference value being a vibration value in an initial stage of the operation of the ball screw or during a normal operation of the ball screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Matsumura, Yushi Ootani, Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11885645
    Abstract: A sensor includes a sensing element configured to generate a sensing element output signal indicative of a sensed parameter and a signal path responsive to the sensing element output signal and having at least one of an adjustable gain or an adjustable offset, wherein the signal path is configured to generate a sensor output signal indicative of the sensed parameter. A supply voltage detector is configured to generate a supply voltage signal indicative of which of a plurality of voltage ranges a supply voltage of the sensor falls within and at least one of the adjustable gain or the adjustable offset is adjustable in response to the supply voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Latham, Evan Shorman, Michael C. Doogue
  • Patent number: 11827227
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle control apparatus which allows a vehicle to safely negotiate a bump smoothly without feeling unusual to the driver of the vehicle. This vehicle control apparatus is characterized by comprising: a strain sensor output value acquisition unit that acquires the output value of a strain sensor (113) mounted to a drive shaft (115) for driving wheels (116); and a vehicle behavior detection unit that detects when the wheels (116) start moving on the basis of when the output value of the strain sensor decreases from the value when the wheels (116) are in the stopped state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventor: Taisetsu Tanimichi
  • Patent number: 11825391
    Abstract: A method of tracking rotations of a drum includes activating a three axis accelerometer located on a side of the drum, measuring linear accelerations along three orthogonal axes using the accelerometer, determining whether a predetermined angle of the drum has been rotated based on the measured linear accelerations from the accelerometer, activating a gyroscope when it is determined that the predetermined angle of the drum has been rotated, measuring angular speed at the gyroscope, calculating a number of rotations of the drum from the measured angular speed, and deactivating the gyroscope when it is determined that the measured angular speed is lower than a noise floor level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Prysmian S.p.A.
    Inventors: Davide Fassone, Antonino Arena
  • Patent number: 11796437
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to detect a density and/or a concentration of a brine solution or any other solution flowing in a conduit. A diverted portion of the brine solution may be received from the conduit at a vertical pipe. The vertical pipe has a top and a bottom, where the diverted portion of the brine solution is received at the bottom of the vertical pipe and the top of the vertical pipe is at atmospheric pressure. A pressure sensor may detect a pressure of the brine solution in the vertical pipe. A processor may determine the density and/or the concentration of the brine solution based on the detected pressure of the brine solution and a property of a reference solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BRINE MASTERS, LLC
    Inventors: Clay Hildreth, Christopher Robert Thomas
  • Patent number: 11761855
    Abstract: A method for inspecting a component made using an additive manufacturing process, the component having an internal conduit, is disclosed. In various embodiments, the method includes the steps of: attaching a fluid-blocking header to the component, the fluid-blocking header having an internal conformal surface configured to mate with an external conformal surface of the component; introducing a plugging media into the internal conduit; activating the fluid-blocking header to freeze the plugging media in a vicinity of the fluid-blocking header; pressurizing the internal conduit of the component; and analyzing a fluid flow characteristic at an outlet of the component to assess an occurrence of a blockage within the internal conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence Binek, David W. Morganson
  • Patent number: 11754394
    Abstract: This invention discloses a method for measuring the rate of angular displacement, of a traveling object, using magnetic field sensing, said method comprising: measuring magnetic field intensity and/or changes in said magnetic field intensity, projected onto a magnetic field sensor coupled to said traveling object, each measurement being per orthogonal rotation axis to provide a magnetic field intensity value per axis and/or a change in magnetic field intensity per axis, as said object's orientation changes with time; determining, number of peaks, present in a measurement sample comprising a set of said measurements, of time duration; and computing said rate of angular displacement, for said traveling object, as a function of said determined number of peaks and said time duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SEEHOW PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Apoorva Murarka, Dev Chandan Behera
  • Patent number: 11752812
    Abstract: A method for checking and/or monitoring the use of a tire (1) mounted on a vehicle (7), comprises the following steps: acquisition, by a microphone (10) arranged inside the tire, of an acoustic response of said tire (1) obtained under the effect of a pulsed mechanical stress thereon, and processing of said response in the frequency domain, characterized in that said processing identifies, in the response in the frequency domain, two spectrum spikes situated on either side of a reference frequency corresponding to the first cavity mode of the tire and, as a function of the frequency deviation between the two duly identified spikes, determines information relating to at least one parameter of use of the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: COMPAGNIE GENERALE DES ETABLISSEMENTS MICHELIN
    Inventor: Antoine Paturle
  • Patent number: 11754735
    Abstract: A subsurface representation that includes geometry and material properties of subsurface geological formations may be generated. To compute the initial (pre-production) state of stress, gravitational forces and tectonic forces may be applied to the subsurface representation. These loads may result in stress and displacement fields within the subsurface representation. The stress field may be calibrated against available measurements. At this point, the subsurface representation may be reinitialized by resetting the displacements within the subsurface representation while maintaining the stress field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignees: Three Cliffs Geomechanical Analysis Limited
    Inventors: Anthony James Lister Crook, Dean Andrew Thornton, Jose I. Adachi
  • Patent number: 11726116
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first circuit and a power meter coupled to the first circuit at selected proxy locations. The power meter includes circuitry for generating toggle data, such as signal transitions or signal levels, from signals at the proxy locations and combiner circuitry for combining the toggle data in a first time window with a set of weight value to produce a measure of power usage in the first circuit. The proxy locations and weight values are selected automatically based on simulated or emulated signals from a larger set of locations in the first circuit and associated power usage in the first circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Arm Limited
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Xu, Zhiyao Xie, Shidhartha Das
  • Patent number: 11713967
    Abstract: A first converter converts an initial attitude in an Euler angle representation into an initial attitude represented by quaternion. An updating unit updates an attitude represented by quaternion by defining the initial attitude represented by quaternion as an initial value, successively substituting output values of the triaxial gyro sensor. A second converter converts the attitude represented by quaternion into an attitude in the Euler angle representation. An angular speed derivation unit derives an angular speed based on a time-dependent change in the attitude in the Euler angle representation. A controller adjusts a period of time for derivation by an initial attitude derivation unit based on a variance value of the output value of the triaxial acceleration sensor or a variance value of the output value of the triaxial gyro sensor, when the speed is lower than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: JVC KENWOOD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kondoh, Hidenori Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11694488
    Abstract: A method determines damage which occurs on the vehicle in the event of an accident between a vehicle and a collision partner. The method analyzes information about an acceleration profile of the vehicle provided by an acceleration sensor. The analysis is performed as to whether the acceleration profile exhibits at least one sudden change or jump. The method generates an output signal which includes an item of information about damage which has occurred on the vehicle in the event of the accident, based on a number of changes or jumps which are identified during the analysis of the acceleration profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Geiger, Ralf Godau, Wolfgang Hundt, Milan Koch, Juergen Krieger, Johannes Malotta
  • Patent number: 11692910
    Abstract: An abnormality diagnostic device includes a diagnoser configured to diagnose a type of abnormality that occurs in an abnormality diagnostic target on the basis of differences between abnormality simulation results for each type of abnormalities obtained by simulating a plurality of types of abnormalities in the abnormality diagnostic target and a plurality of time-series observation results obtained by observing the abnormality diagnostic target in time series using a plurality of detectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventors: Kaname Kawatsu, Seiji Tsutsumi, Miki Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 11635337
    Abstract: A pump monitoring system for use in wellbore operations can determine whether an indication of a failure is due to an actual pump issue or a failed sensor. The pump monitoring system includes a sensor on a fluid end of a pump to measure properties associated with the pump and a vibration detector. A computing device executes instructions to receive the sensor signal and the vibration signal and identify an irregularity in the sensor signal. The processor then determines whether an operational signal component is present in the vibration signal, and displays an indication that the sensor has failed when the operational signal component is not present in the vibration signal. If the operational signal component is present in the vibration signal, the irregularity is likely caused by a pump problem such as a failed valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph A. Beisel
  • Patent number: 11619567
    Abstract: A multi-mode microwave waveguide blade sensing system includes a transceiver, a waveguide, and a probe sensor. The transceiver generates a microwave energy signal having a first waveguide mode and a different second waveguide mode. The waveguide includes a first end that receives the microwave energy signal. The probe sensor includes a proximate end that receives the microwave energy signal from the transceiver and a distal end including an aperture that outputs the microwave energy signal. The probe sensor directs the microwave energy signal at a first direction based on the first waveguide mode and a different second direction different based on the second waveguide mode. The probe sensor receives different levels of reflected microwave energy based at least in part on a location at which the at least one microwave energy signal is reflected from the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Gilson, Joseph V. Mantese, Gurkan Gok, Goran Djuknic, Coy Bruce Wood, Joseph Zacchio
  • Patent number: 11592429
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an open-air circulating pool for simulating ecological damage, and belongs to the technical field of simulation tests of ecological environment impact. The open-air circulating pool is provided with a set of devices for simulating natural ecological environments of different water quality and sediments, as well as changes in water bodies caused by a sea occupation project, discharge of a typical pollution source and a sudden leakage accident, so as to observe changing trends of an aquatic organism and an environmental element, and qualitatively and quantitatively determine a law of causality of damage. The set of devices includes an open-air wave-flow circulating pool, an additive injection apparatus and an ecological indicator sampling and detection apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: China Waterborne Transport Research Institute
    Inventors: Bing Qiao, Junya Duan, Bofan Yu, Tao Li, Mingbo Chen, Shan Hong, Sitang Hu, Ruiting Zhang, Cheng Dong
  • Patent number: 11513142
    Abstract: Provided are a live detection method and apparatus for a high-voltage switch cabinet. The live detection apparatus for a high-voltage switch cabinet includes a robot body and a back-end server. The robot body includes a host module, a power module, a detection module and a motion module. The power module is electrically connected to the host module and the motion module. The host module is communicably connected to the motion module and the detection module. The detection module includes a visible light camera, an infrared thermal imager, an non-contacting ultrasonic sensor and an ultrahigh-frequency sensor. The motion module includes a horizontal motion module, a vertical motion module and a rotating motion module. The horizontal motion module includes a motor-driven carrier and a laser navigation system. The vertical motion module is secured to the motor-driven carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventors: Yuting Liu, Peng Wang, Qiukuan Zhou, Mingjun Liu, Tangbing Li, Chao Tong, Yu Zhang, Junxin Tong, Yan Liu, Tian Chen, Yang Zou
  • Patent number: 11385151
    Abstract: A measuring device for detection pf measurement signals during a penetrating movement of a penetrating member into a surface of a test object or during a sensing movement of the penetrating member on the surface of the test object. The measuring device includes a housing which accommodates a force generating device and on which a holding element is arranged remote from the force generating device, which holding element is movable relative to the housing at least in one direction along a longitudinal axis of the housing and which accommodates the penetrating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Helmut Fischer GmbH Institut für Elektronik und Messtechnik
    Inventor: Helmut Fischer
  • Patent number: 11313756
    Abstract: An abnormality detection method performed using a flow rate control device including a restriction portion, a control valve, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a downstream valve, includes a step of changing the control valve and the downstream valve from an open state to a closed state, a step of measuring an upstream pressure or a downstream pressure in the closed state, and at least one step of (a) extracting an upstream pressure at a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as an upstream convergence pressure, and extracting the downstream pressure as a downstream convergence pressure, and (b) extracting the time from a point when the control valve are changed to a closed state to a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as a convergence time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: FUTIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Yohei Sawada, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda