Patents Examined by Melissa J Koval
  • Patent number: 10520487
    Abstract: This disclosure describes an electric-field imaging system and method of use. In accordance with implementations of the electric-field imaging system, a fluid sample can be placed on top of a pixel-based impedance sensor. An image of the target analytes can be created immediately afterwards. From this image, computer imaging algorithms can determine attributes (e.g., size, type, morphology, volume, distribution, number, concentration, or motility, etc.) of the target analytes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald B. Koo, Henry Grage
  • Patent number: 10520629
    Abstract: Systems and methods for vehicle detection and assessments of loop deterioration rely on changes in inductance of a loop sensor. The conductive element of the loop sensor is modeled using one or more inductances and one or more resistances. Sets of stimuli at different frequencies are provided to the loop sensor, and the resulting responses form the basis for vehicle detection and for an assessment whether the loop sensor has deteriorated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: HM Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: David O'Gwynn, Shane Robert Petcavich
  • Patent number: 10514433
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a processor and memory. The memory stores processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to extract, based on a plurality of sagittal images at least including an intervertebral disk of a subject, an intervertebral disk region spanning across the plurality of sagittal images from spines visualized in the plurality of sagittal images; and set an imaging region of an intervertebral disk image based on the intervertebral disk region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo Sakurai, Kensuke Shinoda, Yuichi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 10514404
    Abstract: A current sensor circuit is provided. The circuit includes a voltage integration circuit connected in parallel to an inductive element. The voltage integration circuit is configured to integrate an inductive element current through the inductive element between a first potential at a first end of the inductive element and a second potential a second end of the inductive element. The voltage integration circuit provides a voltage analog of the inductive element current. A voltage current convertor circuit is electrically connected to the voltage integration circuit. The voltage current convertor circuit is configured to convert the voltage analog of the voltage integration circuit to an output current that is proportional to the inductive element current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Paul Ranucci
  • Patent number: 10514418
    Abstract: A method for emission testing of a semiconductor device (DUT), by mounting the DUT onto an test bench of an emission tester, the emission tester having an optical detector; electrically connecting the DUT to an electrical tester; applying electrical test signals to the DUT while keeping test parameters constant; inserting an optical filters into an optical path of the emission tester and collecting emission test signal from the optical detector; removing the filter from the optical path and collecting emission test signal from the optical detector. Comparing the images obtained with and without the filter. The filter may be shortpass to obtain emission signal, a bandpass for detecting forward bias, or longpass to obtain thermal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventor: Herve Deslandes
  • Patent number: 10510945
    Abstract: A magnetoelastically actuated device includes a microscale cantilever arm supported at a standoff distance from a substrate. The cantilever arm is formed as a laminar magnetic actuator configured to bend when it is subjected to a magnetic field. The cantilever arm includes a film of magnetostrictive material. Also provided is a method for fabricating the magnetoelastically actuated device. The method includes defining an actuator mold in a layer of photoresist on a structural layer of the cantilever arm and electrodepositing a layer of a magnetostrictive alloy containing cobalt and iron onto the structural layer within the actuator mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Langlois, Christian L. Arrington, Patrick S. Finnegan, Andrew E. Hollowell, Jamin Ryan Pillars, Todd Monson
  • Patent number: 10510574
    Abstract: Abbe error that needs to be considered in high accuracy positioning of a device to be maintained, is suppressed. A prober includes: a plurality of measurement sections arranged between a conveyance area and a maintenance area, each of the measurement sections having a device to be maintained which is used for inspection of a semiconductor element formed on a wafer, and a draw-out mechanism configured to draw out the device to be maintained to a side of the maintenance area; a conveyance unit configured to convey an object to be conveyed to a destination measurement section; and a loading part configured to load the object to be conveyed from the side of the maintenance area to the measurement section. The object to be conveyed is loadable into the measurement section from a conveyance area side and the maintenance area side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Seimitsu Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroo Tamura
  • Patent number: 10502773
    Abstract: A load device coupled to an output of an ECU via a coaxial cable is disclosed. The ECU provides power to the load device, and has a power over coaxial cable (PoC) filter coupled to the output, a high side switch (HSS) coupled to the power supply and to the PoC filter via an HSS output line, a diode disposed in the HSS output line that eliminates current flow from the output towards the HSS, while allowing current flow from the HSS towards the load device, a diode resistor in parallel with the diode that allows a current to flow past the diode towards the HSS while a short-to-battery scenario is occurring, and a pull down resistor (RPD) disposed between the output line of the HSS and a ground prior to the diode configured to pull the voltage at the HSS output down to zero while an open load scenario is occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Connaught Electronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Beniamin Dragoi, Sergio Bantiles
  • Patent number: 10502766
    Abstract: A measurement method and apparatus for correcting a disturbance and an offset of a sensor simultaneously are described. The method includes applying a bias current to first and second sensors of a Wheatstone bridge type connected with each other as a differential structure, and measuring a voltage of the first sensor and a voltage of the second sensor. The method also includes applying a bias current to the first and second sensors in a direction opposite to the direction in the first applying, and measuring a voltage of the first sensor and a voltage of the second sensor. The method further includes calculating a final measurement value based on the measured voltages. Accordingly, the offset and the influence of the disturbance of the sensor can be simultaneously removed through one circuit, such that advantageous effects such as reduced complexity, reduced area/volume, and shortened correction time can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: KOREA ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Won Ki Park, Dae Sung Lee, Dong Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 10495703
    Abstract: A nonlinear terahertz (THz) spectroscopy technique uses a sample illuminated by two THz pulses separately. The illumination generates two signals BA and BB, corresponding to the first and second THz pulse, respectively, after interaction with the sample. The interaction includes excitation of at least one ESR transition in the sample. The sample is also illuminated by the two THz pulses together, with an inter-pulse delay ?, generating a third signal BAB. A nonlinear signal BNL is then derived via BNL=BAB?BA?BB. This nonlinear signal BNL can be then processed (e.g., Fourier transform) to study the properties of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Harold Young Hwang, Jian Lu, Yaqing Zhang, Benjamin K. Ofori-Okai, Keith A. Nelson, Xian Li
  • Patent number: 10495594
    Abstract: A controller outputs control signals controlling a frequency source to selectively apply different nonzero frequencies of alternating current at different times to an electric sensor within a microfluidic channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Sirena C. Lu, Melinda M. Valencia, Jeremy Sells, Manish Giri
  • Patent number: 10495717
    Abstract: A method and imaging system is provided that can control a magnetic gradient system and an RF system of an MRI system according to a calibration pulse sequence to acquire positive readout gradient (RO+) data and negative readout gradient (RO?) data. The RO+ data and the RQ? data are assembled to form complete image data sets for the RO+ data and the RQ™ data and the RO+ data and the RO? data are combined to generate the calibration data that is ghost-corrected, substantially free of ghost artifacts, or having reduced ghost artifacts compared to traditionally-acquired calibration data. Reconstruction coefficients are derived from the calibration data. The magnetic gradient system and the RF system are controlled according to an imaging pulse sequence to acquire image data and the image data is reconstructed into an image of the subject using the reconstruction coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: William S. Hoge, Jonathan R. Polimeni
  • Patent number: 10495589
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for determining a permeability of a rock sample. One method includes measuring a first set of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxation times for the rock sample saturated with regular water (H2O); injecting heavy water (D2O) into the rock sample; measuring a second set of NMR relaxation times for the rock sample after injecting D2O; calculating a pore connectivity factor based on the first set of NMR relaxation times and the second set of NMR relaxation times; and calculating the permeability of the rock sample based on the pore connectivity factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Hyung Tae Kwak, Ahmad Mubarak Al-Harbi
  • Patent number: 10495678
    Abstract: A testing method for the sheet resistance and contact resistance of connecting point of a sheet material, comprising: mounting at least four small electrodes on the surface of the sheet material; measuring the resistance between the electrodes; and calculating the sheet resistance and electrode contact resistance of the sheet material on the basis of a theoretical model from the resistance measured between the electrodes and the distances between the electrodes. As a main feature, the testing method is a convenient nondestructive testing method for the sheet resistance and electrode contact resistance of the sheet material, and has no strict requirement on the distribution of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF CERAMICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Bufa Zhang, Lixin Song
  • Patent number: 10495593
    Abstract: A testing method for the sheet resistance of a sheet material, comprising: mounting two circular or annular electrodes on the surface of the sheet material; measuring the resistance between the electrodes; and calculating the sheet resistance of the sheet material on the basis of a theoretical model from the resistance measured between the electrodes, the diameters of the electrodes, and the distance between the electrodes. The method places no restriction on the diameters of the electrodes; also, the annular electrodes work as effectively as circular electrodes, and annular electrodes may improve the contact between the edges of the electrodes, and the sheet material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF CERAMICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Bufa Zhang, Lixin Song
  • Patent number: 10495687
    Abstract: Disclosed is a chip reliability testing method that includes mounting a test chip on a test board whereby each test circuit of the test chip is connected to a different pair of input and output terminals. The reliability test can include applying a test voltage to a first (input) bump and measuring an output voltage on a second (output) bump connected to the same test circuit. The first and second bumps are, in turn, electrically connected to each other through a series of conductive materials to define the test circuit. The conductive materials include first and second contact pads under the first and second bumps with the contact pads, in turn, being connected to a conductive substrate or redistribution layer. The conductive substrate or redistribution layer is, in turn, connected to first and second conductive vias that each provide a connection to one or more of a series of conductive layers that are arranged under the conductive substrate or redistribution layer and over a silicon device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shiang-Ruei Su, Liang-Chen Lin, Chia-Wei Tu
  • Patent number: 10495773
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improving foreign object detection for ferromagnetic wire-like objects. In particular, aspects include increasing FOD sensitivity using at least one inductive sense loop in response to detecting a change in resistance that is substantially equal to the change in reactance of a sense coil. By increasing the FOD sensitivity, objects such as ferromagnetic wire-like objects can be detected that are potentially hazardous objects. Detecting these potentially hazardous objects that were previously undetectable can reduce the chances of damage to surrounding materials or harm to humans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: WiTricity Corporation
    Inventors: Hans Peter Widmer, Andreas Daetwyler, Lukas Sieber
  • Patent number: 10488470
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for measuring a current using a diamond material. The diamond material has at least one nitrogen deposit and an imperfection in a crystal lattice of the diamond material, adjacent to the nitrogen deposit. The method comprises a providing step, a detecting step and an evaluating step. In the providing step, electromagnetic waves are provided to excite the diamond material. In the evaluating step, an intensity of a fluorescence of the diamond material is detected. In the evaluating step, the intensity and a frequency of the electromagnetic waves are evaluated in order to determine a magnetic field strength influencing the fluorescence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Theresa Lutz, Frank Schatz, Robert Roelver
  • Patent number: 10488173
    Abstract: The magnetic resistance of a magnetic path that passes through a coil (6) is increased by magnetically dividing a stator core into a plurality of divided cores (4, 5) in such a manner that the magnetic flux of a permanent magnet (7) flows through the magnetic path when a projection (82) of a plunger (8) magnetically connects the divided cores (4, 5), hence the magnetic resistance of the magnetic path that passes through the coil (6) rapidly changes due to a positional relationship between a gap between the divided cores (4, 5) and the plunger (8), and the magnetic flux that flows through the magnetic path rapidly changes, and moreover a large back electromotive force is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Sugawara, Toru Ogawa, Satoshi Tesen, Hideaki Arita, Akihiro Daikoku
  • Patent number: 10481188
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for non-contact measurement of an optoelectronic property. The system includes a sensing element configured to amplify an electromagnetic wave having a specific frequency, a thin film disposed on the sensing element such that an optoelectronic property of the thin film is measured, and an optoelectronic property measuring server configured to extract a physical property of the thin film based on the optoelectronic property of the thin film obtained when the electromagnetic wave amplified by the sensing element passes through the thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Minah Seo, Sanghun Lee, Chulki Kim, Q-Han Park, Jongho Choe, Jinsoo Kim