Patents Examined by Melissa J Koval
  • Patent number: 11009557
    Abstract: A method and device for short circuit monitoring of a three-phase load connected to a three-phase grid, to improve short circuit monitoring of a three-phase load, the device having at least one current sensor arranged in the current path of one phase of the three-phase grid, and a processing unit for evaluating the measurement values of the at least one current sensor, having a respective port for each current sensor, to which the respective current sensor is connected via a connecting line. The processing unit is configured to detect a short circuit on the three-phase load through evaluation of the measurement values determined by the current sensor. The evaluation includes a plausibility check of the determined measurement values in order to distinguish between a short circuit and an influence on the determined measurement values by electrical and/or electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Elmar Schaper, Daniel Hawel, Detlev Schuergens
  • Patent number: 11002766
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining different measurements of voltages across terminals of a field device coupled to an I/O loop. The voltage measurements are associated with corresponding loop currents flowing through the I/O loop. The method also includes identifying a baseline loop resistance measurement of the I/O loop using the voltage measurements and the loop currents. The method further includes obtaining additional measurements of voltages across the terminals of the field device. The additional voltage measurements are associated with additional corresponding loop currents flowing through the I/O loop. The method also includes identifying additional loop resistance measurements of the I/O loop using the additional voltage measurements and the additional loop currents. In addition, the method includes detecting a problem with the I/O loop based on the baseline loop resistance measurement and the additional loop resistance measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Supriya Rawat, Sharad Gitaram Pathare, Sarabjit Singh, Anant Vitthal Vidwans
  • Patent number: 10996251
    Abstract: Provided is a method and device for obtaining internal side and external side insulation resistances of a relay. The method includes steps of controlling the insulation resistance obtaining circuit to output a low-frequency AC signal; when both the main relay and the pre-charge relay are switched off, obtaining an internal side insulation resistance of the main relay according to the low-frequency AC signal; if the internal side insulation resistance of the main relay is normal, controlling the pre-charge relay to be switched on; and when the main relay is switched off and the pre-charge relay is switched on, obtaining an external side insulation resistance value of the main relay according to the low-frequency AC signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventors: Zhimin Dan, Yizhen Hou, Weiping Sun, Meng Li, Wei Zhang, Teng Yu
  • Patent number: 10996274
    Abstract: An electronic circuit configured to control an electromagnetic actuator with an electric coil, comprising at least one first electronic switching element, a capacitor, and a diode connected to the first electronic switching element, the capacitor, and the electrical coil to form a step-up converter, wherein the capacitor is configured to be charged to a voltage that is greater than an operating voltage of the electronic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Fabio De Giacomo, Weigang Wang, Piergiacomo Traversa
  • Patent number: 10996265
    Abstract: A crack detection system and an apparatus equipped with a crack detection circuit, including a main body, and a detection control circuit and a detection coil disposed on the main body. The main body includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface coupled between the top surface and the bottom surface. The detection coil is distributed on an edge of the main body and disposed surrounding the side surface. Two ends of the detection coil are electrically coupled to the detection control circuit to form a closed-loop detection circuit. The detection circuit is configured to detect a crack in an edge region of the main body. The detection coil includes a plurality of detection sections sequentially coupled from head-to-tail, and adjacent detection sections are not collinear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hui Si, Haohui Long, Jianping Fang, Runqing Ye, Weiqiang Hong, Yunfei Wang, Taixiang Liu
  • Patent number: 10996299
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for optimizing gradient waveforms for oblique imaging. In one embodiment, a method comprises generating initial gradient waveforms in logical axes, evaluating area demand of each of the initial gradient waveforms, increasing a maximum amplitude of the initial gradient waveform in a first logical axis, reducing a maximum amplitude of the initial gradient waveform in a second logical axis, wherein the area demand in the first logical axis is greater than the area demand in the second logical axis, converting the gradient waveforms to physical gradient waveforms, and driving physical amplifiers of an imaging system with the physical gradient waveforms during a scan. In this way, oblique scans may be performed without a performance reduction caused by increases in echo time, repetition time, and echo spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ali Ersoz
  • Patent number: 10989693
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes providing a first pipe having a first leading end and a first trailing end, providing a second pipe having a second leading end and a second trailing end, abutting at least a portion of the second leading end to at least a portion of the first trailing end to define a pipe abutment zone comprising a portion of the first pipe measured longitudinally from the first trailing end and a portion of the second pipe measured longitudinally from the second leading end, conveying the first and second pipe past an inspection device, inspecting by the inspection device a first portion of the pipe abutment zone and a second portion of the pipe abutment zone, and providing defect data that describes defects detected within the first portion and the second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Tenaris Connections B.V.
    Inventors: Alberto Nicolini, Javier Etcheverry, Fernando Núñez
  • Patent number: 10991995
    Abstract: A method for operating a battery of an at least partially electrically operated/driven functional device, a corresponding battery, and a corresponding functional device. A control unit of the battery receives measurement signals relating to a respective parameter of the battery cells from a plurality of switchable battery cells of the battery. The control unit prepares a location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter within the battery on the basis of the measurement signals. By activating the switching elements of the switchable battery cells according to a predetermined switching rule, the control unit produces a pattern of battery cells switched to active and passive. A predetermined location-resolved distribution function of the respective cell parameter is fulfilled and at least one predetermined secondary condition relating to an operation of the functional device and/or the battery is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Michael Hinterberger, Berthold Hellenthal, Tamas Gyulai
  • Patent number: 10989780
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a receiving coil unit. The apparatus includes first circuitry which transmits an RF pulse based on a first clock. The coil unit includes clock generating circuitry, a receiving coil and first conversion circuitry. The clock generating circuitry generates a second clock. The first conversion circuitry samples a magnetic resonance signal in accordance with the second clock. The coil unit further includes generation circuitry which generates shift information regarding a difference between the first clock and the second clock, and shift correction circuitry which corrects the sampled magnetic resonance signal by using the shift information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Uchida, Koji Akita
  • Patent number: 10989753
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for diagnosing an insulation element within a battery management system (BMS), in which an input terminal and an output terminal of an insulation element obtain a battery pack diagnosis signal that is output through a battery monitoring circuit and passes through the insulation element, and then abnormality of the insulation element is diagnosed based on a bit operation value of the obtained battery pack diagnosis signal, or an input terminal and an output terminal of the insulation element obtain a transceived communication signal and then abnormality of the insulation element is diagnosed based on a bit operation value of the obtained transceived communication signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventors: Ho Byung Yoon, Younghwan Kim, Sang Hoon Lee, Hujun Lee
  • Patent number: 10989755
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to functional test methods useful for fabricating products containing Light Emitting Diode (LED) structures. In particular, LED arrays are functionally tested by injecting current via a displacement current coupling device using a field plate comprising of an electrode and insulator placed in close proximity to the LED array. A controlled voltage waveform is then applied to the field plate electrode to excite the LED devices in parallel for high-throughput. A camera records the individual light emission resulting from the electrical excitation to yield a function test of a plurality of LED devices. Changing the voltage conditions can excite the LEDs at differing current density levels to functionally measure external quantum efficiency and other important device functional parameters. Spectral filtering is used to improve measurement contrast and LED defect detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Francois J. Henley
  • Patent number: 10989751
    Abstract: A sparse voltage measurement-based fault location determination system and method for an alternating current (AC) distribution network is described. This method can use sparse voltage measurements and Bayesian compressive sensing (BCS) algorithm to reconstruct a sparse current vector. A fault location is then determined based on the reconstructed sparse current vector. The disclosed method provides robust fault location results under a variety of asymmetrical fault scenarios. Fewer intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) allocated in the terminal buses are needed for determining the fault location; therefore, this implementation is relatively cost effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: North China Electric Power University
    Inventors: Ke Jia, Tianshu Bi, Bin Yang, Hao Liu
  • Patent number: 10983164
    Abstract: A test apparatus may include transceivers and a global de-skew circuit. In a training mode, the transceivers provide first timing information obtained by delaying a first data signal in the range of up to a preset unit interval based on a clock signal and receive second timing information corresponding to timing differences between a slowest transceiver and the remaining transceivers. In an operation mode, the transceivers provide compensation data to a plurality of DUTs (Devices Under Test) substantially simultaneously. The compensation data may be obtained by delaying a second data signal by multiples of the preset unit interval in response to the second timing information. In the training mode, the global de-skew circuit receives the first timing information, calculates, using the first timing information, the timing differences between the slowest transceiver and the remaining transceivers, and provides the second timing information corresponding to the timing differences to the transceivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignees: SK hynix Inc., Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Chul Woo Kim, Dong Yoon Kim, In Hwa Jung, Yong Ju Kim
  • Patent number: 10985600
    Abstract: An emergency lighting system provides testing and reporting functionality in a rapidly repeatable fashion for environments with numerous emergency lighting units. In one or more embodiments, the emergency lighting system comprises a plurality of emergency lighting units capable of conducting one or more tests and reporting their operating condition as test results. One or more terminals receive and aggregate the test results and present the same to a user. Emergency lighting units having an undesirable operating condition can then be readily identified and addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Magtech Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Kuo, Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 10983153
    Abstract: A stray voltage detection system for detecting a stray voltage in pool water within a pool The system comprises a pair of elongate conductive elements, with one of the elongate conductive elements having a detector electrode end and a terminal end, and with the other elongate conductive element having a reference electrode end and a terminal end. The detector electrode end is positioned adjacent to an electrical fixture within the pool and the reference electrode end is positioned opposite from the detector electrode end. The terminal ends are connected to a microprocessor for measuring a voltage between the detector electrode end and reference electrode end. A voltage detection system for a pier, with the system having a pair of elongate conductive elements attached to a pair of corresponding pier pilings on opposite sides of a pier deck, and with the pair of conductive elements for measuring a voltage between the conductive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Inventors: Natalie Forood, Walter Maclay
  • Patent number: 10985413
    Abstract: A method for testing an all solid state battery with which the presence of short circuit or the presence of defect causing short circuit can be detected with high accuracy by a method in which a voltage is applied to a battery and the current value thereof is measured. The method includes the steps of: a resistance increasing step of increasing resistance of an all solid state battery to 3.2*105 ?·cm2 or more; a voltage applying step of applying voltage to an all solid state battery of which the resistance is increased; and a judging step of judging acceptability of the all solid state battery based on a current value measured in the voltage applying step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masato Kamiya, Katsuhiko Nagaya, Norihiro Yamada, Shinobu Okayama, Takayuki Hojo
  • Patent number: 10976372
    Abstract: A battery state estimation device for estimating a charged electric charge quantity of a rechargeable battery includes an impedance measurement unit configured to measure a plurality of complex impedances of the rechargeable battery by supplying measurement power to the rechargeable battery, a parameter calculation unit configured to calculate a parameter that includes a ratio of a difference between measurement angular velocities of two complex impedances in a diffusion region among the measured complex impedances to a difference between components of the two complex impedances, and an electric charge quantity estimation unit configured to estimate a charged electric charge quantity of the rechargeable battery based on the calculated parameter and preset correlated information between the charged electric charge quantity of the rechargeable battery and the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: PRIMEARTH EV ENERGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Koba, Yosuke Murota, Shinobu Minatani, Hiroki Nakafuji, Daisuke Shinohara, Tetsuya Osaka
  • Patent number: 10976374
    Abstract: A battery information processing system includes an analyzer configured to analyze a result of measurement of an AC impedance of a module M. The analyzer plots the result of measurement of the AC impedance on a first frequency characteristic diagram which is a Bode diagram (a first diagram) relating to a real number component of the AC impedance and on a second frequency characteristic diagram which is a Bode diagram (a second diagram) relating to an imaginary number component of the AC impedance, obtains a polynomial curve L1 by fitting processing onto a result of plotting on the first diagram and obtains a polynomial curve L2 by fitting processing onto a result of plotting on the second diagram, and converts the polynomial curves L1 and L2 into an impedance curve Z on a Nyquist diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuya Kodama
  • Patent number: 10976347
    Abstract: A magnet extension, magnetic test assembly, and probe card assembly includes a magnet having a first end and a second end, the first end of the magnet being geometrically configured to provide a selected magnetic field. A resilient member 5 is disposed around the magnet between the first end and the second end. A retaining member is disposed between the first end and the second end. The retaining member surrounds at least a portion of the resilient member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: CELADON SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: William A. Funk, Bryan J. Root
  • Patent number: 10969421
    Abstract: A test instrument, including an embedded VNA circuit, for testing a DUT. The test instrument includes a first receiver for receiving an incident RF signal through a first coupling device; a second receiver for receiving a reflected RF signal through a second coupling device; a test port for connecting to an interconnect, which is connectable to a calibration device in a calibrating stage, during which the interconnect is characterized, and to the DUT in a testing stage, during which at least one parameter of the DUT is tested; an RF source for generating the incident RF signal during the calibrating stage; and a processing unit programmed to determine S-parameters of the interconnect based on the incident RF signal and the reflected RF signal, the S-parameters compensating for error introduced by the interconnect when testing the at least one parameter of the DUT in the testing stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith F. Anderson, Alex Grichener