Patents Examined by Minh N. Tang
  • Patent number: 9970973
    Abstract: A method is presented for measuring the electric field of electromagnetic radiation using the spectroscopic responses of Rydberg atoms to the electromagnetic radiation field. The method entails implementing quantitative models of the Rydberg atom response to the electromagnetic radiation field to provide predetermined atomic properties or spectra for field amplitudes and or frequencies of interest, spectroscopically measuring the response (spectrum) of Rydberg atoms exposed to an unknown electromagnetic radiation field, and obtaining the electric field amplitude and/or frequency of the unknown electromagnetic radiation by using features extracted from the measured spectrum and comparing them to features in a predetermined spectrum among the set of predetermined spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: David A. Anderson, Georg A. Raithel, Nithiwadee Thaicharoen, Stephanie A. Miller, Andrew Schwarzkopf
  • Patent number: 9964587
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure includes at least two via chains. Each via chain includes at least one first conductive component, at least one second conductive component and at least one via. The first conductive component has an axis along an extending direction of the first conductive component. The via connects the first conductive component to the second conductive component. The via has a center defining a shift distance from the axis of the first conductive component. The shift distances of the via chains are different. A testing method using such a semiconductor structure includes drawing a resistance-shift distance diagram illustrating a relationship between the resistances of the via chains and the shift distances of the via chains. At least one dimensional feature is obtained from the resistance-shift distance diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chien-Kuo Wang, Wen-Jung Liao, Chun-Liang Hou
  • Patent number: 9958408
    Abstract: A stretchable capacitance sensor having multiple components for communicating signals to a data acquisition system for reconstructing an image of an area or object located in a subject being sensed, and for calculating the shape or conformity that it is in. The stretchable sensor consists of an inner layer of plates that provide the capacitance data, a middle layer of plates that provide the geometry-sensing data, and an outer layer of plates that serves as the shielding ground layer. The configuration of all three components can be variably changed to increase the capacitance data channels, increase or decrease flexibility and stretchability of the sensor, and increase the spatial resolution of the geometry sensing feature. The sensor is adapted to communicate signals to a data acquisition system for providing an image of the area or object between the capacitance plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: TECH4IMAGING LLC
    Inventors: Qussai Marashdeh, Yousef Alghothani, Christopher Zuccarelli
  • Patent number: 9954365
    Abstract: This document relates to electricity management using modulated waveforms. One example modulates electricity to obtain modulated electricity having at least two different alternating current frequencies including a first alternating current frequency and a second alternating current frequency. The example delivers the modulated electrical power having the at least two different alternating current frequencies to multiple different electrical devices, including a first electrical device configured to utilize the first alternating current frequency and a second electrical device configured to utilize the second alternating current frequency. The modulated electricity can be delivered at least partly over an electrical line shared by the first electrical device and the second electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jie Liu, Brian Janous, Gregory Joseph McKnight, Sean James, Ricardo Bianchini
  • Patent number: 9945897
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for on-line monitoring of the condition of insulation in electrical devices employing a differential current sensor. In certain embodiments a monitor that can be fitted to existing electrical devices by attachment of the sensor to a pair of phase cables is provided. In other embodiments, an electrical device configured with an insulation monitor is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Prabhakar Neti, Karim Younsi, Konrad Roman Weeber
  • Patent number: 9939474
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a meter with a communication function includes a terminal block, boards and an antenna. The terminal block, to which a power line is connected, is disposed at a predetermined position of an installation portion. The boards are disposed to be stacked on the terminal block to keep a distance in a direction away from the installation portion. The antenna is formed on a plate substrate disposed in a direction intersecting with the boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Koichi Sato
  • Patent number: 9939490
    Abstract: Methods and systems for compensating for temperature variation in the performance of electronic circuits and systems are disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems are configured to store compensation parameters determined in calibration, where the compensation parameters are used by the systems to modify performance. In some embodiments, the systems are part of an automatic test equipment (ATE) system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Analog Test Engines
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen King
  • Patent number: 9933543
    Abstract: An example method for downhole surveying and measuring may include receiving a measurement from a receiver of a conformable sensor, the measurement corresponding to a response of a downhole element to an electromagnetic signal generated by a transmitter of the conformable sensor. A parameter of the downhole element may be determined based, at least in part, on the received measurement. A visualization of a feature of the downhole element may be generated based, at least in part, on at least one of the received measurement and the determined parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Neeraj Sethi, Jim Taylor Hill, Burkay Donderici
  • Patent number: 9929444
    Abstract: A battery pack has a battery, a sensor module, a first power supply module and an indicating module. The sensor module is used to detect a change in an electrical field or magnetic field nearby the battery pack and to activate the indicating module in response to the change being detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Chervon (HK) Limited
    Inventors: Wu Chen, Fengqin Zhou
  • Patent number: 9921279
    Abstract: An open-type magnetic resonance imaging device provides uniformity of a magnetic field without the necessity of lowering the degree of openness, and without increasing the superconducting wire material. The device includes at least one pair of main coils; at least one pair of shield coils; a pair of annular first magnetic substances disposed on an inner radial side of the main coils so that the first magnetic substances are plane symmetrical to each other; and second magnetic substances as protrusion portions disposed on an outer circumferential side of an end surface of the first magnetic substances on an opposite side of the first magnetic substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Shibata, Mitsushi Abe
  • Patent number: 9910123
    Abstract: A calibration module for a tester, for testing a device under test, includes a pair of RF-channel terminals, a calibration device, a pair of measurement terminals and a mode selector. The pair of RF-channels terminals is configured to send or receive measurement signals to or from an RF-channel of the tester. The calibration device is configured to perform a calibration of the RF-channel based on the measurement signals sent to, or received from, the RF-channel. The pair of measurement terminals is configured to send or receive measurement signals to or from the device under test. The mode selector is configured to connect, in a calibration phase, the pair or RF-channel terminals to the calibration device for calibrating the RF-channel and to connect, in a measurement phase, the pair of RF-channel terminals to the pair of measurement terminals for routing measurement signals from the RF-channel to the device under test or vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Martin Muecke, Sandra-Christine Fricke, Jonas Horst
  • Patent number: 9910067
    Abstract: A probe apparatus and method of terminating a probe that probes a semiconductor device with a signal cable from a tester side by side at a proximal end of the probe and a distal end of the signal cable. In one embodiment, the probe apparatus includes: a chassis; a dielectric block mounted in the chassis for retaining the probe, the probe extending on the chassis from a proximal end of the probe to the dielectric block, extending through the dielectric block, and projecting from the dielectric block towards the semiconductor device at a distal end of the probe; and a terminating apparatus, mounted in the chassis, for terminating the proximal end of the probe with a distal end of the signal cable side by side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Celadon Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan J. Root, William A. Funk
  • Patent number: 9910084
    Abstract: A flexible circuit board inspecting apparatus for conducting an inspection on a flexible circuit board includes a transport path and an inspection part mechanism. The transport path is configured to successively transport the flexible circuit board having a plurality of unit circuit boards arranged thereon. The inspection part mechanism is configured to bring and distance a jig for inspecting the flexible circuit board transported on the transport path close to and from the flexible circuit board. The transport path includes a longitudinal transport portion for transporting the flexible circuit board in a downward vertical direction. The inspection part mechanism moves the jig in a direction perpendicular to the flexible circuit board transported on the longitudinal transport portion to bring and distance the jig close to and from the flexible circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC-READ CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Nakagawa, Toshihide Matsukawa, Osamu Hikita, Michio Kaida
  • Patent number: 9906190
    Abstract: A solar panel soiling monitoring system is provided for measuring soiling losses on a photo-voltaic system. The solar panel monitoring system includes: a soil monitoring panel including a plurality of arranged photovoltaic cells connected in series to one another; a measurement unit in electronic communication with a switchbox for controlling measurements of each of the photovoltaic cells; a communication unit in electronic communication with the measurement unit; and a data storage system in electronic communication with the communication unit including a processor, a computer readable storage medium, and one or more computer programs operable on the data storage system. The data storage system determines soiling conditions of the soil monitoring panel based on measured short circuit currents of each of the plurality of photovoltaic cells of the soil monitoring panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Inventor: Ryan Bower Jones
  • Patent number: 9903886
    Abstract: A testing probe and a testing apparatus are disclosed. The testing probe including: a housing, including a test end and a fixed end, and with a test opening at the test end; a piston, being capable of sliding between the test end and the fixed end along an inner wall of the housing, and a conductive adhesive agent chamber being formed by the piston and the fixed end of the housing and being configured to be filled with a conductive adhesive agent; and the conductive adhesive agent being allowed to overflow from a gap between the piston and the inner wall of the housing by squeezing the piston; an elastic member with a first end fixed to the piston and a second end extending toward the test end; a sphere being disposed at the test opening and separated from the second end of the elastic member by a preset distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Hefei BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jing Wang, Jianyang Yu
  • Patent number: 9897830
    Abstract: A display panel inspection system and an inspection method for the same are provided. The system includes multiple electrode signal lines located in a display region, each has a starting terminal and an end terminal, multiple fan-out traces connected with the multiple electrode signal lines, multiple electrode signal input terminals connected with the multiple fan-out traces, multiple test pads connected with the multiple electrode signal input terminals, each has an end terminal, a signal transmitter and a signal receiver, wherein the signal transmitter transmits a signal at the starting terminal the electrode signal line, and the signal receiver receives a signal from the end terminal of the electrode signal line or the test pad. Accordingly, an open or short can be detected at the fan-out traces to decrease a light line ratio in the module process to increase the product yield rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yanfeng Fu
  • Patent number: 9891076
    Abstract: A method and an angle sensor for contactless measurement of an angle between a first machine element and a second machine element rotatable with respect thereto. A plurality of coils are non-rotatably connected to the first machine element and include transmitter coils—distributed around the rotational axis. Each of the transmitter coils is arranged in a sector about the rotational axis. An iron-core element non-rotatably connected to the second machine element is disposed in a sector opposite the transmitter coils. Based on applying voltage pulses, a determination of the angle to be measured is effected starting from a ratio formation between the amplitude of a secondary voltage pulse associated with a selected transmitter coil and a peak amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Siegfried Brunner
  • Patent number: 9874598
    Abstract: A testing system for carrying out electrical testing of at least one first through via forms an insulated via structure extending only part way through a substrate of a first body of semiconductor material. The testing system has a first electrical test circuit integrated in the first body and electrically coupled to the insulated via structure. The first electrical test circuit enables detection of at least one electrical parameter of the insulated via structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Alberto Pagani
  • Patent number: 9874460
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for detection of a direction of movement of a component using a single inductive sensor. The component may be a rotational component such as a motor, shaft, gear, or the like. An ON and/or OFF time of the inductive sensor is measured as north and south poles of one or more magnets are moved past a face of the inductive sensor. A directional correlation is established which allows for determination of an unknown direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: Milton D. Olsen
  • Patent number: 9874613
    Abstract: Test measurements on a utility power device by a switch matrix apparatus and a common voltage source as separate devices is performed. Through the switch matrix apparatus, the common voltage source selectively sends a first high voltage signal via a first lead to a first terminal of the utility power device, measures a first corresponding signal returned via a second lead of the switch matrix apparatus from a second terminal of the utility power device. While the first lead and the second lead of the switch matrix apparatus remain electrically coupled to the first and the second terminal of the utility power device, a second high voltage signal is selectively sent via the second lead to the second terminal of the utility power device, and a second corresponding signal returned from the first terminal of the utility power device via the first lead of the switch matrix apparatus is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DOBLE ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Clark Woodward, Jr., George Matthew Kennedy