Patents Examined by Minh Phan
  • Patent number: 9728112
    Abstract: An array substrate is provided. The array substrate comprises a substrate, a common electrode, an insulating layer, a pixel transparent electrode, and a sharing capacitor transparent electrode, wherein a separating area is disposed between the pixel transparent electrode and the sharing capacitor transparent electrode; the common electrode extends to the separating area, and is exposed on the surface of the separating area by at least one groove which is on the insulating layer. Thereby a defectiveness of a product due to an ITO (indium tin oxide) remaining on the surface of the array substrate can easily detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hung Chen, Zui Wang
  • Patent number: 9726545
    Abstract: A method, device and apparatus are provided for measuring the temperature of a melt, particularly of a molten metal, with an optical fiber, fed into the melt through a disposable guiding tube. The optical fiber and an immersion end of the tube are immersed into the melt and have feeding speeds which are independent from each other. An elastic plug is arranged within the tube or at an end of the tube opposite the immersion end. The optical fiber is fed through the elastic plug, and the elastic plug reduces a gap between the optical fiber and the tube, which has a larger inner diameter than the outer diameter of the optical fiber. The apparatus includes a fiber coil and a feeding mechanism for feeding the optical fiber and the tube, including at least two independent feeding motors, one for feeding the optical fiber and one for feeding the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Heraeus Electro-Nite International N.V.
    Inventors: Guido Jacobus Neyens, Michel Thys, Frank Stevens
  • Patent number: 9727010
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to convey a recording material having an unfixed image on a surface includes a fixing device configured to fix the unfixed image on the recording material and a control device configured to perform image forming process control of the image forming apparatus, the fixing device including: a heating member heated by a heating device and a pressure member that binds the recording material on the surface of which the unfixed image is formed, and while letting the recording material pass between the pressure member oneself and the heating member, fixes the unfixed image onto the recording material, the control device calculating integrated energy consumption per unit time based on power consumption of the heating device and time needed for a print mode, and performing control of changing the image forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Tsubotani
  • Patent number: 9719861
    Abstract: A temperature sensor circuit implemented in electronic circuitry that senses the temperature at a site, digitizes the sensed temperature, and then outputs a signal representing such a sensed temperature. The temperature sensor circuit converts a voltage signal that is proportional to the temperature to a first digital value. The temperature sensor circuit converts a voltage signal that is inversely proportional to the temperature to a second digital value. The sensed temperature is determined as a function of a difference between the first and second digital values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventors: Ravindraraj Ramaraju, David R. Bearden
  • Patent number: 9714845
    Abstract: A resolver abnormality detection apparatus for a resolver having first and second secondary windings includes a first resistor section including a first pull-up resistor for pulling up the first secondary winding, a first pull-down resistor for pulling down the first secondary winding, a second resistor section including a second pull-up resistor for pulling up the second secondary winding and a second pull-down resistor for pulling down the second secondary winding, and first and second differential input sections connected across the first secondary winding and across the second secondary winding, respectively. The resolver abnormality detection apparatus detects presence of an abnormality in each of the first and second secondary windings based on outputs of the first and second differential input sections, a DC voltage between the first resistor section and the first differential input section and a DC voltage between the second resistor section and the second differential input section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yosuke Asako
  • Patent number: 9715165
    Abstract: A dome (102) for a monitoring camera system comprises several monitoring cameras. The dome is formed from a transparent material, and has a toroidal shape with a rotational symmetry along a rotational angle (?) around a first axis of symmetry (S1). An outer segment of the dome, in section, has a shape further defined by a second axis of symmetry (S2) arranged at a first radius (R) from the first axis of symmetry (S1) and is orthogonal to the first axis. The outer segment has a curvature following a second radius (r) over an angle (?) around the second axis of symmetry (S2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: AXIS AB
    Inventor: Fredrik Axelsson
  • Patent number: 9715212
    Abstract: A toner container includes a body housing, the body housing being provided with a toner containing portion, an air flowing portion, an air inlet, and an air outlet. The toner containing portion is configured to contain toner for use in image formation. The air flowing portion adjoins the toner containing portion. The air inlet is configured so that air is taken into the air flowing portion therethrough. The air outlet is configured so that the air is discharged from the air flowing portion therethrough. The toner containing portion is separated from the air flowing portion by a partition wall and the toner container is configured to bring the air flowing through the air flowing portion comes into contact with the partition wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 9716814
    Abstract: A system for reducing the substantially vertical extent of a wide-area biometric system and for reducing the cost and complexity of installation while maintaining high biometric performance, using a substantially horizontally configuration of cameras, preferably with an attention mechanism, and using a precision calibration system that can be used by an unskilled technician and that does not require an accurate site survey or additional materials or equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: EyeLock LLC
    Inventors: Keith J. Hanna, George Herbert Needham Riddle
  • Patent number: 9715029
    Abstract: An electric field sensor for underwater, including a sensing unit that senses a change in an electric field and transfers a sensing signal of the electric field to a signal line, a waterproof sealing unit that keeps a signal transferring portion of the sensing unit in a waterproof state, and a water-passing protection unit that shields and protects an exposed portion of the sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a nonconductive hollow pipe connected to the signal line, a sheet of carbon fiber that is wound around the outer surface of the hollow pipe and that senses an electric field, and a terminal ring that is electrically conductively installed at an end portion of the sheet of carbon fiber to provide a connection portion of the signal line and that is watertightly sealed by the waterproof sealing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES
    Inventors: Sung-Ho Cho, Hyun-Key Jung, Hyosun Lee, Hyoungrea Rim
  • Patent number: 9709445
    Abstract: A temperature sensor, including a conduction path, between a line at a supply voltage and a common ground terminal of the temperature sensor, including a capacitor, a resistor and a reverse biased diode a junction temperature of which is to be sensed; a digital circuit coupled with the capacitor, the resistor and the diode, configured to compare a charge voltage of the capacitor with an upper threshold voltage and with a lower threshold voltage, and to generate in operation an output sense signal that switches to a first logic level when the charge voltage attains the lower threshold voltage and to a second logic level when the charge voltage attains the upper threshold voltage, the digital circuit being configured to connect the resistor electrically in parallel with the capacitor to discharge the capacitor when the output sense signal is at the second logic level, and to connect the capacitor so as to be charged by a reverse saturation current flowing throughout the reverse biased diode when the output sens
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Michele Caldara
  • Patent number: 9702243
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring temperature distribution in downhole equipment using magnetostrictive probes. In one embodiment, an ESP motor has a stator with a rotor and shaft rotatably positioned within the stator. Magnetostrictive sensors are positioned within the motor. Each magnetostrictive sensor has a transducer, a probe, and electronic circuitry coupled to the transducer. The circuitry generates an initial electrical signal that is conveyed to the transducer. The signal passes through one or more coils in the transducer, generating magnetic fields that induce an acoustic signal in the probe. The acoustic signal propagates through the probe and waves are reflected from reflection points in the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Ke Wang, Zhiyue Xu
  • Patent number: 9703241
    Abstract: A fixing device includes: an endless fusing belt; a heater; a nip member; and a backup member. The endless fusing belt has a width in a widthwise direction. The nip member is disposed spaced apart from the heater. The nip member has a contact surface. The contact surface has widthwise end portions in the widthwise direction. The backup member is configured to nip the fusing belt in cooperation with the nip member. The fusing belt is configured to move in a moving direction at a position where the fusing belt is nipped between the nip member and the backup member. The contact surface has at least two grooves one formed in corresponding one of the widthwise end portions and another formed in the other of the widthwise end portions and extending at an angle equal to or smaller than 10 degrees with respect to the moving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hazeyama, Yasuhiro Maruyama, Akihiro Kobayashi, Naoyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 9705462
    Abstract: A sensor signal output circuit includes: a buffer amplifier which amplifies an output of a temperature sensor; an operational amplifier which amplifies an output of the buffer amplifier; an oscillator which generates a triangular wave signal; and a comparator which compares the triangular wave signal with an output of the operational amplifier to generate a PWM signal. After an offset adjusting resistor of the operational amplifier is adjusted at first temperature, the amplitude of the triangular wave signal is set to adjust the pulse width of the PWM signal at the first temperature. After that, a gain adjusting resistor of the operational amplifier is set to adjust the pulse width of the PWM signal at a second temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoshi Sugahara
  • Patent number: 9696214
    Abstract: In a portable electronic device, a temperature sensor (1) is provided for sensing an ambient temperature (TR) of the portable electronic device. At least one other temperature sensor (3) is provided for sensing a temperature (TI) inside the portable electronic device. The portable electronic device further comprises a set of components (2) radiating heat in an active state in response to the consumption of electrical energy. A calibration module (5) is adapted to conduct a calibration measurement during or in response to an active state of at least a first component out of the set, and is adapted to determine a set of calibration parameters (c1) in response to the calibration measurement for adjusting the at least one sensed inside temperature (T1). A compensator (4) is provided for determining a compensated ambient temperature (TA) dependent on at least the sensed ambient temperature (TS) and the at least one adjusted sensed inside temperature (c1, T1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Dominik Niederberger, Andrea Sacchetti, Dominic Boni
  • Patent number: 9690172
    Abstract: An omnidirectional user configurable multi-camera housing includes a top plate including one or more electronic circuit boards thereon; a track plate secured to the top plate by a plurality of first fasteners, wherein the track plate is rotationally movable with respect to the top plate via a respective curve-shaped opening that accommodates movement of a respective first fastener within the respective curve-shaped opening; a plurality of camera assemblies secured to the track plate by a plurality of magnetic devices, each of the camera assemblies including a camera and a bracket, movably installed on the track, wherein each of the camera is rotatable on a respective bracket in a plane perpendicular to the track plate, and wherein each of the bracket are rotatable in a plane including the track plate; and a transparent cover for covering the plurality of camera assemblies installed on the track plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ARECONT VISION, LLC
    Inventor: Brad J. Donaldson
  • Patent number: 9689820
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the detection of irregularities in a thin film by measurement of transient thermal response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: James Michael Caruthers, Douglas E. Adams, Anand David, Peter R. O'Regan, Farshid Sadeghi, Nathan Daniel Sharp, Mark David Suchomel
  • Patent number: 9678099
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing an optical assembly to provide stereoscopic images of a reflected laser spot to a camera for wind measurement. According to certain embodiments of the invention, an optical assembly can include left and right (or first and second) subassemblies having lens groups and reflective elements that cause light traveling left and right subassemblies to follow similar paths to focus on respective left and right portions of a camera. The camera can then use left and right images of reflected laser light to determine wind based on turbulence patterns in the left and right images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Cubic Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Maryfield, Mahyar Dadkah, Christian Cugnetti, Nam-Hyong Kim
  • Patent number: 9677949
    Abstract: An in-line fiber-optic temperature sensor is disclosed. In an implementation, the in-line fiber-optic temperature sensor includes an optically transmissive fiber, a reflector, a microstructured fiber defining a channel therein for receiving a fluid, and a Fabry-Perot cavity in fluid communication with the microstructured fiber. The microstructured fiber can be retained between the optically transmissive fiber and the reflector. The Fabry-Perot cavity defined by a material and configured to receive a gas having an index of refraction that changes in a known way with temperature and pressure changes in fluid communication with the channel of the microstructured fiber. The in-line fiber-optic temperature sensor also includes a chamber defined between the optically transmissive fiber and the microstructured fiber for connecting in fluid communication with a vacuum/pressure source for changing pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: NUTECH VENTURES
    Inventor: Ming Han
  • Patent number: 9671296
    Abstract: There is provided a portable electronic device with one or more integrated temperature sensors (12) for measuring an ambient temperature, a compensator (25,26) for reducing the difference between a sensor output (Ts) and the ambient temperature (Ta) with the compensator (25,26) switching depending on environmental and/or handling conditions between a plurality of compensation modes selected dependent on measurements of one or more other integrated and/or external sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Dominik Niederberger, Andrea Sacchetti, Dominic Boni, Andrea Wuest, Pascal Gerner, Markus Graf, Martin Wirz
  • Patent number: 9671386
    Abstract: Improved methods of detecting thermal exposure are provided herein. The provided methods utilize initially dormant luminescent probes incorporated into a matrix to form a composite. When exposed to heat over a period of time, the luminescent probes are “activated” through a molecular transformation initiated by thermal energy. The activated probes exhibit a luminescent profile based on the extent of thermal exposure, thereby providing an indicator of the thermal exposure experienced by the matrix. When the composite is used to produce a structural component of a vehicle (e.g., an aircraft), the methods provide a convenient, large-area indicator of thermal damage experienced by the structural component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
    Inventors: Brian D. Flinn, Alex Kwan-yue Jen, Sei-Hum Jang, Tucker Howie, Zhengwei Shi