Patents Examined by Minh Q Phan
  • Patent number: 11448853
    Abstract: SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Mark A. Miller, Nathaniel K. Behning, Dean E. Myers, Michael W. Davis, Ryan N. Ruzicka
  • Patent number: 11435648
    Abstract: An image capture apparatus detects an eye approaching to a finder, switches between a locked state in which execution of a function corresponding to an operation on a touch panel having a display surface of a display unit capable of displaying a captured image as an operation surface is restricted and an unlocked state in which the execution of the function is not restricted, and performs control such that in the locked state, even if a specific operation is performed on the touch panel without detecting the eye approaching, predetermined processing corresponding to the specific operation is not executed, and the predetermined processing is executed in response to the specific operation on the touch panel being performed in a state where a predetermined condition including detection of the eye approaching is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Noriaki Sato
  • Patent number: 11415260
    Abstract: Robotic inspection device for tank and pipe inspections includes a housing configured to be positioned on a portion within a flow apparatus. The portion has a wall with a coating on the wall. The coating has a coating thickness. The device has a magnetic transducer mounted to the housing. The magnetic transducer is configured to measure a magnetic flux permeability through the coating on the wall. A computer system is mounted to the housing. The computer system is operatively coupled to the magnetic transducer. The computer system includes one or more processors and a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations include receiving magnetic flux permeability measured by the magnetic transducer at a location on the portion and determining a coating thickness at the location based on the magnetic flux permeability measured at the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Amer D. Hajri, Rashid D. Al Hajri, Fikri A. Suwailah, Kazem H. Al Musabbeh
  • Patent number: 11409074
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises a sight position detection unit configured to detect region of a sight positon to a display unit which displays an object, and a control unit configured to perform control to, in a case where a state where the detected region of the sight position is not moving continues for a first time period, select an object corresponding to the region of the sight position, and in a case where a state where the detected region of the sight position is moving and a direction of movement of the region of the sight position and a direction of movement of an object satisfy a predetermined condition continues for a second time period, select the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shogo Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11408950
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor is provided that can attenuate a magnetic field in a direction that is perpendicular to the magnetic field detecting direction at a higher rate than the magnetic field in the magnetic field detecting direction. Magnetic sensor 1 has: first soft magnetic layer 3; a pair of second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B that is positioned at a location that is different from first soft magnetic layer 3 in the Z direction of first soft magnetic layer 3; and magnetic field detecting element 2 that is positioned between first soft magnetic layer 3 and second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B in the Z direction, wherein magnetic field detecting element 2 has a magnetic field detecting direction that is parallel to a direction in which the pair of second soft magnetic layers 4A, 4B is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Harada, Tsuyoshi Umehara, Kenichi Takano
  • Patent number: 11399129
    Abstract: An image capture device having a first integrated sensor lens assembly (ISLA), a second ISLA, and an image processor is disclosed. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective optical element that have different depths of field. The first and second ISLAs may each include a respective image sensor configured to capture respective images. The image processor may be electrically coupled to the first ISLA and the second ISLA. The image processor may be configured to obtain a focused image based on a first image and a second image. The focused image may have an extended depth of field. The extended depth of field may be based on the depth of field of each respective optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Stern, Adam Thomas Blumer
  • Patent number: 11391774
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a metalens unit including a metalens having a structure for reducing a thickness. The metalens unit includes a metalens and a holding portion for the metalens. The metalens includes a base portion and a first antenna portion. The first antenna portion is constituted by a plurality of first antennas each having a first refractive index and a first intermediate portion having a second refractive index and positioned between the plurality of first antennas. A first antenna portion is formed such that one-dimensional arrangement constituted by some of end surfaces of the plurality of first antennas includes a pattern in which at least one of a size of the end surface, a shape of the end surface, and an arrangement pitch is changed along a reference line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Soh Uenoyama, Yuu Takiguchi, Hirotoshi Terada
  • Patent number: 11372311
    Abstract: A variable aperture device is described that includes a casing, a base with a light transmission hole, conductive terminals on the base, a terminal connecting portion, a shape memory metal wire, a movable portion, and a driven portion for forming an aperture together with the movable portion. One end of the shape memory metal wire is connected to the terminal connecting portion and the movable portion is connected to the base via a first rotating shaft. A side of the movable portion far from the light transmission hole around the first rotating shaft is connected to other end of the shape memory metal wire. A side of the movable portion near the light transmission hole around the first rotating shaft is connected to an elastic structure of the terminal connecting portion and the terminal connecting portion is attached to the conductive terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: NEW SHICOH MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zaiwei Wang, Juhe Zhou
  • Patent number: 11360050
    Abstract: A hose includes a generally cylindrical tubular structure with at least one layer of steel ligaments near the outer surface, the steel ligaments being enclosed within a tubular layer including polymeric material; the flexible hose also incorporates a multiplicity of sensing coils embedded within the tubular layer, each such sensing coil being a flat coil lying in a plane substantially parallel to the adjacent layer of steel ligaments, so that an axis of the coil orthogonal to the plane of the flat coil extends in a radial direction relative to the hose. Each such sensing coil may form part of an electronic module that also incorporates a signal processing circuit and an RE power-receiving and data-transmission circuit. When that portion of the hose is subjected to an alternating magnetic field, signals from the sensing coils can be analysed to deduce information about the stress in the steel ligaments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES ENERGY TECHNOLOGY UK LIMITED
    Inventors: John Charles McCarthy, David John Buttle
  • Patent number: 11340319
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor device has a multipolar magnet having a first surface and a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface, in which magnetic poles of differing polarity are arranged alternately to divide the first surface radially into n regions (where n>4), and a magnetic detection part provided to be opposite to the first surface of the multipolar magnet. The multipolar magnet is provided to be capable of relative movement in at least one direction in a plane substantially parallel to the first surface and the second surface. The magnetic detection part outputs a signal corresponding to change in the magnetic field accompanying relative movement of the multipolar magnet, and the geometric centers of the multipolar magnet and the magnetic detection part substantially match in a direction orthogonal to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Yongfu Cai
  • Patent number: 11338919
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provides a gimbal. The gimbal includes a pitch motor, a coaxial cable, and a first support arm arranged opposite a second support arm. The pitch motor is disposed at a front end of the first support arm, a motor shaft of the pitch motor extending in a direction of the second support arm for connecting with one end of an imaging device; a limiting shaft is disposed at a front end of the second support arm, the limiting shaft extending in a direction of the first arm for connecting with another end of the imaging device; a first wiring space is formed in the limiting shaft and a second wiring space is formed in the second support arm, a first end of the coaxial cable sequentially passing through the second wiring space and the first wiring space for electrically connecting with the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yucheng Liu, Li Qiu
  • Patent number: 11333847
    Abstract: An optical element driving mechanism is provided, including a movable part for connecting an optical element; a fixed part, wherein the movable part can move relative to the fixed part; a driving assembly for driving the movable part to move relative to the fixed part; and a supporting assembly, wherein the movable part can move relative to the fixed part in multiple dimensions via the supporting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TDK TAIWAN CORP.
    Inventors: Chao-Chang Hu, Chen-Hsien Fan, Che-Wei Chang, Chih-Wei Weng, Chia-Che Wu, Mao-Gen Jian, Chien-Yu Kao, Sung-Mao Tsai
  • Patent number: 11326910
    Abstract: A sensor package including a metal carrier and a sensor chip arranged on the metal carrier and having a first sensor element. In an orthogonal projection of the sensor chip onto a surface of the metal carrier, at least two edge sections of the sensor chip are free of overlap with the surface of the metal carrier. The sensor chip is designed to detect a magnetic field induced by an electric current flowing through a current conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Volker Strutz, Rainer Markus Schaller
  • Patent number: 11324610
    Abstract: A system for electronically capturing a subject's anatomy. Software programming directs the user to position the camera to recognize the anatomy. It uses anatomical features of the recognized subject's anatomy, patient data entered by the user and anthropometric data to estimate the optimal position of virtual markers. Furthermore, it places the virtual markers on an image presented to the user on the display screen at the estimated optimal position, while utilizing an auto-zoom and the virtual markers to zoom in to provide proper framing. The auto-zoom is utilized while maintaining a substantially fixed camera distance from the subject. The programming provides feedback based on the anatomical features for directing the user to move the camera appropriately relative to the virtual markers, thereby resulting in an optimized view of the anatomical information. The end-user software program captures the optimized view of the anatomical information via the camera to provide output data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: VISION QUEST INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kevin R. Lunau, Wallace R. Fischer, Michael S. Skahan
  • Patent number: 11327388
    Abstract: An accessory mountable on and demountable from a camera body includes a first mount unit including a plurality of first bayonet claw portions, a second mount unit including a plurality of second bayonet claw portions configured to be engaged with the plurality of first bayonet claw portions, an elastic member configured to contact the camera body when the accessory is mounted on the camera body, and a holding member configured to hold the elastic member. The holding member is provided with a recessed portion which a part of the elastic member can enter when the accessory is mounted on the camera body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshinori Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11320667
    Abstract: Systems, devices, media, and methods are described for capturing a series of video clips, together with position, orientation, and motion data collected from an inertial measurement unit during filming. The methods in some examples include calculating camera orientations based on the data collected, computing a stabilized output path based on the camera orientations, and then combining the video segments in accordance with said stabilized output path to produce a video composition that is stable, short, and easy to share. The video clips are filmed in accordance with a set of conditions called a capture profile. In some implementations, the capture profile conditions are reactive, adjusting in real time, during filming, in response to sensor data gathered in real time from a sensor array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Hanover, Richard Zhuang
  • Patent number: 11307269
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor for measuring a variable magnetic field, in particular for a movement sensor or position sensor, has a magnetoresistive sensor chip and a flat sensor carrier carrying the sensor chip. The carrier has an upper side from which the sensor chip is electrically contactable, the upper side of the sensor carrier having a recess or depression in which the sensor chip is arranged. The sensor chip is electrically contactable from the upper side and that the sensor chip receives a magnetic field to be measured via an underside of the sensor carrier. A manufacturing method for manufacturing an above magnetic field sensor and a measuring method are proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Sensitec GmbH
    Inventor: Carola Gebhardt
  • Patent number: 11300637
    Abstract: A resettable bipolar switch sensor is disclosed which comprises a bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor, a reset coil, an ASIC switch circuit and a power reset circuit. The bipolar magnetic hysteresis switch sensor comprises a substrate and a magnetoresistive sensing arm located on the substrate. The magnetoresistive sensing arm is of a two-port structure composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensing unit strings arranged in series, parallel, or series-parallel. The magnetization direction of a free layer of a TMR magnetoresistive sensing unit is determined by an anisotropy field Hk, and together with the magnetization direction of a reference layer and the applied magnetic field, it can orient in an N or S direction. The reset coil is located between the substrate along with the magnetoresistive sensing unit, or it is located on a lead frame below the substrate. The direction of the reset magnetic field is either N or S.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MultiDimension Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Geza Deak, Zhimin Zhou
  • Patent number: 11300543
    Abstract: A method for performing an inspection of a utility asset includes obtaining current magnetic signature data for at least one electrical asset; comparing the current magnetic signature data to a model describing an expected change in the electrical asset's magnetic signature over time; and determining a current state-of-wear of the at least one electrical asset based on the comparison to the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Thandava Krishna Edara, Brad Westphal
  • Patent number: 11293945
    Abstract: A portable probe stand assembly including a hand-held frame, a gravity tilt unit, and a probe holder. The hand-held frame includes a frame body with a cut-out and two gripping handles. The gravity tilt unit includes a movable part that has a pivot portion rotatably connected to the hand-held frame. The movable part tends to pivot due to gravity to turn the portable probe stand assembly to a hand-held state where a portion of an underside abutting surface of the movable part is disposed out of the cut-out. The portable probe stand assembly is convertible from the hand-held state to a usage state where the movable part is leveled via a pivot movement of the movable part upon engaging the underside abutting surface with a surface of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Kuan-Hung Chen, Li-Cheng Richard Zai