Patents Examined by Paresh Patel
  • Patent number: 11906576
    Abstract: A contact assembly for a testing system for testing integrated circuit devices is disclosed. The contact assembly includes a first blade, a second blade, and an elastomer configured to retain the first blade and the second blade. The first blade and the second blade are electrically conductive. The first blade and the second blade are arranged in a cross configuration so that the first blade and the second blade form a substantially X-shape when assembled. The elastomer is at least columnar in part and non-conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: JOHNSTECH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Valts Treibergs, Max A. Carideo, David Skodje, Melissa Hasskamp
  • Patent number: 11898840
    Abstract: A measuring device includes a substrate disposed on a substrate support of a plasma processing apparatus, a transmission circuit, a transmitting antenna, a receiving antenna, a reception demodulation circuit, and a calculator which are provided in the substrate. The transmission circuit generates a microwave. The transmitting antenna transmits the microwave generated by the transmission circuit as a transmission wave. The receiving antenna receives a reflected wave of the transmission wave by plasma above the substrate support as at least one reception wave. The reception demodulation circuit generates a signal that reflects a thickness of a sheath between the substrate and the plasma, from the reception wave. The calculator obtains the thickness of the sheath from the signal generated by the reception demodulation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Kubota
  • Patent number: 11876483
    Abstract: A photovoltaic, PV, module level monitoring system (1) comprising a photovoltaic array (PVA) including at least one photovoltaic string (PVS) comprising photovoltaic modules, PVM, (5) each having a module level device, MLD, (4) adapted to monitor and/or to control the associated photovoltaic module, PVM, (5), wherein each module level device, MLD, (4) comprises a transceiver adapted to communicate with a transceiver of a base station (2) of an inverter (6) connected to said photovoltaic array (PVA), wherein the transceivers are coupled by associated duplexer circuits (7) to a DC power network comprising power cables (3) connecting the photovoltaic modules, PVM, (5) of the at least one photovoltaic string (PVS) of said photovoltaic array (PVA) with the base station (2) of the inverter (6), wherein a signal amplitude of a communication signal, CS, transmitted by a transceiver via its associated duplexer circuit (7) is adjusted automatically depending on a monitored impedance, ZPV, of the respective photovoltaic
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Johann Wilhelm, Christian Fasthuber
  • Patent number: 11865588
    Abstract: A probe pin cleaning pad including a release layer or composite plate, an adhesive layer, a substrate layer, a cleaning layer, and a polishing layer is provided. The adhesive layer is disposed on the release layer or composite plate. The substrate layer is disposed on the adhesive layer. The cleaning layer is disposed on the substrate layer. The polishing layer is disposed on the cleaning layer. A cleaning method for a probe pin is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Alliance Material Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun-Fa Chen, Chi-Hua Huang, Yu-Hsuen Lee, Ching-Wen Hsu, Chao-Hsuan Yang, Ting-Wei Lin, Chin-Kai Lin, Chen-Ju Lee
  • Patent number: 11867721
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probe structures, arrays, methods of using probes and arrays, and/or methods for making probes and/or arrays. In the various embodiments, probes include at least two springs separated by a movable stop while in other embodiments, three or more springs may be included with two or more movable stops. Movable stops interact with fixed stops that are either part of the probes themselves or part of separate elements that engage with the probes (such as array frame structures) that provide for the retention, longitudinal and/or lateral positioning of probes and possibly for orientation of the probes about a longitudinal axis. Fixed stops provide for controlled limits for movement of the movable stops which in turn allow for enhanced compliant or elastic performance of the probes upon increased probe compression in either one direction, in the order of tip compressions, or in both directions or tip compression orders (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Ting Wu, Garret R. Smalley, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11860190
    Abstract: It is possible to make the free length of a contactor uniform even when the contactor is joined to a position that deviates from a joint position in a high-frequency conducting path and make contact with an electrode with stability, which improves measurement quality. A probe unit according to the present disclosure includes: a coaxial connector that is attached to a main body and gives and receives an electrical signal to and from a tester via a coaxial cable; a high-frequency conducting path that is connected to the coaxial connector and transmits an electrical signal; a plurality of contactors, each having a tip portion that makes electrical contact with an electrode of an object to be inspected and giving and receiving an electrical signal to and from the high-frequency conducting path; and a pedestal that is interposed between the contactor and the high-frequency conducting path, and the pedestal is provided in each contactor such that a free length of the contactor is a predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA NIHON MICRONICS
    Inventors: Satoshi Narita, Shou Harako, Jukiya Fukushi
  • Patent number: 11860220
    Abstract: A method for evaluating a Hot Carrier Injection (HCI) effect of a device is provided. The method includes, a ratio of a substrate current to a drain current of a first device at different gate-source voltages is acquired, and recorded as a first current ratio; a ratio of a substrate current to a drain current of a second device at different gate-source voltages is acquired, and recorded as a second current ratio, the second device is subjected to process parameter adjustment or device parameter adjustment relative to the first device; and an influence of the process parameter adjustment or the device parameter adjustment on an HCI effect of the device is determined based on the second current ratio and the first current ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC
    Inventor: QiAn Xu
  • Patent number: 11860193
    Abstract: This anisotropic conductive sheet includes: a plurality of conductive paths; and an insulation layer which is disposed to fill the space between the plurality of conductive paths and has a first surface and a second surface. Each of the conductive path extends in a thickness direction of the insulation layer and has a first end part on the first surface side and a second end part on the second surface side. When the conductive paths are seen through so that the center of the first end part overlaps the center of the second end part, at least a portion of the conductive paths does not overlap the first end part and the second end part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Taichi Koyama, Katsunori Nishiura, Daisuke Yamada, Yoichi Kodama
  • Patent number: 11860192
    Abstract: Proposed are a probe head and a probe card having the same. According to the present disclosure, the probe head of the probe card includes: an upper guide plate having an upper guide hole; a lower guide plate having a lower guide hole; and an intermediate guide plate having an intermediate guide hole and provided between the upper guide plate and the lower guide plate, wherein each of a plurality of probes sequentially passes through the upper guide hole, the intermediate guide hole, and the lower guide hole, and the intermediate guide plate is made of an anodic oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: POINT ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bum Mo Ahn, Seung Ho Park, Sung Hyun Byun
  • Patent number: 11855621
    Abstract: A sensor is provided with a cylindrical-shaped housing which has an opening formed at one end, an electronic component which is housed in the housing, a cylindrical-shaped clamp of which one end is inserted into the housing from the opening, and a sealing resin which seals the gap between the inner wall of the housing and the outer wall of the clamp. On the outer wall, the clamp has a rib which rises towards the inner wall of the housing. The rib includes an apex and a sloped surface which extends from the apex towards another end of the clamp and which intersects the outer wall of the clamp. The sealing resin, which exudes from between the inner wall of the housing and the apex and which is positioned on the sloped surface, has a recess resulting from surface tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakayama, Daisuke Inoue, Yuki Ushiro, Takaaki Sanda, Hiroto Katsura, Naomi Uehara, Masaki Nakamura, Toyohiro Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 11841379
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a sensor element and at least two control units, each having an evaluation and control unit and an energy source. In a first control unit, a first evaluation and control unit is connected to a first energy source, and in a second control unit, a second evaluation and control unit is connected to a second energy source. The at least two control units and the sensor element are interconnected by at least one separate interconnection unit. Each interconnection unit connects a first connection of an associated sensor element to the first energy source and/or to the second energy source. A second connection of the sensor element is earthed. A sensor current flowing through the sensor element is modulated at least with information about a detected measured variable. The first evaluation and control unit and/or the second evaluation and control unit evaluate(s) the detected sensor current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Wirth, Martin Koegel
  • Patent number: 11828773
    Abstract: An electrical connecting device includes an insulating probe including a bottom-side plunger, a top-side plunger, and a barrel, and a probe head including a combined guide plate having a conductive region made of a conductive material and an insulating region made of an insulating material arranged adjacent to each other in a planar view. The bottom-side plunger and the top-side plunger are electrically connected to each other inside the barrel, and the bottom-side plunger and the top-side plunger are electrically insulated from the barrel. The probe head holds the insulating probe in a state in which the barrel penetrates through the conductive region. The barrel of the insulating probe is connected to a ground potential via the conductive region when an inspection object is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nihon Micronics
    Inventor: Akihiro Shuto
  • Patent number: 11828775
    Abstract: Probe arrays include spacers attached to the probes that were formed along with the probes. Methods of making probe arrays by (1) forming probes on their sides and possibly as linear arrays or combination subarrays (e.g. as a number of side-to-side joined linear arrays) having probes fixed in array positions by a sacrificial material that is temporarily retained after formation of the probes; (2) assembling the probe units into full array configurations using the spacers attached to the probes or using alternative alignment structures to set the spacing and/or alignment of the probe(s) of one unit with another unit; and (3) fixing the probes in their configurations (e.g. bonding to a substrate and/or engaging the probes with one or more guide plates) wherein the spacers are retained or are removed, in whole or in part, prior to putting the array to use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MICROFABRICA INC.
    Inventors: Michael S. Lockard, Uri Frodis, Dennis R. Smalley
  • Patent number: 11821917
    Abstract: A contact pin includes: a first plunger including a first contact portion provided at an upper end, and a hollow body portion provided below the first contact portion; a second plunger including: a second contact portion provided at a lower end; a first taper portion that is provided above the second contact portion and enlarges in diameter toward the second contact portion; a small diameter portion provided above the first taper portion; and a large diameter portion that is provided above the small diameter portion and is inserted into the body portion to abut on an inner wall surface of the body portion; and a spring for energizing the first and second contact portions to be separated from each other. The first taper portion is capable of abutting on a lower end of the body portion in a case where the first and second contact portions approach each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventor: Yuki Ueyama
  • Patent number: 11815542
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for testing components under elevated pressure in which a pressure chamber is provided. The lateral boundary of the pressure chamber included a ring and an annular part, which may move perpendicularly to the plane of the component to be tested. A velvet-like lining is provided on the end face of the annular part or of the ring that faces the component to be tested. The fibers of the lining protrude from the annular part or from the ring toward the component to be tested and bridge the gap between the device and the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventor: Rainer Gaggl
  • Patent number: 11802891
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to probe structures, arrays, methods of using probes and arrays, and/or methods for making probes and/or arrays. In the various embodiments, probes include at least two flat spring segments with at least one of those segments being used in a compressive manner wherein the probe additionally includes guide elements, framing structures or other structural configurations that limit or inhibit one or more compressive spring segments from bowing or deflecting out of a desired position when subjected to loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Ming Ting Wu
  • Patent number: 11796571
    Abstract: A busbar for current transport comprises conductive material, which extends along a current direction. A recess for a magnetic field sensor extends into the conductive material, a middle of the recess being shifted by a predetermined distance from a middle of the conductive material in the direction of an edge of the conductive material, so that, within a frequency range, a frequency dependency of a magnetic field, which is induced by an alternating current flowing along the current direction, is reduced in comparison with a busbar having a central recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Michael Ortner, Leo Aichriedler, Dietmar Spitzer, Gerald Wriessnegger
  • Patent number: 11782104
    Abstract: A magnetic field detection device includes a base, a first yoke, and a magneto-resistive effect element. The first yoke is provided on the base, and includes first and second principal surfaces each extending along a first plane, and a first end surface coupling the first and second principal surfaces. The magneto-resistive effect element is provided on the base, and includes a magnetization free layer disposed at a position overlapped with the first yoke in a first direction along the first plane. The first end surface includes an inverted tapered surface inclined relative to the first plane and extending closer to a center point of the magnetization free layer as being away from the base in a second direction orthogonal to the first plane. A distance from the center point to a first edge is shorter than a distance from the center point to a second edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Tanaka, Tetsuya Hiraki, Kazuya Watanabe, Suguru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11782075
    Abstract: A probe card for a testing apparatus of electronic devices comprises a probe head housing a plurality of contact probes, each contact probe having at least one contact tip adapted to abut onto contact pads of a device under test, as well as a main support and an intermediate support connected to the main support and adapted to realize a spatial transformation of distances between contact pads on its opposite faces as a space transformer, the probe card suitably also comprising at least one connecting element adapted to link the space transformer and the main support, this connecting element having a substantially rod-like body and being equipped with a first end portion comprising at least one terminal section adapted to be engaged in a corresponding housing realized in the space transformer and with a second terminal portion adapted to abut onto an abutment element linked to the main support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Liberini
  • Patent number: 11782074
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: first contact probes each coming into contact with a target electrode on one end side in a longitudinal direction; a second contact probe connected to an external ground; a signal pipe disposed around each first contact probes; a ground member provided around each signal pipe and configured to form an air layer with the signal pipe; a probe holder including a plate-shaped first and second members; a first wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the first member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a second wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the second member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a first conductive unit configured to electrically connect the first wiring part and the ground member; and a second conductive unit configured to electrically connect the second wiring part and the ground member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inuma, Kazuya Soma