Abstract: The rolling bearing apparatus of the present invention comprises a rolling element, a non-rolling element disposed concentrically with the rolling element, and a rotation detector for outputting an input exciting voltage by converting it to an induced voltage according to the relative rotation state of the rolling element and the non-rolling element. The rotation detector comprises a rotor provided in the rolling element, a stator provided in the non-rolling element, and an exciting winding and output windings being wound to the stator. The output windings induce a voltage according to the gap permeance between the rotor and the stator in response to the exciting voltage inputted to the exciting winding.
Abstract: Battery charging circuits can change from charging a battery in a constant current mode using an amplifier circuit output to control a voltage controlled current source to provide substantially constant current to the battery to charging the battery in a constant voltage mode using the amplifier circuit output to control the voltage controlled current source to provide a varied current to the battery. Related methods are disclosed.
Abstract: An eddy current type sensor for detecting a conductor includes a LC circuit and an oscillator. The LC circuit has a coil and a capacitor connected in parallel with the coil. The oscillator supplies an alternating current of a predetermined oscillation frequency to the LC circuit. A signal voltage outputted from the LC circuit has a first voltage when the distance between the coil and the conductor is minimum and a second voltage when the distance between the coil and the conductor is maximum. A voltage difference between the first and second voltages has a first difference at a first temperature and has a second difference at a second temperature. The first and second differences become equal to each other at a first frequency and a second frequency. The oscillation frequency is set close to the first frequency or the second frequency.
Abstract: A method for ascertaining the temperature in an electrical battery includes determining at least one temperature value at a temperature measuring point outside the battery in the vicinity of the battery; determining at least one electrical power value in dependence on a characteristic power variable associated with the operation of the battery; weighting the power values and the temperature values with an assigned weighting factor; and ascertaining the temperature in the electrical battery from an energy balance in dependence on the at least one weighted temperature value and the weighted electrical power values.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 2, 2006
Date of Patent:
October 27, 2009
Assignee:
VB Autobatterie GmbH & Co. KGaA
Inventors:
Helmut Laig-Hoerstebrock, Sepher Shirazi
Abstract: A method for measuring anisotropy in thin-bed formations calls for placing a logging tool into a borehole in the formation and applying current to at least one set of injection electrodes and at least one set of return electrodes to measure resistivity in the formation. Resistivity measurements are used to determine aspects of thin-bed formations exposed in the borehole to the tool. The aspects include the formation azimuth angle (?) and the formation dip angle (?). Typically, the measurements and determinations are completed using apparatus including a computer program product.
Abstract: A method for controlling charging of a power source of a hybrid vehicle. The method includes determining a maximum output level of a primary power source, determining a state of charge of a secondary power source, determining a charge torque modifier value based on the maximum output torque level and the state of charge, determining a target torque level for an electrical machine based on the charge torque modifier value, and driving the electrical machine at the target torque level with the primary power source to charge the secondary power source.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 22, 2004
Date of Patent:
October 20, 2009
Assignee:
Ford Global Technologies, LLC
Inventors:
Mark Yamazaki, John Blankenship, Francis T. Connolly
Abstract: A battery backup system includes a control device including a power sensing device, a discharge circuit, a charging circuit, and a plurality of battery packs. A lower threshold is established representative of a minimum acceptable effective energy capacity. Each battery pack is recharged if its effective energy capacity falls below the lower threshold. Additionally, an upper threshold is established representative of the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity plus a performance margin. In a two battery-pack system, if both battery packs fall below the upper threshold, the battery with the least effective energy capacity is discharged to the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity and then recharged to the battery pack's maximum energy capacity. In this way, both battery packs are prevented from approaching the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity at the same time. This reduces the size or number of battery packs and reduces their associated cost and volume.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 19, 2007
Date of Patent:
October 20, 2009
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation
Abstract: A CMC-type switching regulator is disclosed that includes: a switching element switching to control outputting of input voltage; a smoothing circuit outputting the smoothed output voltage of the switching element to an output terminal; a voltage divider dividing the output voltage; an error amplifier amplifying the difference between reference voltage and the divided voltage; a slope voltage generator generating slope voltage according to the reference voltage, correcting the slope of the slope voltage in accordance with the input-output voltage difference, detecting current flowing through the switching element and generating voltage according to the detected current, and outputting the generated voltage and the corrected slope voltage; a pulse generator outputting a pulse signal having time width according to the output voltages of the error amplifier and the slope voltage generator; and a switching controller controlling the switching of the switching element in accordance with the output signal of the pul
Abstract: A battery pack comprises a protection circuit adapted to detect an excessive current consumption condition associated with electronic components forming the battery pack.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 5, 2003
Date of Patent:
October 20, 2009
Assignee:
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Abstract: An apparatus for supplying power for a vehicle includes a first battery, a second battery, a switching device, a monitoring device and a control device. The first battery is electrically connected to load devices which are mounted on the vehicle. The second battery serves as a backup power source. The switching device switches the first and second batteries. The monitoring device monitors remaining capacity for each of the first and second batteries. When the control device determines that the remaining capacity of the second battery is less than the remaining capacity of the first battery based on information monitored by the monitoring device, the control device controls the switching device so as to conduct switching of the first and second batteries.
Abstract: A multi-flash photography system provides a dynamically-configurable lighting environment for a single exposure that is created and shaped through the sequentially firing of various light sources with different lighting characteristics controlled in accordance with both a programmed template specifying the flash type, position, firing order, and output intensity, as well as optical processing requirements such as filtering, polarizing, etc., and a shared photometric detector located sufficiently close to the subject being photographed to ensure that the light seen by the detector is substantially the same as the light received at the subject.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 27, 2005
Date of Patent:
October 13, 2009
Assignee:
Canfield Scientific, Incorporated
Inventors:
George Viaud, Ken Budris, Doug Canfield, Dennis DaSilva, Jim Dornbusch, John Robinson
Abstract: A device for detecting the position of a mobile target equipped with at least one pattern and mounted so as to define a magnetic gap in which are placed at least two probes which are sensitive to the intensity of a physical magnitude where, for each passage of a pattern in front of a probe, the movement of the target causes a variation in the intensity of the physical magnitude detected by the probe.
Abstract: A digital camera system is composed of a camera body and a lens unit removably attached to the camera body. The lens unit has a timing generator (TG) for controlling drive timing of each part of the lens unit. The camera body also has a TG for controlling drive timing of each part of the camera body. When a still image capture mode or a movie capture mode is selected by a mode selection dial, a camera controller switches to a first mode for operating the camera body side TG in synchronization with the lens side TG. When a playback mode is selected, the camera controller switches to a second mode for operating the camera body side TG without synchronizing with the lens side TG.
Abstract: A device may include a camera to capture an image; a sensor to measure, when the camera captures the image, information indicative of an angular displacement, about a line of sight of the camera, of an orientation of the device away from a reference orientation of the device; storage to store the measured information for rotating the image relative to a frame of the image based on the angular displacement.
Abstract: On a single chip are formed a plurality of magnetoresistance effect elements provided with pinned layers having fixed magnetization axes in the directions that cross each other. On a substrate 10 are formed magnetic layers that will become two magnetic tunnel effect elements 11, 21 as magnetoresistance effect elements. Magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers made of NiCo are formed to sandwich the magnetic layers in plan view. A magnetic field is applied to the magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers. The magnetic field is removed after the magnetic-field-applying magnetic layers are magnetized in the direction shown by arrow A.
Abstract: A digital camera is provided with a photographing lens, an image capturing element, which is configured to capture an optical image of an object formed by the photographing lens, a coarse movement control system configured to control a position of the photographing lens in a direction of an optical axis by a motor, and a fine movement control system configured to control a position of an image receiving area of the image capturing element in the direction of the optical axis is provided.
Abstract: A temperature fixed-point cell is configured with a crucible composed of carbon and a fixed-point material enclosed in the crucible. The fixed-point material has a peritectic structure of carbon and a carbon compound. A thermometer is calibrated by installing the temperature fixed-point crucible in a furnace, increasing or decreasing the ambient temperature thereof, measuring the temperature of the temperature fixed-point cell with the thermometer, observing the state of temperature change, and using this state of temperature change as a basis for the calibration. This invention is aimed at realizing a fixed point in the temperature range exceeding the copper point and accomplishing great improvement in accuracy in the calibration of radiation thermometers, thermocouples and all thermometers used in high temperature ranges.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 23, 2007
Date of Patent:
September 8, 2009
Assignee:
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Abstract: A device for guiding energy in a subsurface electromagnetic measuring system is provided, the device including a transmitting member for transmitting an electromagnetic signal into a subsurface medium, an energy-guiding member disposed in magnetic communication with the electromagnetic signal, and a receiving member for receiving a return signal induced from the subsurface medium. A method of guiding energy in a subsurface measuring system is also provided, the method including transmitting an electromagnetic signal into a subsurface medium, modifying the electromagnetic signal using a magnetic field, and then receiving a modified return signal induced from the medium using a receiving member.
Abstract: An inductive proximity sensor includes a coil or inductance arranged in the vicinity of an active surface or end of the sensor, a current source repeatedly supplying the inductance, and a signals processor for signals corresponding to the voltages induced in the coil when fed. The induced voltages are influenced by the presence of objects within a given detection area, depending on their distance and on their constituting material. The coil or inductance is part of a parallel LC circuit. The current source is the capacitor of the LC circuit. A voltage signal amplitude measurement is performed after each switch from charge to discharge state. The result is computed using reference measurements to calculate a distance, a nature of the constituting material, and/or mass indicative value of the objects.
Abstract: A device for contactless measurement of a rotor temperature includes a magnet supported on the rotor, electric coils which are arranged at the stator with which the rotor cooperates, and an electronic unit for measuring a voltage induced in the coil and including a component that converts the measured voltage into a temperature-proportional signal.