Patents Examined by Peter J. Macchiarolo
  • Patent number: 11841344
    Abstract: An ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe with radial transducers emit ultrasound in substantially all radial directions relative to a longitudinal axis. The probe does not require normalization and is efficient in directing ultrasound to a surface being inspected. The probe has a wheel composed of rubber or other materials for acoustically dry coupling the transducer to the surface. A first transducer is composed of a piezoelectric material so that the transducer receives an electrical signal, vibrates, and generates and transmits sound, such as ultrasound. Similarly, a second transducer receives sound such as ultrasound, vibrates, and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The transducer arrangement both transmits ultrasound to the surface and receives the reflection of the ultrasound from the surface. An acoustic barrier separates the transmitting component from the receiving component. The transducer has annular electroplates adjacent to the piezoelectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Fadl Abdellatif, Sahejad Patel
  • Patent number: 11841252
    Abstract: A method for determining conductivity of a medium includes: generating a signal with first and second frequencies; feeding the signal to first and second electrodes; determining a first voltage between the first and second electrodes, a first current through the medium for the first frequency, and a first impedance from the first voltage and first current; determining a second voltage between the first and second electrodes, a second current through the medium for the second frequency, and a second impedance from the second voltage and second current; determining and comparing phases of the first and second impedances; determining a medium resistance with a first formula when the first impedance phase is smaller than the second impedance phase; determining a medium resistance with a second formula when the first impedance phase is equal to or greater than the second impedance phase; and determining conductivity of the medium using the medium resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Inventors: Helmut Brockhaus, Markus Dabrowski
  • Patent number: 11841257
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring wet gas using a Coriolis flow meter is provided. An apparatus embodiment includes a Coriolis meter, a DP meter, and a processing unit. The processing unit is in communication with the Coriolis and DP meters, and a memory storing instructions. The executed instructions cause the processing unit to: a) measure a density of the fluid flow using the Coriolis meter; b) determine a measure of gas wetness of the fluid flow using the measured density, an expected gas density value, and an equation of state model; c) determine a differential pressure measurement across the Coriolis meter; d) determine an over-reading of the differential pressure measurement; e) determine a mass flow rate of gas using the determined over-reading; and f) determine a mass flow rate of liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: EXPRO METERS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel L Gysling, Gabriel Dragnea
  • Patent number: 11835421
    Abstract: Sensor assemblies and systems comprise a housing configured with an electrical sensor device retained therein to protect the sensor device. The housing may include display indicia relating to some aspect of the sensor assembly. The electrical sensor device include electrical components useful for the purpose of monitoring and transmitting desired data relating to operating parameters/conditions of the dynamic article that the sensor assembly is attached with. The data is transmitted wirelessly from the electrical sensor device. The housing is removably attached with a retaining member that is also attached with the dynamic article or an element connected thereto. A receiver external from the dynamic article receives the data to determine such operating parameter/or conditions, when the dynamic article is a vehicle tire, as outside diameter, tread depth, pressure, radial load, vehicle camber and/or toe alignment variations, and tire/vehicle location, which may be stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Inventor: Keith George Ferry
  • Patent number: 11834195
    Abstract: An example system includes a common mode pneumatic event detector to detect a common mode pneumatic event at pitot tubes of an aircraft, a latch, a relay switch in communication with the latch, and a latch controller to set the latch in a first state to cause the latch to output a first latch signal, the relay switch to output a first pressure signal in response to the first latch signal, the first pressure signal based on pressure data from the pitot tubes, and set the latch in a second state to cause the latch to output a second latch signal based on the detection of the common mode pneumatic event. The relay switch is to output a second pressure signal in response to the second latch signal. The second pressure signal includes estimated pressure data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Sherwin Chunshek Li, Leonard John Inderhees, Russell T. Bridgewater, Robert Erik Freeman, Rostyslav Oleksiy Svitelskyi, William Tyler Piersol
  • Patent number: 11835409
    Abstract: A pressure sensor apparatus and a method of operating the pressure sensor apparatus can include a hybrid pressure switch having a single switching point, the hybrid pressure switch comprising: a mechanical pressure switch; and an electronic pressure sensor, wherein the hybrid pressure switch monitors a media pressure with the mechanical pressure switch providing a switching function and the electronic pressure sensor providing a continuous pressure measurement with respect to the media pressure based on a continuous pressure output signal. The switching function can comprise a fail-safe switching function or a non-fail-safe switching function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Christian Ruwe, Thomas Lampe, Tobias Otterpohl, Thomas Heyen, David Kucera
  • Patent number: 11835544
    Abstract: Realized is a device capable of measuring a wind speed and a wind direction with high precision while reducing the effect of ambient noise. The device includes an acoustic wave transmitting section that transmits a measurement acoustic wave, an acoustic wave receiving section that receives the measurement acoustic wave transmitted from the acoustic wave transmitting section, a signal selecting section that determines a characteristic of the measurement acoustic wave, and a wind speed calculating section that calculates a wind speed by analyzing a signal received by the acoustic wave receiving section. The signal selecting section selects, as the measurement acoustic wave, an acoustic wave that includes a low-intensity frequency bandwidth selected from a noise signal which the acoustic wave receiving section receives when the measurement acoustic wave is not transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoya Haneda
  • Patent number: 11835374
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a sensor that includes a first axial sensor housing portion having a first cross-sectional area, a second axial sensor housing portion arranged adjacent to the first axial sensor housing portion along the sensor axis and having a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area, and a face extending from the interior surface of the first axial sensor housing portion to the interior surface of the second axial sensor housing portion, a first buffer rod within the first axial sensor housing portion and having a first axial end and a second axial end, a second buffer rod within the second axial sensor housing portion and abutting the face, and having a third axial end and a fourth axial end, and an acoustic transceiver element acoustically mated to the second axial end and the third axial end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan Loren Loos, Gregory Warren Pulley, Brian Lynn Swope
  • Patent number: 11828633
    Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus 1 including: a detection unit 2 configured to detect a pressure according to a shape change of a tubular structure whose shape changes according to a supplied amount of a liquid that flows therein; a time specification unit 3 configured to specify, based on the pressure detected by the detection unit 2, a supply time during which the liquid was supplied; and a supplied amount calculation unit 4 configured to calculate a supplied amount of the liquid based on the supply time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kousuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 11828728
    Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a railroad track may include a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller. The first sensor may detect a first signal while the second sensor may detect a second signal. The first signal may correspond to a response of the railroad track, at a first location on the railroad track, to a motion of a rail car wheel on the railroad track. The second signal may correspond to the response of the railroad track, at a second location on the railroad track, to the motion of the rail car wheel on the railroad track. The controller may generate, based on the first signal and the second signal, a transfer function corresponding to the response of the railroad track at the second location to stimuli applied at the first location. Defects in the railroad track may be detected by analyzing the transfer function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: Francesco Lanza di Scalea
  • Patent number: 11821801
    Abstract: In an aspect, a pressure sensor for determining pressure in an environment comprises: a source for emitting a coherent reference light characterized by a reference light frequency; a first lock-in mechanism configured to send an electrical signal to the source based on a reference resonance frequency; a reference cavity; wherein the reference cavity is characterized by the reference resonance frequency; a modulator configured a reference light to generate at least a first sideband frequency such that an output of said modulator is a measurement light characterized by at least the first sideband frequency; a frequency synthesizer configured to drive the modulator; a second lock-in mechanism configured to send an electrical signal to the frequency synthesizer based on a measurement resonance frequency; and a measurement cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the measurement light; wherein the measurement cavity is characterized by the measurement resonance frequency; and wherein the pressure of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Stable Laser Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Josue Davila-Rodriguez, David Lee, Mark Notcutt, Michael Grisham, Nathaniel Phillips
  • Patent number: 11821765
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetically inductive flow measuring probe for determining flow rate and/or flow velocity of a medium, which includes a front part with a front end having a center, a housing, a magnetic field producing means arranged in the housing for producing a magnetic field passing through the front end, and a measuring- and evaluation unit, and characterized in that there are arranged on the front end and forming galvanic contact with the medium three measuring electrodes, which form three measuring electrode pairs, and in that the measuring- and evaluation unit is adapted to register induced measured voltages between at least two measuring electrode pairs, especially three measuring electrode pairs, and to ascertain flow rate and/or flow velocity of the medium as a function of the registered voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Thomas Bier
  • Patent number: 11815272
    Abstract: A method for providing a warning of the risk of Legionella in a fluid conductor, the method including determining the percentage of a duration a fluid is disposed in the fluid conductor at a temperature in which Legionella can thrive during a period, wherein if the percentage of the duration is greater than about 50% of the period, a first indication of a risk of Legionella is raised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Intellihot, Inc.
    Inventors: Sridhar Deivasigamani, Sivaprasad Akasam
  • Patent number: 11813199
    Abstract: In some examples, a distributed acoustic detector system may include a frame structure and multiple acoustic detectors. The frame structure may be configured to be retained in a laser-based ophthalmo-logical surgical system aligned to an eye of a patient during therapeutic treatment of the eye of the patient with the laser-based ophthalmological surgical system. The acoustic detectors may be coupled to the frame structure and may be spaced apart from each other and electrically separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Inventors: Dayan Ban, Mordehai Margalit, Taeho Ha
  • Patent number: 11815048
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine having a bypass duct, and a bypass airflow measurement system. The bypass airflow measurement system comprises: at least one acoustic transmitter configured to transmit an acoustic waveform across the bypass duct of the gas turbine engine though which a bypass airflow passes to at least one acoustic receiver; where the at least one acoustic transmitter and the at least one acoustic receiver are located on an axial plane that is substantially perpendicular to the bypass flow. A method of measuring bypass airflow properties of a turbofan gas turbine engine is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Vasileios Kyritsis, Maurice Bristow, Peter Loftus
  • Patent number: 11808650
    Abstract: A pressure sensing device may include a body configured to distribute a load applied between first and second parts positioned one against the other, and a pressure sensor carried by the body. The pressure sensor may include a support body, and an IC die mounted with the support body and defining a cavity. The IC die may include pressure sensing circuitry responsive to bending associated with the cavity, and an IC interface coupled to the pressure sensing circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Alberto Pagani, Federico Giovanni Ziglioli, Bruno Murari
  • Patent number: 11802852
    Abstract: A method for testing solid acid hydrolysis in a formation. The method includes introducing a test sample into a test cell, where the test sample includes an upper structure, a lower structure, and a solid acid disposed between the upper and lower structures. The pressure and temperature of the test cell are increased to simulate downhole conditions. A velocity of an acoustic p-wave and/or acoustic s-wave is through the test sample is measured while the temperature is increasing from an initial temperature to a final temperature. A temperature of onset of solid acid hydrolysis based on the measured velocity is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: Mohammad H. Alqam
  • Patent number: 11796411
    Abstract: A sensor includes a housing having a accommodating room, a flexible plate provided in the accommodating room and moveable to induce a medium pressure change in the accommodating room, and a pressure sensing component for sensing the pressure change. The pressure sensing component and the flexible plate are assembled and moveable together. In the sensor of the present invention, after an external signal to be sensed is transmitted to the sensor, the flexible plate moves to induce air disturbances, and then the pressure sensing component receives a pressure change induced by the air disturbances and performs signal sensing. Compared with the conventional sound sensor, the sensor of the present invention provides no opening communicating with the external environment. Therefore, the impact of foreign objects, noise and other environmental factors on the sensor can be avoided, and the signal generated by the object not to be sensed can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GETTOP ACOUSTIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kuan-Hong Hsieh, Shih-Chia Chiu, Sung-Cheng Lo, Bo-Cheng You, Chun-Kai Chan, Wei-Leun Fang
  • Patent number: 11796442
    Abstract: Provided are a porosity deriving method and a porosity deriving device capable of deriving a porosity of an inspection object being conveyed. The porosity deriving method of deriving a porosity of the inspection object includes: a basis weight measuring step including measuring a basis weight of a specific part of the inspection object being conveyed; a thickness measuring step including measuring a thickness of the specific part of the inspection object being conveyed; and a porosity deriving step including deriving a porosity of the inspection object from the basis weight, the thickness, and a true density of the inspection object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuro Katsuyama, Yuichi Tajiri, Takehiro Fukushima, Rio Koyama
  • Patent number: 11796559
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a system and a method for monitoring river flow velocity based on differential pressure measurement, comprising: a hull floating on a water surface with an aspect ratio of the hull being greater than one, characterized in that pressure sensors are respectively provided on an upstream face of a front end and a downstream face of a rear end below the floatation line of a ship; an electronic instrument is provided in the hull, and the electronic instrument comprises an acquisition module connected to the two pressure sensors, the acquisition module being connected to a data processing module with a memory, and the data processing module being connected to a satellite positioning module and a wireless communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: CHINA INSTITUTE OF WATER RESOURCES AND HYDROPOWER RESEARCH
    Inventors: Wenqi Peng, Yongsheng Zhang, Xiaobo Liu, Xuekai Chen, Weijie Wang, Fei Dong