Patents Examined by Robert Huber
  • Patent number: 9645028
    Abstract: Provided is a pressure sensor including an elastic thin film including a first surface and a second surface that face each other, the elastic thin film including an elastomer material, a plurality of protruding deformable structures patterned on the first surface; a piezoresistive electrode formed along surfaces of the plurality of protruding deformable structures; and a counter electrode disposed to face the piezoresistive electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chwee Lin Choong, Jongjin Park, Jihyun Bae, Byoungsun Lee, Jungkyun Im
  • Patent number: 9645055
    Abstract: A sampler has a sample chamber for a sample forming from a molten material, at least one lower cooling body, at least one upper cooling body, at least one inner cooling body, and at least one filling part. The sample chamber is surrounded jointly at least by the lower cooling body and the inner cooling body, such that at least the sample chamber can be cooled by at least the lower and inner cooling bodies. The filling part merges into the sample chamber by a filling opening. Between a region of the outer surface of the inner cooling body and a region of the outer surface of the upper cooling body opposite the outer surface of the inner cooling body, the sampler has at least one gap for conducting at least one gas. The volume of the respective cooling bodies is larger than the volume of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: HERAEUS ELECTRO-NITE INTERNATIONAL N.V.
    Inventors: Guido Cappa, Gerrit Broekmans
  • Patent number: 9644963
    Abstract: This application discusses simplified interface circuits for a gyroscope. In an example, an interface can include an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit configured to couple to driver for a proof mass of a gyroscope sensor and to drive the proof-mass to oscillate at a predefined oscillation amplitude, and a phase-locked loop (PLL) configured to receive sensed oscillation information from the proof-mass and to provide at least a first phase signal synchronized with a sinusoidal waveform of the sensed oscillation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shungneng Lee, Hai Tao, Ion Opris, Shanthi Pavan
  • Patent number: 9644577
    Abstract: A first housing has a canister passage communicating a first interior with a canister. A second housing has an atmospheric passage communicating a second interior with an atmosphere. A switching valve is accommodated in the first housing to switch communication of the canister passage with selectively one of a pressure detection passage and the atmospheric passage. A switching valve bypass passage communicates the canister passage with the pressure detection passage and bypasses the switching valve. A partition member separates the first interior from the second interior and has a communication hole communicating the first interior with the second interior. A contact member is equipped to an end of the partition member and is in contact with at least one of the first housing and the second housing. The partition member forms a clearance with the first housing and the second housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Makoto Kaneko
  • Patent number: 9640598
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a pad electrode structure having excellent reliability due to the prevention of propagation of a crack to the pad electrode. The organic light-emitting display apparatus includes further an interlayer insulating layer on the pad electrode, a conductive barrier layer, and a planarization insulating layer. The interlayer insulating layer includes a plurality of openings that expose an upper surface of the pad electrode. The conductive barrier layer is on the plurality of openings and the interlayer insulating layer. The planarization insulating layer covers an edge of the conductive barrier layer. The planarization insulating layer is in the openings and covers an edge of the conductive barrier layer. An upper portion of the planarization insulating layer may be substantially planar with an upper portion of the conductive barrier layer on convex portions of the interlayer insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyung-Hoon Park, Sun Park, Yeong-Ho Song, Yul-Kyu Lee, Won-Ho Jang
  • Patent number: 9630392
    Abstract: A printing cylinder assembly for a printing machine includes a rotating shaft pivotally supported at one axial end shaft section thereof in a cantilever structure, and a sleeve cylinder removably mounted on the rotating shaft so that the cylinder can be fitted on and extracted from the rotating shaft from the other axial end side of the rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is formed at one axial end side thereof with a sleeve cylinder supporting tapered surface, and the sleeve cylinder is formed at one axial end side of an inner diameter portion thereof with a tapered surface, whereby the tapered surface of the sleeve cylinder can be fitted on and in close contact with the sleeve cylinder supporting tapered surface of the rotating shaft and thereby detachably coupling one axial end portion of the sleeve cylinder with one axial end portion of the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: MIYAKOSHI PRINTING MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Reishi Fujiwara, Hitoshi Tomaki, Kazumi Odashima
  • Patent number: 9618411
    Abstract: A pressure sensor device comprises a support substrate including a thin film area which is bendable by a pressure, a sensor film comprising a first electrode provided on the thin film area, a second electrode provided on the first electrode, a reference layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, a free layer provided between the reference layer and the first electrode or between the reference layer and the second electrode, a spacer layer provided between the reference layer and the free layer, a shield provided on a side of the support substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiromi Yuasa, Hideaki Fukuzawa, Yoshihiko Fuji, Michiko Hara, Yoshihiro Higashi, Tomohiko Nagata, Akio Hori
  • Patent number: 9614052
    Abstract: A device includes a conductive layer including a bottom portion, and a sidewall portion over the bottom portion, wherein the sidewall portion is connected to an end of the bottom portion. An aluminum-containing layer overlaps the bottom portion of the conductive layer, wherein a top surface of the aluminum-containing layer is substantially level with a top edge of the sidewall portion of the conductive layer. An aluminum oxide layer is overlying the aluminum-containing layer. A copper-containing region is over the aluminum oxide layer, and is spaced apart from the aluminum-containing layer by the aluminum oxide layer. The copper-containing region is electrically coupled to the aluminum-containing layer through the top edge of the sidewall portion of the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Lin Su, Ching-Hua Hsieh, Huang-Ming Chen, Hsueh Wen Tsau
  • Patent number: 9605964
    Abstract: A gyroscope system may include a disc resonator gyroscope including a plurality of electrodes embedded in the disc resonator gyroscope. The electrodes may be configured for at least applying a drive voltage and a tuning voltage to the disc resonator gyroscope and for sensing operating parameters of the disc resonator gyroscope. The gyroscope system may also include a quadrature stabilization circuit configured to measure a quadrature error and generate a quadrature regulating voltage based on the quadrature error. The tuning voltage may be adjusted by the quadrature regulating voltage to cancel an effect of voltage flicker before being applied to a tuning electrode of the disc resonator gyroscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Howard H. Ge, Anthony Dorian Challoner
  • Patent number: 9604844
    Abstract: Embodiments of a sensor device include a sensor substrate and a first cap substrate attached to the sensor substrate with a first bond material. The first bond material is arranged to define a first device cavity. A second cap substrate is attached to the sensor substrate with a second bond material. The second bond material is arranged to define a second device cavity. The second bond material has a lower bonding temperature than the first bond material. The second cap substrate is further secured to the sensor substrate by an adhesive material disposed between the sensor substrate and the second cap substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip H. Bowles, Stephen R. Hooper
  • Patent number: 9608086
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a metal gate structure and method of formation. In the replacement metal gate (RMG) process flow, the gate cut process is performed after the metal gate is formed. This allows for a reduced margin between the end of the gate and an adjacent fin. It enables a thinner sacrificial layer on top of the dummy gate, since the gate cut step is deferred. The thinner sacrificial layer improves device quality by reducing the adverse effect of shadowing during implantation. Furthermore, in this process flow, the work function metal layer is terminated along the semiconductor substrate by a capping layer, which reduces undesirable shifts in threshold voltage that occurred in prior methods and structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBAL FOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Andy Chih-Hung Wei, Dae G. Yang, Mariappan Hariharaputhiran, Jing Wan
  • Patent number: 9597909
    Abstract: A craftwork accessory may provide a portable and/or easy-to-use tool to help users' accurately and repeatedly apply stamp impressions and the like to items such as cardstock. The accessory may include a base portion, one or more elevated side portions and cover portion. The side portions may define a workspace for arranging the item. The cover portion may be movably attached to the base portion or a side portion, for example, by one or more hinges. In operation, the item and stamp may be aligned in the workspace and the cover portion may be pressed onto the stamp to stick the stamp to the cover portion. The cover may then be opened, the stamp may be inked, and the cover portion may be closed and pressed onto the item to stamp the item. The accessory may include alignment indicia on the base portion, side portions and/or cover portion to facilitate placement of the item and/or stamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: My Sweet Petunia, Inc.
    Inventor: Iliana Myska
  • Patent number: 9595450
    Abstract: A method of forming an integrated circuit device includes forming dummy gates over a semiconductor substrate, depositing a first dielectric layer over the dummy gates, chemical mechanical polishing to recede the first dielectric layer to the height of the dummy gates, etching to recess the first dielectric layer below the height of the gates, depositing one or more additional dielectric layers over the first dielectric layer, and chemical mechanical polishing to recede the one or more additional dielectric layers to the height of the gates. The method provides integrated circuit devices having metal gate electrodes and an inter-level dielectric at the gate level that includes a capping layer. The capping layer resists etching and preserves the gate height through a replacement gate process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Che-Hao Tu, William Weilun Hong, Ying-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 9590027
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fabricating an electronic component, comprising fabricating, on a substrate (102) at least one integrated MIM capacitor (114) having a top capacitor electrode (118) and a bottom capacitor electrode (112) at a smaller distance from the substrate than the top capacitor electrode; fabricating an electrically insulating first cover layer (120) on the top capacitor electrode, which first cover layer partly or fully covers the top capacitor electrode and is made of a lead-containing dielectric material; thinning the first cover layer; fabricating an electrically insulating second cover layer (124) on the first cover layer, which second cover layer partly or fully covers the first cover layer and has a dielectric permittivity smaller than that of the first cover layer; and fabricating an electrically conductive resistor layer (126) on the second cover layer, which resistor layer has a defined ohmic resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Aarnoud Laurens Roest, Linda Van Leuken-Peters
  • Patent number: 9583731
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an organic electroluminescence element in which a transparent first electrode, an organic light emitting layer, a second electrode are stacked on a translucent substrate in this order. The translucent substrate includes a moisture-proof layer facing the first electrode. An LR layer and an HR layer having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the LR layer are situated between the moisture-proof layer and the first electrode in this order from the moisture-proof layer. An uneven structure is provided at an interface between the LR layer and the HR layer. A linear expansivity ? of the moisture-proof layer, and a linear expansivity ? of the LR layer, and a linear expansivity ? of the HR layer satisfy a relation of ?????.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shin Okumura, Hitomichi Takano, Hirofumi Kubota, Kazuyuki Yamae, Masao Kirihara
  • Patent number: 9583512
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display panel. The array substrate includes a plurality of data lines and a plurality of first gate lines, a plurality of first pixel units and a plurality of second pixel units; a plurality of second gate lines; a first TFT and a second TFT, where a first electrode of the first TFT is disposed at one side of the second gate line, the gate and the second electrode of the first TFT is disposed at the other side of the second gate line, the gate, the first electrode, the second electrode and the active layer of each second TFT are disposed at the same side of the second gate line, where the first electrodes of the first TFT and the second TFT are electrically connected to the date lines respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignees: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junhui Lou, Hua Gong, Junchao Ma, Yong Wu
  • Patent number: 9581928
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, an image forming apparatus for minimizing a shift amount of the registration roller for the first and subsequent sheets is provided. The image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet conveyed on a conveying path. The image forming apparatus includes an exposure device. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a pair of registration rollers 110 configured to convey the sheet in a conveying direction with the sheet nipped by the pair of the registration rollers, and a detection unit configured to detect the side edge position in the width direction of the sheet conveyed. The control unit 200 of the image forming apparatus determines the image writing position for the first sheet, and controls the image writing of the exposure device based on the detection result of the CIS 141 for the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kohei Deno
  • Patent number: 9581480
    Abstract: A micro flow sensor includes: a flow path through which a fluid to be measured flows; a detection unit having a heater configured to heat the fluid to be measured in the flow path and temperature sensors configured to measure temperature of a fluid to be measured in the flow path; an arithmetic unit configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid to be measured flowing through the flow path based on the temperature of the fluid to be measured, measured by the temperature sensors; and a narrowed portion disposed on an upstream side of the detection unit in the flow path for narrowing the flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Tanaka, Minako Terao, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9581489
    Abstract: A method and system for distributed acoustic sensing using multimode optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Neal Gregory Skinner
  • Patent number: 9574924
    Abstract: A flow meter is disclosed having a meter body that is enveloped by a shroud having a compliant band disposed at least partially about the meter body. The shroud protects transducers and transducer cables. The shroud forms a chamber between the shroud and meter body, and includes a releasable portion to allow access into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Daniel Measurement and Control, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Robert Allen, Randeep Singh Grewal