Patents Examined by Sean Curtis
  • Patent number: 10001006
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide a mechanism to provide enhanced features for well ranging. Various embodiments may include generating a current profile for a target well, acquiring magnetic signals at a second well, and determining ranging to the target well with respect to the second well using the magnetic signals and the current profile. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Burkay Donderici, Hsu-Hsiang Wu
  • Patent number: 10001513
    Abstract: An electrical monitoring system that includes non-binary indications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Veris Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Parker, Martin Cook
  • Patent number: 10001577
    Abstract: A detector/sensor/locator device for objects and materials of interest comprises a Faraday cage for containing or suspending a sample object or material of interest. The object or material of interest under principles of quantum theory emits electromagnetic radiation having a unique electromagnetic signature. The Faraday cage may have a cone-shape or interchangeable, cylindrical shape. The latter has a similar diameter to a barrel of the device so as to be interchangeable, preloaded with a material to be detected and connectable at the choice of a user for channeling emitted electromagnetic waves from the material upward to the barrel. The barrel of the device has mounted therein an L-shaped antenna element which may be free to rotate horizontally about the barrel or fixed in parallel with a second antenna element of similar length extending from a side of the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: avaSensor, LLC
    Inventors: Fred D. Tompkins, John B. Wilkerson, Arpad A. Vass, Timothy R. Hutchison
  • Patent number: 9995767
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a universal test container can include a universal external electrical interface configured to couple to each of a plurality of different devices to test. In addition, the universal test container is configured to enclose each of the plurality of different devices to test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ben Rogel-Favila, Roland Wolff, Eric Kushnick, James Fishman
  • Patent number: 9989586
    Abstract: A converter circuit is provided. The converter circuit includes a capacitor module, bridge arms, a voltage measuring module and an open-circuit detection module. Each bridge arm is connected to the capacitor module in parallel and includes an upper arm and a lower bridge arm connected at a middle point. The voltage measuring module measures voltage differences between each two bridge arms. The open-circuit detection module transmits test impulse signals to the bridge arms to activate at least one upper-conducted bridge arm and at least one lower-conducted bridge arm. The open-circuit detection module retrieves the voltage differences of each pair of the upper-conducted and lower-conducted bridge arms to make comparison with a reference value to determine an operation state thereof, and makes comparison of the operation state determined according to the different groups of test impulse signals to determine whether the upper and the lower bridge arms are actually open circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liang Liu, Bo-Yu Pu, Yi Zhang, Hong-Jian Gan, Jian-Ping Ying
  • Patent number: 9983329
    Abstract: A downhole galvanic logging system including a first transmitter electrode configured to convey an exciter current into a formation and a second transmitter electrode configured to receive a return current from the formation. A first transmission line being coupled to the first transmitter electrode and configured to carry the exciter current, and a second transmission line being coupled to the second transmitter electrode and configured to carry the return current. The transmission lines can be arranged in a twisted pattern. A receiver device is positioned between the transmitter electrodes along an axial length of the downhole galvanic logging system. The receiver device can be configured to detect an electrical signal that is proportional to a resistivity of the formation. The second transmitter electrode can be coupled to one end of the receiver device with the second transmission line coupled to the second transmitter electrode through the receiver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Burkay Donderici, George David Goodman, Etienne Samson
  • Patent number: 9964579
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to diagnose a state of a voltage divider while performing a normal measurement to improve reliability. A voltage detection apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first resistor for dividing voltage of a detection unit into a first divided voltage value; and a test pattern insertion circuit unit including a second resistor for dividing the first divided voltage value into a second divided voltage value and a switching device, wherein the test pattern insertion circuit unit is connected to an equipotential connection point to the first divided voltage value, and wherein a state of the first resistor is detected based on the second divided voltage value when the switching device is conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Igarashi, Masayoshi Kashihara, Tatsuya Hatakeyama, Koichi Yahata, Hideyuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 9964585
    Abstract: A measurement instrument for measuring electrical characteristics of a device under test (DUT) includes a synchronization signal generator, a coarse phase detection counter and a fine phase detection counter. The synchronization signal generator is connectable with a receiver via a fiber optic cable and a duplexer configured to transmit a synchronization signal from the measurement instrument to the receiver and retransmit the received synchronization signal from the receiver to the measurement instrument. The coarse phase detection counter and the fine phase detection counter are configured to determine one or both of a distance from the receiver to the measurement instrument and a phase shift in the synchronization signal between the receiver and the measurement instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ANRITSU COMPANY
    Inventor: Donald Anthony Bradley
  • Patent number: 9959184
    Abstract: An input/output (I/O) line test device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, which may relate to a technology for testing a base die having no cell using various patterns. The I/O line test device may include an interface controller configured to perform signal transmission/reception between a pad and an input/output line (IOL), and a signal transceiver configured to perform signal transmission/reception between the IOL and a through silicon via (TSV). The I/O line test device may include a latch unit configured to latch output data of the signal transceiver, and a test controller configured to output a control signal for controlling whether the signal transceiver performs a reception operation in response to a write enable signal and a test signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Min Su Park, Young Jun Ku
  • Patent number: 9943718
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to power an exercise machine are disclosed herein. An example exercise machine includes a power receiver to measure a power output by a generator that is to convert movement of a moveable part into electric power, the power receiver is to calculate a rotations per minute of the moveable part. A mode controller is to calculate a power supply duty cycle based on the power output by the generator, the rotations per minute of the moveable part, and a user selected wattage. A power output controller is to control power provided to a console of the exercise machine based on the power supply duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BRUNSWICK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert Sutkowski, John Michael Wong, Ferdinand David, Ming Jiang
  • Patent number: 9949367
    Abstract: Disclosed are a flexible printed circuit and a detecting device, a detecting method and a display device thereof. The flexible printed circuit comprises a body and an interface structure that is connected with the body, wherein the interface structure is provided with a plurality of mark lines dividing the interface structure into a plurality of interfaces with the same structure. When a front end interface of the flexible printed circuit of the disclosure is damaged, the front end interface can be removed along the mark line, and then an exposed rear end interface can be used successively, thus preventing a situation where the flexible printed circuit cannot be used because the only interface is damaged, thereby extending the life span of the flexible printed circuit, reducing productivity loss due to frequent replacements of the flexible printed circuit and reducing production cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yimin Wang, Xingguang Jin, Lei Jin, Ping Chen, Pengjun Fang
  • Patent number: 9939496
    Abstract: A sensor system is disclosed. The sensor system includes a first sensor path comprising a first sensing element and a second sensing element being connected in series between a first supply terminal and a second supply terminal and an intermediate node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, a second sensor path comprising a third sensing element and a fourth sensing element connected in series between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, a first reference node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, and a second reference node connected in between the first supply terminal and the second supply terminal, and a processing unit to receive an input signal from the intermediate node, a first reference signal from the first reference node, and a second reference signal from the second reference node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Edwin Schapendonk, Pieter Van Der Zee, Fabio Sebastiano, Robert Van Veldhoven
  • Patent number: 9933454
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a universal test floor system includes a first robot that is configured to pack a plurality of universal test containers each including similar dimensions into a universal bin. Each universal test container is configured to enclose each of a plurality of different devices to test. The universal test floor system includes a universal conveyor configured to transport the universal bin. The first robot is configured to put the universal bin onto the universal conveyor and a second robot is configured to remove it. A universal test cell system is configured to receive the universal bin. The universal test cell system includes a plurality of test slots configured to receive a plurality of universal test containers. The universal test cell system is configured to test the plurality of different devices while each is located within one of the plurality of universal test containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ben Rogel-Favila, Roland Wolff, Eric Kushnick, James Fishman, Mei-Mei Su
  • Patent number: 9921261
    Abstract: Non-Contact measurement of characteristics of p-n junctions includes illuminating an illumination area of a surface of a p-n junction with light, measuring a first junction photovoltage (JPV) signal from a first area of the p-n junction with a first electrode, measuring a second JPV signal from a second area with a second electrode, measuring a third JPV signal from a third area with a reference electrode, and determining a sheet resistance of the p-n junction top layer with a corrected first JPV signal, a corrected second JPV signal, a corrected first calibration JPV signal, a corrected second calibration JPV signal or the known sheet resistance of the calibration p-n junction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Vladimir N. Faifer, Ian Sierra Gabriel Kelly-Morgan
  • Patent number: 9915700
    Abstract: Probing an integrated circuit (IC), by: electrically applying stimulation signal to said IC; scanning a selected area of said IC with a monochromatic beam; collecting beam reflection from the selected area of said IC, wherein the beam reflection correspond to modulation of the monochromatic beam by active devices of said IC; converting said beam reflection to an electrical probing signal; selecting a frequency or a band of frequencies of said probing signal; utilizing the probing signal to generate a spatial modulation map for various locations over the selected area of said IC; and displaying the spatial map on a monitor, wherein grey scale values correspond to modulation signal values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: FEI EFA, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Kasapi
  • Patent number: 9897641
    Abstract: A method for real-time monitoring of an operational state of a capacitive sensor capable of being mounted on a rotating machine, and connected to an electronic measuring module via a high frequency transmission line. The method includes generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in capacitance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in conductance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, extracting a signal representative of the capacitance compensation and of a signal representative of the conductance compensation so as to determine an operating point of the sensor and analyzing the operating point so as to check if it is located in a predetermined area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FOGALE NANOTECH
    Inventors: Christian Neel, Nicolas Billiard
  • Patent number: 9897636
    Abstract: A single wound single current transformer impedance measurement circuit for determining a circuit element parameter in a ground fault circuit interrupter circuit. The circuit includes a transconductance amplifier having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals. In an embodiment, a first detector has input terminal coupled to the first output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and another input terminal coupled for receiving a first electrical signal. A second detector has a terminal coupled to the second output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and an input terminal coupled for receiving the first electrical signal. Alternatively, the second detector has an input terminal coupled to the first output terminal of the transconductance amplifier and another input terminal coupled for receiving the first electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Riley D. Beck, Kent D. Layton, Matthew A. Tyler, Scott R. Grange
  • Patent number: 9891074
    Abstract: A sensor system for sensing a physical quantity is disclosed. The sensor system includes a first sensor path comprising a first first sensing element and a second first sensing element and a first intermediate node being provided in between the first first sensing element and the second first sensing element. The sensor also includes a second sensor path comprising a first second sensing element and a second second sensing element and a second intermediate node being provided in between the first second sensing element and the second second sensing element. A third sensor path is provided and comprises a first third sensing element and a second third sensing element and a third intermediate node being provided in between the first third sensing element and the second third sensing element. A signal processing device is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Meyer, Thomas Preisner, Michael Schoeneich
  • Patent number: 9891337
    Abstract: Buried utility transmitters and associated locator devices, systems, and methods used for locating utility lines, pipes, and/or other conductors that are obscured from view are disclosed. In one embodiment a buried utility transmitter includes a module generating an output current for provision to the utility so as to generate a magnetic field for detection by a utility locator, with the output current signal having modulated signaling. The transmitter system may include a tray apparatus configured to be removably dockable to the transmitter module or element or a body or frame of the transmitter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: SEESCAN, INC.
    Inventors: Mark S. Olsson, Jesse O. Casares, Jan Soukup, Stephanie M. Bench, Justin W. Taylor, Ray Merewether, David A. Cox
  • Patent number: 9891295
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement according to an embodiment includes a board with a plurality of conductive lines of a first type, and a plurality of conductive lines of a second type different from the conductive lines of the first type, and a recess. The sensor arrangement further includes a plurality of sensor devices mechanically accommodated on a main surface of the board and arranged around the recess, each sensor device being electrically coupled to the conductive lines of the first type and at least to one of the conductive lines of the second type, wherein each conductive line of the second type electrically couples a sensor device with at least one other item different from the sensor devices of the plurality of sensor devices. A projection of the conductive lines of the first and second types perpendicular to the main surface is crossing-free. Each conductive line of the first type electrically couples at least all of the plurality of sensor devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Udo Ausserlechner