Patents Examined by Stanley J Pruchnic
  • Patent number: 7121719
    Abstract: A radio-thermometer system, and a method for measuring electromagnetic energy radiated from an interior of a human body, includes an antenna for receiving thermal energy radiated from a target object having a temperature to be measured, first and second noise sources, which are maintained at different temperatures in order to obtain a reflection coefficient of an interface between the antenna and the target object, a first switch for periodically switching between outputting the first or second noise source, a circulator for adding a signal received by the antenna to a reflective wave output from the first switch, and for transmitting an addition result, third and fourth noise sources, which are maintained at different temperatures, a second switch for periodically switching between outputting an output of the third noise source, the circulator, and the fourth noise source, and an amplifier for amplifying an output of the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Nizhny Novgorod Microwave Research Institute, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeonghwan Lee, V.A. Rassadovsky, S.N. Kleshnin, I.F. Belov, V.I. Tereschenkov, O.P. Sobolev, T.N. Aleshina, V.A. Obolensky
  • Patent number: 7083330
    Abstract: An ear thermometer includes a main body having a side provided with a sensing head, and a disposable ear cap removably mounted on the sensing head of the main body and having a periphery provided with a pull tab having a root portion formed with a breakable slit connected to the periphery of the ear cap. Thus, the ear cap is broken from the breakable slit of the pull tab, so that the ear cap is broken completely and cannot be reused by a person intentionally, thereby assuring the safe use of the ear cap without incurring a sanitary problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Huang Hua Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Tang Yao
  • Patent number: 7083329
    Abstract: A method for measurement of high temperatures of a process stream by means of a thermocouple arranged in a thermowell. The thermowell is at least partly covered by a layer of a catalytic material which is active in at least one endothermic reaction. The thermowell is installed in a reactor by inserting the thermowell through a hole penetrating the reactor wall so that the tip of the thermowell is in contact with the process stream. The invention is typically used where the reaction is a reforming reaction and the reactor is an autothermal reformer fed with a hydrocarbon stream and an oxygen containing stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Haldor Topsoe A/S
    Inventors: Helen Rose Primdahl, legal representative, Tommy Hansen, Ivar I. Primdahl, deceased
  • Patent number: 7077565
    Abstract: Determining the temperature of the water by measuring the absorption coefficient of water (32). The method for determining temperature of a first substance comprising: acquiring a measurement of the absorption coefficient of the first substance at least one wavelength (30); and determining the temperature using the measurement of the absorption coefficient and known values of the absorption coefficient as a function of temperature at the at least one wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Glucon, Inc.
    Inventor: Benny Pesach
  • Patent number: 7070324
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for system- and/or process-monitoring in connection with a measurement apparatus that determines/monitors at least one process parameter of a medium. The method and device enable statements to be made regarding the present and future functionality of a measurement apparatus, or individual components of the measurement apparatus. The temperature values (T) of the medium are ascertained directly or indirectly and a trend analysis regarding the thermal loading of the measurement apparatus or the thermal loading of individual components of the measurement apparatus is carried out on the basis of the ascertained temperature values (T) of the medium or on the basis of the derivatives of the ascertained temperature values of the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Endress & Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Thomas Budmiger
  • Patent number: 7059768
    Abstract: The invention provides a set of standards for accurately calibrating a vacuum thermogravimetric analyzer (VTGA). The invention solves the problem of calibrating a VTGA by using the actual magnetic transitions and associated transition temperatures, or Curie temperatures, TC's, of a set of standards which can be used in-situ at the location of the sample holder obviating the difficulties associated with indirect methods of calibration. The set of standards permits accurate calibration through sufficiently numerous calibration points over a rather limited low-temperature range for determining vapor pressures of compounds. The set of temperature calibration standards is fabricated from slugs of ferromagnetic material. The composition of the ferromagnetic material in each slug is altered by alloying a ferromagnetic constituent with a non-ferromagnetic constituent to provide a plurality of standards with different Curie temperature over the limited temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands
    Inventors: Malika Dothresa Carter, Michael Andrew Parker
  • Patent number: 7059766
    Abstract: An optical method, and an optical device based on a laser source for implementing an optical method, for nonintrusively measuring the temperature of a flowing liquid by using the fluorescence induced by a laser beam in a measurement volume of the liquid, uses a single temperature-sensitive fluorescent tracer and at least two separate spectral detection windows on the tracer, after molecular dilution of the tracer in the liquid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Institut National Polytechnique de Lorraine (INPL)
    Inventors: Fabrice Lemoine, Pascal La Vieille
  • Patent number: 7040805
    Abstract: A method of infrared thermography is described. The invention utilizes a high resolution infrared thermography system and associated computer in conjunction with a test chamber to determine heat transfer coefficients and film effectiveness values from a single test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Shichuan Ou, Srinath V. Ekkad, Richard B. Rivir
  • Patent number: 7036983
    Abstract: An improved apparatus comprising a thermocouple for measuring the temperature in a gasification process is provided. The improvement comprises a sapphire envelope for enclosing at least a portion of the thermocouple. The sapphire envelope may be in the form of a sapphire sheath fitted over the thermocouple. The apparatus may also comprise a thermowell, with the sapphire envelope being provided by the thermowell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven R. Green, David L. Powell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7033073
    Abstract: In order to determine the temperature in the winding region of an electric motor, especially linear motor, a measuring line made of uniform; electrically conductive material is integrated in a winding, preferably in sections between winding teeth. The measuring line may be configured as insulated double line which is short-circuited on one side. A change in the resistance value of the measuring line allows conclusion about a temperature change and is easy to ascertain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Hoppe
  • Patent number: 7021820
    Abstract: A new adiabatic scanning calorimeter allows the thermal mass of a high-pressure reaction vessel to be dynamically compensated during a test. This allows the effective ? factor for the experiment to be reduced to 1.0 without the use of complex pressure balancing equipment. Endothermic events can be quantified and sample specific heats can be measured. The time required for test completion is much shorter than for conventional adiabatic calorimeters, thus considerably improving apparatus productivity. The sensitivity to exotherm detection is at least as good as existing adiabatic calorimeters employing the Heat-Wait-Search strategy, but does depend on the temperature-scanning rate. In addition, the heat of reaction is obtained without reference to the heat capacity of the sample, pressure is measured continuously, reactants may be injected into the test vessel and the sample can be mixed during the test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Inventor: Simon Chippett
  • Patent number: 7021823
    Abstract: A measuring arrangement, in particular, for temperature measurement in an accumulator pack, with at least one cell (10) for storage of electrical energy, at least one cooling body (12) thermally connected with the cell (10) for cooling the cell (10), and at least one temperature sensor (14). The temperature sensor (14) is thermally connected with the cooling body (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Roepke, Rainer Glauning
  • Patent number: 7021822
    Abstract: Temperature data representing transition of a temperature distribution of a coating target with time lapse is calculated Subsequently, the integrated value of the amount of heat applied to the coating is calculated on the basis of the temperature data. The dry state of the coating is estimated on the basis of the integrated value of the heat amount. In order to estimate the dry state of the coating, the integrated value of the amount of heat applied to the coating and the threshold values for the dry judgment of the coating are compared with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jianrong Shen
  • Patent number: 7017433
    Abstract: A sensor assembly having a housing including a first portion and a second portion. One of the portions of the housing includes a plurality of walls. The walls at least partially define a chamber. The assembly also includes a hinge connected to the first portion and to the second portion. The second portion is pivotable about the hinge from an open position with respect to the first portion to a closed position with respect to the first portion. The assembly also includes a sensor positioned within the chamber and substantially encircled by the plurality of walls. The sensor is partially enclosed by the first portion and second portion when the second portion is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: SSI Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Tola
  • Patent number: 7018095
    Abstract: A circuit for sensing on-die temperature at multiple locations using a minimum number of pins is described. Thermal diodes coupled to pins are placed on a die to measure the temperature at various die locations. Voltage is applied to the pins to determine the temperature at each given diode location. The polarity of the voltage applied across the pins determines what diodes are selected for measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Dean J. Grannes, Harjinder Singh, Jason A. Gayman
  • Patent number: 7009184
    Abstract: An amplifying device for a sensor (10) delivering a response in voltage or impedance has a voltage controlling means for the sensor and at least an additional impedance (12). The voltage controlling means (22) is connected to output terminals (16, 20) of the sensor to maintain a noticeably constant voltage between the terminals. The additional impedance (12) is connected in series with the sensor within a polarization circuit, between the output terminals (18–16; 18–20) of the device. The amplifying device may be applied to temperatures, irradiation levels and pH measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
    Inventors: Pierre Temple-Boyer, Gérard Sarrabayrouse, Augustin Martinez, Jérôme Launay
  • Patent number: 7008103
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sensing temperature using optical fiber is provided. In one embodiment, a method for sensing temperature using optical fiber includes launching a polarized optical signal having sufficient intensity to produce Brillouin scattering of the signal into a polarization maintaining optical fiber, receiving a first signal reflected from the launched signal, receiving a second signal reflected from the launched signal; and resolving a metric indicative of temperature from the first and second received signals. The method is particularly useful for sensing temperature in hazardous locations such as down hole gas and oil field applications or other applications where minimization of strain effects to signal transmission is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Weatherford/Lamb, Inc.
    Inventor: Trevor MacDougall
  • Patent number: 7004621
    Abstract: The invention is a method of monitoring the temperature to which an object has been exposed. The invention comprises combining a Time-Temperature Indicator (TTI) with an electronic monitoring device to determine whether the temperature to which the object has been exposed may have exceeded a predetermined threshold. The TTI device can be used to make a rapid initial determination as to the acceptability of the temperature history. The temperature history stored in the electronic monitoring device can be retrieved if visual inspection of the TTI indicates that the temperature history may possibly have exceeded the predetermined threshold. As a result, rejection of goods based on inaccurate TTI readings can be reduced or prevented, and the amount of time needed to retrieve data from an electronic monitoring device can be limited to only those circumstances where the initial visualization of the TTI indicates the possibility of an unacceptable temperature history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Cryovac, Inc.
    Inventors: William Peyton Roberts, Tim McInerney
  • Patent number: 6991367
    Abstract: A circuit for determining temperature of an active semiconductor device disposed on a semiconductor substrate and a Wheatstone bridge circuit. The bridge has in each of four branches thereof a thermal sensitive device, one pair of such thermal sensitive devices being in thermal contact with an electrode of the active device. Another pair of such thermal sensitive devices is in thermal contact with the substrate. The thermal sensitive devices are resistors. The active device is a transistor. A tuning circuit is coupled to an output of the transistor, such tuning circuit having a tunable element controlled by a control signal fed to such tunable element. A processor is responsive to a voltage produced at an output of the Wheatstone bridge circuit and a signal representative of power fed to the transistor. The output provided by the Wheatstone bridge provides a measure of a temperature difference between the temperature of the transistor and ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Michael G. Adlerstein
  • Patent number: 6979118
    Abstract: A method of determining the temperature inside a combustion liner without making a direct measurement of the actual temperature. The technique is based on a measurement of the frequency of one of the transverse acoustic modes occurring inside the combustion chamber. The frequency is determined from the transverse geometric dimensions of the combustion chamber and the speed of sound in the gas inside the combustion chamber. The speed of sound in the gas is known from thermodynamics to be a function of gas temperature and gas properties. Thus, from a measurement of the resonant frequency and knowing the combustor dimensions and gas properties, the temperature can be determined with accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Warren James Mick, Eamon P. Gleeson, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Aparna Basker, Fei Han