Patents Examined by Stephen J. Cherry
-
Patent number: 6873927Abstract: A control method for an automatic integrated circuit full testing system. A control device is utilized to control the testing process of the automatic integrated circuit full testing system. The steps for controlling the control device include driving an automatic transport device to fetch test integrated circuits from an integrated circuit supply rack to various testing computer stations. An automatic plug/unplug tool is driven so that each integrated circuit is plugged into the connector of a corresponding testing computer. All the testing computers are triggered to carry out respective preset testing programs. An image sensor is driven to monitor the an output image of the testing computers so that any abnormality in the integrated circuits can be determined. Thereafter, the automatic plug/unplug tool is driven to unload the tested integrated circuit from the testing computer.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Ming-Ren Chi, Peng-Chia Kuo
-
Patent number: 6871159Abstract: An occupant weight detecting device includes a load detecting means equipped to a seat body for detecting a load applied to the seat body, a calculating means for calculating an initial load value during the seat body under an initial condition based upon a detected load value by the load detecting means and for calculating a value of an occupant load applied to the seat body by subtracting the initial load value from the detected load value, and a filter housed in the calculating means and possessing a cutoff frequency so as to attenuate a fluctuation of the detected load value generated due to an element other than a deterioration inherent to the load detecting means.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2003Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Katsu Hattori, Morio Sakai, Yukihiro Yamamoto, Masaki Mori, Yoshikazu Suzumura
-
Patent number: 6865507Abstract: In combination, a meat product selected from the group consisting of beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fowl and fish and a thickness gauge for meat products. The thickness gauge includes a base platform and a generally upright stand mounted on the base platform. A thickness gauge support arm is pivotably and height adjustably mounted on the generally upright stand, the thickness gauge support arm further includes a pivoting elbow formed therein. A digital thickness gauge is mounted on the outer end of the thickness gauge support arm, the digital thickness gauge including a vertically adjustable indicator head for engaging the meat product. Finally, the digital thickness gauge is operative to measure the thickness of the meat product by the computing the distance of vertical movement of the indicator head of the digital thickness gauge.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2003Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Inventors: Henry Biggs, Steve Korteley
-
Patent number: 6850863Abstract: The method of determining the stopped angular position of a rotor comprises the following steps: a) applying a sequence of successive voltage vectors to the terminals of the windings of the stator, said sequence including first and second voltage vectors adapted to modify the electrical characteristics of the windings and a third voltage vector adapted to cancel out the torque created by applying the first and second voltage vectors, b) determining a response signal from all of the windings to application of the first and second voltage vectors, and c) establishing the angular position of the rotor with an uncertainty of ±90° from the signals determined in the step b).Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: AlstomInventors: Abdelkrim Benchaib, Jean-Claude Alacoque, Serg Poullain, Jean-Luc Thomas
-
Patent number: 6847903Abstract: Ice accretion on a probe is detected by determining the change of frequency of a vibrating type ice detector or sensor as ice starts to build up. The rate of change of frequency is determined and is combined with parameters including air velocity and air temperature for providing a signal that indicates liquid water content in the airflow as well as ice accretion on the ice detector.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2003Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Rosemount Aerospace Inc.Inventors: John A. Severson, Kenneth J. Schram
-
Patent number: 6847919Abstract: Characterizing an exposure tool involves receiving data describing a pattern formed at a wafer. The pattern is formed by illuminating the wafer using an exposure tool, and the data has a scan direction and slit direction. An image field is mapped according to the data to determine an image field error of the data, and the image field error is separated from the data to reduce variation of the data in the scan direction. The data is reduced to the slit direction. Errors associated with the exposure tool are determined from the data in order to characterize the exposure tool.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2003Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Guohong Zhang, Changan Wang, Stephen J. DeMoor
-
Patent number: 6847911Abstract: A method of throttling the frequency with which an integrated circuit is accessed includes sensing the temperature of the integrated circuit die and converting the sensed temperature to a digital signal. The digital signal is stored in a register of the integrated circuit. The digital signal is read, and the frequency with which the integrated circuit is accessed is adjusted dependent at least in part upon the temperature of the die as indicated by the digital signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Jennifer Faye Huckaby, Torsten Partsch, Johnathan Edmonds
-
Patent number: 6842721Abstract: In a method for requesting a repair of a refrigerator through the Internet and a system therefor, and particularly in a refrigerator and a method for controlling the same, a failure of a refrigerator can be quickly and accurately repaired although a user can not recognize the failure of the refrigerator by setting a self-checkup function of a refrigerator, comparing failure relation data sensed by various sensing means to preset reference data stored in a database and transmitting a compared result to a service center or a serviceman through the Internet.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: January 11, 2005Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Tae Young Kim, Dae Gui Lee
-
Patent number: 6839643Abstract: In a thermal-type airflow meter that measures an intake airflow rate in an internal combustion engine of an automobile or the like, there has been a problem that pulsation errors caused by external fluctuations under the environment including a large pulsation and reverse flow in the intake valve are difficult to be reduced. In order to solve this problem, the invention provides a flowmeter comprising a detection element that outputs a non-linear signal corresponding to a flow rate, and a regulation means that regulates an output signal of the detection element for controlling. With this construction, the regulation means executes output regulation processing that regulates irregularities of the detection element in the output signal, and inequality linearization processing that regulates an average value of the output signal after the output regulation processing by means of regulating parameters.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2002Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Atsushi Kanke, Masahiro Matsumoto, Shinya Igarashi, Keiji Hanzawa, Kei Ueyama
-
Patent number: 6834241Abstract: Flow meter electronics are described for providing a flow rate of a material flowing through a flow meter sensor of a Coriolis flow meter. The flow meter electronics comprise a processing system and a single output port. The processing system receives pick-off signals from the flow meter sensor and processes the pick-off signals to determine the flow rate. The processing system receives an instruction for a frequency output signal or a digital communication protocol signal. If the instruction is for a frequency output signal, then the processing system processes the flow rate to generate a frequency output signal and transmits the frequency output signal over the single output port. If the instruction is for a digital communication protocol signal, then the processing system processes the flow rate to generate a digital communication protocol signal and transmits the digital communication protocol signal over the single output port.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2004Date of Patent: December 21, 2004Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Paul J. Hays, William Michael Mansfield
-
Patent number: 6820014Abstract: The invention relates to a new method for determination of realistic UV protection factors or bread spectrum indices of a sunscreen preparation. Realistic UV protection factors are calculable by determination of the theoretical and the experimental UV absorbances of known UV filters in wavelength steps of about 5 nm in the range of 290-400 nm from a definite basic formulation (emulsion, gel etc.) and on a transparent substrate and introducing of the values in a mathematical model. These factors are in conformity with values measured in vivo. The number of the experiments for developing new formulations are significant reduced because only basic formulation, kind and concentration of the filters have to enter.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2002Date of Patent: November 16, 2004Assignee: Coty B.V.Inventors: Louis Ferrero, Marc Pissavini, Leonhard Zastrow
-
Patent number: 6816799Abstract: A system and method for estimating an operating parameter of a vehicle such as the steering angle offset or body slip angle. The method includes providing a dynamic vehicle model which is valid when the yaw rate and slip angle of the vehicle are either constant or changing. The vehicle model is reformulated to allow for the direct estimation of the steering angle offset value and/or the body slip angle. Estimation of an operating parameter of the vehicle may also include the use of a model difference term which is defined by the difference between a value estimated using the model and a measured value. A method for filtering the steering angle offset value is also provided. The filtering method may utilize a variable filter coefficient which varies in response to changes in the dynamic behavior of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2003Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Robert Bosch CorporationInventors: Jingsheng Yu, Christian Breuninger
-
Patent number: 6816801Abstract: A system and method for displaying monitored measurements of an apparatus on an instrument including a data bus interface, a data bus, and a plurality of instruments. The data bus interface is coupled to a data bus of the apparatus, which contains measurement data monitored by sensors in the apparatus. Each of the instruments each having a microcontroller coupled to the data bus interface. A motor is driven by the microcontroller and an indicator needle is coupled to the motor for displaying the measurement of the instrument. A warning light indicator is coupled to and driven by the microcontroller. The microcontroller monitors the rate of change of the measurement being displayed on the instrument and enters into a power down mode when the rate of change is below a given threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2003Date of Patent: November 9, 2004Assignee: Maxima Technologies & Systems, Inc.Inventors: John Rubis, Dennis A. Roberts
-
Patent number: 6813569Abstract: The invention concerns an assembly comprising: (a) means for determining the intensity of a plurality of electromagnetic signals, (b) a correlator for correlating or autocorrelating said signals, (c) means for continuously calculating the variance and/or the standard deviation of said signals. It also concerns a method for analysing the intensity of a plurality of electromagnetic radiations scattered and/or emitted from solid, fluid or gaseous samples.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2002Date of Patent: November 2, 2004Assignee: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL)Inventors: Thorsten Wohland, Horst Vogel, Rudolf H. A. Rigler
-
Patent number: 6795781Abstract: A method and apparatus for a compiler, or similar computer language translating device, to translate a computer language into a sequence of electronic instructions to be executed at run-time by at least one functional unit in a computer. At compile time, the compiler creates and analyzes the sequential order of the electronic instructions to determine exact moments when the functional unit will begin to, or complete, executing the electronic instructions. Consequently, the compiler can predict time intervals when the functional unit will be in use, or idling between instructions. In addition, the compiler knows the delay time, or latency, involved in powering up and powering down the functional unit. The compiler compares the use times, or idle times, to the latency, and creates power-controlling instructions to be embedded into the sequence of electronic instructions. The power-controlling instructions are to control power to the functional units at run-time.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Assignee: Intel CorporationInventors: Tomm Aldridge, Devadatta V. Bodas
-
Patent number: 6795780Abstract: In improvements to the Fluid Energy Pulse Test System, apparatus and methods regulate high-pressure, high-fluid-flow-rate energy pulses to generate temperature-controlled transient, ramp, constant-steady-state, and periodic-steady-state fluid-pressure and fluid-flow-rate test data and sound data for evaluating fluid control devices. Transient, ramp, and constant-steady-state performance curves describe dynamic operating characteristics of tested devices. Transient and constant-steady-state pressures and flow rates are precisely defined and compared. Constant fluid conductance is represented by transverse lines on performance graphs. Constant- and periodic-steady-state pressures and flow rates are achieved in less than two seconds. Temperature sensitivity of fluid control devices is determined. Fluid-pressure and fluid-flow-rate data correlated with sound data create audio-visual representations. Three-dimensional amplitude-frequency-time sound signatures are displayed graphically.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2004Inventor: Thomas Allen Hyde
-
Patent number: 6792377Abstract: A TL1 usage model generator arranged to provide a statistically accurate usage model based upon a particular user profile is described. The TL1 usage model generator is connected to a translator arranged to expand the usage model provided the by TL1 usage model generator into a fully meshed file. Coupled to the translator, a TL1 sequence generator uses the fully meshed file to automatically generate a random sequence of TL1 commands that is provided to an execution engine configured to read the random sequence of TL1 commands. The execution engine, in turn, sends the random sequence of TL1 commands to the system under test (SUT) the results of which are forwarded to and written in a result data base used by a post processor to verify the validity of the system response.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2002Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Calient NetworksInventors: Kaushal K. Agrawal, David N. K. Wong
-
Patent number: 6778938Abstract: A circuit is arranged to pulse-width modulate the duty cycle of a power supply signal that is used to control the rotational speed of a fan in a temperature-controlled system. The control system includes an edge detector for monitoring a tachometer signal that is provided by the fan. The tachometer signal is monitored at a rate (e.g., one Hertz) that is substantially lower than the rotational speed of the fan. The control system also includes a timer for recording time intervals between selected edges of a monitored tachometer signal. The fan speed is determined from the recorded time intervals. The control system extends the duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal to ensure that the fan power remains stable over the period in which the tachometer signal is to be monitored. Maintaining fan power ensures the validity of the tachometer signal during the period that the fan power is maintained.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: National Semiconductor CorporationInventors: Chungwai Benedict Ng, Richard D. Henderson, Mehmet Aslan
-
Patent number: 6778945Abstract: A diagnostic system for an HVAC system includes a number of sensors used to measure the operation of the HVAC system. Sensor readings are measured by timing the delay between when a strobe signal is sent to a sensor and when an interrupt signal from the sensor is received. A device driver used to measure the sensor readings stores the sensor readings in pseudo-character device files, which are universally accessible by different subsystems of the diagnostic system. Based on the readings from these sensors, this diagnostic system is able to determine the operational status of the HVAC system and if an economizer in the HVAC system is operating properly.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2001Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: David P. Chassin, Robert G. Pratt, Larry Dean Reid
-
Patent number: 6772100Abstract: A technique for estimating the position of an object from sensor measurements in the presence of multipath conditions is disclosed. In one aspect, the technique includes a position estimator comprising a signal filter, a multipath detector, and a multipath bias estimator. The signal filter is capable of receiving a sensor measurement and generating a measurement noise variance estimate and a position estimate therefrom. The multipath detector is capable of applying a dynamic threshold against the measurement noise variance estimate to determine whether a multipath condition exists. And, the multipath bias estimator is capable of generating a correction for multipath induced measurement bias error from a measurement noise variance estimate for application upon determining that a multipath condition exists.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2001Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: John I. Lipp