Patents Examined by T. Dinh
  • Patent number: 11973452
    Abstract: A fan motor stopping apparatus includes a conversion circuit that converts alternating-current voltage supplied from an alternating-current power supply into direct-current voltage, a smoothing capacitor that is connected to a fan motor included in an air conditioner and smooths the direct-current voltage from the conversion circuit, a voltage detection circuit that detects a voltage across the smoothing capacitor, and a fan motor shutdown circuit that suspends the fan motor in operation when the voltage detection circuit detects a voltage less than or equal to a threshold that is preset for suspending the operation of the fan motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11972837
    Abstract: A data sampling circuit may include a pattern detection circuit configured to generate a slow signal by detecting a pattern of multibit data including input data, and a sampling circuit configured to sample the input data during an activation period of a sampling clock and having an operating speed of the sampling circuit reduced when the slow signal is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventors: Inseok Kong, Jaehyeong Hong, Min Su Kim
  • Patent number: 11972810
    Abstract: A memory apparatus and method of operation are provided. The apparatus includes memory cells connected word lines. The memory cells are disposed in strings and configured to retain a threshold voltage. A control means is configured to apply a program voltage to selected ones of the word lines while applying pass voltages to unselected ones of the word lines and ramp down both the selected ones of the plurality of word lines and the unselected ones of the word lines to a recovery voltage at a start of a verify phase of each of a plurality of program loops and apply a targeted word line bias to each of the word lines during the verify phase. The control means is also configured to adjust the recovery voltage based on the targeted word line bias applied to each of the plurality of word lines during the verify phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Han-Ping Chen, Wei Zhao, Henry Chin
  • Patent number: 11972803
    Abstract: A memory device that uses different programming parameters base on the word line(s) to be programmed is described. The programming parameter PROGSRC_PCH provides a pre-charge voltage to physical word lines. In some instances, the PROGSRC_PCH voltage is decoupled, and a new PROGSRC_PCH represents an adjusted (e.g., increased) pre-charge voltage for a certain physical word line or word line zone (i.e., predetermined group of word lines). Using different PROGSRC_PCH voltages can limit or prevent Vt distribution window degradation, particularly for relatively low physical word lines. Additionally, the overall programming time and average current consumed can also be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: SanDisk Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yu-Chung Lien, Fanqi Wu, Jiahui Yuan
  • Patent number: 11965347
    Abstract: A device for anchoring an object to a ground surface includes a hollow tubular member having respective upper end and lower end; a spiral screw piece that is supported from the lower end and that extends away from the lower end of the hollow tubular member, the spiral screw piece being for engagement with the ground surface, the upper end of the hollow tubular piece having an opening for receiving the object, a rotatable center piece supported about the hollow tubular member and disposed between the respective lower and upper ends of the hollow tubular member, the rotatable center piece adapted for free rotation relative to the hollow tubular member, and an elongated rod that engages with the hollow tubular member to assist in rotating the hollow tubular member and, in turn, the spiral screw piece in order to securely engage with the device with the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Inventor: Alan Horovitz
  • Patent number: 11967916
    Abstract: A load control apparatus for controlling a power supply to an electrical load connected to an output terminal includes an overcurrent protection circuit having a power switch through which the electrical load receives a load current and a sensor component in series with the power switch that is configured to generate a voltage drop corresponding to the current rise speed of a load current from an input terminal to the output terminal. The protection circuit includes a driver circuit configured to detect an overcurrent depending on the voltage drop generated by the sensor component and/or at the power switch, and to switch off the power switch upon detection of an overcurrent within a switch-off period. The overcurrent protection circuit can include a power supply control circuit having a sensor component adapted to measure a supply voltage notified to a control unit of the load control apparatus adapted to control power supplied to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Future Systems Besitz GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Zimmermann, Bernhard Först
  • Patent number: 11968815
    Abstract: A module comprises: a wiring board; a first component, a second component and a third component mounted on a first main surface; a shield structure mounted on the first main surface; a first sealing resin that seals the first component and the like; and a shield film that covers an upper surface of the first sealing resin and the like, the shield structure including a top side portion and at least one sidewall portion bent from the top side portion and thus extending therefrom, the top side portion including the top side portion's conductive layer and a magnetic layer therein, the sidewall portion including the sidewall portion's conductive layer therein, the top side portion's conductive layer and the sidewall portion's conductive layer being electrically connected to a ground conductor, the magnetic layer in the top side portion being located over the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11968797
    Abstract: Memory devices including a substrate supporting at least one semiconductor device thereon. The substrate includes an interface sized, shaped, and configured to provide electrical connection to the at least one semiconductor device, the interface located proximate to an end of the substrate. Engagement structures are located proximate to, and laterally outward from, the interface. The engagement structures extend laterally beyond a remainder of a lateral periphery of the substrate, each engagement structure comprising a first depth at a first portion of the engagement structure and a second, smaller depth at a second, laterally inward portion of the engagement structure. A carrier includes supports shaped, positioned, and configured to be positioned in the second portions of the engagement structures to secure the end of the substrate to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael G. Placke
  • Patent number: 11961553
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of memory cells that have a first state and a second state different from each other. A method of searching a read voltage of the nonvolatile memory device includes determining a number n that represents a number of times a data read operation is performed, selecting n read voltage levels of the read voltage such that a number of read voltage levels is equal to the number of times the data read operation, where the n read voltage levels differ from each other, generating n cell count values by performing n data read operations on the plurality of memory cells using all of the n read voltage levels, and generating an optimal read voltage level of the read voltage by performing a regression analysis based on a first-order polynomial using the n read voltage levels and the n cell count values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wijik Lee, Kwanwoo Noh, Hyeonjong Song
  • Patent number: 11958621
    Abstract: An electric propulsion system for a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, the electric propulsion system including an electrical motor having a stator and a rotor. The electric propulsion system may include a main shaft possessing at least one shoulder on an outer surface of the main shaft. The electric propulsion system may include a gearbox assembly comprising a sun gear that is concentrically aligned with the main shaft at least one planetary gear that interfaces with the sun gear. The electric propulsion system may include a planetary carrier, wherein a center of the planetary carrier is concentrically aligned with the main shaft. The electric propulsion system may include a propeller flange assembly that travels through the rotor, and an axial buttress positioned in the at least one shoulder located on the main shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ARCHER AVIATION, INC.
    Inventor: Scott Graves
  • Patent number: 11961830
    Abstract: A module includes: a board having a first surface; a first component and a second component mounted on the first surface; and a wire disposed to extend across the first component and having one end and the other end. The one end is connected to the second component. The wire is grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Otsubo, Motohiko Kusunoki, Takanori Uejima
  • Patent number: 11963456
    Abstract: Embodiments of present invention provide a method of improving yield of making MRAM arrays. More specifically, the method includes receiving an MRAM array; identifying a weak MRAM cell from the MRAM array wherein the weak MRAM cell includes an access transistor; and modifying the access transistor. In one embodiment, modifying the access transistor includes performing a hot carrier injection into a gate dielectric layer of the access transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dimitri Houssameddine, Kangguo Cheng, Julien Frougier, Ruilong Xie
  • Patent number: 11961556
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices supporting a socket design for a memory device are described. A die may include one or more memory arrays, which each may include any number of word lines and any number of bit lines. The word lines and the bit lines may be oriented in different directions, and memory cells may be located at the intersections of word lines and bit lines. Sockets may couple the word lines and bit lines to associated drivers, and the sockets may be located such that memory cells farther from a corresponding word line socket are nearer a corresponding bit line socket, and vice versa. For example, sockets may be disposed in rows or regions that are parallel to one another, and which may be non-orthogonal to the corresponding word lines and bit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Amitava Majumdar, Radhakrishna Kotti, Rajasekhar Venigalla
  • Patent number: 11955905
    Abstract: A three-phase/two-phase conversion unit 43 generates a composite vector i?? of three-phase AC currents based on AC currents iu, iv, and iw. An electrical angle calculation unit 44 outputs the electrical angle of the composite vector i?? with reference to the U-phase AC current iu. A quadrant calculation unit 45 obtains which quadrant of the first to sixth quadrants partitioned in advance the acquired electrical angle corresponds to, confirms whether the composite vector i?? passes through the set quadrant, and outputs quadrant information thereof. A failure detection unit 47 determines whether the composite vector i?? has rotated from the first quadrant to the sixth quadrant, and when there is a quadrant that has not been passed, considers that it is a failure state, specifies a failure part of the switching element from the relationship between the electrical angle and the failure part, and outputs failure information to a PWM signal generation unit 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ishikawa, Ryohichi Inada
  • Patent number: 11955919
    Abstract: An electric motor system includes a battery, an inverter, an electric motor, a zero-phase switching arm and a control unit. The inverter converts DC power output from the battery into three-phase AC power and outputs the three-phase AC power to the electric motor. A rotor of the electric motor rotates by the three-phase AC power output from the inverter. A neural point of the electric motor is connected to the zero-phase switching arm. A zero-phase current flowing through respective windings of the electric motor is adjusted by switching of the zero-phase switching arm. By this means, in the electric motor system, torque is generated at the rotor also using the zero-phase current as well as a three-phase AC current flowing through the respective windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Taniguchi, Kazunari Moriya, Kenji Hiramoto, Hideo Nakai, Yuuko Ohtani, Shinya Urata, Masafumi Namba
  • Patent number: 11955166
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include signal processing methods to precondition signals for transmission on a high speed bus. A preconditioning circuit is configured to receive a serialized data signal at an input node and to precondition the serialized output data signal to provide a preconditioned output signal at an output node. The pre-conditioning circuit may include a feedback circuit coupled between the input node and the output node that is configured to independently control both of a propagation delay between the output node and the input node and a magnitude of emphasis/de-emphasis applied to a signal at the output node for provision to the input node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Mamba, Tetsuya Arai, Guangcan Chen
  • Patent number: 11950566
    Abstract: A floating pet confinement system for the recreational enjoyment of small pet owners that enables a pet to safely float on water while remaining dry and confined. The system has a buoyant base that can be inflatable or molded. Holes are formed in the top surface of the buoyant base. A pet enclosure with an open bottom is set atop the top surface. The pet enclosure engages the holes on the buoyant base when the pet enclosure is upright. However, the pet enclosure is free to disengage from the holes and fall away from the buoyant base should the buoyant base tip. A pet is placed within the enclosure atop the buoyant base. Should the buoyant base tilt past a certain angle of inclination, the pet enclosure will fall away from the buoyant base. The pet is then free to exit the enclosure through the open base of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Inventor: Joseph P. McAtee
  • Patent number: 11955182
    Abstract: Adaptive and dynamic control of the duration of a pre-program pulse based on a number of planes selected for the pre-program operation is disclosed. A value for a pre-program time increment parameter may be selected based on the number of planes for which the pre-program operation will be performed or determined based on a predefined association with the number of planes. A pre-program voltage pulse may then be applied for a duration that is equal to a default duration for a single-plane pre-program operation incremented by the time increment parameter value. This approach solves the technical problem of Vt downshift for multi-plane pre-program operations, and thus, ensures that the success rate of secure erase operations does not diminish as the number of planes increases. This, in turn, allows for pre-program operations to be consistently performed on a multi-plane basis, which produces the technical effect of improved system performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Long Pham, Sai Gautham Thoppa
  • Patent number: 11957052
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a thermoelectric material are provided. The thermoelectric material includes a sintered body formed of p-type and n-type thermoelectric materials for the thermoelectric conversion element. The thermoelectric materials have a MgAgAs type crystal structure as a main phase. An area ratio of internal defects of the thermoelectric materials for one thermoelectric conversion element is 10% or less in terms of a total area ratio of defective portions in a scanning surface according to ultrasonic flaw detection in a thickness direction of the thermoelectric material. No defect having a length of 800 ?m or more is present at any vertex of chips of the thermoelectric materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Materials Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Yamamoto, Masami Okamura, Nobuaki Nakashima, Masanori Mizobe
  • Patent number: 11955913
    Abstract: In one aspect, a movable barrier operator system is provided that includes a motor configured to be coupled to a movable barrier. The motor has a power rating indicative of a minimum power to be supplied to the motor in order for the motor to move the movable barrier. The system further includes an external power supply configured to connect to an electrical outlet. The external power supply has a plurality of outputs each having a power rating indicative of a maximum power the output supplies, the output power rating being less than the motor power rating. The movable barrier operator system includes combiner circuitry configured to combine power from the outputs of the external power supply and provide the combined power to the motor. The system further includes a monitoring circuit configured to detect a fault condition of any of the outputs of the external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony David Bertini, Edwin Fernelly Moreno Hortz, James Scott Murray