Patents Examined by Thang Le
  • Patent number: 9575024
    Abstract: A decoder unit for determining a substance or material structure of a detected object based on signals of a capacitive sensor comprises a distribution determination device arranged to determine a detected distribution relation based on signals of the at least one capacitive sensor; a comparison device arranged to compare the detected distribution relation with at least one predetermined distribution relation, the at least one predetermined distribution relation corresponding to a substance or a material structure and an output device arranged to indicate the result of the comparison carried out by the comparison device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: NXP USA, INC.
    Inventor: Libor Gecnuk
  • Patent number: 9568518
    Abstract: A measuring device for measuring a power of a measurement signal comprises an analog-processing unit (1) and a calibration unit (5) for the implementation of a calibration procedure. The analog-processing unit (1) provides two detector diodes (14, 15) connected in an antiparallel manner relative to a signal input (10) and an amplifier (50) for the amplification of signals which are derived from output signals of the detector diodes (14, 15). The analog-processing unit (1) further provides a chopper unit (28) which is connected at two terminals in series between the detector diodes (14, 15) and the amplifier (50). In this context, the calibration unit (5) comprises at least one current source, wherein the current sources (46, 47) is connected to at least one input terminal of the amplifier (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROHDE & SCHWARZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Toralf Bratfisch, Michael Katzer, Thomas Reichel
  • Patent number: 9568534
    Abstract: A system and method for low-cost, fault tolerant, EMI robust data communications, particularly for an EV environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TESLA MOTORS, INC.
    Inventors: Nathaniel B. Martin, Ian C. Dimen, S. Douglas Crowder
  • Patent number: 9568560
    Abstract: A device for supplying power to an inductive load includes a switching structure designed to control a current in the load, and elements for detecting anomalies designed to generate information on detection or information on non-detection of an anomaly of the short-circuit type able to occur in the cabling toward the load, in combination with information on validity of the information on non-detection of anomalies. The information on anomaly non-detection is delivered without setting the validity information if the measured current at the end of an appropriate time window is less than a given value of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Angelo Pasqualetto
  • Patent number: 9567845
    Abstract: A seismic sensor for a downhole tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The seismic sensor includes a sensor housing, a bobbin supported in the sensor housing along an axis thereof, at least one coil wound about the bobbin (the coil movably supportable within the sensor housing by at least one spring), at least one magnet positionable about the bobbin to generate a magnetic field with the at least one coil whereby seismic vibrations are detectable, and a filler fluid disposed in the sensor housing to buoy the at least one coil whereby gravitational effects may be neutralized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toru Ikegami
  • Patent number: 9542588
    Abstract: A fingerprint sensing circuit, system, and method is disclosed. The fingerprint sensor maybe include a plurality of inputs coupled to a plurality of fingerprint sensing electrodes and to an analog front end. The analog front end may be configured to generate at least one digital value in response to a capacitance of at least one of the plurality of fingerprint sensing electrodes. Additionally, the analog front end may include a quadrature demodulation circuit to generate at least one demodulated value for processing by a channel engine. The channel engine may generate a capacitance result value that is based, in part, on the demodulated value and is stored in a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATIONS
    Inventors: Viktor Kremin, Paul M. Walsh, Kaveh Hosseini, Jaskarn Singh Johal, Erhan Hancioglu, Onur Ozbek
  • Patent number: 9541604
    Abstract: A voltage is sensed at a switching device and the voltage is associated with a status of a switching device. The sensed voltage is converted to a useable voltage regardless of the value and type of the sensed voltage. At a single self-contained integrated circuit that is powered by the sensed voltage, the usable voltage is converted into a digital representation. The digital representation is configured to be usable by a processing device to determine the value of the voltage at the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: GE INTELLIGENT PLATFORMS, INC.
    Inventors: Parag Vishwanath Acharya, Ravindra Mahavir Desai
  • Patent number: 9535091
    Abstract: A probe head includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a spacer, at least one probe, and an insulating material. The first substrate has at least one first through hole. The second substrate has at least one second through hole. The spacer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The spacer, the first substrate, and the second substrate together form a cavity. The probe is disposed in the cavity and protrudes from the first through hole and the second through hole. The insulating material is on the probe and at least partially disposed in the first through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ming-Cheng Hsu, Wen-Feng Liao, Wen-Tsai Su, Yuan-Pin Huang
  • Patent number: 9535140
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes a magnetic transformer having a first winding coupled between a first signal node and a second signal node, and a second winding coupled between a first reference node and a current measurement node. A phase shift network is coupled between the second node and a voltage measurement node, and the circuit is configured to indicate an impedance matching condition based on an amplitude difference and a phase difference between the voltage measurement node and the current measurement node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG
    Inventors: Valentyn Solomko, Winfried Bakalski
  • Patent number: 9519383
    Abstract: A capacitive sensing structure is formed from first electrically conductive sensor structures electrically coupled to each other in a first direction, and second electrically conductive sensor structures electrically coupled to each other in a second direction. Each first electrically conductive sensor structure includes a first diamond-shaped central region with electrically coupled first finger structures extending away therefrom. Each second electrically conductive sensor structure includes a second diamond-shaped central region with electrically conducting second finger structures extending away therefrom. Each second finger structure extends between two adjacent ones of the first finger structures. Floating structures may be included within an opening formed in the first diamond shaped central region. Floating structures may further be included between the first and second finger structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD
    Inventors: Mythreyi Nagarajan, Kusuma Adi Ningrat
  • Patent number: 9506948
    Abstract: A fixture unit assuredly fits a fixed unit including a gap portion including a first wall surface and a second wall surface opposing each other. Provided are a fixture unit and a fixture apparatus including a fitting pin fitting a gap portion of a fixed unit, the gap portion including a first wall surface and a second wall surface opposing each other, where the fitting pin includes: a fixed pin inserted to the gap portion to contact the first wall surface; a moving pin inserted to the gap portion to be pressed on the second wall surface; and a base to which the fixed pin is fixed, and the moving pin includes a bottom portion in an arc form with a center being a central axis of movement, and the bottom portion fitting slidably with respect to a concave portion provided for the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuya Yamada, Mitsunori Aizawa
  • Patent number: 9503084
    Abstract: A capacitive control interface for a domestic appliance includes an outer layer configured to be pressed by a user, a first capacitive component, a second capacitive component facing and separated from the first capacitive component, a first layer of insulating material between the outer layer and the first capacitive component, and a second layer of insulating material beneath the first layer of insulating material and in contact with the first capacitive component, the second layer having a thru hole encompassing the second capacitive component, wherein the second capacitive component faces the first capacitive component at the thru hole, and wherein the outer layer is flexibly responsive to pressure and is configured to transfer a flexure to the first capacitive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Leonardo Sergi
  • Patent number: 9503061
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for adaptively adjusting a duty cycle of a signal between a first and second chip in a 3D architecture/stack for adaptively calibrating a chip in a 3D architecture/stack. In one embodiment, the system includes a first chip and a second chip located within the 3D chip stack, wherein the first chip generates a calibration signal, the second chip receives the calibration signal and compares it to a reference signal to generate a comparison signal that further compared to a reference duty signal to generate a reference duty comparison signal, that is then provided to the first chip to generate a drive signal that adjusts a duty cycle of the calibration signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ying-Yu Hsu, Ruey-Bin Sheen, Chih-Hsien Chang
  • Patent number: 9494413
    Abstract: Embodiments described in this disclosure include a probe holder for a measuring system comprising a first connector having electric and/or optical signal connections for attaching a measure probe, electric and/or optical conductor for connecting to the measure probe by first connector, a rotary actuator arranged to rotate the first connector relative to a reference system, an electric and/or optical slip ring and an angle encoder. The rotary actuator comprises a rotor capable of continuous rotation and an electric motor, while the angle encoder provides information on an angular position of the rotor. In some embodiments the rotor has a hollow axle supported by two coaxial spaced-apart bearings. The electric motor is located between the bearings, while the electric and/or optical conductor runs inside said hollow axle, and the electric and/or optical slip ring is in the hollow axle and between the bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: TESA SA
    Inventors: Benjamin Vuilloud, Julien Chardonnens, LĂ©onard Wunderlin, Claude Rouge
  • Patent number: 9494957
    Abstract: Distributed voltage network circuits employing voltage averaging, and related systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, because voltage in one area of a distributed load circuit may vary from voltage in a second area, a distributed voltage network circuit is configured to tap voltages from multiple areas to calculate average voltage in the distributed load circuit. The distributed voltage network circuit includes a voltage distribution source component having source nodes. Voltage is distributed from each source node to a corresponding voltage load node via resistive interconnects. Voltage tap nodes access voltage from each corresponding voltage load node. Each voltage tap node is coupled to an input node of a corresponding resistive element in voltage averaging circuit. An output node of each resistive element is coupled to a voltage output node of the voltage averaging circuit, generating the average voltage of the distributed load circuit on the voltage output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Burt Lee Price, Yeshwant Nagaraj Kolla, Dhaval Rajeshbhai Shah
  • Patent number: 9489084
    Abstract: A sensing method for a sensing electrode cluster is provided. The sensing electrode cluster includes a plurality of groups, each comprising a plurality of bars. The sensing method includes scanning each of the groups according to a first scanning sequence, and scanning each of the groups according to a second scanning sequence, and determining a sensing position according to the first position and the second position. The first scanning sequence is different from the second scanning sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Tzu-Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 9488702
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a plurality of magneto-resistive effect elements each configured by using a magneto-resistive effect film formed by laminating a pinned layer, a nonmagnetic layer, and a free layer in order from a side of a substrate. A first linear pattern is formed in a first portion on the substrate in a first direction. A second linear pattern is formed in a second portion on the substrate in a second direction. A magnetization direction of the first portion is different from a magnetization direction of the second portion. The magneto-resistive effect film is further formed on the substrate. Each of the plurality of magneto-resistive effect elements includes a pair of electrodes formed by the magneto-resistive effect film processed into a predetermined shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Meguro, Hiroyuki Hoshiya, Keizou Katou, Yasunori Abe
  • Patent number: 9482633
    Abstract: A capacitance measuring system, including: a calibration capacitor; first circuitry for sensing an input current at an input thereof and generating an output signal that is based upon a capacitance appearing at the input of the first circuitry; and multiplexer circuitry, coupled between the input of the first circuitry and a terminal of each of the capacitor to be measured and the calibration capacitor, for selectively coupling the terminal of each, one at a time, to the input of the first circuitry while the terminal not coupled to the input of the conversion circuitry is coupled to a ground reference; and controller circuitry for calculating a capacitance of the capacitor to be measured based upon the output signal of the first circuitry when the capacitor to be measured is coupled to the input thereof and upon the output signal of the first circuitry when the calibration capacitor is coupled to the input thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Adam Jude Ahne
  • Patent number: 9476917
    Abstract: A power theft inspection apparatus (100) is mounted on a power transmitting apparatus (10) which has a power transmission unit (13) and a power supply unit (12) configured to supply alternating current (AC) power to the power transmission unit. The power theft inspection apparatus has a controlling device (101) configured to (i) control the short-circuiting device (SW1, SW2) to electrically cut off the power transmission unit from the power supply unit and to short-circuit the input unit of the power transmission unit, and further (ii) transmit, to the power receiving apparatus (20), a signal indicating a request to open the power reception unit (23), upon power theft inspection, and a determining device (101) configured to determine whether or not there is power theft according to current detected by a current detecting device (102) upon the power theft inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuji Tawaragi
  • Patent number: 9467758
    Abstract: A testing system and method are provided. The testing system includes a terminal device (Optical Line Terminal, OLT) which is configured to provide an optical signal, an optical attenuator which is configured to generate an attenuation optical signal according to the optical signal, a tested device which is configured to generate an analog-to-digital (AD) value corresponding to the attenuation optical signal, and a test-managing device which is configured to receive the analog-to-digital (AD) value and generate calibration values according to the analog-to-digital (AD) value and the attenuation optical signal and transmit the calibration values to the tested device to test the tested device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: ACCTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kuo-En Chiu