Patents Examined by Vincent Q. Nguyen
-
Patent number: 10598725Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated circuit (1) including two electrical power supply terminals (2a, 2b), respectively positive and ground, forming part of a first electrical power supply system (2) internal to the integrated circuit and providing its electrical power supply using an electrical power supply source external to the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes two pins (3a, 3b), respectively positive and ground, forming part of a second electrical power supply system (3) and providing an auxiliary electrical connection of the integrated circuit with the outside, the second power supply system being in parallel with the first power supply system, the first power supply system being open when the second power supply system is closed and vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2017Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBHInventors: Cedric Benaben, Didier Lascombes
-
Patent number: 10598702Abstract: Example implementations described herein are directed to detection of historical anomalous events that are similar to currently occurring events in a transmission power system based on phasor management unit (PMU) data to provide information to grid operators with online decision support. From the high-resolution time synchronized PMU data, the historical events can be quickly retrieved and compared to the currently occurring event so that operators can be provided with remedy actions that were attempted in response to the historical events. Utilization of PMU information for such decision support may compliment operation practices relying on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) measurements by allowing a much fast response to the currently occurring event. Accurate identification of similar, historical events can advise grid operators of the cause of disturbances and provide ideas for response.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2016Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Norifumi Nishikawa, Jun Yamazaki, Mika Takata
-
Patent number: 10578659Abstract: A fault detection system of a utility meter for measuring electrical energy consumed by a load includes at least one current transformer, a temperature sensor, and a processor. The at least one current transformer is configured to generate a current measurement signal based on a current provided to the load. The temperature sensor is configured to generate a temperature signal based on a detected temperature of the utility meter. The processor is operably connected to the at least one current transformer and to the temperature sensor. The processor is configured to generate a phase angle value corresponding to a phase angle of the current measurement signal. The processor is further configured to generate a fault signal responsive to the temperature signal indicating that the detected temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature value and the phase angle value indicating detection of a leading current.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2017Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Landis+Gyr LLCInventors: Matthew Eric Kraus, Detlef Griessman
-
Patent number: 10578461Abstract: A capacitive sensor device is provided. The capacitive sensor device may include a clock module configured to generate a clock signal, a sensor module configured to generate a reference signal and a sense signal, and sample a difference between the reference signal and the sense signal according to the clock signal, and a current supply module configured to selectively generate a bias current according to the clock signal, and charge each of the clock module and the sensor module based on the bias current and according to the clock signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2017Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: Disuptive Technologies Research ASInventor: Bjørnar Hernes
-
Patent number: 10578576Abstract: A joint evaluation method of evaluating a joint state of a joint portion in a composite including the joint portion in which a first adherend and a second adherend are joined to each other through an adhesive is provided. The joint evaluation method includes applying an alternating-current signal to the joint portion; changing frequency to measure current and voltage; calculating an evaluation value related to a given electrical characteristic from a current value and a voltage value obtained by the measurement; comparing the evaluation value with a preset criterion related to the given electrical characteristic; and evaluating the joint state of the joint portion according to an amount of deviation of the evaluation value from the preset criterion.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2016Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Nobuyuki Kamihara, Toshio Abe
-
Patent number: 10571308Abstract: A correction apparatus for an angle sensor includes a correction processing unit, an indicator value generation unit, and a correction information determination unit. The correction processing unit performs correction processing on a plurality of detection signals to reduce an error of a detected angle value. The details of the correction processing are determined according to correction information. The indicator value generation unit generates, on the basis of the plurality of detection signals, an indicator value having a correspondence with the error of the detected angle value. The correction information determination unit generates an estimated indicator value using a function that takes one or more values each having a correspondence with the correction information as one or more variables, and determines the correction information by adaptive signal processing so as to reduce the difference between the indicator value and the estimated indicator value.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: TDK CORPORATIONInventor: Shinichirou Mochizuki
-
Patent number: 10574066Abstract: In one embodiment, an aircraft electronics system includes a hardware processor, a charge collection circuit to collect charge; a switching circuit controlled by the hardware processor to discharge the charge collected on the charge collection circuit through a bonding circuit formed from a chassis and a bonding surface; and a voltage measurement circuit to measure a voltage difference between measurement terminals across the chassis and the bonding surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.Inventor: Gary S. Froman
-
Patent number: 10557884Abstract: An optocoupler is placed in series between the field ground pin of digital input circuitry and the field ground of an industrial controller. A capacitor to field ground is provided for each digital input. A resistor is provided to the input pin of the digital input circuitry. To detect a broken wire a test pulse is provided to the optocoupler connected in the ground path. This test pulse isolates the digital input circuitry from field ground. As current is always being provided from the field when the wire is not broken, the capacitor connected between the input and ground charges. After the test pulse has completed, the output signal of the digital input circuitry is examined. If the level indicates the input is high, the wire is not broken. If, however, the output remains low indicating that the input is low, the wire has broken.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2017Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventor: Anant Shankar Kamath
-
Patent number: 10551442Abstract: In order to enable easy determination of whether a battery pack possessed by a user is one to be guaranteed or not and clearly differentiate an old battery pack from a new battery pack not to allow the old battery pack to be used in the field, when a battery diagnosis device determines that the battery pack is one to be guaranteed, information held by the diagnosed battery pack is written into a second battery pack different from the diagnosed battery pack.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: KOKI HOLDINGS CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuki Horie, Takao Aradachi, Kazuhiko Funabashi
-
Patent number: 10551336Abstract: There is provided a sensing device for measuring a level of an analyte. The sensing device includes a sensing element configured to sense the analyte and produce an electrical output which is variable based on the level of the analyte sensed, a measurement circuit including a reference element for providing an electrical property, the measurement circuit being connected to the sensing element and configured to provide a measurement output signal based on the electrical property of the reference element and the electrical output of the sensing element, whereby the measurement output signal indicates the level of the analyte sensed with respect to the electrical property of the reference element. There is also provided a corresponding method of fabricating the sensing device.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and ResearchInventors: Kok Leong Chang, Zi En Ooi, Jie Zhang
-
Patent number: 10553659Abstract: An array test apparatus includes a signal transmission unit which transmits a data signal to each of a plurality of data lines of a low-temperature polysilicon (“LTPS”) substrate, a signal measurement unit which measures the data signal of each of the data lines of the LTPS substrate, a timer which generates a horizontal period for setting a section in which the data signal is transmitted from the signal transmission unit to each of the data lines and a section in which the data signal output from each of the data lines is measured by the signal measurement unit, and a determination unit which determines whether each of the data lines of the LTPS substrate is normal based on the data signal measured by the signal measurement unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.Inventors: Joon Geol Kim, Si Joon Kim, Hee Seon Kim
-
Patent number: 10545109Abstract: A portable device includes first and second connectors capable of guiding an electromagnetic wave, a sample carrier installed between the first premier and second connectors and including a cavity housing a sample, an electronic module including an electromagnetic wave generator, and a processing system capable of analysing the electromagnetic wave exiting the second connector in order to deliver a first dielectric permittivity measurement and/or a second magnetic permeability measurement, a computer device including a control system capable of controlling the operation of the electronic module and of recovering each first or second measurement, and a portable container housing the first and second connectors, the sample carrier, the electronic module and the computer device.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2016Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS), UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE, ECOLE CENTRALE DE MARSEILLEInventor: Pierre Sabouroux
-
Patent number: 10539534Abstract: Methods for detection of pipe characteristics, such as defect detection of downhole tubulars and overall thickness estimation of downhole tubulars, utilizing remote-field eddy current technique. A defect detection method may further include disposing a defect detection tool in a wellbore, wherein the defect detection tool comprises a transmitter and a plurality of receivers, recording measurements for a plurality of channels, utilizing pre-calculated estimation curves corresponding to the plurality of channels at a plurality of defected candidates to obtain thicknesses corresponding to the plurality of channels at each defected candidate; and evaluating variations for the thicknesses by computing standard deviations between the thicknesses obtained for the plurality of channels at each defected candidates utilizing a minimum variation, and computing an overall thickness change using overall thickness estimations for the plurality of defected candidates.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2016Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.Inventors: Reza Khalaj Amineh, Luis Emilio San Martin, Burkay Donderici
-
Patent number: 10533854Abstract: A method for adjusting the resonance frequency of a loop filter in a delta-sigma modulator includes input of a filter input signal of a loop filter into a frequency adjustment circuit and determination of a noise spectrum of the filter input signal in a first frequency band and a second frequency band. The first frequency band and the second frequency band are arranged symmetrically around the predetermined frequency. The method includes comparison of the noise spectra and creation of an adjustment signal that leads to a frequency adjustment when the noise spectra deviate from one another. The method also includes feedback of the adjustment signal of the frequency adjustment circuit to a control input of the loop filter for setting the filter frequency in response to the comparative result.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2017Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat FreiburgInventors: Maximilian Marx, Daniel De Dorigo, Yiannos Manoli
-
Patent number: 10527647Abstract: Improved impedance matching is provided in vertical probe arrays having conductive guide plates by providing ground pins connecting the guide plates that do not mechanically touch the device under test or the input test apparatus. Such ground pins can be disposed in predetermined patterns around corresponding signal probes to improve an impedance match between the probes and the test apparatus and/or the device under test. Preferably all impedances are matched to 50? as is customary for high frequency work.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.Inventors: Benjamin N. Eldridge, Edin Sijercic, Eric Hill, John Ebner
-
Patent number: 10530241Abstract: A driver circuit for an electric device of an intrinsically safe circuit is provided, including a coupling capacitor configured to be open to AC voltage signals and to decouple DC voltage signals, the coupling capacitor includes first and second terminals, and is electrically connected to a first output line of the driver circuit by the first terminal; a first circuit configured to detect an output current of the coupling capacitor, which flows from the first terminal to the first output line; a switchable element electrically connected to the second terminal; a switching behaviour of the element being controllable by switching the element from an electrically blocking state to an electrically conductive state when the output current at the first terminal exceeds a predefined threshold, so that the element in the conductive state causes discharge of the coupling capacitor via the second terminal.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: VEGA Grieshaber KGInventors: Ralf Schaetzle, Albert Woehrle
-
Patent number: 10520415Abstract: A particulate matter detection element for detecting particulate matter in a gas to be measured includes flat-shaped conductor layers, flat-shaped insulating layers, a laminated structure in which the conductor layers and the insulating layers are alternately laminated, and a detecting unit having the conductor layers of different polarities as a pair of detection electrodes on a cross section of the laminated structure. The conductor layers each have a constant thickness, and include conductor layer planar portions having a stripped-pattern cross section, and tapered conductor layer end edge portions each having a triangular cross section, provided on both sides of the respective conductor layer planar portions.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2015Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiko Koike, Hirokatsu Imagawa
-
Patent number: 10509052Abstract: A test wafer having two spaced-apart accelerometers mounted thereon is disclosed. The accelerometers may be positioned at locations located along a common axis passing through the center of gravity of the test wafer. The test wafer may include a controller that may be used to transmit acceleration data collected by the accelerometers to another device. In some implementations, a semiconductor processing tool is provided that includes a test wafer receptacle for storing a test wafer that remains with the semiconductor processing tool and that may be retrieved by a wafer handling robot for performing a test cycle during periods when the wafer handling robot is not performing substrate transport operations.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Peter S. Thaulad, Arulselvam Simon Jeyapalan, Richard M. Blank, Tyson Lee Ringold, Victor Eduardo Espinosa, III
-
Patent number: 10502662Abstract: A method of examining a wheel or rim on site is provided using an eddy current array probe in electronic communication with a computer, the computer having a processor and a memory, the memory to provide instructions to the processor. The method involves standardizing the eddy current array probe with a reference standard, adjusting the eddy current array probe with a lift off screw to provide a suitable distance between the probe and a surface of the wheel or rim, scanning the wheel or rim with an alternating current, sending a data set to the computer, the computer analyzing the data set, and the computer displaying a three-dimensional image of the data set on a user interface. This method is particularly developed for off road vehicles at mining sites or any off road vehicle wheels and rims.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: OTR RIM CERTIFICATON, INC.Inventors: Thomas Shumka, Jason Shumka
-
Patent number: 10495668Abstract: An evaluation apparatus for a semiconductor device includes: a chuck stage that has a surface on which a plurality of probe holes are formed and sucks a semiconductor device; and a plurality of in-chuck probes that have first ends which are inserted into the respective probe holes, and second ends which protrude from the surface of the chuck stage, and come into contact with an arrangement surface of the semiconductor device arranged in the chuck stage, wherein a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of at least one of the in-chuck probes is different from a height protruding from the surface of the chuck stage of the other in-chuck probe.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2016Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Takaya Noguchi, Akira Okada