Abstract: A micromachined magnetometer is built from a rotatable micromachined structure on which is deposited a ferromagnetic material magnetized along an axis parallel to the substrate. A structure rotatable about the Z-axis can be used to detect external magnetic fields along the X-axis or the Y-axis, depending on the orientation of the magnetic moment of the ferromagnetic material. A structure rotatable about the X-axis or the Y-axis can be used to detect external magnetic fields along the Z-axis. By combining two or three of these structures, a dual-axis or three-axis magnetometer is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for measuring the value of a parameter relating to an electrically conductive object. Such a parameter can be the electric conductivity or the degree in which the material has changed under the influence of external conditions. Alternatively the parameter is the quality of a weld or the thickness of the object.

Abstract: The present invention relate to a device for the non-destructive evaluation of such structures and components as are in service and which are intended to continue in use for an extended period during which time a number of defects such as residual stress, fatigue, creep or the formation of magnetic phase in non-ferromagnetic steel can develop; in addition to its primary purpose of detecting and/or determining the stated defects in-service steel structures or components, the device of the present invention also possesses the advantage that it can be applied for the sorting and classification of steels of different compositions according to the results of defects detected.

Abstract: A boring tool is moved through the ground in a region which includes at least one electrically conductive in-ground line and which is subject to static magnetic fields including the magnetic field of the earth.

Abstract: An analog angle encoder having a simply constructed magnet assembly, wherein rotation of a magnetic field relative to a magnetosensitive device provides a varying output of the magnetosensitive device that varies sinusoidally with the angle of relative rotation. The simply constructed magnet assembly is of a closed-path geometry composed of a single piece of magnetic material wherein only a first portion thereof is magnetized for providing the aforesaid magnetic field for the sensor. The remaining portion of the magnet material (the second portion) remains unmagnetized and does not substantially influence the magnetic field produced by the first portion any more than, for example, air would cause.

Abstract: This invention is a system that tracks the 3-dimensional position and orientation of one or more bodies (20) in a volume by a light based as well as at least one non-light based mensuration sub-system. This overcomes the limitation of light based mensuration systems to the necessity of the bodies (20) to be in constant line-of-sight of its light based position sensors (26). The invention possesses most of the accuracy and stability of its light based position measurement sub-system (24, 26, 72), but can also work without direct line of sight either for short periods of time or within certain parts of the volume. It does so by incorporating other sensors (31, 34), such as inertial or magnetic, which are frequently recalibrated against the light based sub-system (24, 26, 72) while the bodies (20) are visible by the light based sub-system (24, 26, 72).

Abstract: A method of precision calibration of magnification of scanning microscopes with the use of a test diffraction grating includes positioning and orientation of a test object on a stage of microscope so that strips of a test diffraction grating are perpendicular to a direction along which a calibration is performed, scanning of a selected portion of the test object along axes X and Y, measuring values of a signal S versus on coordinates x and y in a plane of scanning and storing of the values S (x, y) in a digital form as a two-dimensional digital array, transforming the two-dimensional array of signals S(x, y) into a two-dimensional array S (u, v) by turning of the axes so that a direction of a new axis u is perpendicular to the strips of the grating and a direction of a new axis v coincides with the strips of the grating, line-by-line mathematical processing of the array S(u) including for each line approximating of an array of discrete values S(u, v) with a periodical analytical function determining a pitch o

Abstract: This ring speed detector is constructed of a magnetic sensor and a magnetic ring and is integrated with the inside of a seal device. The magnetic ring constitutes a part (core bar) of the seal device. This arrangement can enable the compacting and reduction in the number of components and improve space saving and assembling workability.

Abstract: A method for surface estimation of reservoir properties, wherein location of and average earth resistivities above, below, and horizontally adjacent to the subsurface geologic formation are first determined using geological and geophysical data in the vicinity of the subsurface geologic formation. Then dimensions and probing frequency for an electromagnetic source are determined to substantially maximize transmitted vertical and horizontal electric currents at the subsurface geologic formation, using the location and the average earth resistivities. Next, the electromagnetic source is activated at or near surface, approximately centered above the subsurface geologic formation and a plurality of components of electromagnetic response is measured with a receiver array. Geometrical and electrical parameter constraints are determined, using the geological and geophysical data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for induction logging of electrical properties of earth formations that operates at low frequencies while remaining resistant to skin effect and maintaining mutual balancing. The apparatus includes a plurality of transmitter coils that are at a plurality of distances from a measure point located at an end of the apparatus, and a receiver coil array coupled to receive induced voltages resulting from currents induced in the earth formations by one or more transmitters of the plurality of transmitter coils, wherein the common measure point is located within the receiver coil array, and wherein one or more of the plurality of distances from the measure point are determined according to a function of one or more frequencies associated with one or more transmitters of the plurality of transmitters. According to an embodiment, the function includes determining the distance that is inversely proportional to a square root of the frequency associated with the one or transmitter.

Abstract: According to this invention, a magnetic sensor (1) for measuring a magnetic field distribution of a measurement target S by using a SQUID (2) is characterized by including a storing portion (10) with an interior held in a vacuum state to store the SQUID (2), and a substantially needle-like flux introducing member (30) made of a high-permeability material to guide a magnetic flux from the measurement target (S) to the SQUID (2), wherein the flux introducing member (30) has one end (30a) located in the storing portion (10) to be away from the SQUID (2) and the other end (30b) located outside the storing portion (10).

Abstract: An apparatus for obtaining resistivity images of a borehole having an oil-based mud includes a rotating measure electrode on a measurement-while-drilling apparatus. A modulated measure current is capacitively coupled to the formation through the nonconducting mud. The electrode may be carried on a stabilizer of the drilling assembly. An extendable arm may be used to maintain a desired distance between the electrode and the formation.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for sensing when a rail member (48) of a vehicle seat (12) is located in a reference position relative to a seat bracket (30) of the vehicle seat (12) comprises a magnetic sensor (76) for generating a magnetic field and for sensing a flux density of the magnetic field. The apparatus (10) further comprises a cover (86) for enclosing the magnetic sensor (76). The cover (86), when in a first position, forms a zone for preventing the flux density from increasing above a threshold level. The cover (86) is moved into a second position when the rail member (48) is located in the reference position relative to the seat bracket (30). In the second position, the flux density is increased above the threshold level.

Abstract: A displacement transducer in which relative displacement between a magnet and a Hall junction is sensed. Magnetic flux from the magnet is linked to the Hall junction in a direction perpendicular to the flow of current through the Hall junction. Relative displacement between the magnet and the Hall junction causes a change in the magnetic flux linked to the Hall junction which in turn causes a change in transverse voltage across the Hall junction. A signal representative of this voltage change is output from the transducer. The transducer may be part of a NEMS or MEMS.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for measuring thickness and deviations from the thickness of thin conductive coatings on various substrates, e.g., metal coating films in semiconductor wafer or hard drive disks. The thickness films may be as small as fractions of microns. The apparatus consists of an inductive sensor and a proximity sensor, which are rigidly interconnected though a piezo-actuator used for displacements of the inductive sensor with respect to the surface of the object being measured. Based on the results of the operation of the proximity sensor, the inductive sensor is maintained at a constant distance from the controlled surface. Variations in the thickness of the coating film and in the distance between the inductive sensor and the coating film change the current in the inductive coil of the sensor.

Abstract: An above ground locator includes an apparatus for determining the strength of the locating signal at a selected point relative to the boring tool. The apparatus includes an antenna arrangement configured for measuring the strength of the locating signal at the selected point along first and second orthogonally opposed receiving axes to produce first and second received signals. A phase shifting arrangement phase shifts the first and second received signals in a predetermined way to generate first and second phase shifted signals, respectively. Thereafter, a summing arrangement adds the first and second phase shifted received signals to generate an output signal which is a vector sum of the first and second received signals. In one feature, third and fourth signals derived from the first and second signals are used to eliminate balance point ambiguity which is present using the first and second signals alone.

Abstract: A universal electronics system has a body adapted to be removably mounted at the muzzle end of the barrel of almost any paintball marker. A pair of spaced detector units signal the time it takes for a paintball to pass through a portion of the body. A muzzle velocity calculating device converts the detector signals to a muzzle velocity, which is displayed on a display screen. The universal electronics system may further comprise a ball counter, a player counter, a clock, a chronometer that records elapsed time, a timer for recording time remaining in a game, and a thermometer. All of the data can be displayed on the display screen.

Abstract: An InxGa1−xAsySb1−y (0<x≦1, 0≦y≦1) thin film of an electron concentration of 2×1016/cm3 or more is formed on a dielectric substrate. Temperature dependence of resistance is controlled by composition setting or donor atom doping of the thin film to reduce the temperature dependence. As a result, a magnetic sensor of small temperature dependence of device resistance and high sensitivity can be provided.

Abstract: In a travel measuring instrument (10), a magnet (11) which is polarized in the movement direction (R) is disposed against a flux conducting part (12). The flux conducting part (12) has a surface (13), which is inclined and is embodied as oval, which is disposed opposite a magnetic field sensitive element (15) with an air gap (L1). When there is movement, the air gap (L1) changes so that the magnetic field sensitive element (15) generates an output signal proportional or linear to the movement direction R of the component to be monitored.

Abstract: A plane magnetic sensor or a plane magnetic sensor for a multidimensional magnetic field analysis which can measure a magnetic field ever a wide area in a short time is provided. A plane magnetic sensor 10 according to the present invention comprises a sensing layer 11 made of a magnetoresistance effect film formed in a planar state with an arbitrary size, to pass a current therethrough due to a tunneling effect only when voltage reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, and to change its resistance value to show a giant magnetoresistance effect when directions of magnetization of magnetic fine particles change according to the strength of a magnetic field, and conductor layers 12, 13 laminated on respective surfaces of the magnetoresistance effect film and are made of a plurality of line conductor films 12a, 13a formed in linear shapes along directions of the respective surfaces with predetermined intervals therebetween.