Patents Examined by Xin Y Zhong
  • Patent number: 11561207
    Abstract: A device including a reservoir filled with fluid, a frame, and a resilient rolling seal to prevent the fluid from reservoir from escaping, even while the device is moved along a surface. The purpose of this device is to deploy a sensor which is housed within the reservoir. The device is thus capable of maintaining a reservoir of fluid around a sensor or probe and allow the sensor or probe to remain immersed in the fluid, while also remaining in contact with the surface in which the device is moved along. The sensor preferably resides in a fluid couplant of the device. Because the fluid and the sensor reside in the reservoir and because that reservoir is effectively sealed, there is very little loss of fluid, and the amount of fluid needed to conduct testing is dramatically decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventor: Sam Maggio
  • Patent number: 11519726
    Abstract: Couplers for selectively coupling in-plane and out-of-plane motion between moving masses are provided herein. In particular, aspects of the present application provide for a coupler configured to couple in-plane motion between moving masses while decoupling out-of-plane motion between the moving masses. The selective couplers as described herein may be used in a device, such as a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensor. In some embodiments, a MEMS inertial sensor comprises a first mass configured to move in-plane, a second mass configured to move in-plane and out-of-plane, and a coupler coupling the first and second masses and comprising two levers coupled to an anchor point by respective tethers and coupled to each other by a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Gregory, Laura Cornelia Popa
  • Patent number: 11513037
    Abstract: The concepts herein relate to a device for collecting, transferring and storing samples of biological and/or chemical material. The device includes a support body extending along a main longitudinal direction between a first and a second end opposite each other and a collecting portion engaged with one of said ends of the support body and suitable for collecting an amount of a sample of biological and/or chemical material. The support body is defined by at least a first sub-body and a second sub-body extending longitudinally and configured to be selectively engaged and separated with and from each other. The support body is configured to operate between an assembled condition, wherein the first and the second sub-body are engaged with each other, and a separated condition, wherein the first and the second sub-body are separated and bear, respectively, a first and a second sub-collecting portion of the collecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Copan Italia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Caragiuli, Giorgio Martello, Andrea Taini
  • Patent number: 11506635
    Abstract: An ultrasonic quality control as disclosed can inspect a quality of a piece and classify the piece automatically. The piece can be scanned, and an image formed from the scanning. A reference piece is also scanned, and a reference image is formed. A negative image of the reference image is formed, and an indication image is created by utilizing the image and the negative image. The indication image is filtered by utilizing several image filters, each image filter filtering all data of the indication image except an image filter specific indication level data. Further several indication levels data are provided from the image filter specific indication level data, and the piece can be classified utilizing the several indication levels data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: WÄRTSILÄ FINLAND OY
    Inventor: Toni Hakkarainen
  • Patent number: 11486860
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus comprises a chassis position/attitude estimator to estimate position/attitude information of a moving body and generate a chassis position/attitude estimation signal, a hammering tester hammer part error signal generator to generate a hammering tester hammer part error signal, a hammering tester hammer part position/attitude signal generator to generate a hammering tester hammer part position/attitude signal, a first sensor data frequency characteristic interpolator to generate a first sensor data frequency characteristic interpolation signal from the received chassis position/attitude estimation signal, a second sensor data frequency characteristic interpolator to generate a second sensor data frequency characteristic interpolation signal from the received hammering tester hammer part error signal and the received hammering tester hammer part position/attitude signal, and a hammering tester hammer part position/attitude estimator to generate a hammering tester hammer part position/att
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Yamashita, Michitaro Shozawa, Satoshi Aoki
  • Patent number: 11480550
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the non-destructive mapping of a component, in order to determine an elongation direction of the elongate microstructure of the component at at least one point of interest, characterised in that it comprises at least two successive intensity measurement steps comprising the following steps: a sub-step of rotating a linear transducer into a plurality of angular positions, said linear transducer comprising a plurality of transducer elements, a sub-step of emitting a plurality of elementary ultrasonic beams at each angular position, a sub-step of measuring a plurality of backscattered signals resulting from the backscattering of the elementary ultrasonic beams by said elongate microstructure, the intensity measurement steps making it possible to obtain two series of intensities measured according to two axes of rotation, and in that the method comprises a step of combining the measured series of intensities so as to determine the elongation direction of the microstructure at s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, SAFRAN
    Inventors: Aurelien Baelde, Frederic Jenson, Claire Prada
  • Patent number: 11474083
    Abstract: A method for performing metrology qualification of a non-destructive inspection (NDI) ultrasonic system includes performing, by the NDI ultrasonic system, an ultrasonic scanning operation on a calibration coupon. The ultrasonic scanning operation generates a scan signal. The method also includes superimposing a time-domain qualification mask on the scan signal and determining whether the scan signal is within the time-domain qualification mask. The method also includes validating a porosity sensitivity of the NDI ultrasonic system using a frequency-domain qualification mask. The method additionally includes qualifying the NDI ultrasonic system in response to the scan signal being within the time-domain qualification mask for a portion of the calibration coupon without a defect and the scan signal being above the time-domain qualification mask for another portion of the calibration coupon including the defect, and the porosity sensitivity of the NDI ultrasonic system being validated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: David Michael Gayle
  • Patent number: 11448620
    Abstract: A system comprising a motorized scanner, a magnetostrictive EMAT sensor, and a mechanism to pressure-couple the sensor against the structure that is going to be ultrasonically inspected. The magnetostrictive EMAT sensor includes a magnet or magnets to provide a biasing field, an EMAT RF coil or coils to generate the RF field, a magnetostrictive strip under the coil or coils where the ultrasound is generated. Different magnet and coil configurations can be used to generate guided waves, such as shear horizontal and lamb waves, or bulk waves at different angles. The motorized scanner moves the sensor on the structure and stops at the desired inspection locations based on position readings. Once in position, a built-in device applies downward pressure on the sensor to pressure couple the magnetostrictive strip against the structure so the ultrasound can propagate within this structure and ultrasonic readings can be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventor: Borja Lopez Jauregui
  • Patent number: 11435250
    Abstract: The device comprises a case body comprising a base body provided with a chamber for measuring the fluid and an electrical connector body, assembled to delimit together a housing internal to the case body, a detection element, an intermediate part for positioning the detection element including a transverse space for receiving the detection element and an environment gasket for sealing the internal housing with respect to the external environment. The part and the connector are shaped to cooperate by nesting in order to ensure a relative positioning of the part relative to the connector body and in a nested position, the part and the connector delimit together an external peripheral groove configured to receive the environment gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: AKWEL
    Inventor: Marco Martino Spanevello
  • Patent number: 11415416
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a multiaxis gyroscope comprising a first proof mass quartet centered around a first quartet center point and a second proof mass quartet centered around a second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of each proof mass in the first proof mass quartet in relation to the first quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the corresponding proof mass in the second proof mass quartet in relation to the second quartet center point. The phase of the primary oscillation of the first and second proof masses in each proof mass quartet in relation to the corresponding quartet center point is anti-phase in relation to the phase of the primary oscillation of the third and fourth proof masses in the same proof mass quartet in relation to the same quartet center point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heikki Kuisma, Anssi Blomqvist, Ville-Pekka Rytkönen
  • Patent number: 11413911
    Abstract: A method for determining the position of a radial acceleration sensor of a wheel of a motor vehicle, including: acquiring, by the sensor, signals Si which are acquired during a predetermined time window Wi when the vehicle is in motion, the windows Wi being different from one another; detecting, for each time window Wi, local extrema of the signal Si; determining, for each time window Wi, a frequency Fi of the rotation of the wheel of the vehicle as a function of the phase values and of the detection instants for the local extrema detected; filtering of the signals Si, so as to obtain, for each time window Wi, a filtered value Zi; and determining the radial distance Rc between the radial acceleration sensor and the axis of rotation of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Nicolas Guinart, Sébastien Plancke, Jean-Philippe Boisset
  • Patent number: 11415561
    Abstract: A method for detecting a malfunction of an acoustic sensor coupled to an electrochemical generator includes applying an electrical signal at a given frequency and a given amplitude, termed the signal frequency and signal amplitude; measuring, by the acoustic sensor, an acoustic signal emitted by the electrochemical generator in response to the application of the electrical signal; and, when the amplitude of the acoustic signal is below a predetermined threshold value, and detecting a malfunction of the acoustic sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES, INSTITUT POLYTECHNIQUE DE GRENOBLE
    Inventors: Nicolas Guillet, Mélanie Alias, Florence Degret
  • Patent number: 11415564
    Abstract: A breath alcohol device calibration system includes a computerized calibration module operable to calibrate a breath alcohol device, and an interface operable to couple the breath alcohol device to a remote server. The interface uses a connection employing a cryptographic function such that data stored on the breath alcohol device can be securely transferred from the breath alcohol device to the remote server using the calibration system. The interface is further operable to transfer data stored on the breath alcohol device from the breath alcohol device to the remote server directly without storing the data in nonvolatile storage on the calibration station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Consumer Safety Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Edward DeVries, Scott Ruland
  • Patent number: 11406869
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a crank arm-mounted power meter includes receiving an angle measurement from a first sensor disposed on a crank arm, the angle measurement corresponding to an angular orientation of the crank arm. A predicted load measurement is then calculated based on the angle measurement and weight data for the crank assembly including the crank arm and stored in memory. A load measurement corresponding to a load on the crank arm is obtained and a zero offset value is then calculated by determining a difference between the predicted load measurement and the load measurement. Power calculation logic for determining power applied to the crank arm is then updated using the zero offset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Foundation Fitness, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Golesh, Donald A. Warbritton, IV
  • Patent number: 11408912
    Abstract: An optomechanical device for producing and detecting optical signals comprising a proof mass assembly, one or more laser devices, and a circuit. The one or more laser devices are configured to generate a first optical signal and a second optical signal. The circuit is configured to modulate, with an electro-optic modulator (EOM), the second optical signal, output the first optical signal and the second optical signal to the proof mass assembly, generate a filtered optical signal corresponding to a response by the proof mass assembly to the first optical signal without the second optical signal, and generate an electrical signal based on the filtered optical signal, wherein the EOM modulates the second optical signal based on the electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Dorr, Chad Fertig, Arthur Savchenko, Steven Tin, Neil Krueger
  • Patent number: 11397083
    Abstract: Gyroscope data can be used to generate upsampled signal. Multiple mobile devices are spaced apart from each other in a spatial arrangement. Each mobile device includes a gyroscope sensor to detect mechanical vibrations caused by signals originating within a vicinity of a mobile device that includes the gyroscope sensor. Each mobile device includes one or more respective processors to receive representations of the mechanical vibrations sensed by the gyroscope sensor at a sampling frequency, and transmit the representations received at the sampling frequency as a respective vibration signal associated with sampling times. The signal processor is coupled to the multiple mobile devices. The signal processor generates a processed upsampled signal by interleaving the vibration signal received from each mobile device and processing the interleaved signal using one or more machine learning filters, and transmitting the processed upsampled signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: IRONWOOD CYBER INC.
    Inventors: Eric C. Larson, Mitchell Thornton, Ian Johnson, Travis Siems, Erik Gabrielsen
  • Patent number: 11377346
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-accuracy low-noise MEMS accelerometer by using a larger, single proof mass to measure acceleration along two orthogonal axes. A novel arrangement of electrodes passively prevents cross axis error in the acceleration measurements. Novel arrangements of springs and a novel proof mass layout provide further noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hannu Vesterinen, Ville-Pekka Rytkönen, Anssi Blomqvist
  • Patent number: 11377949
    Abstract: Multiphase flow metering is provided. In one possible implementation, a multiphase flow measurement system includes at least one reference temperature sensor at a first position configured to measure a first temperature of a multiphase flow. The multiphase flow measurement system also includes at least one heated temperature sensor at a second position downstream of the reference temperature sensor configured to excite the multiphase flow and measure a second temperature of the multiphase flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mustapha Abbad, Dominic Joseph Brady, Patrice Ligneul, Stephen Dyer
  • Patent number: 11340066
    Abstract: A sensor detects tilt and/or accelerations simultaneously and in a plurality of directions. The exemplary sensor comprises a magnet which is allowed to move in multiple directions within a space about which a plurality of Hall-effect sensors are arrayed. The magnet is mounted by a plurality of springs which limit the displacement of the magnet to the space within the circle of sensors. Continuous signals from the sensors change in response to a changing position of the magnet. These signals are evaluated by an artificial neural network (ANN) taught using validated tilt sensors. Angle and acceleration values are cleaned from vibration values using a Kalman filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Majid Nour, Hatem Sindi, Nihat Daldal, Kemal Polat
  • Patent number: 11340196
    Abstract: A crack detection device performs online identification of the occurrence and propagation of a crack in the surface of the barrel portion of a rolling roll. A rolling roll is provided with the crack detection function without any substantial modification of the rolling device and without any continuous disposition of multiple sensors in the rolling roll. The detection device is incorporated in a rolling device having a barrel portion and shaft portions extending as a unit from both ends of the barrel portion and includes the rolling roll where an AE sensor detecting elastic waves generated on a surface of the barrel portion and a calculation unit calculating a feature value of the elastic waves detected by the AE sensor are disposed in at least one of the shaft portions and a discrimination unit discriminating, from the feature value, elastic waves attributable to a crack occurring in the barrel surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keishi Sato, Masahiko Ohshima, Toshiyuki Hattori, Tomohisa Hemmi, Masaaki Tsuji