Patents by Inventor Alexander W. McKinnon

Alexander W. McKinnon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7030782
    Abstract: A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Synaptics (UK) Limited
    Inventors: David T. E. Ely, Ross P. Jones, James M. C. England, Alexander W. McKinnon, Robert M. Pettigrew, Andrew N. Dames, Andrew R. L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20040169594
    Abstract: A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: SYNAPTICS (UK) LIMITED
    Inventors: David T.E. Ely, Ross P. Jones, James M.C. England, Alexander W. McKinnon, Robert M. Pettigrew, Andrew N. Dames, Andrew R.L. Howe
  • Publication number: 20030062889
    Abstract: A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Synaptics (UK) Limited
    Inventors: David T.E. Ely, Ross P. Jones, James M.C. England, Alexander W. McKinnon, Robert M. Pettigrew, Andrew N. Dames, Andrew R.L. Howe
  • Patent number: 6489899
    Abstract: A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Synaptics (UK) Limited
    Inventors: David T. E. Ely, Ross P. Jones, James M. C. England, Alexander W. McKinnon, Robert M. Pettigrew, Andrew N. Dames, Andrew R. L. Howe
  • Patent number: 6249234
    Abstract: A position detector is provided for detecting the relative movement of first and second members which are mounted for relative movement along a measuring path. One of the members comprises a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and the other member comprises first and second conductors which are inductively coupled to said magnetic field generator. The arrangement of the first and second conductors and the magnetic field generator is such that output signals are generated in a first and second receive circuits whose position varies with the relative movement between the two members. In addition to carrying information relating to the relative position between the two members, the signals induced in the receive circuits also comprise information defining the relative orientation of the two movable members, and by suitable processing of the received signals the relative orientation of the two members can also be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Absolute Sensors Limited
    Inventors: David T. E. Ely, Ross P. Jones, James M. C. England, Alexander W. McKinnon, Robert M. Pettigrew, Andrew N. Dames, Andrew R. L. Howe