Patents by Inventor Glenn A. Forrest

Glenn A. Forrest 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).

  • Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit
    Patent number: 7085119
    Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Bilotti, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig
  • Proximity detector
    Patent number: 6693419
    Abstract: A proximity detector includes an offset circuit for bringing at least one of a magnetic field signal and a tracking signal towards the other one of the magnetic field signal and the tracking signal when the detector output signal changes state. A magnetic field-to-voltage transducer provides the magnetic field signal indicative of an ambient magnetic field and a peak detector responsive to the magnetic field signal provides the tracking signal which substantially follows the magnetic field signal. A comparator generates the detector output signal which changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the tracking signal by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason T. Stauth, P. Karl Scheller, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig, Jay M. Towne
  • Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit
    Publication number: 20040027772
    Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Alberto Bilotti, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig
  • Proximity detector
    Publication number: 20030222637
    Abstract: A proximity detector includes an offset circuit for bringing at least one of a magnetic field signal and a tracking signal towards the other one of the magnetic field signal and the tracking signal when the detector output signal changes state. A magnetic field-to-voltage transducer provides the magnetic field signal indicative of an ambient magnetic field and a peak detector responsive to the magnetic field signal provides the tracking signal which substantially follows the magnetic field signal. A comparator generates the detector output signal which changes state when the magnetic field signal varies from the tracking signal by a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Jason T. Stauth, P. Karl Scheller, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig, Jay M. Towne
  • Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit
    Patent number: 6622012
    Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Bilotti, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig
  • Detection of passing magnetic articles while adapting the detection threshold
    Patent number: 6525531
    Abstract: A method for detection of passing magnetic articles which includes an initial step of sensing an ambient magnetic field and generating a voltage, Vsig, proportional to the magnetic field. A threshold voltage is generated as a percentage of the peak-to-peak voltage of Vsig. The method further includes the step of generating a detector output voltage that becomes one binary level when Vsig rises to exceed the threshold voltage and another binary level when Vsig falls to below the threshold voltage. The threshold voltage is updated to track the positive and negative peaks of the Vsig voltage upon each transition of the Vout voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Allegro, Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Glenn A. Forrest, P. Karl Scheller
  • Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit
    Publication number: 20020068533
    Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Alberto Bilotti, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig
  • Magnetic pole insensitive switch circuit
    Patent number: 6356741
    Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alberto Bilotti, Glenn A. Forrest, Ravi Vig
  • Detection of passing magnetic articles while adapting the detection threshold
    Publication number: 20010033159
    Abstract: A method for detection of passing magnetic articles which includes an initial step of sensing an ambient magnetic field and generating a voltage, Vsig, proportional to the magnetic field. A threshold voltage is generated as a percentage of the peak-to-peak voltage of Vsig. The method further includes the step of generating a detector output voltage that becomes one binary level when Vsig rises to exceed the threshold voltage and another binary level when Vsig falls to below the threshold voltage. The threshold voltage is updated to track the positive and negative peaks of the Vsig voltage upon each transition of the Vout voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Glenn A. Forrest, P. Karl Scheller
  • Detection of passing magnetic articles while adapting the detection threshold
    Patent number: 6242908
    Abstract: A method for detection of passing magnetic articles which includes an initial step of sensing an ambient magnetic field and generating a voltage, Vsig, proportional to the magnetic field. A threshold voltage is generated as a percentage of the peak-to-peak voltage of Vsig. The method further includes the step of generating a detector output voltage that becomes one binary level when Vsig rises to exceed the threshold voltage and another binary level when Vsig falls to below the threshold voltage. The threshold voltage is updated to track the positive and negative peaks of the Vsig voltage and is further updated by a predetermined amount upon each transition of the Vout voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Allegro Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: P. Karl Scheller, Glenn A. Forrest