Patents by Inventor Michael McTigue

Michael McTigue 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).

  • Publication number: 20070222468
    Abstract: A probing system for use with a measurement device has a probe head substrate shaped to form dual cantilever members, a resistive element disposed on each cantilever member and connected to respective signal contact elements. Each resistive element is electrically connected to center conductors of respective probe cables, which are adapted for connection to the measurement device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20070115010
    Abstract: A probing system has a probing accessory for electrically connecting to a complementary probe accessory connected to a test point where the probing accessory captures and releases the complementary probe accessory by application of only tensile forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: Michael McTigue, James Cannon
  • Publication number: 20070063715
    Abstract: A probe head provides an electrical signal to a receiving device. The probe head has a probe tip and a signal-ground transport element and the signal-ground transport element is configured to provide inherent spring properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: James Cannon, Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20070063714
    Abstract: A probe head provides an electrical signal to a receiving device. The probe head has a probe tip and a signal-ground transport element and the signal-ground transport element is configured to provide inherent spring properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20070057682
    Abstract: A probe includes a probe head adapted to connect to and disconnect from a target. An apparatus includes a plurality of connection assemblies over a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20060250744
    Abstract: ESD events on a hybrid circuit are suppressed with a high performance spark gap cut in a metal trace with a suitable laser micro machining technique. The trace can be carried by a conventional printed circuit board (using FR4), or a ceramic substrate. Gap size is reduced by flushing the cut with a flow of gas that removes the vaporized copper and prevents it from re-depositing upon the cut surfaces and bridging them. The gap can be as narrow as 0.4 mils (0.0004 inches) and can have very well defined features that include sharp corners that assist in lowering the breakdown voltage. In addition, dielectric material below and off to either side of the trace that would otherwise adjoin the metallic gap can also be removed, which lowers breakdown voltage and decreases capacitance across the gap. Breakdown voltages as low as 300 V can be achieved. Such a spark gap is used at the probe tip of an active oscilloscope probe to protect the delicate circuitry therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Michael McTigue, James Cannon
  • Publication number: 20060061348
    Abstract: Unitized probe tip assemblies of reduced size for a micro-browser use surface mount components in an isolation/coupling network that may include a parallel RC combination in series with a damping resistor. These surface mount components are soldered directly to one another without the use of a substrate. A pointed contact tip is soldered directly to one end of the surface mount components, and at the other end of those components is soldered the center conductor of a coaxial transmission line leading to a replication amplifier. A portion of the isolation/coupling network is enclosed within a supporting conductive shield that is also soldered to the outer conductive shield of the coaxial cable, which may be a semi-rigid micro coax (which might also be of a memory metal, such as Nitinol) that transitions into a flexible coaxial cable after leaving a slot in a sleeve that carries stationary and rotating rods (which might also be of a memory metal) to which the unitized probe tip assemblies are attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: James Cannon, Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20050251352
    Abstract: Offset adjustments for both differential and single-ended measurements are accomplished in the same probe or system. Different variable offsets are provided for the positive and negative inputs of a differential amplifier, and a variable offset adjustment is provided to remove differential amplifier output offset. Common mode and reduced dynamic range problems for both differential and single-ended measurements are eliminated. All or desired portions of required functions may be implemented using discrete or DSP approaches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20050237078
    Abstract: A micro-browser has pair of rods each rod entering a corresponding bore in a sleeve that retains them, and that may itself be carried by a grip shaped to be rotated between a thumb and a finger. The edge of a small circuit board is soldered at the distal end of the rod. One of the rods is allowed to rotate within its bore in the sleeve, while the other is held stationary by a notch in the sleeve. The rotatable rod has a captive spring that resists the force of probe contact. Each board carries a coupling network connected to a short sharp probe tip bent downward away from the plane of its board, allowing the distance between the probe tips to be a function of the amount of rotation. The other end of each coupling network is coupled to a short length of a respective 50? coaxial cable that passes through an axial slot in the grip to enter an amplifier pod that drives a main cable leading to test equipment. The rods may be held within the bores by friction created by slight bends in the rods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: James Cannon, David Dascher, Michael McTigue, Stuart Hall
  • Publication number: 20050114047
    Abstract: Offset adjustments for both differential and single-ended measurements are accomplished in the same probe or system. Different variable offsets are provided for the positive and negative inputs of a differential amplifier, and a variable offset adjustment is provided to remove differential amplifier output offset. Common mode and reduced dynamic range problems for both differential and single-ended measurements are eliminated. All or desired portions of required functions may be implemented using discrete or DSP approaches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Patent number: 6828768
    Abstract: Systems and methods for wideband differential probing of variably spaced probe points are provided. One such embodiment includes a probe housing at least partially surrounding a first probe barrel and a second probe barrel. A first probe barrel end cap and a second probe barrel end cap extend respectively from the first and second probe barrels and also at least partially surround respectively a first probe tip and a second probe tip. The longitudinal axes of the first and second probe tips are offset respectively from the longitudinal axes of the first and second probe barrels. Methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael McTigue
  • Publication number: 20030193341
    Abstract: Systems and methods for wideband differential probing of variably spaced probe points are provided. One such embodiment includes a probe housing at least partially surrounding a first probe barrel and a second probe barrel. A first probe barrel end cap and a second probe barrel end cap extend respectively from the first and second probe barrels and also at least partially surround respectively a first probe tip and a second probe tip. The longitudinal axes of the first and second probe tips are offset respectively from the longitudinal axes of the first and second probe barrels. Methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventor: Michael McTigue