Patents by Inventor Paul Wilcox

Paul Wilcox 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: 11927568
    Abstract: A wireless ultrasound sensor 404 for non-destructive testing of a test object 502, the sensor comprising: an ultrasound transducer 406; a first induction coil 408, electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer; a second induction coil 414, electrically coupled in parallel with the first induction coil; wherein the first and second induction coils are arranged to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device 504; and wherein the diameter of the second induction coil is greater than the diameter of the first induction coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
    Inventors: Cheng Huan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: 11883844
    Abstract: A multi-frequency wireless sensor for non-destructive testing of a test object, the sensor comprising: an ultrasound transducer having a plurality of operating frequencies; a first induction coil electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer; a second induction coil; and a capacitance, connected in parallel with the second induction coil, such that the wireless sensor can operate at a first operating frequency or a second operating frequency when the sensor is excited by a remote device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: INDUCTOSENE LIMITED
    Inventors: Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox, Chenghuan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20220011273
    Abstract: A wireless ultrasound sensor 404 for non-destructive testing of a test object 502, the sensor comprising: an ultrasound transducer 406; a first induction coil 408, electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer; a second induction coil 414, electrically coupled in parallel with the first induction coil; wherein the first and second induction coils are arranged to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device 504; and wherein the diameter of the second induction coil is greater than the diameter of the first induction coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
    Inventors: Cheng Huan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: 11150221
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor system which can detect a thickness reduction, a crack, or the like of a pipe or a container covered with a thick coating member through ultrasonic inspection without attachment and detachment of the coating member. A sensor system used for nondestructive inspection includes a sensor attached to a surface of an inspection target, a sensor coil that is electrically connected to the sensor via a first cable, a first electromagnetic wave blocking member that is disposed between the surface of the inspection target and the sensor coil, a sensor side coil that is disposed to face the sensor coil with a gap and is coupled to the sensor coil through electromagnetic induction, and a probe side coil that is disposed to be separated from the sensor side coil and is electrically connected to the sensor side coil via a second cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: Inductosense Limited, University of Bristol, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinori Tamura, Satoshi Kanno, Paul Wilcox, Anthony Croxford, Chenghuan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20210237120
    Abstract: A multi-frequency wireless sensor for non-destructive testing of a test object, the sensor comprising: an ultrasound transducer having a plurality of operating frequencies; a first induction coil electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer; a second induction coil; and a capacitance, connected in parallel with the second induction coil, such that the wireless sensor can operate at a first operating frequency or a second operating frequency when the sensor is excited by a remote device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox, Chenghuan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20200158690
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor system which can detect a thickness reduction, a crack, or the like of a pipe or a container covered with a thick coating member through ultrasonic inspection without attachment and detachment of the coating member. A sensor system used for nondestructive inspection includes a sensor attached to a surface of an inspection target, a sensor coil that is electrically connected to the sensor via a first cable, a first electromagnetic wave blocking member that is disposed between the surface of the inspection target and the sensor coil, a sensor side coil that is disposed to face the sensor coil with a gap and is coupled to the sensor coil through electromagnetic induction, and a probe side coil that is disposed to be separated from the sensor side coil and is electrically connected to the sensor side coil via a second cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Akinori TAMURA, Satoshi KANNO, Paul WILCOX, Anthony CROXFORD, Chenghuan ZHONG
  • Patent number: 10361587
    Abstract: This application relates to a wireless sensor (10) suitable for non-destructive testing of a test object. The sensor comprises a transducer (12) and an electrically conductive transducer coil (16) configured to define an enclosure and being electrically coupled to the transducer to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device. The enclosure defined by the transducer coil has an internal width dimension that is wider than a corresponding width dimension of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
    Inventors: ChengHuan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: 10312733
    Abstract: This application relates to a wireless sensor (10) suitable for non-destructive testing of a test object. The sensor comprises a transducer (12) and an electrically conductive transducer coil (16) configured to define an enclosure and being electrically coupled to the transducer to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device. The enclosure defined by the transducer coil has an internal width dimension that is wider than a corresponding width dimension of the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL
    Inventors: ChengHuan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Publication number: 20180217106
    Abstract: A wireless ultrasound sensor 404 for non-destructive testing of a test object 502, the sensor comprising: an ultrasound transducer 406; a first induction coil 408, electrically coupled to the ultrasound transducer; a second induction coil 414, electrically coupled in parallel with the first induction coil; wherein the first and second induction coils are arranged to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device 504; and wherein the diameter of the second induction coil is greater than the diameter of the first induction coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Cheng Huan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Publication number: 20170214274
    Abstract: This application relates to a wireless sensor (10) suitable for non-destructive testing of a test object. The sensor comprises a transducer (12) and an electrically conductive transducer coil (16) configured to define an enclosure and being electrically coupled to the transducer to enable the transducer to be inductively operated by a remote device. The enclosure defined by the transducer coil has an internal width dimension that is wider than a corresponding width dimension of the transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: ChengHuan Zhong, Anthony Croxford, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: 7630851
    Abstract: A method for estimating the average-case activity in a digital circuit includes the steps of identifying one or more predesignated types of circuit elements in the digital circuit, and propagating activity values through any identified circuit elements using a predetermined formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Simon Kinahan, Ronald Ian Shipman
  • Patent number: 7539958
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for estimating the average-case activity in a digital circuit. The method includes the steps of assigning initial activity values to outputs of flops in the digital circuit, and repeatedly updating the activity values in an iterative procedure until a predetermined termination criterion is met. The updating of the activity values uses a combination of standard probability updating techniques and predetermined formulae for obtaining the activity values of predesignated types of circuit elements in the digital circuit. The predesignated types of circuit elements include, for example, one or more of a clock-gated flop, an enable flop and a flop with a recirculation multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Simon Kinahan, Ronald Ian Shipman
  • Publication number: 20070252746
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for inline audio/visual conversion are described. Power to an inline converter is provided over the A/V cable that couples the converter to a destination such as a selector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Inventors: Bradley Hoffert, Susanna Hoffert, Steven Kelsey, James McPeak, Oscar Medina, Christopher Fitzpatrick, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: 7222039
    Abstract: A method for estimating the average-case activity in a digital circuit includes the steps of identifying a state machine in the digital circuit, and propagating activity values through the state machine to obtain activity information at an output of a flop in the state machine using a predetermined formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Simon Kinahan, Ronald Ian Shipman
  • Patent number: 7194708
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method, and corresponding apparatus, for determining a clock gating function for a set of clocked state-holding elements, comprising the steps of: for each element, determining the conditions under which the element will hold its current value based only on those inputs which are common to all elements; and combining the conditions to form a gating function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Paul Alexander Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7131090
    Abstract: A method of determining a forced gating function for at least one of a plurality of clocked state-holding elements. The forced gating function compares the input and output of said at least one clocked state-holding element. The method simulates the performance of the element for different implementation conditions; measures the performance of the element for each condition, and determines the implementation of the forced gating function using the measured performances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Paul Alexander Cunningham
  • Patent number: 7095251
    Abstract: There is disclosed a clock gating structure for a synchronous circuit comprising a plurality of clocked state holding elements, the clocked gating structure including at least one full-cycle clock gating cell and at least one half-cycle clock gating cell, and a method for designing and controlling such.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Wilcox, Paul Alexander Cunningham
  • Patent number: 6976232
    Abstract: A method of transforming a first integrated circuit design comprising a plurality of D-type flip-flops each having a clock signal and being associated with an enable signal into a second integrated circuit design using guard-flops, the method comprising: identifying D-type flip-flops in the first integrated circuit design, and transforming each of the identified D-type flip-flops into a guard-flop comprising a transparent catch latch and a transparent pass latch; generating a catch enable signal for controlling the transparent catch latch from the clock signal and enable signal of the D-type flip-flop in the first integrated circuit design; and generating a pass enable signal for controlling the transparent pass latch based on the catch signals of at least some of the guard-flops that take data from the D-type flip-flop in the first integrated circuit design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Azuro (UK) Limited
    Inventors: Paul Alexander Cunningham, Stephen Paul Wilcox
  • Publication number: 20050131665
    Abstract: A programmed computer searches for functional defects in a description of a circuit undergoing functional verification in the following manner. The programmed computer simulates the functional behavior of the circuit in response to a test vector, automatically restores the state of the simulation without causing the simulation to pass through a reset state, and then simulates the functional behavior of the circuit in response to another test vector. A predetermined rule can be used to identify test vectors to be simulated, and the predetermined rule can depend upon a measure of functional verification, including the number of times during simulation when a first state transition is performed by a first-controller at the same time as a second state transition is performed by a second controller. During simulation of the test vectors, manually generated tests or automatically generated checkers can monitor portions of the circuit for defective behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Chian-Min Ho, Robert Mardjuki, David Dill, Jing Lin, Ping Yeung, Paul Estrada, Jean-Charles Giomi, Tai Ly, Kalyana Mulam, Lawrence Widdoes, Paul Wilcox
  • Patent number: D737137
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Intercontinental Great Brands LLC
    Inventors: Ronald H. Exner, Adam Lloyd, Stephen Paul Wilcox, Jo-Ann Clark, Vincenzo Disavino