Patents by Inventor Peter Christiaans

Peter Christiaans 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: 20180233322
    Abstract: A method of operating a charged particle microscope comprising the following steps: Providing a specimen on a specimen holder; Using a source to produce a beam of charged particles that is subject to beam current fluctuations; Employing a beam current sensor, located between said source and specimen holder, to intercept a part of the beam and produce an intercept signal proportional to a current of the intercepted part of the beam, the beam current sensor comprising a hole arranged to pass a beam probe with an associated probe current; Scanning said probe over the specimen, thereby irradiating the specimen with a specimen current, with a dwell time associated with each scanned location on the specimen; Using a detector to detect radiation emanating from the specimen in response to irradiation by said probe, and producing an associated detector signal; Using said intercept signal as input to a compensator to suppress an effect of said current fluctuations in said detector signal, wherein: The beam current
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Ali Mohammadi Gheidari, Luigi Mele, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer, Gerard Nicolaas Anne van Veen, Hendrik Nicolaas Slingerland
  • Publication number: 20180186223
    Abstract: A wind deflector assembly includes a wind deflector member which extends in a transverse direction of the vehicle and is movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The wind deflector member is connected to a first end of at least one pivotable wind deflector arm of which an opposite second end is at least pivotally connected to a stationary part. A biasing device engages the wind deflector arm and urges the wind deflector arm towards the extended position. The biasing device is at least pivotally connected to the stationary part through a pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Ruud Geurts, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Eduardus Christianus Henricus Van Boxtel, Suyanto Teri Wahiyu Ten-Jet-Foei, Robert Rikkert
  • Publication number: 20180186622
    Abstract: A micro-electromechanical transducer including one or more moveable members, and a viscoelastic substance having a predetermined viscoelasticity, the viscoelastic substance being adapted to influence the response of the transducer in a predetermined manner. The micro-electromechanical transducer of the present invention may include a MEMS transducer, such as a MEMS microphone, a MEMS vibration sensor, a MEMS acceleration sensor, a MEMS receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Raymond Mögelin, Dion Ivo de Roo, Frederik Cornelis Blom, Alwin Fransen, Pavlo Mulyar, Peter Christiaan Post
  • Patent number: 9991087
    Abstract: An imaging system for directing a flux of charged particles transmitted through a specimen onto a spectroscopic apparatus, wherein the flux is dispersed by a dispersing device into an energy-resolved array of spectral sub-beams propagating substantially parallel to a propagation axis. An adjustable aperture device defines an aperture in a path of the array so as to select a subset of the array to be admitted to a detector, which aperture is delimited in a dispersion direction perpendicular to the propagation axis to allow independent adjustment of both of: a width of the aperture parallel to the dispersion direction; and a position of a center of the aperture relative to the propagation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Erwin Fernand de Jong, Sorin Lazar, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer, Rudolf Geurink
  • Patent number: 9978561
    Abstract: The invention relates to a post-column filter (a PCF) for a (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscope (a (S)TEM). Traditionally these filters use excitations of the optical elements before the slit plane that are identical in both the EFTEM and the EELS mode. Although this eases the task for the person skilled in the art of developing and tuning a PCF, as it reduces the number of degrees of freedom to a manageable amount. Inventors found ways to determine settings of the optical elements before the slit plane for EELS mode that are different from the EFTEM mode and where the performance of the PCF in EELS mode is improved (especially the relative energy range that can be imaged) without degrading the performance of the PCF in EFTEM mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Alexander Henstra, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer
  • Patent number: 9934936
    Abstract: A Charged Particle Microscope includes A specimen holder, for holding a specimen; A source, for producing a beam of charged particles; An illuminator, for directing said beam so as to irradiate the specimen; and A detector, for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to said irradiation. The illuminator includes: An aperture plate comprising an aperture region in a path of said beam, for defining a geometry of the beam prior to its impingement upon said specimen. The aperture region includes a distribution of multiple holes, each of which is smaller than a diameter of the beam incident on the aperture plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Pavel Potocek, Franciscus Martinus Henricus Maria van Laarhoven, Faysal Boughorbel, Remco Schoenmakers, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer
  • Publication number: 20180058915
    Abstract: A vibration sensor comprising a pressure detecting arrangement adapted to detect generated pressure variations, and provide an output signal in response to the detected pressure variations, and a pressure generating arrangement adapted to generate pressure variations in response to movements thereof wherein the pressure generating arrangement is secured to an exterior surface portion of the pressure detecting arrangement. In a preferred embodiment the pressure detecting arrangement comprises a stand-alone and self-contained MEMS microphone unit comprising a MEMS microphone cartridge and a signal processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Raymond Mögelin, Peter Christiaan Post
  • Publication number: 20170373490
    Abstract: A surge protection circuit includes a DC trigger circuit that generates a trigger signal when a surge pulse occurs, and a current conducting unit, coupled to the DC trigger circuit, that generates a first clamp voltage as an output voltage of the surge protection circuit and conducts surge currents to ground in response to the trigger signal. The DC trigger circuit includes a surge detection circuit and a first amplification circuit. The surge detection circuit detects if a surge pulse occurs, and triggers the first amplification circuit to generate the trigger signal when the surge detection circuit detects a surge pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: DONGYONG ZHU, Arjan Mels, Peter Christiaans
  • Patent number: 9849928
    Abstract: A method of mounting a roof panel assembly to a vehicle having a roof opening in its fixed roof includes: mounting a frame of the roof panel assembly to the fixed roof from below with an operating mechanism and a ring frame in a position corresponding to a closed position of the movable panel, providing an amount of paste-like adhering material onto the ring frame distributed around the circumference thereof, positioning the movable panel onto the ring frame from above with the adhering material interpositioned and compressing the adhering material until a correct position with respect to the vehicle roof is reached, and keeping the movable panel in this position until the adhering material is sufficiently hardened to maintain the panel in its position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Karim Dayoub, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Joseph Petrus Johannes Sanders
  • Publication number: 20170310145
    Abstract: A wireless charging receiver operates on a resonance principle and includes an impedance matching circuit coupled between an antenna and a rectifier circuit. The impedance matching circuit has both series-connected and parallel-connected capacitors. At least one of the capacitors is a tunable variable capacitor. A method is provided for automatically adjusting a capacitance value of the at least one variable capacitor based on an error voltage between a target rectifier voltage and a measured rectifier voltage. Automatically adjusting the antenna impedance of the receiver provides for improved power transfer efficiency for changing operating conditions. In one embodiment, one or more of the parallel-connected capacitors are variable capacitors. In another embodiment, one or more of the series-connected capacitors are variable capacitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: ROBERT GLENN II CROSBY, PETER CHRISTIAANS, QIONG WU
  • Publication number: 20170264211
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, an apparatus includes a bridge rectifier circuit having branches between the AC and DC nodes formed by a set of transistors. A load current measurement circuit includes a current-controlled current source coupled to the bridge rectifier circuit. The current control current source is configured to generate a mirrored current that is a scaled version of a current through at least one of the set of transistors. A current integration circuit is configured to integrate the mirrored current by charging a capacitor with the scaled current in a first mode and discharging the capacitor in a second mode. A sample and hold circuit is configured to set an output node to a voltage equal to a voltage stored by the capacitor in response to the current integration circuit entering the second mode and prior to the discharge of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: PETER CHRISTIAANS, ROBERT GLENN CROSBY, II, FU CHUN ZHAN
  • Patent number: 9751387
    Abstract: A method of assembling a roof assembly for a vehicle comprises providing a first frame part having a drive element guide, providing a second frame part having a drive element guide and providing a drive element configured to drive a movable part of the roof assembly and being driven by a drive motor. The first and second frame parts are mounted to each other such that the drive element extends from the drive element guide of the first frame part to the drive element guide of the second frame part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INALFE ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel Johan Christiaan Nellen, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders
  • Publication number: 20170125210
    Abstract: The invention relates to a post-column filter (a PCF) for a (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscope (a (S)TEM). Traditionally these filters use excitations of the optical elements before the slit plane that are identical in both the EFTEM and the EELS mode. Although this eases the task for the person skilled in the art of developing and tuning a PCF, as it reduces the number of degrees of freedom to a manageable amount. Inventors found ways to determine settings of the optical elements before the slit plane for EELS mode that are different from the EFTEM mode and where the performance of the PCF in EELS mode is improved (especially the relative energy range that can be imaged) without degrading the performance of the PCF in EFTEM mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Alexander Henstra, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer
  • Patent number: 9570270
    Abstract: An environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM) suffers from gas-induced resolution deterioration. Inventors conclude that the deterioration is due to ionization of gas in the sample chamber of the ETEM, and propose to use an electric field in the sample chamber to remove the ionized gas, thereby diminishing the gas-induced resolution deterioration. The electric field need not be a strong field, and can be caused by, for example, biasing the sample with respect to the sample chamber. A bias voltage of 100 V applied via voltage source is sufficient for a marked improvement the gas-induced resolution deterioration. Alternatively an electric field perpendicular to the optical axis can be used, for example by placing an electrically biased wire or gauze off-axis in the sample chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer, Stan Johan Pieter Konings, Alexander Henstra
  • Patent number: 9524851
    Abstract: A method of performing spectroscopy in a Transmission Charged-Particle Microscope comprising: a specimen holder; a source, for producing a beam of charged particles; an illuminator, for directing said beam so as to irradiate the specimen; an imaging system, for directing a flux of charged particles transmitted through the specimen onto a spectroscopic apparatus comprising a dispersing device for dispersing said flux into an energy-resolved array of spectral sub-beams, the method comprising: using an adjustable aperture device to admit a first portion of said array to a detector, while blocking a second portion of said array; providing; using a radiation sensor in said flux upstream of said aperture device to perform localized radiation sensing in a selected region of said second portion of the array, simultaneous with detection of said first portion by said detector; using a sensing result from said sensor to adjust a detection result from said detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Erwin Fernand de Jong, Sorin Lazar, Peter Christiaan Tiemeijer, Rudolf Geurink
  • Publication number: 20160297286
    Abstract: A method of assembling a roof assembly for a vehicle comprises providing a first frame part having a drive element guide, providing a second frame part having a drive element guide and providing a drive element configured to drive a movable part of the roof assembly and being driven by a drive motor. The first and second frame parts are mounted to each other such that the drive element extends from the drive element guide of the first frame part to the drive element guide of the second frame part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Marcel Johan Christiaan Nellen, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders
  • Patent number: 9347011
    Abstract: A treatment of biomass comprises supplying biomass which contains an amount of moisture to a first treatment device of a torrefaction system where the biomass is heated to a torrefaction temperature and substantially completely dried by evaporating the moisture to form a torrefied biomass. The at least partially torrefied biomass is removed from the first treatment device after a first time period and transferred to a second treatment device where it is kept for a longer second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TOPELL ENERGY B.V.
    Inventor: Peter Christiaan Albert Bergman
  • Publication number: 20160137243
    Abstract: A method of mounting a roof panel assembly to a vehicle having a roof opening in its fixed roof includes: mounting a frame of the roof panel assembly to the fixed roof from below with an operating mechanism and a ring frame in a position corresponding to a closed position of the movable panel, providing an amount of paste-like adhering material onto the ring frame distributed around the circumference thereof, positioning the movable panel onto the ring frame from above with the adhering material interpositioned and compressing the adhering material until a correct position with respect to the vehicle roof is reached, and keeping the movable panel in this position until the adhering material is sufficiently hardened to maintain the panel in its position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Karim Dayoub, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Joseph Petrus Johannes Sanders
  • Publication number: 20160130872
    Abstract: A flexible sunscreen is provided intended for use in a sunshade assembly of the type comprising a flexible sunscreen having a central part and two opposed inwardly folded longitudinal edges connected to the central part by means of folding lines, and two opposed longitudinal guides for receiving therein and guiding corresponding ones of the inwardly folded longitudinal edges of the flexible sunscreen, which guides are provided with locking members for engaging an outer end of the inwardly folded longitudinal edges for preventing these edges from moving out of the longitudinal guides. The central part of the flexible sunscreen mainly is manufactured from a first material with a first stiffness wherein of the inwardly folded longitudinal edges and of the parts of the central part adjacent the edges at least part is made of a second material with a second higher stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Paulus Johannes Wilhelmus Munsters, Dave Keller, Martinus Wilhelmus Maria Nabuurs, Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Robert Rikkert
  • Patent number: 9333839
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for an open roof construction includes a stationary guide part defining a first guide channel, a bracket having a forward end and a rearward end. The forward end includes a guide shoe cooperating with the first guide channel. A lifting unit cooperates with the rearward end of the bracket to lift/lower said rearward end and slide the bracket relative to the lifting unit. A driven slide moves relative to the stationary guide part and is configured to move the guide shoe along the first guide channel and is further configured to lift/lower the rearward end of the bracket. A panel carrier is supported by the bracket and slides in a direction substantially corresponding with the direction of the sliding movement of the bracket. The driven slide is configured to cause the sliding movement of a panel carrier relative to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Inalfa Roof Systems Group B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Christiaan Leonardus Johannes Manders, Suyanto Teri Wahiyu Ten-Jet-Foei