Patents by Inventor Stephen John SHEARD

Stephen John SHEARD 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).

  • Capacitance liquid level sensor
    Patent number: 10495505
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method for detecting a liquid level includes providing a container (402) having a cavity, and disposing a sensor (102) in the cavity of the container (402), such that a ground pattern (310) on a first surface of the sensor (102) is positioned to contact a liquid in the cavity. A first electrode (104) and a second electrode (106) are located on a second surface of the sensor (102). The sensor (102) is coupled to a sensor input and a sensor driver. A cable coupling the sensor (102) to a touch sensor (116) comprises a shield line (112, 114) that is coupled to ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tetsuya Tokunaga, Takayasu Otagaki, Kazuyoshi Ishikawa, Stephen John Sheard
  • CAPACITANCE LIQUID LEVEL SENSOR
    Publication number: 20180058897
    Abstract: In accordance with at least one embodiment, a method for detecting a liquid level includes providing a container (402) having a cavity, and disposing a sensor (102) in the cavity of the container (402), such that a ground pattern (310) on a first surface of the sensor (102) is positioned to contact a liquid in the cavity. A first electrode (104) and a second electrode (106) are located on a second surface of the sensor (102). The sensor (102) is coupled to a sensor input and a sensor driver. A cable coupling the sensor (102) to a touch sensor (116) comprises a shield line (112, 114) that is coupled to ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tetsuya TOKUNAGA, Takayasu OTAGAKI, Kazuyoshi ISHIKAWA, Stephen John SHEARD