Patents by Inventor Thomas Zurbuchen

Thomas Zurbuchen 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: 8487249
    Abstract: The apparatus introduces a second adjustable resonant point in a QMS at a frequency that is close to a multiple of the fundamental frequency by adjusting driving point impedance characteristics of the QMS. The apparatus measures the first and second resonant point of the QMS to account for changes in the operational characteristics of the QMS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer
    Inventors: Daniel Gershman, Bruce Block, Martin Rubin, Thomas Zurbuchen
  • Patent number: 8219346
    Abstract: Various techniques are described for high resolution time measurement using a programmable device, such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The timing may be triggered by any event, depending on the applications of use. Once triggering has occurred, a START pulse begins propagating through the FPGA. The pulse is able to propagate through the FPGA in a staggered manner traversing multiple FPGA columns to maximize the amount of time delay that may be achieved while minimizing the overall array size, and thus minimizing the resource utilization, of the FPGA. The FPGA timing delay is calibrated by measuring for the linear and non-linear differences in delay time of each unit circuit forming the staggered delay line path for the timing circuit. The FPGA is able to achieve nanosecond and sub-nanosecond time resolutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Thomas Zurbuchen, Steven Rogacki
  • Publication number: 20120145892
    Abstract: The apparatus introduces a second adjustable resonant point in a QMS at a frequency that is close to a multiple of the fundamental frequency by adjusting driving point impedance characteristics of the QMS. The apparatus measures the first and second resonant point of the QMS to account for changes in the operational characteristics of the QMS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Daniel Gershman, Bruce Block, Martin Rubin, Thomas Zurbuchen
  • Publication number: 20110255380
    Abstract: Various techniques are described for high resolution time measurement using a programmable device, such as an FPGA. The timing may be triggered by any event, depending on the applications of use. Once triggering has occurred, a START pulse begins propagating through the FPGA. The pulse is able to propagate through the FPGA in a staggered manner traversing multiple FPGA columns to maximize the amount of time delay that may be achieved while minimizing the overall array size, and thus minimizing the resource utilization, of the FPGA. The FPGA timing delay is calibrated by measuring for the linear and non-linear differences in delay time of each unit circuit forming the staggered delay line path for the timing circuit. The FPGA is able to achieve nanosecond and sub-nanosecond time resolutions and thus may be used in applications such as various time of flight systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Thomas Zurbuchen, Steven Rogacki
  • Patent number: 7979228
    Abstract: Various techniques are described for high resolution time measurement using a programmable device, such as an FPGA. The timing may be triggered by any event, depending on the applications of use. Once triggering has occurred, a START pulse begins propagating through the FPGA. The pulse is able to propagate through the FPGA in a staggered manner traversing multiple FPGA columns to maximize the amount of time delay that may be achieved while minimizing the overall array size, and thus minimizing the resource utilization, of the FPGA. The FPGA timing delay is calibrated by measuring for the linear and non-linear differences in delay time of each unit circuit forming the staggered delay line path for the timing circuit. The FPGA achieves nanosecond and sub-nanosecond time resolutions and is used in applications such as various time of flight systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Thomas Zurbuchen, Steven Rogacki
  • Publication number: 20090125263
    Abstract: Various techniques are described for high resolution time measurement using a programmable device, such as an FPGA. The timing may be triggered by any event, depending on the applications of use. Once triggering has occurred, a START pulse begins propagating through the FPGA. The pulse is able to propagate through the FPGA in a staggered manner traversing multiple FPGA columns to maximize the amount of time delay that may be achieved while minimizing the overall array size, and thus minimizing the resource utilization, of the FPGA. The FPGA timing delay is calibrated by measuring for the linear and non-linear differences in delay time of each unit circuit forming the staggered delay line path for the timing circuit. The FPGA is able to achieve nanosecond and sub-nanosecond time resolutions and thus may be used in applications such as various time of flight systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Thomas Zurbuchen, Steven Rogacki