Patents by Inventor William J. Britz

William J. Britz 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: 20230297223
    Abstract: A calibrator having an enhanced user interface (UI) is provided. The calibrator outputs, over an output terminal of the calibrator, an electrical signal. The calibrator presents, on a display of the calibrator, a graphical indication associated with an electrical quantity of the electrical signal. The calibrator or a controller thereof synchronizes a color of the graphical indication with a color emitted by a light indicator associated with the output terminal. The calibrator presents, together with the graphical indication, a signal property GUI element that is selectable and representative of a signal property associated with the electrical signal. In response to user selection of the signal property GUI element, the calibrator displays an editable GUI element permitting user modification of the signal property and the calibrator modifies the electrical signal according to user input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Joseph V. Ferrante, Jennifer C. Bronson, David B. Bartley, William D. Gaviria, William J. Britz, Chester W. Hoster, Alexander J. Dorchak, JR., Kevin L. Johnson, Steven J. Zopfi
  • Patent number: 11398707
    Abstract: A calibrator lead set, which electrically couples a first device and a second device during calibration of the second device, includes a cable having multiple wires, a first interface connector coupled to a first end of the wires of the cable, and a plurality of second interface connectors coupled to a second end of the wires that is opposite the first end of the wires. The first interface connector includes a connector retaining portion, multiple connection terminals extending from the connector retaining portion, and a sheath extending from the connector retaining portion and surrounding the connection terminals extending from the connector retaining portion. The sheath may be transparent to facilitate positioning of the connection terminals of the first interface connector. The second interface connectors may include a first sheathed, double banana plug connector and a second sheathed, double banana plug connector stackable on the first sheathed, double banana plug connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Christopher J. Gillette, Jr., Travis J. Tom
  • Patent number: 11309848
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes: a Schmidt trigger having an input electrically coupled to an input of the amplifier circuit, a switching network electrically coupled to an output of the Schmidt trigger, an inductor electrically coupled to the switching network, a first resistor electrically coupled to the inductor, a capacitor electrically coupled to the first resistor, a first feedback circuit that provides a first feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a first node electrically coupled to the first resistor and to the capacitor, a second resistor electrically coupled to the output of the amplifier circuit, a third resistor electrically coupled to the second resistor, and a second feedback circuit that provides a second feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a second node electrically coupled to the second resistor and to the third resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Jake R. Richards
  • Publication number: 20220013970
    Abstract: A calibrator lead set, which electrically couples a first device and a second device during calibration of the second device, includes a cable having multiple wires, a first interface connector coupled to a first end of the wires of the cable, and a plurality of second interface connectors coupled to a second end of the wires that is opposite the first end of the wires. The first interface connector includes a connector retaining portion, multiple connection terminals extending from the connector retaining portion, and a sheath extending from the connector retaining portion and surrounding the connection terminals extending from the connector retaining portion. The sheath may be transparent to facilitate positioning of the connection terminals of the first interface connector. The second interface connectors may include a first sheathed, double banana plug connector and a second sheathed, double banana plug connector stackable on the first sheathed, double banana plug connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Christopher J. Gillette, JR., Travis J. Tom
  • Publication number: 20200366252
    Abstract: An amplifier circuit includes: a Schmidt trigger having an input electrically coupled to an input of the amplifier circuit, a switching network electrically coupled to an output of the Schmidt trigger, an inductor electrically coupled to the switching network, a first resistor electrically coupled to the inductor, a capacitor electrically coupled to the first resistor, a first feedback circuit that provides a first feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a first node electrically coupled to the first resistor and to the capacitor, a second resistor electrically coupled to the output of the amplifier circuit, a third resistor electrically coupled to the second resistor, and a second feedback circuit that provides a second feedback signal to the input of the Schmidt trigger based on a voltage at a second node electrically coupled to the second resistor and to the third resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Jake R. Richards
  • Patent number: 10771020
    Abstract: A circuit that outputs a current which is proportional to an input voltage includes input and output terminals, a comparator, first and second transistors, an inductor, a first resistor, and a differential amplifier. A first input terminal of the comparator is coupled to the input terminal of the circuit, and a second input terminal of the comparator is coupled to an output terminal of the comparator. The first and second transistors are coupled to the output terminal of the comparator. The inductor is coupled to the first and second transistors. The first resistor is coupled between the inductor and the output terminal of the circuit. The differential amplifier includes a first input terminal coupled to a first terminal of the first resistor, a second input terminal coupled to a second terminal to the first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the first input terminal of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Jake R. Richards
  • Publication number: 20200266771
    Abstract: A circuit that outputs a current which is proportional to an input voltage includes input and output terminals, a comparator, first and second transistors, an inductor, a first resistor, and a differential amplifier. A first input terminal of the comparator is coupled to the input terminal of the circuit, and a second input terminal of the comparator is coupled to an output terminal of the comparator. The first and second transistors are coupled to the output terminal of the comparator. The inductor is coupled to the first and second transistors. The first resistor is coupled between the inductor and the output terminal of the circuit. The differential amplifier includes a first input terminal coupled to a first terminal of the first resistor, a second input terminal coupled to a second terminal to the first resistor, and an output terminal coupled to the first input terminal of the comparator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: William J. Britz, Jake R. Richards
  • Patent number: 10177743
    Abstract: An inductive synthesis circuit that mimics an ideal inductor over a wide range of inductance values, from less than 1 mH to more than 100 H, can be used in place of an inductor in any electrical circuit. One application of a synthesized inductor is in an integrated circuit in which it is impractical to construct a coil of wire. The inductive synthesis circuit is suitable for use in a calibration instrument for testing an inductance meter. The inductive synthesis circuit, together with a resistive synthesis circuit and a capacitive synthesis circuit, can be used to calibrate a multi-meter. Alternatively, the inductive synthesis circuit can be used to mimic an ideal inductor in a filter circuit that includes an inductor component, such as a high pass filter, a notch filter, or a band pass filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Publication number: 20180013408
    Abstract: An inductive synthesis circuit that mimics an ideal inductor over a wide range of inductance values, from less than 1 mH to more than 100 H, can be used in place of an inductor in any electrical circuit. One application of a synthesized inductor is in an integrated circuit in which it is impractical to construct a coil of wire. The inductive synthesis circuit is suitable for use in a calibration instrument for testing an inductance meter. The inductive synthesis circuit, together with a resistive synthesis circuit and a capacitive synthesis circuit, can be used to calibrate a multi-meter. Alternatively, the inductive synthesis circuit can be used to mimic an ideal inductor in a filter circuit that includes an inductor component, such as a high pass filter, a notch filter, or a band pass filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Patent number: 9607913
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide a temperature regulated circuit. The temperature regulated circuit includes a suspended mass that is positioned in an opening of a frame. The suspended mass is suspended from the frame by a plurality of support beams that may be made of thermally insulating material. The suspended mass provides a thermally isolated substrate for an integrated circuit. The suspended mass also includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the integrated circuit, and a heater configured to heat the integrated circuit. A controller is positioned on the frame and is configured to receive temperature measurements from the temperature sensor and control the heater based on the temperature measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: FLUKE CORPORATION
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Publication number: 20020180419
    Abstract: A precision RMS measurement system is provided by extending the effective resolution of a medium-resolution sampling RMS converter. An AC or other time-varying cyclic signal is simultaneously applied to an average-responding AC-to-DC converter and to a high-speed medium resolution sampling analog-to-digital converter. The average voltage produced by the AC-to-DC converter is measured by a precision analog-to-digital converter to produce a highly accurate DC voltage measurement. The output of the sampling analog-to-digital converter is provided to a digital signal processor, which calculates the RMS and average values. A microprocessor then multiplies the ratio of the calculated RMS and average values by the highly-accurate DC average to produce a highly accurate RMS voltage. The precision RMS voltage is then displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Patent number: 6469492
    Abstract: A precision RMS measurement system is provided by extending the effective resolution of a medium-resolution sampling RMS converter. An AC or other time-varying cyclic signal is simultaneously applied to an average-responding AC-to-DC converter and to a high-speed medium resolution sampling analog-to-digital converter. The average voltage produced by the AC-to-DC converter is measured by a precision analog-to-digital converter to produce a highly accurate DC voltage measurement. The output of the sampling analog-to-digital converter is provided to a digital signal processor, which calculates the RMS and average values. A microprocessor then multiplies the ratio of the calculated RMS and average values by the highly-accurate DC average to produce a highly accurate RMS voltage. The precision RMS voltage is then displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Patent number: 5519343
    Abstract: A two channel direct digital synthesis circuit employing a waveform interleaving circuit is provided. A clock having first and second states controls the overall operation of the memory interleave operation. A phase accumulator is incremented by a phase increment value according to a clock rate. The phase accumulator value is provided to a first multiplexer and to an offset adder where the first multiplexer selects between the phase accumulator value and the sum of the phase accumulator value and a phase offset value. First and second waveform select signals are provided to the inputs of a second multiplexer where the second multiplexer selects between the first and second waveform select signals. The outputs of the first and second multiplexers form an address which is coupled to a waveform memory containing first and second digital waveform patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1996
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Patent number: 4795988
    Abstract: A DC voltage is synthesized from a combination of a plurality of N phases of an oscillator signal. A diode circuit is used to combine the N phases, and a relationship between components of the circuit is established to eliminate the Nth harmonic of the oscillator signal from the synthesized DC voltage. Provision of non-zero input series resistances for four diodes together with a non-zero summing output resistance therefor provides a DC voltage having no harmonics below the eighth harmonic for a double-integrating oscillator providing four equally displaced phases of a signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Inventor: William J. Britz
  • Patent number: 3964928
    Abstract: An electrical power system is provided for supplying DC power to electrically motorized vehicles, emergency standby sources, and the like wherein a lead-oxygen battery cell used as a source of DC power includes a positive charging grid, a conventional negative electrode, a positive discharging electrode, and a teflon membrane member coated with a catalyst contained in an atmosphere of oxygen which is admitted to the cell through the teflon membrane. Oxygen is given off during the charging cycle and is compressed in a storage tank for re-use during each duty cycle providing a closed system wherein contamination is minimized and a long-life cycle can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1976
    Inventors: William J. Britz, William A. Boshers, James J. Kaufmann