Abstract: Method and system for controlling a synchronous machine including a polyphase stator are provided. The machine may be used in a piece of equipment respectively as a generator and as a motor for starting an engine in the piece of equipment. The method allows to sense rotor position of the machine using a sensor assembly configured to supply a respective stream of pulses indicative of rotor position relative to each phase of the machine. The method further allows to process each stream of pulses from the sensor assembly to generate a first set of inverter control signals. The first set of inverter control signals is applied to an inverter circuit coupled to energize the phases of the stator to start the machine. The first set of control signals is configured to provide a first cycle-conduction angle relative to the zero-crossings of the respective phase EMF voltages of the machine to produce a sufficiently high level of torque during start of the machine.

Abstract: A swivel-jointed voltage-stepping charger comprising a flexible hose, a transformer, a power socket/signal input-output port, an engaging bracket, a supporting frame and two charging stands. The flexible hose is a cylindrical tube that can be bent into a variety of final configurations. The transformer is connected to one end of the flexible hose. The power socket/signal input-output port has a plurality of connection terminals therein and is connected to the other end of the flexible hose away from the transformer. The engaging bracket joins up with the power socket/signal input-output port and the flexible hose. The supporting frame is firmly attached to the engaging bracket. Each charging stand has a signaling port and a ball-in-socket joint installed on the front and back surface of each charging stand. The two ball-in-socket joints are each fastened to a linkage sheath and a linking rod.

Abstract: Information such as usage or acquisition terms of a portable electrical power source, such as a battery or a battery-powered device, is used to determine a fee. The information may be communicated to an external device, e.g., over the Internet, or to a vending apparatus which recharges the battery or dispenses a fresh battery.

Abstract: There is provided a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which can reliably perform a current cut-off operation in a current cut-off state and can release a gas in a cleavage state. In the nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, an electrode element 2 is held in a circularly cylindrical outer packaging can 1. A lid 7, a PTC element 3, and a safety valve 6 are caulked on one end side of the outer packaging can 1 through a gasket 8 to seal one end of the outer packaging can 1. At the central portion of the safety valve 6, a projecting portion 6a projecting toward the electrode element 2 is formed. The projecting portion 6a is welded on a sub-disk 4 welded on the free end of a positive electrode lead 9. In the safety valve 6, a plurality of linear thin portions are formed along two circles centering on the projecting portion 6a. A thin portion extending in a radial direction is formed across the end portions of the thin portions adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A DC motor control for an electrical implement such as a reel mower includes a regulator having additional inputs connected to a main intelligent control which includes interlock circuitry. The additional inputs provide both an on/off or voltage select function and an interlock function. A low cost and low current field regulator circuit provides switching and load control and eliminates high inrush currents and voltage and current transients. On/off functions and level control functions can be provided from a logic level signal, and the motors can be started smoothly by bringing the voltage up gradually.

Abstract: A current limiting technique for a voltage converter. A current through a reactive element in a voltage converter is limited. Current from a supply is switched through a reactive element in accordance with a switch control signal for forming a regulated output voltage in a feedback loop. A first signal that is representative of the input current is sensed. A voltage that is representative of the output voltage of the voltage converter is sensed. A second signal that is representative of a difference between the output voltage and a desired voltage is formed. A selected one of the first signal and the second signal is compared to a ramp signal for forming the switch control signal wherein the selected one of the first signal and the second signal is selected according to the relative magnitudes of the first and second signal.

Abstract: In an air conditioner including a control unit receiving a power from a switching power supply, the switching power supply is connected to a DC power source without passing through a switch device or power application device. The output of the switching power supply is connected to a capacitor via a diode. The control unit is able to operate even when the capacitor to be charged via the power application device is not charged. Accordingly, the motor-driven compressor may start to operate quickly.

Abstract: A DC-DC converter that does not need a series resistance element on the output side, and can make use of the parasitic resistance of a coil to improve output characteristics and prevent a decrease in efficiency. In switching unit 40, transistors M1 and M2 are turned ON/OFF alternately in correspondence with pulse signal Sp; input voltage Vin is fed intermittently to node ND1; in output filter unit 10, output voltage Vout that is smoothed with coil Le and capacitor Cout is output to terminal Tout. In feedback control unit 100, divided voltage Vo1 obtained by dividing the voltage at node ND1 is compared with reference voltage Vref, and the result of the comparison is integrated to generate control voltage Vc. In PWM modulation unit 30, pulse signal Sp with pulse width controlled is generated according to control voltage Vc and sent to switching unit 40.

Abstract: An AC-DC voltage converter includes input terminals with a series circuit connected between the input terminals. The series circuit includes a switching element and a capacitor. The discharge of the capacitor supplies the output voltage of the converter. A control circuit controls the operation of the switching element so that the conducting state of the switching element is controlled exclusively as a function of the input voltage, while the nonconducting state of the switching element is controlled exclusively as a function of the output voltage. The converter has a good dynamic range and allows accurate measurement of current consumption at the output.

Abstract: The invention provides a frequency modulation for a PWM controller to reduce the switching frequency in the light load and no load conditions. The frequency modulation is achieved by moderating the trip-point voltage of the oscillator. Increasing the trip-point voltage reduces the switching frequency. A feedback voltage, which is derived from the voltage feedback loop, is taken as the reference. The sense voltage in the current sense input of the PWM controller represents the information of primary current of the transformer. A sampled voltage is sampled from sense voltage during the PWM signal is turn-off. The trip-point voltage is the function of the feedback voltage and the sampled voltage. A threshold voltage is the sum of the sampled voltage and a constant voltage that define the level for light load condition. Once the feedback voltage is lower than the threshold voltage, the trip-point voltage will increase and switching frequency will reduce.

Abstract: The present invention provides an off-time modulation in PWM controller to increase the switching period for saving power consumption in the light load and no load conditions. The off-time modulation is achieved by keeping the charge current as a constant and moderating the discharge current of the saw-tooth-signal generator of the PWM controller. Decreasing the discharge current increases the switching period. A feedback voltage, which is derived from the voltage feedback loop, is taken as an index. The discharge current is modulated to be a function of the feedback voltage. A threshold voltage defines the level of the light load condition. The differential of the feedback voltage and the threshold voltage is converted to a current, which is then amplified and turned into the discharge current. A limiter clamps the maximum discharge current to decide the switching period in normal load and full load conditions and determines the dead time of PWM signal.

Abstract: A voltage/current controller device, particularly for interleaving switching regulators, comprises: a DC/DC converter having a plurality of modules, with each module including a drive transistor pair connected in series between first and second supply voltage references, a current sensor connected to one transistor in the pair, and a current read circuit connected to the sensor. Advantageously, the read circuit comprises a transconductance amplifier connected across the current sensor to sense a voltage signal related to a load current being applied to each module, the transconductance amplifier reading the voltage signal with the transistor in the conducting state.

Abstract: An oscilloscope adapter for a portable electronic device includes a hardware interface connector and a computer program memory. The memory stores computer program instructions that to direct the electronic device to collecting data representative of an signal from an external source and displaying the data as a waveform comprising individual data values as a function of time. The user may select one or more of the scales of the graph. The adapter also may include one or more of a model waveform database, a collected waveform database, an application-specific database, and a language database.

Abstract: The method and the device are used for compensating for interfering variables in an optical sensor (50), which is at least sensitive with respect to a measured variable (M), a wavelength (&lgr;) of the optical signal (S1) fed in and an interfering variable (T). The optical signal (S1) also passes through a compensation element (40) which, together with the optical sensor (50), is located in a common interfering variable effect range (60) with the same effect of the interfering variable (T). In the compensation element (40), the interfering variable (T) changes the wavelength of the optical signal (S1) in such a way that the partial influences that take place in the optical sensor (50) on account of the changed wavelength and on account of the interfering variable (T) cancel one another out.

Abstract: A digital multimeter adapter for a portable electronic device includes a hardware interface connector and a computer program memory. The memory stores computer program instructions that direct the electronic device to collect data representative of a signal from an external source, analyzing the data to identify a characteristic such as voltage, current, or resistance, and displaying the data in digital format. The user may select one or more of the scales of the display. The adapter also may include a model value database, a collected value database, an application-specific database, and/or a language database.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting, measuring, and reporting a time derivate of a current signal (di/dt) is provided. A sensing element detects current from a load. The sensing element includes an inductor. The inductor is located in series with the load and includes associated parasitic resistance. A differential potential develops across the inductor and the parasitic resistance. The differential potential is amplified and converted to a single-ended value. The single-ended value is then fed to an analog to digital converter that provides an output representative of di/dt.

Abstract: A load for automatic testing of a device. The load includes a transistor bridge and a protection circuit. The transistor bridge has a plurality of transistors, and provides low leakage current during an off-state of the load system. The protection circuit protects base-emitter junctions of the transistors from a large reverse bias voltage.

Abstract: Rotatable target wheels mount plastic ring magnets with increased magnetic flux for driving either digital or variable reluctance, magnetic wheel rotation sensors. The ring magnets are adhesively secured and optionally captured on a ring support member to provide dependable operation in vehicle wheel speed sensing and other applications.

Abstract: A method of calibrating the magnetic coils of a magnetically enhanced reactive ion etcher includes taking magnetic field measurements outside of a closed plasma chamber and correlating such measurements to the magnetic field within the chamber. One or more factors are established which when applied to measurements taken externally yield results representative of measurements taken internally.

Abstract: A linear position sensor that includes a plurality of Hall effect transducers enables reliable positioning of a parking brake cable. Coarse positioning sensing is provided by longitudinally spacing the Hall effect transducers such that not more than one transducer has a positively sloped output signal for a given position of a magnet connected to a parking brake cable actuator. Fine position sensing is provided by linear approximation of the output signal with an offset appropriate for the specific transducer having the sensed positively sloped output signal.

Abstract: An analog angle encoder having a simply constructed magnet assembly, wherein rotation of a magnetic field relative to a magnetosensitive device provides a varying output of the magnetosensitive device that varies sinusoidally with the angle of relative rotation. The simply constructed magnet assembly is of a closed-path geometry composed of a single piece of magnetic material wherein only a first portion thereof is magnetized for providing the aforesaid magnetic field for the sensor. The remaining portion of the magnet material (the second portion) remains unmagnetized and does not substantially influence the magnetic field produced by the first portion any more than, for example, air would cause.

Abstract: Method of detecting cracks in an object of an electrically conducting material that is covered by a non-conductive layer using a probe comprising a transmitter coil for inducing eddy currents in the object and a receiver coil comprising selecting a set of points of the object which are to be inspected; and which method further comprises for each point positioning the probe at the point, activating the transmitter coil to induce eddy currents in the object; creating a record of the signal provided by the receiver coil over a period of time; and examining the record and comparing it to reference records, wherein the presence or absence of a crack can be inferred from the comparison.

Abstract: Many reservoirs of interest include heavy oil. In such reservoirs, parti at normal temperatures, many instruments commonly used for formation evaluation may not be able to distinguish between heavy oil and bound water in the formation. Passive or active heating is used to elevate the temperature of the fluids in the formation. At elevated temperatures, distinguishing between heavy oil and bound water is easier. Of particular interest is the increase in the resolvability of the transverse relaxation time T2 of NMR spin echo measurements. Additionally, the dielectric constant and the loss tangents of water and heavy oil show different temperature and frequency dependence.

Abstract: A metal detector system including a chassis for supporting electromagnetic sensor components above a medium such as soil or water. A transmitter coil and two receiver coils are attached to the chassis. A propulsion system is attached to the chassis between or adjacent to the receiver coils. The location of the propulsion system causes electromagnetic interference signals emanating from the propulsion system to be received at a nominally equal magnitude by each of the receiver coils.

Abstract: Battery life estimation can be performed by using an algorithm and parameter values for the algorithm, scaled according to the type, e.g. capacity and chemistry, of the battery actually being used. The result of the algorithm may be scaled according to the expected current demand of the apparatus being powered by the battery. A parameter of the algorithm may also be varied if it fails to meet a predetermined fitness criterion during discharging of the battery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining at least one operating parameter of the power battery (12) of a vehicle having an electric traction motor. The battery parameter comprises at least one of the following parameters: charging capacity, discharge power, state of overcharge or state of total discharge. The power battery's internal resistance and the intensity of the current supplied or received are determined in order to calculate the parameter(s). This internal resistance is calculated, for example, using a low voltage auxiliary battery (18).

Abstract: An ionization detector includes a unique combination of elements including a non-radioactive glow discharge source, a gas flow area designed to promote mixing of sample gas with a reagent gas, a GC column interface which directs air leaks away from the sample area, and a signal electrode designed to discriminate against ion collection. This embodiment includes a body defining a detector cavity and a sample flow area. A plurality of electrodes are disposed within the body including a glow discharge source comprising a first and second discharge electrode located near one end of the body, a guard electrode located longitudinally intermediate to the discharge electrode and the sample flow area, and a signal electrode disposed within a signal electrode cavity located near an end opposite to the guard electrode. A column interface depends from the body, in communication with the sample flow area.

Abstract: There is provided an electric connection-inspection device which does not impair a freedom of selection of using materials from a viewpoint of restriction in terms of product's function with the aptitude of electric features of electric resistance and physical properties of internal stress, and restriction in terms of manufacture as to the appropriation or not of employment of a plating method, and which has a fine construction provided with the excellent durability that an electrode element is hard to adhere and coagulate.

Abstract: A method for verifying on-chip decoupling capacitance by formulating and solving a linear problem is provided. Further, a software tool for determining decoupling capacitance on a computer chip using a linear problem is provided. Further, a method for designing an integrated circuit such that there is enough decoupling capacitance on the integrated circuit is provided.

Abstract: Signal transit times on printed circuit boards which are equipped with all the passive components but without any active components can be determined using automatic standard test equipment composed of a standard test unit and a performance board with fittings attached thereto. In that first, using a standard routine of the test unit, a transit time is measured on the performance board from the CIF connector as far as the fitting, then a printed circuit board is plugged into the fitting location determined for it and then the sum transit time of the CIF connector is measured as far as the landing pad on the printed circuit board. By forming differences between the two measured values, the transit times on a printed circuit board can be measured with a high degree of precision with the automatic standard test equipment used in standard module testing technology.

Abstract: An inductive path sensor for determining the position of the influencing element (2) is described, with several coils (4) arranged in succession, with one capacitor (5), with an amplifier element (6), with at least one changeover switch (7) and with an evaluation unit (8), one coil (4) at a time and a capacitor (5) forming an oscillating circuit, and one oscillating circuit and the amplifier element (6) forming an oscillator (9), the individual coils (4) being chosen in succession by the changeover switch or switches (7) and the evaluation unit (8) measuring the change of impedance of the coil (4) chosen by the changeover switch (7) or of the oscillating circuit chosen by the changeover switch (7) depending on the position of the influencing element (2) relative to the respective coil (4).

Abstract: A fault and noise tolerant system and method for obtaining an original signal which is not influenced by a fault or noise occurring in an electronic equipment. The fault and noise tolerant system includes a first estimation filter for estimating an original signal from a signal output from the electronic equipment, considering noise of the electronic equipment; a second estimation filter for estimating the original signal and a fault signal from the signal output from the electronic equipment, considering a fault and the noise; a fault detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of a fault in the electronic equipment based on the estimated fault signal received from the second estimation filter; and a selection unit for selecting one of the estimated original signals from the first and second estimation filters, respectively, according to the result of detection of the fault detection unit.

Abstract: Wafer-level testing is performed on an electronic device to be used in an optical communications system. An optical test signal is generated and is provided to a first photo detector. An electrical output of the first photo detector is supplied to the electronic device on the wafer. An electrical output from the electronic device on the wafer is used to drive a light source. An optical output of the light source is supplied to a second photo detector and an electrical signal output from the second photo detector is examined.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for testing electrical traces wherein ultraviolet wavelengths from a laser source and visible wavelengths from a scanning camera are focused to a common focal plane. In a first embodiment of the method and apparatus, the wavelengths are commonly focused using an auxiliary lens having a power sufficient to accommodate the difference between the focusing plane of the ultraviolet laser source and the scanning camera. In a second embodiment, the wavelengths are commonly focused by moving the camera optics of the scanning camera relative to its visible light source. Both of these methods and apparatuses employ a fused silica lens system, avoiding the use of calcium fluoride.

Abstract: A system for low-current testing of a test device includes a probing device for probing a probing site on the test device. The probing device includes a dielectric substrate having first and second sides, an elongate conductive path on the first side of the substrate, an elongate probing element connected to the elongate conductive path so as to extend in a cantilevered manner beyond the substrate, and a conductive area on the second side of the substrate. The probe housing is matingly detachably engageable with the probing device.

Abstract: A method of measuring tablet. Firstly, provide a tablet that has a processing device area, a ground point and numerous separate conductive lines, each conductive line has a first terminal electrically connected with the processing device area and a second terminal electrically connected with the ground point, and each said conductive line has a switch near to the second terminal. Next, turn off these switches so let the processing device area be electrically separated from the ground point. Then, perform a testing process on each conductive line in sequence, the testing process measures the connection between each conductive line and other conductive lines to decide whether short is happened.

Abstract: An apparatus automatically determines an operating frequency of an integrated circuit (IC) chip that has a built-in self-test (BIST) unit to test the chip. The apparatus includes a clock generator and a frequency determination unit. The clock generator provides a test clock to the IC chip. The frequency determination unit sets the clock generator to generate the test clock and determines the operating frequency in accordance with a test result produced from the BIST unit. The frequency determination unit also enables the BIST unit to test the IC chip. Specifically, the frequency determination unit tunes a frequency value based on the test result, and sets the clock generator to generate the test clock corresponding to the tuned frequency value. Accordingly, the apparatus determines the highest frequency passing the built-in self-test, and sets the highest frequency for the IC chip as its operating frequency.

Abstract: A sense circuit and a system including a sense circuit are disclosed. The sense circuit is configured to measure and change in current with respect to time and/or a change in voltage across a portion of a substrate.

Abstract: A device and method to estimate the resistance of a stator winding of an AC induction motor is provided. The device includes an AC induction circuit connecting one phase of the AC induction motor to an AC source. The circuit includes a resistor and a switch connected in parallel. The switch is alternatively closed during the half cycles of the AC current supplied to the motor so as to inject a DC voltage and current bias to the AC motor. The resistance of the stator winding is estimated in response to the DC voltage and current bias.

Abstract: An integrated circuit comprises plural superconducting circuit blocks connected through superconducting wiring strips, and each superconducting circuit block includes at least one superconducting logic circuit, constant input/output circuits connected between the input/output nodes of the circuit block and the superconducting logic circuit; parameters of the constant input/output circuits are regulated such that statically flow-in/flow-out current is approximately equal to zero at the input/output nodes of the superconducting logic circuit, whereby the superconducting logic circuit operates at the optimum operating point after the integration.

Abstract: The invention relates the provision of core scan functionality of complex integrated circuits. The invention proposes to provide core scan chain functionality of an integrated circuit by providing at least one scan flip-flop (10), each having a functional layer between an input port (PI) and at least one output port (Q, QN) and a storage layer between a scan input port (SI) and one of the at least one output port (Q, QN) constructed to be used within a scan chain, modifying said scan flip-flop 10 by adding a non-inverted and separate scan output port (SO) and implementing each of such modified scan flip-flops in the integrated circuit by creating a scan chain using the scan input port (SI) and the scan output port (SO). Additionally, delay measurement and characterization can be performed. Also improved resetting is possible to avoid power-peaks by a delayed distribution of the reset pulses.

Abstract: A flat group-delay low-pass filter includes a series element connected between an input terminal and an output terminal, and a shunt element with one end thereof grounded. Inductors define the series element, a parallel circuit including a capacitor and a series circuit including a resistor and a capacitor defines the shunt element. The flat group-delay low-pass filter thus eliminates the need for inserting a fixed attenuator to control the effect of reflections due to impedance mismatching between the filter and other components. The resulting flat group-delay low-pass filter and an optical signal receiver including the filter have very low manufacturing costs and component costs.

Abstract: FIFO queues are provided that enable multiple accesses to data stored in the FIFO queue. Conventional FIFO queues can be augmented by the addition of a “release pointer,” a “repeat signal,” and a “release signal.” A release pointer points to a location in the queue containing a data element that has already been read. As long as the release signal is not asserted, the release pointer does not change while a read pointer is used to read data from the queue. In order to allow the read pointer to go back and reread previously read data, the repeat signal can be asserted. Asserting the repeat signal causes the read pointer to be set to the value of the release pointer. Once the data is no longer needed, the release pointer can be asserted, causing the release pointer to be incremented along with the read pointer. Incrementing the release pointer frees up memory locations so that new data can be stored in them.

Abstract: An configurable integrated-circuit device includes a plurality of regions that each contain electronic circuitry. The configurable integrated-circuit device also includes common circuitry adapted to provide at least one signal to at least two regions of the plurality of regions. The common circuitry and the at least two regions are positioned within the configurable integrated-circuit device so as to improve the latencies of the at least one signal to each of the at least two regions.

Abstract: This specification discloses a programmable drive circuit for the I/O port. Using a logic circuit, the driver on the IC I/O port can be programmed to be an open-drained driver or a push-pull driver. In an embodiment of the invention, the programmable drive circuit contains a first transistor group and a second transistor group connected in series between a work voltage and a ground level. A first logic circuit controls the first transistor group, and a second logic circuit controls the second transistor group. The logic circuits are controlled by a select signal so that the first transistor group and the second transistor group become the open-drained driver or the push-pull driver.

Abstract: A multi-mode latch timing circuit has a first set of latches and a second set of latches in each logical path. In a first mode of operation, first and second phase clock signals are provided so that the latch timing circuit functions as a two-phase non-overlapping transparent latch timing circuit. In a second mode of operation, the first set of latches is held in a transparent state in some or all of the logical paths, thereby reducing clock power. In one embodiment, the first set of latches in each long path is held in a transparent state while the second phase clock signal is supplied to the second set of latches. In one embodiment, the first set of latches in each short path is held in a transparent state while a second phase clock signal comprised of shortened duty cycle pulses is supplied to the second set of latches.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for charge recovery in dynamic circuitry includes discharging a dynamic node during an evaluation interval by input circuitry coupled to the dynamic node responsive to one or more input signals. The discharging includes transferring the charge from the dynamic node to a capacitor during the evaluation time interval. The dynamic node is charged during a precharge interval by a voltage source and precharge timing circuitry coupled to the dynamic node responsive to a precharge signal. The charging includes transferring the charge from the capacitor back to the dynamic node.

Abstract: Quad-state logic elements and quad-state memory elements are used to reduce the wiring density of integrated circuits. The resulting reduction in wiring interconnects between memories and logic elements results in higher speed, higher density, and lower power integrated circuit designs.

Abstract: A driver circuit that allows high-speed switching when the reference current (I) is small. The driver circuit includes a drive current generation circuit (220) for supplying to a first node (232) a drive current based on a binary data signal (DATA); a current mirror circuit (240) for conducting through a second node (234) a current (mI) having a magnitude of the current flowing through the first node (232), multiplied by a predetermined current mirror ratio (m); and a pre-bias circuit (260) for supplying a first pre-bias current (Ib1) to the first node (232) and supplying a second pre-bias current (Ib2) having a magnitude of the first pre-bias current (Ib1), multiplied by said current mirror ratio (m), to the second node (234).

Abstract: A comparator comprises a cross-coupled regenerative latch, a circuit connected to the cross-coupled regenerative latch and a clocking circuit. The cross-coupled regenerative latch regenerates, during a latching mode, a signal which is indicative of a difference between two input signals. The circuit connected to the cross-coupled regenerative latch operates as a voltage follower during an acquisition mode and as a cascode amplifier stage during the latching mode. The clocking circuit switches the comparator from the acquisition mode to the latching mode and vice versa. The comparator eliminates the extraneous loading from the positive feedback when the regeneration takes place, so that a very fast regeneration time constant is obtained.