Abstract: A method for starting a motor having a stator, a rotor, a winding and an asymmetrical air gap is accomplished using several steps. The steps include: (a) providing the motor at standstill; (b) exciting the winding for a specific time period with a current impulse having a first amplitude to obtain a first specific position of the rotor with respect to the stator; (c) decreasing the first amplitude down to a second amplitude gradually by a controller to make the rotor to be positioned at a second specific position with respect to the stator after the specific time period, wherein the second amplitude is one of zero ampere and a specific value close to zero ampere, and the rotor is rotating close to the second specific position with an almost zero rotating speed when the second amplitude is reached.

Abstract: A parking brake is released by a controller and a rotating electric motor is speed-feedback-controlled or position-feedback-controlled to stop and hold an upper rotating body if at least one of arm operation, bucket operation, and travel operation is carried out in a rotating stopped state and with respect to the arm operation and the bucket operation, cylinder thrust of an arm cylinder or a bucket cylinder is greater or equal to a set value. Thereby, a parking brake and a rotating driving part can be prevented from being damaged by rotating external force generated by excavation reaction force or the like and a rotating body can be stopped and held.

Abstract: Distortions of motor voltage and current and a torque ripple of the motor are generated by dead band compensation for preventing an arm short circuit of an inverter, and a feeling of physical disorder is given in a handle operation. Therefore, the distortions of the motor voltage and current and the torque ripple of the motor are improved by using the dead band compensation for estimating the voltage distortion on the basis of a model current generated from a current command value such that no feeling of physical disorder is given in the handle operation of an electric power steering apparatus.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a motor control apparatus capable of ensuring a control function even for a large inertia moment ratio.

Abstract: A window washer control system and method administers fluid intermittently to a window based on an intermittent setting. A washer switch includes a plurality of frequency settings for varying a time interval between fluid administering events. The fluid level in a washer fluid reservoir is monitored to ensure a predetermined level. If the fluid level is below a predetermined level, control prevents intermittent washer administration and allows only manual activation.

Abstract: A wiping system for use on a vehicle window comprises a window wiper assembly positioned proximate the window, a first sensor for detecting the presence of moisture on the window and a second sensor for detecting if the vehicle has been remotely started. A controller is coupled to the wiper assembly and to the first and second sensors and enables the wiper assembly when the vehicle has been remotely started and moisture is present on the window. The wiping system also comprises a third sensor for detecting the presence of moisture on the window, a fourth sensor for detecting vehicle shut-down, and a fifth sensor for sensing the temperature of the window. The controller is coupled to each of the third, fourth, and fifth sensors and enables the wiper assembly when the vehicle has been shut-down for less than a predetermined period of time, the temperature of the window exceeds a temperature threshold, and moisture is detected on the window.

Abstract: Method of controlling a movable member driven by an electric motor by monitoring current circulating through the electric current and ripples therein. The method including detecting current peaks and count the number of current peaks falling within sampling windows such that the number of current peaks falling within the sampling windows are used to determine an angular position of the electric motor for use in facilitating the control thereof.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for adaptively controlling a stepper motor to produce a required torque output based on selection information provided by a sensor or a user/user interface which, in combination with a selector, selects a torque-related value. The selection information provided to the selector for selecting the stepper motor torque-related value may be, for example, the size or thickness of material being handled or the number of accumulated sheets for processing. The torque-related value is predetermined through experimentation and loaded into a lookup table stored in the memory of a motion control system board. The selected torque-related value is provided to a stepper motor driver which supplies the appropriate drive signal(s) to the stepper motor.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the invention implement techniques for modifying the command trajectory, the architecture of a servomechanism control system, or both, to reduce the servo error during and/or after the command trajectory. An iterative refinement procedure generates for use by the servomechanism control system a corrective input, du, which significantly reduces the error between the desired and actual servomechanism control system outputs. In one embodiment, a uniquely identified plant model is employed in the iterative refinement procedure to compute an approximate gradient that improves the performance and reliability of the refinement procedure. In another embodiment, the actual plant response is used in place of the identified model in the iterative refinement procedure. This is accomplished by time-reversing the stored error signal from a training run, before applying it to the plant to generate an update to the corrective input signal du.

Abstract: A polyphase AC induction motor is connected to a power supply through a soft starter having three sets of inverse parallel connected silicon controlled rectifiers with each set corresponding to one particular phase. Low speed starting and operation of the motor can be accomplished through triggering circuits controlling the phases of the triggering pulses in relation to the phases of the supply. The low motor speeds are developed by a gating sequence that generates a low frequency waveform that is less than the main supply frequency to the motor. This low frequency waveform is current and voltage controlled by the gating sequence to permit the AC motor to smoothly operate at speeds less than 100% of rated while developing net positive torque at the low controlled operating frequency.

Abstract: A polarity protection circuit for a battery booster device is provided. According to an exemplary embodiment, the polarity protection circuit is comprised of solid-state devices. Preferably no mechanical or electro-mechanical devices, such as solenoids are included in the polarity protection circuit. The polarity protection circuit is electrically connected to the battery to be charged and to the boosting battery. The polarity protection circuit prevents current flow between the batteries unless proper polarity is achieved.

Abstract: A power supply device providing required power to a loading device. The power supply device includes a battery, an adjustable power converter and a control circuit. The battery, having a current meter, selectively outputs required power to the loading device. The power converter receives and converts an AC voltage into a first DC voltage or a second DC voltage, further receives an adjusting signal. The power converter outputs the second DC voltage when the adjusting signal is enabled. The magnitude of the second DC voltage is lower than the output voltage of the battery. The control circuit is coupled to the battery and the power converter. When the power of the battery is gauged, the control circuit enables the adjusting signal for the power converter to output the second DC voltage, so that the battery discharges the loading device for the current meter to re-gauge the power of the battery.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of calculating the SOC of a battery. The method includes the steps of receiving information about a previous SOC mode and operation time in the mode from memory of a battery controller after startup of the vehicle; calculating a battery SOC data value using one of respective different reference capacities depending on whether a normal SOC preservation mode, a high SOC range expansion mode, or a low SOC range expansion mode using the battery controller and transmitting the battery SOC data value to a vehicle controller; and determining whether conditions for entering a next SOC mode is met after calculation of an actual SOC value of the battery in the normal SOC preservation mode, the high SOC range expansion mode, or the low SOC range expansion mode.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, there is a battery defect detection method comprising applying a current ramp to a battery; determining a first time (t1) when a current of the battery reaches a maximum current (Ipeak), and determining a second time (t2) when a terminal voltage of the battery reaches a maximum voltage (Vpeak). The method also includes determining a differential (d), wherein (d)=/(t1)?(t2)/, and wherein (d) corresponds to a magnitude of defects in the battery.

Abstract: An energy storage system is described for use in, for example, electronics systems such as a bank of computers. The disclosed energy storage systems allows the use of an efficient energy source, such as ultracapacitors, while providing a desired voltage level for an extended period of time. One embodiment of the energy storage system provides power to a load. The system includes a power module including at least one ultracapacitor adapted to store and discharge energy. The power module provides an output voltage as the ultracapacitor discharges energy. The system also includes a voltage regulator for boosting the output voltage of the power module. The voltage regulator may include a voltage converter. The voltage converter may be adapted to boost the output voltage when the output voltage falls below a predetermined threshold. The voltage converter may include a plurality of interleaving inductor circuits, each of the circuits including a switch and an inductor.

Abstract: A battery backup system includes a control device including a power sensing device, a discharge circuit, a charging circuit, and a plurality of battery packs. A lower threshold is established representative of a minimum acceptable effective energy capacity. Each battery pack is recharged if its effective energy capacity falls below the lower threshold. Additionally, an upper threshold is established representative of the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity plus a performance margin. In a two battery-pack system, if both battery packs fall below the upper threshold, the battery with the least effective energy capacity is discharged to the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity and then recharged to the battery pack's maximum energy capacity. In this way, both battery packs are prevented from approaching the minimum acceptable effective energy capacity at the same time. This reduces the size or number of battery packs and reduces their associated cost and volume.

Abstract: A stabilizer and synchronous electric power generator system using same that provides both power system damping and excitation limiter functionality. The stabilizer includes a processing unit and a memory storing routines executable by the processing unit. The routines are adapted to receive a voltage signal indicative of a voltage and a current signal indicative of a current output by the generator system, generate, utilizing the voltage and current signals, a power system stabilizer signal for damping oscillations and one or more excitation limiter function signals for controlling excitation level. The routines are also adapted to generate a feedback signal for the generator system by combining the power system stabilizer signal and one or more of the one or more excitation limiter function signals.

Abstract: A brushless exciter for a synchronous generator or motor generally includes a stator and a rotor rotatably disposed within the stator. The rotor has a field winding and a voltage rectifying bridge circuit connected in parallel to the field winding. A plurality of firing circuits are connected the voltage rectifying bridge circuit. The firing circuit is configured to fire a signal at an angle of less than 90° or at an angle greater than 90°. The voltage rectifying bridge circuit rectifies the AC voltage to excite or de-excite the field winding.

Abstract: A booster circuit generates a boosted output by boosting a low voltage output supplied as a target to be boosted and feeds back a part of the boosted output, an output by the booster circuit itself, to the booster circuit as operation energy. An auxiliary booster circuit outputs start-up energy generated based on a low voltage output to the booster circuit as start-up energy that is necessary for starting up the booster circuit.

Abstract: Method and circuit for automatic correction of emulated inductor current without knowledge of actual inductor current ramp for an emulated current mode (ECM) PWM switching regulator. In an ECM-PWM switching regulator a compensation ramp component is usually added to an up-slope. An excess ramp component may also be added compared to actual inductor current. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an integrating negative feedback circuit is employed to reduce both extra components. According to another embodiment, a single integrating negative feedback loop is added to the ECM-PWM regulator to retain the compensation ramp component while reducing the excess ramp component. According to a further embodiment, excess ramp component is reduced by adding the integrating negative feedback loop at an end stage of the circuit. Finally, the feedback loop with two duplicate track-and-hold circuitry may be added to reduce the excess ramp component, while retaining the compensation component.

Abstract: A device and method of providing thermal compensation for integrated circuits, e.g., complementary metal-oxide semiconductor integrated circuits (“IC”) is described. The device is an IC (e.g., digital, analog, and mixed-signal circuits) with a digital voltage control system (“VCS”) having a temperature-adaptive digital DC-to-DC power converter. In one embodiment, the DC-to-DC converter includes a power stage, which converts a voltage of an input power source to a variable supply voltage, a delay-line-based temperature sensing circuit that continuously monitors temperature changes, and adjusts the frequency and process speed of the IC to compensate for any performance degradation caused by thermal effects by adjusting the voltage supplied to the IC to increase or decrease the frequency and process speed of the IC in proportion to any abnormal temperature changes in the IC.

Abstract: Occurrence of power supply noise arising in connection with a step-down action at the time of turning on power supply is to be restrained. A step-down unit is provided with a switched capacitor type step-down circuit and a series regulator type step-down circuit, and stepped-down voltage output terminals of the step-down circuits are connected in common. The common connection of the stepped-down voltage output terminals of both step-down circuits makes possible parallel driving of both, selective driving of either or consecutive driving of the two. In the consecutive driving, even if the switched capacitor type step-down circuit is driven after driving the series regulator type step-down circuit first to supply a stepped-down voltage to loads, the switched capacitor type step-down circuit will need only to be compensated for a discharge due to the loads, and a peak of a charge current for capacitors can be kept low.

Abstract: A method which regulates a power supply is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, the method includes sensing an excess control current through a control terminal with a control current sensor circuit. A transistor is switched with a control circuit in response to the control current sensor circuit and an oscillator that is coupled to a trim circuit, which is trimmed during manufacture of a circuit, to regulate the output of a power supply. A current through the transistor is limited with a current limit circuit that is coupled to the trim circuit, which is trimmed during manufacture of the circuit. A maximum deliverable power value of the power supply is determined by said trimming of the trim circuit during manufacture of the circuit.

Abstract: A load compensated voltage regulator comprises a chip including a control section having an error amplifier, a pulse width modulator (PWM), the PWM outputting at least one driver control signal. At least one driver has an input coupled to receive the driver control signal. An output stage includes at least one output transistor having an input coupled to an output of the driver. The output transistor drives an inductor in series with a grounded capacitor, wherein an output of the regulator (VOUT) is at a node between the inductor and the capacitor, wherein VOUT generates a load current across a load when connected across the capacitor. A feedback connector is provided for feeding back a feedback signal representative of the load current to circuitry for outputting a gate driver voltage supply control signal based on at least reference level and the feedback signal. A connector couples at least one power supply to the driver through a switch or a second regulator.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a PWM power supply controller asserts a PWM control signal synchronously to a clock signal of the PWM controller and also asserts the PWM control signal asynchronously to the clock signal.

Abstract: A DC power supply control apparatus monitors respective terminals supplying positive and negative DC supply voltages to a utility device. The voltage at the negative terminal is compared with a target value for that voltage to produce an offset current representative of any voltage differential therebetween. This offset current is used to produce an offset voltage, that is added to or subtracted from a target value of the positive supply voltage to produce an error amplifier reference voltage. This reference voltage is compared with the voltage at the monitored positive terminal, to produce an error voltage, in response to which the power supply's modulator loop adjusts the power supply's positive output voltage, as necessary, to maintain the intended DC voltage differential between the positive and negative DC supply voltages.

Abstract: A cleaning device for use in a semiconductor processing. The device comprises a substrate supporter for supporting a substrate to be cleaned, a scrub pad mounting plate, and a chuck coupling to the substrate supporter and the scrub pad mounting plate. The chuck is configured to move the substrate supporter and the scrub pad mounting plate. The device further comprises a scrub pad mountable to and moveable from the scrub pad mounting plate. The scrub pad, when mounted to the scrub pad mounting plate, is higher than the substrate when mounted on the substrate supporter. The scrub pad mounting plate and the substrate supporter can both be coupled to the chuck so that the chuck moves both the scrub pad mounting plate and the substrate supporter in one action.

Abstract: There is provided a voltage generating apparatus that outputs a power source voltage from a voltage outputting terminal.

Abstract: Detecting the rotational direction of a rotor is feasible by allowing a constant current source to supply a constant current flowing from an electric potential supply line to the earth in response to a turning-on action of a switch. Accordingly, detecting both the rotational speed and the rotational direction of the rotor is feasible by using three wiring cables of a power source line, an earth line, and a signal line outputting a pulse signal in accordance with the rotation of the gear. Using such a one-stage voltage adjustment enables the detection signal processing circuit to reduce electric power consumption compared with a system requiring a two-stage voltage adjustment.

Abstract: A vehicle axle assembly having an axle housing, an axle shaft and a sensor. The axle housing has a tubular portion. A flat is formed on an annular wall of the tubular portion proximate a distal end of the tubular portion. A hole, which intersects the flat, is formed through the tubular portion. The axle shaft can have an integrally formed target portion that includes a plurality of teeth. The sensor is mounted in the hole and abuts the flat to space a tip of the sensor apart from the teeth of the target portion by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A probe card comprises a plurality of coils for impressing a magnetic field in changeable directions to a magnetic sensor and a group of probes for detecting an output signal of the magnetic sensor. A manufacturing cost of the magnetic sensor can be decreased.

Abstract: A device and method for detecting the position and velocity of a test object relative to a sensor, the sensor and the test object being arranged such that they can be displaced relative to one another. In one embodiment, the sensor has a measuring coil with one or more voltage tap(s) and has a target that is placed on the test object while being electromagnetically coupled to the measuring coil. An electronic component for adding the voltages tapped on the sensor is assigned to the sensor.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive application probe is disclosed wherein the probe includes a preassembled sensor element mounted as an application housing installation as an installable unit. The modular nature allows interchanging with various electronic assemblies, and may be an explosion proof installation.

Abstract: An inductive position sensor for rotary motion includes a transmitter coil and a receiver coil, the receiver coil generating a receiver signal when the transmitter coil is excited by an alternating current source. A movable coupler element modifies the inductive coupling between the transmitter coil and the receiver coil so that the receiver signal is sensitive to the coupler element position. The ratio between the receiver signal and the reference signal is sensitive to the coupler element position, but substantially insensitive to common mode factors. The angular or positional range of the position sensor can be increased using a plurality of receiver coils.

Abstract: A detector for magnetizable materials operates remotely to determine a amplitude and phase modification of an exciting magnetic field caused by the magnetizable materials. These amplitude and phase measurements are used to create a phase-amplitude trajectory in phase amplitude space, which may be finely divided to distinguish among a number of different types of components.

Abstract: An ultrasensitive room temperature magnetoelectric thin film magnetometer is fabricated on a cantilever beam and includes an active magnetoelectric multilayer structure having a plurality of thin films formed at a region defined on the cantilever beam. Upon application of a magnetic field, the active magnetoelectric structure generates a corresponding response of an electrical nature which is a measure of a value of the applied magnetic field. The material of the cantilever beam may be removed beneath the active magnetoelectric multilayer structure to form a freestanding modification of the magnetometer with superior sensitivity. The active magnetoelectric multilayer structure is either a bi-layer structure which includes a piezoactive (piezoelectric and/or piezoresistive) thin film deposited in contact with a magnetostrictive thin film or a tri-layer active structure (in the free-standing implementation) including a piezoactive thin film sandwiched between a pair of magnetostrictive thin films.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring an entity of a magnetic field using a Hall sensor which is provided with at least one Hall plate which has a group of two pairs of terminals located at a distance from one another, an excitation signal supplied from a source to one pair of terminals and a detection signal, which forms a representation of the entity, which is tapped off from the other pair of terminals by a processing circuit. The source is a voltage source of which an impedance is negligible for use of the sensor, and the processing circuit has a negligible input impedance for tapping off me detection signal as a short-circuit current.

Abstract: In a magnetic detection device for obtaining an output from between a variable resistance element using the magnetoresistance effect and a reference resistance element, a balance between resistance values in the device can be easily adjusted in a wide range. A voltage is applied to a resistance adjusting unit, a reference resistance element, and a variable resistance element, which are serially connected, and is also applied to another variable resistance element, another reference resistance element, and another resistance adjusting unit, which are serially connected. When subjected to a magnetic field of a predetermined size, resistance values of the variable resistance elements change, and as a result, the potentials of output terminals change. Each of the resistance adjusting units includes serially connected parallel portions each including a plurality of parallel connected resistance elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting quadrupole nuclei in motion relative to a search region, during the sensing operation, provides a system for decreasing the throughput time of quadrupole resonance (QR) detection systems. The apparatus uses a single QR probe, or a plurality of QR probes, which may be formed into an array, to remotely and non-invasively generate a QR response from one or more targets containing quadrupole nuclei, as they pass through the probe-sensing region. The method employs an optimized pulse sequence that simultaneously increases the QR signal power while reducing the peak power of the RF pulses. The pulse sequence generates a matrix of signals that are processed to improve detection performance by increasing the signal to noise ratio.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a portable or handheld device for performing NMR analysis. The device comprises a console and a strip which can be placed into the console through a slot or other means. The strip comprises a sample holding place and a microcoil for generating an excitation magnetic field across a sample in the sample holding space. A permanent magnet is provided either by the console or the strip and generates a static magnetic field which, together with the excitation field, creates NMR within the sample. Other embodiments of the invention also encompass method of performing NMR analysis using the portable device and method of making such devices.

Abstract: A method, system, and software arrangement for automatically prescribing long-axis magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) slices of a target are provided. An MRI image is captured along a short-axis slice of the target. Vectorial components, including slice selection, phase-encoding, and frequency encoding vectors, are extracted from the short-axis slice. Vectorial components are established for a long-axis slice using the vectorial components of the short-axis slice, by transposing the slice-selection and frequency-encoding vectors. A plurality of long-axis slice planes are defined in a manner positioned relative to the long axis slice, rotating about a long axis in a direction of a long-axis frequency encoding vector. In one exemplary embodiment, frequency and phase shifts are established for each of the long-axis slices, for use in RF transmitting and receiving.

Abstract: A radio frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a birdcage section having a plurality of parallel spaced apart conductors and one or more cross or end conductors aligned generally transverse to the spaced apart conductors, and a TEM section having a plurality of parallel spaced apart conductors and a radio frequency screen. The birdcage section and the TEM section resonate at a birdcage resonant frequency and a TEM resonant frequency, respectively. The birdcage section and the TEM section are relatively disposed with the parallel spaced apart conductors of each section aligned and define a subject receiving region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention pertain to a resonator for use in magnetic resonance imaging. Embodiments of the subject invention pertain to a high-field mode-stable resonator for use in magnetic resonance imaging. Embodiments also pertain to a method of generating and/or receiving rf magnetic fields in a field of view (FOV) for magnetic resonance imaging. An embodiment can incorporate a shielded cylindrical resonator having 16 elements that are coupled to one another by a transmission line resonator.

Abstract: In embodiments of the invention, a TEM coil for magnetic resonance imaging comprises a coil providing at least two head restraints, the head restraints having a means for audio communication to a subject and means for active or passive protection for a subject's hearing.

Abstract: An NMR probe for high-temperature NMR measurements includes tubular heating means mounted respectively immediately below and immediately above an area to be measured. A sample tube is inserted inside the tube formed by the two heating means. A sample placed in the sample tube is heated. Heat from the two heating means is transmitted to the sample via at least one heat transfer pipe of a good thermal conductivity. The heat transfer pipe is disposed inside the tube of the heating means.

Abstract: An implementation of an optical transmission path for NMR signals from local coils in magnetic resonance imaging employs a photomodulator that may be incorporated into a connecting optical cable to be shared among multiple local coils and to provide for connection and disconnection at an electrical interface eliminating the need for optical connectors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a locator/monitor capable of locating a boring tool and monitoring the progress of the tool for control purposes. The locator/monitor may be used in expedited locating methodology and straightforward calibration techniques of the present invention. A durable and cost effective pitch sensor is also provided by the present invention. In addition, the present invention provides a slotted transmitter housing formed of an electrically conductive material, where the magnetic field generated by the transmitter is capable of penetrating to the surface.

Abstract: A method and system of controlling drilling direction using directionally sensitive resistivity readings. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising transmitting an interrogating electromagnetic wave from a tool in a borehole into a formation surrounding the borehole, receiving a first responsive electromagnetic wave from the formation by a first receiving antenna having a sensitivity pattern with a single primary lobe, determining proximity of a bed boundary using the first responsive electromagnetic wave, and controlling drilling direction based on the proximity of the bed boundary.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for determining a faulted phase resulting from a fault in a three-phase ungrounded power system. The method includes comparing a phase angle of an operating phasor to a phase angle of a fixed reference phasor. The operating phasor is derived from a digitized signal sample of a plurality of measured signals of the power system. The method also includes comparing a phase angle difference between the operating phasor and the fixed reference phasor to at least one threshold to determine the faulted phase. The fixed reference phasor may be a phase-to-phase voltage or a positive sequence voltage of the plurality of measured signals of the power system. The operating phasor may be a zero sequence current, a zero sequence voltage or a combination of a zero sequence current and a zero sequence voltage of the plurality of measured signals of the power system.

Abstract: A circuit tester comprising an AFCI having two pairs of leads connected to the opposite end of each circuit tester in series for connecting an AFCI with ground fault circuit technology capabilities between an electrical circuit load and a power source to indicate electrical circuit and/or appliance ground fault current leakage in an amount greater than 30 mA and 50 mA, and parallel arcing on an electrical circuit or appliance in an amount greater than 5A, 50A, and 70A.