Abstract: An example structure for transmitting signals in an application space between a device under test (DUT) and test electronics includes: a circuit board that is part of an application space between test electronics and a device under test (DUT); and a coaxial structure to pass signals along electrical pathways between the test electronics and the DUT. The coaxial structure includes a signal line at least partially surrounded by a return line.

Abstract: A current monitor is described that indicates a condition of attached electrical equipment. The current monitor can determine a predetermined range in which current being withdrawn by the attached electrical apparatus lies. Based on the determined range, corresponding display electronic elements, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), can be activated. Activated LEDs of a particular color can indicate corresponding conditions of the electrical equipment. The condition of the electrical equipment along with other parameters, such as associated time ranges and other values, can be transmitted via a wired or wireless connection to a software system implemented on a wireless device such that a continuous monitoring and an analysis can be performed remotely. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: A system for differentiating short circuiting in a battery includes: a detector coupled to the battery; a monitor in communication with the detector, the monitor including a profile of a battery shorting behavior, and a comparator for matching data from the detector to the profile; and a controller for taking action based upon information from the detector. A method for detecting short circuiting in a battery includes the steps of: detecting a behavior of the battery; comparing the behavior of the battery to a predetermined battery behavior profile; determining the type of short based on the comparison; and taking mitigating action based on the determination. The system/method may monitor: temperature of the battery, heat generation from the battery, current flow through the battery, voltage drop across the battery, and/or combinations thereof. The system/method discriminates between the various battery shorting behaviors for aggressive response or passive response.

Abstract: A utility meter includes at least one primary coil, a temperature sensor, and a metrology circuit. The at least one primary coil is configured to be operably coupled to a meter socket to receive heat energy from the meter socket. The temperature sensor is operably coupled to the at least one primary coil and is configured to generate a sensor signal based on a temperature of the meter socket. The metrology circuit is operably coupled to the temperature sensor and is configured (i) to generate metering data based on a measurement of electricity consumption, and (ii) to generate a service signal in response to the sensor signal indicating that the temperature of the at least one primary coil is equal to or greater than a predetermined temperature threshold. The predetermined temperature threshold corresponds to a temperature indicative of the meter socket being due for maintenance.

Abstract: A partial discharge monitoring system includes: electromagnetic wave detection sensors disposed in insulating gas enclosures being objects to be monitored, converting devices, and an interface device. The interface device includes: a detecting part detecting a zero cross point of a voltage signal synchronous with a voltage signal applied to conductors disposed in the insulating gas enclosures, and deciding a sampling timing of signals of electromagnetic waves; a transmitting part notifying the sampling timing decided by the detecting part to the converting devices; an integrating part integrating digital data which are received from the converting devices on per converting device basis; and a transmitting part transmitting the integrated digital data to a monitoring device.

Abstract: Methods for testing a special pattern and testing a probe card defect in wafer testing are provided. In the method for testing the special pattern, a wafer is divided into multiple testing partitions, in which each of the testing partitions includes multiple dies. The dies in each testing partition of the wafer are respectively tested by multiple sites of the probe card to obtain a testing map. Then, a number of the dies having defects and a number of the dies without defect within each of the testing partitions in the testing map are accumulated to construct chi-square test and calculate a maximum P-value. Finally, it is determined whether a minimum of the maximum P-values of all of the testing partitions is smaller than a certain predetermined threshold. If the minimum is smaller than the threshold, it is determined that the testing map of the wafer contains the special pattern.

Abstract: A method for providing an environmental impact rating for a solar cell includes acquiring power generation data and thermal exchange data regarding the solar cell using a data acquisition device, transmitting the power generation data and the thermal exchange data to a controller, and generating the environmental impact rating based on the power generation data and the thermal exchange data using the controller, wherein the environmental impact rating provides an indication of an environmental impact of using the solar cell.

Abstract: An observation apparatus includes a laser light source, a scanning optical system irradiating a semiconductor device with laser light output from the laser light source, a bias power supply applying a reverse bias voltage of a predetermined voltage between electrodes of the semiconductor device, a sensor detecting an electrical property occurring in the semiconductor device in response to the laser light, and a control system generating an electrical property image of the semiconductor device based on a detection signal from the sensor. The bias power supply gradually increases a magnitude of the predetermined voltage until the predetermined voltage reaches a voltage at which avalanche amplification occurs in the semiconductor device. When the predetermined voltage is increased, the scanning optical system irradiates with the laser light, the sensor detects the electrical property, and the control system generates the electrical property image.

Abstract: A method includes: providing a test apparatus; providing an electrically conductive carrier; providing a semiconductor substrate having a first main face, a second main face opposite to the first main face, and a plurality of semiconductor dies, the semiconductor dies including a first contact element on the first main face and a second contact element on the second main face; placing the semiconductor substrate on the carrier with the second main face facing the carrier; electrically connecting the carrier to a contact location disposed on the first main face; and testing a semiconductor die by electrically connecting the test apparatus with the first contact element of the semiconductor die and the contact location.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a user configurable reliability control loop. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a reliability meter to track accumulated stress on components of the processor based on measured processor operating conditions; and a controller to receive stress rate limit information from a user or manufacturer and to responsively specify a set of N operating limits on the processor in accordance with the accumulated stress and the stress rate limit information; and performance selection logic to output one or more actual operating conditions for the processor based on the N operating limits specified by the controller.

Abstract: A methodology for inline characterization and temperature profiling that enables parallel measurement of device characteristics at multiple temperatures and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments may include calibrating a first device under test (DUT) with respect to at least one heating structure in a metal layer of an integrated circuit (IC), applying a heater voltage to the at least one heating structure, and measuring at least one characteristic of the first DUT at a first temperature corresponding to the heater voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for probing die electricity includes a substrate, a converting plate, a needle module and a reinforcement structure. The converting plate includes two opposite surfaces respectively having a plurality of first and second conductive elements. The needle module has a plurality of needles respectively and electrically connected to the plurality second conductive elements. The reinforcement structure is made from a polymer gel and disposed between the converting plate and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for probing a semiconductor device under test (DUT) using a combination of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and nanoprobes, by: obtaining an SEM image of a region of interest (ROI) in the DUT; obtaining a CAD design image of the ROI; registering the CAD design image with the SEM image to identify contact targets; obtaining a Netlist corresponding to the contact targets and using the Netlist to determine which of the contact targets should be selected as test target; and, navigating nanoprobes to land a nanoprobe on each of the test targets and form electrical contact between the nanoprobe and the respective test target.

Abstract: A semiconductor device inspection system includes a laser beam source, a tester, an optical sensor, a first spectrum analyzer for measuring first phase information serving as phase information of the detection signal, a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal of a predetermined frequency, a second spectrum analyzer for measuring second phase information serving as phase information of a reference signal, and an analysis unit for deriving phase information of the detection signal at the predetermined frequency, wherein the first spectrum analyzer measures the first phase information with respect to the reference frequency, the second spectrum analyzer measures the second phase information with respect to the reference frequency, and the frequency of the base signal of the first spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof are synchronized with the frequency of the base signal of the second spectrum analyzer and the phase thereof.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure involve an apparatus and/or method for conducting simultaneous transition testing of different clock domains of a microprocessor design at different frequencies through a controlled order of clock pulses in each domain. In general, a microelectronic design utilizes test control circuitry associated with each clock domain of the design to conduct simultaneous transition testing of the clock domains. The testing control circuitry associated with each clock domain of the microelectronic design further allows for the testing device to delay testing within a particular clock domain. By delaying the testing within a particular clock domain, the testing of the various clock domains can be synchronized. Through these testing procedures, the amount of time required to perform the ATPG testing of a microelectronic design may be greatly reduced.

Abstract: A method of operating a test device for a logic-based processing device includes the steps of providing an original set of test instructions, generating one or more Quick Error Detection (QED) test programs, and causing the one or more QED test programs to be executed on the logic-based processing device. Each one of the QED test programs includes the original test program with additional instructions inserted at strategic locations within the original set, wherein the additional instructions and the strategic locations vary between each of the QED test programs.

Abstract: A method for managing operation of a logic component is provided, with the logic component including a majority vote circuit and an odd number of flip-flops equal to at least three. The method includes, following a normal operating mode of the logic component, placing a flip-flop in a test mode, and injecting a test signal into a test input of the flip-flop being tested while a logic state of the other flip-flops is frozen. A test signal output is analyzed. At the end of the test, the logic component is placed back in the normal operating mode. The majority vote circuit restores a value of the output signal from the logic component that existed prior to initiation of the test.

Abstract: In a first embodiment a Test Access Port (TAP) of IEEE standard 1149.1 is allowed to commandeer control from a Wrapper Serial Port (WSP) of IEEE standard P1500 such that the P1500 architecture, normally controlled by the WSP, is rendered controllable by the TAP. In a second embodiment (1) the TAP and WSP based architectures are merged together such that the sharing of the previously described architectural elements are possible, and (2) the TAP and WSP test interfaces are merged into a single optimized test interface that is operable to perform all operations of each separate test interface. One approach provides for the TAP to maintain access and control of the TAP instruction register, but provides for a selected data register to be accessed and controlled by either the TAP+ATC (Auxiliary Test Control bus) or by the discrete CaptureDR, UpdateDR, TransferDR, ShiftDR, and ClockDR WSP data register control signals.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a circuit capable of generating programmable test patterns for a pixel array. The circuit includes a pixel array having a plurality of pixels arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. A built-in-tester is coupled to the pixel array. The built-in-tester includes a data pattern register that generates a plurality of test patterns. A switching logic circuit is coupled between the data pattern register and the pixel array. The switching logic circuit provides to each column of the plurality of columns one of a first voltage and a second voltage based on a test pattern of the plurality of test patterns received from the data pattern register.

Abstract: Roughly described, a method of powering down a portion of an integrated circuit chip, the portion of the integrated circuit chip comprising a plurality of peripheral circuits, each peripheral circuit being connected to a respective debug unit, the method comprising: prior to power down, extracting from each debug unit configuration information of that debug unit; storing the configuration information of the debug units in a memory on the integrated circuit chip during power down of the portion of the integrated circuit chip; and on power up, restoring the configuration information of each debug unit to that debug unit prior resuming operation of that debug unit and the peripheral circuit connected to that debug unit.

Abstract: The monitoring circuit of a semiconductor device includes: a boot-up controller configured to generate a boot-up enable signal in response to a power-up signal and a boot-up command signal; a read-period generator configured to output a read-period signal in response to a boot-up read signal; and a monitoring unit configured to output the read-period signal to an external output terminal during activation of the boot-up enable signal to allow the read-period signal to be monitored.

Abstract: Testing I/O (input/output) eye width for an interface with an inverted modulated strobe or clock signal. An I/O interface includes multiple signal lines, each with a hardware I/O buffer with timing characteristics. A system generates a strobe signal with a triggering edge that triggers a write, and a trailing edge that is modulated by adjusting the duty cycle of the strobe signal. The system inverts the modulated strobe signal to generate an inverted strobe signal, wherein the inverted strobe signal has a modulated triggering edge generated from inverting the modulated trailing edge. The device under test writes test data based on the triggering edge of the original strobe signal and reads test data based on the triggering edge of the inverted strobe signal.

Abstract: A monitoring system for transport installations for persons, which installations are arranged as elevator, escalator or moving walkway, includes at least one interrogation device and at least one safety switch, which switch is connected with the interrogation device by an electrical safety circuit and which monitors a door lock of the transport installation for persons. An independent energy supply device supplies power to the interrogation device.

Abstract: A method for maintenance checking of a dental handpiece is disclosed. The method comprises measuring in advance no-load current values of a drive motor, with a handpiece known as being in usable condition and a handpiece known as insufficiently maintained respectively connected thereto and operated in no-load condition, storing as reference data the no-load current values of the drive motor together with associated data relating to degree of maintenance, measuring a no-load current value of the drive motor with a dental handpiece to be checked connected thereto and operated in no-load condition, and determining whether the handpiece checked is usable, requires maintenance, or is unusable, by comparing the measured no-load current value with the reference data.

Abstract: A control device includes an acquiring unit that acquires via a communication line reference value data indicating predetermined reference values for a torque and a rotating speed, which are parameters indicating an operating state of an electric motor, from a driving device that controls driving of the electric motor, and a calculating unit that acquires via the communication line present value data indicating one of a physical quantity, which is a value of the respective parameters measured in the electric motor during operation and a ratio of the physical quantity to the reference value from the driving device, and calculates the other one of the physical quantity and the ratio from the present value data and the reference value data.

Abstract: A power management system is disclosed for providing an indication of the required available capacity (RAC) available from a backup battery unit (BBU) for backup or peak loading as required by a critical DC load, such as a computer bus. The power management system is configured to repeatedly determine the gross remaining capacity of the backup battery unit (BBU). The system processes this information and other measured or known battery parameters to determine the required available capacity (RAC). The RAC is based upon the required capacity of the critical load to which the BBU is connected. In general, the RAC is the difference between the gross remaining capacity of the battery at a given point in time and the required capacity of the critical load. In accordance with an important feature of the power management system, an indication of the RAC is provided.

Abstract: Determining a state of charge (SOC) of a rechargeable battery includes using a first process to determine a first value for the SOC of the battery and using a second process to determine a second value for the SOC of the battery and deriving the SOC as a weighted average of the first value for the SOC and the second value for the SOC. During a charging cycle of the battery an input charge of the battery is determined from an input current flowing into the battery and a charging time. During a discharging cycle an output charge of the battery is determined from an output current flowing out of the battery, a discharging time and an actual capacity of the battery is the sum of the input charge over charging cycles minus the sum of the output charge over discharging cycles.

Abstract: A voltage monitoring device has a capacitor circuit having capacitors connected in series, first switches connecting end terminals of the capacitor circuit to specific electrode terminals of unit cells in a battery pack, second switches connecting remaining electrode terminals of the unit cells to the connection nodes between the capacitors, first voltage detection sections corresponding to each of the capacitors, a second voltage detection section connected to the end terminals of the capacitor circuit, and a microcomputer which selectively performs a first process of charging each capacitor, and a second process of charging the capacitors simultaneously. The respective specific electrode terminals correspond to the unit cells, and are arranged at an interval corresponding to the number of connection nodes formed between the capacitors.

Abstract: Provided are a battery state estimation method and system and a recording medium for performing the method. The battery state estimation is provided by applying an ARX model and a dual extended Kalman filter. A battery state estimation system estimates a parameter of a battery model using an ARX model and estimates a battery state by applying the estimated parameter of the battery model to a dual extended Kalman filter including a state filter used to estimate a state of charge (SOC) and a weight filter used to estimate a state of health (SOH) of the battery.

Abstract: A method of identifying a non-communicative battery Cell Sensing Board (CSB) within a plurality of battery CSBs arranged in a serial chain includes sequentially reconfiguring the serial chain of the battery CSBs to sequentially define each of the plurality of battery CSBs as a last battery CSB in a temporary test serial chain. Communication with the last battery CSB of each temporary test serial chain is sequentially established with a loopback feature of the battery CSBs. When a disruption in communication between the battery system manager controller and the last battery CSB of the current temporary test serial chain is detected, the last battery CSB of the current temporary test serial chain is identified as the non-communicative battery CSB.

Abstract: The present inventions, in one aspect, are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determining data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery using the data which is representative of (i) the relaxation time of the battery and/or (ii) the overpotential of the battery. In another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to adapt one or more characteristics of a charge signal using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery. In yet another aspect the present inventions are directed to techniques and/or circuitry to determine a state of charge of the battery using data which is representative of the state of health, or a change therein, of the battery.

Abstract: A method for testing a battery may be provided. The method may include: bringing the battery to a pre-determined voltage; determining a parameter of the battery, the parameter of the battery including at least one of an entropy of the battery at the pre-determined voltage or an enthalpy of the battery at the pre-determined voltage; and determining an ageing history of the battery based on the determined parameter.

Abstract: To provide a secondary battery state detecting device that decreases the deterioration in capacity of the secondary battery and is low in arithmetic cost. A secondary battery state detecting device that detects a state of a secondary battery includes discharge means (discharge circuit (15)) for subjecting the secondary battery (14) to a pulse discharge, acquiring means (controller (10)) for controlling the discharge means to subject the secondary battery to at least one pulse discharge, and acquiring a time variation of a voltage value at that time, calculating means (controller (10)) for calculating a parameter of a predetermined function having time as a variable by fitting the variation of the voltage value acquired by the acquiring means using the predetermined function, and detecting means (controller (10)) for detecting the state of the secondary battery on the basis of the parameter of the predetermined function calculated by the calculating means.

Abstract: A motor vehicle has a first energy store for the operation of multiple vehicle systems and a second energy store which, at least, provides the electrical energy needed to start the motor vehicle, and a control device.

Abstract: A current sensor device for measuring a current, in particular for measuring a battery current in motor vehicles. The device includes a clamping device for fixing the current sensor device to a maintaining body, an electric resistance element on which the current can be measured by means of a voltage, and an electric mass element by means of which the current sensor device can be electrically coupled to a zero potential. The clamping device, the resistance element and the mass element are integrally formed.

Abstract: A circuit and method is described for automatically testing multiple LDO regulator circuits on an integrated circuit chip independent of an ATE. Each LDO regulator is tested for voltage at a specified current output capability, wherein the output driver transistor is formed by at least two pass transistors, which are each tested for voltage output at a particular current capability. The test results are delivered back to the ATE and for a failed test, the gate voltage of the pass device can be observed through an analog multiplexer to enable debug.

Abstract: An electrical power diagnostic device and methods are disclosed. A power-supply-side connector is operable to couple to a power supply, and a load-side connector is operable to couple to a load. At least one conductive path for electricity to flow between the power-supply-side connector and the load-side connector, and a diagnostic monitor is operable to monitor and change electrical properties of the power-supply-side connector and the load-side connector.

Abstract: To provide a magnetic sensor device which maintains accuracy thereof while reducing current consumption by switching drive power of a Hall element to two drive power. A magnetic sensor device is equipped with a driving circuit which supplies power to a sensor element, a switch changeover circuit which restricts the supply of the power from the driving circuit to the sensor element, a differential amplifier circuit which performs arithmetic processing on an output signal of the sensor element, a threshold voltage generating circuit which generates a threshold voltage used in magnetism determination, a comparison circuit which compares and determines a voltage of the differential amplifier circuit and the threshold voltage, and a logic circuit which according to the output of the comparison circuit, switches the power outputted from the driving circuit, switches the threshold voltage and controls on/off of the switch changeover circuit in a constant cycle.

Abstract: A production method of a gas cell includes: forming a coating layer on a surface of a plate material; assembling a plurality of the plate materials having the coating layer formed thereon so as to form a cell surrounded by the surface having the coating layer formed thereon; and filling the formed cell with an alkali metal gas.

Abstract: A GMR element includes a fixed magnetic layer in which magnetization is fixed; a free magnetic layer in which magnetization is changed by an external magnetic field; and a spacer layer which is positioned between the fixed magnetic layer and the free magnetic layer, in which the free magnetic layer is formed by laminating a CoFe alloy and a CoFeB alloy. A current sensor uses the GMR element.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive device includes a carrier, an xMR-sensor, a magnetic layer formed above an active xMR-region of the xMR-sensor and an insulating layer arranged between the xMR-sensor and the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to detect target analytes based on magnetic resonance measurements. Magnetic structures produce distinct magnetic field regions having a size comparable to the analyte. When the analyte is bound in those regions, magnetic resonance signals from the sample are changed, leading to detection of the analyte.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement device for magnetic resonance applications including: in a measurement case (12): a sensor (15) for measuring radiofrequency magnetic fields, a sensor (20) for measuring magnetic field gradients, a sensor (40) for measuring the radiofrequency electric field, a stage for converting the electric signals delivered by the different measurement sensors into light signals, a unit for controlling and processing the signals, connected to the stage for conditioning the measurement case (12) via a beam for transmitting light signals (13), this unit including a stage for converting light signals into electric signals delivered by the sensors.

Abstract: An optical magnetometer comprising: a response frequency measurement unit comprising a vapor cell, a pulsed-mode pump laser and a probe laser; and a computing unit configured to compute a magnetic field change based on a difference between at least two temporally-distinct response frequency values received from the frequency measurement unit. Optionally, the response frequency measurement unit is magnetically non-shielded.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance coil apparatus is provided, the apparatus having a posterior coil unit including a base unit and a further coil component, wherein the further coil component is arranged so as to be able to be tilted on the base unit with respect to the base unit and wherein the posterior coil unit includes a position acquisition unit.

Abstract: A superconducting magnet coil arrangement has multiple superconducting coils and at least one of the superconducting coils is provided with a secondary coil of insulated resistive wire mechanically attached to a surface of the superconducting coil.

Abstract: A conducting loop has thick cross section and is powered by a single voltage source capable of producing extremely high currents. Anti-parallel segments of the loop are brought in close proximity to each other and the unpaired segments in this loop are shaped to collectively form a homogenous B0 field. Voltage sources shunt current from one point of the thick loop to another such that the resulting redistribution of current within the thick loop allows it to simultaneously establish required gradient fields and/or shimming fields in addition to its Bo field.

Abstract: A device for magnetic field correction in an NMR system includes a device for creating a homogeneous main magnetic field along a direction Oz in a zone of interest ZI, a device for supporting a sample with a main dimension of the sample being oriented at an angle ?0 other than zero relative to the direction Oz, gradient coils, and radiofrequency coils. The device also includes a set of correction coils positioned around the device for supporting the sample. Each correction coil presents an axis coinciding with the direction Oz and includes winding elements made from iso-contours of a flux function that are regularly spaced apart between limits of the flux function on a cylinder.

Abstract: A method for acquiring 3D multispectral MRI of a target includes scanning a spectrum of spectral windows with an MRI scanner, wherein each spectral window of the spectrum defines a continuously-differentiable distribution of frequencies around a scan frequency and adjacent scan frequencies are spaced apart by substantially uniform frequency offsets such that adjacent spectral windows substantially uniformly overlap, wherein selected adjacent spectral windows are scanned in consecutive passes, and nearest neighbor spectral windows within each pass are scanned at a maximum temporal spacing within the pass

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus that can display an image showing conditions of tissues such as water and fat more accurately is provided. For this purpose, the signal processing unit 110 processes signals of each pixel of the first image 506 generated based on an NMR signal for each pixel of the first image 506 in order to generate the second image 509 and determines an order of processing unprocessed pixels of the first image 506 by preferentially selecting the unprocessed pixels with a high signal strength from among a plurality of unprocessed pixels for which no process has not been performed yet that are adjacent to the already-processed pixels of the first image 506.