Patents Issued in November 6, 2018
  • Patent number: 10119993
    Abstract: Testing probe and semiconductor testing fixture, and their fabrication methods are provided. A plurality of first testing pins is formed on the substrate, each first testing pin including a first testing terminal on a top and a first connection terminal on a bottom. An insulating layer is formed on a sidewall surface of each first testing pin. A number of second testing pins are formed on the insulating layers, each second testing pin including a second testing terminal on a top thereof and a second connection terminal on a bottom thereof. A first concave surface is formed on a top of the second testing terminal, and surrounds a corresponding first testing pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: TONGFU MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Lei Shi
  • Patent number: 10119994
    Abstract: A probe card includes a ceramic substrate; an electrode connection part connecting an electrode pad and a via pad which are provided on one surface of the ceramic substrate; a bonding pad provided on an upper surface of the electrode pad and disposed inwardly of an edge of the electrode pad; and a probe bonded to an upper surface of the bonding pad by a solder layer between the bonding pad and the probe. The bonding pad includes a lead part protruding from a side surface of the bonding pad. As a result, overflowed solder at the time of attaching the probe onto the upper surface of the bonding pad may be dispersed to the lead part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SEMCNS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Seok Choi, Doo Yun Chung, Dae Hyeong Lee
  • Patent number: 10119995
    Abstract: A probe card including a circuit board, a transformer, a probe head, and a reinforcement structure is provided. The transformer including a body, a plurality of solder balls, and a plurality of first contact points are disposed on the substrate. The body has a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is located between the circuit board and the second surface. The solder balls are disposed on the first surface, and the first contact points are disposed on the second surface. The probe head is disposed on the second surface. The probe head is electrically connected to the circuit board by the first solder balls. The reinforcement structure is disposed between the probe head and the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Yueh Kung, Wen-Yuan Chang, Wei-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 10119996
    Abstract: A method of providing data relating to an electrical device to a client device having a certain, known pixel resolution includes receiving raw waveform data generated by a metering device in response to an event related to operation of the electrical device, the raw waveform data having a total number of data points and a waveform cycle time associated therewith, determining whether the raw waveform data should be decimated based on the total number of data points and the pixel resolution, responsive to determining that the raw waveform data should be decimated, generating decimated waveform data from the raw waveform data using the pixel resolution and the waveform cycle time. And sending the decimated waveform data to the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: EATON INTELLIGENT POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Saurabh J. Pawar, Harish D. Bhattbhatt, Vishal Bhatt
  • Patent number: 10119997
    Abstract: A method for measuring waveform capture rate (WRC) of DSO based on average dead time measurement. First generating ramp signal or symmetric triangular wave signal as base signal, a trigger signal, the frequency which is higher than the nominal maximum waveform capture rate of the DSO under measurement; secondly, setting the parameters of DSO for measuring; then obtaining a plurality of test signals by delaying base signal K times with different delay time, for each test signal, inputting it the trigger signal simultaneously to DSO, calculating dead time between two adjacent captured waveforms according to their initial voltages, finally calculating waveform capture rate based on average dead times. The waveform capture rate obtained can effectively reflect the overall capturing capacity of DSO, more tellingly, the waveform capturing capacity of acquisition system of DSO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Qinchuan Zhang, Kuojun Yang, Lianping Guo, Hao Zeng, Jia Zhao, Jinpeng Song
  • Patent number: 10119998
    Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring alternating current (AC) voltage of an insulated conductor (e.g., insulated wire) are provided, without requiring a galvanic connection between the conductor and a test electrode or probe. A non-galvanic contact (or “non-contact”) voltage measurement system includes a variable capacitance subsystem which operates to generate a variable capacitive voltage between an insulated conductor under test and earth ground. During measurement, the non-contact voltage measurement system varies the capacitance of the variable capacitance subsystem to change the impedance of a capacitive divider circuit between the insulated conductor under test and earth ground. By sequentially making two (or three) measurements across the variable capacitance subsystem, the AC voltage of the insulated conductor can be determined without requiring any galvanic connection to the insulated conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Andrew Ringsrud, Clark N. Huber, Michael F. Gallavan
  • Patent number: 10119999
    Abstract: An example system comprises first circuitry (such as a first integrated circuit device having a limited number of input/output pins) and second circuitry (such as a second integrated circuit device having a limited number of input output pins). The second circuitry is communicatively coupled to receive communications over a communication link from the first circuitry. In one embodiment, the first circuitry includes a monitor circuit. The monitor circuit monitors a voltage rail inputted to power the first circuitry. The monitor circuit initiates switching between transmitting a control signal (such as status information indicating whether the first circuitry is powered correctly) and a data signal over a communication link from the first circuitry to second circuitry depending upon the magnitude of the voltage rail. For example, when the first circuit is properly powered, the monitor circuit initiates transmission of the data signal over the communication link to the second circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Americas Corp.
    Inventors: Prasan Kasturi, Rakesh Renganathan, Danny Clavette, Rong Guo
  • Patent number: 10120000
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments are disclosed that are configured to provide on-chip current sensing by employing a power distribution network voltage de-convolution technique. A voltage signal on a voltage plane of a system-on-chip device is measured during operation of the system-on-chip device. The voltage signal derives from a power distribution network. The voltage signal is de-convolved, based at least in part on inverse convolution coefficients derived from the power distribution network, to recover a current signal being drawn by the system-on-chip device from the power distribution network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sebastian Turullols
  • Patent number: 10120001
    Abstract: A small-sized power factor measurement apparatus capable of measuring a power factor by one element is desired. The power factor measurement apparatus includes a pair of coupling ends (12) for coupling to a power supply in parallel with a load, two magnetic elements (21, 22) whose changes in electric resistance are different from each other due to the same external magnetic field, a pair of measurement terminals (13) for outputting a differential voltage between the two magnetic elements, a power factor sensor (10) including a pair of sensor terminals (10t) connected to the pair of coupling ends (12), a voltage detector (15) for measuring a voltage between the measurement terminals (13), a low-pass filter (16) connected to the output of the voltage detector (15), a high-pass filter (17) connected to the output of the voltage detector (15), a rectifier (18) connected to the high-pass filter (17), and a divider (19) for dividing the output of the low-pass filter (16) and the output of the rectifier (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: OSAKA CITY UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Hiroaki Tsujimoto
  • Patent number: 10120002
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for causing a computer monitoring a power distribution system in which a first customer and a second customer are mixed to execute a process, the process including: acquiring first data measured with a first measurement device which is installed in the first customer and measures the first data at a first time interval; acquiring second data measured with a second measurement device which is installed in the second customer and measures the second data at a second time interval longer than the first time interval; estimating data of the first time interval about an electric power of the second customer by using the acquired first data and the acquired second data; and estimating a value about a voltage or a current for each customer by using the estimated data of the first time interval and the acquired first data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuta Teranishi, Hironobu Kitajima, Hideyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10120003
    Abstract: System and methods for plausibility check in vehicle-to-everything dynamic environments in which a local vehicle communicates with remote vehicles. The system comprises means for obtaining a measured RSSI from a specific remote vehicle, and a modified plausibility check unit configurable and operable to apply a dynamic RSSI model to detect implausible positioning of the specific remote vehicle and/or of the local vehicle based on the measured RSSI of the specific remote vehicle and on a RSSI calculated for the specific remote vehicle. Decisions on respective further actions to be performed by the specific remote vehicle and by the local vehicle are made based on respective plausibility checks applied to both vehicles using the dynamic RSSI model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Autotalks LTD
    Inventors: Onn Haran, Ariel Feldman, Nir Raviv
  • Patent number: 10120004
    Abstract: A power consumption analyzing server and a power consumption analyzing method thereof are provided. According to the user data, the power consumption analyzing server clusters users into a plurality of groups. For each group, the power consumption analyzing server generates M+1 number of encoded outputs by inputting total power consumption time sequence data corresponding to a reference user in the group into an autoencoder. For each group, the power consumption analyzing server receives an actual appliance measurement data from an energy management system apparatus of the reference user, and labels M number of encoded outputs of the M+1 number of encoded outputs to map them to M categories of appliances. Finally, for each group, the power consumption analyzing server establishes a non-intrusive load monitoring system model of the group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Institute For Information Industry
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Tsai, Yung-Chieh Hung, Kuei-Chun Chiang
  • Patent number: 10120005
    Abstract: Embodiments of synchronous detection circuits and methods are provided for extracting magnitude and phase information from a waveform. One embodiment of a synchronous detection circuit includes a driver circuit, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a controller. The driver circuit is configured to supply an input waveform at an input frequency to a load. The ADC is coupled to receive an output waveform from the load, and configured for generating four digital samples, each spaced 90° apart, for every period of the output waveform. The controller is configured for setting an oversampling rate (OSR) of the ADC, so that the ADC generates an integer number, M, of sub-samples for each digital sample generated by the ADC, where the integer number, M, of sub-samples is inversely proportional to the input frequency of the input waveform. The controller is further configured to use the digital samples generated by the ADC to extract magnitude and phase information from the output waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Cherkassky, Bruce P. Del Signore
  • Patent number: 10120006
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an inductive/LC sensor device includes: an energy storage device for accumulating excitation energy, an LC sensor configured to oscillate using energy accumulated in the energy storage device and transferred to the LC sensor, an energy detector for detecting the energy accumulated in the energy storage device reaching a charge threshold, and at least one switch coupled with the energy detector for terminating accumulating excitation energy in the energy storage device when the charge threshold is detected having been reached by the energy detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Riccardo Condorelli, Daniele Mangano
  • Patent number: 10120007
    Abstract: An attenuation device for variably attenuating an electromagnetic signal radiated by a microwave source includes a cylinder formed by a cylinder wall having a first flange and a second flange. The cylinder wall is closed at a first end thereof by the first flange and at a second end thereof by the second flange. The cylinder wall is pierced at the first end by a liquid inlet/outlet port and at the second end by an air inlet/outlet port. The attenuation device further includes a piston being arranged in the cylinder and being displaceable in the cylinder. The piston bounds with the first flange a variable volume filled with an electromagnetic energy absorbing liquid. The attenuation device further includes a displacement sensor for sensing a position of the piston the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventor: Alain Paupert
  • Patent number: 10120008
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring the properties of a DUT characterized by a signal gain applied to an input signal to that DUT and a DUT noise spectrum introduced by that DUT is disclosed. An apparatus includes first and second measurement channels and a controller. The first and second measurement channels are characterized by gains and noise spectrums that are different for the different channels and generate first and second measurement signals. The controller measures an average value of a product of the first and second measurement signals when an input signal is applied to the input of the DUT, the controller providing a measure of the signal to noise ratio of the output of the DUT, independent of the noise spectrums in the first and second measurement channels. Four channel embodiments reduce the amount of calibration needed to measure the gain and noise spectrum of the DUT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T. Cutler
  • Patent number: 10120009
    Abstract: A ground-fault determination apparatus, which is for use in a vehicle power supply system including a DC power source and a DC supply circuit, includes an acquisition unit that applies an AC signal to the DC supply circuit through a series connection of a resistor and a capacitor to acquire a peak value of the AC signal divided by a resistance of the resistor and an insulation resistance of the DC supply circuit, a ground-fault determination unit that determines presence of a ground-fault based on a comparison between a determination threshold and the peak value, an estimation unit that estimates at least one of a maximum output voltage of the DC supply circuit and a common capacitance between the DC supply circuit and a vehicle body, and a setting unit that sets the determination threshold based on at least one of the maximum output voltage and the common capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomomichi Mizoguchi, Hayato Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 10120010
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and apparatus for locating luminaires within a lighting system where multiple luminaires are located on a grid of DC power rails. The AC signal generator connects to each DC power rail and transmits an AC signal along each DC power rail in turn to luminaires that each compute their distance from the generator based upon the AC signal. The AC signal generator may similarly transmit and receive data communications with luminaires across DC power rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Alan James Davie, Andrew Alexander Takmakoff, Paul Rlchard Simons
  • Patent number: 10120011
    Abstract: A test unit according to the present invention includes: a first contact probe contacting with an electrode provided on a front surface of one of contact targets, and contacting with an electrode of the other contact target; a second contact probe contacting with an electrode provided on a back surface of the one of contact targets and contacting with an electrode of a substrate; a first probe holder including a suction holder that sucks and holds the one of contact targets, and accommodating and holding therein the first contact probes; a second probe holder accommodating and holding therein the second contact probes; and a base portion, which is layered over the first probe holder and holds the other contact target at a side thereof layered over the first probe holder; and a gap is formed between the other contact target and the first probe holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Hironaka, Takashi Nidaira, Tomohiro Yoneda
  • Patent number: 10120012
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for fault detection in a mixed configuration power transmission line including a plurality of sections arranged between one end of the transmission line and the other end of the transmission line and including at least one overhead line section and at least one cable section are disclosed. Based on a comparison travelling wave voltage or current time derivatives at the one end and the other end of the power transmission line with selected threshold values, it is determined if there is a fault occurring in at least one cable section of the power transmission line. Embodiments utilize amplification of travelling wave voltages and/or currents which may occur at junctions between a cable section and an adjacent overhead line section in determining if the fault occurs in a cable section of the power transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Arkadiusz Burek, Jianping Wang, Jiuping Pan, Reynaldo Nuqui, YouYi Li
  • Patent number: 10120013
    Abstract: A method and device for monitoring an electrical network, including: a mechanism detecting electrical signals and additional signals produced in the electrical network, the additional signals being of a different physical nature to the electrical signals; a mechanism for processing the electrical signals to define a first time reference representing a detection time of the electrical signals emitted upon a fault event arising in the electrical network; a mechanism processing the additional signals to define a second time reference representing a detection time of the additional signals emitted upon the fault event arising in the electrical network; and a processor spatially locating the fault event in the electrical network according to the first and second time references.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignees: SAFRAN ELECTRICAL & POWER
    Inventors: Thomas Klonowski, Ludovic Ybanez
  • Patent number: 10120014
    Abstract: Propagating brush discharge testing systems may include a dielectric layer, an initiation electrode, a high-voltage switch, an optical sensor, and a controller. The initiation electrode has an exposed tip positioned adjacent to a surface of the dielectric layer. The high-voltage switch is configured to selectively isolate the initiation electrode from ground potential. The optical sensor is positioned and configured to sense light generated at the surface due to a propagating brush discharge. The controller is programmed to operate the high-voltage switch to ground the initiation electrode and to operate the optical sensor to collect light from the propagating brush discharge. Propagating brush discharge testing methods include positioning an exposed tip of an initiation electrode with respect to a surface of a dielectric layer, then charging the surface, and then grounding the initiation electrode to neutralize charge on the surface (generally causing a propagating brush discharge).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dejan Nikic, Arthur C. Day
  • Patent number: 10120015
    Abstract: A method for inspecting an insulator for a spark plug to determine whether or not the insulator has a defect, the spark plug extending in an axial direction, includes a voltage applying step of applying a voltage between a first electrode disposed in an axial hole in the insulator and a second electrode disposed near an outer peripheral surface of the insulator. The voltage applying step is performed while a gap between a front end of the first electrode and an inner peripheral surface of the insulator that faces the front end of the first electrode in a radial direction is filled with a first insulating material without leaving a hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Hirose, Yoshiaki Hashiguchi, Shou Nakama
  • Patent number: 10120016
    Abstract: A semiconductor test apparatus includes: a tray housing unit configured to house a customer tray loading untested semiconductor chips, secondary semiconductor chips, and non-defective semiconductor chips; a loader configured to locate the untested semiconductor chips supplied from the tray housing unit on a loading set plate and load the untested semiconductor chips onto a test tray; a tester configured to test semiconductor chips loaded on the test tray; an unloader configured to unload semiconductor chips loaded on the test tray, classify the tested semiconductor chips, and locate the classified semiconductor chips on an unloading set plate; and a retest controller configured to transfer the secondary defective semiconductor chips and the non-defective semiconductor chips to the tray housing unit and transfer the first defective semiconductor chips to the loading set plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong-young Lee, Byoung-jun Min, Jong-cheol Lee
  • Patent number: 10120017
    Abstract: In one aspect, an integrated circuit (IC) includes an output port enabling measurement of a performance characteristic of the IC at a first temperature. The performance characteristic of the IC is a minimum value at the first temperature with respect to any other temperature. The first temperature may be room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Kristann L. Moody, Alejandro G. Milesi, Sam Tran
  • Patent number: 10120018
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure describe wafer-level die testing devices having a base with a planar X-Y surface, a plurality of thermal actuators situated on the surface, wherein one or more of the plurality of thermal actuators is movable in relation to the base in at least one of the X or the Y directions, and one or more adjustable links, wherein each adjustable link is to adjust a relative position between an individual thermal actuator of the plurality of thermal actuators and one or more other thermal actuators of the plurality of thermal actuators in one or more of the X or the Y directions. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eric J. M. Moret
  • Patent number: 10120019
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to analyzing an electronic board having a plurality of FPGAs that are interconnected and programmed to implement a logic design. One example method comprises: setting up a graph representing the board; determining, for each FPGA, by means of an FPGA-specific static temporal analysis tool, the time for travelling over each path portion that passes through said FPGA, each travel time corresponding to the sum of the times for carrying out the logical operations applied to the signal in the FPGA; determining the inter-FPGA time for travelling over each inter-FPGA portion represented by a link in the graph; and determining the time for travelling over each path of the board by summing the intra-FPGA travel times and the inter-FPGA travel times associated with each link of the graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Matthieu Tuna, Zied Marrakchi, Christophe Alexandre
  • Patent number: 10120020
    Abstract: Probe head assemblies and probe systems for testing integrated circuit devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the probe head assemblies include a contacting structure and a space transformer assembly. In another embodiment, the probe head assemblies include a contacting structure, a suspension system, a flex cable interface, and a space transformer including a space transformer body and a flex cable assembly. In another embodiment, the probe head assemblies include a contacting structure, a space transformer, and a planarization layer. In another embodiment, the probe head assemblies include a contacting structure, a space transformer, a suspension system, a platen, a printed circuit board, a first plurality of signal conductors configured to convey a first plurality of signals external to the space transformer, and a second plurality of signal conductors configured to convey a second plurality of signals via the space transformer. The probe systems include the probe head assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: FormFactor Beaverton, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Salmon, Roy E. Swart, Brandon Liew
  • Patent number: 10120021
    Abstract: Systems and methods detect abnormal conditions in electrical circuits by providing thermal imaging combined with non-contact measurements of current and voltage. Such systems may be implemented in a single test device, or in wired combinations, or in wireless communication implementations with multiple test devices and/or accessories, or in combination with one or more additional devices, such as a mobile phone, tablet, personal computer (PC), cloud-based server, etc. A thermal imaging tool that includes an infrared sensor may first discover and image one or more thermal anomalies in an object, such as an electrical circuit. One or more non-contact current or voltage sensors may be used to measure current and/or voltage, which allows for determination of the power loss at the measured location. The power loss may be used to determine an estimation of the abnormal resistive power losses in a circuit, as well as the costs associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: Luis R. Silva, Michael D. Stuart
  • Patent number: 10120022
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus for providing expected data, mask data, and control signals to scan test architectures within a device using the falling edge of a test/scan clock. The signals are provided on device leads that are also used to provide signals to scan test architectures using the rising edge of the test/scan clock. According to the disclosure, device test leads serve to input different test signals on the rising and falling edge of the test/scan clock which reduces the number of interconnects between a tester and the device under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 10120023
    Abstract: This disclosure describes die test architectures that can be implemented in a first, middle and last die of a die stack. The die test architectures are mainly the same, but for the exceptions mentioned in this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 10120024
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of a so-called “X-press” test response compactor. Certain embodiments of the disclosed compactor comprise an overdrive section and scan chain selection logic. Certain embodiments of the disclosed technology offer compaction ratios on the order of 1000×. Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed compactor can maintain about the same coverage and about the same diagnostic resolution as that of conventional scan-based test scenarios. Some embodiments of a scan chain selection scheme can significantly reduce or entirely eliminate unknown states occurring in test responses that enter the compactor. Also disclosed herein are embodiments of on-chip comparator circuits and methods for generating control circuitry for masking selection circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Janusz Rajski, Jerzy Tyszer, Grzegorz Mrugalski, Mark Kassab, Wu-Tung Cheng
  • Patent number: 10120025
    Abstract: Test circuits located on semiconductor die enable a tester to test a plurality of die/ICs in parallel by inputting both stimulus and response patterns to the plurality of die/ICs. The response patterns from the tester are input to the test circuits along with the output response of the die/IC to be compared. Also disclosed is the use of a response signal encoding scheme whereby the tester transmits response test commands to the test circuits, using a single signal per test circuit, to perform: (1) a compare die/IC output against an expected logic high, (2) a compare die/IC output against an expected logic low, and (3) a mask compare operation. The use of the signal encoding scheme allows functional testing of die and ICs since all response test commands (i.e. 1-3 above) required at each die/IC output can be transmitted to each die/IC output using only a single tester signal connection per die/IC output. In addition to functional testing, scan testing of die and ICs is also possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Lee D. Whetsel, Alan Hales
  • Patent number: 10120026
    Abstract: A chip is provided that includes an integrated circuit including a plurality of logic elements, wherein the plurality of logic elements is configured to form, in a test mode, a plurality of scan chains. The chip further includes an on-chip signal generator connected with the integrated circuit and configured to provide, in the test mode, a test pattern signal to the plurality of scan chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Lantiq Beteiligungs-GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Himanshu Kukreja, Shakil Ahmad
  • Patent number: 10120027
    Abstract: Scan architectures are commonly used to test digital circuitry in integrated circuits. The present disclosure describes a method of adapting conventional scan architectures into a low power scan architecture. The low power scan architecture maintains the test time of conventional scan architectures, while requiring significantly less operational power than conventional scan architectures. The low power scan architecture is advantageous to IC/die manufacturers since it allows a larger number of circuits (such as DSP or CPU core circuits) embedded in an IC/die to be tested in parallel without consuming too much power within the IC/die. Since the low power scan architecture reduces test power consumption, it is possible to simultaneously test more die on a wafer than previously possible using conventional scan architectures. This allows wafer test times to be reduced which reduces the manufacturing cost of each die on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Lee D. Whetsel
  • Patent number: 10120028
    Abstract: Systems and methods for latches are presented. In one embodiment a system includes scan in propagation component, data propagation component, and control component. The scan in propagation component is operable to select between a scan in value and a recirculation value. The data propagation component is operable to select between a data value and results forwarded from the scan in propagation component, wherein results of the data propagation component are forwarded as the recirculation value to the scan in propagation component. The control component is operable to control an indication of a selection by the scan in propagation component and the data propagation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nvidia Corporation
    Inventors: Ilyas Elkin, Ge Yang
  • Patent number: 10120029
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosed technology relate to low power testing. A low power test circuit comprises a test stimulus source, a controller; and a grouping and selection unit. The grouping and selection unit has inputs coupled to the test stimulus source and the controller and has outputs coupled to a plurality of scan chains. The grouping and selection unit is configured to dynamically group scan chains in the plurality of scan chains into a plurality of scan chain groups and to selectively output either original test pattern values generated by the test stimulus source or a constant value to each scan chain group in the plurality of scan chain groups based on control signals received from the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Mentor Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Janusz Rajski, Sylwester Milewski, Grzegorz Mrugalski, Jerzy Tyszer
  • Patent number: 10120030
    Abstract: Provided is a trace data recording system, including: a trace data generator configured to generate trace data of equipment relating to motor control; a trace data transmitter configured to transmit the generated trace data to a server via a network; and a trace data recorder configured to record the transmitted trace data in the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Naoki Shiromoto, Toshinobu Kira, Tadashi Okubo, Ayaka Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10120031
    Abstract: A charge and discharge test probe for a secondary battery includes: an inner plunger moved up and down by elastic force of a spring; a head having a central through hole through which the inner plunger passes to protrude from an upper end of the head; and a first conductive elastic member mounted to the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: MEGATOUCH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woo Yong Choi, Byung Il Lee, Hyeon Sik Kim
  • Patent number: 10120032
    Abstract: Provided is a device for estimating secondary cell status using multiple models. The device for estimating secondary cell status uses multiple models, model 1, model 2, and model 3, to estimate the status of respective secondary cells. An arithmetic unit compares the estimated voltage values obtained from model 1, model 2, and model 3 with measured voltage values, sets the model having the highest correlation as the optimal model, optimizes the parameters of such model, and estimates secondary cell status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoshi Akamine
  • Patent number: 10120033
    Abstract: A battery monitoring system includes a battery sensor mounted between a plurality of batteries in a battery system for a vehicle using the plurality of batteries. The battery sensor according to an aspect of the present invention, which uses an ammeter resistor connected in series between a first battery and a second battery, includes: a first integrated circuit configured to receive voltages of both electrodes of the first battery and voltages of both terminals of the ammeter resistor to measure a first battery voltage and a one-directional current of the first and second batteries; and a second integrated circuit configured to receive voltages of both electrodes of the second battery to measure a second battery voltage, and receive the first battery voltage and the one-directional current of the first and second batteries from the first integrated circuit through a serial communication interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Sun Cho
  • Patent number: 10120034
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure involve a monitoring system for a plurality of batteries connected in series. In one example, the monitoring system includes a monitoring circuit to be coupled across each of a plurality of distinct contiguous subsets of the batteries as a unit. The monitoring circuit includes at least one test signal generation circuit to generate a test signal and apply the test signal to each subset of the batteries, and at least one response measurement circuit to measure a response of each subset of the batteries to the test signal. The monitoring system also includes a control circuit to identify at least one of the subsets of the batteries as including a failing battery based on the measured response of each subset of the batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Canara, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. Hanking
  • Patent number: 10120035
    Abstract: A method and system for the monitoring and control of electrochemical cell degradation by use of strain-based battery testing. Strain-based battery is employed to recognize and implement a battery revival cycle to reduce battery degradation rates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Joe Steiber, Jeff Qiang Xu
  • Patent number: 10120036
    Abstract: The autonomous electronic module (1) includes: —a cell (2) providing a supply current (Icell) to the electronic module, —a resistor (2) connected in series with the cell, the resistor exhibiting terminals, —elements for measuring a voltage (20) across the terminals of the resistor and elements for evaluating the charge remaining (10, 11, 12), arranged so as to process a measurement of the voltage in order to calculate the charge remaining of the cell (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: DIEHL METERING SAS
    Inventors: Bernard Dockwiller, Guy Bach
  • Patent number: 10120037
    Abstract: A power inductor evaluation apparatus includes a storage unit and a determination unit. The storage unit stores the simulation model of a DC-DC converter. The simulation model includes the equivalent circuit model of a power inductor, including a DC superimposition characteristics slope ? and a saturation current Isat as parameters. The determination unit inputs the DC superimposition characteristics slope ? and the saturation current Isat into the simulation model of the DC-DC converter and performs simulation, and determines whether or not the power inductor having the DC superimposition characteristics slope ? and the saturation current Isat is usable on the basis of whether or not the simulation results satisfy design requirements (e.g, a permissible ripple voltage and a peak current).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ko Yamanaga
  • Patent number: 10120038
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle lamp including: an organic EL element; and a lighting circuit that applies a voltage to the organic EL device with a rise time of the voltage of 5 milliseconds or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Harada, Masaya Shido, Osamu Kuboyama, Yoshiro Ito, Toru Ito
  • Patent number: 10120039
    Abstract: A system for magnetic detection includes a nitrogen vacancy (NV) diamond material comprising a plurality of NV centers, a magnetic field generator that generates a magnetic field that is applied to the NV diamond material, a radio frequency (RF) excitation source that provides RF excitation to the NV diamond material, an optical excitation source that provides optical excitation to the NV diamond material, an optical detector that receives an optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material, and a controller. The controller is configured to compute a total incident magnetic field at the NV diamond material based on the optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material, and drive the magnetic field generator to generate a compensatory magnetic field, the generated compensatory magnetic field being set to offset a shift in the optical signal emitted by the NV diamond material caused by an external magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: John B. Stetson, Jr., Jeff D. Cammerata
  • Patent number: 10120040
    Abstract: A magnetic impedance sensor comprises an amorphous wire 1 of a magneto-sensitive material as the magneto-impedance element, a pulse oscillator means 2 that alternately reverses and outputs a basic pulse current and a compensating pulse current with polarity opposite to the basic pulse current in predetermined periods, and a signal processing means 3 that converts an alternate current voltage generated in response to a magnetic field intensity around the amorphous wire by a magnetic impedance effect of the amorphous wire according to the pulse current into a magnetic signal voltage in response to the magnetic field intensity, and outputs the magnetic signal voltage. Since the amorphous wire 1 is repeatedly reversely magnetized in the u and v circumferential directions, due to compensating the negative pulse current, the magnetic sensor with excellent linear characteristics are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Kawano, Hitoshi Aoyama, Michiharu Yamamoto, Hideo Arakawa
  • Patent number: 10120041
    Abstract: In one aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes a chopper stabilized amplifier and a plurality of Hall-type elements in parallel and connected to the chopper stabilized amplifier. In another aspect, a magnetic field sensor includes a chopper stabilized amplifier and a plurality of Hall quad elements in parallel and connected to the chopper stabilized amplifier. In a further aspect, a current sensor has a bandwidth of 1 MHz and includes a chopper stabilized amplifier and a plurality of Hall quad elements, fabricated in silicon, in parallel and connected to the chopper stabilized amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ALLEGRO MICROSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: David J. Haas, Michael Gaboury, Alexander Latham
  • Patent number: 10120042
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor has an error correction signal generator circuit to inject an error correction signal into a primary signal channel to cancel an error signal component in the primary signal channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventors: Aurelian Diaconu, Ryan Metivier