Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention describe circuits for and methods of detecting a defect in a component formed in a substrate of an integrated circuit. According to one embodiment, a circuit comprises a plurality of components formed in a substrate and coupled in series by a plurality of signal paths extending from a first end to a second end. An input signal coupled to the first end of the first signal path is detected a signal detector coupled to a second end of the first signal path to determine whether there is a defect in a component formed in the substrate. Switching networks at the inputs and the outputs of the plurality signal paths enable determining a particular signal path that had a defect. Alternate embodiments describe circuits for determining the location of a defective component in a signal path. Various methods of detecting defective components are also described.

Abstract: A method of testing a cable is provided. The method includes measuring at least one inductive ratio for the cable, determining an inductive gap from the at least one inductive ratio, measuring a parallel impedance of the cable, and determining a resistance of the cable based on the inductive gap and the parallel impedance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device that can be used to monitor the contact integrity of a joint that is of an impervious contact surface between two parts (4 and 5) including a set of conductive patterns (8) which are distributed over the two contact surfaces (1 and 2) and which are separated by insulating zones (9). When the aforementioned two parts (4 and 5) are brought into contact, the conductive patterns (8) also come into contact and form a conductor between the two measuring points (6 and 7), which is made by positioning the resistances of the patterns (8) in series. Any local change in the contact between the patterns causes the intensity and voltage between points (6) and (7) to vary and is measured with a measuring device (22). The invention is particularly suitable for the detection of an intrusion or a leak between two sealed contact parts.

Abstract: A chip type electronic component for test is provided with an element body, and four or more terminal electrodes placed on the exterior of the element body. The element body has a plurality of laminated insulator layers, and a plurality of internal electrodes arranged to be opposed to each other with the insulator layer in between. Each of the internal electrodes is connected to at least one same terminal electrode out of the four or more terminal electrodes and connected to any one terminal electrode except for the at least one same terminal electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting balanced electrical leakage between a power source and a machine frame. In one embodiment, a balanced fault detection system for a machine includes a power source that is electrically insulated from a machine frame and a leakage detection switch that is connected to a ground. The balanced fault detection system also includes a leakage detection resistor that is interposed between a power source terminal and the switch having a leakage detection resistance. The balanced fault detection system further includes a voltage measuring device that measures voltages of the power source at positive and negative voltage sides of the ground and a leakage calculator that calculates a leakage resistance of the machine based on the measured voltages at the positive and negative voltage sides and the leakage detection resistance.

Abstract: A supervisory method and apparatus provide for detection of “partial fault” conditions such as a relatively high series impedance in the wiring, or a relatively low parallel impedance across the wiring. A non-linear element, such as a semiconductor diode, can be used as an end of line element. The element functions as a current controlled dynamic impedance such that currents through the element can be used to detect low parallel leakage currents. Higher currents through the element can be used to detect partial open circuits.

Abstract: A circuit and method for determining the wiper resistance of a potentiometer that includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal, a resistive element having a potentiometer resistance electrically coupled between the first and second terminals, and a wiper electrically coupled between the resistive element and the third terminal and movable to a wiper position between the first and second terminals, includes the step of electrically coupling a sense resistor having a substantially constant sense resistance to the potentiometer third terminal. The potentiometer is electrically energized, and a potentiometer voltage, which is a voltage potential between the potentiometer first and second terminals, is determined. The wiper position is determined based at least in part on the determined potentiometer voltage. The sense resistor is electrically coupled to a potential that causes a wiper current to flow through the wiper and sense resistor.

Abstract: A measuring device and a measuring method for non-destructive testing of an ignitor installed in a subassembly, particularly of a motor vehicle. The device and measuring method generate a measuring current with a predefined value, check-test the predefined value of the measuring current while bypassing the ignitor, apply the check-tested measuring current to the subassembly with the installed ignitor for a predefined time interval, determine the internal resistance of the subassembly with the installed ignitor, and derive a test signal indicating the installation condition based on a comparison with a setpoint value.

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: Novel apparatus and method accurately measure ground circuit impedance. A ground circuit and electrical current source adjusted to 25 amperes or less simulate a ground fault. Ground impedance is determined by dividing voltage drop by amperage to determine impedance directly. In one aspect, impedance is determined and displayed automatically. Power wires of the circuit being measured serve as a means for transmitting voltage and current data. The cable itself serves as a current-carrying and voltage-transmitting conduit to determine directly the circuit impedance. The novel ground circuit impedance device and method measure impedance in underground mine power systems connecting to an outside electrical power substation outside the mine and using portable transformers in the mine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for inspecting electrical conductivity in composite materials having conductive structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system of inspecting electrical conductivity in an electrical bonding region includes a coil coupled to an alternating current source that is configured to induce a current in a conductive structure within the region. A processor is coupled to the coil that is operable to detect an impedance property value from the coil that results from the current induced in the conductive structure.

Abstract: Methods to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit and a measurement system to determine an instantaneous resistance value of an electric circuit are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of the method measure an in-situ instantaneous voltage of the circuit and an in-situ instantaneous current of the circuit and calculate the instantaneous resistance. Optional temperature measurement can be included in the method and the calculated instantaneous resistance related to the measured temperature. The method can be applied to phase angle fired loads and to zero-cross (time proportioned) loads.

Abstract: Power supply switching regulator electrical circuit trimming methods. A trimming method includes assembling one or more components of a power supply switching regulator electrical circuit onto a printed circuit board having one or more electrical connections coupled to the said one or more components. An electrical parameter of the power supply switching regulator electrical circuit is then trimmed after the assembling of the one or more components of the power supply switching regulator electrical circuit onto the printed circuit board. The trimming of the electrical parameter of the power supply switching regulator electrical circuit includes removing a portion of the printed circuit board to break the electrical connection on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring array with an earth connection point (5) for determining the insulation resistance (Riso) of an energized electrical apparatus or of an installation with a supply voltage UB with a positive pole (6) and a negative pole (7), two switches (S1, S2) or a corresponding two-way switch being provided for creating a current path between one of the two poles and said earth connection point (5) in order to determine the insulation resistance (Riso) generally obtained when one or a plurality of insulation faults occur at any potential reference, two measurements being performed one after the other for determining the insulation resistance, the first switch (S1) being closed and the second switch (S2) open during the first of these two measurements and the first switch (S1) being open and the second switch (S2) closed during the second of these measurements.

Abstract: A test chip performs measurements to evaluate the performances of interconnects. In particular, the statistical failure distribution, the electromigration and the leakage current are measured. An algorithm detects a via failure at any of the available n metal layers. The test chip includes a ROM memory array. The vias to be measured are formed in the columns of the array. Via or contact failures are detected by forcing a predetermined current through both an array column and a reference column. The failure analysis is obtained by comparing the resulting voltage drops.

Abstract: A method to locate a fault from one end of a section of a power line utilizing measurements of current, voltage and angles between the phases at a first end of said section. Symmetrical components of currents are calculated for the current and voltage measurement at the first end. A value of impedance is calculated for an extra link between the terminals with the impedance for the positive sequence. A compensation is determined for the shunt capacitance. The zero-sequence current is determined from the healthy line of a section of parallel power lines. A distance to a fault is calculated for the parallel line section. The distance to the fault from the first end is calculated. The fault is located utilizing the calculate distances.

Abstract: A method of estimating a resistance value for ballast, over a given length of track, used at a crossing on a railroad track that has a crossing warning system where a inductance of the track over the given length, an inductance of the track over the given length of the track, a capacitance of the track over a given length of track, and an operating frequency of the warning crossing system are all known, the method including calculating a track impedance having a magnitude and a phase angle, applying a current waveform and a voltage waveform through the track at a known frequency, measuring the phase angle, calculating a ballast resistance by using the measured phase angle in place of the calculated phase angle, the given track length, resistance over the given length of track, inductance over the given length of track, capacitance over the given length of track, and the operating frequency.

Abstract: A method for locating a fault in three terminal power line, having sections located in front of or behind of the tap point and which assumes occurrence of the fault in at least one of those sections. Three phase currents and voltages are measured at one end of the power lines system. The amplitudes of load currents in the remaining sections of the power lines system are measured before a fault occurs. The measurements of the amplitudes of load currents are stored in the remaining sections of the power lines system. Impedance data of the network are determined. The symmetrical components approach is used when calculating the location of the fault.

Abstract: A hydraulic cylinder assembly includes a transducer having a wand and a wiper assembly, wherein the wiper assembly is positioned a predetermined distance from an end of the wand for providing a desired startup resistance. A tube includes a piston contained therein for actuation between the first end of the tube and the second end of the tube. A rod is operatively attached to the piston. The piston and the rod are movable together between the first and second ends of the tube. The second end of the tube includes the transducer for monitoring the position of the piston with respect to the second cap member. The wand extends into the piston, and the transducer senses the position of the wiper assembly with respect to the wand for monitoring the position of the piston with respect to the second cap member.

Abstract: A loop impedance meter is provided for testing an AC electrical main supply incorporating a residual current device. The loop impedance meter includes an electrical control circuit for connecting a load resistance intermittently between the AC main supply terminal and the earth terminal to insure a potential difference between those terminals and to provide an indication of the loop impedance of the AC main supply from that potential difference. The control circuit includes an electronic switch in series with the load resistance, and arranged to open and close the electronic switch by applying a plurality of voltage pulses. The width of the voltage pulses is less than a millisecond, causing a series of measurement pulses of different widths to flow through the load resistance. The control circuit is arranged to process the results of measuring the loop impedance by extrapolating to the effective impedance at the AC mains supply frequency.

Abstract: A method of making and testing an electronic device that includes providing first and second external pins, first and second pads on the substrate connected to the first external pin by respective bonding wires, and third and fourth pads on the substrate connected to the second external pin respective bonding wires, and to a first common line by respective resistors. With a circuit configuration of this type, the intactness of the bonding wires can easily be checked by carrying out a simple resistance measurement between the first and the second external pin.

Abstract: A method characterizes a customer line for data transmission. The method includes measuring electrical properties of the customer line from a central location, identifying a line model from the measurements, and identifying a modem model for a modem selected for use with the customer line. The modem model gives performance data for the selected modem. The method also predicts performance data for the customer line when operated with the selected modem by combining the line and modem models.

Abstract: A system and method for sensing the formation of tin whiskers is presented. An assembly substrate includes whisker detectors at various locations for detecting tin whiskers in an X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction relative to the assembly substrate. Each whisker detector includes sense traces and a trace bridge that produce “planar gaps” and “orthogonal gaps” that are smaller than trace gaps produced by other traces on the assembly substrate. As such, tin whiskers short across the planar gaps and orthogonal gaps before they short across trace gaps. When the assembly substrate is finished with processing steps, a system tester performs a continuity test on the whisker detectors. When the continuity test fails, an operator is notified to check for tin whiskers on the assembly substrate. Once shipped, a processor monitors the whisker detectors for shorts throughout the product's lifecycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an impedance across a pair of terminals. A sensing circuit is AC coupled to the terminals which produces an output related to a time constant associated with the impedance.

Abstract: There is a ground-fault resistance measurement circuit which measures a ground-fault resistance between a conductive frame body of electrical equipment and a charge section insulated from the frame body. This ground-fault resistance measurement circuit includes: a capacity which is connected between the charge section and the frame body; a switch which opens and closes a connection path between the charge section and the capacity; a charging unit which charges the capacity to a predetermined voltage; a voltage measurement section which measures a charging voltage of the capacity; a discharge control section which connects the capacity and the charge section after the capacity is charged, and discharges the capacity; and a calculation section which calculates a resistance between the charge section and the frame body, based on a change in the charging voltage of the capacity.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a location of a phase-to-earth fault in a line of an electric network, the electric line comprising two or more sections (30a, 30b, 30c), the system being configured to determine, at a measuring point, a reactance of a fault loop; determine a faulted section of the electric line to be a section closest to the measurement point of all such sections for which a sum of a positive sequence reactance and an earth return path reactance of the section in question and positive sequence reactances and an earth return path reactances of sections, if any, between the measurement point and the section in question is greater than or equal to the determined reactance of the fault loop; and calculate a distance between the measuring point and a point of fault on the basis of the reactance values.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to locate a fault in a section of a transmission line using measurements of current, voltage and angles between the phases at a first (A) and a second (B) end of said section. The invention is characterised by the steps of, after the occurrence of a fault along the section, calculating a distance (dA, dB) to a fault dependent on a fault current measured at one of said first and second ends and phase voltages measured at both of said first and second ends (A, B), where the distance to fault is calculated from the end (A or B) where the fault current is measured. The invention is particularly suitable when a current transformer at either of the first or second ends (A, B) is saturated. If so, then, a distance (d) to a fault is calculated dependent on a fault current measured at the non-affected end and phase voltages measured at both the affected end and the non-affected end.

Abstract: A position sensor monitors relatively fast moving objects with signal conditioning for reduced power and reduced wiring. A transducer and related circuitry generate a dynamic signal proportional to a position of a moving object and also generate one or more low frequency or static (DC or zero frequency) error signals. The low or zero frequency error signals are removed and a position signal is generated using only two connections to a remote sensor monitor, thus allowing ease in multiplexing and reduced wiring.

Abstract: A ceramic armor system with built-in conductive circuit attached to a ceramic component. The conductive circuit can be accessed by a user at contacts provided in the system. The circuit is arranged so that damage such as cracks that occurs within the ceramic component can propagate into the conductive material forming the circuit and thereby cause a rupture in the conductive circuit. An electrical probe such as an ohmmeter is used to measure the conductive circuit resistance that is then checked against an expected value. The results are used to determine if the ceramic armor component is in operable condition.

Abstract: A method for measuring the resistance component current included in the leakage current is provided. In a monitoring apparatus and system for measurement the signal waveform of at least one AC cycle is sampled. The resistance component leakage current is measured by dividing the average of integrated value of the instantaneous leakage current values and the instantaneous voltage values by the square root of average of squared instantaneous voltage values. In addition, a voltage signal of the target measurement circuit is obtained the waveform of the leakage current signal and the voltage signal for one cycle is sampled and stored; the leakage current signal and the voltage signal are expanded to N-th higher harmonic wave component respectively, and the resistance component that relates to the leakage current is calculated.

Abstract: Described are methods and circuits for identifying defective device layers and localizing defects. Production PLD tests extract statistically significant data relating failed interconnect resources to the associated conductive metal layer. Failure data thus collected is then analyzed periodically to identify layer-specific problems. Test circuits in accordance with some embodiments employ interconnect resources heavily weighted in favor of specific conductive layers to provide improved layer-specific failure data. Some such test circuits are designed to identify open defects, while others are designed to identify short defects.

Abstract: A fuse resistance monitoring system is disclosed to comprise at least one non-regenerative sense amplifier; at least one fuse module having at least one fuse cell coupled to a first terminal of the sense amplifier; and a reference resistor coupled to a second terminal of the sense amplifier, wherein a source voltage node between the fuse module and the sense amplifier is monitored to reflect a resistance of the fuse cell.

Abstract: A printed circuit card made of plastic has a carbonization sensor for protection against smoldering electrical fires. The carbonization sensor contains a first and a second conductor track disposed on the printed circuit card and also a monitoring device. The two conductor tracks are electrically insulated from one another by the plastic, and the monitoring device monitors an insulating state of the two conductor tracks in relation to one another and produces a fault signal. Local overheating of the printed circuit card is detected at an early time by the carbonization sensor, before an avalanche effect caused by the carbonization, which makes the printed circuit card electrically conductive, leads to a smoldering electrical fire.

Abstract: A resistance temperature detector device and system are provided for measuring the temperature adjacent to windings within a stator assembly. The resistance temperature detector comprises a resistive element enclosed within a plurality of insulative layers, including insulation panels and adhesive. These surrounding insulation layers are sufficient to prevent partial discharge within any air gaps or low dielectric materials adjacent to the resistive element when the resistance temperature detector is disposed within a motor. A method for detecting temperatures between windings of an electrical machine is also provided.

Abstract: Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in a computer readable medium are provided for determining a worst-case impedance and worst-case voltage of a power supply loop coupled to a power input of a die. In various embodiments, the worst-case impedance of a power supply loop is determined and a reference voltage at the power input of the die associated with an average current generated at a power supply included in the power supply loop. A maximum change in a current at the power input of the die is also measured and an estimate of a worst-case voltage at the power input of the die is calculated based upon the worst-case impedance, the reference voltage, and the maximum change in the current.

Abstract: A procedure to measure the grounding resistances of electrical installations by measuring the loop impedance. According to this procedure, using voltage generator transformers, a current is injected into the loop and this current is measured using current measurement transformers. Two transformers are united into a single transformer, used as impedance transformer, and the loop impedance is established by taking several measurements that allow determining and eliminating parameters of the transformer, by analysis of the measurement results.

Abstract: A short-circuit detection probe comprising a probe body having a housing and a cover, the housing defining an internal cavity having a profile, a probe pin comprising an upper part and a lower part, mounted within the internal cavity, the upper part comprising an electrically wired upper end and the lower part comprising a lower end connected to a magnet, a push springs wound around the upper part of the probe pin, a stoppage means mounted at the bottom of the push spring and a return spring wound around the lower part of the probe pin, wherein the internal cavity profile comprises a stoppage step for accommodating the stoppage means at its lowermost position.

Abstract: A method for detecting defects in devices that are fabricated in repetitive patterns upon the surface of a substrate by the, repetitive utilization of masks and similar devices. A mask flaw will become manifest in a series of defective devices as the mask is successively utilized. The detection of repetitive defects is undertaken by determining the electrical resistance of devices in a group, such as a column, fabricated upon the wafer surface, where the repetitive defect will occur multiple times. The mean electrical resistance of the group is determined and a percent deviation of each device from the mean is then determined. The percent deviation of all of the devices in the group are multiplied together to create a multiplied percent deviation number and the multiplied percent deviation number is then compared with a figure of merit value to make a determination of whether defective devices exist within the group.

Abstract: A system for detecting an isolation fault in a multi-stack fuel cell system. The system determines the percentage of the voltage from each stack in the multi-stack that contributes to the voltage at a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the stack when a no-fault condition exists. The system then uses those percentages and the actual measured stack voltages to determine if a fault condition exists. The actual voltage measurement at the positive terminal is compared to the calculated voltage contribution from each stack at the positive terminal for the no-fault condition. Also, the actual voltage measurement at the negative terminal is compared to the calculated voltage contribution from each, stack at the negative terminal for the no-fault condition. If there is a significant enough different between the calculated voltage for a no-fault condition and the calculated percentage of the actual voltage measurements, than a fault condition exists.

Abstract: A substrate inspection apparatus includes a first waveform measurer which acquires a first amplitude waveform that is the amplitude waveform of an AC voltage obtained from a semiconductor of a semiconductor substrate which is being inspected when an external AC power source is connected to the semiconductor and an AC voltage from the AC power source is applied to the semiconductor, the semiconductor substrate also having an interconnection that is supposed to be connected to the semiconductor; a second waveform measurer which is connectable to the interconnection of the semiconductor substrate and acquires a second amplitude waveform that is the amplitude waveform of a voltage in the interconnection when the AC voltage is applied to the semiconductor; and an evaluator which calculates the phase difference between the first amplitude waveform and the second amplitude waveform and extracts information on a defect of the semiconductor substrate on the basis of the thus-calculated phase difference.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide for identifying and locating wire damage on a wire. Broadband impedance phase and magnitude information for the wire is obtained. Potential wire damage on the wire is identified by analyzing the wire's low-frequency impedance phase information. The location of the wire damage is found by analyzing the wire's low-frequency impedance magnitude information.

Abstract: A fault monitor for the load portion of an electrical circuit may be connected to an existing circuit by a single connection, and may detect flaws within the load portion of the circuit through the detection of changes in voltage through a resistor, caused by changes in current flow due to changing resistance within the load portion of the circuit.

Abstract: A method of testing a cable is provided. The method includes measuring at least one inductive ratio for the cable, determining an inductive gap from the at least one inductive ratio, measuring a parallel impedance of the cable, and determining a resistance of the cable based on the inductive gap and the parallel impedance.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for detecting high impedance faults in electrical power lines using a composite high impedance fault detection system having a voter logic that samples the logical outputs from a plurality of independent high impedance detection systems and determines a high impedance fault if any two of the plurality of independent high impedance detection systems indicates a high impedance fault. Preferably, the plurality of high impedance detection systems include a wavelet based high impedance fault detection system having a first logical output, a higher order statistics based high impedance fault detection system having a second logical output, and a neural net based high impedance fault detection system having a third logical output. Preferably, each of the plurality of high impedance fault detection systems includes an independent high impedance fault detection application that independently detects a high impedance fault on the electrical power line.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the integrity of a wire is provided, which includes a TDR instrument for generating a pulse waveform for transmission through the wire. The apparatus also includes a function generator for generating an electrical or non-electrical forcing waveform for transmission through the wire. The pulse waveform is transmitted through the wire in combination with the forcing waveform and a detector measures a change in dissipation factor values along the wire.

Abstract: Novel ground circuit impedance measurement apparatus and method accurately measure ground circuit impedance. A ground circuit and electrical current source of 25 amperes or less simulate a ground fault. Ground impedance is determined by dividing voltage drop by amperage to determine impedance directly. In one aspect, impedance is determined and displayed automatically. Power wires transmit voltage and current data for the circuit being measured. The cable itself serves as a current-carrying and voltage-transmitting conduit to determine directly the circuit impedance. The novel ground circuit impedance device and method measure impedance in underground mine power systems connecting to an outside electrical power substation outside the mine and using portable transformers in the mine. In one aspect, ground circuit impedance is measured automatically in cables over 1 mile long.

Abstract: A broken-wire-failure detection circuit connected to a higher circuit includes a power line, a signal line, a ground line, and at least one of the first resistance device connected between the power line and the signal line and the second resistance device connected between the signal line and the ground line. The broken-wire-failure detection circuit also includes the third resistance device connected between the power line and the ground line, and a signal output circuit connected to the second power line, the second signal line and the second ground line.

Abstract: An ion source device includes an ion source having a filament for emitting thermoelectrons, a current measuring device for measuring current flowing through the filament, a voltage measuring device for measuring voltage across the filament, a resistance operation device for computing a resistance value of the filament by using the current and the voltage measured by the current and voltage measuring devices, and a prediction operation device for computing a time till the application limits of the filament or a time left till the application limits of the filament.

Abstract: The difference in voltages measured upstream and downstream of a pressure junction in a power distribution system produced by the energizing power is divided by the measured current to calculate a value that is a function of the impedance of the pressure junction, which is monitored for deterioration. To eliminate noise resulting from dividing a small number by a large number and transients in the power distribution system, the impedance is calculated from the squares of the voltage differences and currents for a large number of samples, and the change between successive calculations is limited to produce a stable median value.

Abstract: A device and method for diagnosing shorts and fault conditions in electrical circuits such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control circuits. The device includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) member to protect the electrical circuit from overcurrent conditions during diagnosis. The device also includes a light emitting diode (LED) and resistor electrically connected in parallel across the PTC member. An overcurrent condition causes the resistance of the PTC member to rise dramatically, creating a potential difference across the PTC member and lighting the LED. The invention also includes a method for locating a short in an HVAC control circuit using the short locating device.