Using A Bridge Circuit Patents (Class 324/526)
  • Patent number: 10571296
    Abstract: A circuit for obtaining information on a physical quantity according to an embodiment includes a sensor arrangement sensitive to the physical quantity, at least one further sensor element sensitive to the physical quantity and a supply circuit configured to provide the sensor arrangement with a supply signal comprising a supply voltage controlled by the supply circuit in a closed-loop configuration. The supply circuit is further configured to provide the at least one further sensor element with a further supply signal comprising a further supply current such that a magnitude of the further supply current fulfills a predetermined relationship with a magnitude of a supply current of the supply signal. As a consequence, it may be possible to improve a trade-off between an improved compensation of variations, simplifying an implementation, simplifying the manufacturing, simplifying the sensing and providing stable sensing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alessandro Michelutti, Bernhard Schaffer, Wolfgang Horn, Simon Hainz
  • Patent number: 9874507
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses, and methods for measuring submerged surfaces. Embodiments include a measurement apparatus including a main frame, a source positioned outside a pipe and connected to the main frame, and a detector positioned outside the pipe at a location diametrically opposite the source and connected to the main frame. The source may transmit a first amount of radiation. The detector may receive a second amount of radiation, determine a composition of the pipe based on the first and second amounts of radiation, and send at least one measurement signal. A control canister positioned on the main frame or on a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) attached to the apparatus may receive the at least one measurement signal from the detector and convey the at least one measurement signal to software located topside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Delta Subsea, LLC
    Inventors: Scott P. Dingman, Roger Warnock, Alessandro Vagata
  • Patent number: 9606178
    Abstract: A method of probing wafers includes providing a processor running a parametric test program generator algorithm which execute steps including reading a stored first probe program including a first test sequence (TS1) having a first tests configured for probing at least a first circuit element (FCE) in a first scribe line module. TS1 includes (i) electrical pinning and geometrical data and (ii) first Variable Group data specific for the FCE including first test parameters having at least first forcing conditions. The (ii) is modified with modified second variable group data specific to a second circuit element (SCE) in a second scribe line module. The modified second Variable Group data includes modified second test parameters having second forcing conditions. (i) of TS1 is merged with the modified second Variable Group data to generate code for a second test sequence of a second probe program that is configured for probing the SCE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Uwe Peter Schiessl, Shannon Anthony Wilmes, Istvan Bauer
  • Patent number: 9488505
    Abstract: A circuit for obtaining information on a physical quantity according to an embodiment includes a sensor arrangement sensitive to the physical quantity, at least one further sensor element sensitive to the physical quantity and a supply circuit configured to provide the sensor arrangement with a supply signal comprising a supply voltage controlled by the supply circuit in a closed-loop configuration. The supply circuit is further configured to provide the at least one further sensor element with a further supply signal comprising a further supply current such that a magnitude of the further supply current fulfills a predetermined relationship with a magnitude of a supply current of the supply signal. As a consequence, it may be possible to improve a trade-off between an improved compensation of variations, simplifying an implementation, simplifying the manufacturing, simplifying the sensing and providing stable sensing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Alessandro Michelutti, Bernhard Schaffer, Wolfgang Horn, Simon Hainz
  • Patent number: 9127534
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may include a signal integrity monitor that senses the signal transmitted between a surface device and a downhole device. The signal integrity monitor is adapted to disconnect power from the communication system if a fault in the communication line is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Graham Payne
  • Patent number: 9050089
    Abstract: An electrosurgical system and method for transmitting, monitoring, and controlling electrosurgical energy and tissue parameter quality at the tissue site. The electrosurgical system includes a generator adapted to generate electrosurgical energy for treating tissue. The generator includes one or more active output terminals which supply energy to the tissue. The active output terminals are operatively connected to one or more active leads. The generator also includes one or more return output terminal which returns energy from the tissue. The return output terminals are operatively connected to at least one return lead. The system also includes an electrosurgical instrument operatively connected to the one or more active leads and one or more return electrodes operatively connected to one or more return leads. The system further includes an electrosurgical cable including one or more active leads and one or more return leads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: James H. Orszulak
  • Patent number: 8975898
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic switch that comprises a pressure sensitive bridge array adapted to monitor pressure and activate an indicator when the monitored pressure exceeds a predetermined value indicative of a dangerous condition. The electronic switch further comprises a monitoring circuit adapted to test the overall operability of the pressure sensitive bridge array and its accompanying electronics control circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolf Landmann, Nora Kurtz
  • Patent number: 8947097
    Abstract: A device for measuring electrical current, voltage and temperature in a conductor made of rigid material is disclosed. The conductor is formed from two conductor sections, between which an electrical resistor element is provided that is made of a material having greater resistance than the material of the conductor sections. In the region of the resistor element, a flattened area with a depression is provided, over which a measuring arrangement, through which a portion of the current flowing through the conductor flows, is placed in the manner of a bridge. In the measuring arrangement is arranged in the vicinity of a contact piece by means of which the conductor can be connected in an electrically conducting manner to another conductor such that the heat generated at the contact point is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus-Georg Müller
  • Patent number: 8907685
    Abstract: Disclosed is a circuit arrangement for determining a temporal change of an output voltage of a half-bridge circuit during a dead time. In one embodiment, the circuit arrangement includes a first input for applying the output voltage. A capacitive network includes a first and a second circuit node capacitively coupled to the input, and having a terminal for a reference potential. A recharging circuit during the switched-on phase of one of a first and second switching elements, adjusts electrical potentials of the first and second nodes, the electrical potentials each being different from the reference potential. A comparator arrangement, during the dead time, determines a time difference between such times at which the electrical potentials at the first and second node each assume a given potential value, the time difference being a measure for the change with time of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 8901966
    Abstract: Provided is a sensor circuit which can amplify a sensor signal at high speed and with a high amplification factor without increasing the current consumption. The sensor circuit includes a primary amplifier for amplifying in advance a differential output signal which is a current signal of a sensor element, a secondary amplifier for amplifying the amplified differential output signal, a constant voltage generating circuit for maintaining a sensor element driving current to be constant, and a feedback circuit for feeding back a feedback signal to adjust an amplification factor. Most of the currents which pass through the primary amplifier are bias currents of the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8884610
    Abstract: A magnetic field sensor assembly for measuring an angular direction of a sensed magnetic field relative to the assembly is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a sensor of a first type configured to sense an orientation of the sensed magnetic field, a sensor of a second type configured to measure an orientation and a direction of the sensed magnetic field and processing circuitry connected to each of the magnetic field sensors. The processing circuitry being configured to process output signals from the sensor of the first type to determine an uncorrected sensed magnetic field angle and to apply an offset angle to the uncorrected magnetic field angle dependent on a logical combination of signs of output signals from the sensors of the first and second types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Robert Hendrikus Margaretha Van Veldhoven, Jacobus Josephus Maria Ruigrok, Joerg Stegelmann
  • Patent number: 8779786
    Abstract: Provided is a system and associated method for detecting a resistance of a cable. An example method may comprise applying power to a first end of a first and a second conductive pair of the cable, measuring a first voltage across the first end of the first and second conductive pairs of the cable, applying a current source across the first end of a third and a fourth conductive pair of the cable, measuring a second voltage across the current source, and determining a resistance of the cable using the measured first and second voltages. This method may be carried out in a physical arrangement where a second end of the first, second, third and fourth conductive pairs of the cable are connected to a first, a second, a third and a fourth input terminal of a powered device, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Sanjaya Maniktala, Sesha Panguluri
  • Patent number: 8754663
    Abstract: A circuit for simulating an electrical load at a terminal of a test circuit having at least one first switch and at least one second switch includes a third switch connected to the first switch of the test circuit via a first external connection point. A fourth switch is connected to the second switch of the test circuit via a second external connection point. The first switch and the second switch are connected via a shared, first internal connection point to the terminal of the test circuit and the third switch and the fourth switch are connected via a shared, second internal connection point such that that the first switch, the second switch, the third switch and the fourth switch form an H-bridge circuit. A voltage source is configured to provide the first and second external connection points with a supply voltage. A controllable voltage source is connected in a transverse bridge branch between the terminal and the second internal connection point. An inductance is active in the transverse bridge branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Dspace Digital Signal Processing and Control Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Schulte, Joerg Bracker
  • Patent number: 8674647
    Abstract: Provided is a drive device for an alternating current motor which performs vector control on sensorless driving of the alternating current motor in an extremely low speed region without applying a harmonic voltage intentionally while maintaining an ideal PWM waveform. A current and a current change rate of the alternating current motor are detected, and a magnetic flux position inside of the alternating current motor is estimated and calculated in consideration of an output voltage of an inverter which causes this current change. The current change rate is generated on the basis of a pulse waveform of the inverter, and hence the magnetic flux position inside of the alternating current motor can be estimated and calculated without applying a harmonic wave intentionally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwaji, Daigo Kaneko, Kouki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8618821
    Abstract: A device for detecting the thinning down of the substrate of an integrated circuit chip, including, in the active area of the substrate, bar-shaped diffused resistors connected as a Wheatstone bridge, wherein: first opposite resistors of the bridge are oriented along a first direction; the second opposite resistors of the bridge are oriented along a second direction; and the first and second directions are such that a thinning down of the substrate causes a variation of the imbalance value of the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Pascal Fornara, Christian Rivero
  • Patent number: 8378695
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for determining a temporal change of an output voltage of a half-bridge circuit during a dead time. In one embodiment, the circuit arrangement includes a first input for applying the output voltage. A capacitive network is provided having a first and a second circuit node capacitively coupled to the input, and having a terminal for a reference potential. A recharging circuit is configured, during the switched-on phase of one of a first and second switching elements, to adjust electrical potentials of the first and second nodes, the electrical potentials each being different from the reference potential. A comparator arrangement is provided that is configured during the dead time to determine a time difference between such times at which the electrical potentials at the first and second node each assume a given potential value, the time difference being a measure for the change with time of the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventor: Martin Feldtkeller
  • Patent number: 8001438
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of measuring bridge fault coverage for a test pattern for a circuit design to be implemented within a programmable logic device can include identifying simulation results and stuck at coverage of the circuit design for the test pattern (610, 620). Pairs of nets in the circuit design that are adjacent can be identified (625). Each type of bridge fault for which each pair is tested can be determined according to the simulation results (640, 645, 655, 660). A measure of bridge fault coverage for the test pattern can be calculated according to which types of bridge faults each pair is tested and which net of each pair acts as an aggressor for each type of bridge fault tested (675). The measure of bridge fault coverage can be output (680).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventor: Deepak M. Pabari
  • Publication number: 20110169497
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electronic switch that comprises a pressure sensitive bridge array adapted to monitor pressure and activate an indicator when the monitored pressure exceeds a predetermined value indicative of a dangerous condition. The electronic switch further comprises a monitoring circuit adapted to test the overall operability of the pressure sensitive bridge array and its accompanying electronics control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Kulite Semiconductor Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony D. Kurtz, Nora Kurtz, Wolf Landmann
  • Patent number: 7812616
    Abstract: A system and method to detect changes in composite structures using RF signal pattern data interpretation. An RF signal is transmitted from a composite material manufactured structure and a plurality of sensors are employed to measure the RF signal. The measured RF signal is compared to a stored baseline RF signal for the particular structure. Deviations in the measured RF pattern for the structure, or for a structurally-similar composite structure, are automatically analyzed to detect non-visually-detectable defects or other changes in the composite structure. A baseline RF signature is developed for a structure by transmitting a reference RF signal from the composite structure. RF signals are detected by a variety of methods, and the detected signals are compiled and translated into reference and/or test RF signal patterns for the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Arinc Incorporated
    Inventor: William George Doyen
  • Publication number: 20080246491
    Abstract: In a method and system for testing a presence of a crack (240) in a device under test (DUT) (190), a test system includes a bridge circuit (BC) (120) coupled to an electrical signal source (ESS) (110) capable of generating an electrical signal (102). The BC (120) includes four impedances that are coupled in a bridge structure having two floating nodes (132, 134). The DUT (190) includes a test bond pad (TBP) (192) and an access bond pad (ABP) (194). An impedance measurable across the TBP (192) and the ABP (194) is selectable as one of the four impedances. A stimulus (140) is provided to the DUT (190) to induce stress. A sensor (130) coupled across the two floating nodes (132, 134) detects a change in a value of the electrical signal measured across the two floating nodes (132, 134) in response to the stimulus (140). The change is triggered by the presence of the crack (240) under the TBP (192) caused by the stress, the crack (240) changing the impedance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ennis T. Ogawa, Daryl R. Heussner, Charles A. Odegard
  • Patent number: 7271595
    Abstract: Provided are two monitor circuits for monitoring two input signals of an input stage differential amplifier, respectively, and two monitor circuit for monitoring two output signals of the input stage differential amplifier, respectively. When failure occurs at the bridge circuit of a sensor element or at the input stage differential amplifier, the monitoring units or the monitoring units detect abnormality, which makes it possible to detect the failure of the sensor element or the input stage differential amplifier. Therefore it is possible to detect failure such as a disconnection or a short circuit of the bridge circuit of the sensor element and failure which has occurred at the amplifier for amplifying outputs of the sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Katsuya Shimizu, Hiroyuki Sakima, Takahiro Watai, Masaya Mizutani, Koju Aoki, Koji Takekawa
  • Patent number: 7235978
    Abstract: A device measures an impedance of an electronic component with using an impedance measuring apparatus. The impedance measuring device includes first and second probes to be connected to measuring terminals of the impedance measuring apparatus, an anisotropic conductive sheet, and a pressing member for pressing the electronic component toward the first and second probes. The first probe has a first contact surface. The second probe has a second contact surface flush with the first contact surface. The anisotropic conductive sheet has a first surface contacting the first and second contact surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The pressing member causes first and second external terminals of the electronic component to contact the anisotropic conductive sheet. The conductive sheet includes an insulating elastic sheet and plural conductive wires penetrating the elastic sheet to expose from the first surface and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youichi Aoshima, Kazuo Kawahito, Junichi Kurita
  • Patent number: 7231309
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for testing a bridge circuit. The method includes inputting a first test clock to a first conversion unit for triggering the first conversion unit to transfer a test data to a second conversion unit according to rising edges of the first test clock, inputting a second test clock to the second conversion unit for triggering the second conversion unit to output an output data according to falling edges of the second test clock, and controlling the first test clock and the second test clock so that the rising edges of the second test clock are not synchronized to the rising edges of the first test clock. A frequency of the first test clock is an even multiple of a frequency of the second test clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: VIA Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Biyun Yeh, Victor Wu, Jiin Lai
  • Patent number: 7219314
    Abstract: Described are methods for implementing customer designs in programmable logic devices (PLDs). The defect tolerance of these methods makes them particularly useful with the adoption of “nanotechnology” and molecular-scale technology, or “molectronics.” Test methods identify alternative physical interconnect resources for each net required in the user design and, as need, reroute certain signal paths using the alternative resources. The test methods additionally limit testing to required resources so devices are not rejected as a result of testing performed on unused resources. The tests limit functional testing of used resources to those functions required in the user designs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Trimberger, Shekhar Bapat, Robert W. Wells, Robert D. Patrie, Andrew W. Lai
  • Patent number: 7180311
    Abstract: A physical quantity sensing device includes a bridge circuit that has first and second input points, to which an AC voltage is applied, and first and second output points connected to a differential amplifier. The bridge circuit includes a first bridge arm for electrically connecting the first input point to the first output point, a second bridge arm for electrically connecting the first output point to the second input point, a third bridge arm for electrically connecting the first input point to the second output point and a fourth bridge arm for electrically connecting the second output point to the second input point. The first bridge arm includes a first sensor element, of which the impedance changes with a physical quantity to be measured, and the second bridge arm includes a second sensor element, of which the impedance also changes with the physical quantity to be measured. The total impedance of the first and second bridge arms is smaller than that of the third and fourth bridge arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Seto
  • Patent number: 7126355
    Abstract: A physical quantity sensing device includes an AC voltage generator for generating an AC voltage and a bridge circuit that has first and second input points, to which the AC voltage is applied, and first and second output points connected to a differential amplifier. The bridge circuit includes first and second sensor elements, the impedance of which change with a physical quantity to be measured. The first and second sensor elements have a positive temperature characteristic in which sensitivity increases as temperature rises. The AC voltage generator includes an amplitude limiter which has a negative temperature characteristic that decreases the amplitude of the AC voltage with a rise in temperature, thereby compensating for temperature dependence of a differential voltage produced between the first and second output points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenji Seto
  • Patent number: 7106215
    Abstract: An electrical circuit, attached to the tiles of the space shuttle, provides an indication of tile integrity in real time. Each tile has a resistor attached thereto between parallel conductors, and a series of tiles forms a protected grid series tile section. A computer, in conjunction with an ohm measuring device, continually monitors the tile integrity by comparing the baseline resistance of the protected grid series tile section to a measured value. A substantial difference in resistance between the measured value and the baseline value indicates the location and magnitude of a loss in integrity in the section, and an indication of such is provided to the shuttle crew. The conductors may be formed within the tile or may be attached to the thermally protected side of the tile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Inventor: Frank Ted Marishak, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7088108
    Abstract: In a method for detecting an offset drift in a resistive Wheatstone measuring bridge, a switch is made between a measuring mode and a testing mode without interfering in the internal structure of the measuring bridge. In testing mode, two sensor resistors that act in the same way and lie in different bridge arms in the measuring mode are connected in series, and a voltage level occurring in the connection of these sensor resistors is compared with a reference voltage. Preferably the sensor resistor that acts in a different way and lies between the two series-connected sensor resistors acting in the same way is bridged. The reference voltage is advantageously formed by resistive division of the voltage applied to the series connection of the sensor resistors. The testing mode may expediently be switched in such a way that the two pairs of sensor resistors acting in the same way are respectively tested in succession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Intelligente Sensorsysteme Dresden GmbH
    Inventors: Peter König, Stefan Krone, Stefan Woschech, Matthias Böhm, Andreas Schroth
  • Patent number: 7075448
    Abstract: In the method and circuit arrangement for offset correction of the measurement bridge, the full bridge signal and half bridge signal of the measuring bridge are measured; a self-adjustment of the half bridge signal path to an output signal of the full bridge signal bath is performed to adjust the half bridge signal to the full bridge signal for each measurement cycle between turn on and turn off of the measurement bridge; and an offset value of the half bridge signal path is determined at a time of turning on and the offset value is kept constant during a given measurement cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Inventors: Rasmus Rettig, Emma Axten
  • Patent number: 6944937
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a magnetoresistive read head which reduces electrostatic discharge and allows measurement of gap resistances in the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Richard Hsiao, James D. Jarratt, Emo Hilbrand Klaassen, Ian Robson McFadyen, Timothy J. Moran
  • Patent number: 6930613
    Abstract: A device representing a simple means of multiplying the functionality of wiring in point to point control circuits such that fault tolerant, fault reporting circuits can be constructed with less wire. The circuit can employ the wiring on a continuous basis by the use of AC and a series arrangement that may combine sensors and command loads on the same single wire loop. A bi-directional current detector with switchable impedance over each polarity can form the device. The detector may be equipped with an electrically isolated man-machine interface that communicates with light to achieve input-output functions. Command functions may be issued by changing the current level within the circuit over each polarity of current flow to series mounted remote loads that are polarized with diodes. The whole circuit can be in triplicate for high reliability and fault tolerance and use a common return wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Inventor: Robert Gardner
  • Patent number: 6781385
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a current direction in a PWM converter or an inverter having one or more upper and lower arms, each of which consists of a switching device with an anti-parallel diode. The voltage across the switching device presents a different value and a polarity that depend on the direction of the current flowing through the switching device, wherein the current direction is acquired by sampling this voltage in the period of the trigger signal being on. In a case of small current, this sampled voltage value is relatively large to the flowing current magnitude and is easy to be distinguished. Furthermore, this invention presents a method for obtaining the phase angle between the load current and the output voltage, and judging whether the output current is zero or includes DC component. As a result, this method presents high precision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianping Ying, Jin Wang, Zhigan Wu
  • Patent number: 6677608
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device for detecting gate defects and the method of using the same to detect gate defects. The semiconductor device is comprised of a semiconductor substrate having an oxide layer on the top, a gate having spacers, formed on the oxide layer and surrounding the semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate is also patterned to divide the semiconductor substrate into two parts not electrically connected, and a conductive layer formed on the semiconductor outside the gate. In addition, the method for using the semiconductor device of the present invention to detect gate defects is comprised of applying a ground voltage and a set voltage respectively to two parts divided by the gate in the semiconductor device, and measuring current between the two parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Promos Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Ting-Sing Wang
  • Patent number: 6657435
    Abstract: An audible test circuit has a body having a plurality of prongs extending therefrom and having a plurality of lights thereon. A four way bridge rectifier circuit has a voltage steering circuit for producing a DC output voltage of known polarity located in the body. An audible alarm, is coupled to the four way bridge rectifier circuit for producing an audible alarm when power is applied to the rectifier circuit while lamps indicate the plurality of circuit connections. The audible test circuit may include a lamp socket-to-alligator clip attachment for coupling the alligator clip to the circuit. There is also a lamp socket-to-alligator clip attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Inventor: Richard A. Brown
  • Patent number: 6646446
    Abstract: A full Wheatstone bridge sensor has conditioning electronics of an ASIC connected thereto. Two independently controlled diagnostic switches (S1, S2) in the ASIC are commonly connected to one of the bridge output nodes. The first diagnostic switch connects first resistor between the bridge output node and bridge supply voltage and the second diagnostic switch connects a second resistor between the bridge output and bridge ground. The first diagnostic switch closes during a first diagnostic waveform phase and opens during all other phases of operation. The second diagnostic switch closes during a second and third waveform phase and opens during all other phases of operation. The diagnostic waveforms are used to test major signal conditioning and fault reporting paths of the ASIC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas R. Maher, David L. Corkum
  • Publication number: 20030206022
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for detecting a current direction in a PWM converter or an inverter having one or more upper and lower arms, each of which consists of a switching device with an anti-parallel diode. The voltage across the switching device presents a different value and a polarity that depend on the direction of the current flowing through the switching device, wherein the current direction is acquired by sampling this voltage in the period of the trigger signal being on. In a case of small current, this sampled voltage value is relatively large to the flowing current magnitude and is easy to be distinguished. Furthermore, this invention presents a method for obtaining the phase angle between the load current and the output voltage, and judging whether the output current is zero or includes DC component. As a result, this method presents high precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianping Ying, Jin Wang, Zhigan Wu
  • Patent number: 6538450
    Abstract: Method for locating an insulation fault (Rd) in the screen (SCR) of a cable relative to the ground, the screen being electrically accessible at least at one point of origin (Po) and at one terminal point (Pe). A current is injected between the point of origin (Po) and the terminal point (Pe) of the screen (SCR), by a current or voltage generator (21) that is insulated from the ground, a first electric voltage (U1) is measured at the point of origin (Po), in reference to the ground, and a second electric voltage (U, U2) is measured at the terminal point (Pe). The ratio between the first (U1) and the second (U, U2) voltages measured is representative of the relative position (Pdr) of the insulation fault between the point of origin (Po) and the terminal point (Pe).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Socrat
    Inventor: Jean Bussinger
  • Patent number: 6456090
    Abstract: A torque sensor includes a pair of detection coils having the impedances that change in opposite directions of each other corresponding to a torque generated in a rotation shaft. An AC voltage is applied on a bridge circuit including a pair of detection coils and a pair of resistors, a differential voltage between AC voltages that appear on both ends of the pair of detection coils is detected and sent out as the torque signal, and a failure of a circuit component of the torque detecting circuit is judged based on the phase difference between the waveform of the AC voltage applied on the bridge circuit and the waveform of the differential voltage between AC voltages that appear on both ends of the pair of detection coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ishikawa, Toshiyuki Onizuka, Kouichi Sato
  • Patent number: 6433554
    Abstract: An in-range fault detection system for a full wheatstone bridge element (12) having piezoresistive elements (R1, R2, R3, R4) has bridge outputs (INP, INM) connected to measuring means in the form of a first circuit portion (13) to provide a common mode voltage (VCM). A second circuit portion (14) is used to provide a centering voltage (C*VBRG) equal to the common mode voltage at the time of sensor calibration and a third circuit portion (15) is used to provide a small window voltage (W*VBRG) which is a fraction of bridge voltage. The value (W*VBRG) is subtracted from (C*VBRG) at a first summing circuit (SUM1) and added to (C*VBRG) at a second summing circuit (SUM2) and the results are each compared to the common mode voltage by comparators (Q1, Q2) which are then determined to be within or without a window of valid values by an OR gate (Q3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Keith W. Kawate, David L. Corkum, Thomas R. Maher
  • Patent number: 6424136
    Abstract: A current detector/indicator for DC has a transistor (1) and an LED (2). They are arranged so that current flow through the LED causes the transistor to conduct, shunting excess current away from the LED and through the transistor. For AC, the circuit can be doubled, with transistors and LEDs arranged with inverse polarity. A triac (15) may supplant the two transistors, with parallel, opposed LEDs (16) in its gate circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventor: Robert Gardner
  • Publication number: 20020053913
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor module having at least one terminal for connection to a data bus and having at least one low-pass filter that is connected downstream of the terminal in order to limit the data rate during normal operation. A circuit arrangement is provided for bridging the low-pass filter in order to be able to test the module at a higher data rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventor: Dirk Rautmann
  • Publication number: 20020033700
    Abstract: A full Wheatstone bridge sensor has conditioning electronics of an ASIC connected thereto. Two independently controlled diagnostic switches (S1, S2) in the ASIC are commonly connected to one of the bridge output nodes. The first diagnostic switch connects first resistor between the bridge output node and bridge supply voltage and the second diagnostic switch connects a second resistor between the bridge output and bridge ground. The first diagnostic switch closes during a first diagnostic waveform phase and opens during all other phases of operation. The second diagnostic switch closes during a second and third waveform phase and opens during all other phases of operation. The diagnostic waveforms are used to test major signal conditioning and fault reporting paths of the ASIC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas R. Maher, David L. Corkum
  • Publication number: 20020017906
    Abstract: A test structure and a method for detecting early failures in a large ensemble of semiconductor elements, particularly applicable to on-chip interconnects, is provided. A novel approach to gain information about the statistical behavior of several thousand interconnects and to investigate possible deviations from perfect lognormal statistics is presented. A test structure having a Wheatstone Bridge arrangement and arrays of several hundred interconnects may be used to prove that failure data does not deviate from lognormal behavior down to a cumulative failure rate of approximately one out of 20,000. Typical test structure sizes may, therefore, be extended far beyond standard test procedures to gain information about the statistical behavior of failure mechanisms and to verify the validity of the assumption that failure mechanisms follow lognormal statistical behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: Paul S. Ho, Martin Gall
  • Publication number: 20010045835
    Abstract: A sensing coil is mutually inductively coupled with the coil formed by a wire loop embedded in a belt, as in a timing belt as for a camshaft drive in an internal combustion engine. When the embedded wire loop breaks, a circuit senses the change in impedance in the sensing coil and operates an alarm. The method is non-contacting with the belt and requires no sliding contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventor: Adel Abdel Aziz Ahmed
  • Patent number: 6313642
    Abstract: A system for testing an arcing fault detection system in an electrical distribution network having a line conductor carrying an electrical signal between a power source and a load, the arcing fault detection system including a sensor coupled to the line conductor for monitoring the electrical signal and generating a sensor signal representing the electrical signal, the arcing fault detection system generating an arc-indicative signal in response to the sensor signal having characteristics indicative of an arcing fault. The testing system couples the sensor to a test line simultaneously with the line conductor and periodically produces a test signal on the test line. The sensor simultaneously monitors the test signal and the electrical signal and produces a sensor signal representing both the test signal and the electrical signal when the test signal is present on the test line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventor: Stanley J. Brooks
  • Patent number: 6118278
    Abstract: According to the invention, an AC-signal is superimposed to a signal on the two lines to be monitored. A signal difference between the signals on each line is compared with the superimposed AC-signal. A short circuit between the two lines to be monitored can thus be detected when the superimposed AC-signal is not present in the signal difference. The frequency of the AC-signal is preferably selected as half of the sampling frequency of a subsequent sampling means. In a measuring bridge, the short circuit detection unit is coupled to a first and a second measuring point of the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventor: Peter Rother
  • Patent number: 5771556
    Abstract: A method for making an acoustic wave device. The method has steps of providing a substrate suitable for acoustic wave devices and processing the substrate to provide a patterned metallization thereon. The patterned metallization includes an acoustic wave filter pattern. The method also has steps of measuring a sheet resistance associated with the acoustic wave filter pattern, determining a resistance of a test pattern associated with the acoustic wave filter pattern to provide a measured resistance and computing an estimated average linewidth for the acoustic wave filter pattern from the measured resistance and the sheet resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Eugene Allen, Steven Ray Stringer, Richard Dale Coyne
  • Patent number: 5734269
    Abstract: A bridge circuit monitoring apparatus which can accurately detect a fault in a bridge circuit of a sensor circuit even when multiple faults occur. Changes in the imbalance output signal of a bridge circuit (11) are monitored with a first window comparator (WC1), while changes in the bridge circuit (11) power source current, which does not require amplifying, are monitored with a second window comparator (WC2). At the time of an output of logic value "1" indicating that the monitoring outputs are both normal, an output of logic value "1" indicating that the bridge circuit (11) is normal is generated from an AND gate (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: The Nippon Signal Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakai, Toshihito Shirai, Hiroji Anzai, Koichi Futsuhara
  • Patent number: 5508614
    Abstract: The present invention provides a test circuit and method for testing for short circuits in an MR head, merged MR head or piggyback MR head without contacting either of the shield layers. This is accomplished by a bridge circuit which employs part of the components of the head. The bridge circuit has four consecutively arranged branches which are interconnected by four consecutively arranged terminals. The first terminal comprises the substrate or one of the write pads and the second and fourth terminals comprise the first and second read pads. A signal generator is connected across the first and third terminals and a detector, such as a differential amplifier, is connected across the read pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Glen A. Garfunkel, Donald E. Horne, Robert L. Smith
  • Patent number: 5440234
    Abstract: A semiconductor sensor has piezo resistor elements formed in deformable semiconductor portions for forming a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and a fault detecting circuit is associated with the Wheatstone bridge circuit for producing a warning signal indicative of occurrence of a fault in the Wheatstone bridge circuit, wherein the fault detecting circuit has two pairs of window comparators independently monitoring two output nodes of the Wheatstone bridge circuit to see whether or not the voltage level at each of the output nodes ranges between the upper limit and the lower limit of a normal voltage range so that a destruction of one of the piezo resistor elements is detectable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Kondo