By Phase Comparison Patents (Class 324/76.52)
  • Patent number: 11499997
    Abstract: Transmission-line voltage measurements in a digital-electricity power system are validated by acquiring a series of transmission-line voltage measurements during a sample period when a transmitter-disconnect device is in a non-conducting state. A numerical analysis is performed to determine a point in time at which AC components in the transmission line have diminished and at which the primary change in the transmission-line voltage measurement values is due to DC decay. A receiver acquires a series of receiver-voltage measurements during the same sample period; and a numerical analysis is performed on the receiver-voltage measurements to determine the point in time at which the AC components have diminished and where the primary change in the transmission-line voltage measurement values is due to DC decay. The transmitter-disconnect device is then placed in a non-conducting state based on an evaluation of those measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: VoltServer, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen S. Eaves
  • Patent number: 11103147
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for determining a pressure associated with a lumen of a patient. A wireless sensor is positioned in the lumen of the patient. The sensor has a body with a pressure sensitive surface, including a sealed cavity that holds an inductive-capacitive (LC) resonant circuit. A capacitance of the LC resonant circuit is configured to vary in response to changes in pressure in the lumen. The LC resonant circuit has a charge time related to a quality factor (Q) of the LC resonant circuit. The LC resonant circuit is energized with an energizing signal during a measurement cycle. The energizing signal has a duty cycle with an on-time that is set, in part, based on the charge time. A ring down response is received from the wireless sensor. The ring down response is utilized to calculate the pressure associated with the lumen of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL LUXEMBOURG HOLDINGS II S.A.R.L. (“SJM LUX 11”)
    Inventors: Florent Cros, David O'Brien, Michael Fonseca, Matthew Abercrombie, Jin Woo Park, Angad Singh
  • Patent number: 10756710
    Abstract: A clock generator includes a series of inverting stages; and at least one combinational logic stage. The series of inverting stages is tapped at two or more locations along the series of inverting stages to provide intermediary outputs. A combinational logic stage of the at least one combinational logic stage is coupled to receive two or more of the intermediary outputs and generate a clock signal. Multi-phase, multi-duty cycle, non-overlapping clock signals can be generated by the clock generator based on different combinations of intermediary outputs. The clock signals can be provided to a switching network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CHAOLOGIX, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Arthur Bell, Daniel F. Yannette
  • Patent number: 10057051
    Abstract: A more cost effective wander jitter filter utilizes an excursion detector that receives a timing difference between a first signal and a second signal and supplies a first adjustment amount if a magnitude of the timing difference is above a predetermined threshold and otherwise supplies a second adjustment amount of zero. A summing circuit adjusts a magnitude of the timing difference by the first or second adjustment amount. A loop filter receives the summing circuit output and controls an oscillator. The excursion detector output (first adjustment value or zero according to the magnitude of the timing difference) is low pass filtered and the low pass filtered is reintroduced into the oscillator output or the feedback loop. The excursion detector output is accumulated and used to adjust a phase of the feedback signal from the oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Yunteng Huang
  • Patent number: 9709533
    Abstract: A method determines a resonance frequency of a resonant device. The method includes stimulating the resonant device with a periodic input signal having a frequency in a frequency interval; determining a frequency value for said periodic input signal in said frequency interval for which a phase-difference between said periodic input signal and a corresponding periodic output signal of the resonant device is minimum; generating a flag indicating that a resonance frequency has been determined; and generating signals representing said resonance frequency as a value of the frequency of said periodic input signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.R.L.
    Inventors: Nicolo Nizza, Paolo Pascale, Andrea Diruzza, Michele Berto Boscolo
  • Patent number: 9337887
    Abstract: There is proposed a method and system for determining a phase-alignment between first and second clock signals of differing frequency. The method comprise: sampling a value of the first clock signal at instants defined by an edge of the second clock signal; defining a sequence of the sampled values of the first clock signal, wherein consecutive sample values in the sequence are separated by N cycles of the second clock signal, and wherein N is an integer greater than 1; and detecting the occurrence of a predetermined pattern of values in the defined sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: u-blox AG
    Inventor: Andrew Gough
  • Patent number: 9254397
    Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma evaluation system and method for evaluating plasma, including: a treatment target material and a weak current measurement unit including a resistor unit and a differential amplifier, wherein the treatment target material is connected to the weak current measurement unit via a treatment target side measurement terminal, the resistor unit of the weak current measurement unit is connected to a ground side of a plasma generation current source, and the system and method evaluate plasma by receiving plasma generated by a plasma treatment equipment with the treatment target material, measuring a current by measuring a voltage across resistors of the resistor unit through the differential amplifier, and measuring an output voltage of the plasma generation power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Hajime Sakakita, Yuzuru Ikehara, Satoru Kiyama
  • Patent number: 9018964
    Abstract: A powder sensor includes a piezoelectric element, an oscillator circuit, a first square wave signal generator, a second square wave signal generator, and a phase judgment circuit. The oscillator circuit applies to the piezoelectric element an output signal having a frequency equal to or near a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element. The first square wave signal generator generates a first square wave signal by converting a terminal voltage of the piezoelectric element. The second square wave signal generator generates a second square wave signal that transits from an initial level to a detection level when the first square wave signal rises or falls in a detection period and that does not transit outside of the detection period. The detection period is a part of each cycle of the output signal of the oscillator circuit. The phase judgment circuit determines phase of the second square wave signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuo Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20150054491
    Abstract: A system and method to detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal using a feedback control loop including a phase error detector, a loop controller, and a digitally controlled oscillator. The frequency detector may detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal and produce an output signal representing the fundamental frequency of the electric input signal. The frequency detector may further include a filter that may be coupled to the frequency detector output signal in order to remove spurious tones or noise from the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel ANTONESEI
  • Patent number: 8907655
    Abstract: A system and method to detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal using a feedback control loop including a phase error detector, a loop controller, and a digitally controlled oscillator. The frequency detector may detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal and produce an output signal representing the fundamental frequency of the electric input signal. The frequency detector may further include a filter that may be coupled to the frequency detector output signal in order to remove spurious tones or noise from the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel Antonesei
  • Patent number: 8890507
    Abstract: A method of measuring the phase transient response of a device under test automatically provides a flattened phase transient response without any user intervention. The method comprises the steps of calculating an instantaneous phase waveform based on an instantaneous voltage waveform that represents an output signal of the device under test as it steps from a first frequency to a second frequency, calculating an instantaneous frequency waveform based on the instantaneous phase waveform, automatically estimating the second frequency based on the instantaneous frequency waveform without any user intervention, and flattening the instantaneous phase waveform based on the estimate of the second frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kathryn A. Engholm, Soraya J. Matos, Shigetsune Torin
  • Publication number: 20140254217
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for detecting phase loss and/or excessive ripple in a power converter, in which bandpass filters are used to obtain harmonic voltage amplitudes associated with the power converter DC bus, and phase loss is detected if a ratio of the second harmonic to the sixth harmonic and/or a ratio of the fourth harmonic to the sixth harmonic exceed predetermined threshold values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bing Li, David Leggate, Timothy Rowan
  • Patent number: 8791691
    Abstract: A signal detector includes a summation unit connected to offset first and second input signals representing a differential input signal into two offset pairs of first and second signals. The signal detector also includes a detection unit connected to select the first signal from one of the offset pairs of first and second signals and the second signal from the other of the offset pairs in an overlap portion of the first and second signals to form a complementary pair of overlap signals and provide a differentially peak-detected output signal from the complementary pair of overlap signals. Additionally, the signal detector includes a comparator connected to provide a detection output signal corresponding to the differentially peak-detected output signal and a reference signal. A method of operating a signal detector is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventor: Zichuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 8774977
    Abstract: In a multiphase electrical power construction and assignment, a processor: determines a phase and voltage configuration for bi-directional power device pairs; determines a given bi-directional power device pair is to be coupled to a given phase connection based on the configuration; determines whether the given bi-directional power devices in the given bi-directional power device pair are to be coupled to each other; confirms that the given bi-directional power device pair is not coupled to any of the plurality of phase connections; couples the given bi-directional power device pair to the given phase connections, where power signals of the given bi-directional power device pair are synchronized with a power signal of the given phase connection; and in response to determining that the given bi-directional power devices are to be coupled to each other, couples each of the bi-directional power devices to a short bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: STEM, Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn Smith, Stacey Reineccius
  • Publication number: 20140125315
    Abstract: Determining a high frequency operating parameter in a plasma system including a plasma power supply device coupled to a plasma load using a hybrid coupler having four ports is accomplished by: generating two high frequency source signals of identical frequency, the signals phase shifted by 90° with respect to one another; generating a high frequency output signal by combining the high frequency source signals in the hybrid coupler; transmitting the high frequency output signal to the plasma load; detecting two or more signals, each signal corresponding to a respective port of the hybrid coupler and related to an amplitude of a high frequency signal present at the respective port; and based on an evaluation of the two or more signals, determining the high frequency operating parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: HUETTINGER Elektronik GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Thomas Kirchmeier, Gerd Hintz
  • Patent number: 8692572
    Abstract: A method of detecting a failure of an alternator supplying three-phase electricity to a load, the method comprising the steps of determining a duty ratio for each of the phases at the output of the alternator, determining phase differences between the phases at the output of the alternator; and determining the presence of a failure as a function of the phase differences and as a function of a comparison of the duty ratios. A power supply device is also provided for implementing the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sagem Defense Securite
    Inventors: Virginie Erdos, Thanh-Tuan Truong, Mehdi Dallagi
  • Patent number: 8502523
    Abstract: Provided is a test apparatus and a test method for substantially synchronizing phases of test signals for each of a plurality of clock domains. The test apparatus tests a device under test including a plurality of clock domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Yamada
  • Patent number: 8493058
    Abstract: A device and a method for frequency analysis. The frequency of an output signal is divided, and an auxiliary signal with a known frequency is subtracted from the low-frequency signal to define a low-frequency differential signal. The output frequency is determined on the basis of the frequency of the low-frequency differential signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Gruson, Paul Schnebli
  • Patent number: 8436604
    Abstract: Provided is a measurement apparatus that measures a signal under measurement, comprising a first oscillation circuit that receives one pulse of the signal under measurement and begins oscillating according to the pulse of the signal under measurement to output a first oscillated signal; a second oscillation circuit that receives one pulse of a reference signal and begins oscillating according to the pulse of the reference signal to output a second oscillated signal having a period that is different from a period of the first oscillated signal; and a first sampling section that samples the first oscillated signal according to a pulse of the second oscillated signal. The first oscillation circuit and the second oscillation circuit each include a control section that selects one pulse; a delay section that delays the pulse; and a loop line that feeds the pulse back to an input terminal of the delay section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Okayasu
  • Patent number: 8432151
    Abstract: A phase comparator (4) for detecting a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal, a first oscillating circuit (1) for supplying the phase comparator with a reference signal as the first signal, and a DDS (8) as a second oscillating circuit for outputting a signal according to an output of the above-mentioned phase comparator are provided. As for a filter-thickness measuring device using the PLL circuit as a frequency measurement circuit, a crystal oscillator (11) which is made of quartz etc. and connected to the first oscillating circuit is accommodated in a vacuum chamber (C). It is arranged that the frequency measurement circuit which constitutes the PLL circuit measures a film thickness of the film forming material based on a change of a natural frequency of a piezoelectric crystal, the change being caused by the film forming material deposited on the piezoelectric element in the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignees: Pioneer Corporation, Tohoku Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroaki Sato
  • Patent number: 8340791
    Abstract: An industrial process device for monitoring or controlling an industrial process includes a first input configured to receive a first plurality of samples related to a first process variable and a second input configured to receive a second plurality of samples related to a second process variable. Compensation circuitry is configured to compensate for a time difference between the first plurality of samples and the second plurality of samples and provide a compensated output related to at least one of the first and second process variables. The compensated output can comprise, or can be used to calculate a third process variable. The third process variable can be used to monitor or control the industrial process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Schulte
  • Publication number: 20120274311
    Abstract: A system and method to detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal using a feedback control loop including a phase error detector, a loop controller, and a digitally controlled oscillator. The frequency detector may detect the fundamental frequency of an electric input signal and produce an output signal representing the fundamental frequency of the electric input signal. The frequency detector may further include a filter that may be coupled to the frequency detector output signal in order to remove spurious tones or noise from the output signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventor: Gabriel Antonesei
  • Patent number: 8258774
    Abstract: Accelerometers have a number of wide-ranging uses, and it is desirable to both increase their accuracy while decreasing size. Here, millimeter or sub-millimeter wavelength accelerometers are provided which has the advantage of having the high accuracy of an optical accelerometer, while being compact. Additionally, because millimeter or sub-millimeter wavelength signals are employed, cumbersome and awkward on-chip optical devices and bulky optical mediums can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Chih-Ming Hung, Marco Corsi
  • Patent number: 8217640
    Abstract: A method and device for determining the phases in a multi-phase electrical system includes detecting a first waveform on a phase of the multi-phase system In a first position of the multi-phase electrical system timed data is stored, synchronized with the first waveform. A second waveform is detected in a second position of the multi-phase electrical system, on an indeterminate phase of the system. Data is obtained relative to the phase on which the second waveform was read on the basis of the phase shift between the timed data and the second waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Power-One Italy S.p.A.
    Inventors: Davide Tazzari, Filippo Vernia
  • Patent number: 8207726
    Abstract: The service phase of the electrical connection to a customer endpoint device located within a power distribution system is determined by various techniques. At the feeder level, the system may be programmed to induce momentary power interruptions, thereby causing missed zero crossings at the customer endpoint devices. The pattern of these interruptions is a controlled one, designed specifically to avoid causing noticeable disruption even to sensitive devices, but to be unusual enough that it is statistically unlikely to be naturally occurring. The monitoring of the zero crossing information is used to determine the phase of the service line to the customer endpoint devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Silver Spring Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Raj Vaswani, Jana van Greunen, Alexander Gostrer
  • Patent number: 8143879
    Abstract: A multi-phase electrical power distribution network includes a substation; a signal generator for providing a different signal on each of a plurality of phases leaving the substation; and a signal discriminator for detecting each of the different signals at a consumer of the electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Caird
  • Patent number: 8125249
    Abstract: A frequency measuring circuit and a semiconductor device having the frequency measuring circuit include a divided and shifted clock signal generator, a delayed clock signal generator and a phase detecting unit. The divided and shifted clock signal generator divides a frequency of a clock signal input from an exterior to output a frequency-divided clock signal, and delays the frequency-divided clock signal by a time proportional to a period of the clock signal to output a shifted clock signal. The delayed clock signal generator delays the frequency-divided clock signal by a fixed time to generate a plurality of delayed clock signals. The phase detecting unit receives the plurality of delayed clock signals and the shifted clock signal and detects a phase difference between each of the plurality of delayed clock signals and the shifted clock signal to output a plurality of phase detecting signals that represent information related to a frequency of the clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: In-Chul Jeong
  • Patent number: 8116401
    Abstract: A method and system for digital spur cancellation may include removing a spur in a left channel minus right channel (L?R) baseband signal generated from a FM signal. The L?R baseband signal may be generated by demodulating a sub-carrier, for example, by using CORDIC algorithm, in a signal demodulated from the FM signal. An orthogonal signal may also be generated by demodulating a sub-carrier, for example, by using CORDIC algorithm, in a signal demodulated from the FM signal. The phase of the orthogonal signal may be further adjusted to introduce a substantially ?90° phase shift to spurs at a specific frequency. Accordingly, the spurs in the L?R baseband signal may be cancelled when the first L?R baseband signal is combined with the phase adjusted orthogonal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Brima Ibrahim, Hea Joung Kim, Bojko Marholey
  • Patent number: 8111106
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention may include a DPLL circuit comprising a firmware. The firmware may comprise a re-sampled NCO phase detector capable of receiving a reference clock timing signal and a VCXO clock timing signal. The re-sampled NCO phase detector may comprise a resampler capable of receiving phase output and the VCXO clock timing signal and resampling the phase output; and a subtractor capable of receiving the resampled phase output and subtracting the resampled phase output from a calculated mean value of the phase output. The firmware may further comprise a frequency detector capable of receiving the reference clock timing signal and the VCXO clock timing signal; and a multiplexer capable of switching between the re-sampled NCO phase detector and the frequency detector dependent upon a frequency lock status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leo Montreuil, Larry Stephen McKinney, Jiening Ao, Joel Paul Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20110285381
    Abstract: A method of measuring the phase transient response of a device under test automatically provides a flattened phase transient response without any user intervention. The method comprises the steps of calculating an instantaneous phase waveform based on an instantaneous voltage waveform that represents an output signal of the device under test as it steps from a first frequency to a second frequency, calculating an instantaneous frequency waveform based on the instantaneous phase waveform, automatically estimating the second frequency based on the instantaneous frequency waveform without any user intervention, and flattening the instantaneous phase waveform based on the estimate of the second frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: TEKTRONIX, INC
    Inventors: KATHRYN A. ENGHOLM, SORAYA J. MATOS, SHIGETSUNE TORIN
  • Patent number: 8065050
    Abstract: A method is provided for detecting an insufficient or missing phase current in a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and includes determining a composite vector position of a combined three-phase phase current with respect to a stationary portion of the motor, and assigning a sector to the position. The method includes comparing the phase current to a calibrated threshold current corresponding to the sector, and executing a response when the absolute value is less than the threshold. A vehicle includes an energy storage device (ESD), a motor/generator configured as a permanent magnet synchronous motor, a voltage inverter, and a bus for conducting DC current from the ESD to the inverter. A controller detects an insufficient phase current, determines a current vector position of the three-phase AC, assigns a sector to the position, and executes a response when an absolute value of the phase current is less than a calibrated threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Stephen T. West, Wei D. Wang, Sean E. Gleason
  • Patent number: 8041528
    Abstract: An arrangement for calibrating a vector network analyzer (VNA) is substantially secure against operating errors and offers cost-effective calibration by connecting calibration components. Each calibration component includes a transponder and a non-volatile memory which contains, as non-changeable data, at least the type of the component and an individual identification number and, as changeable data, at least the number of calibration processes performed with this calibration component. The VNA includes a wireless interface for reading at least the non-changeable data of a respective calibration component and for incrementing the stored number of the calibration processes performed with this calibration component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Spinner GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Grassl, Anton Lindner, Reimer Nagel, Michael Lege
  • Patent number: 8004306
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an oscillating circuit including a plurality of logic circuits connected in series; and an error detecting circuit receiving output signals of at least two of the plurality of logic circuits, and suspending an operation of the oscillating circuit to notify other blocks of the oscillating circuit that an error occurs in the oscillating circuit if a phase difference between the output signals is not within a predetermined phase difference range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takahashi, Hiroshi Furuta
  • Patent number: 8006154
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a clock generator for generating a second clock signal having a frequency that varies over time by using a first clock signal having a fixed frequency, a test circuit for generating a digital signal according to a difference between a first frequency corresponding to the first clock signal and a second frequency corresponding to the second clock signal by a digital logic operation based on the first clock signal and the second clock signal, and a signal path for outputting the digital signal generated by the test circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Shunichiro Masaki
  • Patent number: 7999531
    Abstract: Provided is a phase detecting apparatus that detects a phase difference between signals, comprising a phase comparing section that sequentially delays a second input signal relative to a first input signal, according to a set value, and that compares a phase of the second input signal to a phase of the first input signal each time a relative phase between the input signals changes; and a delay adjusting section that adjusts in advance a delay amount of a signal in the phase comparing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Ichiyama
  • Patent number: 7932732
    Abstract: The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency or set of frequencies and a predetermined amplitude. The energizing signal is coupled to the sensor via magnetic coupling and induces a current in the sensor which oscillates at the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor via magnetic coupling and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate the measured physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: CardioMEMS, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ellis, Jason Kroh
  • Patent number: 7886178
    Abstract: In order to provide a semiconductor memory apparatus which can adjust the locked loop circuit such as a DLL in detail after producing the semiconductor memory apparatus, and moreover, which can adjust the locked loop circuit by using a measuring apparatus which has a low testing frequency, an exclusive-OR circuit generates an adjusting clock signal TCLK obtained by multiplying a frequency of a pair of test clock signals which respectively have a phase difference. A DLL circuit inputs the adjusting clock signal TCLK in place to an external clock signal CLK. The counter circuit counts the control clock signal CCLK outputted from the DLL circuit for a predetermined time. A comparator compares a counted value to an expected value and outputs a comparison result. A phase adjusting circuit outputs an adjusting signal to a delay circuit inside the DLL circuit based on the comparison result outputted from the comparator, and adjusts a phase of the control clock signal CCLK outputted from the DLL circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Naoto Maeda
  • Patent number: 7868607
    Abstract: A method is presented where the phase trace is offset for each sweep such that the first point is always at zero degrees. The resulting traces are then averaged. The average reduces the noise in the phase trace and results in a less noisy group delay trace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joel P. Dunsmore, Sean Hubert, Loren C. Betts, Johan Ericsson
  • Patent number: 7847641
    Abstract: Disclosed are a digital phase-frequency detector and a method of operating a digital phase-frequency detector. The detector includes an input circuit, an output circuit and a reset circuit. In use, the input circuit receives first and second input signals during a plurality of cycles, and during a given one of the cycles, generates a first intermediate signal or a second intermediate signal depending on which of the first and second input signals was received first during that given one of said cycles. The output circuit receives these intermediate signals, and outputs, during said one cycle, a first output signal or a second output signal depending on which one of intermediate signals was received by the output circuit during said one cycle. The reset circuit applies a reset signal to the input circuit under defined conditions to begin a new one of said plurality of cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander V. Rylyakov, Jose A. Tierno
  • Patent number: 7813089
    Abstract: In a motor controller, if a failed electric current flow in any one of phases of a motor is detected, a motor control signal is generated, based on a phase other than the phase with the failed electric current flow, in such a manner that a motor electric current matches a required torque except for at a specific rotation angle corresponding to the phase with the failed electric current flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100231194
    Abstract: A method and a device (MON) for monitoring plasma-discharges during a surface treatment process are described. In this process electrodes within a gaseous medium are provided with an alternating voltage (UHV) for generating plasma. The monitoring device (MON) has a detector device (M1) for detecting a measurement signal (I) generated by the alternating voltage (UHV) within the gaseous medium, separating means (M2) for separating signal components above a preset frequency and evaluating means (M3) for evaluating the resulting separated signal components by comparing them with at least one preset reference. Preferably the generating of the plasma is achieved by dielectric barrier discharge and the electric current penetrating the medium, especially the dielectric displacement current, is measured as the measurement signal (I).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Hartmut Bauch, Matthias Bicker
  • Patent number: 7795924
    Abstract: A phase detecting module capable of optimizing detection accuracy and noise robustness, and a detecting method, are included. The phase detecting module includes a phase detecting circuit, an energy estimating circuit and a selecting circuit. The phase detecting circuit detects a phase of an input signal to generate a phase detection value. The energy estimating circuit estimates energy of the input signal to generate an energy estimation value. The selecting circuit selectively outputs the phase detection value according to the energy estimation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: MStar Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventor: Shan Tsung Wu
  • Patent number: 7759926
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided for measuring a dynamic phase offset between a PLL's input clock and the PLL's feedback input clock, wherein the input clock is spread spectrum modulated in a spread spectrum mode and is not modulated in a static mode. The method includes: in the spread spectrum mode, measuring phase jitter between the input clock and the feedback input clock to form a spread spectrum phase jitter measurement; in the static mode, measuring phase jitter between the input clock and the feedback input clock to form a static phase jitter measurement; and comparing the spread spectrum phase jitter measurement to the static phase jitter measurement to determine the dynamic phase offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Ludmil Nikolov, Michael G. France
  • Patent number: 7750619
    Abstract: A method of measuring the frequency of a received signal comprising the steps of: generating a first phase signal by digitising the phase of the received signal; delaying the first phase signal by a predetermined amount to generate a second phase signal; calculating a phase difference between the first and the second phase signals; and calculating the frequency of the input signal from the phase difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Teledyne Defence Limited
    Inventor: Richard Fawley
  • Publication number: 20100148751
    Abstract: Provided is a noise measurement apparatus that measures noise at a location under measurement, comprising a self-excited oscillator that is provided at the location under measurement and that outputs an oscillation signal in which is sequentially accumulated, in each cycle, the noise at the location under measurement; a transmission path that transmits the oscillation signal output by the self-excited oscillator; and a measuring unit that measures noise added to the oscillation signal transmitted through the transmission path. The measuring unit may measure the noise at the location under measurement by differentiating noise added to the oscillation signal transmitted through the transmission path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: ADVANTEST CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiyuki OKAYASU
  • Patent number: 7710103
    Abstract: The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a wireless sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate a physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal. The system identifies false locks by detecting an unwanted beat frequency in the coupled signal, as well as determining whether the coupled signal exhibits pulsatile characteristics that correspond to a periodic physiological characteristic, such as blood pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: CardioMEMS, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Powers, Michael G. Ellis, Jason Kroh, Donald J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7710102
    Abstract: A clock test apparatus for a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a delay unit configured to delay an internal clock signal. A comparison unit compares the phase of an output signal of the delay unit with the phase of a reference clock signal. A phase discrimination unit receives a test mode signal, the reference clock signal, and an output signal of the comparison unit, thereby outputting a discrimination signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Young Bo Shim
  • Patent number: 7679355
    Abstract: The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency or set of frequencies and a predetermined amplitude. The energizing signal is coupled to the sensor via magnetic coupling and induces a current in the sensor which oscillates at the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor via magnetic coupling and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate the measured physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: CardioMEMS, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark G. Allen, Michael Ellis, Jason Kroh, Donald J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7613974
    Abstract: This invention relates to fault detection in electrical circuits. The invention provides a method and apparatus for testing an input circuit by generating a periodic test signal having a predetermined phase and a predetermined amplitude; summing the test signal and an input signal to provide a summed signal; processing the summed signal to provide an output signal; generating an extracted test signal from the output signal; comparing the extracted test signal with a reference signal representing said periodic test signal; generating an error signal in dependence upon the result of said comparing step. The invention also provides a method and apparatus for testing a plurality of adjacent input circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: ICS Triplex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Thomas Bruce Meagher
  • Patent number: 7598720
    Abstract: A system detects the wiring phase of an unknown phase voltage at a remote location relative to a reference phase voltage at a reference location in an electrical power distribution system having a single phase or poly phase power line. A transmitter transmits a signal from the reference location to the remote location. The signal comprises a characteristic signal pattern. Moreover, a first circuit detects at the remote location the characteristic signal pattern of the signal and determines a first time interval between the characteristic signal pattern and the occurrence of a reference point in the unknown phase voltage. A second circuit determines at the reference location a second time interval between the characteristic signal pattern and the occurrence of a reference point in the reference phase voltage. The system determines the wiring phase of the unknown phase voltage from the first time interval and the second time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Enel Distribuzione S.p.A.
    Inventors: Fabio Veroni, Paolo Giubbini