Sensor Or Transducer Patents (Class 702/104)
  • Patent number: 8515704
    Abstract: The calibrating breathalyzer comprises an alcohol sensor, a non-volatile memory, a processing unit or processor, a display and a housing to house these components. The processing unit can calibrate the breathalyzer using the user's body as a simulator based on the user's metabolism rate, type and amount of alcohol consumed by the user. The processing unit determines a sample time to receive a breath sample from the user based on a time to a predetermined calibration point from the drinking start time calculated using the user's metabolism rate and the determined maximum alcohol level. The BAC % measurement based on the user's breath sample at the sample time is used as a reference point in calibrating the breathalyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: AK Globaltech Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew Hogyun Son, Jung Hoon Son
  • Patent number: 8515694
    Abstract: A method for operating a fuel quantity gauging system is described. The method includes utilizing redundant sensor sets at separate locations within a fuel tank to measure properties of the fuel mixture within the fuel tank, inputting the measured properties into a fuel regression equation, a separate fuel regression equation for each sensor set location, solving the multiple fuel regression equations to determine a slope and intercept and define a fuel regression curve for the fuel mixture, and utilizing the defined fuel regression curve to calculate at least a quantity of fuel in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: The Boeing Company, Parker-Hannifan Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene F. Orloff, Sridhar Rokkam
  • Patent number: 8513589
    Abstract: An optical encoder may include an encoder disk, an illumination system, and a detector to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk. The encoder disk may include a signal track comprising a diffraction grating, and an index track comprising a reflective index mark, wherein a width of the index mark is larger than a pitch of the diffraction grating. An indexing method may include providing an encoder disk, providing an illumination system to direct light to the encoder disk, providing a detector structured to detect light diffracted from the encoder disk, calculating an estimated count of quadrature states from a rising edge of an index pulse to a middle of the index interval, and calculating the quadrature state at an approximate center of the index pulse. A dynamic parameter correction method may include calculating a target gain and offset and correcting values based on the target gain and offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: FARO Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick York
  • Patent number: 8510067
    Abstract: An improved quality assurance system and method for point-of-care testing are disclosed. The present invention provides quality assurance for laboratory quality tests performed by a blood analysis system or the like at the point of patient care without the need for running liquid-based quality control materials on the analysis system. Quality assurance of a quantitative physiological sample test system is performed without using a quality control sample by monitoring the thermal and temporal stress of a component used with the test system. Alert information is generated that indicates that the component has failed quality assurance when the thermal and temporal stress exceeds a predetermined thermal-temporal stress threshold. Alternatively, the present invention provides quality assurance for laboratory quality tests performed by a blood analysis system or the like at the point of patient care by minimizing the need for running liquid-based quality control materials on the analysis system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Abbott Point of Care Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Zelin, Eric Brouwer, Steven Breeze
  • Patent number: 8510068
    Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric smoke sensor capable of correcting a sensitivity according to a state of contamination. The photoelectric smoke sensor includes: a storage section (6) for storing a zero detection value VN and an initial zero detection value; a moving average value calculating section (51) for calculating a moving average value of detection AD values output from a detection portion (1, 2, 3); a zero detection value updating section (52) for calculating a new zero detection value VN when a sensitivity of the detection portion is decreased as compared with that in an initial state, and in addition, when a rate of change in the moving average value with respect to the zero detection value VN exceeds a predetermined value; a detection AD value correcting section (53) for correcting the detection value; and a smoke-density computing section (54) for converting the corrected detection value into smoke-density data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Nohmi Bosai Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20130204568
    Abstract: A physical quantity measuring apparatus of the present invention measures a physical quantity from a signal based on a physical quantity output by a physical quantity signal output apparatus. A correction signal output unit outputs a new correction signal based on a signal on the basis of a physical quantity obtained at a given measurement time, a correction signal obtained before that measurement time, and a filter coefficient. A large/small relationship determining unit determines a large/small relationship between the signal on the basis of the physical quantity and the correction signal obtained before that measurement time. A first filter coefficient output unit outputs a first filter coefficient based on the plural large/small relationships.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
    Inventor: Asahi Kasei Microdevices Corporation
  • Patent number: 8504308
    Abstract: A system and a method analyze fatigue damage of a bottom hole assembly (“BHA”), and more specifically, use a multi-scale approach for fatigue analysis of a BHA. Three length scales may be used in modeling of a BHA, namely the BHA scale, the component scale and the feature scale. Loading conditions for each collar/tool of the BHA may be determined, such as by use of a beam model, and may be applied to the finite element models for the collar/tool to determine the fatigue damage of each fatigue susceptible feature of each collar/tool. A cumulative fatigue damage of each critical feature may be determined, and the weakest component of the BHA may be identified. Prognostic and diagnostic implementation with well survey and drilling data may monitor fatigue damage of critical components of the BHA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Ke Li, Srinand Karuppoor, Sepand Ossia
  • Publication number: 20130197847
    Abstract: Provided is an analysis apparatus capable of acquiring a measurement result with high reliability that includes: a signal detection unit; a measuring unit; a first temperature detection unit; a second temperature detection unit; and a calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: ARKRAY, Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Tsukada, Yasuhide Kusaka
  • Publication number: 20130191064
    Abstract: Disclosed in an apparatus and method for restoring sensor data faults remotely that are caused due to an impurity attached to a water quality sensor, by using sensor data, the apparatus including, a fault determining unit to determine whether the water quality sensor is faulty using fault related data when the sensor data received from a sensor node is an outlier value, and a cleaning device requesting unit to request operation of a cleaning device that removes an impurity of the water quality sensor when the water quality sensor is determined to be normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
  • Patent number: 8490601
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating the temperature of a gas pressure sensor attached to a wall of a turbocharged motor vehicle diesel engine, said sensor being positioned upstream of the turbine of the turbocharger. According to the invention, the temperature of the gas pressure sensor is estimated at least by measuring the temperature of the external air and the temperature of the wall to which the sensor is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Philippe Recouvreur, Olivier Tigrine
  • Publication number: 20130185012
    Abstract: A sensor output correction circuit includes a storage unit configured to rewritably store one or more commands for correcting a sensor output from a sensor, a reading unit configured to read a target command from the one or more commands stored in the storage part, plural execution units, each of the plural execution units configured to execute a sequence corresponding to the one or more commands, and a selecting unit configured to select a target execution unit from the plural execution units, the target execution unit configured to execute a target sequence corresponding to the target command read by the reading unit. When execution of the target sequence is completed, an address accessed by the reading unit at a time of reading the target command is shifted to another address.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventors: Konosuke YAMAMOTO, Yoichi KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20130185013
    Abstract: In a method for determining a state of a sensor configured to ascertain an operating parameter of an internal combustion engine, at least one aging effect which has an influence on a sensor characteristic curve of the sensor is detected. The sensor has different sensor characteristic curves for different states of the sensor. The at least one aging effect is detected during operation of the sensor. An item of aging information which reflects the at least one aging effect is stored in an electronic memory. The state of the sensor is deduced from the aging information which is present in stored form and which reflects the aging effect that has acted on the sensor. The deduction is carried out based on a predefined linkage between the at least one aging effect and the state of the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich WAGNER, Uwe KONZELMANN, Michael RITTMANN
  • Publication number: 20130174345
    Abstract: Example implementations are directed to a system that can be used to monitor the state of an occupant of a structure, such as a bed or a mattress. The states that can be monitored include whether or not the occupant is present, the position of the occupant, entry or exit of the occupant, and other signs that can be detected via movement, such as activity level, breathing, epileptic seizures, and heart rate. Example implementations involve one or more accelerometers disposed on the structure, such that the movement or changes in position by the occupant is transferred to the accelerometers, and a computing system to process the data from the accelerometers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: MyWellnessGuard Inc.
    Inventors: Brian LEU, David CHOW
  • Publication number: 20130179108
    Abstract: A computer system stores calibration information corresponding to respective sets of sensor measurements associated with respective operating environments. After storing, in a first data structure, calibration information for a first operating environment, the system determines a current operating environment of the device. When the current operating environment of the device is consistent with the first operating environment and that the calibration information for the first operating environment meets predefined measurement diversity criteria, the system calibrates at least one sensor for the first operating environment using the stored calibration information for the first operating environment. When the current operating environment of the device is inconsistent with the first operating environment, the system excludes the stored calibration information for the first operating environment when calibrating one or more sensors for the current operating environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin E. Joseph, Ian Chen, Kevin A. Shaw, James V. Steele
  • Publication number: 20130173200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for synchronizing sensors in a sensor array, including at least one electronic control unit and at least one sensor, which are connected to each other by a first and a second line, wherein the sensor is supplied with electric power by the first and second lines, and additionally at least one data signal (a) is transmitted by the first and second lines from the sensor to the electronic control unit, wherein the electronic control unit transmits a defined supply voltage signal having varying polarity as a synchronization signal (b, c) to the sensor, whereupon the sensor transmits at least one data signal (a) to the electronic control unit, after the polarity of the synchronization signal has been reversed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Continental Teves Ag & Co., oHG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Jöckel, Otmar Simon
  • Publication number: 20130173201
    Abstract: A sensor calibration system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The sensor calibration system may have a first machine mounted sensor disposed on the mobile machine and configured to sense a characteristic of an offboard object and to generate a corresponding signal, and a second machine mounted sensor disposed on the mobile machine and configured to sense the characteristic of the offboard object and to generate a corresponding signal. The sensor calibration system may also have a controller in communication with the first and second machine mounted sensors. The controller may be configured to compare the characteristic of the offboard object as sensed by the first machine mounted sensor to the characteristic of the offboard object as sensed by the second machine mounted sensor, and to correct subsequent signals received from the first machine mounted sensor based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Caterpillar Inc.
  • Patent number: 8478557
    Abstract: Methods, system and devices for providing improved calibration accuracy of continuous glucose monitoring system based on insulin delivery information are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Abbott Diabetes Care Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Alan Hayter, Erwin Satrya Budiman
  • Publication number: 20130166242
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a gas analysis apparatus that measures the moisture concentration in a gas using a radiating unit includes a moisture concentration measurement value calibrated based on the relationship between the intensity of an absorption spectrum of moisture of a concentration to be measured and the intensity of an absorption spectrum of an other component gas that can be measured by the radiating unit, for which the relationship to the intensity of the absorption spectrum of moisture of the measured prescribed concentration is known, and based on the intensity of an absorption spectrum obtained by measuring the other component gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: HORIBA, LTD.
    Inventor: HORIBA, LTD.
  • Patent number: 8473238
    Abstract: Correcting a temperature measurement of a target sensed at one temperature sensor in an asset tracking device by using another temperature sensor. The asset tracking device includes at least one heat source that affects the temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the target. The other temperature sensor measures temperature at a location in the asset tracking device. The relationships between an actual temperature of the target and the temperature measured at the two sensors are established through experiments or model. Using the relationships, the measured temperature of the target can be corrected to obtain a corrected temperature of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Moog Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Miller, Ralph M. Kling
  • Publication number: 20130158929
    Abstract: Optical measurement device calibration systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes receiving calibration information from a plurality of optical measurement devices (200) at a central data store (124), the calibration information comprising at least real-time measurement data stored on the plurality of optical measurement devices, the plurality of optical measurement devices each at different print facilities. The method also includes analyzing at least one trend in the calibration information at the central data store. The method also includes issuing an instruction to at least one of the plurality of optical measurement devices to update a calibration parameter in the at least one optical measurement device based on the at least one trend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Nathan Moroney, Ehud Chatow, Kok-Wei Koh
  • Publication number: 20130158928
    Abstract: A method for determining an orientation of a portable or mobile electronic device includes determining an orientation of the device using at least a first inertial motion sensor (e.g., a gyroscope) with which the portable electronic device is equipped. A correction factor is provided to the orientation of the electronic device using a feedback control signal based on motion data obtained from at least a second inertial motion sensor (e.g. an accelerometer) to reduce drift in motion data obtained from the first inertial sensor. Responsive to a loss of valid motion data from the first inertial motion sensor, a rate at which the correction factor is provided to the orientation of the portable electronic device is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Greg Hogdal
  • Publication number: 20130154830
    Abstract: An apparatus and system for providing a solution that enables technicians or other technical professionals obtain both an accurate color value for a sample as well as an accurate gloss value while using a spectrophotometer and an integrated gloss meter device. The present invention allows for accurate color and gloss value analysis of samples using improved compensation values by using a reference sensor to correct the variations in intensity of a light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Datacolor, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiling Xu, Taeyoung Park
  • Patent number: 8464571
    Abstract: A calibration system for a MEMS system having at least one overdamped motion axis includes a measurement module for determining a location of a pole of a MEMS device in the overdamped motion axis, a closed-loop feedback system configured to change a first location of the pole to a second location of the pole, and a computation module for calculating a resonant frequency and/or a quality factor using the first and the second location of the pole as determined by the measurement module. The calibration system further includes a calibration module for calibrating the MEMS system based on the calculated resonant frequency and/or the calculated quality factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Sparks, Michael Judy
  • Publication number: 20130151189
    Abstract: In a clinical laboratory, the degree of contamination of an automatic analyzer may constantly change due, for instance, to the operation of the automatic analyzer and newly added examinations, and there is a risk of failure to adequately maintain the performance of the automatic analyzer by performing calibration at conventional intervals. Meanwhile, the result of quality control varies depending on the performance of an unsealed reagent. Hence, performing calibration at predetermined intervals may fail to flexibly calibrate the reagent when the performance of the reagent is changed by reagent replenishment or by contamination. Provided is a quality control method for issuing a warning to indicate an optimum calibration method and calibration intervals in accordance with the contents of a quality control screen and with the pattern of variation in the result of calibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Qing Li, Masaharu Nishida
  • Publication number: 20130144550
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to mitigating the effect of a sudden change in sensor calibration parameters. An embodiment of the disclosure retrieves a current calibration parameter value for the sensor, determines a new calibration parameter value for the sensor, and generates transitional calibration parameter values based at least on the current calibration parameter value and the new calibration parameter value using an interpolation function configured to prevent a sudden change in the sensor calibration parameter values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Joseph Czompo
  • Patent number: 8458715
    Abstract: Described is a Distributed Resource Allocation System (DRAS) for sensor control and planning. The DRAS comprises an information framework module that is configured to specify performance goals, assess current performance state, and includes sensor models to achieve the performance goals. The DRAS is configured to further allocate the sensors to achieve the performance goals. Once allocated, the DRAS then reassesses the current performance state and continues reallocating the sensors until the current performance state is most similar to the performance goals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Khosla, James Guillochon
  • Publication number: 20130135138
    Abstract: A method, executed by one or more computers, for unwrapping phase wrapped data including a plurality of nodes. The method includes: selecting a root node from the plurality of nodes to start unwrapping (102); selecting next nodes to be unwrapped, from the neighbor nodes of the root node; dynamically calculating a confidence factor for each node being unwrapped (104); when a closed loop wherein one node can be unwrapped from either of two previously unwrapped nodes is encountered and an unwrapped value predicted by each of the prior nodes of the two nodes are different during unwrapping, comparing calculated confidence factors for the two previously unwrapped nodes (106); using the compared confidence factors of the two previously unwrapped nodes to determine which one of the two nodes is an erroneous node (108); and reprocessing the erroneous node to correct a previous unwrapping error (112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventor: Morrison R. Lucas
  • Patent number: 8452680
    Abstract: Tokenless biometric authorization of transaction between a consumer and a merchant uses an identicator and an access device. A consumer registers with the identicator a biometric sample taken from the consumer. The consumer and merchant establish communications via the access device. The merchant proposes a transaction to the consumer via the access device. The access device communicates to the merchant associated with the access device. After the consumer and merchant have agreed on the transaction, the consumer and the identicator use the access device to establish communications. The access device communicates to the identicator the code associated with the access device. The identicator compares biometric sample from the consumer with registered biometric sample. Upon successful identification, the identicator forwards information regarding the consumer to the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Open Invention Network, LLC
    Inventors: Philip D. Lapsley, Philip J. Gioia, Michael Kleeman
  • Publication number: 20130132022
    Abstract: An automatic analyzer is capable of reducing the influence of scattered light having noise components to enhance the S/N ratio properties of a light reception signal. Data is obtained at a plurality of angles by a plurality of detectors and a signal obtained by one detector selected from among the detectors is selected as a reference signal. An approximation is applied by an approximation selection unit, and an approximation calculation unit calculates an approximation using the selected approximation. A degree of variability of the reference signal is determined and a data correction unit corrects the signal of the detector by dividing the signal of the detector by the degree of variability of the reference signal. A concentration calculation processing unit performs the concentration calculation by use of the corrected signal data, and a result output unit outputs the results on a display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuo Tamura, Masaki Shiba, Sakuichiro Adachi
  • Publication number: 20130132021
    Abstract: Methods and systems for calibrating system parameter values of a target inspection system are presented. Spectral Error Based Calibration (SEBC) increases consistency among inspection systems by minimizing differences in the spectral error among different inspection systems for a given specimen or set of specimens. The system parameter values are determined such that differences between a spectral error associated with a measurement of a specimen by the target inspection system and a spectral error associated with a measurement of the same specimen by a reference inspection system are minimized. In some examples, system parameter values are calibrated without modifying specimen parameters. Small inaccuracies in specimen parameter values have little effect on the calibration because the target system and the reference system both measure the same specimen or set of specimens. By performing SEBC over a set of specimens, the resulting calibration is robust to a wide range of specimens under test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: KLA-Tencor Corporation
  • Patent number: 8447550
    Abstract: A fixed-source array test station provides a compact cost-effective high-throughput test bed for testing optical sensors that require stimulus at fixed angular positions. An array of fixed collimated sources at different angular positions in the sensor's FOV are positioned on a surface of a focal sphere at the effective focal length of a spherical lens and aligned along respective radial lines to the center of the spherical lens so that each said divergent optical beam is collimated by the spherical lens to form a collimated optical beam that overlaps the entire entrance pupil of the optical seeker. The sources are activated in accordance with an activation profile in order to calibrate or otherwise test the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Rayheon Company
    Inventor: Michael K. Burkland
  • Patent number: 8447539
    Abstract: An electromagnetic field distribution measurement apparatus (10) according to the present invention includes: an electromagnetic field probe (20) for measuring an electromagnetic field distribution; a scan apparatus (30) for scanning the vicinity of a wiring (120) with the electromagnetic field probe (20); and a data processing apparatus (50) for calculating the offset value (?Xd) of the coordinate of the electromagnetic field probe (20) from the coordinate of the wiring (120). The data processing apparatus (50) extracts a characteristic point (E1 to E3) of the measured electromagnetic field distribution and calculates the offset value (?Xd) based on the coordinates of the extracted characteristic point (E1 to E3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Norio Masuda
  • Patent number: 8447536
    Abstract: A measuring system for the precise measuring a density of a medium, flowing in a line. compressible. The measuring system comprises: a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor. Both sensors communicate with a measuring electronics of the system. The measuring electronics are operable to provide, based on temperature measurement and pressure measurement signal, density measured-value representing, instantaneously, a local density, of the flowing medium at a virtual density measuring point, predeterminably spaced from the pressure measuring point and/or from the temperature measuring point, along the flow axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventor: Rainer Höcker
  • Patent number: 8447528
    Abstract: Water droplets in exhaust gas that is, or was, analyzed by a remote emissions sensing system are detected. The detection may be made using measurements generally captured by the remote emissions sensing system during typical operation. As such, the detection may be applied “on site” as remote emissions sensing analysis is ongoing, or may be applied post hoc from data previously acquired by a remote emissions sensing system. The detection may be implemented without requiring additional sensors, more sophisticated sensors, and/or other additional or more sophisticated equipment being included in the remote emissions sensing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Envirotest Systems Holdings Corp.
    Inventors: Robert Allen Gentala, Peter Miles McClintock, Donald Hugh Stedman
  • Publication number: 20130124109
    Abstract: Detection of corrosion and other defects in piping is needed to prevent catastrophic pipeline failure. Sensors, systems and methods are provided to enable detection of such defects. These apparatus and methods are configured to characterize pipe protected by insulation and conductive weather protection. The sensors may utilize inductive and/or solid state sensing element arrays operated in a magnetic field generated in part by a drive winding of the sensor. Multiple excitation frequencies are used to generate the magnetic field and record corresponding sensing element responses. Relatively high excitation frequencies may be used to estimate the properties of the weather protection and sensor lift-off while lower frequencies may be used to detect internal and external pipe damage. Linear arrays may be moved to generate damage images of the pipe providing size and location information for defects. Two dimensional sensor arrays may be used to provide imaging without moving the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: JENTEK SENSORS, INC.
    Inventor: Jentek Sensors, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130124127
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to computing technologies. In particular, aspects of the disclosure relate to mobile computing device technologies, such as systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media to improve the calibration data by taking into account the effects of change in temperature on motion sensors. For instance, different levels of error may be associated with a motion sensor at different temperature levels. In one implementation, the sensor measurement data associated with the various orientations at a temperature is used in determining the calibration data for that temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporation
    Inventor: QUALCOMM Incorporation
  • Publication number: 20130115611
    Abstract: The present teachings relate to a method of generating calibration information during a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or other amplification reaction. A sample well plate or other support can contain one or more dyes or other reference materials that are subjected to the same RT-PCR thermal cycles or other conditions used to conduct amplification or other reactions on a biological sample. A set of maxima values and a set of minimum values, and/or other calibration information useful for adjusting emission data for sample dyes can be recorded, for example, for 10 cycles, 20 cycles, or each cycle of a complete RT-PCR run. Such testing of dye response under realistic operating conditions can enable more accurate characterization of plate, dye, filter, or instrument response and therefore more accurate calibration corrections and other and/or adjustments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventor: Applied Biosystems, LLC
  • Publication number: 20130116812
    Abstract: The invention embodies methods and apparatuses to monitor and control the characteristics of a creping process. The method involves measuring optical properties of various points along a creped paper sheet and converting those measurements into characteristic defining data. The invention allows for determining the magnitude and distribution of crepe structures and their frequency and distribution. This allows for the generation of information that is accurate and is much more reliable than the coarse guessing that is currently used in the industry. Feeding this information to papermaking process equipment can result in increases in both quality and efficiency in papermaking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: William A. Von Drasek, Sammy Lee Archer, Gary S. Furman, JR.
  • Patent number: 8437972
    Abstract: A method for measuring sensor bias and a method for estimating sensor bias is provided. Road location data is obtained. Sensor observation data is obtained. A sensor observation is identified that corresponds to an on-road target moving on a known road. A measurement of one-dimensional sensor bias is formed. As one-dimensional sensor bias measurements accumulate, multi-dimensional sensor bias is estimated. Sensor bias estimates may then be incorporated into a multiple hypothesis tracker system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Ploplys, Brian A. Cronin, Samuel S. Blackman
  • Patent number: 8437970
    Abstract: Responsive to a recalibration trigger event, magnetometer data output by a magnetometer can be compared to historical magnetometer data previously output by the magnetometer. If a match is determined, a confidence of the match can be determined using theoretically constant data related to Earth's magnetic field. The constant data can be calculated from the historical magnetometer data. If the confidence of the match exceeds a confidence threshold level, historical calibration data can be used to calibrate the magnetometer. If the confidence of the match does not exceed the confidence threshold level, a calibration procedure can be performed to generate new calibration data, and the new calibration data can be used to calibrate the magnetometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Mayor, Ronald Keryuan Huang, Patrick Piemonte
  • Publication number: 20130110441
    Abstract: A device for correcting a sensor signal, includes a sensor interface, a signal processing unit, a feedback unit, and a signal correction unit. The sensor interface is configured to read in a sensor signal which represents a physical variable. The signal processing unit is configured to determine a processing signal by using the sensor signal. The feedback unit is configured to output a feedback signal to the sensor and to provide the feedback signal on the basis of a nonlinear processing rule and the processing signal. The signal correction unit is configured to determine a corrected signal by using the processing signal, and to determine the corrected signal by using the nonlinear processing rule or a processing rule derived from the nonlinear processing rule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Bosch GmbH
  • Publication number: 20130110440
    Abstract: A fixed-source array test station provides a compact cost-effective high-throughput test bed for testing optical sensors that require stimulus at fixed angular positions. An array of fixed collimated sources at different angular positions in the sensor's FOV are positioned on a surface of a focal sphere at the effective focal length of a spherical lens and aligned along respective radial lines to the center of the spherical lens so that each said divergent optical beam is collimated by the spherical lens to form a collimated optical beam that overlaps the entire entrance pupil of the optical seeker. The sources are activated in accordance with an activation profile in order to calibrate or otherwise test the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Michael K. Burkland
  • Publication number: 20130103339
    Abstract: In an X-ray detector operating in a rolling shutter read out mode, by precisely synchronizing sample rotation with the detector readout, the effects of timing skew on the image intensities and angular positions caused by the rolling shutter read out can be compensated by interpolation or calculation, thus allowing the data to be accurately integrated with conventional software. In one embodiment, the reflection intensities are interpolated with respect to time to recreate data that is synchronized to a predetermined time. This interpolated data can then be processed by any conventional integration routine to generate a 3D model of the sample. In another embodiment a 3D integration routine is specially adapted to allow the time-skewed data to be processed directly and generate a 3D model of the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: BRUKER AXS, INC.
    Inventors: Roger D. DURST, Joerg KAERCHER, Gregory A. WACHTER, John L CHAMBERS, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130103340
    Abstract: The calibrating breathalyzer comprises an alcohol sensor, a non-volatile memory, a processing unit or processor, a display and a housing to house these components. The processing unit can calibrate the breathalyzer using the user's body as a simulator based on the user's metabolism rate, type and amount of alcohol consumed by the user. The processing unit determines a sample time to receive a breath sample from the user based on a time to a predetermined calibration point from the drinking start time calculated using the user's metabolism rate and the determined maximum alcohol level. The BAC % measurement based on the user's breath sample at the sample time is used as a reference point in calibrating the breathalyzer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventors: Matthew Hogyun Son, Jung Hoon Son
  • Patent number: 8422567
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the embodiment, a signal transmission apparatus includes a sine wave output unit that outputs a sine wave to a transmission path, network analyzers and that analyze signals on the transmission path, an S parameter measurement unit that measures S parameters based on the analysis, a selection unit that selects a plurality of combinations of an amplitude, an emphasis characteristic, and an equalization characteristic based on the S parameters, measurement units that measure a BER or an eye opening of the transmission path for the plurality of combinations, and a setting unit that extracts single combination based on the measurement and that sets the amplitude, the emphasis characteristic, and the equalization characteristic to a transmission unit and a reception unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Makoto Suwada
  • Publication number: 20130090884
    Abstract: A method is proposed for the simultaneous optimization of an arbitrary number of electromagnetic pulses, which act in a cooperative way, or mutually compensate each other's errors. The method generally relates to pulses which can have improved properties when cooperating with each other compared to single pulses. In experiments with several scans, undesired signal contributions can be suppressed by COOP pulses, which complements and generalizes the concept of phase cycling. COOP pulses can also be used in individual scans. COOP pulses can be optimized efficiently with the aid of an extended version of the optimal-control-theory-based gradient ascent pulse engineering (GRAPE) algorithm. The advantage of the COOP pulse method is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally for broadband and band-selective excitation and saturation pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
    Inventors: Steffen J. Glaser, Michael Braun
  • Publication number: 20130090882
    Abstract: A method for identifying faulty measurement axes of a triaxis sensor fixed to a mobile object includes using triaxis sensor Cj fixed to the object, measuring vector bmj, using triaxis sensor Ci fixed to the object, measuring vector bmi, the fields being represented by normalized vectors ri and rj such that scalar and vector products of ri and rj are known at any point, building vector bej corresponding to an estimate of the measurement by Cj at the measurement point without bmj, obtaining residues based on bej and bmj and identifying faulty measurements of Cj having as a function of residues, wherein building bej comprises using scalar and vector products of ri and rj, and bmi so that a direction of bej relative to bmi matches a direction of rj relative to ri.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Cedric Berbra, Suzanne Lesecq
  • Publication number: 20130090881
    Abstract: A system (10) for pedestrian use includes an accelerometer (110) having multiple electronic sensors; an electronic circuit (100) operable to generate a signal stream representing magnitude of overall acceleration sensed by the accelerometer (110), and to electronically correlate a sliding window (520) of the signal stream with itself to produce peaks at least some of which represent walking steps, and further operable to electronically execute a periodicity check (540) to compare different step periods for similarity, and if sufficiently similar then to update (560) a portion of the circuit substantially representing a walking-step count; and an electronic display (190) responsive to the electronic circuit (100) to display information at least in part based on the step count. Other systems, electronic circuits and processes are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Jayawardan Janardhanan, Sandeep Rao, Goutam Dutta
  • Publication number: 20130090883
    Abstract: A method of locating a partial discharge emission zone and to the associated device. The method is characterized in that it comprises a step of measuring partial discharge signals by means of four identical measurement channels each including a VHF and/or UHF detector, the four VHF and/or UHF detectors being positioned at the four vertices of a square or rectangle in such a manner that the partial discharge emission zone is determined inside the square or rectangle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Sebastien Louise, Gilbert Luna
  • Patent number: 8417413
    Abstract: In an oxygen sensor control apparatus, after start of fuel cut, the weighted average Ipd of corrected values obtained by multiplying the output value of a mounted oxygen sensor by a correction coefficient Kp is obtained as a representative value Ipe, representing the corrected values in the fuel cut period (S19). In the case where the number of times the representative value Ipe is continuously judged not to fall outside a second range (S21: NO) and to fall outside a first range (S23: YES) reaches 10 (a first number of times) (S26: YES), a new correction coefficient Kp is computed (S27). In the case where the number of times the representative value Ipe is continuously judged to fall outside the second range (S21: YES) reaches 4 (a second number of times smaller than the first number of times) (S29: YES), a new correction coefficient Kp is computed (S30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ishiguro, Katsunori Yazawa, Yuji Kimoto