For Transfer Function Determination Patents (Class 702/109)
  • Patent number: 7426447
    Abstract: A method for monitoring damage to a structure having an actuator and a sensor. The method includes exciting the actuator across a predetermined frequency range to excite the structure, measuring a vibrational characteristic of the structure across the predetermined frequency range in response to the excitation of the actuator using the sensor, calculating a transfer function for the actuator and the sensor using the measured vibrational characteristic, determining a change in the vibrational characteristic across the predetermined frequency range using the transfer function, and analyzing the determined change in the vibrational characteristic across the predetermined frequency range to facilitate determining whether the structure is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Pado
  • Publication number: 20080215281
    Abstract: A method for measuring correlation between frequency response functions. A first frequency response function and a second frequency response function are acquired. The amplitude of the first and second frequency response functions are tabulated at a plurality of corresponding, predetermined frequencies. Amplitude and shape correlations between the first and second frequency response functions are then computed. The computed amplitude and shape correlations provide an indication of the degree of correspondence between the first and second frequency response functions, and can be used to compute a frequency response index that is an objective measure of the overall correspondence between the first and second frequency response functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: JARED S. COX, CHARLES GAGLIANO
  • Patent number: 7414411
    Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted to calibrate signal path of a signal analysis system such that loading effects of additional probes are substantially removed from the measurement. A signal under test from a device under test is coupled to a test probe and used with selectable impedance loads in the test probe to acquires sets of samples for characterizing transfer parameters of the device under test and compute open circuit voltages at the test probe. Other probes are coupled to the device under test and a set of measurement samples are acquired via the test probe. An equalization filter in either the frequency or time domain is computed from the open circuit voltage and measurement samples for reducing signal errors attributable to the measurement loading of the device under test by the test probe and other probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 7408363
    Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted to calibrate a signal path of a signal analysis system such that digital samples acquired by the system are processed for representing an arbitrary impedance loading of the device under test. The method and apparatus calibrates the signal path to characterize transfer parameters of the device under test within a spectral domain. A reflection coefficient (?L) is defined representative of an arbitrary impedance load coupled to the device under test and an equalization filter is computed to represent the loading of the device under test by the arbitrary impedance. Additional digital samples are acquired using the equalization filter to effect thereby a representation of the arbitrary impedance loading of the device under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 7405575
    Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted to calibrate a signal path of a signal analysis system such that digital samples of a signal under test acquired by the system are processed for representing the impedance of a device under test. The method and apparatus calibrates the signal path to characterize transfer parameters of the device under test within a spectral domain. A reference impedance (Zref) is retrieved that is associated with the signal analysis system. The transfer parameters of the device under test and the reference impedance (Zref) are processed to effect thereby a representation of the device under test impedance (Zeq) as a function of frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Kan Tan, John J. Pickerd, Ping Qiu
  • Patent number: 7400989
    Abstract: An RFID verifier includes a transmit signal strength indicator (TSSI) and a receive signal strength indicator (RSSI). Using the TSSI, the RFID verifier may determine the amount of power an interrogated RFID tag is illuminated with. Similarly, using the RSSI, the RFID verifier may determine the amount of power returned to the RFID verifier by the RFID tag. By processing the returned power and the illuminating power with a transfer function, the RFID verifier may provide an absolute indicia of quality for the interrogated RFID tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Printronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore A. Chapman, Lihu M. Chiu
  • Publication number: 20080120064
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates high-sensitivity detection of an anomaly in telemetry data from an electronic system using a telemetric impulsional response fingerprint of the telemetry data. During operation, the system applies a sudden impulse step change to one or more operational parameters of the electronic system during operation. Next, the system generates a three-dimensional (3D) telemetric impulsional response fingerprint (TIRF) surface from a dynamic response in the telemetry data to the sudden impulse step change. The system then determines from the 3D TIRF surface whether the telemetry data contains an anomaly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Aleksey M. Urmanov, Anton A. Bougaev, Kenny C. Gross
  • Publication number: 20080103705
    Abstract: A method for online testing of a signal path from a sensor cell to an evaluation point, including providing at least two mutually different test signals, changing the sensor cell output signal on the basis of the at least two mutually different test signals in accordance with a predetermined change specification to obtain the sensor signal, so that the sensor signal depends on the sensor cell output signal and the at least two test signals, outputting the sensor signal or a signal derived from the sensor signal onto the signal path, processing the sensor signal or the signal derived from the sensor signal while taking into account the predetermined change specification to obtain a processed signal, and examining the processed signal with regard to the presence of the at least two mutually different test signals to provide a signal path fault indication on the basis thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Publication number: 20080082284
    Abstract: An industrial controller performance monitoring system includes a detector connected to a controller. The detector is optically coupled to an output, such as a display, of equipment under test and the controller is configured to receive a signal from the equipment under test that is indicative of an instruction to generate the signal monitored by the detector. A comparison of the detection of the signal with the instruction to generate the signal provides an indication of operation of the equipment under test without interfering with operation of the equipment under test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Carroll, Andre V. Augis, John Erinc, James J. Jacko, Lisette E. Roy, Thomas A. Schey, Lisa M. Thomas, Wiley A. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 7346825
    Abstract: Error detection methods, systems and medium are provided. The error detection method may comprise processing error conditions associated with transactions in a manner that may enable error source identification. The system may comprise a plurality of nodes of components. The nodes may include storage elements to record an error condition indicative of whether a component provided an indication of detecting an error in response to processing the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Linda J. Rankin, David J. O'Shea
  • Patent number: 7340365
    Abstract: In a method for verifying the operation of a plurality of test system instruments, a harness cable is electrically coupled to a plurality of test signal ports on the plurality of test system instruments. A first plurality of test measurements are then initiated via the harness cable, with the first plurality of test measurements being made between two or more sets of test ports that are on three or more of the instruments. The plurality of test measurements are captured from the test system instruments using a computer. The computer then indicates to a user whether ones of the plurality of test measurements are within defined ranges. A second plurality of test measurements, between ones of the plurality of test instruments and a test module, may also be initiated via the harness cable. Exemplary harness cable embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: William Hobson Wubbena, Carl Benvenga
  • Publication number: 20080052028
    Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted to calibrate a signal path of a signal analysis system such that loading effects of the system are substantially removed from measurements of a device under test. A signal under test from the device under test is coupled to a test probe in the signal path and used with selectable impedance loads in the test probe to characterize transfer parameters of the device under test. An equalization filter in either the frequency or time domain is computed from the device under test transfer parameters for reducing in signal error attributable to the measurement loading of the device under test.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: John J. Pickerd, Kan Tan, William A. Hagerup, Rolf P. Anderson, Sharon M. Mc Masters
  • Patent number: 7332359
    Abstract: Techniques for inspecting semiconductor devices. An inspection condition using chip matrix data and chip size data is set. The intricate circuit patterns of at least one semiconductor device is inspected with the inspection condition. In an embodiment of the present invention, inspection uses images formed by the irradiation of white light, a laser light, or an electron beam. Data obtained from the inspection is used to generate a revised inspection condition. Semiconductor devices are inspected using the revised inspection condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hamamatsu, Minori Noguchi, Yoshimasa Ohshima, Hidetoshi Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20080040053
    Abstract: A method for inspecting an object is provided. The method includes applying a pulsed excitation signal to the object and detecting a transient response signal to the pulsed excitation signal. The method also includes convolving the transient response signal with a plurality of orthogonal functions to generate a plurality of orthogonal components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventor: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov
  • Publication number: 20080024765
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an appearance inspection apparatus capable of analyzing a difference in detection characteristics of detection signals obtained by a plurality of detectors, and capable of flexibly meeting various inspection purposes without changing a circuit or software.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji OKA, Shigeru Matsui
  • Patent number: 7315967
    Abstract: A process for automatically monitoring the packet error rate of a logical channel in a cable television DOCSIS data transmission system and automatically altering the bit rate on the channel or sending a message to a cable operator recommending a change in burst profile and bit rate. The preferred embodiment of the process comprises determining the dominant noise type and SNR of the channel and selecting a set of burst profiles best adapted for the dominant noise type and selecting an initial burst profile based upon the SNR. Then the packet error rate of the channel is monitored and compared to one or more thresholds to decide whether a change in bit rate is required to bring the packet error rate within limits. If a change is bit rate is indicated, automatically selecting a new burst profile with an appropriately changed bit rate and automatically generating and sending a UCD message defining the channel's new burst profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Terayon Communication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yehuda Azenko, Selim Shlomo Rakib
  • Patent number: 7304482
    Abstract: A method for measuring and characterizing the nonlinearities of a display device by adaptive bisection using human perception for measurement. This method makes no assumptions about a display device's characteristics and can characterize any type of display device with any arbitrarily complex monotonic display transfer function. Unlike other display measurement solutions, this process is completely software based and has no hardware measurement device requirements that would raise costs and limit portability. As a result, this process can be distributed and applied commercially at a very low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Inventors: Robert L. Kay, Carl Brock Brandenberg
  • Patent number: 7286946
    Abstract: A transfer characteristics measuring device automatically measures the transfer characteristics of each channel of a multi-channel acoustic reproduction system in a multi-channel acoustic reproduction environment, while allowing normal multi-channel reproduction to proceed. The transfer characteristics measuring device (5) comprises an object of measurement selecting section (51) that selects one of the objects of measurement according to the levels of the input signals for five channels being supplied to the objects of measurement and a transfer characteristics computing and determining section (52) that computes and determines the transfer characteristics of the object of measurement selected by the object of measurement selecting section (51).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Michiaki Yoneda
  • Patent number: 7254508
    Abstract: A method for use with a test system having sites that hold devices under test (DUTs) includes executing a first site loop to iterate through the sites, where the first site loop includes an instruction to program hardware associated with at least one of the sites, and executing a second site loop to process data received from the DUTs, where the second site loop and the first site loop have a same syntax.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Teradyne, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen J. Hlotyak
  • Patent number: 7245817
    Abstract: A multimedia transfer apparatus is described comprising: a plurality of media readers; one or more encoder modules, configured to encode data read by the media readers in a specified encoding format; and a data communication interface configured to copy the encoded data to a media storage and playback apparatus. Also described is a computer-implemented method for transferring multimedia content comprising: reading first multimedia data from a first CD/DVD; encoding the first multimedia data to produce first encoded data in parallel with reading multimedia data from a second CD/DVD; encoding the second multimedia data to produce second encoded data; and transmitting the first and second encoded data to a multimedia storage and playback apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Digeo, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Nichols, Stephen G. Perlman
  • Patent number: 7231311
    Abstract: Novel excitation signals are specifically designed for testing a high-frequency mixer such that all of the desired intermodulation products are measurable after being converted by a sampling frequency converter. This is achieved by using excitation frequencies which are equal to an integer multiple of the sampling frequency of the sampling frequency convertor plus or minus small frequency offsets. The offset frequencies are carefully choosen such that the frequencies of all the significant intermodulation products after being converted by the sampling frequency converter are within the bandwidth of the sampling frequency converter output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Inventor: Jan Verspecht
  • Patent number: 7191270
    Abstract: An integrated controller for the detection and operation of both PC Cards, smart cards and passive smart card adapter cards. In one aspect, the invention detects the presence of standard expansion cards or passive smart card adapters by utilizing the reserved detection and voltage selection signal area defined by the PC Card specification. In another aspect, the invention provides an integrated controller that includes logic to operate either a standard expansion card or a passive smart card adapter by reassigning certain PC Card signal lines to operate a standard expansion card or a passive smart card adapter, thereby eliminating the need to provide pins in addition to those defined by the PC Card specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: O2Micro International Limited
    Inventors: Hyang-Kyun Oh, Yishao Max Huang, Richard Brayden
  • Patent number: 7170297
    Abstract: A method and a measurement system determine a transmission response of a device under test (DUT). The method includes measuring a reflection response from a first port of the DUT while a known reflective termination is on a second port of the DUT, and time gating the measured reflection response to produce a gated reflection response that is the transmission response of the DUT. The measurement system includes a vector network analyzer, a controller, a memory and a computer program. The computer program includes instructions that implement measuring the reflection response from the first port of the DUT, and further implement time gating the measured reflection response. The time gating isolates reflection data associated with the known reflective termination from the measured reflection response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Joel P. Dunsmore
  • Patent number: 7149607
    Abstract: The system carries out continuous in-vehicle data measurement and storage for subsequent processing. A given driving manoeuvre is sub-divided into facets and the measured vehicle data is processed to provide a local rating for each of the facets using empirically derived transfer functions. The local ratings are weighted and combined to provide an overall rating which is converted to a rating out of ten based on a further transfer function based on correlations between derived and subjectively observed ratings. As a result, driveability rating and engine calibration/development can be accelerated and targeted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Ricardo UK Limited
    Inventors: Robert Edward Dorey, Beatrice Anne Catherine Gondrë
  • Patent number: 7124065
    Abstract: A technique for determining the number of constraints on a set of input data, or equivalently the topological dimension, especially when such data are produced by a nonlinear system, such as a pathological vocal system or econometric data and the like. The technique characterizes the tangent space about a predetermined base point by identifying a maximal set of non-redundant nonlinear fits to the data. It needs only a modest number of data points and does not assume prior knowledge of the functional form of the true constraints, other than smoothness. Each fit is equivalent to a set of contours (including curves, surfaces, and other manifolds), with the data themselves all lying along the zero-value contour of the fit. For each fit, the gradient of the fit at the base point in the uphill direction across the contours identifies the constraint direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Speech Technology and Applied Research Corporation
    Inventor: Joel M. MacAuslan
  • Patent number: 7107182
    Abstract: A test support process and a test support program for producing a post-update test pattern when a program under test is updated. When a program under development is updated, a post-update operation description defining details of an operation of a function included in the program under development after the update is acquired. Next, a pre-update operation description having high commonality with the post-update operation description is selected from among pre-update operation descriptions defining details of operations of functions included in the program under development before the update. A pre-update test pattern for an operational test of the selected pre-update operation description is extracted from among pre-update test patterns prepared for operational tests of the program under development before the update. A post-update test pattern for an operational test of the post-update operation description is generated by inheriting at least a portion of the extracted pre-update test pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Ryoko Fujikawa, Goro Ito, Tetsuya Katayama, Yasunobu Tominaga, Satoru Kawashima, Hitoshi Saito, Masanori Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7072777
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a motion control system, the motion control system including a structure, a plurality of actuators to apply forces to the structure, respectively, and a plurality of sensors to sense motion states of the structure, respectively. The apparatus includes a pseudo-random signal generator to generate a plurality of pseudo-random signals and to apply the plurality of pseudo-random signals to the plurality of actuators, the plurality of pseudo-random signals being equal in number to a number of degrees of freedom of the motion control system, a storage unit to store a first plurality of time-series data obtained by the plurality of sensors with a second plurality of time-series data corresponding to the plurality of pseudo-random signals, and a characteristic deriving unit to derive a characteristic of the motion control system based on the first and second plurality of time-series data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Wakui, Takehiko Mayama, Shuichi Adachi, Hiroaki Kato
  • Patent number: 7069165
    Abstract: The invention refers to single-ended test of a loop with the aid of a transceiver, wherein an input impedance (Zin(ƒ)) of the loop is generated. The transceiver has a digital part, a codec and an analog part and is connected to the loop. With the aid of a transmitted and a reflected broadband signal (vin, vout) an echo transfer function Hecho(ƒ)=V(f)out/Vin(f) is generated, which also can be expressed as H echo ? ( f ) = H ? ? ( f ) ? Z in ? ( f ) + Z h0 ? ( f ) Z in ? ( f ) + Z hyb ? ( f ) . Here Zh0(ƒ), Zhyb(ƒ) and H?(ƒ) are model values for the transceiver. In a calibration process a test transceiver, with the same type of hardware as the transceiver, is connected to known impedances, replacing the loop. Hecho(ƒ)=V(f)out/Vin(f) is generated for the known impedances and the model values are generated and are stored in a memory in the transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Jonas Gustafsson Rosenberg, Fredrik Lindqvist, Adam Wiå, Antoni Fertner, Axel Frank Jensen, Per Ola Börjesson, Per Ödling
  • Patent number: 7069167
    Abstract: A method of frequency response measurement for a sinusoidal test signal, such as a swept sinusoid signal, a multi-burst sinusoidal signal or the like, uses a complex sinusoid window at a particular frequency for correlation with the sinusoidal test signal. The resulting complex correlation magnitude signal is thresholded as a function of a percentage of a maximum complex correlation magnitude. A centroid of the thresholded complex correlation magnitude signal is found, and the complex correlation magnitude at the centroid is the frequency response at the particular frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin M. Ferguson
  • Patent number: 7061219
    Abstract: A first test signal from a test signal source is provided to a spectrum analyzer to produce first measurement data. The test signal source is expressed by a first transfer function G(w) and the spectrum analyzer is expressed by second transfer function F(w). A second test signal is provided to the spectrum analyzer to produce second measurement data where the second test signal is derived from the first test signal by shifting the frequency by a known increment. From the first and second measurement data, the components are the same on G(w) but different on F(w). The G(w) components are cancelled by calculation using the first and second measurement data and then the second transfer function F(w) is evaluated independently of G(w).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Tektronix International Sales GmbH
    Inventors: Koichi Yoshihara, Kenichi Miyake, Yoneo Akita
  • Patent number: 7003380
    Abstract: In a method for reducing sensed physical variables generating a plurality of control commands are generated at a control rate as a function of the sensed physical variables. An estimate of a relationship between the sensed physical variables and the control commands is also is used in generating the plurality of control commands. The estimate of the relationship is updated based upon a response by the sensed physical variables to the control commands. The generation of the control commands involves a quadratic dependency on the estimate of the relationship and the quadratic dependency is updated based on the update to the estimate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas G. MacMartin, William Arthur Welsh, James W. Fuller
  • Patent number: 6990422
    Abstract: A time varying electrical excitation(s) is applied to a system containing biologic and/or non-biologic elements, whereupon the time-varying electrochemical or electrical response is detected and analyzed. For biologic specimens, the presence, activity, concentration or relative quantity, and certain inherent characteristics of certain target substances (hereinafter referred to as “target analytes”) within, or comprising, the specimen of interest may be determined by measuring either the current response induced by a voltage-mode excitation, or the voltage response induced by a current-mode excitation. Labeling or marker techniques may be employed, whereby electrochemically active auxiliary molecules are attached to the substance to be analyzed, in order to facilitate or enhance the electrochemical or electrical response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: World Energy Labs (2), Inc.
    Inventors: William H. Laletin, Kurt Salloux
  • Patent number: 6983213
    Abstract: There is provided a method for obtaining at least one calibration filter for a Mass Spectrometry (MS) instrument system. Measured isotope peak cluster data in a mass spectral range is obtained for a given calibration standard. Relative isotope abundances and actual mass locations of isotopes corresponding thereto are calculated for the given calibration standard. Mass spectral target peak shape functions centered within respective mass spectral ranges are specified. Convolution operations are performed between the calculated relative isotope abundances and the mass spectral target peak shape functions to form calculated isotope peak cluster data. A deconvolution operation is performed between the measured isotope peak cluster data and the calculated isotope peak cluster data after the convolution operations to obtain the at least one calibration filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Cerno Bioscience LLC
    Inventor: Yongdong Wang
  • Patent number: 6978446
    Abstract: A method for changing an operation performed by an electronic device includes defining a process flow chart of the operation to be performed by the electronic device, the process flow chart having one or more primitive actions, the operation having one or more components, the primitive action operating on the components to produce an output. The method further includes determining a number of information dispersal units for each of the components. For each of the components, defining a set of information dispersal units, transforming one or more of the primitive actions of the operation using a transform function to create a transformed primitive action, and applying each of the transformed primitive actions to all the respective sets of information dispersal units to produce a transformed set of transformed information dispersal units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce Roy Archambeault, Josyula R. Rao, Pankaj Rohatgi, Helmut Scherzer
  • Patent number: 6973403
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining characteristics of a Finite Impulse Response system that can include applying a number of identical sets of probe signals to the system and averaging the observed outputs. A discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the averaged outputs can be obtained and the DFT components can be multiplied by corresponding transformed companion components related to the probe components. The system characteristics can be selected based on computing the inverse DFT of the resulting product components. The probe components can be taken from a circulant matrix of size S×S, or from an inverse DFT of a set of transform components consisting of arbitrary, non-zero, real numbers for first and last components of a partial set and arbitrary, non-zero, complex numbers for other components of the partial set to which the non-zero, complex number components of the partial set are added in reverse order and in complex conjugate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Bent Solutions LLC
    Inventor: Robert David Preuss
  • Patent number: 6909984
    Abstract: A system is provided for producing an integrated circuit using a stepper and a scanner in successive stages. Calibration data developed for the transfer of a wafer from the stepper to the scanner while maintaining the same orientation is transformed, and the transformed data is used to align a rotated wafer on the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James W. Laursen, Craig A. Hickman
  • Patent number: 6853940
    Abstract: A device and method for detecting islanding of a grid connected inverter makes use of an injected white noise as a perturbing force on the output voltage of the inverter. The white noise is injected at least once in every cycle and can be generated at different rates in implementation. On loss of the grid, a frequency drift of the output voltage is detected and a positive feedback is activated that accelerates the drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Ballard Power Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Anil Tuladhar
  • Patent number: 6853939
    Abstract: The winding testing unit provides systems and methods for determining normal and/or abnormal characteristic signatures of same-voltage windings residing in a device, such as transformer, without the need for a comparison to past historical data. A plurality of characteristic signatures [H(f)'s] are determined for each of a plurality of windings. A plurality of differential characteristic signatures [H(f)'s] are then determined from a plurality of H(f) pairs selected from the plurality of H(f)'s. The differential H(f)'s are compared and at least one significant asymmetry is identified between the differential H(f)'s.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventor: Larry T. Coffeen
  • Patent number: 6823281
    Abstract: The present invention to provide correctly ordered test code in order to effectively test software designs. There are software diagramming tools on the market today that capture software designs in a standard meta-language (UML). This software provides sequence diagrams that relate to the software component being analyzed. The UML sequence diagrams expose enough semantic content to allow the generation of test code correctly ordered. Since all of the objects are modeled consistently, the data requirements of the software component can also be determined. As a result, the generated test code is correctly ordered, thereby providing a more accurate, useful and real-world testing environment of the software component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Empirix Inc.
    Inventors: George Friedman, Sergei Makar-Limanov, Michael Glik
  • Patent number: 6816800
    Abstract: In relation to a vibration isolation system, which comprises at least one vibration isolation device that can be assigned to an isolation element, the fact that a method of recording the system with the aid of a closed-loop and/or open-loop control device is provided, in which a closed-loop and/or open-loop control structure can be predefined and in which signals and/or variables related to the isolation system are picked up, processed and/or provided, and in which, on the basis of the definable structures and variables, at least one isolation system characteristic data set for assessing the vibration isolation system is formed, means that for the first time the indicative fundamentals for an open system for evaluation, closed-loop and open-loop control are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Inventor: Peter Heiland
  • Publication number: 20040158423
    Abstract: A system is provided for producing an integrated circuit using a stepper and a scanner in successive stages. Calibration data developed for the transfer of a wafer from the stepper to the scanner while maintaining the same orientation is transformed, and the transformed data is used to align a rotated wafer on the scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: James W. Laursen, Craig A. Hickman
  • Patent number: 6775634
    Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for tuning a device under test uses a spider diagram-like chart that provides the operator with visual cues as to the tuning status of a device under test (DUT). The spider diagram may be displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI), along with various adjustment points or potentiometers. The spider diagram includes a unit circle that represents the acceptable bounds for each measured parameter. Overlaying the unit circle is a polygon of three or more sides, with a vertex of each angle of the polygon representing a measured parameter. The polygon changes shape as the various potentiometers are adjusted. When a measured parameter value is at the center of its allowable range, the vertex of the angle corresponding to that measurement lies near the center of the unit circle. When a measured parameter is at its upper or lower bound, the vertex lies on the unit circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: James Thomas Bachmann
  • Publication number: 20040098215
    Abstract: A system and a general method estimate figures of merit based on nonlinear modeling and nonlinear time series analysis. Terms in a nonlinear behavioral model that depend on nonlinear combinations of a fixed input signal value are precomputed, optimizing the behavioral model such that figures of merit are evaluated from a single short stimulus vector. The optimized nonlinear behavioral model can then be applied to evaluate figures of merit for multiple devices under test (DUTs) in a manufacturing line. A process continually verifies and adjusts the nonlinear behavioral model based on sub-sampling multiple DUTs in a manufacturing line and comparing their figures of merit based on nonlinear modeling with those based on conventional measurement procedures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Kevin Gee, Nicholas B. Tufillaro
  • Patent number: 6718276
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for characterizing frequency response of a device under test (DUT) is disclosed. A repeated base bit pattern is received, the base bit pattern including a first transition from a 0-bit to a 1-bit. Then, using bit error rate distribution, multivalue voltage along the first transition is determined. Finally, the multivalued voltages are converted into frequency domain using fast Fourier transform. The apparatus includes a processor and storage with instructions for the processor to perform these operations. Using the present inventive technique, the frequency response of the DUT can be determined using an error performance analyzer such as a BERT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Lee Jungerman
  • Patent number: 6711723
    Abstract: A hybrid model formed from a semi-physical device model along with an accurate data-fitting model in order to implement a relatively accurate physical device model as a large signal microwave circuit computer-aided design (CAD) tool. The semi-physical device model enables accurate representation of known physical device characteristics and measured bias-dependent characteristics. This model is used to accurately simulate the effect of process variation and environmental changes on bias-dependent characteristics. The data-fitting model is used to model these characteristics with relatively good fidelity. The expressions of the model are constructed to be charge conservative. As such, the model is computationally robust within the harmonic balance algorithms employed by known large signal microwave circuit CAD tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventors: Roger S. Tsai, Yaochung Chen
  • Publication number: 20040039541
    Abstract: The invention permits a comparison of two technical systems, which according to conventional opinion is not possible to carry out, based on a substantially simpler, technically achievable comparison, in which part systems of one or both systems are specifically replaced. The replacements are performed in a controlled manner by monitoring a replacement condition with constraints. The monitoring of the replacement condition and the generation and monitoring of the necessary constraints occur automatically. A comparison of both systems can thus be carried out based on the replacement of the part systems without introducing a loss of precision in the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Horeth, Peter Warkentin
  • Patent number: 6691286
    Abstract: Methods and systems for designing integrated circuits. In one exemplary method, a first plurality of points in a first representation of a circuit are identified, and the first representation is modified to produce a second representation for which a second plurality of points are identified. The first representation is compared to the second representation at the first plurality and second plurality of points to determine whether the first representation is equivalent to the second representation. Other features and embodiments are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Synplicity, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. McElvain, David S. Rickel
  • Publication number: 20040024550
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for measuring unidirectional transmission properties, such as packet delay (Dnetwork), delay-time fluctuations (tjitter), and results derivable therefrom, in a telecommunications network (10), such as the Internet, an intranet, or the like. In the telecommunications network, a plurality of switching devices (12 through 22) and other devices (34, 36, 38) are interconnected via transmission lines (24). Between at least two measuring computers (26, 28), test packets are transmitted from the first measuring computer (26) via a measurement path (32) to the second measuring computer (28). The first measuring computer (26) records the departure time (t1) of the outgoing test packet. This clock time is transmitted along with the test packet. The second measuring computer (28) records the arrival time (t2) of the test packet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Heinrich Doerken, Joachim Mende
  • Patent number: 6671642
    Abstract: At step 1, a golf ball model is divided into a large number of elements composed of a large number of nodal points in the form of meshes; a physical property of a material for the golf ball is inputted; a simulation is executed by an analysis based on a finite element method, assuming that a golf club head collides with the golf ball; and a strain amount generated in the golf ball model at the time of the collision is computed. At step 2, a stress and a strain component of each element of the golf ball model and coordinate values of the nodal points of each element are outputted; and a value of a stress and a strain of each of six components of each element are computed momently. At step 3, the relationship between the stress and the strain of each component of each element is found from the value of the stress and the strain of each of the six components; and energy loss values of each element are computed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Miyamoto, Masaki Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 6653848
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for characterizing a device under test (“DUT”) calibrates a multiport test set and measures S-parameters [S] of the DUT. The method and apparatus further involves determining elements of a scalar orthogonal matrix [M] corresponding to terminals of the DUT and DUT modes of operation. The scalar orthogonal matrix [M] comprises a row of elements representing a single-ended terminal of the DUT, and four rows of elements representing a balanced terminal of the DUT. The S-parameters of the DUT are then transformed into mixed-mode S-parameters [Smm] according to Smm=MSM−1. A method of and apparatus for characterizing a DUT involves calibrating a multiport test set, coupling the DUT to the multiport test set, and measuring S-parameters of the DUT. The S-parameters are converted to a time domain representation and at least one of the S-parameters is convolved with a simulated input signal to generate an output response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Vahe Adamian, Peter V. Phillips, Patrick J. Enquist, J. Bradford Cole