Including Related Electrical Parameter Patents (Class 702/65)
  • Patent number: 9213051
    Abstract: A condition input device inputs a measurement condition and the information of an electronic apparatus to be measured. A measurement operation program device selects a program that causes the electronic apparatus to perform an measurement operation based on the information of a measuring target object and the measurement condition. A voltage measurement device measures a voltage variation generated by the power source of the electronic apparatus. A wave form calculating device performs an arithmetic processing, such as a filtering processing or a time-frequency conversion (e.g. Fourier conversion) for the measured voltage variation to obtain the frequency characteristics of the voltage variation. An impedance calculating device calculates an impedance from the frequency characteristics of the voltage variation and the frequency characteristics of current and the condition of the measurement operation program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Manabu Kusumoto, Masashi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 9195284
    Abstract: An automation device having a plurality of modules, where at least one first module is configured to supply the other modules electrical power and a second module is configured to determine the total power requirement of the automation device, wherein the second module determines the total power requirement from the information relating to the power requirement of the respective module, which information is stored in the other modules, and compares the total power requirement with a threshold value and initiates measures for reducing the power requirement of at least one of the other modules based on the comparison result to prevent an overload due to improper or inappropriate installation of the automation device in a switchgear cabinet and resultant reduced air convection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Abert, Michael Cyron, Arnold Klamm, Valentin Kort
  • Patent number: 9176182
    Abstract: To provide an I-V characteristic measuring apparatus that can, even though a solar simulator of a flash light type is used, accurately measure a true I-V characteristic of a solar cell that exhibits a different I-V characteristic depending on a sweep direction when a sweep time of applied voltage is short, an internal division ratio calculation part that, at each voltage value, calculates an internal division ratio at which a current value of a dark state stationary I-V characteristic internally divides a gap between a current value of a dark state forward I-V characteristic and a current value of a dark state reverse I-V characteristic; and a light state stationary I-V characteristic estimation and calculation part that, on the basis of the internal division ratio, a light state forward I-V characteristic, and a light state reverse I-V characteristic, estimates and calculates a light state stationary I-V characteristic are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignees: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, KYOSHIN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Hishikawa, Haruya Shimura, Kohei Kamatani, Hajime Kondo, Akio Shimono
  • Patent number: 9170284
    Abstract: An A.C. power measuring apparatus includes a voltage detecting unit that detects voltage waveforms of each of phases of a set of insulated cables for supplying a three-phase A.C. power to a load, by performing a contactless measurement by electrostatic capacitance coupling, and a current detecting unit that detects current waveforms of the set of insulated tables, by performing a contactless measurement by electromagnetic induction coupling. The apparatus further includes a processing unit that computes a power to be supplied to the load, based on line-to-line voltage waveforms, the current waveforms, and prescribed voltage values, by normalizing the voltage waveforms of each of the phases so that as amplitude ratio of the voltage waveforms becomes in accordance with a grounding type of the three-phase A.C. power, and obtaining the line-to-line voltages of the set of three insulated cables based on the normalized voltage waveforms of each of the phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Hirotaka Oshima, Akio Ito
  • Patent number: 9147684
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line; two or more word lines; and a memory cell including two or more sub memory cells that each include a transistor and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the transistor is connected to the bit line, the other of the source and the drain of the transistor is connected to the capacitor, a gate of the transistor is connected to one of the word lines, and each of the sub memory cells has a different capacitance of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiko Saito
  • Patent number: 9103854
    Abstract: The present inventors recognized a need to leverage the data from Advanced Metering Systems (AMIs) in the management of electrical outages. To address this and/or other needs, they present inventors devised, among other things, systems, methods, and software that not only intelligently filter and communicate AMI outage data to Outage Management Systems (OMSs), but also facilitate communications between OMSs and multiple types of AMI systems. One exemplary system includes an outage management module that receives AMI outage data in the form of “last gasp” messages from meters and determines whether the OMS is already aware of a power outage associated with those meters. If the OMS is already aware of an outage associated with these meters, the outage management module excludes the outage reports from its communications with the OMS, thereby preserving its capacity to handle new outage information and overcoming a significant obstacle to using AMI data within OMSs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Landis+Gyr Analytics, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Kardos, Darren D. Varney
  • Patent number: 9065929
    Abstract: A hearing aid compatible portable electronic audio device is configured to automatically determine whether or not the device is being used by a hearing impaired user who is wearing a hearing aid, and select a mode of operation based on this determination. The device includes a proximity sensor and a magnetic field sensor. The proximity sensor is used to detect a change in distance of the device to the user's ear. The magnetic field sensor is used to detect a change in magnetic field caused by the device moving relative to the hearing aid. The device selects between a normal audio mode of operation and a hearing aid compatible mode of operation based on both the change in detected distance and the change in detected magnetic field. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shaohai Chen, Ching-Yu John Tam
  • Patent number: 9046580
    Abstract: A system for detecting cell failure within a battery pack based on variations in the measured electrical isolation resistance of the battery pack is provided. The system includes an electrical isolation resistance monitoring subsystem for monitoring the electrical isolation resistance of the battery pack; a system controller coupled to the isolation resistance monitoring subsystem that detects when the electrical isolation resistance falls below a preset value; and a cell failure response subsystem that performs a preset response upon receipt of a control signal from the system controller, where the control signal is transmitted when the electrical isolation resistance falls below the preset value. The system may include a secondary effect monitoring system, wherein the cell failure response subsystem performs the preset response when the electrical isolation resistance falls below the preset value and the secondary effect is detected by the secondary effect monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.
    Inventor: Weston Arthur Hermann
  • Publication number: 20150149103
    Abstract: A magnetic body analyzing device includes a change amount calculation unit that calculates a change amount by which magnetization vectors arranged on an analysis target change for a predetermined period of time every time the predetermined period of time passes, a change amount cumulating unit that cumulates respective change amounts of the magnetization vectors calculated for each predetermined period of time every time the predetermined period of time passes, a change amount determination unit that determines whether a cumulated value of the cumulated change amounts of the magnetization vectors exceeds a predetermined change width, and a storing unit that records, in a storage unit, the magnetization vectors at a time point at which the cumulated value exceeds the change width when it is determined that the cumulated value exceeds the change width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Koichi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9043169
    Abstract: An electrostatic coating plant coats components with a coating agent that is electrically charged by high voltage device. A first operating variable of a high voltage device may be determined and compared to a limit value. A safety measure may be initiated if the comparison between the first operating variable and the limit value indicates a disturbance in the electrostatic coating plant. The limit value may be flexibly adjusted depending on the operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Durr Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Geiger
  • Publication number: 20150142356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Hall Effect instrument with the capability of compensating for temperature drift consistently, accurately and in real time of operation. The instrument embodies a four-point ohmmeter circuit measuring Hall Effect sensor resistance and tracking the effect of temperature on the Hall Effect sensor. The instrument takes into account a relationship between the temperature and a temperature compensation index on a per probe basis, which has exhibited a deterministic difference observed by the present inventor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Olympus Scientifics Solutions Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Thomas, Steven Besser
  • Publication number: 20150142355
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program wherein the method comprises: providing a first input signal to a sensor; measuring a first output signal provided from the sensor in response to the first input signal and calculating capacitance of the sensor from the first measured output signal; providing a second input signal to the sensor; measuring the output signal provided from the sensor in response to the second input signal and calculating resistance of the sensor from the second measured output signal; wherein the first and second input signals are provided at different times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Robert ASTLEY, Darryl COTTON, Jani KIVIOJA, Richard WHITE
  • Patent number: 9037430
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to electrical impedance tomography testing systems and methods for non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element (e.g., a polycrystalline diamond table of a polycrystalline diamond compact or a freestanding polycrystalline diamond table) using electrical impedance tomography to locate one or more high-electrical-conductivity regions (e.g., one or more regions of poorly sintered diamond crystals and/or high-metal-solvent catalyst content) and/or one or more low-electrical-conductivity regions (e.g., porosity and/or cracks) in the tested polycrystalline diamond element. Further embodiments relate to a rotary drill bit including at least one polycrystalline diamond compact that has been selectively positioned so that one or more high-electrical-conductivity regions of a polycrystalline diamond table thereof identified using the non-destructive testing systems and methods disclosed herein are not positioned to engage a subterranean formation during drilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jason K. Wiggins, Kenneth E. Bertagnolli, Gene Bogdanov, Reinhold Ludwig
  • Patent number: 9030043
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of avoiding that wind turbine voltage levels within a wind power plant do not exceed predetermined overvoltage and/or undervoltage protection levels. In particular, the present invention relates to shifting of an output voltage level of a wind power plant in order to protect an internal power plant grid against overvoltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Jorge Martinez Garcia
  • Publication number: 20150127283
    Abstract: An analyzer includes a magnetic moment application unit configured to apply a magnetic moment to a particle system defined in a virtual space, a magnetic field calculation unit configured to calculate a magnetic physical quantity related to the particle system including particles, to which the magnetic moment is applied by the magnetic moment application unit, and a particle state calculation unit configured to numerically calculate a governing equation, which governs the movement of each particle, using the calculation result in the magnetic field calculation unit. The magnetic field calculation unit numerically calculates an induction magnetic field using induced magnetization induced in each particle due to a time variation in an external magnetic field and a magnetic field obtained by interaction between magnetic moments based on the induced magnetization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Shuji Miyazaki, Daiji Ichishima
  • Patent number: 9026981
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to methods, computer systems and computer program products for performing a dielectric reliability assessment for an advanced semiconductor. Embodiments include receiving data associated with a test of a macro of the advanced semiconductor to a point of dielectric breakdown. Embodiments also include scaling the data for the macro down to a reference area and extracting a parameter for a Weibull distribution from the scaled down data for the reference area. Embodiments further include deriving a cluster factor (?) from the scaled down data for the reference area and projecting a failure rate for a larger area of the advanced semiconductor based on the extracted parameter, the cluster factor and the recorded data associated with the dielectric breakdown of the macro.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Baozhen Li, James H. Stathis, Ernest Y. Wu
  • Publication number: 20150120228
    Abstract: Synchronous measuring terminals 5 synchronously measure phasor quantity D101 of a voltage/current at respective measurement points 1 and 2. A data-set creating block 91 of a short-circuit capacity monitoring device 7 creates, for each measurement cycle ?t, a data set D102 containing n pieces of data based on the phasor quantities D101 of voltage and current. A phase correcting block 92 performs a phase correction on the phasor quantity using the data set D102 to create a data set D102?, and a backward impedance estimating block 93 estimates a backward impedance D103 using the data set D102?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoko Kosaka, Takenori Kobayashi, Yoshiki Takabayashi, Kazuya Omata, Verma Suresh Chand, Yoshihiko Wazawa, Yoshiki Nakachi
  • Patent number: 9015958
    Abstract: A controller is coupled to a plurality of moisture sensors positioned within the grain bin at various spaced-apart locations. The controller determines a grain moisture level adjacent each moisture sensor and compares the grain moisture level to a predetermined maximum moisture level. The controller is coupled to a grain spreader that is configured to selectively distribute incoming grain into the grain bin and operates the spreader to distribute incoming grain to create a shortened airflow path through the grain that encompasses the moisture sensors having determined grain moisture levels above the predetermined maximum moisture level. The controller is coupled to a fan that is coupled to the grain bin and configured to provide airflow through the grain in the grain bin. The controller operates the fan to provide greater airflow through the grain along the shortened airflow path than is provided along airflow paths outside the shortened airflow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: CTB, Inc.
    Inventor: Brent J. Bloemendaal
  • Patent number: 9020771
    Abstract: Testing of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) is performed using a device operable in either or both an active mode and a passive mode. In an active mode, the device provides or is connected with a programmable load capable of emulating the load of an electrical vehicle (EV). In passive mode, the load is an EV with the device being arranged in series between the EVCS and EV. In either case, energy delivery from the EVCS to the load is monitored by the device to determine energy measurement and billing accuracy of the EVCS. This enables a comparison to be made between a measured value of energy delivered and a metered value of energy delivered as given by the EVCS. Other measurements and safety tests may also be performed by the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Power Measurements, LLC
    Inventor: William H. Hardy
  • Publication number: 20150112623
    Abstract: A method of the measuring a critical dimension of a spacer is provided. The measurement is performed by using several test structures of measuring doping region resistance. Each of the test structure has different space disposed between a first gate line and a second gate line. By measuring a doping region resistance of each test structure, a plot of reciprocal of resistance versus space can be accomplished. Then, making regression of the plot, a correlation can be formed. Finally, a critical dimension of a spacer can be get by extrapolating the correlation back to 0 unit of reciprocal of resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chien-Kuo Wang, Chun-Liang Hou, Wen-Jung Liao
  • Patent number: 9008982
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for calculating the flux in a core of an unloaded power transformer using current measurements taken from a capacitance-coupled voltage transformer (CCVT) attached to the same phase line as the power transformer. According to various embodiments, the current sensors may both be positioned at zero-voltage points in the CCVT, eliminating the need for high-voltage insulated current sensors. An intelligent electronic device (IED) may determine the magnetic flux within the core of the power transformer using the measured and/or derived currents through capacitive assemblies of the CCVT. The IED may calculate the residual flux in the power transformer when it is de-energized. The IED may use the calculated residual flux to facilitate an optimized re-energization of the power transformer, thereby reducing inrush currents during re-energization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Demetrios A. Tziouvaras
  • Publication number: 20150100263
    Abstract: A method for measuring a magnetic field via a Hall cross (12) including two orthogonal branches (120, 122), in which, for a given state of the Hall cross, a polarization current is made to flow in one of the branches of the Hall cross, referred to as the “polarization branch”, and a voltage is measured in the other branch, referred to as the “measurement branch”, the measured voltage including a useful signal representing the magnetic field, the method including the modulation of the useful signal via a switching sequence consisting in placing the Hall cross in Nb successive states, and the demodulation of the useful signal. The switching sequence is furthermore chosen in such a way that a measurement bias and interference pulses are zero-mean after demodulation. A switching Hall-effect sensor (10) is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventors: Simon-Didier VENZAL, Xavier HOURNE
  • Publication number: 20150100262
    Abstract: A method for constructing a map of a magnetic field includes acquiring the map information including the information on the internal or external structure of the building; measuring the information on the magnetic field, using the measurer's electronic device; and associating the information on the magnetic field with the map information based on the schedule information, wherein the schedule information is generated based on the structure information or a command made by the measurer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: IDECCA INC.
    Inventor: Chan Jong Park
  • Patent number: 9000776
    Abstract: A method for estimating the characteristic impedance of a structure comprising the following steps: providing a current probe comprising a magnetic core having an aperture therein and a primary winding wrapped around the core; measuring, with a calibrated vector network analyzer (VNA), the impedance (Zop) of the current probe while in an open configuration wherein nothing but air occupies the aperture and the current probe is isolated from a ground; measuring, with the VNA, the impedance (Zsh) of the current probe while in a short configuration, wherein the current probe is electrically shorted; measuring, with the VNA, the impedance (Zin) of the current probe while the current probe is mounted to the structure such that the structure extends through the aperture; and calculating an estimated characteristic impedance (Z?mast) of the structure according to the following equation: Z?mast=(Zin?Zsh)(Zop?Zsh)/(Zop?Zin).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Daniel W. Tam, Randall A. Reeves, John H. Meloling
  • Publication number: 20150094973
    Abstract: A device and method to measure the excitation characteristics of magnetic assemblies using reversible direct current and converting direct current excitation data to alternating current excitation data at any power frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Oleh Iwanusiw, Iurii Glado
  • Publication number: 20150094974
    Abstract: A capacitive sensor (20) includes a capacitive sensor field (2), the capacitive sensor field (2) having a plurality of discrete electrodes (4) which are coupled to discrete leads (8). The leads (8) of a first electrode (41) are guided such that they are capacitively coupled with at least one second electrode (42). A first signal (Cm1) is detected at a first lead (8) which is coupled with the first electrode (41), and a second signal (Cm2) is detected at a second lead (8) which is coupled with a second electrode (42). The capacity (Cf1, Cf2) of the first electrode (41) or of the second electrode (42) is determined using a predetermined calculation formula which takes the first signal (Cm1), the second signal (Cm2) and the capacitive coupling between the second electrode (4) and the first lead (8) coupled with the first electrode (41) into account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Ulrich Backes
  • Publication number: 20150073738
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to determining process variations using device threshold sensitivities. A computing device determines first and second threshold voltages for first and second transistors, respectively, wherein the first and second transistors are included in an integrated circuit and are n-channel and p-channel field effect transistors, respectively. The computing device also determines process parameters that are associated with the integrated circuit using a combination of determined first and second threshold voltages, wherein the process parameter reflects random sensitivities, timing delay differences, timing delay and slew rate changes, and/or variations between low, high, and regular threshold voltages which are associated with the first and second transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Buck, Eric A. Foreman, Jeffrey G. Hemmett, Amol A. Joshi, Dileep N. Netrabile, Vladimir Zolotov, Hemlata Gupta
  • Patent number: 8977511
    Abstract: A method for classifying electrical sheet is produced. The electrical sheet is used to produce an electrical machine and is available in the form of a strip roll wherein a magnetic flux that changes over time and that causes a shape change of the strip roll and magnetic losses is produced in the strip roll using an excitation winding fed by a feeding device, the shape change and/or the magnetic losses are measured using a measuring device and the measurement signal obtained is fed to an evaluation device, and the evaluation device categorizes the electrical sheet in regard to noise emission and/or magnetic losses using the measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Österreich
    Inventor: Helmut Pregartner
  • Patent number: 8972216
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a power regulator according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise a sensor adapted to generate a measurement of a voltage or a current. A memory may store a correction parameter that corresponds to the measurement, and a correction system may be adapted to adjust the measurement according to the correction parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Benjamim Tang, Chun-Yen Lin, Rohan Samsi, Jinghong Guo, Tim M. Ng, Richard Pierson
  • Patent number: 8972213
    Abstract: A method is provided for determining a state-of-health of a battery in a vehicle-during an engine cranking phase. An engine cranking phase is initiated. Characteristic data is recorded that includes battery voltage data and engine cranking speed data during the engine cranking phase. The characteristic data is provided to a pre-processing unit. The pre-processing unit normalizes the characteristic data for processing within a classifier. The normalized data is input o the classifier for determining the vehicle battery state-of-health. The classifier has a trained state-of-health decision boundary resulting from a plurality of trials in which predetermined characterization data is collected with known classes. The battery state-of-health is classified based on the trained state-of-health decision boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Xiaodong Zhang, Yilu Zhang, Yuen-Kwok Chin
  • Patent number: 8972214
    Abstract: A touch panel or screen has a serpentine transmission line fabricated on a substrate, e.g., printed circuit board, LCD, plasma or LED screen, etc., and has a constant impedance. Touches to the touch panel will cause changes of impedance of the transmission line at the locations of the touches. Time domain reflectometry (TDR) is used for determining the locations of the changes of impedance of the transmission line by accurately measuring the return pulse times at the source of a plurality of pulses, and then converting the return pulse times to X-Y coordinates of the touch panel or screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: James S. Bartling, Dennis P. Lehman
  • Patent number: 8970464
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for determining sheet resistance values in a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. In certain embodiments, a system for determining sheet resistance values in an LCD panel may include a display driver integrated circuit (IC). The display driver IC may include a first switch coupled to a first input/output (I/O) pad and a second I/O pad such that the first I/O pad is configured to couple to a voltage source and the second I/O pad is configured to couple to a current source. The display driver IC may also include a second switch coupled to a third I/O pad and the second I/O pad such that the second switch has substantially the same geometry as the first switch and the third I/O pad is configured to couple to a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer of the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Appl Inc.
    Inventors: Kingsuk Brahma, Saman Saeedi, Sang Y. Youn, Shafiq M Jamal, Taif A. Syed
  • Publication number: 20150051857
    Abstract: A measurement method for an aviation-specific inductive proximity sensor (IPS for short) includes steps of: 1) building a measurement circuit, wherein an IPS comprises an internal resistance r and an inductance L; 2) building a look-up table, wherein the step 2) specifically comprises steps of: sampling a first voltage measured value U1 corresponding to a first constant delay time T1 with the ADC; sampling a second voltage measured value U2 corresponding to a second constant delay time T2 with the ADC; then obtaining voltage discharge formulas U1(T1, R, r, L) and U2(T2, R, r, L) of an r-L circuit; and 3) compressing the look-up table, utilizing the compressed look-up table for calculation during measurement. The present invention ensures that the system works within a standard temperature range, and improves measurement stability, reliability, and real-time performance. Furthermore, there is no floating point calculation, which saves CPU or MCU hardware resources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhibiao Shao, Yixin Guo
  • Publication number: 20150051856
    Abstract: A method for estimating voltage stability, includes establishing a multi-port equivalent model and the measurement-based equivalent impedance; calculating the reactive power response factor through two consecutive samples from wide-area phasor measurement unit measurement; finding the mitigation factor; constructing the modified coupled single-port model with the modified impedance and voltage; and using the modified maximal loading parameter for voltage stability assessment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Chia-Chi Chu, Jian-Hong Liu
  • Patent number: 8949054
    Abstract: A monitoring system for detecting earth faults in an electrical power supply grid providing a power signal includes a plurality of monitoring devices, each of the monitoring devices including a detector for detecting the level of harmonics in the power signal, wherein the level of harmonics is detected in a specific frequency range. Each of the monitoring devices further includes a memory for storing a harmonics reference value, a processor for comparing the detected level of harmonics with the reference level, and a communication device for transmitting an alarm if the detected level of harmonics is above the reference level for a specific period of time. Each of the detectors includes an optical sensor for detecting the harmonics by use of the Faraday effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Powersense A/S
    Inventor: Lars N. Bjørn
  • Publication number: 20150032397
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electrical power systems and automation technologies thereof, and disclosed is a method for estimating a dynamic power transmission line capacity by using a synchronized phasor technology. Synchronized phasor measurement units are arranged at two sides of a power transmission line. The synchronized phasor measurement units measure voltage and current phasors of the power transmission line and transmit the voltage and current phasors to a data buffer of a measurement system for calculation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Ruikun Mai, Ling Fu, Haibo Xu, Simo He
  • Publication number: 20150032396
    Abstract: A controller of a boost converter may be configured to dynamically adjust conditions within the boost converter by monitoring conditions in the boost converter. For example, the controller may determine an current inductance value for an inductor of the boost converter by monitoring a current through the inductor. When the inductance value of the inductor is known, a slope compensation value may be used in determining a transition time between charging the inductor of the boost converter and discharging the inductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Ullas Pazhayaveetil, Jeffrey May, Gautham Kamath, John Christopher Tucker, Christian Larsen
  • Publication number: 20150032395
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for recognizing touch. A first value T1 and a second value T2 are set. A number of first sensing values C1 are obtained. C1 is compared with T1 and T2. When C1 is greater than or equal to T1, a touch with finger is recognized. When C1 is smaller than T2, no touch is recognized. When C1 are greater than or equal to T2 and smaller than T1, following steps are taken. A third value T3 is set. At least three driving electrodes are driven and a number of second sensing values C2 are obtained. A number of maximum sensing values C2peak are selected from the C2 and compared with T3. When C2peak are greater than or equal to T3, a touch with glove is recognized. And when not, no touch is recognized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: TIANJIN FUNAYUANCHUANG TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: LI-MIN CHAO, CHIEN-YUNG CHENG, PO-SHENG SHIH
  • Patent number: 8942937
    Abstract: A capacitance distribution detection circuit includes a multiplexer, a driver, and a sense amplifier. The multiplexer switches states between a first connection state and a second connection state. The first connection state drives first signal lines in parallel so that voltages are applied, outputs, along second signal lines, a linear sum of electric charges stored in capacitors corresponding to that respective one of the second signal lines, and estimates, a capacitance of capacitors formed along that second signal line. The second connection state drives, the second signal lines in parallel so that voltages are applied, outputs, along the first signal lines, a linear sum of electric charges stored in the capacitors corresponding to that respective one of the first signal lines, and estimates, a capacitance of the capacitors formed along that first signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Miyamoto, Kunihiko Iizuka
  • Publication number: 20150025826
    Abstract: Proposed are a C-V characteristic measurement system and a method of measuring C-V characteristics that allow for less change in resistivity with time in repeated measurement of a single crystal silicon wafer using a mercury electrode, as compared to those in the related arts. Measurement is conducted with use of a C-V characteristic measurement system including: a mercury probe 30 for putting mercury as an electrode to contact with a single crystal silicon wafer; an LCR meter 40 for forming a depletion layer by supplying a high-frequency wave to the single crystal silicon wafer via the mercury probe 30 to apply a reverse bias voltage to the single crystal silicon wafer while measuring a capacitance of the depletion layer; analysis software for calculating C-V characteristics based on the reverse bias voltage and the capacitance of the depletion layer; and a static electricity removing device 20 for removing static electricity of the single crystal silicon wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Fumitaka Kume, Hisatoshi Kashino
  • Publication number: 20150019150
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor module comprises a substrate, a first wiring, an electrode pad, a junction, an oscillator, and a detector. The first wiring is disposed on the substrate, and has a characteristic impedance Z0. The electrode pad is connected to the first wiring. The junction is disposed on the electrode pad, and has an impedance Z1. The oscillator is disposed in contact with the first wiring, and oscillates a pulse wave of a voltage toward the junction via the first wiring. The detector is disposed in contact with the first wiring, and detects an output wave of the pulse wave from the junction. The characteristic impedance Z0 and the impedance Z1 satisfy a following relationship (1), ? Z ? ? 0 - Z ? ? 1 Z ? ? 0 ? ? 0.05 .
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenji HIROHATA, Minoru MUKAI, Tomoko MONDA
  • Patent number: 8935114
    Abstract: A method for determining a closing time of a valve having a coil drive, in particular a direct injection valve for an engine of a motor vehicle, has the steps: (a) switching off a current flow through a coil (L_inj) of the coil drive, so that the coil (L_inj) is depowered, (b) capturing a time curve (110) of a voltage induced in the non-powered coil (L_inj), wherein the induced voltage is generated by decaying eddy currents in a magnetic circuit of the coil drive and by a motion of the armature relative to the coil (L_inj), (c) evaluating the captured time curve (110) of the voltage induced in the coil (L_inj), and (d) determining the closing time based on the evaluated time curve (110). A corresponding device and a computer program for determining the closing time of a valve with a coil drive can be provided accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Beer, Stephan Bolz
  • Patent number: 8928287
    Abstract: A first upper limit and a second upper limit of emission power are set in each of the NaS batteries. The second upper limit is maximum value of the emission power for maintaining the temperature of the NaS battery at an upper limit temperature or less. In allocation of the emission power to each of the NaS batteries, each of the NaS batteries is separated into a preferential virtual battery to which a non-excess of the emission power that does not exceed the second upper limit is allocated and non-preferential virtual battery to which an excess of the emission power that exceeds the second upper limit is allocated, and after the emission power is allocated to all the preferential virtual batteries, the emission power is allocated to each of the non-preferential virtual batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Abe, Tetsuya Hatta
  • Publication number: 20150006095
    Abstract: A method measures a resistance of an element that is operably coupled to receive an AC line voltage. The method includes obtaining a first voltage measurement value V1A from a first side of the element at a first time, and obtaining a second voltage measurement value V2A from a second side of the element at the first time. The method also includes obtaining a first current measurement value IA through the element at the first time, and obtaining a second current measurement value IB through the element at the second time. The method further includes obtaining a third voltage measurement value V1B from the first side of the element at a second time, and obtaining a fourth voltage measurement value V2B from the second side of the element at the second time. The processing device determines the resistance at least in part based on the values V1A, V2A, V1B, V2B, IA and IB. The determination based on an adjusted difference of V2B and V2A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: John T. Voisine
  • Patent number: 8922227
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting surface charge on a semiconductor substrate having a sensing arrangement formed thereon. An exemplary sensing system includes the semiconductor substrate having the sensing arrangement formed thereon, and a module coupled to the sensing arrangement. The module obtains a first voltage output from the sensing arrangement when a first voltage is applied to the semiconductor substrate, obtains a second voltage output from the sensing arrangement when a second voltage is applied to the semiconductor substrate, and detects electric charge on the surface of the semiconductor substrate based on a difference between the first voltage output and the second voltage output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Chad S. Dawson, Bernhard H. Grote, Woo Tae Park
  • Patent number: 8924173
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for determining a harmonic are described herein. One method includes determining a temperature of a circuit conductor while the circuit conductor is conducting a current, and determining a harmonic associated with the circuit conductor based, at least in part, on the determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Julie J. Hull Roskos
  • Patent number: 8924174
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for determining a power flow are described herein. One method includes determining a temperature of a circuit conductor while the circuit conductor is conducting a current, and determining a power flow associated with the circuit conductor based, at least in part, on the determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Julie J. Hull Roskos
  • Publication number: 20140379286
    Abstract: A method for estimating PCB radiated emissions includes providing a BCI probe and a vector network analyzer; performing a calibration step; performing a measurement step; and performing an estimation step. A transfer impedance of the BCI probe is measured via a clamping device in the procedure of performing a calibration step. A measurement-input transfer function of an object and an output-input transfer function of the object are measured via the BCI probe in the procedure of performing a measurement step. Eventually, radiated emissions of the object can be estimated according to the measurement-input transfer function, the output-input transfer function and the transfer impedance in the procedure of performing an estimation step. The present invention accurately estimates radiated emissions of the object with low cost and high speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tzyy-Sheng Horng, Cheng-Yu Ho, Kai-Syuan Chen
  • Publication number: 20140379287
    Abstract: A method is provided for absolute capacitive measurement of an object relative to at least two hide—pendent electrodes integrated into a man-machine interface device for detecting the object. The method includes: a) for each electrode, a value of absolute capacitance between the electrode and the object is measured, a?) a prediction is made by applying a multi-variable nonlinear prediction model to the actual values of absolute capacitance to obtain an image of probability densities, these probability densities considered to be actual corrected values that are used for detecting the object. The multi-variable nonlinear prediction module is optionally obtained by nonlinear regression on the basis:—of actual values of absolute capacitance that are obtained for a plurality of object positions relative to the at least two electrodes, and—of an image of probability densities that is obtained for a plurality of object positions relative to idealized electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Bruno Luong
  • Publication number: 20140372058
    Abstract: A device for measuring a variation (?CX) of a capacitance (CX), includes: elements for charging the capacitance (CX) on the basis of a supply voltage (VCC). elements for discharging the capacitance (CX) into a reference capacitance (CS) in a fixed number of discharges (x), elements for measuring a voltage (VS) and for detecting a threshold of voltage (VTH) across the terminals of the reference capacitance (CS). elements for charging with current (IC) the reference capacitance (CS) on the basis of the supply voltage (VCC) for a duration (t), after the transfer of charge from the capacitance (CX) into the reference capacitance (CS), and elements for measuring the variation between the duration (t) with respect to a previously measured duration so as to estimate the variation (?CX) of the capacitance (CX).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GmbH, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventor: Xavier Hourne