With Substrate Carrier (e.g., Thin Film) Patents (Class 73/204.26)
  • Patent number: 11884538
    Abstract: A sensor device includes a first and second Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEM) structures. The first MEM structure includes a first heating element on a first layer of the first MEM structure. The first heating element includes an input adapted to receive an input signal. The first MEM structure also includes a first temperature sensing element on a second layer of the first MEM structure. The second MEM structure includes a second heating element on a first layer of the second MEM structure and a second temperature sensing element on a second layer of the second MEM structure. An output circuit has a first input coupled to the first temperature sensing element and a second input coupled to the second temperature sensing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Marco Corsi, Barry Jon Male
  • Patent number: 11874009
    Abstract: A system and method of monitoring the performance of an HVAC system including a controller in communication with an HVAC unit where the method includes monitoring environmental conditions using a controller. A target rate of change in indoor air temperature (IATR) can be established, and one or more adjusted environmental values can be adjusted to account for the adjusted IATR measurement. An adjusted IATR value can be established using one or more equations adjusting for a target sensible capacity value of one or more environmental factors in comparison to the measured sensible capacity of the one or more environmental factors to determine the adjusted IATR. The environmental factors can include but are not limited to the indoor air temperature, indoor humidity, outdoor air temperature, and any other measured parameter that could affect system capacity. The system can generate an alert when the adjusted IATR value reaches a pre-determined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Inventor: Daniel J Dempsey
  • Patent number: 11835410
    Abstract: A method for determining sensor parameters of an actively-driven sensor system may include performing an initialization operation to establish a baseline estimate of the sensor parameters, obtaining as few as three samples of a measured physical quantity versus frequency for the actively-driven sensor system, performing a refinement operation to provide a refined version of the sensor parameters based on the as few as three samples, iteratively repeating the refinement operation until the difference between successive refined versions of the sensor parameters is below a defined threshold, and outputting the refined sensor parameters as updated sensor parameters for the actively-driven sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kost, Tejasvi Das, Marc J. Kobayashi, Siddharth Maru, Rahul Gawde
  • Patent number: 11768218
    Abstract: A sensor includes a heater, a thermal insulator between two thermometer layers, the heater generating a thermal gradient within the thermal insulator. The thermometers give an indirect measurement of fluid flow around the sensor, based on their temperature readings. The thermometers are flexible layers including gels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Luca Bonanomi, Vincenzo Costanza, Chiara Daraio, Giovanni Moscato
  • Patent number: 11747184
    Abstract: Example systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed sensing a flow of fluid using a thermopile-based flow sensing device. An example apparatus includes a flow sensing device comprising a heating structure having a centerline. The flow sensing device may further comprise a thermopile. At least a portion of the thermopile may be disposed over the heating structure. The thermopile may comprise a first thermocouple having a first thermocouple junction disposed upstream of the centerline of the heating structure. The thermopile may further comprise a second thermocouple having a second thermocouple junction disposed downstream of the centerline of the heating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Robert Higashi, Scott Edward Beck, Yong-Fa Wang, Ian Bentley, Bill Hoover
  • Patent number: 11692860
    Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal flow sensor including a base member and a cover. The base member includes a heater. The cover is formed by an SOI substrate including a silicon substrate, a silicon dioxide film, and a silicon film. The silicon film has a recessed portion defined therein. A main flow passage portion is defined by an exposed surface of the silicon dioxide film which is exposed from the silicon film and which defines a bottom surface of the recessed portion, the silicon film defining a side surface of the recessed portion, and a first principal surface of the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ROHM Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Akasaka, Yurina Amamoto, Keisuke Wakamoto, Ken Nakahara
  • Patent number: 11681910
    Abstract: Provided are a training apparatus, a recognition apparatus, a training method, a recognition method, and a program that can accurately recognize what an object represented in an image associated with depth information is. An object data acquiring section acquires three-dimensional data representing an object. A training data generating section generates a plurality of training data each representing a mutually different part of the object on the basis of the three-dimensional data. A training section trains a machine learning model using the generated training data as the training data for the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Horikawa, Daichi Ono
  • Patent number: 11674833
    Abstract: A thermal sensor comprises an active element (41), e.g., a heater or cooler, at least one temperature sensor (31), and processing circuitry (50). The processing circuitry causes a change of power supplied to the active element (41). It then determines, at a plurality of times, a thermal parameter based on an output signal of the temperature sensors and analyzes the transient behavior of the thermal parameter. Based on this analysis, the processing circuitry determines a contamination signal that is indicative of a contamination on a sensing surface of the thermal sensor. If the thermal sensor comprises a plurality of temperature sensors arranged in different sectors of the sensing surface, a multi-sector thermal signal can be derived from the outputs of the sensors, and determination of the contamination signal can be based on the multi-sector thermal signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Sensirion AG
    Inventors: Mark Hornung, Andreas Rüegg, Harry Figi, Lucas Huber
  • Patent number: 11512991
    Abstract: Provided is a thermal flow meter including a conductive measurement tube including an inlet through which liquid enters and an outlet through which the liquid exits and including an internal flow passage extending along an axis, and a sensor substrate including a heating resistance wire and a temperature detecting resistance wire formed on a detection surface along the axis, and in the detection surface, an insulation area is formed where the heating resistance wire and the temperature detecting resistance wire are coated with a thin-film insulating material, and the insulation area is joined to the measurement tube along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: SURPASS INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Abo, Koji Nakajima
  • Patent number: 11512990
    Abstract: An electronic utility gas meter using MEMS thermal time-of-flight flow sensor to meter gas custody transfer mass flowrate and an additional MEMS gas sensor to measure the combustion gas composition for the correlations to the acquisition of gas high heat value simultaneously is disclosed in the present invention. The meter is designed for the applications in the city utility gas consumption in compliance with the current tariff while metering the true thermal value of the delivered gases for future upgrades. Data safety, remote data communication, and other features with state-of-the-art electronics are also included in the design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Wisenstech Ltd.
    Inventors: Liji Huang, Chih-Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 11415445
    Abstract: A physical quantity measurement device includes a physical quantity detector and a support plate part superposed on a back surface of the physical quantity detector to support the physical quantity detector. The physical quantity detector includes a recessed part on the back surface, and a membrane part defining a bottom surface of the recessed part and being provided with a detection element for detecting a physical quantity of a fluid in a measurement low path. An area of the support plate part covering the recessed part includes a communication hole communicating with the recessed part. A peripheral edge portion of a hole opening, which is an end of the communication hole adjacent to the recessed part, is spaced apart, toward the inside, from a peripheral edge portion of a recess opening, which is an end of the recessed part adjacent to the support plate part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Kono
  • Patent number: 11415444
    Abstract: A physical quantity measurement device includes a physical quantity detector that detects a physical quantity of a fluid in a measurement flow path, a physical quantity processor that receives a detection result of the physical quantity detector, and a support plate part that supports the physical quantity detector and the physical quantity processor. The support plate part includes a detector support portion to which the physical quantity detector is attached, and a processor support portion that is located at a position spaced apart from the detector support portion and to which the physical quantity processor is attached. Between the detector support portion and the processor support portion, a heat transfer regulation portion is provided to regulate heat transfer from the processor support portion to the detector support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Kono
  • Patent number: 11366018
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to temperature detection equipment and in particular to a wireless detecting thermometer for barbecue, which comprises a host and a temperature probe, wherein the host is provided with a storage slot and a control circuit board integrated with a Bluetooth adapter, a central processing unit and a digital display; the temperature probe comprises a metal casing, a temperature-sensing resistor and a temperature measuring chip; the temperature measuring chip is connected to a Bluetooth transceiver signally communicated with the Bluetooth adapter in the host. A Bluetooth protocol is applied for data transmission to get rid of a data cable, so that the temperature probe can be put into an oven, thus to improve the convenience of the product. Besides, the temperature data and the power data are shown on the digital display, which is convenient to observe, and the temperature detection is convenient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SHENZHEN HONGKANG INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhiling Tan
  • Patent number: 11346696
    Abstract: A sensor SA has a flow sensor that measures a flow rate of intake air in a measurement flow path. The flow sensor has a film-shaped sensor film portion overlapped on a substrate front surface of a sensor substrate. The sensor film portion has a heat generating resistor that heats the sensor film portion and a temperature measuring resistor that measures a temperature of the sensor film portion. The heat generating resistor and the temperature measuring resistor are arranged in a depth direction Z along the substrate front surface of the sensor substrate. A length dimension LM1 of an upstream temperature measuring resistor is equal to or larger than a length dimension LM2 of a downstream temperature measuring resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junzo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 11346695
    Abstract: Provided is a physical quantity detection device capable of achieving both rigidity improvement and sealability improvement. A physical quantity detection device (20) of the invention includes a housing (100), a cover (200), a chip package (310), and a flow rate sensor (311) supported by the chip package and arranged in a sub-passage. The housing includes: a first adhesive groove 160A which is an adhesive groove to which an adhesive for bonding the cover is applied, extends along a proximal end of the housing, extends in the protruding direction of the housing from the proximal end of the housing to a position on a more distal end side of the housing than the chip package, and is applied with the first adhesive 401; and a second adhesive groove 160B which extends along the sub-passage 134 and is applied with the second adhesive 402. The first adhesive has a higher Young's modulus, and the second adhesive has a higher thixotropy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeto Hirohata, Akira Uenodan, Nobuaki Gorai, Takahiro Miki, Nozomi Yatsumonji
  • Patent number: 11326963
    Abstract: An isolated signal transmission device includes a resistor element and a heat flow sensor. The resistor element generates heat as a result of a current based on an inputted signal being applied to the resistor element. The heat flow sensor is provided such as to be electrically isolated from the resistor element. The heat flow sensor detects an amount of heat flowing to the heat flow sensor itself when the resistor element generates heat. The heat flow sensor outputs a signal based on the detected amount of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hiroki Miyagawa, Masahiro Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11307072
    Abstract: A compact physical quantity detecting device is provided since it is possible to lower the mounting height of a chip package by accommodating the chip package in a notched board. In the physical quantity detecting device of the present invention, a part in a thickness direction of a support body on which a flow rate detection unit and a processing unit are mounted is accommodated in a notch provided in a printed board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Binti Haridan Fatin Farhanah, Takayuki Yogo, Noboru Tokuyasu, Akira Uenodan, Takahiro Miki, Hiroaki Hoshika
  • Patent number: 11300431
    Abstract: The physical quantity measurement device for measuring the physical quantity of the fluid has a measurement flow passage through which the fluid flows; a detection element for detecting the physical quantity of the fluid; a plate-shape physical quantity detector that detects the physical quantity of the fluid by the detection element in the measurement flow passage; a protection body that protects the physical quantity detector; a body recess arranged on the outer surface of the protection body at a position separated from the physical quantity detector in the orthogonal direction, which is orthogonal to a thickness direction of the physical quantity detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasushi Kono
  • Patent number: 11268841
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a thermal type fluid flow rate sensor which suppress strain occurring in an aluminum film and suppresses disconnection due to repeated metal fatigue of the aluminum film. The semiconductor device and the thermal type fluid flow rate sensor of the present invention are configured so that the heights of a silicon film and an aluminum film satisfy D>D1 between a flow rate sensor part (immediately above a diaphragm end part) D and a circuit part (LSI part) D1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Ishitsuka, Yasuo Onose
  • Patent number: 11177059
    Abstract: A film resistor and a film sensor are disclosed. In an embodiment a film resistor includes a piezoresistive layer comprising a M1+nAXn phase, wherein M comprises at least one transition metal, A comprises a main-group element, and X comprises carbon and/or nitrogen, and wherein n=1, 2 or 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TDK ELECTRONICS AG
    Inventors: Bettina Milke, Bernhard Ostrick
  • Patent number: 11143534
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment, a microneedle probe device for measuring a sap flow rate of a plant includes: a substrate, of which at least a part is inserted into a plant, and a thickness and a width are microscales; a single metal wire provided on the substrate; a power source, which applies a current to the metal wire for a predetermined time and heats the metal wire; and a processor, which calculates a flow rate of sap through a movement of heat generated in the metal wire according to a flow of the sap within the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: Seoul National University R&DB Foundation, Republic Of Korea Rural Development Administration
    Inventors: Jung Hoon Lee, Sang Woong Baek, Eun Yong Jeon, Seung Yul Choi, Kyoung Sub Park, Joon Kook Kwon, Kyung Hwan Yeo, In Ho Yu, Jae Han Lee
  • Patent number: 11125193
    Abstract: A temperature sensor and a relative humidity sensor are placed in an environment allowing air to flow and are displaced in an upstream-downstream direction of the airflow. An absolute humidity acquisition unit acquires absolute humidity of air from outputs from the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor. A delay adjustment unit delays an output from one of the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor placed upstream and to reconcile change-behaviors of outputs from the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor in response to a state change in air. The absolute humidity acquisition unit acquires the absolute humidity based on the output from the other of the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor placed downstream and an output acquired from the one sensor placed upstream and delayed in the delay adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Kitahara, Hajime Mashita, Takashi Ooga, Teruaki Kaifu
  • Patent number: 11112288
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides thermal gas property sensors and compensated differential pressure sensors, as well as methods for measuring a physical property of a gas and methods for compensating differential pressure sensors. A reference overpressure of a gas is generated in a cavity. Based on the flow of the gas from the cavity through a channel, properties of the gas are identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: First Sensor AG
    Inventors: Oleg Grudin, Andreas Niendorf
  • Patent number: 11111887
    Abstract: A temperature sensor differs from a relative humidity sensor in responsiveness when the temperature of air changes. An absolute humidity acquisition unit acquires absolute humidity of air from outputs from the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor. A delay adjustment unit is to delay an output from one of the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor, which is a high response sensor having a higher responsiveness, and to reconcile change-behaviors of the output from the temperature sensor and the output from the relative humidity sensor in response to a temperature change in air. The absolute humidity acquisition unit acquires the absolute humidity based on the output from the other of the temperature sensor and the relative humidity sensor, which is a low response sensor having a lower responsiveness, and the sensor signal, which is from the high response sensor and delayed in the delay adjustment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Kitahara, Hajime Mashita, Takashi Ooga, Teruaki Kaifu
  • Patent number: 11075294
    Abstract: An HFET includes a first and second semiconductor material. A first composite passivation layer includes a first insulation layer and a first passivation layer, and the first passivation layer is disposed between the first insulation layer and the second semiconductor material. The HFET includes a second passivation layer, where the first insulation layer is disposed between the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer. A gate dielectric is disposed between the second semiconductor material and the first passivation layer. A source electrode and a drain electrode are coupled to the second semiconductor material, and a gate electrode is disposed laterally between the source electrode and the drain electrode. A first gate field plate is disposed between the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer and electrically connected to the gate electrode, and a second gate field plate is disposed above first gate field plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: POWER INTEGRATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexey Kudymov, Linlin Liu, Xiaohui Wang, Jamal Ramdani
  • Patent number: 11035709
    Abstract: A CMOS-based sensing device includes a substrate including an etched portion and a first region located on the substrate. The first region includes a membrane region formed over an area of the etched portion of the substrate, a flow sensor formed within the membrane region and a pressure sensor formed within the membrane region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrea De Luca, Florin Udrea
  • Patent number: 10989128
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intake air flow rate measuring device. The intake air flow rate measuring device includes a flange, a casing, a flow rate sensor, a humidity sensing element, an element terminal, and a humidity terminal. The humidity terminal is spaced away from the element terminal. A portion of the casing between the element terminal and the humidity terminal is defined as a suppressing portion, and a cross-section of the suppressing portion is defined as a suppressing portion cross-section. An end portion of the casing close to the flange is defined as a base portion, and a cross-section of the base portion is defined as a base portion cross-section. The suppressing portion cross-section is set to be smaller than the base portion cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Itakura
  • Patent number: 10971620
    Abstract: A method includes partly removing a supporting layer arranged between a first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer using an etching process to form at least one undercut between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, at least partly filling the at least one undercut with a first material having a higher thermal conductivity than the supporting layer, and forming a sensor device in or on the second semiconductor layer. Semiconductor arrangements and devices produced by the method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Dresden GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Joachim Weyers, Andreas Boehm, Anton Mauder, Patrick Schindler, Stefan Tegen, Armin Tilke, Uwe Wahl
  • Patent number: 10930869
    Abstract: A flexible substrate and a manufacture method thereof, and a flexible organic light-emitting diode display substrate. The flexible substrate comprises a first flexible layer and a second flexible layer stacked with each other and a hydrophobic layer on at least one side of at least one of the first flexible layer and the second flexible layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignees: CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zhongfei Dong, Yan Hu, Hongguang Yuan, Yue Wei, Jianxiong Huang, Guodong Liu, Yimin Dong, Yuan Chen
  • Patent number: 10921169
    Abstract: A flow sensor structure seals the surface of an electric control circuit and part of a semiconductor device via a manufacturing method that prevents occurrence of flash or chip crack when clamping the semiconductor device via a mold. The flow sensor structure includes a semiconductor device having an air flow sensing unit and a diaphragm, and a board or lead frame having an electric control circuit for controlling the semiconductor device, wherein a surface of the electric control circuit and part of a surface of the semiconductor device is covered with resin while having the air flow sensing unit portion exposed. The flow sensor structure may include surfaces of a resin mold, a board or a pre-mold component surrounding the semiconductor device that are continuously not in contact with three walls of the semiconductor device orthogonal to a side on which the air flow sensing unit portion is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kono, Yuuki Okamoto, Takeshi Morino, Keiji Hanzawa
  • Patent number: 10908006
    Abstract: The micromachined liquid flow sensor devices are enclosed with silicon nitride film as passivation layer to protect device from penetration of liquid into device and avoid the damages of erosion or short circuit etc. One thin layer of silicon dioxide is deposited underneath the silicon nitride layer to enhance the adhesion and reliability of the passivation layer for various applications. The incorporation of silicon dioxide film had successfully provided reliable passivation protection especially for microfluidic devices application. In order to avoid flow turbulence caused by wire bonding wires, the wire bonding wires are omitted by deploying through-substrate conductive vias whereas connected to the carrier printed circuit board of sensor chip. The present invention disclosed a novel micromachining process and designed structure to form hermit sealing between the sensor chip and the carrier printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Siargo Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Chang Chen, Liji Huang, Yahong Yao
  • Patent number: 10890472
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of sensing a flow comprises performing a measurement cycle for a first period of time, powering off the at least one upstream resistive element and the at least one downstream resistive element for a second period of time, and performing another measurement cycle for a third period of time. Performing the measurement cycle comprises supplying a current to the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element arranged in a bridge, resistively heating the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element to a temperature above an ambient temperature, and detecting an imbalance in the bridge resulting from a temperature difference between the at least one upstream resistive element and the at least one downstream resistive element in response to the flow of a fluid past the flow sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Scott Becke, Lamar Floyd Ricks, Ian Bentley
  • Patent number: 10837814
    Abstract: The design and structure of a smart gas cylinder valve cap coupled with a smart MEMS mass flow meter, an embedded iBeacon or RFID reader and a remote data transmission module, which is capable of formulating an Internet of Things (IoT) system, is demonstrated in the disclosure. The smart gas cylinder cap(s) can be directly used to replace the mechanical valve handwheel or directly attached to the top of the existing mechanical handwheel as a smart data relay, and the cap(s) can either be applied to a single or plural numbers of gas cylinders while the smart gas flow meter shall communicate with the smart gas cap as well as to relay gas consumption data to a designated data center or a “cloud” which can further interface with the users and suppliers of the gas cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Siargo Ltd.
    Inventors: Liji Huang, Alok Batra, Venkata Sai Tejeswar Pokkuluri, Chih-Chang Chen
  • Patent number: 10837891
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a miniature optical PM sensor module. A miniature optical particulate matter sensor module may comprise a housing; a micro airflow generator positioned within the housing; an actuator positioned adjacent to the micro airflow generator and configured to drive the micro airflow generator; a miniature particulate matter sensor board assembly in fluid communication with the micro airflow generator; and a flex cable assembly configured to attach to at least one of the housing and the miniature particulate matter sensor board assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Chen Feng, Tao Chen, Jennifer Liu, Tong Shang
  • Patent number: 10765377
    Abstract: A heartbeat-signal detecting device, which is for detecting a heartbeat signal of a living body, includes: (a) a gas-flow sensor configured to detect a flow rate of exhalation and inhalation passing through a trachea of the living body; (b) a gas-flow calculation controlling portion configured to output a respiration signal that reflects a respiratory motion of the living body, based on a signal outputted from the gas-flow sensor; (c) a waveform analysis controlling portion configured to extract, from the respiration signal, frequency components which are in synchronization with a pulse of a heart of the living body superimposed on the respiration signal, and to output a heartbeat signal representing a heartbeat waveform of the living body; and (d) a heartbeat-signal evaluation controlling portion is configured to evaluate a functional abnormality or an anatomic abnormality of the heart, based on the heartbeat signal analyzed by the waveform analysis controlling portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOKAI NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH SYSTEM
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kawabe, Mitsuhiro Shikida, Miyoko Matsushima
  • Patent number: 10746579
    Abstract: A fluid meter is operated, in particular, for flow quantity determination of a flowing medium. A flow quantity determination is carried out with the aid of a measuring arrangement. A sensor arrangement determines a position and/or inclination. An axial and/or angular position of the fluid meter in relation to at least one establishable axis and/or direction is determined by way of the sensor arrangement, and the axial and/or angular position is used for the correction of the measurement values of the measuring arrangement. In addition, a convection flow of the medium is determined in the fluid meter, and a corrective for the measurement values of the measuring arrangement is derived from the convection flow which has been determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Diehl Metering GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Gaugler, Frederik Neder
  • Patent number: 10598683
    Abstract: A monitoring device includes a cavity assembly with a plurality of cavities. Openings of the plurality of cavities are distributed about a flow-facing surface of the cavity assembly. A gas pressure sensor is disposed within each of the cavities, and is configured to measure an absolute pressure of a gas flow which flows past the monitoring device. Gas pressure measurements from the pressure sensors may be used to determine a flow speed and a flow direction of the gas flow. More specifically, a mapping may be used to map the logarithm of the difference between the maximum and minimum pressures to a flow speed. Further, a lookup table may be used to map a pattern of pressure measurements to a flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Inventor: Bradley Charles Ashmore
  • Patent number: 10508941
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow sensor (1), comprising: a semiconductor module (2) on which a temperature sensing means (13a, 13b) and a heat source (12) are arranged, a flow channel (6) for guiding the fluid medium in a flow direction (D), and a wall (W) delimiting the flow channel, wherein said heat source (12) and said temperature sensing means (13a, 13b) are configured such that they are in thermal contact with said wall (W). According to the invention, said wall (W) comprises a glass member (4) and a metal member (3a), wherein the glass member (4) is connected to the metal member (3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kostner, Thomas Kiefer, Lukas Mahler
  • Patent number: 10488237
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measurement apparatus for measuring a flow rate of a fluid that flows with a main direction of flow in a circular line comprising an inlet section for conducting the fluid from the circular line into the measurement apparatus; an outlet section for conducting the fluid from the measurement apparatus into the circular line; a measurement section for connecting the inlet section to the outlet section; at least one ultrasound device for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasound waves, wherein the ultrasound device is arranged at a wall of the measurement section; and an evaluation unit for carrying out a time of flight difference measurement and for determining the flow rate, wherein the inlet section has a first superelliptic transitional shape and the outlet section has a second superelliptic transitional shape and the measurement section has a rectangular form, in particular having rounded corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: SICK ENGINEERING GMBH
    Inventors: Eric Starke, Christian Schulz, Mario Künzelmann
  • Patent number: 10429222
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to a system comprising a flow sensor assembly. The flow sensor assembly includes a housing defining a flow channel. The flow channel has an inlet serpentine portion fluidly coupled to an inlet port, and an outlet serpentine portion fluidly coupled to an outlet port. The housing further defines a sensor chamber fluidly coupling the inlet serpentine portion to the outlet serpentine portion, where the sensor chamber has a split planar region. The flow sensor assembly further includes a sensor die located proximate to the split planar region and configured to sense a measure related to a flow rate of a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jamie Speldrich, Brian Speldrich
  • Patent number: 10371076
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an intake air flow rate measuring device. The intake air flow rate measuring device includes a flange, a casing, a flow rate sensor, a humidity sensing element, an element terminal, and a humidity terminal. The humidity terminal is spaced away from the element terminal. A portion of the casing between the element terminal and the humidity terminal is defined as a suppressing portion, and a cross-section of the suppressing portion is defined as a suppressing portion cross-section. An end portion of the casing close to the flange is defined as a base portion, and a cross-section of the base portion is defined as a base portion cross-section. The suppressing portion cross-section is set to be smaller than the base portion cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keisuke Itakura
  • Patent number: 10274353
    Abstract: A flow sensor includes a tube having a tube wall with a window in it. A thermally-conductive base covers the window and has mounted to it a heater and a sensor of a hot film anemometer flow sensor. The base is sealed to the window to resist leakage of fluid from the flow path through the window under normal operating pressures. The hot film anemometer flow sensor is used to measure fluid flow through the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: A. O. SMITH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew W. Critchley, Charles J. Koehler, III
  • Patent number: 10254142
    Abstract: The invention relates to a flow sensor (1) and a method for determining the presence of a gas bubble (G) in a liquid (L) flowing through the flow sensor (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: SENSIRION AG
    Inventors: Stefan Kostner, Lukas Mahler, Niculin Saratz
  • Patent number: 10189700
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) chip with a self-contained fluid sensor and method of making the chip. The sensor is in a conduit formed between a semiconductor substrate and a non-conductive cap with fluid entry and exit points through the cap. The conduit may be entirely in the cap, in the substrate or in both. The conduit includes encased temperature sensors at both ends and a central encased heater. The temperature sensors may each include multiple encased diodes and the heater may include multiple encased resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: George Manos, Manuel A. Balvin, Michael P. Callahan
  • Patent number: 10139256
    Abstract: A MEMS flow sensor is provided having a micro flow channel etched in a silicon structure composed of two silicon substrates bonded or fused together. A heater and one or more temperature sensors are, in one embodiment, disposed around the perimeter of the flow channel and outside of the channel. In another embodiment, a heater and one or more temperature sensors are respectively disposed outside the flow channel at the top and bottom of the channel. In further embodiments, a heater and one or more temperature sensors are located inside the flow channel on one or more surfaces thereof or around the inside perimeter of the channel. The flow sensors in accordance with the invention are preferably fabricated using wafer scale fabrication techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ACEINNA, INC.
    Inventors: Yang Zhao, Ohlan Silpachai, Francis Man, Zhengxin Zhao
  • Patent number: 10078017
    Abstract: A radio circuit includes an adjustable RF front-end module on an IC die, a liquid MEMS component on a board, and a processing module on the IC die. The adjustable RF front-end module adjusts processing of an inbound or an outbound RF signal based on a compensation control signal. The liquid MEMS component changes an operational characteristic as temperature of the radio circuit varies. The processing module generates the compensation signal based on the changing of the operational characteristic of the liquid MEMS component. The liquid MEMS component includes a channel within the board, a liquid droplet contained within the channel, and one or more conductive elements proximal to the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES GENERAL IP (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD
    Inventor: Ahmadreza Rofougaran
  • Patent number: 10077186
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (“IC”) package comprising an IC die having a top surface and a bottom surface, an elongate member having opposite first and second end portions and a mid portion. The mid portion is positioned proximate the top surface of the IC die. The IC package also includes an encapsulant block having a top surface, a bottom surface and opposite first and second lateral side surfaces. The encapsulant block encapsulates the IC die and the elongate member. Either or both of the first and second end portions of the elongate member are exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Makoto Shibuya, Luu Nguyen, Noboru Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 10073921
    Abstract: A thermal air data (TAD) sensor comprising a heat dissipating plate including a first surface and a second surface, the heat dissipating plate having a temperature maintained at the constant temperature. The heat dissipating plate is configured to be located at a first location with the first surface flush with an exterior surface of a vehicle. A temperature controller is provided to control the temperature of the heat dissipating plate to maintain the constant temperature during flight of the vehicle and is configured to calculate a value of power to maintain the heat dissipating plate at the constant temperature. An ambient air temperature sensor is to be located at a second location flush with the exterior surface of the vehicle and being paired with the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nathan R. Richardson
  • Patent number: 10031003
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a system in a wafer for measuring an absolute and a relative pressure includes etching a shallow and a deep cavity in the wafer. A top wafer is applied and the top wafer is thinned for forming a first respectively second membrane over the shallow respectively deep cavity, and for forming in the top wafer first respectively second bondpads at the first respectively second membrane resulting in a first respectively second sensor. Back grinding the wafer results in an opened deep cavity and a still closed shallow cavity. The first bondpads of the first sensor measure an absolute pressure and the second bondpads of the second sensor measure a relative pressure. The etching in the first step defines the edges of the first membrane and of the second membrane in respectively the sensors formed from the shallow and the deep cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES NV, X-FAB SEMICONDUCTOR FOUNDRIES AG
    Inventors: Appolonius Jacobus Van Der Wiel, Uwe Schwarz, Rudi De Winter
  • Patent number: 10012522
    Abstract: A thermal-type flowmeter includes a chip package. The chip package is formed through encapsulation with a resin of a sensor element, a drive circuit, a metal lead frame adapted to have mounted thereon the sensor element and the drive circuit, and a temperature detecting element. The chip package has an exposed structure in which a surface of the sensor element having the diaphragm is exposed. The temperature detecting element is mounted on the lead frame via an electrically conductive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Tokuyasu, Shinobu Tashiro, Keiji Hanzawa, Takeshi Morino, Ryosuke Doi