07th week of 2012 patent applcation highlights part 18 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20120038313 | Fuel Cell Based Hybrid Electric Renewable Micro Power Pack - A fuel cell based hybrid power pack is disclosed. In one aspect, a device includes an energy storage unit operatively coupled to a load of a battery operated device for delivering electric energy to the load, where the battery operated device operates based on the electric energy supplied to the load. The device also includes fuel cell unit coupled to the energy storage unit for replenishing electric energy consumed by the load from the energy storage unit. The energy storage unit is charged when not being charged using an external power source. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038314 | Electric Vehicle Extended Range Hybrid Battery Pack System - A power source comprised of a first battery pack (e.g., a non-metal-air battery pack) and a second battery pack (e.g., a metal-air battery pack) is provided, wherein the second battery pack is only used as required by the state-of-charge (SOC) of the first battery pack or as a result of the user selecting an extended range mode of operation. Minimizing use of the second battery pack prevents it from undergoing unnecessary, and potentially lifetime limiting, charge cycles. The second battery pack may be used to charge the first battery pack or used in combination with the first battery pack to supply operational power to the electric vehicle. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038315 | MONITOR FOR CHARGING SERIES CONNECTED BATTERIES - A plurality of serially connectable lithium based batteries provide power to a load upon actuation of a user operated switch. Upon actuation of the user operated switch, additional switches intermediate adjacent batteries close to serially connect the batteries to one another and a load. A signal from the load maintains these additional switches closed. A charging circuit is associated with each battery to charge the batteries in parallel upon opening the additional switches. Sensors for temperature, current and various other parameters provide signals to one or more controllers to prevent damage upon the presence of a fault indication signal. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038316 | BATTERY CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUE ACCOUNTING FOR OFFSET ERROR - The present invention provides a system and method for operating a rechargeable battery, the system comprising: current maintaining device for maintaining a predetermined current to the rechargeable battery until the rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined maximum voltage; voltage maintaining device for maintaining a predetermined voltage to the rechargeable battery until a predetermined minimum current is delivered to the rechargeable battery; determining device for determining a cyclical charge value delivered to the rechargeable battery by the current maintaining device and the voltage maintaining device during a cycle; and a correction device for correcting the determining device when charge is not being delivered to the rechargeable battery, on the basis of the charge value. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038317 | WIRELESS CHARGING SYSTEM - Disclosed herein is a wireless charging system, including: a primary device that includes a power transmitter adapted to transmit power wirelessly; and a secondary device that includes a power receiver adapted to receive power transmitted wirelessly from the power transmitter, wherein the secondary device also includes a sensor adapted to detect any anomaly in the power transmission path between the power transmitter and receiver. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038318 | ONBOARD NETWORK FOR A VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR SAVING ENERGY - The invention relates to an onboard network ( | 2012-02-16 |
20120038319 | ELECTRIC VEHICLE STRUCTURE - An electric vehicle structure is provided with a charging port, an electric charging harness and an intermediate connector. The charging port is configured to be provided on a portion of a vehicle. The electric charging harness includes a first wiring portion electrically connected to the charging port and a second wiring portion configured to be connected to an electrical component of the vehicle. The intermediate connector releasably connects the first wiring portion of the electric charging harness to the second wiring portion of the electric charging harness with a repeatable connecting and disconnecting connection. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038320 | Battery Charger and Battery Charging Method - Charging is started with charge voltage set to a first voltage value (lower than a normal charge voltage) by a charge voltage change means, the first voltage value being predetermined to ensure that secondary batteries constituting a parallel-arrangement battery pack are charged up to and maintained at a predetermined SOC lower than full charge (between 80 and 90% of full charge). When a charge current detection means detects that charge current has decreased to a predetermined value A | 2012-02-16 |
20120038321 | DETECTING MODULE FOR A BATTERY EQUALIZER AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A BATTERY EQUALIZER - A detecting module is for detecting a battery equalizer of a power supply device. The detecting module includes a current detecting unit, a drive circuit, and a control circuit. The current detecting unit is to be coupled to the battery equalizer and a battery set of the power supply device, and generates an output based on detected current flow through the battery equalizer. The drive circuit is to be coupled to the battery equalizer for driving operation of the battery equalizer. The control circuit is coupled to the drive circuit and the current detecting unit, controls the drive circuit to drive operation of the battery equalizer and determines, according to the output of the current detecting circuit, whether the battery equalizer is in a normal operating state. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038322 | Rechargeable Battery Management - Systems and methods for adjusting sampling and switching rates of a battery management system are provided. For example, a rate at which different battery cells of a battery cell stack are in communication with an analog to digital converter may be adjusted in response to conditions of a battery cell. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038323 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BALANCING BATTERY CELLS - In a power converter, a primary winding receives an input power. In addition, multiple secondary windings transform the input power into multiple charging currents to charge a set of cells via a set of paths. The multiple secondary windings further balance the set of cells based on the charging currents. A ratio between a first turn number of a first secondary winding of the secondary windings and a second turn number of a second secondary winding of the secondary windings is determined by a nominal voltage ratio between two corresponding cells of the set of cells. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038324 | DUAL-CHARGER SYSTEM - A dual-charger system operable to facilitate charging a battery with energy regulated by two chargers connected in parallel to the battery where one charger operates according to a voltage regulation mode and the other of the two chargers operates according to a current regulation mode. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038325 | CHARGE CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SECONDARY BATTERY MODULE - A battery charger | 2012-02-16 |
20120038326 | MOTOR VEHICLE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - In the case that an auxiliary such as the air conditioner is operated with electric power from the commercial power supply by controlling the charger prior to the system startup and the inter-terminal voltage of the battery is more than or equal to the threshold value Vref that is a voltage where there is a possibility of overcharging the battery when the battery is charged, the supply voltage of the electric power supplied from the charger is set to the voltage that is a little smaller than the threshold value, and the auxiliary is operated with the electric power from the battery and the electric power from the charger. This arrangement enables to prevent overcharging the battery and to operate the auxiliary in the case that an auxiliary such as the air conditioner is operated with electric power from the commercial power supply by controlling the charger prior to the system startup. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038327 | HYBRID WORKING MACHINE - A motor generator operates as a generator and a motor. A converter switches a discharge state where power is supplied from a capacitor to the motor generator and a charge state where the capacitor is charged by the power generated from the motor generator. Electric power that is output from the capacitor in the discharge state and electric power that is input to the capacitor in the charge state are controlled. A capacitor voltmeter measures a terminal-terminal voltage of the capacitor. A capacitor ammeter measures charge/discharge current of the capacitor. The measurement result is input from the capacitor voltmeter and the capacitor ammeter to a controller. The controller controls the converter based on the measurement result. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038328 | Systems and Methods for Charging Super Capacitors - Systems and methods are provided for charging a super capacitor bank. One method provides for determining a charge voltage for the super capacitor bank, providing a charging current, limiting the charging current according to a corresponding worst case temperature within the super capacitor bank operating temperature range, limiting the charge voltage according to the worst case temperature, and turning off the charging current once the super capacitor bank is charged. One system provides a super capacitor bank for storing energy providing specified power demand to a circuit, a current charger providing charging current to the super capacitor bank, the charging current limited in accordance with a corresponding worst case temperature within the super capacitor bank operating temperature range, a voltage sense circuit to detect the super capacitor bank voltage, and a control to disconnect the current charger from the super capacitor bank once the super capacitor bank is charged. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038329 | System and Method for Controlling the Output Voltage of a Power Supply - A system and method for controlling the output voltage of a power supply that includes a control section and an interconnect section having an output point. A voltage regulator provides a control section voltage, and a current measurement device measures a control section current and generates a current signal. A controller receives the current signal and a voltage command signal representing a desired output voltage at the output point of the interconnect section. The controller generates an adjusted voltage command signal based on the voltage command signal representing the desired output voltage, the current signal, a control section internal resistance and an interconnect section external resistance. The voltage regulator receives the adjusted voltage command signal and provides a control section voltage based thereon in order to supply an output voltage at the output point that is substantially equal to the desired output voltage. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038330 | METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE OF A BOOST CONVERTER COMPOSED OF PLURAL BRIDGE DEVICES - The present invention concerns an apparatus for controlling the output voltage of a boost converter composed of a number n of bridge devices (B, B | 2012-02-16 |
20120038331 | Systems and Methods of Smooth Light Load Operation in a DC/DC Converter - Systems and devices for smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter are presented. The disclosed systems and methods enable smooth discontinuous conduction mode (DCM)/continuous conduction mode (CCM) transition. The disclosed systems and methods of smooth light load operation in a DC/DC converter may also avoid the generation of sub-harmonics during light load operation. In an example embodiment, a rising ramp is used to control the ON time of the converter oscillator, while a falling ramp controls the OFF time. During DCM operation, the minimum value of the falling ramp is clamped. The clamping of the falling ramp ensures a substantially similar level of the error amplifier output in both CCM and DCM and avoids disturbances caused by a difference in the error amplifier outputs between the modes. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038332 | LINEAR VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND CURRENT SENSING CIRCUIT THEREOF - A linear regulator and a current sensing circuit are provided. The linear regulator comprises a pass transistor, a compensation capacitor, a variable resistor, an error amplifier and a current sensing circuit comprising a sense transistor controlled by the error amplifier and a voltage follower coupled with the second terminal of the pass transistor and the second terminal of the sense transistor. The sense transistor receives an input voltage, and generates a sense current proportional to a pass current. The voltage follower controls the voltage at the second terminal of the sense transistor to be the same as that at the second terminal of the pass transistor, and adjusts the resistance of the variable resistor according to the voltages at the second terminal of the pass transistor, the voltage at the second terminal of the sense transistor, and the sense current flowing through the sense transistor. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038333 | Coil-less stepdown power transformer - This invented device uses mainly two circuits; namely, electronic switch and arithmetic average circuit to average the switched on/off source voltage, AC or DC, down to the load-needed lower value. This device is not of a high frequency coil transformer circuit, yet not of a resistive or reactive voltage drop or dividing circuit. The stepdown ratio of this device is soft-adjustable, and hence the voltage stabilization can be easily implemented inside itself. Inherently, the switching device is light, small, and high power efficiency. Theoretically, the high efficiency of this device is because this device has no no-load loss and a load loss=(constant saturation voltage)×(load current) if BJT or IGBT switch used, while the coil transformer has a no-load loss (iron loss) and a load loss (copper loss). This device can replace most coil transformers to economize the use of energy, copper and iron. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038334 | VOLTAGE REGULATOR HAVING AN OUTPUT VOLTAGE AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO A LOAD CURRENT - A voltage regulator includes an adjuster to provide an adjust signal according to its load current to adjust at least one of the feedback signal, the reference signal, the error signal, and the ripple signal of the voltage regulator, to automatically adjust the output voltage. The output voltage increases when the load current increases, and decreases when the load current decreases. Preferably, a CCR voltage regulator according to the present invention will have its PWM frequency varying with its output voltage and thus have better transient performance. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038335 | PULSE MODULATION CIRCUIT AND METHOD - A pulse modulation method for adjusting pulse signals according to a working voltage of a load, the method includes the following steps. The working voltage of the load is detected by a feedback terminal of a PWM controller. Whether the load is a light load or a heavy load is determined, if the load is a light load, a pulse skipping mode is entered; the voltage output to the load is detected by the feedback terminal. Whether the voltage output to the load is normal is determined, if the voltage output to the load is low, the pulse skipping mode is stayed for a number of clock cycles; the voltage output to the load is detected to determine whether the voltage is normal. If the voltage output to the load is still low, the pulse skipping mode is jumped out and a normal working mode is entered. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038336 | DIGITAL PWM CONTROL MODULE - A digital pulse width modulation (PWM) control module for controlling one or more loads includes a transistor operatively connected to and configured to drive one of the loads and a microcontroller programmed to turn the transistor on and off in accordance with a pulse width modulated signal, the pulse width modulated signal comprising a start up delay, a pull in time, and a duty percentage associated with a hold cycle. The control module allows for limiting total current draw by creating a latching type circuit. In addition, a diode bridge may be used to provide polarity protection. Groups of control modules may have an associated delay to assist in reducing rush-in current. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038337 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF A SNUBBER CIRCUIT - An apparatus for controlling operation of a snubber circuit in a system in which an input voltage is processed using at least switches controlled with at least one periodical pattern. The input voltage is applied to the snubber circuit when the operation of the snubber circuit is enabled. The apparatus includes: a mechanism determining a periodical pattern to be used for controlling the switches, the periodical pattern modifying the input voltage; a mechanism disabling the operation of the snubber circuit; a mechanism controlling the switches with the determined periodical pattern; a mechanism checking if the input voltage is compatible with a given value; and a mechanism enabling the operation of the snubber circuit when the input voltage is compatible with the given value. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038338 | OUTPUT CURRENT DETECTION OF A VOLTAGE REGULATOR - For output current detection of a voltage regulator, the currents in a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor of the voltage regulator are sensed and summarized to a summed current to flow through a setting resistor. The voltage variation on the setting resistor is monitored to provide a feedback signal for feedback control in the voltage regulator. This detection scheme removes the current sensing resistor from the charging current path of the voltage regulator to prevent efficiency loss on it, and is much less sensitive to noise interference because greater voltage variation is available by using a greater setting resistor. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038339 | System and Method for Powering an Information Handling System in Multiple Power States - Power is supplied to an information handling system chipset with a single voltage regulator having dual phases. A first phase of the voltage regulator provides power to a low power state power rail in an independent mode to support a low power state, such as a suspend or hibernate state. A second phase of the voltage regulator provides power to a run power state power rail in combination with the first phase by activation of a switch, such as a MOSFET load switch, that connects the low power state power rail and the run power state power rail. Voltage sensed from both power rails is applied to control voltage output so that the run power state power rail is maintained within more precise constraints than the low power state power rail. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038340 | DYNAMIC CONTROL LOOP FOR SWITCHING REGULATORS - Some embodiments regard a method of controlling a regulator having an input voltage and an output voltage, comprising: turning on a first driver; determining a duration ratio having a first time period over the first time period and a second time period; the first time period and the second time period indicating a duration when the first driver and a second driver is on, respectively; generating a second voltage level for the reference voltage based on the duration ratio and a ripple voltage that is a difference between a high threshold voltage and a low threshold voltage; turning off the first driver and turning on the second driver based on a relationship between the second voltage level and a voltage level of the output voltage; turning off the second driver when a current flowing through a node of the output voltage reaches a pre-determined level; and generating a change in the first time period based on the duration ratio and a voltage difference between a peak of the output voltage and the high threshold voltage. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038341 | SWITCHING REGULATOR AND OPERATION CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A non-isolated type switching regulator having an inductor includes: a switch element; a rectification element; an error amplifying circuit section amplifying a voltage difference between a feedback voltage and a first reference voltage and outputting as an error voltage; a first voltage comparison circuit section performing a voltage comparison of a ramp voltage which performs a voltage change set beforehand with the error voltage to be synchronized with the switching of the switch element and producing and outputting a first comparison signal; a second voltage comparison circuit performing a voltage comparison of the error voltage with a second reference voltage and producing and outputting a second comparison signal; an oscillation circuit section starting an oscillation based on the second comparison signal and producing and outputting a clock signal; and a control circuit section performing a switching control of the switch element based on the clock signal and the first comparison signal. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038342 | VOLTAGE REGULATOR FOR MERCHANDISE DISPLAY SECURITY DEVICE - A voltage regulator for a merchandise display security device provides an appropriate operating voltage through a power cable electrically connected between an alarm sensor and an item of merchandise. The voltage regulator utilizes a feedback signal from a power conversion chip and data from a microprocessor look-up table to adjust the input power to the merchandise. The look-up table stores appropriate operating voltage requirements for each power cable used for different types and brands of merchandise. The type and brand of merchandise is identified by the resistance of the power cable and the feedback signal is modified continuously to maintain power to the merchandise at an appropriate operating voltage. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038343 | CONSTANT CURRENT SOURCE AND SOLID IMAGING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - A constant current source has a first current source circuit for outputting a first current; a second current source circuit for outputting a second current according to a reference voltage; a current comparison circuit for comparing magnitudes of the first and second currents; and a current adjustment unit for adjusting a current value of the first current output from the first current source circuit in accordance with a comparison result of the current comparison circuit. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038344 | Low-Noise High Efficiency Bias Generation Circuits and Method - Embodiments of signal bias generators and regulators are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038345 | POWER SUPPLY DEVICE - A power supply device for intrinsically safe power supply of an intrinsically safe load circuit includes a voltage source, a power-limiting circuit including at least two controllable semiconductor devices, a current-limiting circuit including at least one resistor, and a load circuit connector connected to the load circuit. The power-limiting circuit and the current-limiting circuit are active between the voltage source and the load circuit connector. The resistor includes a resistance value that suffices to limit a short circuit current to a current without danger of a spark ignition. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038346 | POWDER FLOW MONITORING USING GROUNDED HOSES - Apparatus and methods for detecting flow of powder coating material in an electrically nonconductive powder hose include providing an electrically conductive material that extends along at least a portion of the length of the hose to collect tribo-charge transfer that is produced by frictional contact between the powder coating material and an interior surface of the hose. The collected tribo-charge transfer is used to produce an electrical current in the electrically conductive material. A circuit detects the current in the electrically conductive material and produces an output that indicates whether powder coating material is flowing through the hose. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038347 | AUTOMATIC DETERMINATION OF THE POSITION OF AN OBJECT - The disclosure relates to a method for analysis of magnetic fields or signals used for the determination of the position of an object, wherein two temporally to each other shifted magnetic signals or fields are generated by two conductors arranged at least in part or completely separated from each other. The magnetic fields generated by the conductors are consecutively being captured by at least one and preferably three sensors arranged orthogonally to each other and determining from the captured signals information for determining the position of the object carrying the sensors relative to the conductors. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038348 | ANGLE DETECTION APPARATUS AND POSITION DETECTION APPARATUS - An angle detection apparatus comprising a magnet rotor having a multi-pole segment magnet, and a magnetic sensor for detecting the direction of a magnetic flux generated from the multi-pole segment magnet; the multi-pole segment magnet having pluralities of magnetic poles along the rotation direction of the magnet rotor, the magnetic sensor comprising a magnetosensitive plane having pluralities of spin-valve, giant-magnetoresistive devices each having a pinned layer having a fixed magnetization direction and a free layer having a magnetization direction rotating in response to the magnetic flux direction; and the magnetic sensor being positioned relative to the magnet rotor, such that the magnetosensitive plane crosses the magnetic flux, with perpendicular magnetic flux density components having different amplitudes on the magnetosensitive plane. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038349 | Triple Hall Effect Sensor Absolute Angular Encoder - The present invention is an array of three Hall Effect sensors placed at specific positions around a permanent magnet attached to a rotor or a magnetic rotor. The purpose of an absolute encoder is to provide the precise angular position of the rotor at any time. A magnetic absolute encoder uses sensors that read magnetic field values. The present invention is a novel design in the field of absolute encoders that increases encoder accuracy and resolution while avoiding the high cost that accompanies sophisticated sensors. This invention is a simple, effective and affordable solution to collect and process sensor information to determine rotor position. The position of the rotor can be determined to an accuracy of one degree. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038350 | POSITION SENSOR - A position sensor, preferably an angle sensor for detecting the rotational angle of a shaft. The position sensor has a lead frame on which the electronic components of the position sensor are arranged and to which they are electrically connected A plastic encapsulation enclosing at least the electronic components, thereby forming a sensor module with the lead frame, and a plurality of electrical connections of the sensor module which are formed by the lead frame and a carrier module accommodating the sensor module. The carrier module has electrical connections connected to the electrical connections of the sensor module in an electrically conducting manner. The carrier module has at least two domes between which the sensor module is arranged. The respective free ends of the domes are deformed in such manner that the sensor module is clamped fixed in its position. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038351 | ROTATING FIELD SENSOR - A field generation unit generates a rotating magnetic field including a first partial magnetic field in a first position and a second partial magnetic field in a second position. The first and second partial magnetic fields differ in direction by 180° and rotate in the same direction of rotation. A first detection unit located in the first position has first and second detection circuits whose output signals differ in phase by ¼ the period. A second detection unit located in the second position has third and fourth detection circuits whose output signals differ in phase by ¼ the period. A detected value of the angle that the direction of the rotating magnetic field in a reference position forms with respect to a reference direction is calculated based on a first signal generated from the output signals of the first and third detection circuits and a second signal generated from the output signals of the second and fourth detection circuits. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038352 | Sensor Package and Method of Manufacturing Thereof - A sensor package and a method for manufacturing a sensor package are disclosed. An embodiment comprises a sensor and a conductive line, wherein the sensor is arranged proximate to the conductive line. The sensor and the conductive line are isolated and at least partially encapsulated. A soft magnet is arranged in, on and/or around the encapsulation, wherein the soft magnet comprises a composition of an insulating material and a material having soft magnetic properties. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038353 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MEASURING SURFACE TEMPERATURE OF CAST PIECE - A cast piece surface temperature measuring device includes: a magnetic field exciting device which applies an AC magnetic field substantially perpendicular to a surface of a cast piece; a magnetic field detecting device which detects the AC magnetic field to detect a magnetic flux varied in response to a surface temperature of the cast piece; and a surface temperature deriving device which derives the surface temperature of the cast piece based on an induced electromotive force obtained by detecting the AC magnetic field by the magnetic field detecting device and a predetermined relation data. The magnetic field exciting device includes a solenoidal excitation coil, the magnetic field detecting device includes a solenoidal detection coil interposed between the surface of the cast piece and the excitation coil, and the relation data indicates a correspondence relationship between the surface temperature of the cast piece and the induced electromotive force in a temperature range including a predetermined Curie point. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038354 | LINEAR STRUCTURE INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - An apparatus is provided for sensing anomalies in a long electrically conductive object to be inspected. The object may be a pipeline, or other hollow tube. The apparatus may have a magnetic field generator, and an array of sensors spaced about the field generator. As relative motion in the longitudinal direction occurs between the apparatus and the object to be inspected, the moving magnetic field, or flux, passed from the field generator into the object to be inspected may tend to cause eddy currents to flow in the object. The sensors may be spaced both axially and circumferentially to permit variation in magnetic flux, or eddy current divergence, to be sensed as a function of either or both of axial position relative to the wave front of the magnetic field (or, effectively equivalently any other known datum such as the radial plane of the midpoint of the field generator), and circumferential position about the periphery of the apparatus as measured from an angular datum. Post processing calculation may then tend to permit inferences to be drawn about the location, size, size, shape, and perhaps nature, of anomalies in the object. The sensors, and possibly the entire field generator, may be maintained at a standoff distance from the object to be inspected, as by a sealed housing such as may protect the sensors and reduce the need for and cost of maintenance. The field generator may include two primary poles of like nature held in a non-touching back to back orientation, and may include secondary magnetic circuits placed to bias the flux of the primary magnetic circuit into a more focussed shape with respect to the object to be inspected. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038355 | MAGNETIC SENSOR AND MAGNETIC DETECTION APPARATUS - A magnetic sensor is provided with a channel of a semiconductor, a first insulating film and a metal body arranged opposite to each other with the channel in between, a ferromagnet provided on the first insulating film, a first reference electrode connected to the metal body, a second reference electrode connected to the metal body, a magnetic shield covering a portion opposed to the ferromagnet in the channel, and a second insulating film provided between the channel and the magnetic shield. The magnetic shield has a through hole extending toward the portion opposed to the ferromagnet in the channel. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038356 | Methods and Apparatuses for Low-Noise Magnetic Sensors - Magnetic sensors are disclosed, as well as methods for fabricating and using the same. In some embodiments, an EMR effect sensor includes a semiconductor layer. In some embodiments, the EMR effect sensor may include a conductive layer substantially coupled to the semiconductor layer. In some embodiments, the EMR effect sensor may include a first voltage lead coupled to the semiconductor layer. In some embodiments, the first voltage lead may be configured to provide a voltage for measurement by a voltage measurement circuit. In some embodiments, the EMR effect sensor may include a second voltage lead coupled to the conductive layer. In some embodiments, the second voltage lead may be configured to provide a voltage for measurement by a voltage measurement circuit. Embodiments of a Hall effect sensor having the same or similar structure are also disclosed. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038357 | TIRE METALLIC CABLE ANOMALY DETECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS - Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for detecting anomalies in cables within a tire structure. A plurality of magnetic field sensitive sensors are aligned within a magnetic field provided by a magnet. The alignment of sensors and magnet is such that flux lines from the magnet are generally parallel to the plane occupied by the magnetic sensors. A tire cable anomaly present between the magnetic field sensitive sensors produces a detectable difference in signals produced by the magnetic field sensitive sensors as a result of the formation of perpendicular flux patterns produced by the anomaly. A signal processing circuit receiving input signals from the sensors evaluates differences between the signals from each of the plurality of sensors by pairing the output signal from each sensor with the output signal from each of the others of the plurality of sensors and produces an output signal upon the differences meeting selected criteria. The output signal may include an externally measurable signal and/or may include a visual signal indicating presence of a tire anomaly. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038358 | ULTRA-SENSITIVE MAGNETOIMPEDANCE SENSOR - Provided is a magnetoimpedance (MI) sensor having a high magnetic sensor sensitivity and a wide measurement range. The MI sensor comprises an MI element, an electric current supply unit and a signal processing circuit. The MI element comprises a magnetosensitive wire formed of an amorphous soft magnetic alloy having zero magnetostriction, and a detection coil provided around the magnetosensitive wire with an electric insulator disposed therebetween, thereby detecting voltage generated at the detection coil and corresponding to an external magnetic field upon application of a high frequency electric current to the magnetosensitive wire. The electric current supply unit supplies the high frequency electric current to the MI element. The signal processing circuit processes an output signal from the detection coil. In this MI sensor, the magnetosensitive wire has at least a surface layer in which spins are aligned in a circumferential direction of the wire, and the high frequency electric current has a frequency in the range of 0.3 to 1.0 GHz inclusive. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038359 | ROTATING FIELD SENSOR - A field generation unit generates a rotating magnetic field including a first partial magnetic field in a first position and a second partial magnetic field in a second position. The first and second partial magnetic fields differ in direction by 180° and rotate in the same direction of rotation. A first detection unit detects, in the first position, a first angle that the direction of a first applied field forms with respect to a first direction. The first applied field includes the first partial magnetic field as its main component. A second detection unit detects, in the second position, a second angle that the direction of a second applied field forms with respect to a second direction. The second applied field includes the second partial magnetic field as its main component. A detected value of the angle that the direction of the rotating magnetic field in a reference position forms with respect to a reference direction is calculated based on detected values of the first and second angles. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038360 | CURRENT AND MAGNETIC FIELD SENSORS, CONTROL METHOD AND MAGNETIC CORE FOR SAID SENSORS - The invention relates to a magnetic field sensor including at least one magnetic core ( | 2012-02-16 |
20120038361 | RECEIVER COIL TO MEASURE X-NUCLEI SIGNALS AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE APPARATUS WITH SUCH A RECEIVER COIL - A reception coil, in particular local coil, to measure X-nuclei signals in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, has at least one filter connected in a first signal path to filter out radio-frequency pulses radiated by a transmission coil during a measurement, and a second signal path bypassing the filter. At least one switching arrangement is provided to switch between these signal paths. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038362 | Method and Apparatus for Offshore Hydrocarbon Electromagnetic Prospecting based on Circulation of Magnetic Field Derivative Measurements - A system for offshore hydrocarbon electromagnetic prospecting is described. The system includes a transmitter generating electromagnetic energy and injecting an electrical current into a flooded vertical cable. The circulated induced vertical current time derivative's response generated by this current in the medium is measured by a circular chain of magnetometers. The measured response which is sensitive to the resistivity of targets is proposed to be used to search for and identify hydrocarbons reservoirs. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038363 | System and Method of Quantifying Color and Intensity of Light Sources - A system and method of quantifying color and intensity of light sources including LEDs, HBLEDs (High Brightness LEDs), and other Solid State Lights (SSLs) using C-parameters to model a Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) to improve precision, accuracy, repeatability and usefulness of measurement of optical properties of wavelength and radiant flux in manufacturing of an object, designing products and processes that use the object, and describing/defining the object, is provided. In one embodiment, a method of characterizing a Solid State Light (SSL) source includes a SSL source under test (DUT), a Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) of light emission of the SSL source, a curve-fitting function, a set of configuration data comprising the order of the curve-fitting function, the number of nodes, wavelength boundary limits, saturation threshold, and noise floor threshold, a computing device for curve-fitting, node detection, iteration and program control and inputting and outputting data; and a set of C-Parameters, noise parameters, and confidence values. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038364 | Circuit for Monitoring of Accumulator Cells Connected in Series - In one embodiment, a circuit includes a measuring circuit coupled to an accumulator cell. A first output of the measuring circuit outputs a current signal based on a cell voltage of the accumulator cell. The circuit includes an interface circuit coupled to the first output of the measuring circuit and a second output of a level-shifter circuit configured to change a voltage level on the first output at the interface circuit. The level-shifter circuit includes a first input coupled to the first output and one or more transistors coupled in series with one or more gate terminals that are each coupled to each of one or more terminals of the accumulator cell. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038365 | LIQUID LEAKAGE PROPAGATION RESTRAINING STRUCTURE FOR ELECTRICITY STORAGE DEVICE AND BUS BAR MODULE - In a liquid leakage propagation restraining structure, a voltage detection terminal that detects the voltage of an electricity storage device is connected to an electrode of the electricity storage device so that a crimp contact surface side of the voltage detection terminal to which an electric cable is crimped faces in the direction opposite the direction to the electrode. Therefore, the structure restrains the electrolytic solution that has leaked out and propagated to the electric cable from entering the interior of the core wire of the electric cable. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038366 | System and Method for Detecting Sensor Leakage - A test system for testing a sensor system includes a high-impedance resistor for forming a voltage divider with any corrosion or foreign substance that might be present between a signal conductor and a ground conductor. While a voltage is applied across the voltage divider, the voltage can be measured across the high-impedance resistor for determining whether an undesirable amount of conductance exists between the signal wire and ground. The test system also includes switching means for switching between any number of signal wires of a system undergoing testing. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038367 | CONNECTION QUALITY VERIFICATION FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TEST - An integrated circuit device comprising a semiconductor die contained in a package. The integrated circuit device includes one or more internal connection verification modules for asserting a poor connection signal for the test apparatus in response to a voltage difference between a voltage at a corresponding internal power supply node and a reference voltage, the voltage difference being indicative of a poor connection of power supply to one of power supply terminals on the package. The test apparatus can include an indicator or a sorting element for rejecting or accepting the integrated circuit device in response to logic signals indicative of the presence or absence of a defect accompanied by non-assertion of the poor connection signal, and for processing the integrated circuit device distinctively in response to assertion of the poor connection signal. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038368 | System and Method For Performing Electrical Impedance Tomography - An electrode array, a system and a method for reconstructing the distribution of electrical properties within a multi-material object. One embodiment includes electrodes arranged along a three-dimensional helical path to provide one or more helical arrays and circuitry to measure signals for calculating a conductivity or admittivity distribution representative of the interior of the structure. Image data may be obtained which is representative of the multi-material region. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038369 | TIME-DOMAIN MEASUREMENTS IN A TEST AND MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENT - A test and measurement instrument and method for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, digitizing the RF signal using an analog-to-digital converter, downconverting the digitized signal to produce I (in-phase) and Q (quadrature) baseband component information, generating one or more IQ-based time-domain traces using the I and Q baseband component information, and measuring and displaying a variety of measurement values of the IQ-based time-domain traces. The IQ-based time-domain measurement values can be automatically generated and displayed, and/or transmitted to an external device. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038370 | METHOD FOR FREQUENCY DETECTION AND DETECTING VARIATION OF FREQUENCY - Method for frequency detection and detecting variation of frequency is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. First of all, a pointer is provided over an electromagnetic position detection apparatus, wherein the pointer emits an electromagnetic signal with a frequency f | 2012-02-16 |
20120038371 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR A NONDESTRUCTIVE ON-LINE TESTING OF SAMPLES - A non-destructive on-line system for detecting a presence of a material in a sample of a substance, including: an MRI device; a flow conduit encompassed by the tunable RF coil of the MRI device and having an input duct and an output duct; a flow of the sample through the flow conduit; a signal detector for detecting frequency-dependent output signals from the MRI device as a function of a frequency variation of the RF tunable coil within a frequency range of an RF resonant frequency of a standard sample of the substance, and a processing unit. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038372 | MICROMECHANICAL COMPONENT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR A MICROMECHANICAL COMPONENT - A micromechanical component is described having a substrate which has a movable mass which is connected via at least one spring to the substrate so that the movable mass is displaceable with respect to the substrate, and at least one fixedly mounted stator electrode. The movable mass and the at least one spring are structured from the substrate. At least one separating trench which at least partially surrounds the movable mass is formed in the substrate. The at least one stator electrode is situated adjacent to an outer surface of the movable mass which is at least partially surrounded by the separating trench, with the aid of at least one supporting connection which connects the at least one stator electrode to an anchor situated on the substrate and spans a section of the separating trench. Also described is a manufacturing method for a micromechanical component. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038373 | APPARATUS FOR ESTIMATING FUEL-CELL HYDROGEN CONCENTRATION AND FUEL CELL SYSTEM - A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, an impedance measuring instrument, and a control device. The control device is connected to the impedance measuring instrument. The impedance measuring instrument measures the impedance of the fuel cell according to the AC impedance method. The control device stores in advance a reference value corresponding to a reference hydrogen concentration. The control device compares the real part Z′ of impedance acquired via the impedance measuring instrument against the reference value. When Z′ is equal to or greater than the reference value, the control device estimates the hydrogen concentration of the fuel cell to be equal to or less than the reference hydrogen concentration. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038374 | MECHANISMS FOR DETECTING EXPOSURE TO WATER IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE - A component carrier has formed therein a water sensor, having a first patterned conductor piece formed in a metal layer of the component carrier and a bridge being an amount of water-soluble conductive glue filling an electrically insulating gap between the patterned conductor piece and another conductor in the carrier. This forms a conductive path between the patterned conductor piece and the another conductor. A sensing circuit is coupled to detect changes in impedance of the path. In another embodiment, a discrete component has a pair of terminals with a bridge being an amount of water-soluble conductive glue filling the electrically insulating gap between the terminals to form a conductive path whose impedance changes in response to coming into contact with a sufficient amount of water. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038375 | ELECTRODE ARRANGEMENT FOR MONITORING A BED - Equipment for indicating a bed-wetting in a bed comprising a bed-wetter sheet and a measuring- and control system. A measuring circuit is furnished to test whether the electrode in the bed-wetter sheet are intact, and afterwards to measure the conductivity in the normal state between the two from each other electrically isolated electrodes whereby the conductivity between the two electrodes will fall drastically by a bed-wetting, human fluids containing salt being spread on the sheet, and indicate the bed-wetting. The measuring circuit is furnished to as a part of a routine to enter into a resting state whereby the measurement is performed with a prearranged fixed time interval. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038376 | Local Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (LEIS) for Detecting Coating Defects in Buried Pipelines - A system and associated methods for acquiring and analyzing LEIS data from a buried structure, such as a pipeline. A special probe having adjustable electrodes is placed in the soil above the structure. A voltage is applied to the structure, causing more current to emanate from a coating defect than from intact coating. The probe electrodes acquire a response signal, which is analyzed to detect the defect. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038377 | CORROSION SENSORS - Corrosion sensor apparatus are disclosed for detection of contamination affecting metal based components and devices. For example, an apparatus comprises: a set of corrosion sensor elements comprising a first corrosion sensor element and at least a second corrosion element, each corrosion sensor element being coupled between a source and a monitor, wherein a width of the first corrosion sensor element is different than a width of the second corrosion sensor element, wherein each corrosion sensor element is susceptible to corrosion caused by an operating environment of the corrosion sensor elements; and a set of reference elements comprising a first reference sensor element and at least a second reference sensor element, each reference sensor element being coupled between the source and the monitor, wherein a width of the first reference sensor element is substantially equal to the width of the first corrosion sensor element and a width of the second reference sensor element is substantially equal to the width of the second corrosion sensor element, wherein each reference sensor element is not substantially susceptible to corrosion caused by the operating environment of the corrosion sensor elements. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038378 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING CLOCK - A clock supplying device for supplying a clock signal to be used in an operation of a communication apparatus, includes an oscillator for generating the clock signal; a measurement unit for acquiring a reference clock signal extracted from a transmission line connected to the communication apparatus, and measuring a frequency difference between the clock signal and the reference clock signal; and a determiner for determining whether a warm-up operation of the oscillator unit has been completed or not, in accordance with measurement results of the frequency difference and a status of power supplying. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038379 | PROBES FORMED FROM SEMICONDUCTOR REGION VIAS - Embodiments of the invention describe forming a set of probes using semiconductor regions each including a plurality of vias. A first set of probe segments may be formed from a first set of vias on a first semiconductor region. A second set of probe segments may be formed from a second set of vias on a second semiconductor region and bonded to the first set of probe segments. At least one spring comprising a dielectric material may be formed to couple the first set of probe segments, while a set of metal tips disposed on the second set of probe segments. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038380 | ELECTRICAL TESTING APPARATUS - A test apparatus is described that can be useful as test equipment in various applications, including for example testing a semiconductor device. The test apparatus has a circuit board, a probe card, and a card holder. The circuit board includes a contact layout that electrically connects with a probe card at one portion and electrically connects with a probe card holder at another portion. The probe card has probes for electrically contacting a device to be tested, and has a contact configuration that electrically connects with the circuit board. The apparatus allows for electrical signals to be sent to and from the probe card, through the probe card holder and circuit board, in testing a device such as for example a semiconductor device. The circuit board and probe card holder have an attachment structure, configured for example as a notch and catch finger attachment arrangement. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038381 | TEST PROD FOR HIGH-FREQUENCY MEASUREMENT - A test prod for high-frequency measurement having a contact-side end for electrically contacting planar structures and a cable-side end, for connecting to a cable, wherein between the contact-side end and the cable-side end a coplanar conductor structure having at least two conductors is arranged, wherein on the coplanar conductor structure a dielectric is arranged over a predetermined section between the cable-side end and the contact-side end, wherein the test prod is between the dielectric and the contact-side end such that the conductors of the coplanar conductor structure are arranged freely in space and relative to the dielectric in a suspending manner, wherein on one side of the test prod facing towards the planar structure a shielding element is arranged extending into the area of the coplanar conductor structure. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038382 | PROBE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME - A probe includes a plurality of boards each of which has a plurality of magnets, a plurality of the boards include a first board and a second board laid on the first board, a plurality of the magnets include a plurality of first magnets provided with the first board and a plurality of second magnets provided with the second board and arranged so as to respectively face a plurality of the first magnets, and the first magnet and the second magnet facing each other are provided so that mutually different magnetic poles face each other. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038383 | DIRECT-DOCKING PROBING DEVICE - A direct-docking probing device is provided. The probing device includes a probe interface board, a space transformer, a conductive elastic member, a fixing frame, and at least one vertical probe assembly. The space transformer includes a space transforming plate and a reinforcing plate, and the mechanical strength of the reinforcing plate is larger than that of the space transforming plate. The reinforcing plate is electrically connected with the space transforming plate. Furthermore, the conductive elastic member is electrically connected with the probe interface board and the reinforcing plate. The fixing frame includes a stiffener, a frame body, and a pressing portion. The stiffener is disposed on the probe interface board. The frame body contains the conductive elastic member. The pressing portion is pressed on the space transformer. The vertical probe assembly includes a plurality of vertical probes which are electrically connected with the space transforming plate. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038384 | PROBE BOARD AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME - There are provided a probe board and a method of manufacturing the same. The probe board includes a ceramic substrate having an uneven portion in one surface thereof, one or more electrode pads placed on the uneven portion, and a buffer portion placed along an outer circumferential surface of each of the electrode pads, the buffer portion being formed by melting the ceramic substrate. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038385 | IN-PROCESS MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - An in-process measurement apparatus can be used to determine characteristics of a photovoltaic module. Capacitance measurements of the photovoltaic module are conducted before, during, or after execution of a high-potential leakage test, a performance test, or other tests of the module. The capacitance measurements are used to determine the characteristics of the photovoltaic module, including information regarding depletion width, doping density, film layer thickness, trap concentrations and absorber thickness. The apparatus can also be used to ensure that photovoltaic modules conform to product specifications. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038386 | LATCH CIRCUIT - A latch circuit includes a feedback circuit having inverter circuits and at least two input terminals and an input circuit for inputting input signals or signals having the same phase as the input signals to the input terminals of the feedback circuit in synchronization with a clock signal. In the feedback circuit section, only when the input signals or the signals having the same phase as the input signals are input to the at least two input terminals at the same time, positive feedback using a predetermined number of amplification stages is applied to the input terminals. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038387 | SPIN TORQUE MAGNETIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS AND DEVICES THEREFOR - Spin torque magnetic integrated circuits and devices therefor are described. In an example, a spin torque magnetic device for a logic circuit includes a majority gate structure. An output is coupled to the majority gate structure. Three inputs are also coupled to the majority gate structure. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038388 | RC Delay Detectors with High Sensitivity for Through Substrate Vias - A die includes a plurality of through-substrate vias (TSVs) penetrating a substrate of the die, wherein the plurality of TSVs are grouped as a plurality of TSV pairs. A plurality of contact pads is coupled to the plurality of TSVs, wherein the plurality of contact pads is exposed on a first surface of the die. The die further includes a plurality of balanced pulse comparison units, wherein each of the plurality of balanced pulse comparison units includes a first input and a second input coupled to a first TSV and a second TSV of one of the plurality of TSV pairs. The die further includes a plurality of pulse latches, each including an input coupled to an output of one of the plurality of balanced pulse comparison units. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038389 | INTERFACE CIRCUIT - An interface circuit electronically connects a processor and a card reader. The interface circuit includes a clock circuit, a reset circuit, and an I/O circuit. The clock circuit may transmit a clock signal transmitted from the processor to the card reader, and includes a first bipolar junction transistor (BJT). The reset circuit may transmit a reset signal transmitted from the processor to the card reader, and includes a second BJT. The I/O circuit may transmit data transmitted from the processor to the card reader, and includes a third BJT and a fourth BJT. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038390 | GIGABIT-SPEED SLICER LATCH WITH HYSTERESIS OPTIMIZATION - Improved master latch for high-speed slicer providing enhanced input signal sensitivity. A pre-charging circuit injects charge into the sources of the differential pair of a latch that samples the input signal during odd clock cycles. This reduces the gate-to-source voltage of the sampling pair, making them less sensitive to data bits latched by a second parallel master latch in odd clock cycles. The injected charge dissipates before the sampling pair is needed to fully sample the input signal in even clock cycles. The pre-charging circuit includes a current mirror, a current source and a transistor that couples the current source to the current mirror during odd clock cycles. A shunt peaked amplifier with excess peaking boosts the high-frequency content of a differential input signal relative to its low-frequency content. Capacitors cross-couple the gates and drains of the differential sampling pair. These supply an equal but opposite gate current than supplied by the intrinsic gate-to-drain capacitance, thereby reducing net current to the gate, and jitter on the input signal. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038391 | TRANSISTOR MODULE AND TRANSISTOR DRIVING MODULE - The present invention discloses a transistor driving module, coupling to a converting controller, to driving a high side transistor and a low side transistor connected in series, wherein one end of the high side transistor is coupled to an input voltage and one end of the low side transistor is grounded. The transistor driving module comprises a high side driving unit, a low side driving unit, a current limiting unit and an anti-short through unit. The high side driving unit generates a high side driving signal to turn the high side transistor on according to a duty cycle signal, and the low side driving unit generates a low side driving signal turn the low side transistor on according to the high side driving signal. The current limiting unit is coupled to the high side transistor and the high side driving unit, and generates a current limiting signal when a current flowing through the high side transistor higher than a current limiting value. The high side driving unit is stopped to generate the high side driving signal when receiving the current limiting value. The anti-short through unit is coupled to the high side driving unit and the low side driving unit to control the generations of the high side driving signal and the low side driving signal to have the timings of the high side driving signal and the low side driving signal non-overlapped. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038392 | DRIVING CIRCUIT OF INSULATED GATE DEVICE - A driving circuit for driving an insulated gate semiconductor device based on a voltage of an externally-inputted gate signal, where the insulated gate semiconductor device has a source, a drain and a gate, and a parasitic capacitor exists between the drain and the gate. The driving circuit includes a gate voltage controlling semiconductor device disposed between, and connecting, the gate and the source of the insulated gate semiconductor device. The gate voltage controlling semiconductor device has a source and a gate, and is driven by a current charging the parasitic capacitor. The driving circuit also includes a pull-up device disposed between, and connecting, the source and the drain of the gate voltage controlling semiconductor device. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038393 | Mode Dependent Driving of the Center Tap in Ethernet Communications - An output stage comprising a current mode line driver, a voltage mode line driver, and a center-tapped transformer for coupling data provided by the line drivers to a transmission line is provided herein. The output stage is configured to operate in a backwards compatible Ethernet communication device. For example, the Ethernet communication device is configured to support 10G Ethernet and legacy Ethernet modes of 10BASE-T, 100BASE-T, and 1000BASE-T. The current mode line driver can be utilized while operating in the 10G Ethernet mode to provide high linearity. The voltage mode line driver can be utilized while operating in legacy mode to conserve power. In order to accommodate the use of two different line drivers, a switch and/or a voltage regulator is used to couple/decouple a dc voltage to a center-tap of the transformer based on which of the two different line drivers is currently active. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038394 | SWITCHING REGULATOR DEVICE AND METHOD WITH ADAPTIVE FREQUENCY FOLDBACK - A device and method for regulating the output of a power circuit is provided, which in one embodiment includes a pulsewidth modulation (PWM) circuit that produces pulses each having a period of at least a minimum duration, a comparator circuit that produces a control signal, a timer initiated at the output of each pulse and operable to expire no later than expiration of twice the minimum pulsewidth duration, and wherein the PWM circuit is operable to reduce the frequency of outputted pulses in response to receiving the control signal having a first state at expiration of the first timer initiated at the output of a first pulse. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038395 | Frequency multiplier system and method of multiplying frequency - A frequency multiplier system, for outputting a single phase clock of N multiplied frequency after processing an inputted clock, N≧2, includes a frequency divider receiving the inputted clock, an interpolator connected with the frequency divider, a phase equalizer connected with the interpolator, and a combinational logic circuit connected with the phase equalizer, wherein the frequency divider outputs an orthogonal clock having a two-phases frequency that is a half of the inputted clock to the interpolator, the interpolator outputs a 2N-phases clock to the phase equalizer, the phase equalizer homogenizes a phase skew of the 2N-phases clock, the combinational logic circuit synthesizes the homogenized 2N-phases clock into a single phase clock of N multiplied frequency. And a method of multiplying frequency is provided. The present invention does not need feedback circuits, and therefore is stable and fast-speed , saves area, and reduces energy consumption. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038396 | INJECTION LOCKED FREQUENCY DIVIDER AND PLL CIRCUIT - An injection locked frequency divider and a PLL circuit, having a wide operating frequency bandwidth and capable of reducing the influence of any parasitic capacitance, are provided. Injection locked frequency divider ( | 2012-02-16 |
20120038397 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF RESETTING MOBILE DEVICE - A method and apparatus of resetting a mobile device including a Power Management Integrated Circuit (PMIC) with no manual reset function are provided. The apparatus includes an input unit for creating a specific input signal for a reset according to a user's input. The apparatus includes a reset unit for creating a manual reset input signal in response to the specific input signal, and for blocking battery power supplied to the PMIC by using the manual reset input signal and a signal created during operations of the mobile device. The reset apparatus includes a power unit for supplying the battery power. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038398 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CLOCK DOMAIN CROSSING - Clock-domain-crossing systems and methods include an integrator that accumulates input samples over multiple clock cycles in a first clock domain to generate an accumulation result. Clock-domain-crossing circuitry samples the accumulation result in the first clock domain after each of a repeating accumulation count to generate a first domain accumulation. The first domain accumulation is sampled in a second clock domain after a time delay to generate a second domain accumulation. The time delay ensures proper setup and hold time parameters for the second clock domain relative to the first clock domain. A differentiator generates output information in the second clock domain by delaying the second domain accumulation and subtracting the delayed second domain accumulation from the second domain accumulation. The systems and methods preserve temporal characteristics of the input information in the first clock domain when it is transferred to the second clock domain as the output information. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038399 | ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME - According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus non-masks a clock signal portion used for shift-outputting respective digital signals by first parallel/serial converting device and masks the remaining clock signal portion, in the clock signal supplied to the first and second parallel/serial converting devices, in a first mode. The apparatus non-masks the clock signal supplied to the first and second parallel/serial converting devices, in a second mode. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038400 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR JITTER REDUCTION - A low bandwidth phase lock loop (PLL) arranged in a dual-loop configuration is disclosed. The first loop is a standard loop configuration using a crystal oscillator as a reference clock. The loop parameters for this first PLL can be optimized to work over a wide range of output frequencies, and with a minimum amount of jitter. The first loop outputs a reference signal, which is a VCO output. The second loop comprises a bang-bang detector configured to drive a digital loop filter, which then drives a phase interpolator. The phase interpolator manipulates the output phase. Since phase and frequency are related, where frequency is the derivative of phase, small frequency offsets can be made using a phase control signal, generated within the second loop based on the relation between the reference signal and the clock input signal. The second loop sets the jitter transfer bandwidth of the system. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038401 | METHOD OF COMPENSATING AN OSCILLATION FREQUENCY AND PLL - A method for compensating an oscillation frequency, a device, and a phase locked loop (PLL) is applied in the LC oscillating loop, including: sending voltage control signals to one end of a variable capacitor of an LC oscillating loop to generate oscillating signals in the LC oscillating loop through the voltage control signals; obtaining variable bias voltage that reflects changes of external parameters; and sending the variable bias voltage to the other end of the variable capacitor to compensate changes to the oscillation frequency of oscillation signals generated in the LC oscillating loop. This disclosure compensates the changes to the oscillation frequency of the circuit that contains the LC oscillating loop and improves the stability of the circuit oscillation frequency by sending bias voltage to one end of the variable capacitor of the LC oscillating loop. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038402 | Clock generation circuit and electronic apparatus - Disclosed herein is a clock generation circuit, including a current-controlled oscillation section including a plurality of delay circuits, which include a plurality of current-controlled delay circuits adapted to delay a signal by a delay amount corresponding to current supplied thereto, connected so as to form a closed loop and adapted to output a clock signal formed by the closed loop; a phase controlling section including a comparator adapted to compare the clock signal with a reference signal and adapted to output controlling current, which varies so as to decrease the phase difference between the clock signal and the reference signal, to the current-controlled delay circuits; and a spread current generation section adapted to supply spread spectrum current of a current value different from that of the controlling current in place of the controlling current to a particular one or ones of the current-controlled delay circuits. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038403 | SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUIT AND METHOD OF RETRIEVING SIGNAL TO SEMICONDUCTOR CIRCUIT - In a semiconductor circuit, a high frequency level detecting unit detects a level of a high frequency component adjusted with a first adjusting unit, and a first control unit controls a first gain of the adjusting unit according to the level of the high frequency component thus detected. Further, a low frequency level detecting unit detects a level of a low frequency component adjusted with a second adjusting unit. A second control unit controls a second gain according to the level of the high frequency component and the level of the low frequency component thus adjusted, so that a difference between the level of the high frequency component adjusted with the first adjusting unit and the level of the low frequency component adjusted with the second adjusting unit becomes smaller than a specific level determined in advance. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038404 | DUTY CYCLE BASED PHASE INTERPOLATORS AND METHODS FOR USE - Duty cycle based phase interpolators, and methods for implementing duty cycle based phase interpolators are disclosed. One such phase interpolator includes a first pulse width modulator configured to generate a first duty cycle signal, and a second pulse width modulator configured to generate a second duty cycle signal. The phase interpolator further includes a logic unit configured to merge the first duty cycle signal and the second duty cycle signal to produce a periodic digital signal with a controllable phase depending on the first and second duty cycle signals. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038405 | DELAY LINES, AMPLIFIER SYSTEMS, TRANSCONDUCTANCE COMPENSATING SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF COMPENSATING - Embodiments of delay lines may include a plurality of delay stages coupled to each other in series from a first stage to a last stage. Each delay stage may include an input transistor receiving a signal being delayed by the delay line. The delay line may include a compensating circuit configured to compensate for a change in a transconductance of the input transistor resulting from various factors. One such compensating circuit may be configured to provide a bias signal at an output node having a magnitude that is a function of a transconductance of a transistor in the compensating circuit. The bias signal may be used by each of the delay stages to maintain the gain of the respective delay stage substantially constant, such as a gain of substantially unity, despite changes in a transconductance of the respective input transistor in each of the delay stages. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038406 | DELAY CIRCUIT - To cancel a delay time that occurs in a delay circuit due to temperature and voltage changes. The delay circuit includes a plurality of first and second inverters that are each composed of an N-channel first transistor and a P-channel second transistor connected in series, and P-channel third transistors that are connected between a first power supply wiring and the input nodes of the second inverters. According to the present invention, the presence of the third transistors cancels characteristic variations of the second transistors included in the respective plurality of inverters even if there are changes in temperature, voltage, etc. Consequently, when temperature, voltage, or the like changes, variations in the amount of delay of the entire delay circuit can be regarded as resulting from characteristic variations of the first transistors. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038407 | Circuit Arrangement and Input Assembly - A circuit arrangement in which a further electronic component for connecting and amplifying an electrical voltage is arranged between a first series arm and a second series arm to achieve limiting of a voltage between a first clamping point and a second clamping point in the circuit arrangement. An input of the second component is connected by a resistor to the output of a third component, and a device for producing a second reference voltage is arranged between the second series arm and the second component such that it is possible lower the voltage at the first clamping point when the flow of current through the load resistor is interrupted. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038408 | INTEGRATOR CIRCUIT - An integrator circuit is provided in the present invention, which utilizes a first capacitor and a first switching unit to sample an input signal and carries out distribution of charges between the first capacitor and a second capacitor. The second capacitor is larger than the first capacitor in capacitance. The integrator circuit transmits the charges stored in the second capacitor to a node of the first capacitor which is coupled to a ground previously. Accordingly, a direct current voltage level of the first capacitor may increase, facilitating an increase in a direct current voltage level at the second capacitor. Thereby, the accuracy and linearity of the integrator circuit may improve. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038409 | Nanotechnology - An apparatus including a first electrode; a second electrode; a nano-scale channel between the first electrode and the second electrode wherein the nano-scale channel has a first state in which an electrical impedance of the nano-scale channel is relatively high and a second state in which the electrical impedance of the nano-scale channel is relatively low; dielectric adjacent the nano-scale channel; and a gate electrode adjacent the dielectric configured to control a threshold number of quanta of stimulus, wherein the nano-scale channel is configured to switch between the first state and the second state in response to an application of a quantum of stimulus above the threshold number of quanta of stimulus. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038410 | CIRCUIT AND METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF A SENSE AMPLIFIER - An integrated circuit includes a sensing circuit, a fuse box, and a fuse bus decoder. The sensing circuit includes an output node, and the fuse box includes a plurality of switches coupled in series with a plurality of resistive elements. The fuse box is coupled to the output node of the sensing circuit from which the fuse box is configured to receive a current. The fuse bus decoder is coupled to the fuse box and includes at least one demultiplexer configured to receive a signal and in response output a plurality of control signals for selectively opening and closing the switches of the fuse box to adjust a resistance across the fuse box. A voltage of the output node of the sense amplifier is based on a resistance the fuse box and the current. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038411 | HIGH-FREQUENCY SWITCH - According to one embodiment, a high-frequency switch includes a high-frequency switch IC chip. The high-frequency switch IC chip has a high-frequency switching circuit section including an input terminal, a plurality of switching elements, a plurality of high-frequency signal lines, and a plurality of output terminals. The input terminal is connected to each of the plurality of output terminals via each of the plurality of switching elements with the high-frequency signal lines having the same lengths. The plurality of output terminals are arranged on a surface at an outer periphery of the high-frequency switch IC chip. The input terminal is arranged on the surface of the high-frequency switch IC chip at the center of the high-frequency switch IC circuit section. | 2012-02-16 |
20120038412 | SWITCH DEVICE - A switch device executes a multi-state function to a computer. The computer has a system on chip. The switch device comprises a switch, a power output circuit, a control circuit, a timer circuit and an interface circuit of the system on chip. A user can press the switch, the control circuit controls the power output circuit to output a control signal to the system on chip for controlling the computer turning on or going into suspend state. When the user continues to press the switch, the timing circuit will execute a timer function to the switch device. | 2012-02-16 |