Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080273423 | Method and Apparatus for Fault-Tolerant, Correlation SONAR Processing - A system is disclosed that enables the use of an incomplete SONAR array matrix in a correlation SONAR system. An improvement is achieved through the generation of a correlation-array model matrix of hydrophone correlations, based on an independent estimate of the ship's velocity, such as from an inertial navigator. Meanwhile, estimates of the missing values are generated based on one or more values from the model matrix, an interpolation of values from the SONAR array matrix itself, or some combination thereof. Regardless of how the missing values are generated, the model matrix provides a basis for comparison with the SONAR array matrix, which is populated with the estimated values, wherein subsequent comparisons are made between successive iterations of the model matrix and the SONAR array matrix. By applying the disclosed technique, a correlation SONAR system with incomplete data is able to continue working, and in the presence of a greater number of hydrophone failures than before. | 11-06-2008 |
20090059723 | Combined Spatial-Temporal Correlation SONAR - A system is disclosed that provides a sonar system featuring combined spatial and temporal correlation array processing. The disclosed system merges spatial-based velocity errors with temporal-based velocity errors by using a combining algorithm that is based on the optimization criteria that the output after combining has no bias error and has a minimized mean square error. With these criteria, the combining algorithm takes the form of a weighted summation of the spatial data stream and temporal data stream inputs with the weights being a function of the relative velocity errors. In combining spatial and temporal processing in this manner, the disclosed system provides improved velocity measurements for a wider range of ship's speeds. In particular, the system achieves performance levels of a spatial correlation sonar for low ship's speeds for which a temporal correlation sonar solution might not be available. The system also achieves performance levels of a temporal correlation sonar for high ship's speeds for which a spatial correlation sonar solution might not be available. | 03-05-2009 |
20110182146 | Correlation Method for SONAR or RADAR - A method for improving the accuracy of velocity-measuring spatial correlation SONAR or RADAR is disclosed. The method uses data from multiple receiver pairs for each velocity vector, thereby providing improved utilization of a fixed sized receiver array. | 07-28-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090239451 | Automatic Shift Dual-Action Tool - Tools providing automatic, smooth shifting between random orbital and rotary motion by simply increasing or decreasing force applied are taught. Exemplar is a finishing tool switchable between grinding rotary action and random orbital sanding action without powering down and without any mechanical manipulation, made possible by having a clutch mechanism affixed directly to the spindle assembly, which also eliminates the need to dissemble the tool in order to change a backup pad, saving time and money. Direct relationship between the clutch and spindle eliminates need for a specialty pad allowing for use of a variety of backup pads, reducing the cost of replacement backup pads and increasing the functionality of the dual-function tool. An additional feature is that the drive head surface is circular and large enough to encompass the device's circular clutch plate, which means that the available friction surface area of the clutch plate is efficiently utilized. | 09-24-2009 |
20090258584 | Multi-Shell Air-Tight Compartmentalized Casings - A molded tool casing of at least two sections for air-tightly encasing a tool is taught. A seal is inserted into a groove molded into the sealing perimeter of one section. A protruding ridge is molded into the sealing perimeter of a second section that is to be joined to the first casing section is adapted for compressing the seal into the groove providing for an air-tight seal for the two joined sections. The casing sections are contoured to provide air-tightly sealable inner-casing compartments for receiving and encasing tool components. Opposing joining perimeters of the air-tightly sealable compartments are adapted with the grooves and protruding ridges, respectively. The tool casing houses a tool, such as a pneumatic tool, such as a central or self-generating vacuum pneumatic tool, or a non-vacuum tool. The tool casing is molded to have a firm inner layer coated by an outer pliant overmolded layer. | 10-15-2009 |
20100099341 | ERGONOMIC THROTTLE LEVER CONTROL AND HAND SUPPORT - A lever longer than wide and bent across its length producing an angle of <180° between an upper surface of a longer first and a shorter second lever end to control the throttle switch of a hand-held tool by hand-rocking the lever about its vertex to exert pressure on or release pressure from the switch, the lever designed to support a user's fingers and palm while using the tool. Attachment tabs extend downwards from opposing sides of the first end adjacent the vertex, each tab having an aperture for accepting an attachment pin so to pivotally engage the lever within pin receiving apertures of the tool to rotate the lever both toward and away from the actuator switch, the second end extending over an exhaust-outlet or air-intake of the hand-held power tool to protect the user's hand from coming into contact with the tool's exhaust-outlet or air-intake. | 04-22-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100127696 | MAGNETORESISTANCE SENSORS FOR POSITION AND ORIENTATION DETERMINATION - A magnetoresistance sensor for use in a position and orientation tracking system includes an insulating substrate, a pattern of a metal material and/or a semiconductor material deposited on a surface of the insulating substrate, and a bias magnet material deposited over the alternating pattern of a metal material and a semiconductor material. The position and orientation tracking system includes at least one magnetoresistance reference sensor attached to a fixed object, at least one magnetoresistance sensor attached to an object being tracked, and a processor coupled to the at least one magnetoresistance reference sensor and the at least one magnetoresistance sensor. | 05-27-2010 |
20100137705 | Surgical Navigation System with Magnetoresistance Sensors - A surgical navigation system having one or more magnetoresistance sensors, where the sensors have the noise and dynamic range appropriate for electromagnetic position and orientation tracking. The surgical navigation system comprising at least one magnetoresistance reference sensor rigidly attached to an anatomical reference of a patient, at least one magnetoresistance sensor attached to at least one device, and at least one processor for determining the position and orientation of the at least one device. | 06-03-2010 |
20100138183 | Surgical Navigation Enabled Imaging Table Environment - A system for integrating radiolucent tracking sensors in a medical table, table mat, or surgical drape of a surgical navigation system, allowing the surgical navigation system to be less obtrusive in a surgery environment. A plurality of radiolucent magnetoresistance sensors are integrated into a table, table mat, or surgical draping of a surgical navigation system for improving surgical navigation workflow and eliminating image artifacts from intraoperative images. The plurality of radiolucent magnetoresistance sensors may be located within a table or adjacent to a table surface. | 06-03-2010 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130107487 | ELASTIC CONFORMAL TRANSDUCER APPARATUS | 05-02-2013 |
20130257224 | ULTRASOUND ACOUSTIC ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - An ultrasound acoustic assembly includes a number of ultrasound acoustic arrays, each array comprising an acoustic stack comprising a piezoelectric layer assembled with at least one acoustic impedance dematching layer and with a support layer. The acoustic stack defines a number of dicing kerfs and a number of acoustic elements, such that the dicing kerfs are formed between neighboring ones of the acoustic elements. The dicing kerfs extend through the piezoelectric layer and through the acoustic impedance dematching layer(s) but extend only partially through the support layer. The ultrasound acoustic assembly further includes a number of application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) die. Each ultrasound acoustic array is coupled to a respective ASIC die to form a respective acoustic-electric transducer module. Methods of manufacture are also provided. | 10-03-2013 |
20140005517 | SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN MEDICAL POSITION AND ORIENTATION TRACKING | 01-02-2014 |
20140246083 | PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND METHOD OF MAKING - A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a buffer layer disposed on a transparent conductive oxide layer; a window layer disposed on the buffer layer; and an interlayer interposed between the transparent conductive oxide layer and the window layer. The interlayer includes a metal species, wherein the metal species includes gadolinium, beryllium, calcium, barium, strontium, scandium, yttrium, hafnium, cerium, lutetium, lanthanum, or combinations thereof. A method of making a photovoltaic device is also presented | 09-04-2014 |
20140326315 | PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND METHOD OF MAKING - A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer comprises selenium, wherein an atomic concentration of selenium varies across a thickness of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device is substantially free of a cadmium sulfide layer. | 11-06-2014 |
20140360565 | PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND METHOD OF MAKING - A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer includes selenium, and an atomic concentration of selenium varies non-linearly across a thickness of the absorber layer. A method of making a photovoltaic device is also presented. | 12-11-2014 |
20140373908 | PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES - A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer includes cadmium, tellurium, and selenium. A semiconductor layer is further disposed on the absorber layer, wherein a valence band offset between the semiconductor layer and the absorber layer is less than about 1.3 electron Volts, and a band gap of the semiconductor layer is in a range from about 1.2 electron Volts to about 3.5 electron Volts. | 12-25-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090218275 | MEMBRANE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING - A membrane structure is provided. The membrane structure includes a polymer layer having a plurality of pores; and a ceramic layer disposed on the polymer layer. The ceramic layer has a plurality of substantially unconnected pores. Each of the substantially unconnected pores is in fluid communication with at least one of the pores of the polymer layer. A method of manufacturing a membrane structure is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a polymer layer having a plurality of pores; and disposing a ceramic layer on the polymer layer. Disposing a ceramic layer includes depositing a metal layer on the polymer layer; and anodizing the metal layer to convert the metal layer into a porous layer. At least one of the depositing step and the anodizing step is performed as a continuous process. Alternatively, at least one of the depositing and the anodizing step is performed as a batch process. | 09-03-2009 |
20100249571 | SURGICAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH WIRELESS MAGNETORESISTANCE TRACKING SENSORS - A surgical navigation system having one or more wireless magnetoresistance sensors, where the sensors have the noise and dynamic range appropriate for position and orientation tracking. The surgical navigation system comprising at least one wireless magnetoresistance reference sensor rigidly attached to at least one anatomical reference of a patient, at least one wireless magnetoresistance sensor attached to at least one device, and at least one processor for determining the position and orientation of the at least one device. | 09-30-2010 |
20100305427 | LONG-RANGE PLANAR SENSOR ARRAY FOR USE IN A SURGICAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM - A planar sensor array for use in a surgical navigation system comprising at least one substrate and at two layers of a plurality of planar sensor coils formed on or within the at least one insulating substrate. The planar sensor array may be an electromagnetic planar transmitter coil array or an electromagnetic planar receiver coil array that includes at two layers of a plurality of planar electromagnetic transmitter or receiver spiral-shaped coils formed on or within the at least one substrate. The surgical navigation system includes the use of at least one magnetoresistance reference sensor attached to a fixed object; at least one magnetoresistance sensor attached to an object being tracked; and a planar sensor coil array communicating with the at least one magnetoresistance reference sensor and the at least one magnetoresistance sensor to determine the position and orientation of the object being tracked. | 12-02-2010 |
20100328012 | PLANAR, HIGH VOLTAGE EMBEDDED TRANSFORMER FOR ANALOG AND DIGITAL DATA TRANSMISSION - A transformer includes a flex or printed circuit board consisting of a substrate material having a desired permitivity, and at least one primary winding and at least one secondary winding. Each winding is integrated with the flex or printed circuit board such that one or more respective transformer parasitic elements and the substrate permitivity between the primary and secondary windings together are tuned to a desired parallel resonant frequency. | 12-30-2010 |
20110151587 | METHOD OF PRODUCING AN INTEGRATED MICROMAGNET SENSOR ASSEMBLY - A method of integrating a permanent bias magnet within a magnetoresistance sensor comprising depositing an alternating pattern of a metal material and a semiconductor material on or within a surface of an insulating substrate; depositing a mask on the surface of the insulating substrate to create an opening above the alternating pattern of metal material and semiconductor material; applying a magnetic paste within the opening above the alternating pattern of metal material and semiconductor material; curing the magnetic paste to form a hardened bias magnet; removing the mask; and magnetizing the hardened bias magnet by applying a strong magnetic field to the hardened bias magnet at a desired orientation. | 06-23-2011 |
20120165657 | HYBRID TRACKING SYSTEM UTILIZING COMBINED LED AND MAGNETORESISTANCE SENSORS - A hybrid tracking system utilizing at least one combined light emitting diode (LED) and magnetoresistance sensor. The hybrid tracking system includes optical tracking technology and electromagnetic (EM) tracking technology with at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance reference sensor attached to a fixed object, at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance sensor attached to an object being tracked, and a processor coupled to the at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance reference sensor and the at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance sensor for processing signals from the at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance reference sensor and the at least one combined LED and magnetoresistance sensor. The combined LED and magnetoresistance sensor includes at least one magnetoresistance sensor and at least one LED that are integrated into a single package. | 06-28-2012 |
20140188422 | CALBRATION OF A SENSOR ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN MEDICAL POSITION/ORIENTATION TRACKING - A position and orientation system and method is provided. A magnetoresistance sensor is provided having a sensor array configured to measure magnetic fields and a metallic coil positioned within the magnetoresistance sensor. In certain embodiments, the magnetic coil may be used to generate a known magnetic field that, when measured by the sensor array, may be used to determine or update a calibration constant for the system. | 07-03-2014 |