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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8058831 | Control device and control method The invention relates to a control device and a control method which enhance accuracy in detecting a speed of a driven body to stably control drive means. An encoder signal control section (25) compares lengths of time between a rising measurement time kept b... | 11/15/2011 |
| 7956564 | Valve timing adjusting apparatus capable of reliably preventing heat damage of switching elements A valve timing adjusting apparatus adjusts valve timing of at least one of intake and exhaust valves of an engine that are opened and closed by a camshaft driven by torque transmitted from a crankshaft. The apparatus includes an electric motor, a plurality of switch... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7928680 | Fan system and starting method thereof A fan system includes a connecting device, a controlling device and a fan device. The connecting device has a plurality of pins receiving at least one driving signal and a start signal. The control device is electrically connected to the pins of the connecting devic... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7659679 | System and method for adjusting a dead-time interval in a motor control circuit A system and a method for adjusting a dead-time interval between de-activating a first transistor and activating a second transistor in a motor control circuit are provided. The method includes determining a plurality of commanded torque values associated with a mot... | 02/09/2010 |
| 7638962 | Hatch cover manager The hatch cover manager product monitors hatch cover conditions and can move the cover to a closed position when the cover is left open and the hatch opening is not in use. The product minimizes the probability that the person using the walking surface will accident... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7412339 | Method and apparatus for identifying an operational phase of a motor phase winding and controlling energization of the phase winding A method for identifying an operational phase of a motor may include obtaining a first value of a signal that is indicative of the operational phase of the motor and obtaining a second value of the signal after a period of time has expired. The method further includ... | 08/12/2008 |
| 7359783 | Method of detecting obstructions caused by motor-driven power windows and similar devices using fuzzy logic algorithms The mobile element is a vehicle window pane, panel, movable seat or similar, conveniently guided, and driven by a DC electric motor with a permanent magnet, and the method comprises a step of detecting an entrapment or collision situation of the mobile element by me... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7342375 | Automatic storm shutter control The present invention provides wireless and direct wired methods and devices for automatically closing electrically-driven roll-down storm shutters in the presence of rain on one or more rain sensors. ... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7342371 | System and method for detecting motor run condition A motor control system for detecting motor run condition comprises power switches for connection to an AC line for controlling application of AC power to the motor. An input receives a motor start command. A controller is connected to the input and controls operatio... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7321208 | Driving apparatus A driving apparatus for driving a functional body mounted on a vehicle comprises a power supply, an electric motor, and a driving means. The electric motor is connected to the power supply and is started by a power feed from the power supply. The driving means has a... | 01/22/2008 |
| 7312591 | Powered panel moving system A powered panel moving system includes a motor, electronic drive circuitry, a mechanism, a coupler, and electronic function circuitry. The drive circuitry drives a rotor of the motor. The coupler couples rotational output of the rotor to the mechanism to drive the m... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7248174 | Automatic sensing of safe-operation sensor apparatus and method A movable barrier operator having a microprocessor (10) or other programmable platform will automatically work in a safe and appropriate manner both with and without safe-operation sensors (13). Once a safe-operation sensor is detected, the operator wi... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7248007 | Control system to monitor the functioning of an electromechanical drive in a vehicle A control system for an electromechanical drive in a vehicle has a motor (29) whose connections (24, 25) are connected to the assigned control elements (2, 3) of a bridge circuit, a control circuit (21) with signal connections (12, 13 | 07/24/2007 |
| 7234536 | Power screwdriver A power screwdriver is disclosed having a drive which is coupled via a clutch, disengaging as a function of torque, to a tool drive shaft for driving a tool. The screwdriver comprises an electronic control unit for controlling the drive, and a sensor which is couple... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7202452 | Coffee maker and microwave oven and method for controlling the same Coffee maker and microwave oven and method for controlling the same are disclosed. The coffee maker and microwave oven includes an outfit room for mounting various electric components on an inside thereof, a case at one side of the outfit room, a water tank i... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7196486 | Apparatus for detecting obstacle to power regulated window An apparatus for detecting an obstacle to a power regulated window, which can detect existence of an obstacle by a method of differential current at low rotating speed of a motor and reduce a force of biting an obstacle and prevent from detecting an obstacle unexpec... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7187282 | Digital capacitive sensing device for security and safety applications A capacitive sensing system senses the presence of an object proximate to an antenna using a sensing field signal having a sensing field frequency. The capacitive sensing system can be used in security systems, to provide an alarm if a valuable object is removed fro... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7176674 | Measurement of energy by means of a frequency converter A method and system for the measurement of energy in an alternating-current motor drive containing a frequency converter or an equivalent stepless rotational speed regulator provided with semiconductor switches. In this regulator, the power taken by the motor drive ... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7161782 | Intelligent fuse box for the power distribution system of a vehicle The present invention relates to intelligent fuse box (1) for a vehicle's multiplex power distribution system, the fuse box including outputs (3) for driving the vehicle's functional components/actuators and/or cable buses (11–13) equipped wit... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7119681 | MEMS based garage door sensor A MEMS based overhead garage door intrusion sensor for a security system, such as a residential/home security system, for detecting an intrusion through an overhead garage door. In one embodiment, a MEMS sensor accelerometer is mounted with a sensitive axis of the M... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7109677 | Motorized barrier operator system for controlling a barrier after an obstruction detection and related methods A method for controlling a motorized barrier operator after detecting an obstruction includes the steps of providing a motorized barrier operator that moves a barrier between limit positions and providing at least one control switch that upon actuation moves the bar... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7109676 | Control for electric motor in vehicles A control for an electric motor in a vehicle. The control ascertains whether an obstacle is interfering with rotation of the motor. The control establishes a baseline speed, representing normal free running speed of the motor. This baseline speed will be different, ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7086819 | Single lever with button for selectively controlling either tilt or lift of a forklift mechanism In a load handling apparatus for a counterbalance type forklift, a single tiltable operating lever is disposed on a body of the forklift, a mast which is tiltable in an anteroposterior direction is disposed on the forklift, a liftable fork is disposed on the mast, a... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7084588 | Method, apparatus and article for motor control voltage dropout detection A control subsystem for an electric motor determines whether power was interrupted, and delays torque production if power was interrupted. The control subsystem may employ two separate non-volatile memory locations, or alternatively a single non-volatile memory loca... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7068000 | Torque control device for electrical tools A torque control device for an electrical tool has a switching circuit, a voltage detecting circuit, a torque detecting circuit and a processor. The switching circuit connects between a motor of the electrical tool and a DC voltage source. The voltage detecting circ... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7057519 | Automatic sensing of safe-operation sensor apparatus and method A movable barrier operator having a microprocessor (10) or other programmable platform will automatically work in a safe and appropriate manner both with and without safe-operation sensors (13). Once a safe-operation sensor is detected, the operator wi... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7053573 | Motor drive apparatus, integrated circuit, and motor drive method A motor drive apparatus which drives a motor by controlling conduction/non-conduction of a drive transistor for causing a current to flow through a drive coil of the motor based on a pulse signal indicating a relative position between the rotor and stator of the mot... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7049772 | Motor drive circuit A motor drive circuit which have a first source-side transistor and a first sink-side transistor connected in series; a second source-side transistor and a second sink-side transistor connected in series; and a control circuit supplying the first source-side transis... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7038414 | Vehicle closure anti-pinch assembly having a non-contact sensor An anti-pitch assembly is used in combination with a closure device of a motor vehicle. The closure device includes a closure panel, i.e., a windowpane or door, and a motor for moving the closure panel between an open position and a closed position. In the closed po... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7034479 | Digital interface for driving at least a couple of power elements, in particular in PWM applications A digital interface for driving at least one complementary pair of first and second power elements connected in an inverter configuration between first and second voltage references is provided. The digital interface includes a first input terminal for receiving a P... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7024746 | Method and apparatus for monitoring blind fastener setting A method of monitoring the setting operation for a blind fastener comprising the step of measuring, as a function of time, an electronic signal indicative of the load being applied to the fastener during the setting operation and, from which, determining a mandrel e... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7027957 | Current interrupter assembly A method for determining the influence of one of a plurality of cathodic protection circuits along a pipeline includes switching one of a plurality of cathodic protection circuits off, while the remainder of the plurality of cathodic protection circuits are left on,... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6962058 | Air conditioner and method of controlling such The object of this invention is to provide an air conditioner with a variable capacity compressor (2) parallely connected to a fixed capacity compressor (4), and a method of controlling the operation of such an air conditioner. When it is required to s... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6954048 | Apparatus for monitoring electric motor screw driver system A driver monitor for a driver system. A driver monitor includes a driver monitoring unit for monitoring the fastening operation of the driver based on pre-determined fastening information. A rotation start signal and a rotation stop signal are used to determine whet... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6946811 | Entrapment detecting device for an opening/closing member An entrapment detecting device for an opening/closing member includes a controller which memorizes a driving condition of a driving unit corresponding to load applied to the opening/closing member as a reference load data when a predetermined condition is satisfied ... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6933691 | Control system for a shifting mechanism with a DC motor A control system controls a DC motor which operates a shifting mechanism. The control system includes switch circuit with a plurality of switches which connect terminals of the motor to a power supply. In order to limit the speed and torque, the control system opera... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6922037 | Rotating induction apparatus An electrical rotating apparatus comprises an inverter system that outputs more than three phases. The apparatus further includes a stator electrically coupled to the inverter system, and a rotor electromagnetically coupled to a magnetic field generated by the stato... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6806672 | Movable barrier operator A movable barrier operator having improved safety and energy efficiency features automatically detects line voltage frequency and uses that information to set a worklight shut-off time. The operator automatically detects the type of door (single panel or segmented) ... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6791288 | Appliance control methods and apparatus An appliance includes a rotating position switch and a selector switch. The rotating position switch has a first position associated with a first appliance function and a second position associated with a second appliance function. The second appliance function modi... | 09/14/2004 |
| 6788017 | Period adjustment circuit of disconnection and restart IC A period adjustment circuit of disconnection and restart IC comprises a second capacitor, which is connected to a resistor and a transistor connected in parallel. One end of the resistor is connected between the disconnection and restart IC and the first capacitor. ... | 09/07/2004 |