Did You Know...
...that after Parker Brothers executives turned down the game of Monopoly because it had "52 fundamental errors" (including taking too long to play), a copy of the game wound up in the home of the company president who stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish playing it? He was so impressed by the game that the next day he wrote to inventor Charles Darrow and offered to buy it!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8415960 | Capacitance sensing apparatus A capacitance sensing apparatus for use in a position sensing apparatus, comprising a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes and a capacitance sensing circuit arranged to determine, in use in a normal operating mode, the capacitance between each pair... | 04/09/2013 |
| 8373426 | Method and arrangement for indicating correct installation of plug-in unit of telecommunications device An arrangement for indicating correct installation of a plug-in unit (102) of a telecommunications device includes at least one distance indicator (106) located in the plug-in unit and adapted to produce an indication for correct installation of the pl... | 02/12/2013 |
| 8373425 | Plasma insensitive height sensing A method for determining a distance between a first piece and a second piece includes measuring, at the first or second piece, an AC signal, and determining the distance based on the measured AC signal. A system for determining a distance between a first piece and a... | 02/12/2013 |
| 8324911 | Gap mapping for fitting composite doublers A non-conductive composite doubler is fabricated for application to an electrically conductive surface of a structure by: forming the composite doubler; placing an array of capacitive gap thickness sensors between the doubler and the structure surface; measuring the... | 12/04/2012 |
| 8299806 | Sensor apparatus for detecting a positional relationship between two members and method used for the sensor apparatus A sensor apparatus for detecting a positional relationship includes a first electrode, an applying unit applying a charging signal with a first cycle period to the first electrode, a second electrode, a selecting unit selecting the first or second cycle period which... | 10/30/2012 |
| 8283935 | Method of forming touch sensing circuit pattern A method of forming a touch sensing circuit pattern includes steps of: forming a first axial conductive line on a transparent substrate; forming an insulation barrier on the first axial conductive line; forming two separated first axial electrodes, two separated sec... | 10/09/2012 |
| 8264242 | Proximity sensor and rotational operation detecting device A proximity sensor for determining an approaching direction of an object is provided. Relative detection sensitivity is established in a first detection unit and a second detection unit such that a detection level of the first detection unit is greater than a detect... | 09/11/2012 |
| 8242791 | Area-variable type capacitive displacement sensor having mechanical guide An area-variable type capacitive displacement sensor includes: a stationary element; a movable element; an elastic member for providing a force biasing one of the stationary element and the movable member towards a remaining one thereof in a direction perpendicular ... | 08/14/2012 |
| 8232810 | Extended proximity sensor device with electrostatic discharge protection An input device is provided with improved electrostatic discharge protection. Specifically, the input device includes a plurality of capacitive sensing electrodes configured for object detection. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) shunt is disposed near the capacitive... | 07/31/2012 |
| 8130003 | Capacitive sensor core with flexible hinge and sensor using the same A capacitive sensor core with flexible hinge includes a main grid plate, an auxiliary grid plate, and a mechanical structure transferring the measuring quantity to the displacement between the main grid plate and the auxiliary grid plate, the mechanical structure in... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8081005 | Capacitive sensors for nano-positioning and methods of using the same Symmetrical differential capacitive sensors are disclosed. Methods of making and using symmetrical differential capacitive sensors are also disclosed. ... | 12/20/2011 |
| 8049519 | Contact free absolute position determination of a moving element in a medication delivery device The present invention relates to a medication delivery device for expelling set doses of medicament, the medication delivery device comprising a position determining assembly for detecting absolute positions of a rotatably mounted member arranged within the device, ... | 11/01/2011 |
| 8026730 | Process for measuring heat spreader tilt A process for measuring the thickness of an insulating material. The process includes providing a device used to measure capacitance, and electrically connecting the capacitance measuring device to a heat sink and an electrical, heat-generating component. The thickn... | 09/27/2011 |
| 8022715 | Automated sensor specific calibration through sensor parameter download A sensor system for measuring a clearance parameter between a stationary component and a rotating component of a rotating machine is provided. The system includes a clearance sensor to output a clearance measurement signal. A sensor memory is attached to the sensor ... | 09/20/2011 |
| 8004289 | Wafer-to-wafer alignments Structures for aligning wafers and methods for operating the same. The structure includes (a) a first semiconductor wafer including a first capacitive coupling structure, and (b) a second semiconductor wafer including a second capacitive coupling structure. The firs... | 08/23/2011 |
| 7986151 | Head rest device for vehicle When moving a head rest front portion in a full-open position direction, an ECU determines that the head rest front portion comes close to an occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of an electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest ... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7986152 | Capacitive position sensor In one embodiment, a sensor includes a substrate; multiple interconnected sense elements arranged in a first direction on a surface of the substrate; and first interconnected drive elements arranged on a surface of the substrate in the first direction. Each respecti... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7956622 | Method for signal processing of capacitive measurement scales A method for the signal processing of capacitive measurement scales intended for the measurement of lengths or angles, consisting of two parts moveable relative to each other provided with electrodes that together form condensers, whose magnitudes are variable and d... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7924027 | Arrangement for determining the distance, capacitive distance sensor and method for automatically focussing a microscope An arrangement and method are provided for determining the distance between an objective of a microscope and a sample examined with the microscope. Fitted on the objective or in the immediate vicinity of the objective is a capacitive sensor in whose measuring range ... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7898266 | Probe with electrostatic actuation and capacitive sensor A supported probe device that has a probe tip and probe body, the probe body having a sample facing surface and an opposing surface. The probe tip and a first electrode are on the sample facing surface. A second electrode is present on the probe body opposing surfac... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7893697 | Capacitive distance sensing in semiconductor processing tools A sensor for sensing a gap between the sensor and an object of interest within a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The sensor includes a housing, a power source inside the housing, wireless communication circuitry, a controller, measurement circuitry and... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7880478 | Sensing device for measuring a position of nanoscale motion apparatus A nanoscale motion apparatus includes a fixed base, a movable platform, and means for moving the movable platform connected between the fixed base and the movable platform. A sensing device includes a holder, at least two nanosensors, and a measurement plate. The ho... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7876105 | Sensor device and display apparatus A sensor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode array having plural electrodes arranged in an array manner, a signal generator configured to generate a first signal having a first frequency, and apply the first signal to the... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7843200 | Capacitive proximity switch and domestic appliance equipped therewith A capacitive proximity switch has an electrically conductive sensor surface, which is covered by an electrically non-conductive covering plate and which serves as a part of a capacitor having a capacitance that varies with proximity. The sensor surface is connected ... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7821274 | Capacitive position sensor A sensor includes a substrate with a sensitive area defined by a pattern of electrodes. The pattern of electrodes includes a first group of drive elements interconnected to form a plurality of row electrodes extending along a first direction, a second group of drive... | 10/26/2010 |
| 7812620 | Sensor device, and portable communiction terminal and electronic device using the sensor device A sensor device for detecting a positional relationship between a first member and a second member, includes a first electrode provided on a surface of the first member and supplied with an alternating signal of a first frequency, a second electrode provided on a su... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7804306 | Capacitive distance sensing in semiconductor processing tools A wireless sensor includes at least one capacitive plate for sensing a distance relative to an object of interest within a semiconductor-processing environment. The sensor includes an internal power source and wireless communication such that distance and/or paralle... | 09/28/2010 |
| 7791356 | Capacitive proximity switch and household appliance equipped therewith A capacitive proximity switch has an electrically conductive sensor surface, which is covered by an electrically non-conductive covering plate and which serves as a part of a capacitor with a capacitance that varies with proximity. The proximity switch includes a re... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7764069 | Process for measuring bond-line thickness A process for measuring the thickness of an insulating material. The process includes providing a device used to measure capacitance, and electrically connecting the capacitance measuring device to a heat sink and an electrical, heat-generating component. The thickn... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7705613 | Sensitivity capacitive sensor A method of creating an improved sensitivity capacitive fingerprint sensor involves forming vias from a first side of a sensor chip having an array of capacitive sensors, making the vias electrically conductive, and attaching a cover plate over the first side of the... | 04/27/2010 |
| 7688081 | Apparatus to measure the clearance between a first component and a second component An apparatus for determining a clearance between rotor blade tips of rotor blades mounted on a rotor and a stator lining mounted on a stator casing. The stator lining is movable radially relative to the stator casing. The stator lining comprises an abradable materia... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7683635 | Adjustable sensor strip for linear digital readouts An adjustable sensor strip assembly for use with a digital readout includes a plurality of sensor strip segments and a plurality of readout tracks for supporting the sensor strip segments. The readout tracks are fastened together with a wedge assembly. An alignment ... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7570064 | Proximity detector comprising capacitive sensor A proximity detector employs a capacitive sensor, having: at least one detection antenna including numerous capacitive proximity sensors which each include a measuring electrode, the antenna being positioned close to an object or body; electronic elements for exciti... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7570065 | Cylindrical capacitive force sensing device and method Cylindrical capacitance force sensing device/method is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a capacitor having two parallel conductive surfaces, a cylindrical housing with a cover plate to encompass the capacitor, and a sensor in the cylindrical housi... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7570066 | Simultaneous detection of in-plane and out-of-plane position displacement with capacitive sensors An apparatus includes a first capacitive sensor connected to a first supply voltage, a second capacitive sensor connected to a second supply voltage, a sensing circuit for producing a sense voltage in response to current flowing in the first and second capacitive se... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7560938 | Object sensing An electric field object sensing system uses a charge pumping circuit to provide a voltage over a capacitor that varies dependent upon the capacitive coupling between a transmitter electrode and a receiver electrode. The output of the charge pump is preferably fed t... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7557589 | Gap detection device for laser beam machine, laser beam machining system and gap detection method for laser beam machine A signal processing portion obtains the reciprocal of a composite impedance of gap static capacitance and a plasma impedance, obtains composite static capacitance which is the sum of the gap static capacitance and a static capacitance component included in the plasm... | 07/07/2009 |
| 7501835 | Displacement sensor A structure is presented in which it is easy to adjust, to a determined value, distance between electrodes of a condenser formed in an electrostatic capacity-type displacement sensor. A displacement sensor has a conductive lower layer, an insulating layer sta... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7498822 | Linear capacitance measurement and touchless switch Capacitance measurement apparatus that enhances the sensitivity and accuracy of capacitive transducers, proximity sensors, and touchless switches. Each of two capacitors (C1, C2) under measurement has one end connected to ground and is kept at substant... | 03/03/2009 |
| 7495455 | Stud sensing device A multiple sensitivity stud sensing device for determining a location of objects behind a wall lining has a housing with a surface for moving over the wall lining. Within the housing are a capacitive sensor with first and second capacitances located adjacent the sur... | 02/24/2009 |
