378 results about "Resistive sensors" patented technology

A host vehicle system includes a blind-spot warning system providing an indication to the host vehicle a target vehicle entering a blind-spot. The system includes a vehicle bus receiving various vehicle control signals, magneto-resistive sensors receiving proximity information as a function of magnetic field variations, a smart algorithm controller analyzing bus signals and sensor signals, and various vehicle collision systems such as passive restraints, optical light guides, and audible warnings operating in response to a threat from a target vehicle.

An intuitive real spatial aiming-based system, and identification and communication methods using the intuitive real spatial aiming-based system. The intuitive real spatial aiming-based system includes aiming device, target devices and an indoor location-based service server. The aiming device includes a mobile computer or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), which is provided with a first high-speed wireless communication means, a first location tracking sensor, and an electronic compass having a magneto resistive sensor for detecting a direction. The target devices each includes a fixed computer, a home appliance, a PDA, or a mobile communication terminal, which is selectively provided with second high-speed wireless communication means and a second location tracking sensor. The indoor location-based service server tracks the indoor locations and coordinates of the aiming device and the target devices in real time. To tolerate sensor's error, this patent presents an angle-based target region, a width-based target region, and a combination of the two regions.

A force sensor particularly suited for use in an electronic stylus that senses the contact force on its nib for recording pen strokes and handwriting recognition. The sensor has a housing for a load bearing member for receiving an input force to be sensed and associated circuitry for converting the input force into an output signal indicative of the input force. The bearing member is movably mounted within the elongate body (up to 100 microns). The input force acting on the load bearing member is caused by contact on the nib. The load bearing member is biased against the direction of the input force. The force sensor also has a light source and photo-detector for sensing levels of illumination from the light source. Associated circuitry converts a range of illumination levels sensed by the photo-detector into a range of output signals, so that the illumination level sensed by the photo-detector varies with movement of the load bearing member within the elongate body such that the output signal from the circuitry is indicative of the input force. Using an optical sensor avoids the need to use a delicate piezo-resistive sensor that requires careful tolerancing during production.

A system for monitoring breathing of a subject, the system comprising: (a) a wearable subject unit comprising: an elastic resistive sensor positionable such that breathing motion of the subject applies mechanical pressure to said elastic resistive sensor, wherein said elastic resistive sensor is configured to change its resistance responsive to the mechanical pressure, and a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a signal based on the change in resistance of the elastic resistive sensor; and (b) a platform unit comprising a receiver and being positionable in wireless transmission range with said subject unit, said platform unit configured to receive said signal from said subject unit and to issue an advisory signal indicative of the breathing of the subject.

Products are disclosed for measuring electromagnetic fields. One embodiment has at least two coplanar magneto-resistive sensors. Each magneto-resistive sensor has a sensitive axis in the plane of the at least two coplanar magneto-resistive sensors. The at least two magneto-resistive sensors may be orthogonally arranged about a central point to measure orthogonal components of electromagnetic fields.

A downhole caliper instrument utilizing a magneto resistive sensor to determine the position of a caliper arm which extends to touch the surface of the borehole wall.

A magnetic field sensor circuit comprises a first magneto-resistive sensor (Rx) which senses a first magnetic field component in a first direction to supply a first sense signal (Vx). A first flipping coil (FC1) applies a first flipping magnetic field with a periodically changing polarity to the first magneto-resistive sensor (Rx) to cause the first sense signal (Vx) to have alternating different levels synchronized with the first flipping magnetic field. A second magneto -resistive sensor (Ry) senses a second magnetic field component in a second direction different than the first direction to supply a second sense signal (Vy). A second flipping coil (FC2) applies a second flipping magnetic field with a periodically changing polarity to the second magneto -resistive sensor (Ry) to cause the second sense signal (Vy) to have an alternating different levels synchronized with the second flipping magnetic field. The first flipping magnetic field and the second flipping magnetic field have a phase shift. A differential amplifier (AMP1) receives the first sense signal (Vx) and the second sense signal (Vy) to obtain a difference signal (Vd). A first synchronous demodulator (DEM1) receives the difference signal (Vd) and a first switching signal (Q1) being phase locked to the alternating different levels of the first sense signal (Vx) to supply a first output signal (Vox) indicating the first magnetic field component. A second synchronous demodulator (DEM2) receives the difference signal (Vd) and a second switching signal (Q2) being phase locked to the alternating different levels of the second sense signal (Vy) to supply a second output signal (Voy) indicating the second magnetic field component.

A position sensor and method include a magnetic component, a first magneto-resistive sensor disposed in proximity to the magnet/coil; and a second magneto-resistive sensor disposed in proximity to the magnetic component and the first magneto-resistive sensor. The first magneto-resistive sensor and second magneto-resistive sensor are configured to sense changes in a stray magnetic field created by the magnetic component in accordance with a relative positional change between the magnetic component and the first and second magneto-resistive sensors.

The invention provides a road vehicle detection system and method. An acquisition module acquires a three-dimensional geomagnetic signal in real time, a filter module filters the three-dimensional geomagnetic signal, and a detection module calculates the difference between the filtered three-dimensional geomagnetic signal and a reference line data and judges a vehicle state according to an algorithm model and X, Y and Z-axis geomagnetic values, so that the vehicle detection precision is effectively improved, and the defect of inaccuracy when the vehicle state is only judged by means of a threshold is overcome; and according to the road vehicle detection system, on the basis of vehicle detection, the acquisition module is designed into a subnet composed of a magneto-resistive sensor node and a routing node, and the running time and speed of a vehicle are detected in real time according to the routing node, so that vehicle flow, speed and vehicle model can be detected.

A tamper-proof bolt-seal incorporating a unique identification tamper detection sensor that cannot be restored or duplicated after the bolt. The sensor employs a resistive sensor wire embedded in the bolt. The resistive sensor wire has a randomized length to enable a unique resistive value for that sensor. The resistive value of the sensor is combined with an electronic identification code to create the unique seal identification for the tamper detection sensor, therefore giving the bolt a seal identification that is unique and that cannot be restored or duplicated.

The invention provides a self-driven sensing system based on a friction nano-generator. The self-driven sensing system comprises the friction nano-generator for converting external mechanical energy into electrical energy to output an electrical signal to an external circuit; a resistive sensor directly connected to the friction nano-generator in order that the friction nano-generator supplies power to the resistive sensor for detecting a sensing signal; and an alarm connected in parallel with the resistive sensor and used for giving an acoustic and/or optical alarm signal when the sensing signal is greater than a signal threshold. The self-driven sensing system does not need any external power supply, solves the power supply of the sensor, improves the adaptability of Internet of Thing equipment, and is greatly reduced in size and weight. The system is greatly improved in terms of stability and controllability. The friction nano-generator and the sensor are separated from each other so that a friction material and a sensing material do not affect each other, thereby expanding a material selection range and achieving a practical application value.

A high output magneto-resistive sensor is provided by suppressing leftover resist mask after lift-off and generation of a fence, and by making it easy to remove the redepositions deposited on the side wall in the track width direction or on the side wall in the sensor height direction of the magnetoresistive film. As a means to solve a fence and lift-off leftover of a resist in a process for forming a track and a process for forming a sensor height, a stopper layer is provided on the magnetoresistive film and the stopper layer on the refill film, and performing lift-off by CMP. By using a metallic material which has a small CMP polishing rate for at least the first stopper layer, the magnetoresistive film and the first stopper layer can be etched simultaneously and a pattern formed. As a result, decrease of the height of the resist mask by RIE can be suppressed and lift-off leftover can be prevented.

A method for determining a value of a parameter of an object or an environment includes positioning a device having a balanced circuit in or on an object or within a particular environment, wherein the balanced circuit comprises elements which are operationally sensitive to changes in a parameter of the object or the environment. The method further includes measuring a common mode signal of the balanced circuit and determining, from the common mode signal, a value of the parameter. An exemplary implementation of the method includes determining temperature using a resistive sensor having a Wheatstone bridge circuit with two variable resistors and two fixed resistors. Embodiments of systems and devices configured to employ such methods are provided, particularly medical probes, electronic signal monitoring devices, and systems employing such devices.

The problem of magneto-resistive sensor drift with age has been solved by normalizing the sensor's output relative to its output when it is in a selected reproducible state. Details for the method to accomplish this normalization are disclosed together with several examples of how the method can be utilized.

An apparatus and a general method to measure a magnetic field using magneto-resistive sensors in an open-loop configuration are disclosed. A key feature is the regular in-situ normalization of the sensors to compensate for the effects of sensor aging.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for decoding servo data recorded on a magnetic disk drive and detecting pinned layer reversals and signal errors, for example, errors due to noise. The servo data is encoded using wide-bi-phase encoding. This encoding is detected by a magneto-resistive sensor that senses the magnetization in domains passing by the sensor. The decoder includes an A/D converter for sampling the signals emitted by the sensor, to provide a sequence of the encoded data. A trellis, such as a Viterbi trellis, is employed to decode the samples generated by the converter. The trellis includes nodes representing states, connected by paths representing transitions, among the nodes. A quality value is generated for the transitions, the quality value representing the distance between each sample in the sequence output by the A/D converter and a corresponding expected sample. By applying servo data to two trellises, each corresponding to a different pinned layer magnetic orientation, and comparing the quality values produced, the correct pinned layer orientation may be selected.

A strain-responsive sensor incorporating a strain-sensitive element is disclosed. The strain-sensitive element includes a matched-pair of resistive structures disposed on opposite sides of a substrate. One resistive structure of the matched pair is coupled to a crossover, either a physical crossover or a soft crossover, such that current within the resistive structures of the matched pair flows in the same direction.

A sensing network is described, consisting of a multiplexing reader and one or more sensor pairs, each sensor pair comprising a transponder and a dedicated reader, dedicated to that transponder, each transponder having a sensor. Each sensor pair is able to wirelessly interface and power both capacitive and resistive sensors at a short distance with high efficiency. By providing a dedicated reader for each transponder, each link can be optimized and there is no need for the dedicated reader to distinguish between signals from other transponders. The transponder generates an analog signal directly using a sensor or analog memory value and sends it by modulation to the dedicated reader. So, the dedicated readers do not need to have circuitry to demodulate a digital signal or ID code. The transponder includes the sensors and their electronic circuits and can be optionally remotely powered by the dedicated reader through the wireless link. The expected consumption of the dedicated reader can be lower than 200 μW.

A magnetic-sensing apparatus and method of making and using thereof is provided. The sensing apparatus may be fabricated from semiconductor circuitry and a magneto-resistive sensor. A dielectric may be disposed between the semiconductor circuitry and the magneto-resistive sensor. In one embodiment, the semiconductor circuitry and magneto-resistive sensor are formed into a single package or, alternatively, monolithically formed into a single chip. In another embodiment, some of the semiconductor circuitry may be monolithically formed on a first chip with the magneto-resistive sensor, while other portions of the semiconductor circuitry may be formed on a second chip. As such, the first and second chips may be placed in close proximity and electrically connected together or alternatively have no intentional electrical interaction, Exemplary semiconductor devices that might be implemented include, without limitation, capacitors, inductors, operational amplifiers, set/reset circuitry for the magneto-resistive sensors, accelerometers, pressure sensors, position sensing circuitry, compassing circuitry, etc.

A method of installing a tread wear sensor in a tire includes configuring multiple tread wear indicators to each include a stack of sacrificial resistive sensor elements. The stacks of resistive sensor elements are affixed to respective selected tread lugs positioned at dispersed axial locations across a tire tread region. The resistive sensor elements sacrificially abrade and a change in resistance in each stack is measured. Connector assemblies within the tire carcass cavity are positioned radially opposite the selected tread lugs. A needle projection from each of the connector assemblies is inserted radially outward through the tire carrying leads which engage and establish electrical contact with a respective stack of resistive sensor elements.

Resistive-sensors are provided wherein networks or nanoframeworks of conducting polymer nanowires are electrochemically grown from pre-polymer solutions in the junction gap located between electrode pairs.

Embodiments relate to a sensor device including a layer stack 600, the layer stack 600 including at least ferromagnetic and non-magnetic layers formed on a common substrate 620. The sensor device 600 further includes at least a first magneto-resistive sensor element 711 provided by a first section 611 of the layer stack 600. The first magneto-resistive sensor element 711 herein is configured to generate a first signal. The sensor device 600 also includes a second magneto-resistive sensor element 712 provided by a second section 612 of the layer stack 610. The second magneto-resistive sensor element 712 herein is configured to generate a second signal for verifying the first signal.