Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Other

Pacifica Group Technologies Pty. Ltd.

Odos Imaging Ltd.

Guenter Doemens

Peter Mengel

Thomas Rose

Wolfgang Wichner

Richard Schneider

Dieter Spriegel

Hans Wuensche

Toshifumi Honda

Anton Schick

Markus Gilch

Yukio Matsuyama

Michael Stockmann

Ludwig Listl

Detlef Hoffmann

Herbert Eigenstetter

Ulrich Hendricks

Manfred Glieden

Arnold Heisen

Karl Wild

The invention relates to a capacitive microsystem, which can be used to replace conventional strain gauges used currently. The microsystem has substantial advantages with regard to handling, overload stability and endurance. Capacitive microsystems of this type can be used to record deformations and to calculate forces, torque etc. They can be used in particular to determine the weight of vehicle seats, to provide for example deployment data for an airbag.

Capacitive microsystem for recording mechanical deformations, use and operating method

A confocal imaging system is equipped with a retroreflector, which oscillates with a high frequency, for increasing the data rate during the recording of distance values. A mirror system having a small mass is provided that, by use of an electrostatic drive, makes extremely rapid focusing movements or height detections possible in the case of a small mass. The mirror system includes two separate micromechanically produced mirrors, which are set at 90&deg; to one another and which synchronously oscillate in the direction of the optical axis of the confocal imaging system.

Confocal imaging system having a divided retroreflector

The present invention is based on an use of the already existing actuator bottom as a deformation element for a direct measurement of braking force, and on its geometric configuration in order to measure a force in a way which is largely independent of temperature and free of hysteresis. Accordingly, a force sensor is integrated into an actuator for generally or transmitting a force in the force flux. The actuator bottom is transverse to the force flux.

Actuator-integrated force sensor

In a spatially resolving range-finding system, an object is illuminated in a pixelwise fashion by illuminating beams emanating from an array of light sources with returned imaging beams striking a corresponding array of solid state receiving elements. The particular arrangement of the light sources and the receiving elements may be varied. The laser light sources and receiving elements may be selectively operated such that one light source may illuminate one or more receiving elements or several light sources may illuminate a single receiving element. The light sources are driven serially, allowing limits of laser protection regulations to be reliably complied with. An advantage is a substantially better signal quality at the receiving elements.

Spatially resolving range-finding system

Surface shape determination and an exact speed measurement of a moving object is undertaken with an arrangement including semiconductor elements and having two spaced semiconductor sensor lines. Illumination of the moving object occurs via at least one laser diode that is arranged in the proximity of the semiconductor sensor lines. The semiconductor sensor lines are used to perform a registration of cross-sectional profiles by integrating a number of range vectors calculated from sensed reflected light pulses at times when the moving object is not present and present. Successively registered cross-sectional profiles of a vehicle are converted into cross-sectional areas and into longitudinal profiles. The speed can be identified on the basis of the time-offset between identical registration in the first and second semiconductor sensor lines. A categorization of different types of moving object is accomplished by comparing the calculated cross-sectional areas and longitudinal profiles with known object characteristics.

Arrangement and method for simultaneous measurement of the speed as well as the surface shape of moving objects

A solder testing apparatus comprising image processing means for performing image processing on an image of an appearance of a soldered portion to identify shape characterizing amounts for the soldered portion; and defect determining means for performing good/bad determination on the soldered portion from data derived by the image processing means and data from test parameter storing means for storing shape characterizing amounts at design time, wherein tested-object standard shape estimating means is included for extracting shape characterizing amounts of a non-defective soldered portion by statistically processing shape characterizing amounts for soldered portions identified by the image processing means, and defect determining parameters stored in the test parameter storing means are updated based on standard shape values from the tested-object standard shape estimating means, so that a highly reliable test is realized by setting defect determining parameters based on actual shapes and dimensions of leads and pads of electronic components on a printed circuit board.

Solder testing apparatus

The stopping of a load suspended from a crane requires a swing control or, respectively, a swing damping. Upon employment of microwave measuring units, spacings between a carrying cable suspension and a load suspension point are determined on the basis of transit time measurements. The position of the load suspension point can be determined from the transit time measurements quickly and with high precision. Swinging motions are avoided by controlled opposing control of the carrying cable suspension.

Arrangements for the one-dimensional or multi-dimensional determination of the position of a load suspension point in hoists

Arrangement for the one-dimensional or multi-dimensional determination

Testing techniques for three-dimensional testing of printed circuit boards overcome the disadvantages that presently exist such as, for example, too little height resolution, low processing speed and difficult manipulation. The testing in the microscopic domain occurs within unaltering, displaceable evaluation windows on the basis of the calculation of cross-sectional areas at each scan point on a printed circuit board. Microscopic testing occurs on the basis of the calculation of defined, simple geometric values within a scan field and by following comparisons to reference values. The arrangement for the implementation of the methods utilize a laser scanner for triangulation, an evaluation unit, and at least one high-resolution, position-sensitive detector.

Method and apparatus for three-dimensional testing of printed

Apparatus for electrical function testing of wiring matrices, particularly of printed circuit boards. In the electrical function testing of wiring matrices, particularly of printed circuit boards, the number of required leads and switch elements can be drastically reduced. In the present apparatus, every measuring locations of the printed circuit board can be selected by an associated busbar and by an intermediate mask that prevents the contacting of non-selected measuring locations. The busbars preferably are orientated transversely relative to the principal direction of the wiring of the printed circuit board. The bus bar interconnecting a number of elements, each of the contact elements being a test probe.

Apparatus for electrical function testing of wiring matrices,

A drive device for an apparatus for electrical function testing of wiring matrices, which has optimally simple electrode shapes for the purpose of a further miniaturization with a two-electrode arrangement. For testing printed circuit boards a non-touching plasma contacting is used whereby two respectively selected measuring locations of a wiring matrix can be contacted via allocated discharge channels and their electrodes. The drive of the measuring locations (test points) occurs via control gas discharges that are generated by applying an adequately high voltage between the electrodes. By applying a voltage between the gas discharges, a current conduction that can be evaluated for test purposes is generated for a conductive connection between the test points.

Drive device for an apparatus for electrical function testing of wiring

A sensor for measuring the torque acting on a rotating shaft has two electrode structures which are respectively mechanically coupled to two axially spaced points on the shaft to be measured so that a relative movement between the two electrode structures occurs due to the torque. The electrode structures each have a number of parallel, spaced electrodes and are asymmetrically mounted in a plane so that a number of capacitors are formed by electrode pairs each having an electrode from each electrode structure. Because of the asymmetrical arrangement, the electrodes in a pair are spaced a relatively large distance away from the next closest electrode, so that a capacitive decoupling between the pairs is achieved. Changes in the spacing between the points on the shaft due to torsion of the shaft caused by the torque will change the spacing between the electrodes in each pair, thereby resulting in a total capacitance change which is proportional to the torque. To compensate for the influence of transverse forces or bending moments acting on the shaft, a further capacitor arrangement identical to the first arrangement is arranged at an angle of 180.degree. with respect to the first arrangement, with the capacitance used for the purpose of measurement being the capacitances of the two capacitor arrangements in the series.

Sensor for measurement of the torque acting on a rotating shaft

Measurement sensor for length or distance changes, particularly for non-contacting measurement of torques of rotating shafts. In known measurement sensors, the length or distance change (.DELTA.x) is amplified by a mechanical lever system and is then converted into an electrical quantity. In the novel measurement sensor of the present invention, the length or distance change (.DELTA.x) to be measured is transmitted to a displacer in order to enhance the precision. A displaced liquid, particularly mercury, is introduced into a capillary and the length of a liquid column in the capillary is converted into an electrical quantity, preferably as a change of a resistor. The new measurement sensor is particularly suitable for torque measurement.

Displacement and torque sensor using resistance element that is

A selection device for reliable selection of a plurality of lines or of a plurality of contact locations. In order to select at least two of a plurality of lines, at least two selection lines are connected to every line via a photoresistor, whereby every photoresistor is preferably controllably chargeable with light via a deflectable beam. The selection occurs when selected photoresistors are changed to a low resistance state by light impingement. For selecting at least two of a plurality of contact locations arranged in a grid pattern, the contact locations are connected to the lines via photoresistors. The device of the present invention is preferably utilized for the electrical function testing of printed circuit boards.

Selection device

Apparatus for electrical function testing of wiring matrices, particularly of printed circuit boards. In the electrical function testing of wiring matrices, particularly of printed circuit boards, the number of required leads and switch elements can be drastically reduced. In the present apparatus, every measuring locations of the printed circuit board can be selected by an associated busbar and by an intermediate mask that prevents the contacting of non-selected measuring locations. The busbars preferably are orientated transversely relative to the principal direction of the wiring of the printed circuit board.

Growing community of inventors

Holzkirchen, Germany

Guenter Doemens