Phillips & Temro Industries, Inc.

Ppt Vision, Inc.

Pattern Processing Technology

Steven W Tonkin

Roger J Halberg

Mark T Paulsen

Jeremy N Douglas

Franz Willems Ulrich

Charles T Bourn

Reginald M McKeever

An arc flash protection system includes: an arc flash detection module electrically connected directly to a cord coupled to an electrical load and electrically connected to a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) outlet, the arc flash detection module configured to: measure at least one of voltage and current of the cord; and based on the at least one of the voltage and the current of the cord, determine and indicate whether an arc flash condition is present; and a GFCI triggering module configured to, in response to the arc flash detection module indicating that an arc flash condition is present, output a predetermined current to a ground conductor of the cord.

Arc flash protection systems and methods

An intake air heating system for a vehicle includes: an air heater configured to heat air an intake system of an engine; an air heater control module configured to selectively apply power to the air heater via a power conductor; and a voltage sensor and communication module configured to: measure a voltage on terminals of the air heater; and transmit an indicator of the voltage to the air heater control module on the power conductor, where the air heater control module is further configured to: receive the indicator via the power conductor; determine a resistance of the air heater based on the voltage on the terminals of the air heater and a current through the air heater; and apply power to the air heater based on the resistance of the air heater.

Intake air heating systems and methods

A heater control system is disclosed. In an embodiment, the heater control system includes a fluid heater that includes a heating element. The heating element controlled by a switch. The heater control system also includes a controller that can operate the switch. The controller is configured to determine whether a temperature associated with the fluid heater is below a predetermined temperature threshold. The controller causes the switch to transition to an operational state when the temperature is below the predetermined temperature threshold allowing current to flow through the at least one heating element.

Heater control system

An air intake assembly includes heating elements. The heating elements include windings arranged in a serpentine configuration and having crest portions and trough portions. At least one crest portion of a first heating element is fastened to a corresponding trough portion of a second heating element. The heating elements are arranged in a honeycomb configuration.

Intake air heating system for a vehicle

In one or more implementations, an example air heater assembly is described. The air heater assembly includes a frame defining an aperture and an air heater that includes at least one heating element. The frame is configured to receive the air heater. The air heater assembly includes a terminal configured to connect with the at least one heating element. The air heater assembly includes a hard coated bushing configured to receive the terminal, and the hard coated bushing is configured to be received within the aperture to form a seal and to electrically isolate the terminal from the frame.

Intake air heater assembly having insulated bushing

An intake air heating system for a vehicle includes an electrical switching device configured to selectively connect a battery of the vehicle to a heater coil in contact with intake air of the vehicle. The intake air heating system includes a control circuit configured to, in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current. The control circuit is configured to measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of an initial temperature of the heater coil and, in response to an estimated temperature of the heater coil exceeding a desired temperature value, modulate the electrical switching device to reduce current from the battery of the vehicle to the heater coil.

An intake air heating system for a vehicle includes an electrical switching device configured to selectively connect a battery of the vehicle to a heater coil in contact with intake air of the vehicle. The intake air heating system includes a control circuit configured to, in response to an enable signal from an engine controller, drive the electrical switching device to connect the battery to the heater coil at full current. The control circuit is configured to measure a resistance of the heater coil indicative of a temperature of the heater coil. The control circuit is configured to, in response to the temperature of the heater coil exceeding a desired temperature value, modulate the electrical switching device to reduce current from the battery of the vehicle to the heater coil.

Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for inspecting devices includes a light source for propagating light to the device and an image detector that receives light from the device. Also included is a light sensor assembly for receiving a portion of the light from the light source. The light sensor assembly produces an output signal responsive to the intensity of the light received at the light sensor assembly. A controller controls the amount of light received by the image detector to a desired intensity range in response to the output from the light sensor. The image detector may include an array of imaging pixels. The imaging system may also include a memory device which stores correction values for at least one of the pixels in the array of imaging pixels. To minimize or control thermal drift of signals output from an array of imaging pixels, the machine-vision system may also include a cooling element attached to the imaging device. The light source for propagating light to the device may be strobed. The image detector that receives light from the device remains in a fixed position with respect to the strobed light source. A translation element moves the strobed light source and image detector with respect to the device. The strobed light may be alternated between a first and second level.

Circuit for machine-vision system

A system for bidirectional digital serial communication and control of remote units including video cameras and input/output devices in machine vision systems. The communication system includes a main processor, communication hubs and remote units. The system is capable of monitoring and controlling the remote units in real-time while receiving video data images from the remote video cameras. Digital signals are transmitted in two different protocols; one for data communications, and one for control communications.

High-speed digital video serial link

A system for bi-directional digital serial communication and control of remote units including video cameras and input/output devices in machine vision systems. The communication system includes a main processor, communication hubs and remote units. The system is capable of monitoring and controlling the remote units in real-time while receiving video data images from the remote video cameras. Digital signals are transmitted in two different protocols; one for data communications, and one for control communications.

Method and apparatus for using a field-programmable gate-array circuit as a crossbar switch. In order to connect a first port of the crossbar switch to a second port, an address within the field-programmable gate-array circuit is calculated, and a first data pattern to load at that address is determined. A second data pattern to load at that address is determined in order to disconnect the first port from the second port. The first port is then connected to the second port by loading the first data pattern at the calculated address in the field-programmable gate-array circuit. Subsequently the first port is disconnected from the second port by loading the second data pattern at the calculated address in the field-programmable gate-array circuit. Mechanisms are provided for analog or digital ports, for multiple-bit digital ports, for combinations of logical functions with the crossbar-switch functions, and for latching the data within the crossbar switch. In one embodiment, the crossbar switch is incrementally reconfigurable wherein ports not involved in the reconfiguration are not affected by the reconfiguration operation. Applications to machine vision systems are described.

Growing community of inventors

Eden Prairie, MN, United States of America

Steven W Tonkin