The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 2016
Filed:
Dec. 22, 2015
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Zaid M. Alattar, Tucson, AZ (US);
Albert E. Dennes, Tucscon, AZ (US);
Ernesto E. Figueroa, Sahuarita, AZ (US);
Thomas T. Jesukaitis, Tuscon, AZ (US);
Christopher J. Miller, Tucson, AZ (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining a rotational orientation of an object is provided. Embodiments of the present invention utilize an electrically conductive fluid enclosed within a shell attached to the object such that the conductive fluid contacts different portions of electrically conductive nodes, located on the inner wall of the shell, depending on the rotational orientation of the shell. The electrically activated nodes in contact with the conductive fluid act as sensors and individually transmit electric signals to a microcontroller for transformation into an indicator of a rotational orientation of the object. The indicator of the rotational orientation is then output.