Reducing Test Time By Downloading Switching Sequences To An Enhanced Switch Unit
Granted: October 1, 2009
Application Number:
20090248348
Reducing overall test time taken in modular electronic test equipment via a network by downloading switching sequences of a test sequences to a switch unit. Examples of electronic test equipment networks are PXI, VXI, LXI and GPIB. Latency encountered during communication between a controller and a switch unit can delay the completion of a test sequence. By downloading the switching sequences of the test sequence to the switch unit and allowing the switch unit to control the switching…
Pressure-Reinforced Fluidic Chip
Granted: September 24, 2009
Application Number:
20090238722
A fluidic chip device adapted for processing a fluidic sample, the fluidic chip device comprising a substrate comprising a fluidic conduit for conducting the fluidic sample under pressure, and two reinforcing structures between which the substrate is arranged, wherein the two reinforcing structures are connected to one another to reinforce pressure resistance of the substrate.
Programming Electronic Instruments by Logging Commands Into a File Format
Granted: September 24, 2009
Application Number:
20090240351
Electronic instruments are communicatively connected to a processor. An application program is executed by the processor to communicate with the instruments. Electronic instrument commands for communicating with the electronic instruments are output from the processing element. The electronic instrument commands are logged in a file format. The logged electronic instrument commands are converted into code for another application program.
LIGHT GUIDING FLUID CONDUIT HAVING A LIQUID-FILLED INTERSPACE BETWEEN INNER AND OUTER CONDUITS
Granted: September 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090230028
A fluid conduit comprises an inner conduit configured for conducting a fluid, and an outer conduit circumferentially enclosing the inner conduit. The outer conduit's inner diameter is larger than the inner conduit's outer diameter, with an interspace being formed between the inner conduit's outer surface and the outer conduit's inner surface. The interspace between the inner conduit's outer surface and the outer conduit's inner surface contains an interspace liquid. The inner conduit is…
Microfluid Chip Cleaning
Granted: September 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090230044
A method of cleaning a microfluidic chip (101) comprising at least one microstructure (105, 106) containing a material (111), wherein the method comprises removing the material (111) from the at least one microstructure (105, 106) so as to at least partly empty the at least one microstructure (105, 106).
Linear Time-Invariant System Modeling Apparatus And Method Of Generating A Passive Model
Granted: September 17, 2009
Application Number:
20090234631
A linear time-invariant system modeling apparatus comprises a processing resource arranged to receive, when in use, model data constituting to a model of a linear time-invariant system. The model data includes residual value data and scattering data. The processing resource is arranged to perform, when in use, a single value decomposition in respect of the scattering data; the scattering data corresponds, when expressed in matrix form, to a scattering matrix in a state-space…
PROBE DEVICE HAVING A CLIP-ON WIRELESS SYSTEM FOR EXTENDING PROBE TIP FUNCTIONALITY
Granted: August 27, 2009
Application Number:
20090212938
A probe device is provided that has a clip-on wireless device attached thereto for communicating over a wireless communication link with test equipment having a wireless transceiver attached thereto. The clip-on wireless device may have one or more components that provide additional functionality to the probe device over that which is currently available on most probe devices. Such components may include, for example, run/stop buttons, activity indicators, “headlight” LEDs, etc
PROBE DEVICE HAVING A LIGHT SOURCE THEREON
Granted: August 20, 2009
Application Number:
20090206859
A probe device is provided that has light source thereon that can be activated and deactivated. In accordance with an embodiment, the light source operates as a visual indicator to provide a visual indication of whether a good connection exists between the tips of the probe device and the intended contact points on the DUT. In accordance with another embodiment, the light source operates as a source of illumination to illuminate the probe tips and the contact pads on the DUT as the user…
FILTER SWITCHING DEVICE AND FILTER SWITCHING METHOD
Granted: August 20, 2009
Application Number:
20090206923
A filter switching device includes a first buffer amplifier, a first characteristic resistor with one terminal connected to the output of the first buffer amplifier, first and second filter circuits connected in parallel to the other terminal, the first filter circuit including a first relay and a first low-pass filter, the second filter circuit including a second relay and a second low-pass filter, a third filter circuit connected to the output of the first buffer amplifier, having a…
Fast Correction of Power Measurements of Signals Having a Changing Frequency
Granted: August 20, 2009
Application Number:
20090209209
Power measurements of a signal having a changing frequency are corrected by acquiring samples of the signal, matching the samples of the signal to a sequence of frequencies indexed to correction transforms, and applying the correction transforms to the samples of the signal. Additionally, an apparatus corrects power measurements of a signal having a changing frequency and includes an acquisition block for acquiring samples of the signal, a sequence controller for matching the samples of…
ELECTRICAL CONTACT ELEMENT FOR MICROFLUIDIC CHIP
Granted: August 13, 2009
Application Number:
20090200168
A contacting device, comprising a contacting element (104) for providing an electrical contact to fluid (103) insertable into a well (105) of a carrier element (106) to be coupled to a microfluidic chip (107), wherein the contacting element (104) is adapted to be attachable to or to be integrally formed with the carrier element (106).
VIAL WITH COAXIAL SMALL SAMPLE TUBE INSERT
Granted: August 13, 2009
Application Number:
20090202394
A container for holding a sample is presented. The container has a substantially cylindrical vial defining an interior cavity and a longitudinal axis. The vial has a first end, an opposed second end, and a circumferential sidewall. The first end of the vial is open for access to the interior cavity and the second end is closed. In one aspect, the circumferential sidewall has a first sidewall portion located proximate the first end projecting inwardly into the interior cavity, and a…
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING NOISE IN MASS SPECTROMETRY
Granted: August 6, 2009
Application Number:
20090194679
The invention pertains to methods and apparatus for performing mass spectrometry with reduced noise. In some embodiments, an additional amount of a carrier gas is introduced into a mass spectrometer to reduce the noise.
Quick-Stop Feature For Multiple Output Power Systems
Granted: July 30, 2009
Application Number:
20090193275
A quick-stop feature built into power systems enables deactivating the power output of output supplies in the shortest possible time. This feature prevents damage to the power system and to the electrical devices connected to the output supplies. The quick-stop feature can be implemented as a hardware or a software solution. A button on the front panel of the power system can initiate the quick-stop feature. Alternatively, the power system can be connected to a network to watch over and…
Phase-Locked Loop Circuit with Accelerated Frequency Acquisition
Granted: July 23, 2009
Application Number:
20090184740
Frequency acquisition is accelerated in a phase-locked loop circuit. A duration of time for sinking current from or sourcing current to a loop filter is calculated in order to accelerate frequency acquisition of a reference frequency of a reference signal and a feedback frequency of a feedback signal fed back from a controlled oscillator when the feedback signal frequency is changed or frequency of the reference signal is changed by a predetermined amount. The feedback signal frequency…
Interference Rejection Through Circle Fitting
Granted: July 23, 2009
Application Number:
20090187362
A method and apparatus for measuring electrical signals measures an electromagnetic wave having an interference component at a center frequency and at multiple times to obtain data points. The positions of the data points on a complex plane are calculated. Chords of a circle on the complex plane, wherein the chords passing between pairs of the data points, and the circle fit to the data points are calculated. The chords are used to determine an approximate center of the circle wherein…
METHOD AND AN ION SOURCE FOR OBTAINING IONS OF AN ANALYTE
Granted: June 25, 2009
Application Number:
20090159794
A method of obtaining ions of an analyte is disclosed. The method includes aerosolizing a sample using a thermal liquid jetting device or a piezoelectric liquid jetting device to obtain an aerosol without ionizing the sample. The sample includes the analyte in a solvent. The method further includes drying the aerosol to obtain gas phase solvent and gas phase analyte, and ionizing the gas phase analyte to obtain ions thereof. An ion source using the method for obtaining ions of an analyte…
USER-SPECIFIED SEMANTICS FOR PARALLEL OPERATIONS WITH A TIME-EXPLICIT PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
Granted: June 11, 2009
Application Number:
20090150862
In a computer programming language environment wherein operations are specified in one or more parallel frame sequences of frames arranged on a time scale, a programming language provides user-specifiable semantics for defining the start times for starting the frames and the end times for ending the frames. A method may be executed according to a routine constructed using the programming language, wherein the method includes providing user-specified semantics for defining the start times…
Method and Apparatus for Trapping Ions
Granted: June 4, 2009
Application Number:
20090140141
An ion trap comprising elongate rods, electrodes, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The rods are for defining the radial extent of a trapping volume. The first circuit is connected to the rods for applying thereto a first RF signal that generates adjacent the trapping volume a radial RF containment field that radially contains ions of different polarities within the trapping volume. The electrodes define the axial extent of the trapping volume. The second circuit is connected to the…
Methods For Separating Organelles
Granted: June 4, 2009
Application Number:
20090142775
Methods and kits for separating organelles of a specific type from a mixture of organelles of different types are described. The methods comprise providing a mixture of organelles of different types, adding probes to the mixture to form an organelle-probe complex with a distinct diffusion coefficient, and separating the organelles of the specific type from the mixture of organelles based upon the diffusion coefficient of the complex. The probes used in these methods include an affinity…
