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US 6,064,340 AGranted
Electrostatic discharge locating apparatus and method
AssigneeIntersil Corporation
InventorsGregg D. Croft, Joseph C. Bernier, Rex Lowther
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge locating system may include a plurality of receivers and a central unit. Each receiver may include an antenna. The receivers may receive radio wave signals emanating from an electrostatic discharge event and transmit the signals to the central unit for processing. The central unit may determine the location of an electrostatic discharge event from the relative time of signal reception or the signal amplitudes along with predetermined locations of the receivers.
Claims55
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- (a) a plurality of receivers at spaced apart locations within a predetermined area adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in said area, each of said plurality of receivers including a gain stage and each gain stage having an approximately equal gain;
- and
- (b) a central unit operatively connected to said plurality of receivers having:
- data input means for receiving data identifying the location of each of said plurality of receivers,
- signal input means for receiving the received electromagnetic signals from said plurality of receivers,
- sensing means responsive to said signal input means for sensing a characteristic of the received electromagnetic signals, and
- locating means responsive to said sensing means and said data input means for determining in real time the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the sensed characteristic of the electromagnetic signals and the receiver locations,
- whereby the electromagnetic signal emanating from the electrostatic discharge event is received by said plural receivers and provided to the central unit, and
- whereby said central unit determines the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the characteristic and the receiver locations.
6 more elements
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- (a) a plurality of receivers at spaced apart locations within a predetermined area adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in said area;
- and
- (b) a central unit operatively connected to said plurality of receivers having:
- data input means for receiving data identifying the location of each of said plurality of receivers,
- signal input means for receiving the received electromagnetic signals from said plurality of receivers,
- sensing means responsive to said signal input means for sensing a characteristic of the received electromagnetic signals,
- equalizing means for equalizing the delay in signal propagation of the received electromagnetic signal from each of said receivers to said sensing means, and
- locating means responsive to said sensing means and said data input means for determining in real time the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the sensed characteristic of the electromagnetic signals and the receiver locations,
- whereby the electromagnetic signal emanating from the electrostatic discharge event is received by said plural receivers and provided to the central unit, and
- whereby said central unit determines the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the characteristic and the receiver locations.
7 more elements
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- (a) a plurality of receivers at spaced apart locations within a predetermined area adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in said area;
- and
- (b) a central unit operatively connected to said plurality of receivers having:
- data input means for receiving data identifying the location of each of said plurality of receivers,
- signal input means for receiving the received electromagnetic signals from said plurality of receivers,
- sensing means responsive to said signal input means for sensing a characteristic of the received electromagnetic signals,
- canceling means for canceling the delay in signal propagation of the received electromagnetic signal from said receivers to said sensing means, and
- locating means responsive to said sensing means and said data input means for determining in real time the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the sensed characteristic of the electromagnetic signals and the receiver locations,
- whereby the electromagnetic signal emanating from the electrostatic discharge event is received by said plural receivers and provided to the central unit, and
- whereby said central unit determines the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the characteristic and the receiver locations.
7 more elements
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- (a) at least four receivers at spaced apart locations within a predetermined area adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in said area;
- and
- (b) a central unit operatively connected to said plurality of receivers having:
- data input means for receiving data identifying the location of each of said plurality of receivers,
- signal input means for receiving the received electromagnetic signals from said plurality of receivers,
- sensing means responsive to said signal input means for sensing a characteristic of the received electromagnetic signals, and
- locating means responsive to said sensing means and said data input means for determining in real time the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the sensed characteristic of the electromagnetic signals and the receiver locations, said locating means including an error reduction means for minimizing inaccuracy in determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event due to a direct line of receiver reception being shielded,
- whereby the electromagnetic signal emanating from the electrostatic discharge event is received by said plural receivers and provided to the central unit, and
- whereby said central unit determines the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the characteristic and the receiver locations.
6 more elements
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- (a) a plurality of receivers at spaced apart locations within a predetermined area adapted to receive an electromagnetic signal emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in said area;
- and
- (b) a central unit operatively connected to said plurality of receivers having:
- data input means for receiving data identifying the location of each of said plurality of receivers,
- signal input means for receiving the received electromagnetic signals from said plurality of receivers,
- sensing means responsive to said signal input means for sensing a characteristic of the received electromagnetic signals, said sensing means sensing the relative detection times of the electromagnetic signals at said receivers to less than a nanosecond, and
- locating means responsive to said sensing means and said data input means for determining in real time the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the sensed characteristic of the electromagnetic signals and the receiver locations,
- whereby the electromagnetic signal emanating from the electrostatic discharge event is received by said plural receivers and provided to the central unit, and
- whereby said central unit determines the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of the characteristic and the receiver locations.
6 more elements
An electrostatic discharge locating system for locating an electrostatic discharge event comprising:
- detection means including at least four receivers for detecting at a plurality of locations in a predetermined area electromagnetic signals emanating from an electrostatic discharge event and including accuracy means for minimizing inaccuracy in determining the location of the discharge event due to a blocked line of sight between some of said receivers and the discharge event;
- and
- locating means responsive to said detecting means for determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event as function of the electromagnetic signals.
An electrostatic discharge precautions surveillance system for monitoring and improving the effectiveness of electrostatic discharge precautions employed in an enclosed facility, comprising:
- (a) detections means including a plurality of antennas within the facility adapted to receive broadband electrical signals emanating from an electrostatic discharge event in the facility, each of said plurality of antennas being tuned to approximately the same frequency, the frequency being selected from within the broadband of frequencies emanating from the discharge event so that the electrical signals received at each of said plurality of antennas have approximately the same frequency;
- and
- (b) a central unit responsive to said detection means for rapidly identifying a source of the electrostatic discharge event in the facility to thereby monitor and improve the effectiveness of existing electrostatic discharge precautions in the facility.
A method for determining the location of an electrostatic discharge event comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a plurality of receivers for receiving electromagnetic radiation at plural sites within a predetermined area;
- (b) matching the gain stages of the receivers;
- (c) receiving at the plural sites electromagnetic radiation emanating from an electrostatic discharge event;
- (d) providing the received radiation to a central unit;
- and
- (e) determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event at the central unit as a function of a signal characteristic of the received electromagnetic radiation.
3 more elements
A method for determining the location of an electrostatic discharge event comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving at plural sites within a predetermined area electromagnetic radiation emanating from an electrostatic discharge event;
- (b) providing the received radiation signal to a central unit;
- (c) equalizing signal propagation delay between the plurality of sites and the central unit;
- and
- (d) determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event it the central unit as a function of a signal characteristic of the received electromagnetic radiation.
2 more elements
A method for determining the location of an electrostatic discharge, event comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving at plural sites within a predetermined area electromagnetic radiation emanating from an electrostatic discharge event;
- (b) providing the received radiation signal to a central unit;
- (c) measuring signal propagation delays between the plurality of sites and the central unit;
- (d) canceling the propagation delays;
- and
- (e) determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of a signal characteristic of the received electromagnetic radiation.
3 more elements
A method for determining the location of an electrostatic discharge event comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing at least four receiver sites within a predetermined area for receiving electromagnetic radiation emanating from an electrostatic discharge event;
- (b) determining the location of the electrostatic discharge event as a function of a signal characteristic of the received electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- (c) minimizing the inaccuracy associated with determining the location of the discharge event due to blocked line of sight between some of the plurality of receiver sites and the discharge event causing the receipt of reflected signals rather than line of sight signals at the blocked receiver sites.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.