A node within a wireless mesh network is configured to record a zero crossing of alternating current or alternating voltage drawn by a single-phase power consumer and a precise timestamp when the zero crossing occurred, thereby generating timestamped zero crossing data. The node receives similar zero crossing data from a neighboring node. The node then compares the timestamped zero crossing data with the received zero crossing data to determine whether the phase associated with the node is equivalent to, leads, or lags the phase associated with the neighboring node. The node then acquires a positive phase identification associated with the neighboring node. Based on the phase identification, and based on the phase difference between the two nodes, the node infers the phase associated with the single-phase power consumer. That phase indicates the specific power line within a three-phase power distribution network to which the single-phase power consumer is coupled.

A node within a wireless mesh network is configured to record a zero crossing of alternating current or alternating voltage drawn by a single-phase power consumer and a precise timestamp when the zero crossing occurred, thereby generating timestamped zero crossing data. The node receives similar zero crossing data from a neighboring node. The node then compares the timestamped zero crossing data with the received zero crossing data to determine whether the phase associated with the node is equivalent to, leads, or lags the phase associated with the neighboring node. The node then acquires a positive phase identification associated with the neighboring node. Based on the phase identification, and based on the phase difference between the two nodes, the node infers the phase associated with the single-phase power consumer. That phase indicates the specific power line within a three-phase power distribution network to which the single-phase power consumer is coupled.

The invention provides a method and system for precisely measuring AC power and detecting load impedance using a precise analog front-end, zero-crossing detectors, and a phase detection system capable of extracting precise phase information from the sensed voltage and current measurements. More particularly, the invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transmit circuit configured to generate a wireless field via an antenna for transferring charging power to a receiver device, for determining a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal. The apparatus further comprises a phase detection circuit to output a phase signal indicating a duration of a phase offset between a time-varying voltage and a time-varying current of the transmit circuit. The apparatus further comprises a capacitor configured to receive a variable current from a current source for the duration of the phase offset between the time-varying voltage and a time-varying current.

The invention provides a method and system for precisely measuring AC power and detecting load impedance using a precise analog front-end, zero-crossing detectors, and a phase detection system capable of extracting precise phase information from the sensed voltage and current measurements. More particularly, the invention provides an apparatus, comprising a transmit circuit configured to generate a wireless field via an antenna for transferring charging power to a receiver device, for determining a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal. The apparatus further comprises a phase detection circuit to output a phase signal indicating a duration of a phase offset between a time-varying voltage and a time-varying current of the transmit circuit. The apparatus further comprises a capacitor configured to receive a variable current from a current source for the duration of the phase offset between the time-varying voltage and a time-varying current.

A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.

A power detector for detecting an output power of a power amplifier is provided. The power amplifier is used to transmit signal power to the antenna. The power detector includes a phase shifter, a multiplier and a calibration unit. The phase shifter sequentially applies a plurality of candidate phase calibration amounts to the output voltage of the power amplifier to generate a plurality of adjusted signals with different phases in a calibration mode. The multiplier sequentially mixes the replica current and each of the plurality of adjusted signals, to generate a plurality of analog signals with different phases. The calibration circuit determines a target phase calibration amount of the phase shifter from the candidate phase calibration amounts according to the plurality of analog signals.

In known methods for through-cut detection in the thermally assisted through cutting of a workpiece, the workpiece is subjected to a first alternating signal. Starting therefrom, to indicate a method which allows a fast and accurate detection of a through-cut made, it is suggested according to the invention that the method comprises the following method steps:

a) detecting a second alternating electrical signal caused by the first alternating electrical signal in a measurement electrode spaced from the workpiece,

b) determining the phase shift between first and second alternating electrical signal with output of a phase shift signal,

c) detecting a temporal evolution of the phase shift electrical signal or a measurement variable derived therefrom in a predetermined time interval,

wherein a workpiece through-cut made is detected in that the phase shift signal or the measurement variable derived therefrom is in the time interval within a predetermined fluctuation range.

A novel nonlinear impulse sampler is presented that provides a clock sharpening circuit, sampling stage, and post-sampling block. The clock sharpening circuit sharpens the incoming clock while acting as a buffer, and the sharpened clock is fed to the input of the sampling stage. The impulse sampling stage has two main transistors, where one transistor generates the impulse and the other transistor samples the input signal. Post-sampling block processes the sampled signal and acts as a sample and hold circuit. The architecture uses an ultrafast transmission-line based inductive peaking technique to turn on a high-speed sampling bipolar transistor for a few picoseconds. It is shown that the sampler can detect impulses as short as 100psec or less.

A Stein Hall cup for measuring the viscosity of a starch adhesive is automated to provide viscosity measurement in real time using a PLC or other data gathering and control processor. Temperature of the adhesive is measured concurrently with viscosity and temperature signals are processed with the timed viscosity signal to provide a temperature compensated value of starch viscosity.

The invention relates to a generic method for determining the rotor position of an electronically-commutated multi-phase direct current motor, characterized in: (a) generating of a plurality of test voltage pulses in the winding system with a specified switch-on duration ΔT by means of the commuting device in different phase distributed over 360°; (b) measurement of the current values of the current responses of the test voltage pulses on expiration of the switch-on period of the respective test voltage pulse; (c) approximation of the measured current values by means of a periodic approximation function from a superimposition of a preferably sinusoidal fundamental wave with an amplitude IEMK and the associated first harmonic with an amplitude Und as a factor of the phase of the test voltage pulse, wherein the sinusoidal fundamental wave follows the chronological progression of the counter EMF voltage of the stator and the first harmonic follows the chronological progression of the stator of the direct current motor; (d) determination of an amplitude ratio value I.sub.EMF/I.sub.Ind of the fundamental wave and the first harmonic of the approximation function; (e) determination of the rotor position as the EMF angle from the argument of the first harmonic of the approximation function as a factor of the amplitude ratio I.sub.EMF/I.sub.Ind, wherein the EMF angle indicates the phase offset of the sinusoidal progression of the counter EMF voltage of the stator relative to the approximation function and the inductivity angle indicates the phase offset of the sinusoidal progression of the inductivity of the stator relative to the approximation function.