Patents Examined by Christopher W Carter
  • Patent number: 11765809
    Abstract: A load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load is able to receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from a Wi-Fi-enabled device, such as a smart phone, via a wireless local area network. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the load, a controller for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive, and a Wi-Fi module operable to receive the RF signals directly from the wireless network. The controller controls the controllably conductive device to adjust the power delivered to the load in response to the wireless signals received from the wireless network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Pessina, Theodore F. Economy, John C. Browne, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11750025
    Abstract: An apparatus for a system power device utilized in an interconnected power system. The interconnected power system may include multiple system power devices connected to various inter connections of groups of direct currents (DC) from power sources which also may be connected in various series, parallel, series parallel and parallel series combinations for example. The apparatus may include a processor connected to a memory and a communication interface operatively attached to the processor. The communication interface may be adapted to connect to a mobile computing system of a user in close proximity to the system power devices. A graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile computing system may allow various operational and re-configuration options for the interconnected power system which may include installation, maintenance and monitoring schedules in the interconnected power system when the user of the GUI is in close proximity to the system power devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaron Binder, Lior Handelsman, Ilan Yoscovich, Guy Sella, Menashe Walsh
  • Patent number: 11747795
    Abstract: A system for enabling and disabling operation of manufacturing machines provides a manufacturing machine user interface that facilitates receiving quality control information regarding the manufacturing machine from a user. For quality assurance purposes, the computer system of the manufacturing machine may decide whether to enable operation of the manufacturing machine based on the received quality control information. The computer system of the manufacturing machine may also decide to disable operation of the manufacturing machine if the quality control information provided is incomplete, out of date, or otherwise insufficient to indicate the manufacturing machine is ready for safe and effective operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: DISH TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jason Fruh, George M. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11747036
    Abstract: Techniques for performing an emissions demand response event are described. In an example, a cloud-based HVAC control server system obtains an emissions rate forecast for a predefined future time period. Using the emissions rate forecast, a future emissions rate event during the predefined future time period is identified. The future emissions rate event comprises an indication of predicted magnitude and a time period when a predicted emissions rate will be at an increased or decreased level. A confidence value indicating a certainty of the future emissions rate event occurring as predicted is determined. Based on the identified future emissions rate event and the confidence value, an emissions demand response event having a start time and an end time during the future emissions rate event is generated. The cloud-based HVAC control server system then causes a thermostat to control an HVAC system in accordance with the generated emissions demand response event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Samuel Y. Chang, Kristoffer J. Donhowe, Ramya Bhagavatula, Jeffrey Gleeson, Kevin Chen
  • Patent number: 11748614
    Abstract: An artificial intelligence device for controlling an external device includes a display unit, and a processor configured to acquire a distance between the artificial intelligence device and a first external device, determine whether the acquired distance is less than a reference distance, display a first operation menu item for controlling the first external device on the display unit when the acquired distance is less than the reference distance, acquire situation information when the acquired distance is equal to or greater than the reference distance, determine a second external device as an object to be controlled based on the acquired situation information, and display a second operation menu item for controlling the determined second external device on the display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Dongwook Kim, Kunwoo Kim, Chala Park, Hojun Lee
  • Patent number: 11740604
    Abstract: In a master device (control device) that employs a configuration list, setup change is performed easily without requiring a complicated operation with respect to a partial change in the configuration of a slave-side system on a slave side. A control unit (11) of a control device (10) is configured to perform communication for inquiring about device information to an address in an active configuration list through a communication unit (12), and determine to be abnormal when the result of the communication with respect to a common portion of a slave-side system (20) is different from the device information in the active configuration list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventor: Toshihisa Ouchi
  • Patent number: 11715367
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for managing a set of electrical/electronic devices for driving fans of a heat exchanger of a refrigeration plant, having a basic control unit adapted to act as interface between a remote control unit/Master unit and a plurality of electrical/electronic devices to be controlled. The basic control unit has a data input to receive inputs from the remote control unit/Master unit and a plurality of data outputs connectable with respective electrical/electronic devices of the electrical/electronic devices. The basic control unit is configured to address the electrical/electronic devices using management signals to program the operating parameters of the electrical/electronic devices, and to directly manage the operation. The management signals include addressing, programming and management commands previously programmed in the memory unit based on specific applications and communication protocols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SELPRO SRL
    Inventor: Stefano Rizzi
  • Patent number: 11698631
    Abstract: A crash sensor device may include multiple sensor components positioned along one or more data paths to a communication interface of the crash sensor device. The crash sensor device may include a test control unit. The test control unit may receive a test command from an electronic control unit during operation of a vehicle. The test control unit may perform a test of one or more sensor components, of the multiple sensor components, during operation of the vehicle based on the test command. The test control unit may output a test result to the electronic control unit based on performing the test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Dirk Hammerschmidt
  • Patent number: 11686480
    Abstract: A method for performing extremum-seeking control of a plant includes determining multiple values of a correlation coefficient that relates a control input provided as an input to the plant to a performance variable that characterizes a performance of the plant in response to the control input. The performance variable includes a noise-free portion and an amount of noise. The method includes determining an adjusted correlation coefficient by scaling a first value of the correlation coefficient selected from the multiple values relative to a second value of the correlation coefficient selected from the multiple values. The adjusted correlation coefficient relates the noise-free portion of the performance variable to the control input. The method includes using the adjusted correlation coefficient to modulate the control input provided as an input to the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Timothy I. Salsbury, Carlos Felipe Alcala Perez, John M. House
  • Patent number: 11662696
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an automatic control artificial intelligence device including a collection unit configured to acquire an output value according to control of a control system; and an artificial intelligence unit operably coupled to the collection unit and configured to: communicate with the collection unit; set at least one of one or more base lines and a reward based on a gap between the one or more base lines and the output value, according to a plurality of operation goals of the control system; and update a control function for providing a control value to the control system by performing reinforcement learning based on the gap between the one or more base lines and the output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Bongsang Kim
  • Patent number: 11656594
    Abstract: Techniques for enabling the configuration of a voting block for use in a process control system of a process plant are described. According to certain aspects, the voting block may have a voting scheme that dictates an output based on a set of inputs, where the voting block may be configured parametrically using various control selections that direct the behavior of the voting scheme. In particular, a bypass degrade selection may be specified for one or more inputs that controls whether a “bypass” input degrades the voting scheme, a status degrade selection may be specified for one or more inputs that controls whether a “bad” input degrades the voting scheme, and a trip enable selection may be specified that controls whether a trip occurs automatically under certain conditions. The control selections enable the voting blocks to be configured to conform with various specifications and other requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Gary K. Law, Godfrey R. Sherriff
  • Patent number: 11629695
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine wherein a parameter for a wind hitting the wind turbine is determined from present values for the generator speed and/or the wind speed at each point in time (t). A temporal change variable is formed for the parameter at each point in time (t). For the temporal change variables, which occurred in a past time interval, the third and/or fourth statistical moment is calculated for a distribution of the temporal change values in the time interval. If at least one of the statistical moments exceeds a predetermined value, then a detection signal is set for an extreme gust, which triggers one or both of the steps: increasing a setpoint value for the blade pitch angle starting from an actual value thereof, and reducing a setpoint value for the generator speed starting from an actual value thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Nordex Energy SE & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Niss
  • Patent number: 11614726
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for identifying a type of device connected to I/O (Input/Output) channels of an I/O module, can involve applying a current for a predefined time duration to one or more I/O channels of an I/O module, initiating a current readback at a regular interval of time within the predefined time duration, determining values of the current readback for each of a time interval during the predefined time duration, storing the values of the current readback in a memory associated with the I/O module, determining a pattern as a function of the values of the current readback and a sample of time interval for a device connected to the one or more I/O channels, and identifying a type of the device connected to the one or more I/O channels based on a determined pattern of a current sink of the device connected to the one or more I/O channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Shivakumar Siddaraju, Adrianus C. M. Hamers, Harsha Sukeerthi C N, Debapriya Banerjee
  • Patent number: 11609004
    Abstract: An indoor air quality (IAQ) system for a building includes an IAQ sensor that is located within the building and that is configured to measure an IAQ parameter. The IAQ parameter is one of: an amount of particulate of at least a predetermined size present in air; an amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in air; and an amount of carbon dioxide present in air. A mitigation module is configured to: selectively turn on a mitigation device based on a comparison of the IAQ parameter with a first ON threshold and a second ON threshold; and selectively turn off the mitigation device based on a comparison of the IAQ parameter with an OFF threshold. A clean module is configured to determine a clean value for the IAQ parameter. A thresholds module is configured to, based on the clean value, determine the first ON threshold and the OFF threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart K. Morgan, Hung Pham, Brian R. Butler
  • Patent number: 11608812
    Abstract: Methods (200) for reducing vibrations in one or more rotor blades (120) of a wind turbine (160), when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions are provided. The method comprises measuring (201) one or more deformation parameters indicative of deformation of one or more blades (120), determining (202), at a dedicated controller (190) for an auxiliary drive system (20, 107), a vibration of one or more of the blades (120) based on the deformation parameters, wherein the dedicated controller (190) for the auxiliary drive system is separate from the wind turbine controller (180), and generating (203), at the dedicated controller (190), an output signal to operate the auxiliary drive system to reduce the vibration. Also disclosed are wind turbines (160) which comprise a dedicated controller (190) configured to determine a vibration and generating an output signal to reduce the vibration, when the wind turbine is in standstill conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables España, S. L.
    Inventors: Pedro Arroyo Beltri, Thomas Picard, Marc Canal Vila, Ricardo Lázaro Bosch, Pedro Palomares Rentero
  • Patent number: 11599081
    Abstract: An industrial controller that integrates execution of a control program on the industrial controller with execution of additional functions on an external processing device is disclosed. Integrating the external processing device provides an improved system for third party development of control functions which may be unique to specific applications. The system manages communication between the industrial controller and the external processing device, manages access to data stored in the industrial controller, and makes the details of the integration transparent to the programmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Johnston, Michael J. Viste, Ryan L. Schnell
  • Patent number: 11598545
    Abstract: A device is configured to operate a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. The device is further configured to determine that the amount of time to close a pressure switch exceeds a time threshold value. The device is further configured to receive an audio signal from a microphone while operating the HVAC system, to identify an audio signature for the combustion air inducer, and to determine the audio signature for the combustion air inducer is present within the audio signal. The device is further configured to determine a fault type based on the determination that the audio signature for the combustion air inducer is present within the audio signal, to identify a component identifier for a component of the HVAC system that is associated with fault type, and to output a recommendation identifying the component identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Payam Delgoshaei, Glenn William Kowald
  • Patent number: 11599071
    Abstract: A building system including one or more memory devices configured to store instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine an average of a minimum half of sorted energy consumption values for a first time period and determine an average of a maximum half of sorted energy consumption values for a second time period. The instructions also cause the processor to determine a ratio of the average of the minimum half of sorted energy consumption values for the first time period to the average of the maximum half of sorted energy consumption values for the second time period, compare the calculated ratio to an adaptively tunable threshold value and activate a system responsive to the calculated ratio exceeding the adaptively tunable threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventor: Steven R. Vitullo
  • Patent number: 11579636
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling operations of a fluid distribution may include a first manifold receiving a next mode of operation for the fluid distribution system. The first manifold may calculate first and second flow requirements for the first and second manifolds that may respectively include a first and second total flowrates from the first and second manifolds. The first manifold may determine required operation states for valves of the first manifold and the second manifold for the next mode based on the first and second flow requirements. The first manifold may be controllably operated to cause the second manifold and a supply device of the fluid distribution system to operate in the required operation states and provide first and second flow requirements. The first manifold may direct the second manifold to independently balance individual outlet flowrates of the second manifold while continuing to provide the second flow requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Doyle, William Weiss
  • Patent number: 11569683
    Abstract: An apparatus for a system power device utilized in an interconnected power system. The interconnected power system may include multiple system power devices connected to various inter connections of groups of direct currents (DC) from power sources which also may be connected in various series, parallel, series parallel and parallel series combinations for example. The apparatus may include a processor connected to a memory and a communication interface operatively attached to the processor. The communication interface may be adapted to connect to a mobile computing system of a user in close proximity to the system power devices. A graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile computing system may allow various operational and re-configuration options for the interconnected power system which may include installation, maintenance and monitoring schedules in the interconnected power system when the user of the GUI is in close proximity to the system power devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Yaron Binder, Lior Handelsman, Ilan Yoscovich, Guy Sella, Menashe Walsh