Patents Examined by Haihui Zhang
  • Patent number: 8849591
    Abstract: A method for processing a signal from a flow meter for measuring a gas flow in an internal combustion engine includes processing the signal according to a first logic when the engine operates in a first intake mode and processing the signal according to a second logic when the engine operates in a second intake mode. The first intake mode includes the activation of a high-pressure EGR valve. The second intake mode includes the activation of a low-pressure EGR valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventors: Alexandre Collet, Kevin Robert, Benjamin Gresiak
  • Patent number: 8812264
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an approach that uses a wattmeter to determine hydraulic fluid parameters. In one aspect, a controller uses the electric power measured by the wattmeter to determine the power delivered to hydraulic fluid delivered by a hydraulic pump unit to a hydraulic fluid consuming device and the volumetric flow rate of the hydraulic fluid delivered to the hydraulic fluid consuming device by the hydraulic pump unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Runkle
  • Patent number: 8805612
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calculation of the local magnification and/or the local distortion of a spectacle lens in at least one predetermined or predeterminable viewing direction, with the spectacle lens being designed to correct a refraction deficit of an eye, and having at least one object-side surface and one second eye-side surface, comprising the following steps: Calculation for the predetermined or predeterminable viewing direction of the profile of a main beam which originates from a predetermined or predeterminable infinitesimally small object and, after refraction by the spectacle lens, passes through the rotation point of the eye, through the entrance pupil of the eye or through the principal plane of the eye; determination of the main curvatures and directions of a local wavefront associated with the main beam on refraction by the spectacle lens; calculation of the local magnification and/or the local distortion of the spectacle lens from the determined main curvatures and directions o
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Rodenstock GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Becken, Gregor Esser, Helmut Altheimer, Dietmar Uttenweiler
  • Patent number: 8788218
    Abstract: A damage detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine damage criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the damage criteria to determine, for example, a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Alexander M. Soles, Matthew R. Walsh, Eric B. Scott
  • Patent number: 8788220
    Abstract: An impact detection and remediation system includes a sensing device for detecting damage events related to a structure of interest. Such damage events may include impact from a ballistic object, a tamper event, a physical impact, or other events that may affect structural integrity or cause failure. Illustratively, the sensing device is in communication with a measurement system to determine impact criteria, and a processing system which is configured to use the impact criteria to determine a direction of the initiation point of a ballistic causing the damage event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Alexander M. Soles, Matthew R. Walsh, Eric B. Scott
  • Patent number: 8744792
    Abstract: A measurement apparatus is disclosed in which a barrier separates a chamber into a first region and a second region. The barrier is of a known thickness, and it comprises holes having a known radius. Gas flow means provide a flow of a carbon dioxide in the first region and a flow of a nitrogen in the second region. A gas detector measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the second region and a processor calculates the theoretical diffusive flux from one region to another based on the known properties of the through-holes. The processor is arranged to calculate a calibration parameter in order to relate the measured parameter to the theoretical diffusive flux, based on the known properties of the through-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Molins PLC
    Inventors: Ian Francis Tindall, James Hugh Vincent, Linda Phillips Crumpler
  • Patent number: 8738326
    Abstract: A method of performance calculation and comparison is provided and includes collecting, at a central location, data relating to a performance characteristic of a machine, calculating at the central location and from the collected data, the performance characteristic of the machine and comparing the calculated performance characteristic with a target performance characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Phani Raghavender Gurijala, William Theadore Fisher, Rajan Gupta, Mallikarjan Puttappa Narayanpur, Ryan Margate Pastrana, Eric Thomas Pool, Subramaniam Krishnakumar Sastry, Janna Christiaanse Walsh, Difei Wang
  • Patent number: 8725427
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for estimating the features (concentration, weight, volume, etc.) of target materials, by using kinetic change information along time, when measuring the results of a chemical reaction between two materials, target materials and reactant, with an optical or electrochemical method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Yong Gwan Won
  • Patent number: 8725461
    Abstract: Configuration data and performance data can be collected from computing machines running a target program. Periods of stress for the computing machines can be identified using the performance data, and a set of the computing machines can be grouped under a stress profile using the performance data. One or more configuration points can be identified on the set of machines, and an effect of each of the configuration point(s) on performance of the set of machines can be inferred using the configuration data and the performance data. The inferred effect(s) of the configuration point(s) can be used to determine a baseline set of configuration settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Adam C. DePue, Mark Gilbert, Prasanna Kumar Jayapal
  • Patent number: 8724273
    Abstract: Transient blocking unit reset capability is improved by adding one or more transistors in parallel to one of the main blocking transistors of the circuit. These additional transistors switch off at higher voltages than their corresponding main blocking transistor, and have higher on-resistances than their corresponding main blocking transistor. The resulting transient blocking unit characteristic has two or more different slopes in the negative differential resistance part of the circuit I-V characteristic. This piecewise linear behavior can be exploited to ensure that the circuit I-V characteristic only has a single intersection with a normal load characteristic. By satisfying this condition, automatic reset is ensured, because the combination of the transient blocking unit with any load that is consistent with the normal load characteristic will have only one stable operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Bourns, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Morrish
  • Patent number: 8723373
    Abstract: The interface has three inputs, a first output which is connected to a first input, a second output which can be connected to a second input or to the third input. The interface also includes a switching device which is connected to the second input, the third input and the second output, and a control device which is coupled to the third input in such a way that a detection signal can be fed from the third input to the control device. The detection signal is indicative of whether the second input or the third input is connected to the second pole of the two-pole line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Urs Kästli
  • Patent number: 8718981
    Abstract: A modular sensor assembly in which a sensing module may be packaged and provided separately from a signal processing module and which, in some applications, may facilitate disposal and/or replacement of the sensing module when exposed to a “dirty” or “contaminated” environment without requiring disposal and/or replacement of the entire sensor assembly. In certain applications, the sensing module may include at least one transducer or sensor and a local memory containing a set of conditioning coefficients. The sensing module may be removably coupled to a signal processing module which, in some cases, may be configured to download the set of conditioning coefficients stored in the local memory of the sensing module, and to use the set of conditioning coefficients to produce a substantially linearized output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Prehn Bey, William Hoover, Jamie Speldrich, Ryan Jones
  • Patent number: 8706448
    Abstract: A wireless field device for use in controlling or monitoring an industrial process, includes a process interface configured to couple to a process fluid. Field device circuitry is coupled to the process interface and configured to measure or control a process variable. Wireless communication circuitry is configured to provide wireless communication. At least one electrical access terminal is configured to provide an electrical connection to circuitry of the field device. A power supply is configured to power the wireless field device. The power supply includes a removable primary power source to provide power to the field device for extended periods of time. A secondary power source is configured to provide power to the field device when the primary power source is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Rosemount Inc.
    Inventor: Kelly M. Orth
  • Patent number: 8688394
    Abstract: A data center energy management (DCEM) server configures a power supply in the data center. The DCEM server sums input alternating current (AC) power of the power supply to a total AC power of the data center, wherein the total AC power of the data center is a sum of AC power of a plurality of power supplies. The DCEM server sums output direct current (DC) power of the power supply to a total DC power of the data center and reports a ratio of total AC power to total DC power as data center power conversion efficiency. The DCEM server sets a preset power supply efficiency threshold. The DCEM server determines that a real-time power efficiency level is below the power supply efficiency threshold. The DCEM server, responsive to a determination that real-time power efficiency level is below the power supply efficiency threshold, may remedy the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wael R. El-Essawy, Karthick Rajamani, Juan C. Rubio
  • Patent number: 8688395
    Abstract: A method for correcting measurement errors and an electronic component characteristics measurement device improve correction precision by eliminating correction errors caused by leakage signal components between ports of the measurement jigs. An equation that correlates measurement values in a test measurement jig mounted state with measurement values in a standard measurement jig mounted state is determined from a result of measuring electrical characteristics of correction data obtaining samples having different electrical characteristics from each other in a state in which they are mounted on a standard measurement jig and on a test measurement jig. The equation is an equation that assumes the presence of leakage signals that are directly transmitted between at least two ports of at least one of the standard measurement jig and the test measurement jig.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taichi Mori
  • Patent number: 8676514
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the health of a plurality of blades is presented. The method includes determining delta TOAs corresponding to the plurality of blades, determining a standard deviation utilizing the delta TOAs corresponding to the plurality of blades, determining a delta sigma—1 utilizing the standard deviation and an initial standard deviation, determining a normalized delta TOA corresponding to one or more of the plurality of blades utilizing the delta sigma—1, determining a standard deviation of the normalized delta TOA, determining a delta sigma—2 utilizing the standard deviation of the normalized delta TOA and a previous standard deviation of normalized delta TOA, and determining a corrected delta TOA corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of blades based upon the delta sigma—2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Venkatesh Rajagopalan, Vivek Venugopal Badami, Rahul Srinivas Prabhu, Ajay Kumar Behera, Aninda Bhattacharya
  • Patent number: 8664799
    Abstract: An apparatus which has a load that consumes a predetermined amount of electric power per unit time includes a power source circuit configured to generate a voltage for driving the load, a capacitor which is connected to a supply line for supplying electric power to the load from the power source circuit and configured to stabilize a potential of the load, a first supply circuit which can supply electric power smaller than the predetermined amount to the capacitor and can discharge a charge from the capacitor, a second supply circuit which can supply electric power larger than the predetermined amount to the capacitor, a switch circuit configured to operate each of the first supply circuit and the second supply circuit, and a holding circuit configured to hold information based on the operation of the first supply circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasufumi Ogasawara, Yuichi Naoi, Shinji Takagi
  • Patent number: 8620611
    Abstract: Multi-phase flow is estimated in a flow meter by measuring fluid pressure within the flow meter and using the measured pressure to calculate a density of the flow. A total flow rate through the flow meter is estimated based on the calculated density and a PVT analysis of the fluid. A corrected total mass flow rate is calculated using a liquid/gas slip correction technique. Fluid flow rates are further corrected with a discharge coefficient that varies with changes in the Reynolds number of the fluid. The gas and oil fractions can be determined from the corrected total mass flow rate and gas fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Joo Tim Ong
  • Patent number: 8554508
    Abstract: In order to judge the acceptability of internal pressure of a can accurately based on the displacement of the can, a pair of displacement sensors (2, 3) facing each other coaxially are arranged perpendicularly to the carrying direction of a carton case (C) such that the center of an encased can (K) being carried matches the center of the pair of displacement sensors (2, 3), measurement data of the displacement sensors (2, 3) is taken in at the timing that the center of the can (K) passes through the center of the pair of displacement sensors (2, 3), a total depth (Ds=Dt+Db) of a top depth (Dt) from the upper end of the can (K) to the open tab and a bottom depth (Db) from the lower end of the can (K) to the bottom panel is calculated, and then the calculation result is applied to a criterion for judging the acceptability of the total depth corresponding to the internal pressure of acceptable can.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd.
    Inventor: Osafumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8538695
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying individual trees in LiDAR data based on the view of a LiDAR data point. In one embodiment, the number of trees represented by a LiDAR data point cluster is estimated based on a calculated value related to the exposure to the sky of a LiDAR data point in the LiDAR data point cluster.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey J. Welty