Patents Examined by Jennifer L. Norton
  • Patent number: 11092949
    Abstract: A transport system is provided. The transport system includes a stocker configured to store an assigned wafer carrier and having a gate port. The transport system also includes a semiconductor apparatus configured to transmit a request signal including a processed time according to a processing wafer carrier loaded on the semiconductor apparatus. The transport system further includes a vehicle configured to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus and a control system configured to control the vehicle. When the control system receives the request signal, the control system controls the stocker to transport the assigned wafer carrier inside of the stocker to the gate port at a start time, which is earlier than the processed time, and the control system controls the vehicle to transport the assigned wafer carrier from the gate port to the semiconductor apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Wei-Pin Huang, Wen-Chi Chien, Yuh-Dean Tsai, Bing-Yuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 11092981
    Abstract: A valve assembly may include: a valve body with a fluid path extending between the inlet port and the outlet port; a valve member with a closed position blocking the fluid path and an open position; a sensor the fluid flow; an actuator coupled to the valve member; and a controller for the actuator with a set point value and a default flow rate indicative of nominal flow through the fluid path. The controller may: read the sensor; calculate a flow rate; compare the flow rate to a threshold value indicative of substantially zero flow rate; and if the measure of flow rate is below the threshold value, calculate a position of the valve member directly from the set point value and the default flow rate, produce a control signal from the calculated position, and communicate the control signal to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Petry
  • Patent number: 11071263
    Abstract: Described herein are several embodiments relating to irrigation controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: Harvey J. Nickerson, Russel D. Leatherman, Jose Macias Galarza, Bill Merkt
  • Patent number: 11063437
    Abstract: A modular photovoltaic (PV) array system includes a PV array installed onto a fleet vehicle such as a trailer, bus etc., a host control system into which a plurality of fleet vehicles can connect to collectively generate electricity, and a subscriber system which collectively tracks energy generation and allocates respective contributions to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PV Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Tomlinson
  • Patent number: 11060751
    Abstract: An air-conditioning control system configured to control air conditioning in a building that includes an air-conditioning room in which an air conditioner is provided and a first air-inflow room into which air flows from the air-conditioning room. The air-conditioning control system includes: a temperature obtaining unit configured to obtain a temperature of the first air-inflow room; and a controller configured to control the air conditioner, based on the temperature obtained by the temperature obtaining unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hayato Takahashi, Kayo Kondo
  • Patent number: 11057965
    Abstract: A control device, for a water purifier, that dispenses hot water and that includes: an input unit that is configured to receive a command signal; and a controller that is configured to control the water purifier based on the command signal, wherein the controller is configured to: control power output of a heating unit that is configured to heat water stored in a hot water tank of the water purifier, and based on the power output of the heating unit, control temperature of hot water dispensed by the water purifier is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Yonghyun Kim, Kobong Choi, Jewook Jeon, Siyeon An
  • Patent number: 11058027
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling air distribution to electronic components are disclosed. According to an aspect, a system includes fans configured to distribute air to a plurality of electronic components. The system also includes a fan controller configured to control the fans based on a form factor and/or a quantity of the electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Lenovo Enterprises Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Paul Artman, Vinod Kamath
  • Patent number: 11048221
    Abstract: A numerical controller performs control to rotate a turret, which holds a plurality of tools on the outer peripheral portion thereof, thereby moving one (selected tool) of the tools selected by a command to a predetermined position (selected position). The numerical controller sets and holds a partial area of the outer peripheral portion of the turret as an area (passage-prohibited area) prohibited from passing through the selected position and determines whether or not the selected tool is present in the passage-prohibited area or whether or not the passage-prohibited area passes through the selected position as the selected tool is moved to the selected position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventor: Yousuke Koyanaka
  • Patent number: 11043840
    Abstract: Various embodiments include an energy storage apparatus for providing electrical energy comprising: a meter for capturing an electrical load profile to be provided and operating state values of energy storage devices; a data memory for storing data relating to an assessment profile for a respective energy storage device, wherein the assessment profile represents effects of operating parameters on a respective criterion of a respective energy storage device; a processor for dividing the electrical load profile into partial load profiles and assigning them to a respective energy storage device optimized based at least in part on the respective criterion and the respective operating state values; and an open-loop controller for operating the energy storage devices selected by the processor to jointly provide electrical power for the electrical load profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christopher Betzin, Holger Wolfschmidt, Barbara Schricker
  • Patent number: 11039582
    Abstract: A user terminal may be configured to communicate with a gateway. The gateway may be configured to communicate with sensor equipment including one or more sensors and watering equipment via a first network. The gateway may also be configured to communicate with the user terminal via a second network. The user terminal may include processing circuitry that is configured to provide a remote interface for communication with the sensor equipment and the watering equipment via the gateway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventors: Sonja Gilliam, Stefan Keller, Thomas Schabel, Christian Kienzle, Sandra Weiser
  • Patent number: 11039583
    Abstract: A system may include sensor equipment including one or more sensors disposed on a parcel of land, watering equipment disposed on the parcel and configured to selectively apply water to the parcel, and a gateway configured to provide for communication with the sensor equipment and the watering equipment. The gateway may interface between a first network and a second network. The first network may include at least the watering equipment and the sensor equipment. An operator may be enabled to wirelessly communicate with the gateway via the second network. At least one component of the watering equipment or the sensor equipment may be an adaptive component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: HUSQVARNA AB
    Inventors: Sonja Gilliam, Stefan Keller, Thomas Schabel, Christian Kienzle, Sandra Weiser
  • Patent number: 11029651
    Abstract: A machine learning device includes: a state information acquisition unit configured to cause the control device to execute a tapping program to acquire from the control device, state information including a torque command value with respect to the spindle motor, a drive state including deceleration, a ratio of a movement distance in acceleration and a movement distance in deceleration; an action information output unit configured to output action information including adjustment information of the ratio of the movement distance in acceleration and the movement distance in deceleration, to the control device; a reward output unit configured to output a reward value in reinforcement learning based on a torque command value in deceleration, and a target torque command value in deceleration; and a value function update unit configured to update an action value function based on the reward value, the state information, and the action information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Tajima, Yuuki Morita
  • Patent number: 11018506
    Abstract: A smart grid timing synchronization method, a smart grid timing synchronization system, a smart grid timing synchronization device and a computer readable storage medium are provided, which is applied to any synchronization device in a smart grid. The method includes: determining whether a clock frequency of a synchronization device is consistent with a preset fixed frequency, and if not, regulating the clock frequency of the synchronization device to be consistent with the preset fixed frequency. The synchronization device includes a communication device and a central coordinator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: HANGZHOU VANGO TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Ching-Kae Tzou
  • Patent number: 10996704
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a microgrid load. In one embodiment, the method comprises measuring at least one grid parameter of a microgrid transmission line coupled to a load in a microgrid; computing, using the at least one grid parameter and a droop control technique, at least one virtual set-point; determining a modification to operation of the load based on the at least one virtual set-point; and modifying operation of the load based on the modification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Richard Zimmanck, Christopher N. Rowe
  • Patent number: 10993354
    Abstract: A data center system includes: a data center including an electronic device and an air conditioner configured to cool the electronic device; a cooling device including a first cooler configured to cool cooling water to be supplied to the data center by an air blow and a second cooler configured to cool the cooling water by heat exchange; and a control device configured to control the cooling device, wherein the control device is configured to: acquire outside temperature information from a temperature sensor provided outside the data center; calculate cooling water temperature information to be set to the cooling device by adding a cooling temperature difference based on a cooling ability of the first cooler to the outside temperature information; and set the cooling water temperature information to the cooling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Inano, Hiroyoshi Kodama, Shigeto Suzuki, Toshio Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10990070
    Abstract: A state quantity acquiring unit is configured to acquire a state quantity of a turbine. A time calculation unit is configured to calculate an operable time at an over firing operation of the turbine based on a design life of the turbine and a state quantity. A distance calculation unit configured to calculate a Mahalanobis distance based on the state quantity. A determination unit configured to determine whether or not the over firing operation of the turbine is possible by the Mahalanobis distance and the operable time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuoki Tomita, Katsuhiko Abe, Shintaro Kumano, Motoshi Takasu, Etsushi Kanno, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Takayoshi Isoda, Yuki Enomoto, Nobuhiro Osaki, Kazuyuki Misawa, Akihisa Endo, Masao Ogino
  • Patent number: 10973615
    Abstract: A method for creating a digital model of a denture for a patient, where the denture includes a gingival part and artificial teeth, includes obtaining digital models of artificial teeth representing the artificial teeth; obtaining a 3D scan comprising a digital representation of at least part of the patient's existing gingiva; digitally modeling a gingival part of the digital model of the denture using the 3D scan and the digital artificial teeth; digitally determining a first offset defining a first thickness of a first portion of the gingival part of the digital model of the denture that extends from the digital representation of the at least part of the patient's existing gingiva; and digitally determining a second offset defining a second thickness of a second portion of the gingival part of the digital model of the denture that extends from the digital artificial teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: 3SHAPE A/S
    Inventor: Rune Fisker
  • Patent number: 10976719
    Abstract: A parameter setting support device is provided with a parameter setting interface unit configured to display an input screen for setting a parameter of a function of a numerical controller and accept the setting of the value of the parameter of the function to be set, a related parameter identification unit configured to identify a related function related to the parameter of the settable function, based on the relationship between the parameter and each function of the numerical controller, and a setting range identification unit configured to identify a setting range of the parameter of the related function by calculating a conditional expression predetermined for the setting range of the parameter of the related function. The parameter setting interface unit displays the setting range of the parameter of the related function identified by the setting range identification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sadao Matsukura
  • Patent number: 10969135
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are related to a system, a method, and a non-transitory computer readable storing instructions for operating an energy plant comprised of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) devices. In one aspect, the system generates gradient data indicating a gradient of operating performance of the energy plant with respect to values of a plurality of control variables of HVAC devices. The system determines, from the plurality of control variables, a reduced group of control variables of the HVAC devices based on the gradient data. The system determines a set of values of the reduced group of control variables. The system operates the energy plant according to the determined set of values of the reduced group of control variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Graeme Willmott, Matthew J. Asmus
  • Patent number: 10959816
    Abstract: A method of designing a patient-specific prosthesis for a current patient includes receiving scan data of a mouth of the current patient to identify conditions at a location at which the patient-specific prosthesis is to be placed on a dental implant, and determining at least two clinical factors for the current patient. The method further includes identifying a desired outcome for soft tissue for the current patient at the location, and accessing a database having soft-tissue-outcome information for each of a plurality of previous patients. The database further includes clinical-factor information for each of the plurality of previous patients. Based on the soft-tissue-outcome information and the clinical-factor information for at least one of the plurality of previous patients being related to the current patient's desired outcome and the current patient's at least two clinical factors, the method includes developing a design for the patient-specific prosthesis for the current patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Biomet 3I, LLC
    Inventors: Stephen M. Herrington, Zachary B Suttin