Patents Examined by Sheela S. Rao
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Patent number: 8706307Abstract: An irrigation controller, includes a housing, a microcontroller within the housing and configured to store and execute an irrigation schedule, a valve driver coupled to the microcontroller and configured to output a zone activation signal to an actuatable zone valve in response to signaling from the microcontroller, and a user interface. The user interface includes a plurality of user input devices coupled to the microcontroller and configured to provide signaling to the microcontroller based upon a user's engagement therewith, the plurality of user input devices configured to allow the user to create an irrigation schedule; and a user display coupled to the microcontroller and configured to display irrigation parameters associated with the irrigation schedule. The microcontroller is configured to cause the user display to display at least one of a next irrigation start day, a next irrigation start time, and a next zone to irrigate associated with the irrigation schedule.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2012Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Steven W. Weiler, Susan E. Basch, Russel Dean Leatherman, James R. Musselman
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Patent number: 8660701Abstract: A water heater has a modular control system. The water heater comprises a tank, a heating element, a first controller, and a second controller. The heating element is coupled to the tank. The first controller is mounted on the tank and has a first communication port. The second controller has a second communication port communicatively coupled to the first communication port of the first controller. The first controller is configured to control the heating element in accordance with any desired algorithm in an absence of the second controller, and the second controller is configured to perform at least one function in addition to or in lieu of the first controller.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2007Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: A. O. Smith CorporationInventors: Terry G. Phillips, Wade C. Patterson
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Patent number: 8649895Abstract: A lot of buildings have been built while it is concerned that a building material is used fraudulently. Therefore, the present invention provides a managing method of the material and a system thereof. The present invention provides a managing method including a step of attaching a sheet including a plurality of memories to each surface of a plurality of materials, a step of dividing the plurality of materials with the sheet in accordance with data in the memory, a step of constructing a building by using the divided material in accordance with the data in the memory, and a step of checking the data on the constructed building, which is stored in the plurality of memories.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2006Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yoshinobu Asami
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Patent number: 8639379Abstract: A detecting device for preventing a substrate from being scratched by an apparatus and a detecting method using the same is provided. The device comprises a detecting substrate, a controlling module, a transmitting module and a monitoring module. The controlling module detects a position information of a contact point between the apparatus and the detecting substrate and transmits the position information to the transmitting module. The transmitting module transmits the position information received from the controlling module to the monitoring module. The monitoring module determines the coordinates of the contact point between the apparatus and the detecting substrate according to the position information. The detecting substrate can be employed to simulate the substrate used in the real manufacture process of the TFT-LCD so that the apparatus in each step can be detected before the real manufacture process is performed.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2010Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: Beijing Boe Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yu Lu
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Patent number: 8612039Abstract: A method of making an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes the steps of designing an article of footwear via a website, converting a footwear representation into a set of two-dimensional portions, printing the two dimensional portions onto a sheet material, cutting and assembling the two dimensional portions into a finalized article of footwear. The method further includes a step of shipping the article of footwear to a pre-designated shipping address. Systems for receiving an order for a customized article of footwear are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: David P. Jones, Bruce J. Kilgore, Elizabeth Langvin, James C. Meschter
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Patent number: 8588953Abstract: The present invention supplies practical procedures, functions or techniques for folding tessellations. Several tessellation crease pattern techniques, and the three-dimensional folded configuration are given. Additionally several new forming processes, including mathematical methods for describing the material flow are disclosed doubly-periodic folding of materials that name the doubly-periodic folded (DPF) surface, including vertices, edges, and facets, at any stage of the folding. This information is necessary for designing tooling and forming equipment, for analyzing strength and deflections of the DPFs under a variety of conditions, for modeling the physical properties of DPF laminations and composite structures, for understanding the acoustic or other wave absorption/diffusion/reflection characteristics, and for analyzing and optimizing the structure of DPFs in any other physical situation.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2011Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Inventor: Daniel H. Kling
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Patent number: 8554343Abstract: A method solves a quadratic programming (QP) problem in real-time implementations of model predictive control for automation applications. The method can be implemented for fine-grained parallel solutions. Due to the extreme simplicity of the method, even serial implementations offer considerable speed advantages. The method solves the problem by formulating, over a predetermined time interval, an optimization problem with a quadratic cost function, and linear state and control constraints as a quadratic program for the application. Then, the quadratic program is solved by applying a parallel quadratic programming update law starting from a positive initial estimate to obtain control actions for the application.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Matthew Brand, Vijay Shilpiekandula, Scott A Bortoff
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Patent number: 8527085Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a gear grinding machine, with the following operating phases of the gear grinding machine: machining a workpiece on the gear grinding machine by means of a grinding disk and/or grinding worm and dressing a profiling tool for profiling a grinding disk and/or grinding worm on the gear grinding machine.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2009Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Liebherr Verzahntechnik GmbHInventors: Thomas Breith, Manfred Zankl
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Patent number: 8527080Abstract: A method and system for managing process jobs in a semiconductor fabrication facility is described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a plurality of process jobs associated with one or more priorities. The method further includes executing the plurality of process jobs in an order reflecting the priorities. The order is modifiable in real time upon receiving a new process job with a priority higher than the priorities of the plurality of process jobs.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shay Assaf, Venkatesh Babu, Robert D. Flores, Brendan Hickey, Krishna Kuttannair, Song J. Park, Adrian Rhee, Chongyang Chris Wang
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Patent number: 8521334Abstract: A method and valve arrangement are provided for controlling the flow of a process medium through a pipeline. A pneumatic actuator moves a valve element, which is accommodated in a valve housing, and switches the flow of the process medium, in accordance with a positioning control system by means of a control piston, to at least one side of which control pressure is applied in a drive chamber. An electronic evaluation unit connected to the positioning control system monitors the operating state. A pressure sensor measures the pressure in the drive chamber, and the evaluation unit analyzes the measured pressure value with respect to a pressure p and the pressure change dp(t) over time to determine the flow into/from the drive chamber and/or the ratio (V/A) of the drive chamber volume to the effective opening cross section of the valve arrangement as a measure of the operating state of the valve arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: ABB Technology AGInventors: Urs E. Meier, Detlef Pape
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Patent number: 8515567Abstract: A method, apparatus, and a system for performing an adaptive state estimation process for processing semiconductor wafers. A processing of a first workpiece is controlled using a process controller and a processing tool. Manufacturing data relating to the processing of the first workpiece is acquired. Status data relating to the manufacturing data is acquired. The status data includes data relating to the source of the manufacturing data. A state of a process controller or a processing tool is determined based upon the status data and the manufacturing data.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: Jin Wang, Qinghua He
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Patent number: 8509938Abstract: A method for positioning substrates in a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate alignment device, a first substrate transport apparatus and a second substrate transport apparatus, includes calibrating the substrate alignment device with a motion of the first substrate transport apparatus, and calibrating a coordinate system of the second substrate transport apparatus with the substrate alignment device.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2012Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.Inventor: Alexander G. Krupyshev
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Patent number: 8504211Abstract: An input dispenser/recorder controlled by a computer to dispense a predetermined amount of input or mixture of inputs based on parameters provided by an operator. Specifically, the invention has an inner frame and outer frame associated by load bars connected to the computer. The load bars signal the computer regarding weight change on the inner frame. Associated with the inner frame is at least one major input container having an opening over a conveyor and a valve therebetween controlled by the computer. Associated with the outer frame are minor input containers, each in fluid communication with the conveyor and a flow meter controlled by the computer. The conveyor may be a flighted auger, a belt, or pump and conduit and is also controlled by the computer. The parameters provided by the operator are used by a selected program and the CPU to control the amount and ratio of inputs, speed of conveyor, and mixture thereof.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2006Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Inventors: Doug Applegate, Luke Applegate, Brent Applegate
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Patent number: 8483849Abstract: A method for digital data transmission from a sensor to a control unit is described, the sensor values of the sensor being divided for data transmission at different resolutions. The sensor values form a first range of values including successive sensor values. The first range of values for data transmission is divided as a function of a variable relevant for the control unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Rolf-Juergen Recknagel, Matthias Wellhoefer
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Patent number: 8473087Abstract: A version control system helps to keep track of versions of process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant. The process plant items may comprise, for example, module objects which may be capable of specifically representing process entities of the process plant. These module objects may be created from module class objects which may be capable of generically representing process entities of the process plant. Version data is stored and associated with a module object. The version data may comprise data indicative of a version of a module class object that was used to create the module object. The version data may also comprise data indicative of a version of the module object. Configuration systems, version control systems, viewing systems, debugging systems, run-time monitoring systems, asset management systems, etc., may examine or permit viewing of the version control data associated with an item.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.Inventors: John Michael Lucas, Arthur Webb, Mark J. Nixon, Larry Oscar Jundt, Jian Li, Dennis L. Stevenson, Michael George Ott, Herschel O. Koska, Robert Burke Havekost
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Patent number: 8467886Abstract: A mobile object apparatus is provided. The mobile object apparatus includes an object having a first function; a moving unit that is capable of moving so as to move the object; a driving unit configured to drive the moving unit; and a receiver configured to receive a command from outside. The driving unit controls the moving unit according to the command received so that a second function is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2006Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Sony CorporationInventor: Tetsujiro Kondo
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Patent number: 8463453Abstract: A system and method for real-time power management are provided. The system can include one or more lights, one or more light controllers, one or more meters to detect power demand of a building, and a central controller to modify the light output of the lights responsive to the detected power demand. The system can interface with other utility controls to manage the total power demand of the building on a real-time basis. The light controllers can provide individual metering of the lights for use by the central controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.Inventor: Kevin Parsons, Jr.
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Patent number: 8442660Abstract: An intelligent electronic device having an audible and visual interface for providing audible and visual instructions to a user in an event of an alarm or trouble indication in the electrical power system. The intelligent electronic device includes at least one sensor configured for measuring at least one power parameter of an electrical circuit and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter; at least one digital to analog converter for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal; a processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and detecting at least one event occurring in the electrical circuit; and an interface configured for providing instructions associated to the at least one detected event. The instructions may be in the form of text, audio and/or video.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2006Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Electro Industries/Gauge TechInventor: Erran Kagan
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Patent number: 8433448Abstract: Various embodiments are described in which different irrigation controllers in an irrigation control system have machine code having a same code base. In one implementation, a first irrigation control unit comprises a processor and a medium storing a first set of machine code to be executed by the processor. The first set is based on a portion of source code on which a second set of machine code stored in a second irrigation control unit is based, and the first and second sets not identical to each other. The first and second irrigation control units are in a predefined hierarchical control relationship. In one variation, the first and second control units have at least related operating systems. In another variation, a central controller includes machine code developed from at least a portion of the same source code as machine code in a remote controller for simulation or execution purposes.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2006Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: Rain Bird CorporationInventors: Ryan L. Walker, David E. Columbo, Whitney M. Kew
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Patent number: 8417368Abstract: A computerized system for scheduling a plurality of work orders in a manufacturing process. Each work order specifies operations to be performed using a plurality of resources and materials. Data including resource availability information for each resource used in the manufacturing process, material availability information for each material used in the manufacturing process, and work order information is received and stored in a computer. The work order information includes a release date for the work order, a want date for the work order, operations information, and material requirements information. Resource capacity and a start date/time and a finish date/time are assigned to each operation based upon the resource availability information, the material availability information, and the work order information. The assigned resource capacity, the assigned start date/time, and the assigned finish date/time for each operation are displayed on a computer screen in a graphical format.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2009Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Infor (Veenendaal) B.V.Inventors: Richard T. Lilly, David V. Layne