Patents Examined by Stephen Cherry
  • Patent number: 8620602
    Abstract: This patents refers to a system developed for detecting leaks in single-phase and multiphase fluid transport pipelines characterized by use measurements cells (3), sensors (4), locals processors (5) and neural models, where the measuring sensors (4) and the measurement cells (3) are installed at a number of locations along the pipeline with the purpose of monitoring the characteristic leak and normal operational pipeline transient waveforms. The local processors (5) are responsible for obtaining and sampling the signals supplied by the sensors (4), as well as their pre-processing, to make them compatible with the inputs to the neural model, this are associated to dynamic memory banks for analyzing the signals supplied by the sensors with the aim of emitting an alarm in the event that waveforms with the characteristics of a leak are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Asel-Tech Technologia E Automacao Ltda.
    Inventor: Julio Roberto Alonso
  • Patent number: 8600687
    Abstract: A signal analyzer includes a sampling unit, a filter unit coupled to the sampling unit, a computing unit coupled to the filter unit, and an output unit coupled to the computing unit. The sampling unit is operable to sample a time domain signal from a target system according to a predetermined sampling frequency to obtain a sampling signal. The filter unit is configured to perform filter processing upon the sampling signal so as to filter out harmonic frequency components from the sampling signal, thereby obtaining a fundamental frequency signal having a plurality of sample points. The computing unit is operable to compute a signal parameter set for each of temporally adjacent pairs of the sample points of the fundamental frequency signal. The output unit is configured to output information about dynamic behavior of the target system based upon the signal parameter sets computed by the computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: I Shou University
    Inventors: Rong-Ching Wu, Ching-Tai Chiang, Jong-Ian Tsai
  • Patent number: 8594953
    Abstract: An intelligent gas flow sensor probe which outputs a state signal indicating whether there is forced gas flow present within a conduit or whether there is no gas flow. The intelligent gas flow sensor probe includes a heated thermistor and a reference thermistor functionally coupled to a microcontroller. The heated thermistor is continuously heated at a constant rate to a temperature above an ambient temperature within the conduit and outputs a signal responsive to a change in temperature induced by gas flow incident thereupon. Gas flow within the conduit causes heat to be transferred from the heated thermistor to the gas flowing over and/or around the heated thermistor. The reference thermistor is thermally insulated from the heated thermistor and outputs a reference signal responsive to an ambient temperature of the gas within the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: ClearWater Tech, LLC
    Inventor: Philip J. Steckling
  • Patent number: 8571811
    Abstract: A method and system for gas sensor drift correction is disclosed, appropriate for use in a system placed in an environment that with some regularity reaches a background gas concentration. A background gas concentration range is defined. When the gas sensor readings drop below the background gas concentration range for at least a defined short dwell time, an upwards calibration adjustment is effected. When the gas sensor readings stay above the background gas concentration range for a defined long dwell time (longer than the maximum expected interval between excursions to the background gas concentration), a downwards calibration adjustment is effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Digital Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Mueller
  • Patent number: 8566046
    Abstract: A system, method and device for detecting power grid equipment degradation is provided. In one embodiment, a method of using a device comprises measuring a first voltage of a first energized conductor of a power line connected to the output of a distribution transformer supplying power to one or more customer premises, processing data of the measured voltage to detect a trigger condition wherein the trigger condition comprises, at least in part, a change in the first voltage that extends for at least a first duration, and transmitting a notification of a detection of a trigger condition to a remote computer. The method may further include measuring a second voltage of a second energized conductor and wherein the trigger condition comprises detecting concurrently for at least the first duration a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage that exceeds a first threshold, and a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage that is within a predetermined voltage range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Current Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Brian J. Deaver, Sr.
  • Patent number: 8560271
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for monitoring the operation of a medication delivery device, the method comprising the steps of: providing a medication delivery device, the medication delivery device comprises a medication delivery module, providing an electronic module coupled to the medication delivery device, the electronic module comprises a sensor element, a control element, and a storing element, detecting, using the sensor element, signals generated in response to a measurable operation of the medication delivery module, generating electronic data by processing, using the control element, electronic information derived from the detected signals, the electronic data comprises information about a medication delivery characteristic of at least one measurable operation of the medication delivery module, and storing the electronic data in the storing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignees: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc., Roche Diagnostics International Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthias Koehler, Peter Blasberg, Christoph Cronrath, Frank Deck, Hanspeter Heiniger, Manfred Aigner, Bernhard Guennewig, Alfred Kloos, Genrikh Siris
  • Patent number: 8560249
    Abstract: A method of quickly detecting a handmade explosive in a bottle with a low erroneous alarm frequency is provided. A sample gas generated from a bottle placed on a bottle placement space is sucked-in, and ions of the sample gas are generated by an ion source and subjected to mass analysis. The presence/absence of a mass spectrum derived from the handmade explosive is determined from an obtained mass spectrum, and the result thereof is displayed on a monitor, thereby quickly detecting the handmade explosive in the bottle or the handmade explosive adhering to the surface of the bottle at a low erroneous alarm frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Nagano, Yasuaki Takada, Minoru Sakairi, Yuichiro Hashimoto, Masuyuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8560248
    Abstract: Systems and methods are used to predict intensities for points not measured or not measured with a high degree of confidence of a peak using a peak predictor. A set of data is selected from the plurality of intensity measurements that includes a peak. Confidence values are assigned to each data point in the set of data producing a plurality of confidence value weighted data points. A peak predictor is selected. The peak predictor is applied to the plurality of confidence value weighted data points of the peak that have confidence values greater than a first threshold level using the prediction module, producing predicted intensities for data points of the peak not measured and/or measured data points of the peak that have confidence values less than or equal to a second threshold level. The confidence values can include system confidence values, predictor confidence values, or any combination of the two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: DH Technologies Development Pte. Ltd.
    Inventor: Gordana Ivosev
  • Patent number: 8554498
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a system, a method and a computer program including program code for carrying out the method, when executed on a processing system, of estimating a tire pressure deviation of a vehicle's tire (2). The system includes an input section (100) adapted to receive as an input signal a vehicle signal, a calculation section (200) adapted to calculate at least one shape factor of a resonance peak associated with the vehicle signal spectrum (2) on the basis of the input signal, and a determination section (300) adapted to derive, depending on said at least one shape factor, a tire pressure signal indicative of a tire pressure deviation within the vehicle's tire (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nira Dynamics AB
    Inventors: Fredrik Gustavsson, Anders Stenman, Tony Gustafsson, Peter Lindskog, Peter Hall, Urban Forssell
  • Patent number: 8548750
    Abstract: Path classification and estimation method and system used in combination with a computer and memory for prognosticating the remaining useful life of an asset by classifying a current degradation path of a current asset as belonging to one or more of previously collected degradation paths of exemplary assets and using the resulting classifications to estimate the remaining useful life of the current asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Intellectual Assests LLC
    Inventor: Dustin R. Garvey
  • Patent number: 8548749
    Abstract: Path classification and estimation method and system used in combination with a computer and memory for prognosticating the remaining useful life of an asset by classifying a current degradation path of a current asset as belonging to one or more of previously collected degradation paths of exemplary assets and using the resulting classifications to estimate the remaining useful life of the current asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Intellectual Assests LLC
    Inventor: Dustin R. Garvey
  • Patent number: 8527238
    Abstract: A method includes determining a total storage input/output capacity of a set of storage elements available for use by a software application located on an operating system volume of a computer system. The total storage input/output capacity is determined by evaluating storage input/output capacity of the storage elements at a physical device level and at a file level. The method includes measuring a number of input/output storage operations performed on behalf of the software application. The method also includes determining a storage input/output utilization of the software application based on the measured number of input/output storage operations as compared to the total storage input/output capacity of the set of storage elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Matt Hollingsworth, John M. Oslake
  • Patent number: 8515696
    Abstract: A system for acquiring and analyzing fault conditions for at least one coil of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system. Each of the at least one coils is electrically connected through a transmit/receive (T/R) bias circuit to an interface. The system has a central processing unit with a processor configured to execute programmable instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to conduct circuit tests at predetermined intervals for the at least one coil, acquire data for the at least one coil to construct a data log with a plurality of input events, and algorithmically filter and analyze the plurality of input events to create an output configured to predict a failure event of the at least one coil. A method for analyzing and acquiring fault conditions is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven James Huff, Kamal Mannar
  • Patent number: 8504325
    Abstract: A computer processor implemented method of measuring, monitoring, comparing and diagnosing the power generated of at least two renewable power systems provided to at least two consumers and alerting at least one of consumers in the event of comparative underperformance, the method taking into account at least two diagnostic variables including weather and the renewable power system cover status (such as covered by snow), wherein the at least one data server determines comparative information for a predetermined geographic area based upon at least two diagnostic variables, and at least two normalized performances to provide a comparative value; and informing the consumer of the comparative value in the event of an underperforming comparative value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Shawn Kerrigan, Asaf Peleg, Michael Herzig
  • Patent number: 8504300
    Abstract: Surface wrapping is a semi-automatic approach for segmentation of a geobody bounding surface within volumetric data. The approach is metaphorically based upon the concept of collapsing an elastic surface onto a physical object. The desired output of the process is a polygonal mesh that may be stored as data, displayed to the end user, or used in further data processing techniques. This approach has advantages over fully automated segmentation algorithms in that it may be applied to data where the volume to be segmented is not fully imaged, or where a high level of noise is present. This approach is also significantly less time consuming for the human analyst than fully manual segmentation techniques, in that the user need only define an approximate initial bounding surface prior to application of the algorithm which determines a more detailed and accurate bounding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Terraspark Geosciences, LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey A. Dorn, William S. Hammon, III, James A. Carlson
  • Patent number: 8489351
    Abstract: A system and methods for determining points for an algorithm to calculate the frequency of a waveform measured from a monitoring device. Data points are measured from the waveform. A last point of interest from the previous cycle of the waveform is referenced. Four points of interest at equally spaced phase angles from the current cycle of the waveform are determined by calculating the average of the data points around each of the respective equally spaced phase angles of the current cycle of the waveform. The average value of the points of interest in the current cycle is subtracted from the four points of interest and the last point of interest from the previous cycle to compensate for DC bias. A frequency of the waveform is determined based on the determined four points of interest of the current cycle and the last point of interest from the previous cycle. The correction factor for determining sample frequency may be reduced for subsequent cycles in order to increase stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald W. Carter, Kurt H. Copley
  • Patent number: 8489357
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of determining the junction temperature (Tj) and drain-source current (Ids) of a standard FET within a multi-FET module includes a control IC managing one or more 3 terminal standard FETs within the same package, calculating Tj and Tds for one or more FETs in one or more packages, and protecting each FET against short circuit faults while allowing high current transients, such as inrush currents from a lamp load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack L. Glenn, Mark A. Gose, Peter A. Laubenstein, Seyed R. Zarabadi
  • Patent number: 8478568
    Abstract: A system for predicting a condition includes an electric machine having slip rings and an exciter providing current and voltage to the electric machine through the slip rings. The system also includes a monitoring device that measures the current and voltage provided by the exciter to the electric machine and that forms a regression model from a current sample and compares values from a next sample to values predicted by the regression model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sreedhar Desabhatla, Shashidhar Nibhanupudi
  • Patent number: 8478565
    Abstract: A method of monitoring soot mass in a particulate filter of an exhaust system includes determining a pressure differential across the filter, obtaining a first soot mass estimate by fitting the determined pressure differential to a first stored database of measured or modeled pressure differentials and corresponding measured soot masses taken during filter regeneration using a substantially similar filter previously loaded following a complete filter regeneration, and obtaining a second soot mass estimate by fitting the determined pressure differential to a second stored database of measured or modeled pressure differentials and corresponding measured soot masses taken during filter regeneration using a substantially similar filter loaded following an incomplete filter regeneration. Actual soot mass is estimated by calculating a weighted sum of the first and second soot mass estimates with weighting based on operating parameters indicative of regeneration efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Raffaello Ardanese, Michelangelo Ardanese, Rebecca J. Darr, Paul Jasinkiewicz
  • Patent number: 8473230
    Abstract: A system for detecting conflicts between a power supply guarantee request (PSGR) and an outage request (OR) in a power grid. The system comprises: an accompanying outage analysis device for receiving a first outage device set including OR related devices, and using geographic information about devices in the power grid to determine a second outage device set, the second outage device set including devices in the first outage device set and accompanying outage devices that need to be in outage together with the devices in the first outage device set; an outage scale determination device for using topology information about the power grid to determine a power grid outage scale in which all of the devices in the second outage device set can be in outage; and a conflict detection device for receiving a power supply guarantee device set including PSGR related devices, and judging, for each device in the power supply guarantee device set, whether the device is included in the power grid outage scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jin Dong, Feng Jin, Hai Rong Lv, Qi Ming Tian, Wen Jun Yin