Patents Examined by Steven Garland
  • Patent number: 8392014
    Abstract: A method and a storage device including a software product for designing a drilling pattern, and further a rock drilling rig, in the control unit of which a software product may be executed for designing the drilling pattern. For a group of holes of the drilling pattern, at least one master hole can be determined which comprises at least one dominating factor. The properties of at least one other drill hole are determined on the basis of the dominating properties of the master hole. A master hole may be a hole location master, hole depth master or hole direction master.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sandvik Mining & Construction Oy
    Inventors: Tommi Säleniemi, Erkki Eilo, Ari Junnikkala, Jussi Koskelainen, Jouko Muona, Martti Keskinen
  • Patent number: 8392003
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product to control position of an error control module in a lithography apparatus using a servo control loop is described herein. The system comprises a filter, a servo controller coupled to the filter and configured to receive a control signal and an actuator coupled to the servo controller and configured to control the position of the error control module. The filter is configured to filter the control signal by modulating the amplitude and phase of the control signal in a desired frequency range, prior to the servo control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventor: Roberto B. Wiener
  • Patent number: 8369995
    Abstract: A central air-conditioning system conditions a house having a plurality of rooms. When a person is not present in any of the rooms, each room is conditioned in energy-saving conditioning mode having a low load. On the other hand, when the person is detected in any of the rooms, a controller switches an operating mode for conditioning the room, in which the person is detected, from the energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning. Air-conditioner ducts respectively connected to the remaining rooms are closed. Therefore, cold air or warm air from an air-conditioning unit is supplied to the room in which the person is detected, while the cold air or warm air is not supplied to the rooms in which the person is not present. As a result, the room that has been switched from energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning is conditioned in a concentrated manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Wave Incorporated
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Nanami
  • Patent number: 8364289
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for moving a free-swinging load that is suspended relative to a suspension point, a first path along which the load should be moved from a starting point to a destination, with a first location-dependent velocity, is provided to a processor. In the processor, a second path is automatically determined along which the suspension point should be moved with a second location-dependent velocity to cause the load to move along the first path from the starting point to the destination with the first location-dependent velocity. A movement-imparted mechanism, connected to the suspension point, is automatically controlled from the processor to move the freely-suspended load from the starting point to the destination by moving the suspension point along the second path with the second location-dependent velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kuka Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Uwe Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 8355807
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides techniques and systems for modeling mask errors based on aerial image sensitivity. During operation, the system can receive an uncalibrated process model which includes a mask error modeling term which is based at least on an aerial image sensitivity to mask modifications which represent mask errors. Next, the system can fit the uncalibrated process model using measured CD data. Note that the mask error modeling term can also be dependent on the local pattern density. In some embodiments, the mask error modeling term can include an edge bias term and a corner rounding term. The edge bias term can be based on the sensitivity of the aerial image intensity to an edge bias, and the corner rounding term can be based on the sensitivity of the aerial image intensity to a corner rounding adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongfa Fan, JenSheng Huang
  • Patent number: 8321037
    Abstract: A station address displayed in a display field W5 coincides with a station address of the PLC to which this personal computer is connected. Further, bit addresses of respective output variables are displayed in a display field W1. For example, a corresponding bit corresponding to a check box whose address of the output variable is 00L1E and whose station address of the destination PLC is 2 is an output schedule definition bit Rb1E in an output schedule definition frame RF02 stored in a first storing unit TBL1. Therefore, a value of the output schedule definition bit Rb0E is defined as 0 (output is not scheduled). When an OK button W4 is clicked, respective output schedule definition frames are transferred to a PLC 10 and then are stored in the first storing unit TBL1 respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Araki
  • Patent number: 8306668
    Abstract: A system is disposed at a location of a utility commodity subscriber for informing the subscriber of and controlling utility commodity usage. The system includes utility meters, an information and control apparatus, and a first and second data communication link. The meters measure usage and generate usage signals. The information and control apparatus includes a microprocessor, a memory, a clock, and a user interface. The first data communication link is between the utility meters and the information and control apparatus, and the second data communication link is between the information and control apparatus and one or more central locations. The second communication link also provides rate information to the information and control apparatus and utility commodity usage data to the one or more central locations. The microprocessor computes an accumulated cost of utility commodity for a predetermined period of time. Information related to the accumulated cost is output to the subscriber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: USCL Corporation
    Inventors: Tomer D. Tamarkin, Robert S. Block, Phillip M. Fine
  • Patent number: 8306667
    Abstract: To achieve a reduction in power consumption by allowing a plurality of air conditioners to communicate with each other and thereby leveling their air-conditioning capacities with no load variations involved by temperature variations. An air-conditioning apparatus 100 may include a plurality of air conditioners and a computing section for control, where each air conditioner includes an indoor unit and an outdoor unit that form a closed refrigeration cycle. The indoor units of the plurality of air conditioners are installed in an area to be air-conditioned. The computing section for control may allow the plurality of air conditioners to communicate with each other, thereby leveling their air-conditioning capacities based on air-conditioning load detected by each air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masanobu Baba, Masahiko Takagi, Norikazu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8285421
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provides optimized installation site specifications for sprinkler head position and nozzle size for center pivot and/or linear movement type irrigation systems in which a plurality of sprinkler heads are typically mounted at multiple adjacent lateral positions along a water supply boom/line. A sprinkler head spacing and nozzle size computational apparatus and method is disclosed which employs a sprinkler precipitation depth-profile based modeling technique for determining and optimizing lateral positions and nozzle sizes for sprinkler heads disposed along the length of an irrigation system supply distribution boom/line. A required/desired irrigation application delivery rate/depth is specified by an irrigation system user/designer for one or more discrete segments along the irrigation system distribution boom/line according to specific irrigation needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Nelson Irrigation Corporation
    Inventor: Loren Vander Griend
  • Patent number: 8271140
    Abstract: A periodic rotational vibration check for storage devices to compensate for varying loads is disclosed. A variable representing rotational vibration status is maintained in a rotational vibration log. The variable is processed to determine whether a storage device exhibits a rotational vibration issue. Workload analysis is performed to identify a change to the workloads run on physically separate hardware to resolve the rotational vibration issue and thus eliminate the need for more expensive hardware.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian James Cagno, Kenton Coleman Green, Carl Evan Jones, Michael Desmond O'Connell
  • Patent number: 8265780
    Abstract: An apparatus control system. apparatus and computer-readable recording medium for enabling different operators to perform apparatus and network settings independently and to easily confirm a setting status. An apparatus setter at least one of a setting on a connection between a water heater and a remote controller, and a test run of the water heater using the remote controller. A network setter performs setting on a connection between the remote controller and a server. A setting status monitoring section monitors an apparatus setting status representing whether or not the setting by the apparatus setter is ended and a network setting status representing whether or not the setting by the network setter is ended. A setting status display controlling section displays the apparatus setting status and the network setting status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Sadahira, Atusi Nakayama, Yoshiaki Watanabe, Takaaki Okude, Yasuo Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8260474
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an integrated circuit die having a plurality of temperature sensors and a control unit integrated thereon. The control unit can calculate an average die temperature based on readings from the plurality of temperature sensors, compare the average die temperature to a specification temperature and control an off-die cooling system based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sandeep Ahuja, Robin A. Steinbrecher, Susan F. Smith, David J. Ayers
  • Patent number: 8255072
    Abstract: A control unit of a substrate processing apparatus controls a process to be performed in a chamber. The process includes a step of performing a preceding first process; a step of performing a subsequent second process after performing the first process; a step of determining whether to perform an inter-process conditioning, for arranging the environment in the chamber, during a period between the end of the first process and the start of the second process, based on information on the first process and information on the second process; and a step of performing the inter-process conditioning prior to the second process when it is determined in the determining step that the inter-process conditioning is to be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Daisuke Morisawa
  • Patent number: 8249750
    Abstract: An indoor unit includes an indoor side switch device which is brought into a closed state at a startup time when operation starts from a standby state. An outdoor unit includes a startup power supply switch device which is brought into a closed state when the indoor side switch device of the indoor unit is brought into the closed state, an operating power supply switch device which is brought into a closed state in operation and is brought into an open state in the standby state, and an outdoor control device. The outdoor control device of the outdoor unit brings the startup power supply switch device into the open state when the operation starts from the standby state and thereafter brings the operating power supply switch device into the closed state after a lapse of a prescribed time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Sakae, Junichi Hirose, Masahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8249754
    Abstract: It is an object to make it possible to completely or partially eliminate a yaw driving device and to reduce power consumption in a nacelle. A moment around a wind-turbine tower axis is calculated; an angle command value around the wind-turbine tower axis is calculated by adding a yaw-control command value to a reference command value for canceling out the moment; and a pitch angle command value of each wind turbine blade is set on the basis of the angle command value around the wind-turbine tower axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Masaaki Shibata
  • Patent number: 8244382
    Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a schedule for testing a fuel cell in a station. Because of the apparatus, the station can test a low-temperature fuel cell or a high-temperature fuel cell. The apparatus enables a user to test the fuel cell through the station manually or enables the station to test the fuel cell automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Atomic Energy Council—Institute of Nuclear Research
    Inventors: Hung-Yu Wang, Wen-Tang Hong, Yu-Ching Tsai, Tzu-Hsiang Yen, Wei-Ping Huang, Cheng-Nan Huang
  • Patent number: 8234001
    Abstract: A method of analyzing production steps includes inputting application data associated with a production process having a plurality of process steps into a memory with each of the plurality of process steps including a plurality of tools. The method also includes loading process data associated with one of the plurality of process steps into the memory, performing a tool commonality analysis on each of the tools associated with the at least one of the plurality of process steps, identifying all tool-to-tool differences for the at least one of the plurality of process steps, performing a tool stratification analysis to identify one of the plurality of tools that provides the largest variance contribution to the at least one of the plurality of process steps, and stopping the one of the plurality of tools that provides the largest variance contribution to the at least one of the plurality of process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James Rice, Dustin K. Slisher, Yunsheng Song
  • Patent number: 8229585
    Abstract: A computerized system for a fabrication facility capable of routine placement and replacement of processing tools in at least a vertical dimension relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Frederick A. Flitsch
  • Patent number: 8224478
    Abstract: A numerical controller that shortens time required for transferring control of a spindle between control systems. When the spindle control command is included, the command is carried out and information on designation of the spindle, commanded rotational velocity and direction is stored in a case of a velocity control mode, and information on designation of the spindle, commanded rotational position and velocity is stored in a case of a position control mode. When a command to cancel the control of spindle is read, the control of the designated spindle and also the stored information on the control status of the spindle are transferred to the other control system. A command to acquire the control of the spindle is read in a machining program for the other control system, the control of the designated spindle is started by the other control system according to the transferred control status of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Kentaro Fujibayashi, Masahiko Hosokawa, Shuji Ogawa, Masahiko Miyake
  • Patent number: RE43527
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and software program for validation of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and quality assurance process are described and disclosed herein. Consequently, the methods provide a means to perform validation on an integrated level whereby the quality control unit can ensure data and product integrity and minimize cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: SMP Logic Systems LLC
    Inventor: Shane M. Popp