Patents by Inventor David Evans McMillan

David Evans McMillan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8849429
    Abstract: Systems and methods for block instantiation are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and a visual instantiation facility executable by the processor. The visual instantiation facility is configured to read a device definition (DD) file including at least one function block and to visually display function block instantiation information of the at least one function block in a visual display. The visual instantiation facility is further configured to instantiate the at least one function block in a field device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pradyumna Ojha, Abhik Banerjee, David Evans McMillan, William Kennedy Galt, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Publication number: 20130053987
    Abstract: An industrial process control system includes a field device having a first plurality of device parameter values corresponding to a plurality of device parameters. The industrial process control system also includes a processor configured to determine a second plurality of device parameter values, corresponding to the plurality of device parameters, from a device definition (DD) file. The processor is also configured to present a reconciliation tool comprising a first portion of the plurality of device parameters, the corresponding first plurality of device parameter values, and the corresponding second plurality of device parameter values. The processor is also configured to set a second portion of the plurality of device parameters to the corresponding second plurality of device parameter values based on instructions received from the reconciliation tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Kennedy Galt, David Richard Socky, David Evans McMillan, Dana Robert Kreft
  • Publication number: 20120306620
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a system and a method. In one embodiment, an industrial process control system includes a controller configured to couple to a field device. The industrial process control system further includes an alarm viewer configured to couple to the controller. The alarm viewer comprises a user interface control. The controller is configured to receive alert information from the field device in a first protocol and communicate the alert information to the alarm viewer in a second protocol, and the alarm viewer is configured to present, via the user interface control, a first alert indication of the alert information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karaffa, Dana Robert Kreft, David Evans McMillan
  • Publication number: 20120310383
    Abstract: An industrial process control system is provided that includes one or more fieldbus devices configured to communicate alarm or alert information representative of alarms and alerts using a first format. The industrial process control system also includes a linking device connected to the one or more fieldbus devices that is configured to publish the alarm or alert information from the fieldbus devices to one or more computers of the industrial process control system. A controller is also included that is configured to receive the alarm or alert information from the linking device. The controller is configured to interpret the alarm or alert information and create a list of the alarms and alerts in a second format interpretable by an alarm server of the industrial process control system, wherein the alarm server cannot interpret the first format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karaffa, Johnny Stephen Downor, Steven William Smith, David Evans McMillan, James Daniel Harshfield, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20120290991
    Abstract: Systems and methods for block instantiation are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and a visual instantiation facility executable by the processor. The visual instantiation facility is configured to read a device definition (DD) file including at least one function block and to visually display function block instantiation information of the at least one function block in a visual display. The visual instantiation facility is further configured to instantiate the at least one function block in a field device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pradyumna Ojha, Abhik Banerjee, David Evans McMillan, William Kennedy Galt, Andre Steven DeMaurice