Patents by Inventor Richard W. Kephart
Richard W. Kephart 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).
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Patent number: 11604459Abstract: A real-time control system includes a simulation system to implement a predictive, look-ahead function that provides an operator with information that enables a higher level of situational awareness of the expected transitional events of future steps within the control program or sequence logic. The simulation system enables future steps and transitions to be monitored before they actually occur, which enables the operator to recognize and potentially take action, in a current time step, to alleviate the underlying cause of the problem, thus reducing the likelihood of or preventing a sequence stall of the control program.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2019Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Jr., Xu Cheng, James L. Thompson
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Patent number: 11269790Abstract: A U-I/O card improves on traditional I/O cards by enabling configuration of each I/O channel on each U-I/O card to operate according to a desired signal type (e.g., AI, AO, DI, or DO). Thus, each I/O channel of a given U-I/O card may be coupled to any type of field device. The U-I/O card thus simplifies I/O network design, wiring, configuration, commissioning, redesign, and rewiring. The U-I/O card also improves space efficiency in marshalling cabinets and eliminates inefficient use of I/O cards relative to traditional I/O cards.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2019Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Rodger Hughes, Richard W. Kephart, Jr., Steven J. Schilling, Timothy R. Piper
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Publication number: 20210011466Abstract: A real-time control system includes a simulation system to implement a predictive, look-ahead function that provides an operator with information that enables a higher level of situational awareness of the expected transitional events of future steps within the control program or sequence logic. The simulation system enables future steps and transitions to be monitored before they actually occur, which enables the operator to recognize and potentially take action, in a current time step, to alleviate the underlying cause of the problem, thus reducing the likelihood of or preventing a sequence stall of the control program.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2019Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, JR., Xu Cheng, James L. Thompson
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Publication number: 20200334173Abstract: A U-I/O card improves on traditional I/O cards by enabling configuration of each I/O channel on each U-I/O card to operate according to a desired signal type (e.g., AI, AO, DI, or DO). Thus, each I/O channel of a given U-I/O card may be coupled to any type of field device. The U-I/O card thus simplifies I/O network design, wiring, configuration, commissioning, redesign, and rewiring. The U-I/O card also improves space efficiency in marshalling cabinets and eliminates inefficient use of I/O cards relative to traditional I/O cards.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2019Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Rodger Hughes, Richard W. Kephart, JR., Steven J. Schilling, Timothy R. Piper
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Patent number: 10606254Abstract: Systems and approaches for error detection detect discrepancies in industrial equipment by comparing a particular asset to similar industrial assets running in parallel to the particular asset. An error detection unit detects a difference between an estimated and actual output of the asset. Based on the magnitude of the difference, the error detection unit determines whether an input value of the particular asset is similar to input values of the plurality of industrial assets and whether an output value of the particular asset is similar to output values of the plurality of industrial assets. If the input value of the particular asset is similar to the input values of the plurality of industrial assets and the output value of the particular asset is not similar to the output values of the plurality of industrial assets, then the error detection system sets an alarm.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2016Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Azime Can-Cimino, Richard W. Kephart
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Patent number: 10509870Abstract: A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Herman Sanchez, Eugene Abruzere
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Patent number: 10126810Abstract: An optimal feedforward control design for controlling equipment performs intermittent re-initialization based on estimated state information. A model-based constrained optimization is explicitly performed during the feedforward calculation. During the course of operation of the equipment, state estimation is continuously performed. When a load target change is detected, the estimated state may serve as the new signal baseline.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Richard W. Kephart, Steven J. Schilling
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Publication number: 20180074482Abstract: Systems and approaches for error detection detect discrepancies in industrial equipment by comparing a particular asset to similar industrial assets running in parallel to the particular asset. An error detection unit detects a difference between an estimated and actual output of the asset. Based on the magnitude of the difference, the error detection unit determines whether an input value of the particular asset is similar to input values of the plurality of industrial assets and whether an output value of the particular asset is similar to output values of the plurality of industrial assets. If the input value of the particular asset is similar to the input values of the plurality of industrial assets and the output value of the particular asset is not similar to the output values of the plurality of industrial assets, then the error detection system sets an alarm.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2016Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventors: Xu Cheng, Azime Can-Cimino, Richard W. Kephart
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Patent number: 9727050Abstract: A vibration data acquisition and analysis module is operable to be inserted directly into a distributed control system (DCS) I/O backplane, so that processed vibration parameters may be scanned directly by the DCS I/O controller. Because the process data and the vibration data are both being scanned by the same DCS I/O controller, there is no need to integrate numerical data, binary relay outputs, and analog overall vibration level outputs from a separate vibration monitoring system into the DCS. The system provides for: (1) directly acquiring vibration data by the DCS for machinery protection and predictive machinery health analysis; (2) direct integration of vibration information on DCS alarm screens; (3) acquisition and display of real time vibration data on operator screens; (4) using vibration data to detect abnormal situations associated with equipment failures; and (5) using vibration data directly in closed-loop control applications.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: Computational Systems, Inc.Inventors: John W. Willis, Deane M. Horn, Michael D. Medley, Richard W. Kephart, Kevin D. Steele
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Publication number: 20170098022Abstract: A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2016Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Herman Sanchez, Eugene Abruzere
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Publication number: 20170090548Abstract: An optimal feedforward control design for controlling equipment performs intermittent re-initialization based on estimated state information. A model-based constrained optimization is explicitly performed during the feedforward calculation. During the course of operation of the equipment, state estimation is continuously performed. When a load target change is detected, the estimated state may serve as the new signal baseline.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Xu Cheng, Richard W. Kephart, Steven J. Schilling
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Patent number: 9606531Abstract: A high fidelity distributed plant simulation technique includes a plurality of separate simulation modules that may be stored and executed separately in different computing devices. The simulation modules communicate directly with one another to perform accurate simulation of a plant, without requiring a centralized coordinator to coordinate the operation of the simulation system. In particular, numerous simulation modules are created, with each simulation module including a model of an associated plant element and being stored in different drops of a computer network to perform distributed simulation of a plant or a portion of a plant. At least some of the simulation modules, when executing, perform mass flow balances taking into account process variables associated with adjacent simulation modules to thereby assure pressure, temperature and flow balancing.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Richard W. Kephart, Cheng T. Wen, B. Erik Ydstie
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Patent number: 9529348Abstract: A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2012Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Herman Sanchez, Eugene Abruzere
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Publication number: 20160026173Abstract: A vibration data acquisition and analysis module is operable to be inserted directly into a distributed control system (DCS) I/O backplane, so that processed vibration parameters may be scanned directly by the DCS I/O controller. Because the process data and the vibration data are both being scanned by the same DCS I/O controller, there is no need to integrate numerical data, binary relay outputs, and analog overall vibration level outputs from a separate vibration monitoring system into the DCS. The system provides for: (1) directly acquiring vibration data by the DCS for machinery protection and predictive machinery health analysis; (2) direct integration of vibration information on DCS alarm screens; (3) acquisition and display of real time vibration data on operator screens; (4) using vibration data to detect abnormal situations associated with equipment failures; and (5) using vibration data directly in closed-loop control applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: Computational Systems, Inc.Inventors: John W. Willis, Deane M. Horn, Michael D. Medley, Richard W. Kephart, Kevin D. Steele
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Patent number: 8527252Abstract: A process control system simulation technique performs real-time simulation of an actual process control network as that network is running within a process plant in a manner that is synchronized with the operation of the actual process control network. This real-time, synchronized simulation system includes a simulation process control network and a process model which are automatically updated periodically during the operation of the actual process control network to reflect changes made to the process control network, as well as to account for changes in the plant itself, i.e., changes which require an updated process model. The simulation system provides for more readily accessible and usable simulation activities, as the process control network and the process models used within the simulation system are synchronized with and up-to-date with respect to the current process operating conditions.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2006Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Xu Cheng, Steven J. Schilling, Robert L. Yeager
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Publication number: 20130191106Abstract: A system and method for operating a remote plant simulation system is disclosed. The system and method uses a light application at the plant to collect relevant data and communicate it to a remote plant simulation. The remote plant simulation uses the relevant data, including data from the actual process, to create a process simulation and communicate the display data to the light application operating at the plant where it is displayed to a user. The remote system offers the advantage of offering decreased cost and improved simulation as the equipment cost, operator cost and set up cost is shared by a plurality of users. Further, the data may be stored remotely and subject to data analytics which may identify additional areas for efficiency in the plant.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2012Publication date: July 25, 2013Applicant: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Herman Sanchez, Eugene Abruzere
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Patent number: 8359112Abstract: The present invention relates generally to process control systems and devices and, more particularly, to an apparatus for and a method of implementing redundant controller synchronization for bump-less failover during normal and mismatch conditions at the redundant controllers. The redundant controllers are configured to transmit state information of the process control areas of the primary controller to the backup controller that is necessary for synchronizing the redundant controllers but is not typically transmitted to other devices during the performance of process control functions. Synchronization messages are transmitted from the primary controller to the backup controller each time one of the control areas executes to perform process control functions.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2006Date of Patent: January 22, 2013Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Richard W. Kephart, Kimberly Costlow, Michael Durbin, Xu Cheng, Richard Brown
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Patent number: 8104283Abstract: A technique of controlling a boiler system such as that used in a power generation plant includes using manipulated variables associated with or control inputs to a reheater section of the boiler system to control the operation of the furnace, and in particular to control the fuel/air mixture provided to the furnace or the fuel to feedwater ratio used in the furnace or boiler. In the case of a once-through boiler type of boiler system, using the burner tilt position, damper position or reheater spray amount to control the fuel/air mixture or the fuel to feedwater flow ratio of the system provides better unit operational efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2007Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Charles H. Menten, Richard W. Kephart
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Publication number: 20110131017Abstract: A high fidelity distributed plant simulation technique includes a plurality of separate simulation modules that may be stored and executed separately in different drops or computing devices. The simulation modules communicate directly with one another to perform accurate simulation of a plant, without requiring a centralized coordinator to coordinate the operation of the simulation system. In particular, numerous simulation modules are created, with each simulation module including a model of an associated plant element and these simulation modules are stored in different drops of a computer network to perform distributed simulation of a plant or a portion of a plant. At least some of the simulation modules, when executing, perform mass flow balances taking into account process variables associated with adjacent simulation modules to thereby assure pressure, temperature and flow balancing (i.e., conservation of mass flow) through the entire simulation system.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2009Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: EMERSON PROCESS MANAGEMENT POWER & WATER SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Richard W. Kephart, Cheng Tao Wen, B. Erik Ydstie
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Patent number: 7826908Abstract: A method of controlling a power generating unit or other process equipment with a slow reaction time includes creating a feedforward control signal to selectively include a fast response rate component or a slow response rate component based on the average rate at which a load demand set point signal has changed during a particular previous period of time. The method then uses the developed feedforward control signal to control the power generating equipment or other slowly reacting process equipment. In particular, a control method switches between introducing a fast or a slow response component within a feedforward control signal based on whether the change in the load demand set point over a particular period of time in the past (e.g., an average rate of change of the load demand set point signal) is greater than or less than a predetermined threshold. This method is capable of providing a relatively fast control action even if the expected load demand set point change is in a small range.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2007Date of Patent: November 2, 2010Assignee: Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Xu Cheng, Charles H. Menten, Richard W. Kephart