Time Or With Time-delay Means Patents (Class 318/484)
  • Patent number: 11678750
    Abstract: A display case includes multiple walls that define an inner volume, a door, a door actuator, a gesture sensor, and a controller. The door is transitionable between an open position for access to the inner volume and a closed position. The door actuator is configured to transition the door between the open position and the closed position. The gesture sensor is configured to detect a gesture performed by a user. The controller includes a processing circuit configured to obtain sensor data from the gesture sensor that indicates the gesture performed by the user. The processing circuit is further configured to determine if the user has performed a reference gesture using the sensor data. The processing circuit is further configured to operate the door actuator to transition the door between the open position and the closed position in response to determining that the user has performed the reference gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Hill Phoenix, Inc.
    Inventors: Harsha Mathur, Chetan Gundurao
  • Patent number: 11474612
    Abstract: A controller device is provided that includes an e-field sensor that includes a transmitter electrode formed of a first conductive material, an isolation layer formed of a dielectric material to at least partially cover the transmitter electrode, a first receive electrode formed on the isolation layer of a second conductive material, and a second receive electrode formed on the isolation layer of the second conductive material, wherein the second receive electrode is a mirror image of the first receive electrode on the isolation layer. A gesture performance by a user within a sensing area of the e-field sensor is detected by comparing a received first signal to a received second signal. When an appliance component is responsive to the detected gesture, a control signal is sent to the appliance component indicating that the appliance component perform an action associated with the detected gesture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Sub-Zero Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Colin M. Hasburgh
  • Patent number: 11207763
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for a tool including a rotating body rotated by impacts delivered from a drive apparatus is provided with: a filter a calculation circuit and a control circuit. The filter receives a torque value signal indicating a torque applied to the rotating body, and filters the torque value signal. The calculation circuit sets a filter coefficient of the filter based on a number of impacts delivered to the rotating body. The control circuit controls the impacts delivered to the rotating body, based on the torque value signal filtered by the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Tanji, Hideki Tamura
  • Patent number: 10903770
    Abstract: Enhanced network power factor corrective designs are presented that can use corrective devices that achieve long-term, operationally stable mechanical work. Embodiments can utilize reverse-winding induction motor designs with engineerable parameters and configurations for the reverse winding (13) in systems and through methods where an inductive motor (1) can present a current that leads voltage and a leading power factor (16) to correct other existing induction motors (8) in an initial network (9) or be optimized for a particular application. Designs also present a power factor correction that can present a variable correction without altering the character or physical capacitive value of an electrical correction component. Individual induction motors that have leading current and a leading power factor (16) can be provided to improve reverse winding induction motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Adventech, LLC
    Inventor: Gerald Goche
  • Patent number: 10778136
    Abstract: A multiphase electric motor system and a method for controlling a multiphase electric motor system are disclosed. The method for controlling the multiphase electric motor system includes modulating a plurality of carrier signals with a plurality of modulation signals in order to generate a multiphase motor supply signal having a modulated phase signal for each phase of the electric motor. A set of time windows is defined in each period of the multiphase motor supply signal, where an individually selected group of modulated phase signals is modified by delaying the associated carrier signal in each time window, thereby generating a shifted multiphase motor supply signal and providing an efficient DC bus ripple reduction. Hereby, it is e.g. possible to use small filter capacitors/capacitor banks in electrical motor systems. An analogous multiphase electric generator system and method for controlling a multiphase electric generator system are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: AROS ELECTRONICS AB
    Inventors: Jerker Hellstroem, Oskar Josefsson, Daniel Chadstrom
  • Patent number: 10775102
    Abstract: Door alarm systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed. A door alarm system may monitor a door of a refrigeration device and detect a failed attempt at closing the door. In response to detecting the failed attempt, the door alarm system may generate a notification of the detected, failed attempt so that remedial action may be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
    Inventors: Angel Favila, Puneet Shivam
  • Patent number: 10663209
    Abstract: A refrigerator appliance with a freezer chamber in fluid communication with a duct door of a dispenser assembly of the refrigerator appliance. Upon a proximity sensor detecting a user within a proximity range, the duct door is opened to reduce the pressure differential between the freezer chamber and the surrounding ambient air, thereby reducing the opening force required to open the freezer door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David Mynderse, Bradford Gasior
  • Patent number: 10516359
    Abstract: A method for identifying a secondary part during use in a linear-motor-based system, wherein a primary part includes primary-part coils in the linear-motor-based system, the secondary part has a magnetic active part and the primary-part coils can be actuated via a drive current such that an advancing force acting on the secondary part and movement of the secondary part along the primary part is achievable, where at least one secondary-part winding in a circuit is provided on the secondary part, selected primary-part coils are energized via a primary current at one or more test signal frequencies to induce a secondary current in the secondary-part winding to identify the rotor, a characteristic property of the secondary-part winding or the circuit is representative of the secondary part, and where the secondary current influences a current response of the primary-part coils and the characteristic property is measured using the current response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Carsten Hamm, Carsten Spindler, Bernd Wedel
  • Patent number: 10427710
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus of vector control system that calculates steering assist command values of dq axes based on at least a steering torque, calculates dq-axes current command values from the steering assist command values, converts the dq-axes current command values into 3-phase duty command values, driving-controls a 3-phase brushless motor by an inverter of a PWM control, and applies an assist torque to a steering system of a vehicle, wherein the electric power steering apparatus has plural dead time compensating functions of which efficiencies to respectively perform a dead time compensation of the inverter are different each other, and performs the dead time compensation by gradually shifting from one of the plural dead time compensating functions to an another dead time compensating function while mixing the plural dead time compensating functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takase, Ryo Minaki, Hideki Sawada, Takayoshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 10300601
    Abstract: A locomotive control system may include first and second robotic machines and a task manager. The first and second robotic machines have respective first and second sets of capabilities for interacting with a surrounding environment. The task manager selects the first and second robotic machines from a group to perform a task based on the first and second sets of capabilities of the robotic machines. The task involves manipulating and/or inspecting a target object of a vehicle. The task manager assigns a first sequence of sub-tasks to be performed by the first robotic machine and a second sequence of sub-tasks to be performed by the second robotic machine. The first and second robotic machines are configured to coordinate performance of the first sequence of sub-tasks by the first robotic machine with performance of the second sequence of sub-tasks by the second robotic machine to accomplish the task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
    Inventors: Huan Tan, John Michael Lizzi, Charles Burton Theurer, Balajee Kannan, Romano Patrick
  • Patent number: 9579989
    Abstract: A battery arrangement for a motor vehicle, includes a plurality of battery modules, each of the battery modules having a plurality of battery cells and being coupled to a control unit, and a high voltage lead wire for electrical coupling being provided between all adjacent battery modules, the control units each being designed to exchange data via the high voltage lead wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Jörg Schmidt, Michael Hinterberger, Reuf Avdic, Erdal Acikgoez, Diana Stöckert
  • Patent number: 9421552
    Abstract: An electrical power load optimization system operable to regulate a power supply to one or more industrial machines so that a load imposed on the power supply by the one or more machines is consistent and fluctuations are minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Amerimex Motor & Controls, LLC
    Inventor: Wade Stockstill
  • Patent number: 9400126
    Abstract: [Problem to be solved] To reduce the fluctuation in the driving force. [Means to solve Problem] A magnetic cooling/heating apparatus comprising: a heat transfer unit 1000A comprising a plurality of heat transfer devices 50-1, 50-2, . . . arranged in parallel at intervals, wherein the heat transfer device 50-1 comprises magnetic bodies 10A-10F with a magneto-caloric effect and heat-conductive parts 30A-30G that transfer the heat of the magnetic bodies 10A-10F, both of which are alternately arranged; a magnetic unit 2000A comprising a plurality of magnets 21A, 21C, . . . that are arranged so as to face against each of the magnetic bodies 10A-10F of the heat transfer unit 1000A and to selectively apply and remove the magnetic field to/from each of the magnetic bodies 10A-10F; and a motor 350 that moves at least one of the heat transfer unit 1000A and the magnetic unit 2000A facing each other, relative to each other in the direction in which the heat transfer devices 50-1, 50-2, . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Takahashi, Yutaka Tasaki
  • Patent number: 9340014
    Abstract: Described are a system and a method to activate an actuator for a first nozzle of a plurality of nozzles of an inkjet printing system. The inkjet printer system can be configured to generate triggers with a frequency for printing of a respective line of pixels by the plurality of nozzles. The frequency of the triggers can depend on a print speed of the inkjet printing system, and the print speed can be modifiable. A time period between two successive triggers can correspond to a total duration available to the first nozzle for an ink firing for printing of a pixel of the line. An indicator for a current print speed of the inkjet printing system can be determined. Depending on the indicator for the current print speed, a waveform for activation of an actuator can be defined to produce an ink firing for printing of the pixel of the line on the recording medium by the first nozzle within the total duration available at the current print speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Océ Printing Systems GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Florian Hitzlsperger, Philippe Koerner
  • Patent number: 9321289
    Abstract: A printing apparatus is provided that minimizes trouble of preparation of printing and management burden on the user. The printing apparatus includes a controller that determines an aspect ratio of a printing pattern on a basis of data of an expansion and contraction rate of a continuous print medium to be expandable or contractible after printing, the expansion and contraction rate including a first expansion and contraction rate in a longitudinal direction and a second expansion and contraction rate in a width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and a printing unit that prints the printing pattern of the aspect ratio determined by the controller, on the print medium before expansion or contraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masakazu Yoshii
  • Patent number: 9013130
    Abstract: An impact power tool includes a motor, a battery, a hammer mechanism and a control apparatus. The motor runs in the same speed no matter what torque level is selected. The motor runs for a total running time which is identical to an impacting time plus a compensative time. The impacting time is decided according to the selected torque level, and the compensative time is decided according to the power of the battery. An impacting time table and a compensative time table are pre-established to decide the impacting time value and the compensative time value. Therefore, the impact power tool always provides the theory torque output of the selected torque even if the battery is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun-Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 8981698
    Abstract: An apparatus for opening and/or closing a door of a domestic appliance, such as, for example, an oven, a refrigerator and the like, has a drive apparatus for the automatic opening and/or closing of the door and an actuating device which is operable by a user for activating the drive apparatus in order to open or to close the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Diehl AKO Stiftung & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bruno Fuhge
  • Patent number: 8963467
    Abstract: There are provided a motor driving device and a method of controlling the same. The motor driving device includes a controlling unit; a plurality of unit circuits provided within the controlling unit and controlling driving of a motor; and a time slice controller provided within the controlling unit and periodically generating a wake-up signal, wherein some unit circuits among the plurality of unit circuits are operated for a certain operation time upon receiving the wake-up signal, thereby allowing for effective power consumption of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joo Yul Ko
  • Patent number: 8836269
    Abstract: A method for detecting blockages of unipolar stepper motors by analyzing the motor current supply, comprising impressing a current into one or more motor windings using a controllable switch, wherein the switch selectively connects a respective motor winding connection to a supply voltage connection and wherein the connections of each motor winding lying at a common potential are permanently connected to a second supply voltage connection, wherein a current feed variant has phases between the switching of the motor windings, in which phases the motor winding connections are switched with high resistance; detecting the voltage at a motor winding connection at least for the high-resistance phase and comparing the voltage to a threshold; detecting a time interval for which the voltage is greater than the threshold; comparing interval lengths for several motor winding connections, and detecting a blockage based on the comparisons of interval lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: ELMOS Semiconductor AG
    Inventor: Jörg Hartzsch
  • Patent number: 8800095
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wiper apparatus in which it is easy to replace a wiper blade without this leading to any erroneous operation. When a wiper operation has been stopped by a wiper driving apparatus 31, the wiper driving apparatus causes the wiper arms to first move to a housing position and then stops the wiper arms. When wiper blades are to be replaced, an IG switch 33 is turned off during a wiper operation. If the IG switch 33 is turned off while the wiper arms are within a first stopping range, then the wiper arms are stopped at that position and the blades are replaced. If the wiper arms are stopped outside the first stopping range, then they are first moved to a bottom inverted position or a housing position and are then stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Amagasa, Hiroji Okabe
  • Patent number: 8779714
    Abstract: A movable unit driving apparatus which drives a movable unit by a motor, the movable unit driving apparatus includes a first detection unit configured to detect that the movable unit passes a first position; a second detection unit configured to detect that the movable unit passes a second position after the first detection unit detects that the movable unit has passed the first position; a first measurement unit configured to measure time from when the first detection unit detects that the movable unit passes the first position to when the second detection unit detects that the movable unit passes the second position; and a setting unit configured to set time from when the movable unit is detected to have passed the second position to when a brake is applied to the motor based on the time measured by the first measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Hyodo, Ken-ichi Ichimura
  • Publication number: 20140062374
    Abstract: There are provided a motor driving device and a method of controlling the same. The motor driving device includes a controlling unit; a plurality of unit circuits provided within the controlling unit and controlling driving of a motor; and a time slice controller provided within the controlling unit and periodically generating a wake-up signal, wherein some unit circuits among the plurality of unit circuits are operated for a certain operation time upon receiving the wake-up signal, thereby allowing for effective power consumption of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Joo Yul KO
  • Patent number: 8648557
    Abstract: A drive control signal generating circuit that generates a drive control signal for driving a motor includes an output control circuit that includes a flip-flop in which a state changes by a rotational state signal of the motor crossing a reference value and generates a motor drive control signal according to the state of the flip-flop, a clock generating circuit that generates a clock that defines a time of reading data in the flip-flop of the output control circuit; and a PWM conversion circuit that PWM-converts the drive control signal using the clock as a PWM signal. The clock has a frequency in which the output control circuit operates and has a duty ratio of the PWM signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: ON Semiconductor Trading, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ogawa, Takahisa Nakai, Tsutomu Murata
  • Publication number: 20140039655
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for automatically adjusting a recovery time for a processing system to recover from an idle mode to a normal operation mode in order to improve the efficiency of resource utilization, such as energy consumption. The processing system can be one that is used in semiconductor manufacturing, and include a process tool supported by an auxiliary device, such as a vacuum pump or abatement device. A number of parameters can be controlled to adjust the recovery time of the auxiliary device. One or more of those parameters can be increased or decreased based on comparison between a measured, actual recovery time and a predetermined, target recovery time, at the end of each recovery cycle. As such, the actual, measured recovery time can gradually converge with the predetermined, target recovery time, thereby optimizing the resource utilization of the processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Edwards Limited
    Inventor: Gerald Robin Shelley
  • Patent number: 8639387
    Abstract: A method of controlling a controllable device related to a building aperture, whereby a climate related characteristic for the aperture is adjusted by the device, and whereby the device is controlled in accordance with a climate and comfort program which is dependent on a control parameter, whereby the device is controlled in accordance with a time schedule provided by the climate and comfort program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: VKR Holding A/S
    Inventors: Henrik Raun Byberg, Ulrik Vagn Ebbe
  • Patent number: 8569990
    Abstract: A block switch controller for a linear motor is disclosed, the linear motor having a plurality of motor blocks, a shuttle which is propelled by the magnetic forces generated by a motor current passing through the motor blocks, a plurality of motor block switches selectively passing the motor current through the motor blocks, and a plurality of position sensors determining the position of the shuttle relative to the motor blocks, wherein the controller comprises a closed loop vector controller that incorporates a delay state having a feedback gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Electro Standards Laboratories
    Inventor: Raymond B Sepe, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130241457
    Abstract: A delay circuit for a fan includes a signal generation circuit, a first switch, a delay microchip, and a second switch. The signal generation circuit receives a driving signal and generates a control signal according to the driving signal. The first switch is electronically connected to the signal generation circuit to receive the control signal. The second switch is electronically connected between the delay microchip and the fan. When the signal generation circuit is electronically connected to the fan via the first switch, the control signal is transmitted to the fan to activate the fan. When the signal generation circuit is electronically connected to the delay microchip, the delay microchip receives the control signal and outputs a delayed control signal after a predetermined delay time, and the delayed control signal is transmitted to the fan via the second switch to activate the fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
  • Patent number: 8497650
    Abstract: A fan delay control circuit includes a fan connector connected to a fan of an electronic device, a power supplying module connected to the fan connector, and a rotational speed controlling module connected to the power supplying module. The power supplying module is connected to a fan power source and a stand-by power source. The power supplying module may continue to supply power to the fan when the electronic device including the fan is powered off. The rotational speed controlling module includes a square wave generation circuit which generates a square wave signal to control a rotational speed of the fan even when the electronic device is powered off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xun-Chun Qiu, Guang-Dong Yuan
  • Patent number: 8487557
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an approach that uses a motor protection system to protect a process operation. In one aspect, a motor protection system in conjunction with a controller monitor the performance of redundant motor-driven prime movers having a lead motor-driven prime mover and a lag motor-driven prime mover. In one embodiment, the controller controls operation of the redundant motor-driven prime movers as a function of motor protection measurements generated from the motor protection system. In particular, the controller uses the motor protection measurements to determine if the lead motor-driven prime mover is in distress. The controller activates operation of the lag motor-driven prime mover in response to determining that the lead motor-driven prime mover is in distress. In one embodiment, the controller activates operation of the lag motor-driven prime mover prior to tripping the distressed lead motor-driven prime mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Runkle
  • Patent number: 8487565
    Abstract: A method of controlling an electrical machine that includes commutating a phase winding of the electrical machine at a time T_COM(1) after a first edge and at a time T_COM(2) after a second edge of a rotor-position signal. T_COM(2) is defined by the equation: T_COM(2)=T_COM(1)+T_AVE?T_PD, where T_AVE is an average period between edges of the rotor-position signal, and T_PD is the period between the first and second edges. Additionally, a controller and control system that implement the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited
    Inventor: Hanping Dai
  • Patent number: 8453290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a wiper apparatus in which it is easy to replace a wiper blade without this leading to any erroneous operation. When a wiper operation has been stopped by a wiper driving apparatus 31, the wiper driving apparatus causes the wiper arms to first move to a housing position and then stops the wiper arms. When wiper blades are to be replaced, an IG switch 33 is turned off during a wiper operation. If the IG switch 33 is turned off while the wiper arms are within a first stopping range, then the wiper arms are stopped at that position and the blades are replaced. If the wiper arms are stopped outside the first stopping range, then they are first moved to a bottom inverted position or a housing position and are then stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Amagasa, Hiroji Okabe
  • Publication number: 20130099715
    Abstract: An apparatus for opening and/or closing a door of a domestic appliance, such as, for example, an oven, a refrigerator and the like, has a drive apparatus for the automatic opening and/or closing of the door and an actuating device which is operable by a user for activating the drive apparatus in order to open or to close the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: DIEHL AKO STIFTUNG & CO. KG
    Inventor: DIEHL AKO STIFTUNG & CO. KG
  • Patent number: 8390229
    Abstract: A method of braking a washing machine from an operational speed to a reduced non-zero speed is provided (as well as a washing machine incorporating the method) for a washing machine driven by one of a synchronous or asynchronous motor. Upon receipt of a speed reduction signal, the motor rotating magnetic fields are collapsed for a defined time period. After the defined time period, DC braking voltage is applied to the motor stator windings at a controlled ramp-up rate to an amplitude to generate a controlled ramped braking torque on the motor until the motor has slowed to a defined reduced speed. Thereafter, the amplitude of the DC braking voltage is set to 0V and the motor is soft started to an amplitude and reduced frequency needed to maintain the defined reduced speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Richard Dean Suel, II
  • Publication number: 20130049664
    Abstract: A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Brian Michael Courtney, William Bryce Fricke, William H. Howe, Timothy S. Majewski, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 8288981
    Abstract: A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event of the timeclock schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Walter S. Zaharchuk, Brian Michael Courtney, William Bryce Fricke, William H. Howe, Timothy S. Majewski, Joel S. Spira
  • Patent number: 8269440
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a power control module and a detection module. The power control module controls power applied to first and second stator coils of a motor to rotate a rotor. The rotor induces voltages in the first and second stator coils when the rotor is rotating. The detection module determines a first time when a first voltage is induced in the first stator coil and determines a second time when a second voltage is induced in the second stator coil after the first voltage is induced. The detection module determines a speed of the rotor based on a difference between the first and second time. The power control module applies current through the second stator coil a predetermined period after the second time. The power control module determines the predetermined period based on the speed of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Foo Leng Leong, Edy Susanto, Ravishanker Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 8269435
    Abstract: Time information indicates time required for reflecting a speed control indicating value actually on the rotation speed of the motor, the speed control indicating value being read by a motor driving part and then, being reflected on the rotation speed of the motor by the motor driving part. the speed control indicating value is generated based on the time information and the rotation speed information. The speed control indicating value is read at a period which is based on the time information for actually driving the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventor: Tatsuya Watahiki
  • Publication number: 20120187882
    Abstract: A motor control system for controlling an electronically controlled motor based at least partially on a signal from a motor timer is described. The system includes a motor controller coupled to the electronically controlled motor and configured to drive the electronically controlled motor and a control device coupled to the motor controller. The control device is configured to provide the motor controller with a first speed control signal corresponding to a first speed in response to a start signal from the motor timer, monitor a first length of time the first speed control signal is provided to the motor controller, and provide the motor controller with a second speed control signal corresponding to a second speed after a first predefined length of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Jared D. Zumstein, Stephen Zavodny, Bala Sundaram Nauduri
  • Patent number: 8179061
    Abstract: The present invention features a battery system for saving power. In some embodiments, the battery system comprises a main control unit for processing commands. The main control unit may comprise a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving wireless commands, and a timer for waking a microcontroller from a low power state to check a status of the received signal. In some embodiments, the microcontroller configured to receive a signal from the wireless transceiver; and to generate a signal to the wireless transceiver. In some embodiments, the battery system further comprises a remote module for sending commands to the main control unit. The remote module may comprises a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving wireless commands, and a microcontroller for processing user inputs and sending the commands. In some embodiments, the microcontroller is configured to receive a signal from the wireless transceiver; and to generate a signal to the wireless transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventor: Zhiwei Liao
  • Patent number: 8148928
    Abstract: A method for starting a brushless DC motor. A rotor is aligned with a stator in accordance with a predetermined phase. After alignment, the rotor is positioned in accordance with another phase, two phases are skipped, a timer is set to a first count time, and the rotor is aligned with the stator in accordance with a third phase. Then the timer is restarted and the rotor is aligned with the stator in accordance with a fourth phase. After a first delay, first back electromotive force value is stored. The timer is stopped when the first back electromotive force value substantially equals a peak amplitude of opposite polarity. The timer is updated to a second count time that is substantially equal to a time at which the second timer was stopped. The process is repeated until the rotor has a position and a velocity that are suitable for normal operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: François Laulanet, Hendrik Paul Judith De Vloed
  • Patent number: 8076887
    Abstract: A wiper controller which detects the raindrops adhered onto the windshield glass G of the vehicle to control the wiper based on the detected result is provided with a wiped water measurement unit for calculating an amount of water wiped by the wiper, a wiper operation time counter for counting the actual wiper operation time based on the ON/OFF signal of the wiper motor for driving the wiper, a delay time calculation unit which obtains the wiper operation delay time by comparing the actual wiper operation time with the reference wiper operation time, and an operation change determination unit for determining with respect to the need for changing the wiper operation based on the wiper operation delay time and the amount of water wiped by the wiper. The change in the rainfall state is derived from the wiper operation delay time and the amount of water wiped by the wiper to appropriately control the wiper in response to the change in the rainfall state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Niles Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Ohata, Shigeo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8058831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device and a control method which enhance accuracy in detecting a speed of a driven body to stably control drive means. An encoder signal control section (25) compares lengths of time between a rising measurement time kept by a rising edge interval counting section (38) and a rising period of the latest rising edge stored in a rising edge interval history section (39), and then outputs a value of either the rising measurement time or the rising period, whichever is longer based on a comparison result, so that a period of a pulse signal (36) can be accurately predicted and be a real-time approximate, which allows for accurate calculation of the speed of the driven body based on the accurately outputted period of the pulse signal (36), and the accuracy in detecting the speed of the driven body can be enhanced with the result that the drive means can be stably controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7956564
    Abstract: A valve timing adjusting apparatus adjusts valve timing of at least one of intake and exhaust valves of an engine that are opened and closed by a camshaft driven by torque transmitted from a crankshaft. The apparatus includes an electric motor, a plurality of switching elements, a motor driver, and a phase adjusting mechanism. When a target rotational direction of a motor shaft of the electric motor is coincident with the actual rotational direction of the same, the motor driver continuously turns on a selected one of the switching elements for the whole of a predetermined rotation angle range of the motor shaft. When the target rotational direction is opposite to the actual rotational direction, the motor driver continuously turns on the selected switching element only for part of the rotation angle range, and continuously turns off the selected switching element for the remaining part of the rotation angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Morino
  • Patent number: 7952305
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a rotatable wheel (e.g., three rotatable wheels), a forward drive mechanism including a forward drive motor (e.g., an internal combustion engine), and a reverse drive mechanism. The reverse drive mechanism includes a reverse drive motor (e.g., an electric motor) adapted to move the chassis in the rearward direction, and a reverse drive control programmed to inhibit operation of the reverse drive mechanism when the forward drive motor is off. In one embodiment, the vehicle includes a battery for operating the reverse drive motor, and the reverse drive control is programmed to inhibit operation of the motor when a characteristic of the battery (e.g., an output voltage) falls below a threshold. The vehicle can further include a temperature sensor for the reverse drive motor. In this embodiment, the reverse drive control is programmed to inhibit operation of the reverse drive motor when the temperature of the motor exceeds a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Harley-Davidson Motor Company Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark W. Fischer, Richard Parisey, Jay M. Klubertanz, Steven P. Pertzsch
  • Patent number: 7940022
    Abstract: A motor controlling device and a motor controlling method are provided. The motor controlling device includes a first sensor, a second sensor and a signal switching circuit. The signal switching circuit is electrically connected to the first and second sensors, respectively. The signal switching circuit is switched to the first sensor to output a first switching phase signal to drive a motor when the motor starts to operate. The signal switching circuit is switched to the second sensor to output a second switching phase signal to drive the motor when a predetermined switching condition is satisfied with a predetermined value during the motor operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Pin Wei, Chien-Sheng Lin, Yen-Hung Chen
  • Patent number: 7928680
    Abstract: A fan system includes a connecting device, a controlling device and a fan device. The connecting device has a plurality of pins receiving at least one driving signal and a start signal. The control device is electrically connected to the pins of the connecting device and has a start control unit. The start control unit generates a first enabling signal in accordance with the start signal. The control device synchronously outputs the first enabling signal and the driving signal. The fan device is electrically connected to the control device and has a plurality of fans. The fan device synchronously transmits the driving signal to the fans and synchronously drives the fans to rotate in accordance with the first enabling signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Chia-Pin Wei, Wei-Shuo Tseng
  • Patent number: 7919943
    Abstract: A fan system includes a connecting device, a controlling device and a fan device. The connecting device includes a first pin receiving at least one driving signal, and a second pin receiving a start signal, wherein a length of the first pin is greater than a length of the second pin. The controlling device is electrically connected with the connecting device and includes an enabling unit. The enabling unit generates at least one first enabling signal according to the start signal, and the controlling device outputs the driving signal and the first enabling signal. The fan device is electrically connected with the controlling device and includes at least one fan. The fan device transmits the driving signal to the fan and drives the fan according to the first enabling signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Chia-Pin Wei, Wei-Shuo Tseng
  • Patent number: 7915846
    Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a charging probe may include an alternating current (AC) input configured to receive current from an AC source, a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the current received from the AC source, a primary coil, and a control circuit configured to convert the rectified current into a regulated voltage across a primary coil. The primary coil may be configured to induce a magnetic field from the regulated voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Inventor: George Sotiriou
  • Patent number: 7859210
    Abstract: In order to prevent a short circuit of top and bottom arms of a motor driving IC when noise is added to six control signals for controlling six switching elements, there is provided a semiconductor device for driving a motor, being sealed with resin as one package and comprising: six switching elements for driving a three-phase motor; three output terminals for outputting voltages to the three-phase motor; at least one driving circuit for driving the six switching elements; three control signal input terminals; and a function) of generating six control signals for control of the six switching elements based on three control signals inputted through the three control signal input terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Information & Control Solutions, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sakurai, Hiroyuki Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Utsumi, Shoichi Ohozeki, Daisuke Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mishima
  • Patent number: 7764037
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: a timer member that clocks time on the basis of the power supplied from a power source. A power supply member supplies the power to an electric motor of the electronic apparatus and to the timer member from the power source and interrupts the power supply thereto. A heat storage calculating member calculates heat storage of the electric motor and calculates heat storage of the electric motor after stop of the drive on the basis of the time clocked by the timer member. A controller controls the electric motor and controls the power supply member by initiating power-on and power-off operations. This is performed so as to, maintain the power supply to the timer member and the heat storage calculating member during a predetermined time, even after the power-off operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasutaka Shibagaki, Tomoyoshi Kakegawa, Toshihiko Katayama