Failure Protection Or Reliability Patents (Class 700/21)
  • Patent number: 11809697
    Abstract: A method for configuring a modular safety switching apparatus having a plurality of electronic modules arranged in at least one module row, comprises: selecting, via a graphic user interface of a software-based configuration tool, a number of safety functions of the safety switching apparatus and logic requirements to be met by the safety switching apparatus; generating a configuration of the safety switching apparatus via the configuration tool by automated selection of the electronic modules from a plurality of types of electronic modules in order to implement the selected safety functions of the safety switching apparatus and logic requirements to be met by the safety switching apparatus; and storing the configuration of the safety switching apparatus as a configuration data set in a configuration database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Pilz GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jochen Bauknecht, Florian Rotzinger
  • Patent number: 11653255
    Abstract: A control apparatus (40) determines a control value to be supplied to a node (604) in a communication network so as to achieve a setpoint of Quality of Service (QoS) performance required by a traffic flow transferred through the communication network. This control value causes the node (604) to adjust allocation of network resources to the traffic flow. The control apparatus (40) corrects the control value to be supplied to the node (604) on the basis of a control delay between the control apparatus (40) and the node (604) and on the basis of a trend in changes in a traffic-related parameter. It is thus, for example, possible to contribute to stabilizing control for guaranteeing QoS performance required by a traffic flow even when there is a non-negligible control delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Iwai, Nobuhiko Itoh
  • Patent number: 11551058
    Abstract: Example wireless feedback control systems disclosed herein include a receiver to receive a first measurement of a target system via a first wireless link. Disclosed example systems also include a neural network to predict a value of a state of the target system at a future time relative to a prior time associated with the first measurement, the neural network to predict the value of the state of the target system based on the first measurement and a prior sequence of values of a control signal previously generated to control the target system during a time interval between the prior time and the future time, and the neural network to output the predicted value of the state of the target system to a controller. Disclosed example systems further include a transmitter to transmit a new value of the control signal to the target system via a second wireless link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: David Gómez Gutiérrez, Linda Patricia Osuna Ibarra, Dave Cavalcanti, Leobardo Campos Macías, Rodrigo Aldana López, Humberto Caballero Barragan, David Arditti Ilitzky
  • Patent number: 11487913
    Abstract: A method and a device for commissioning a passenger transport system to be manufactured, such as an escalator, is disclosed. The method comprises the creation of a commissioning digital double dataset of the passenger transport system with target data that depicts characterizing properties of components of the passenger transport system in a target configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Thomas Novacek
  • Patent number: 11418412
    Abstract: According to various examples, an operational constraint associated with an operational function—e.g., a virtual network function—implemented on a field device can be configured. According to further examples, the fulfillment of the operational constraint can be tracked. For these purposes, a distributed database is used, e.g., a blockchain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventors: Markus Sauer, Florian Zeiger
  • Patent number: 11403890
    Abstract: A filter element analysis system for analyzing a filter element within a vehicle, the system including various filter sensors so as to provide information regarding various filter element parameters, a locator which configured provide vehicle position information such that conditions regarding the vehicle environment can be tracked and correlated to the location, as well as a means for transmitting information to a remote server for analysis and tracking of the filter element information with regard to environmental conditions such that a filter element status, remaining filter life, or particle load and replacement timeline can be calculated and updated so as to provide more accurate predictive models of the filter element conditions. As well as provide alerts regarding the need and scheduling of replacement or cleaning of a particular filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: MANN+HUMMEL GmbH
    Inventors: Brandon Hukill, Jon Nichols, Charles Vaillant, Yew Chong, Arpan Penkar, Matthew Nunn, Andreas Scope, Kevin Babb, Karlheinz Munkel, Markus Beylich, Nicolas Payen, Stefan Kunze, Uwe Plach, Lars-Thorsten Porschke, Stephan Braun
  • Patent number: 11388620
    Abstract: A control apparatus (40) determines a control value to be supplied to a node (604) in a communication network so as to achieve a setpoint of Quality of Service (QoS) performance required by a traffic flow transferred through the communication network. This control value causes the node (604) to adjust allocation of network resources to the traffic flow. The control apparatus (40) corrects the control value to be supplied to the node (604) on the basis of a control delay between the control apparatus (40) and the node (604) and on the basis of a trend in changes in a traffic-related parameter. It is thus, for example, possible to contribute to stabilizing control for guaranteeing QoS performance required by a traffic flow even when there is a non-negligible control delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori Iwai, Nobuhiko Itoh
  • Patent number: 11374784
    Abstract: This home-automation system for a building comprises: home-automation equipment, distributed within areas of the building; and a communication network, to which the home-automation equipment is connected, and authorizing an inter-communication of the home-automation equipment according to a predefined communication protocol. The communication network is a hard-wired hierarchical network comprising: a first network of rank n; a plurality of sub-networks of lower hierarchical rank n?1, connected to the first network, each sub-network being associated with an area and containing at least one of the home-automation equipment items; each sub-network of the lower hierarchical rank n?1 being hooked up to the first network of rank n by a network equipment item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SOMFY ACTIVITES SA
    Inventor: Sylvain Fargier
  • Patent number: 11338437
    Abstract: A method for health assessment of a system including a transport apparatus including registering predetermined operating data embodying at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, determining a base value (CpkBase) characterized by a probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output, resolving from the transport apparatus in situ process motion commands of the apparatus controller and defining another predetermined motion set of the transport apparatus, registering predetermined operating data embodying the at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus and determining with the processor another value (CpkOther) characterized by the probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, and comparing the other value and the base value (CpkBase) for each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus respectively corresponding to the predetermin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Brooks Automation US, LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Gawlik, Jairo T. Moura
  • Patent number: 11300302
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system includes a heat source unit, an air conditioner connected via piping to the heat source unit and configured to perform heat exchange between water supplied by the heat source unit and indoor air, a water circulation device for circulating the water between the heat source unit and the air conditioner, and an air-conditioning control device. The air-conditioning control device controls the heat source unit to lower temperature of the water flowing into the air conditioner, in accordance with an increase in an indoor humidity, and controls the water circulation device to lower temperature of the water flowing from the air conditioner back to the heat source unit, in accordance with an increase in an indoor temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Hamada, Masaki Toyoshima
  • Patent number: 11210157
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium has stored therein a program that causes a computer to execute a process including creating a frequent message group based on an appearance frequency of each message included in a message group that is generated in the past, in response to a generation of an error message; extracting, as an error periphery log, a message group within a predetermined time period before and after the error message from an accumulated message group; determining whether or not the error message is included in the frequent message group based on a degree of relation between the error periphery log and the frequent message group; and outputting a message that is not included in the frequent message group in the error periphery log as a related message associated with the error message based on a result of the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuji Saito, Tetsuya Uchiumi, Yukihiro Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11205002
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus performs control to make a transition to a power-saving state, confirms whether a program stored in the information processing apparatus is authentic, in association with the transition to the power-saving state, and stores the program confirmed to be authentic in a volatile memory during the power-saving state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keigo Goda
  • Patent number: 11200790
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for early warning of an abnormality sign of a device, which includes device importance and warning validity determination, and a system therefor. The method for early warning of the abnormality sign of the device comprises: a first step of determining by an early warning processing apparatus whether a device monitoring signal value exceeds a normal operation range by using a weight value on the basis of monitoring-parameter-specific importance data which has been previously analyzed by an operator; a second step of generating a warning by the early warning processing apparatus when the device monitoring signal value exceeds the normal operation range; and a third step of determining by a warning determination apparatus whether the generated warning is a valid warning, which is subject to a warning analysis and to be traced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Ji Ho Min, Ji In Kim, Hooh Kwon Ha, Jeong Hag Oh, Young Sheop Park, Chi Yong Park, Dae Woong Kim, Yang Seok Kim, Byoung Oh Lee
  • Patent number: 11188064
    Abstract: A method for automatically detecting an abnormal process flow for a process in an industrial control system (ICS) comprises providing process flow (PF) strings that define normal PFs for processes in the ICS, each of the PF strings defining a time-ordered sequence of events that is a time-ordered recurring sequence of learned events associated with learned changes between learning values of parameters that affect an operation of the ICS, wherein a respective PF string of the PF strings includes an attributed process flow node that represents an attributed event and one or more attributes that are associated therewith. The method further comprises: obtaining monitoring values of the parameters, analyzing the monitoring values to detect monitored events that are associated with monitored changes between monitoring values of the parameters, and detecting the abnormal process flow upon determining a lack of conformance of a monitored event with one of the PF strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: IXDEN LTD.
    Inventor: Leonid Cooperman
  • Patent number: 11095471
    Abstract: The invention relates to a home-automation system and a method for constituting the topology of a home-automation system comprising a plurality of central control units, the method being executed by a user terminal (T) connected to the at least one home-automation system and comprising the following steps: receiving (ECTT3, ECTT4) from at least one central control unit (U1, U2) among the plurality of central control units (U1, U2) at least one message (MDL1, MDL2) comprising a list (DL1, DL2) comprising at least one home-automation device with which said central control unit is capable of communicating; selecting (ECTT6) at least one combination of at least one device in connection with one central control unit among the plurality of control units (U1, U2) for which the communicated device list (DL) comprises the selected device, with a view to connecting at least one device to said central control unit; and sending (ECTT7) a connection message (MR) to the at least one central control unit (U) selected in ste
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Hubert Cosserat, Florent Michel
  • Patent number: 11030567
    Abstract: A database sends identification and dispatch orders to a ship or rail transport that powers a shipping container during the ship or rail segment of the container's journey. The database also sends identification and dispatch orders to gensets that power shipping containers on a motor vehicle transport during a vehicular segment of the container's journey. The database associates the identification and dispatch orders along with the container as the container moves from connection with a genset on a vehicular transport to a ship or rail transport, and associates the identification and dispatch orders along with the container as the container moves to connection with a genset on a vehicular transport from a ship or rail transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: STARTRAK INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas A. Robinson, Venkateswaran Karuppanan, Timothy P. Slifkin
  • Patent number: 10972304
    Abstract: The invention relates to a home-automation system and a method for constituting the topology of a home-automation system comprising a plurality of central control units, the method being executed by a user terminal (T) connected to the at least one home-automation system and comprising the following steps: receiving (ECTT3, ECTT4) from at least one central control unit (U1, U2) among the plurality of central control units (U1, U2) at least one message (MDL1, MDL2) comprising a list (DL1, DL2) comprising at least one home-automation device with which said central control unit is capable of communicating; selecting (ECTT6) at least one combination of at least one device in connection with one central control unit among the plurality of control units (U1, U2) for which the communicated device list (DL) comprises the selected device, with a view to connecting at least one device to said central control unit; and sending (ECTT7) a connection message (MR) to the at least one central control unit (U) selected in ste
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SOMFY SAS
    Inventors: Hubert Cosserat, Florent Michel
  • Patent number: 10965639
    Abstract: A load control system may be provided including control devices and a system controller. The system controller may be configured to broadcast a service set identifier (SSID) and provide a wireless network connection to a network device. The system controller may provide a web page to the network device, wherein the web page may include an indication of target system controllers. The target system controllers may be used for configuring (e.g., associating) the control devices. The system controller may receive an indication of a target system controller selected to associate the control devices. The system controller may determine an address and port number of the target system controller identified by the network device. The system controller may provide, to the network device, the web page from the target system controller while the network device is connected to the system controller via the wireless network connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: David Anderson, Agniva Banerjee, Parker Evans
  • Patent number: 10924043
    Abstract: Systems and apparatuses include a control unit structured to communicate with a first generator set, a second generator set, and a third generator set, operate the first generator set as an output generator in an exercise mode, and operate the second generator set and the third generator set as load generators in the exercise mode to use electrical power produced by the first generator set. The second generator set uses a second genset portion of the electrical power and the third generator set uses a third genset portion of the electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation Limited
    Inventors: Ikenna Oguguo, Philippe Goesel, Andrew C. Walseth
  • Patent number: 10908564
    Abstract: A hierarchical resource management system for a building includes one or more processors. The processors implement a plurality of agents that each monitor sensed values, and generate operating scenarios based on the sensed values for corresponding resources. The processors also implement a coordinator that filters the operating scenarios to remove the operating scenarios that violate internal laws of the agents to form an aggregate validated set of operating scenarios. The processors further implement a supervisor that, responsive to receipt of target conditions for the zones and the aggregate validated set of operating scenarios from the coordinator, selects a combination of the operating scenarios from the aggregate validated set of operating scenarios that achieves target conditions and minimizes overall energy consumption by the resources such that some of the operating scenarios of the combination do not minimize energy consumption of the resources corresponding to the some of the operating scenarios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: SMITHGROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Ionel Petrus, YoonSun Rosemary Hwang, Kevin James Ricart, Kevin Patrick Andreone, Kristin Lea Maruszewski, Jacob William Pohlman
  • Patent number: 10876751
    Abstract: A finite-state machine control system including a cloud control platform, a state machine executor module, an intelligent control system (ICS) and air-conditioning equipment is disclosed. The cloud control platform receives a state-machine definition text-file written by and uploaded from a user terminal. The state-machine executor module transforms a description content of the state-machine definition text-file into mechanical execution codes which is compatible with the air-conditioning equipment, and executes the mechanical execution codes for creating a finite state-machine. The ICS controls the air-conditioning equipment according to the created finite state-machine. The present invention allows a finite-state machine of air-conditioning equipment to be created via the state machine definition text-file written by the user or generated automatically via computer programs and algorithms, thus the user doesn't need to have the ability of writing the machine execution codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Zi-Hao Wang, Yuan-Ping Hsieh
  • Patent number: 10843341
    Abstract: A method for health assessment of a system including a transport apparatus including registering predetermined operating data embodying at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, determining a base value (CpkBase) characterized by a probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output, resolving from the transport apparatus in situ process motion commands of the apparatus controller and defining another predetermined motion set of the transport apparatus, registering predetermined operating data embodying the at least one dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus and determining with the processor another value (CpkOther) characterized by the probability density function of each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus, and comparing the other value and the base value (CpkBase) for each of the dynamic performance variable output by the transport apparatus respectively corresponding to the predetermin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Gawlik, Jairo T. Moura
  • Patent number: 10845272
    Abstract: The claimed method and system develops a useful lifetime profile for a component of a process control device, such as a valve, and uses that lifetime profile to determine a projected remaining lifetime for the device component in operation. The lifetime profile is developed from using real world operational data of similar process control devices, used under substantially the same operating conditions as to be experienced during operation. Profiles may be developed for numerous device components, from which a projected lifetime profile for the entire process control device is developed. Based on the projected remaining lifetime, notification warnings may be sent to remote computers and maintenance scheduling may be automatically achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLC
    Inventors: Ted Dennis Grabau, Shawn W. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10768597
    Abstract: To simplify and/or more flexibly implement a process control by means of a control device, a method is provided for process control in which at least one first and one second data processing module are executed by a control device during operation, wherein an operating program of the control device automatically implements an exchange of data between assigned data objects of the first and the second data processing module, and wherein the assignment between the data objects of the first and the second data processing modules is modified during operation of the control device in order to modify the process control. In addition, the control device is designed to carry out the method, as well as an operating program for such a control device, which can particularly be saved on a data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Friedrich Wegener, Friedrich Hackl, Carsten Kolodziej, Robert Wilmes
  • Patent number: 10769322
    Abstract: A procedure extraction system will be provided which can extract a procedure related to determining the cause of abnormality in facility equipment from analysis procedures in accordance with which the operator analyzes the operating conditions of the facility equipment. The procedure extraction system includes an analysis log storage to store a procedure in accordance with which an operator has analyzed an operating condition of facility equipment using operation data relating to the operating condition of the facility equipment, a graph creation unit to create a graph using the operation data, a region specification unit to specify at least a region of the graph, and an output step extraction unit to extract, from among steps included in the procedure stored in the analysis log storage, a step necessary for creating the graph including the region specified by the region specification unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Hashimoto, Yasuomi Ando
  • Patent number: 10691117
    Abstract: A method is specified for monitoring an electronic control unit for a motor vehicle. An electronic control unit with a monitoring circuit, which contains at least one sensor component, is provided. A measured value is recorded by means of the at least one sensor component, on the basis of which an actual value of a characteristic value representative for the thermal, mechanical and/or chemical loading of the control unit is determined and compared with a predetermined set-point value. A signal is emitted as a function of the result of the comparison. A device and a control unit are additionally specified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Riepl, Stefan Peck
  • Patent number: 10649433
    Abstract: Situational-awareness controllers and methods to increase situational-awareness for an actor associated with a triggering event are described. An example method includes in response to receiving a notification of a triggering event generated by at least one sensor, a computing device accessing information that includes related to an actor associated with the triggering event. The computing device correlates the information to a compilation of historical information by (i) determining whether the actor's location is associated with one or more safety events stored as part of the compilation of historical information and (ii) determining a risk level of the actor based on whether the one or more associated safety events occurred within a predetermined range of time from the time associated with the triggering event. The computing device generates a command based on a result of the correlating and sends the command to at least one controllable device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Gary E. Georgeson, James J. Troy, Scott W. Lea, Daniel J. Wright
  • Patent number: 10599137
    Abstract: A safety control system has a control unit with safety control logic, a safety sensor arrangement, a machine arrangement operable in different operation modes, each operation mode having a different productivity, the control unit receiving and evaluating input from the safety sensor arrangement, and, in reaction to evaluation result(s), activating an operation mode determined by the safety control logic, the safety sensor arrangement having at least two functionally redundant subsystems, control unit input including information indicating availability of the functionally redundant subsystems, the control logic being configured to activate normal operation mode with normal productivity if input indicates availability of all subsystems, activate fail-stop operation mode with zero productivity if input indicates unavailability of all subsystems, activate fail-operate operation mode with productivity less than normal but above zero if input indicates at least temporary unavailability of at least one and availabil
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Fan Dai, Bjoern Matthias, Hao Ding, Christoph Byner, Yauheni Veryha
  • Patent number: 10572493
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining from a database: at least one initiating cause that causes a hazard, an initiating cause frequency corresponding to the at least one initiating cause, a set of independent protection layers configured to operate to prevent the hazard and including protection equipment for which no industry safety standards and regulations are defined, and a failure probability of each protection layer. The method includes estimating a frequency of occurrence of the hazard using a product of the initiating cause frequency and a failure probability of the set of independent protection layers. The method further includes adjusting the estimated frequency of occurrence of the hazard based on a change of at least one of: the initiating cause frequency, and a failure probability of a protection layer in the set of independent protection layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew John Trenchard, Meenakshi Sundaram
  • Patent number: 10514665
    Abstract: An embodiment provides an energy management system of a community in which a plurality of buildings, each divided into a plurality of zones, are located, the energy management system including: a community agent that is a device managing energy of the community and is configured to receive a first incentive about a Demand Response (DR) or a Frequency Regulation (FR) from a demand management device, calculate a first response capacity responding to the first incentive among a community management capacity, and transmit a second incentive to a building agent; a plurality of building agents, each of which is a device managing energy of a corresponding building and is configured to calculate a second response capacity responding to the second incentive among a building management capacity, and transmit a third incentive to a zone agent; and a plurality of zone agents, each of which is a device managing energy of a corresponding zone and is configured to calculate a third response capacity responding to the third
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Energy Research
    Inventors: Yu-jin Song, Yoon-dong Sung
  • Patent number: 10496443
    Abstract: Techniques for implementing OS/hypervisor-based persistent memory are provided. In one embodiment, an OS or hypervisor running on a computer system can allocate a portion of the volatile memory of the computer system as a persistent memory allocation. The OS/hypervisor can further receive a signal from the computer system's BIOS indicating an AC power loss or cycle event and, in response to the signal, can save data in the persistent memory allocation to a nonvolatile backing store. Then, upon restoration of AC power to the computer system, the OS/hypervisor can restore the saved data from the nonvolatile backing store to the persistent memory allocation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Subhash Reddy Peddamallu, Kiran Tati, Rajesh Venkatasubramanian, Pratap Subrahmanyam
  • Patent number: 10396854
    Abstract: A method for providing galvanic isolation between an input or trunk interface (30) and multiple outputs or spur interfaces (38) for connecting field devices (14) to a trunk (20) of a two-wire (44a, 44b) process control network (10) includes connecting multiple sets of multiple spur interfaces to respective isolating elements (34). Each isolating element (34) connects a respective set of outputs or spur interfaces (38) to the trunk interface (30) and galvanically isolates (40, 42) the respective set of spur interfaces (38) from the trunk interface (30). Field devices (14) attached to different sets of spur interfaces are also galvanically isolated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Colin Cherewka, Brenton Eugene Helfrick, David Katz, Aaron Richard Kreider, Todd Eugene Shadle
  • Patent number: 10310463
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for building system controller configuration propagation are described herein. One system includes a first plant controller configured to control a plurality of controllers of a building system on a first channel, wherein one of the plurality of controllers on the first channel is a master controller, and a subset of the plurality of controllers on the first channel are follower controllers of the master controller, a second plant controller configured to control a plurality of controllers of the building system on a second channel, wherein a subset of the plurality of controllers on the second channel are follower controllers of the master controller, and a computing device in communication with the first plant controller and the second plant controller and configured to receive an indication of a parameter modification made to the master controller and communicate the parameter modification to the second plant controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jayaprakash Meruva, Manish Gupta, Andrew David Halford, Cary Leen, Nagasree Poluri
  • Patent number: 10257560
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus and server apparatus are disclosed. In one example, the information processing apparatus is configured to display content on a first display and transmit an instruction to display the content, which is being displayed on the first display, on a second display of a first external device. This instruction causes a displaying of the content at a specified playback start point on the second display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Sato, Junichi Nakamura, Naoki Yuasa, Shuichi Otsu, Hiroki Hashi, Mie Namai
  • Patent number: 10156836
    Abstract: The PLC according to the present disclosure includes a control module configured to perform a control operation according to a preset program; a first communication module configured to transmit a control command from the control module to at least one of first external devices; and a second communication module configured to transmit the control command from the control module to at least one of second external devices, wherein the first and second communication modules transmit external data to the control module via a data transmission cable which is shared with each other, and check interrupt signals therebetween to alternately transmit the external data to the control module, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hwa-Soo Ryu
  • Patent number: 10078314
    Abstract: Method of providing functions within an industrial automation system and an industrial automation system thereof. Functions of the automation system are made available by web applications that are combined by the client during control program execution to form interlinked web applications. The functions are provided on a user interface of the client. The web applications are provided by a standard application programming interface that comprises a cross-component application programming interface for initializing and unloading application components and a component-specific application programming interface for event handling and providing component functions. Component instances are linked by an application programming interface for stipulating interactions between application components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Roland Eckl, Andreas Henrich, Harald Herberth
  • Patent number: 10031502
    Abstract: An industrial safety controller comprises a non-volatile memory configured for storing an industrial control program and at least one processing unit. The industrial safety controller, which may be a safety relay, further comprises connector means configured to communicatively couple the safety controller with an expansion module. The safety controller is configured to receive an input and/or provide an output via an I/O expansion module that is coupled to the safety controller utilizing the connector means. The industrial safety controller may comprise an expansion module bay and the connector means may comprise a bay connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Germany GMBH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bradley Alan Prosak, Thomas Helpenstein, Rudolf Papenbreer, Mussa Tohidi Khaniki, Norbert Machuletz, Oliver Heckel
  • Patent number: 10013553
    Abstract: There is provided a method of protecting the execution of a software application, the method performed by a plurality of processes comprising a process for executing the software application and a plurality of protection processes, wherein each protection process in the plurality of protection processes is configured to: monitor a process state of at least one other process in the plurality of processes to determine whether said process state corresponds to a predetermined process state; and perform a predetermined action in response to a determination that said process state corresponds to the predetermined process state; wherein the plurality of protection processes are configured such that a process state of the process for executing the software application is monitored by at least one protection process and a process state of each protection process is monitored by at least one other protection process in the plurality of protection processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: IRDETO B.V.
    Inventors: Yunpeng Li, Chunming Qie
  • Patent number: 9915925
    Abstract: A system and method for verifying the response capabilities of a control effector include processing, in a test module, at least command data and sensor data associated with the control effector to generate control effector health data representative of control effector health. The control effector health data are processed in a reasoner to selectively indict and clear one or more faults, determine a failure is uncertain based on the one or more indicted faults, determine one or more test excitation signals to supply to the control effector to verify whether the uncertain failure is present or absent, and supply the one or more test excitation signals to a controller that is in operable communication with the control effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Peter Vechart, Darryl Busch, Dale Frederick Enns
  • Patent number: 9842016
    Abstract: In one aspect, multiple data path error collection is provided in a storage management system. In one embodiment, an error condition in a main data path between the storage controller and at least one of a host and a storage unit is detected, and in response, a sequence of error data collection operations to collect error data through a main path is initiated. In response to a failure to collect error data at a level of the sequential error data collection operations, error data is collected through an alternate data path as a function of the error data collection level at which the failure occurred. Other aspects are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary W. Batchelor, Matthew D. Carson, Enrique Q. Garcia, Larry Juarez, Jay T. Kirch, Tony Leung, Trung N. Nguyen, Brian A. Rinaldi, Todd C. Sorenson
  • Patent number: 9780680
    Abstract: A frequency-controlled power converter includes a power stage frequency response characterization circuit. A PWM input control value F_OL_CTL generates a PWM output control signal to drive the converter to a selected output voltage. F_OL_CTL is added to each of a set of periodic, incrementally time-sequenced discrete frequency deviation control values F_DEV(t) having a periodicity of F_RESP corresponding to a frequency at which a response of the power stage is to be measured. A resulting set of perturbed PWM input control values F_CTL_PTB(t) frequency-modulate the PWM output control signal and perturb the converter output voltage. A corresponding set of perturbed converter output voltage samples V_OUT_PTB(t) is cross-correlated to the set of F_CTL_PTB(t) to generate correlation components of V_OUT_PTB(t) and F_CTL_PTB(t).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Manish Bhardwaj, Sam Gnana Sabapathy
  • Patent number: 9709963
    Abstract: Safety-related functions in automation systems for controlling industrial production processes are achieved by providing a simple and safe parameterization of the safety-related apparatuses of such an automation plant. After a start signal sent by the communication master is received, all further activities for parameterization are controlled by a logic module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: PHOENIX CONTACT GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Joachim Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9645555
    Abstract: A safety system includes a safety unit and at least one safety related participant which comprises a protective device and a first and a second interruptible signal transmission path which can be interrupted together on the occurrence of a non-secure state of the protective device. The safety system includes at least one test signal path which runs through the safety related participant to a safety input of the safety unit starting from an output of the safety unit and comprises at least one of the first and the second interruptible signal transmission paths. The safety related participant comprises an interruption switch arranged in the test signal path and an evaluation unit which is connected to the first signal transmission path and/or to a first switching signal output of the protective device and to the second signal transmission path and/or to a second switching signal output of the protective device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: SICK AG
    Inventor: Franz Josef Dold
  • Patent number: 9599974
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for a “path affinity” engine that may work in the background to discover route information needed to connect industrial control components to control level data using “tag names.” Connections may be established dynamically through the path affinity engine, thereby simplifying the commissioning process and allowing connections to be made on an as needed basis. Accordingly, discovery of tag locations at runtime may be permitted, and implementing hardware changes in industrial control environments may be greatly simplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco P. Maturana, Pavel Tichy
  • Patent number: 9514001
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, provided is an information processing device including a first storage unit and a processor. The processor sets, in an external device, device identification information of the information processing device. The processor stores a duplicate copy of data stored in the first storage unit in a second storage unit included in the external device. The processor invalidates, in response to an instruction for invalidating data, the data stored in the first storage unit. The processor restores the duplicate copy stored in the second storage unit on the first storage unit at a time of start-up of the information processing device after the invalidation when the external device is connected to the information processing device and the device identification information is set in the external device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhaogong Guo, Koichi Yasaki
  • Patent number: 9501372
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cluster system that promptly stops access to a shared disk upon occurrence of abnormality. The cluster system is a cluster system where an active system server and a standby system server operate utilizing a shared disk. Each server includes: a disk input/output unit that accesses the shared disk by using data that is input and output via a predetermined bus; a fault detecting unit that, when a fault occurs in the active system server, detects the fault; and a bus closing unit that, when the fault detecting unit detects the fault, closes the bus by issuing an uncorrectable fault generation request to cause generation of an uncorrectable fault on the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke Ageishi
  • Patent number: 9412080
    Abstract: A system handles conditional dependencies between alternative product segments of a production process modeled within a manufacturing execution system (MES). The system includes data processing units connected to a network and production components. The data processing units run MES software for controlling and monitoring the process. The MES software includes a production modeler embedding time-sensitive dependency information in each product segment to define the start of execution in relation to another product segment. The production modeler embeds in each product segment programmed for alternative execution conditional dependency information and a sequence attribute about the order of evaluation of the specified condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alessandro Raviola, Elena Reggio
  • Patent number: 9373253
    Abstract: A safety controller includes a first interrupt signal output unit outputting a first interrupt signal in a cycle synchronous with that of a first carrier signal defining a control cycle of a control target; a second interrupt signal output unit outputting a second interrupt signal in a cycle synchronous with that of a second carrier signal defining a control cycle of the control target, the first and second carrier signals having the same cycle and a predetermined phase difference; and a control unit executing tasks and controlling the control target by switching and scheduling time partitions according to outputs of the first and second interrupt signals from the first and second interrupt signal output units. The control unit stops controlling the control target upon detecting, as an abnormality related to the first and second interrupt signals, that the first and second interrupt signals are not output in a predetermined order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuya Taira, Hiroshi Bitoh
  • Patent number: 9252967
    Abstract: A control circuit operably couples to a plurality of home-automation edge-component interfaces. This control circuit is configured to compatibly interact with a plurality of home-automation edge components where at least some of the plurality of home-automation edge components are operationally incompatible with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Adam H. Li, Aixin Liu, Djung Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9218041
    Abstract: An apparatus includes logic to control heat generation in a device. The device to operate at least in one of a first state and a second state, wherein the device to consume more power in the first state than in the second state. The device to connect to a network at least for a portion of time while in the second state. The logic to select a plurality of thermal control solutions to decrease the generation of heat in the device in the second state, the selected thermal control solution to be performed while the device is in the second state to reduce the generated heat to below a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Biswajit Sur, Thomas E. Walsh, Ajay G. Gupta, Brian C. Kluge, Kristoffer D. Fleming