Patents Represented by Attorney Eugene M. Cummings
  • Patent number: 8351433
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing the handling of data on a priority basis within an intelligent electronic device is disclosed. A FIFO receives messages and the messages are each associated with a subscription identifier. The messages are then routed to and stored in buffers, each associated with a subscription identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc
    Inventors: Robert E. Morris, Tony J. Lee, Andrew A. Miller, Lisa Gayle Nelms, Benjamin S. Day
  • Patent number: 8333681
    Abstract: A speed controlled strength machine is provided. The machine includes a frame and a number of support members. A driver is mounted to the frame and includes an adjustable speed controller. During exercise, the user engages grips/handles and pulls them via one-way clutches through the resistive movement of the driver. The clutches are engaged when the user is able to reach a predetermined speed, which is adjustable and controllable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Inventor: David H. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8319628
    Abstract: A three-phase faulted circuit indicator adjustable to accommodate a variety of three-phase power cables is disclosed. In one embodiment, faulted circuit indicator comprises a flexible holder that encircles the monitored conductor slightly more than one time. The flexible holder includes a plurality of magnetic sensors for monitoring the current within the internal conductors of the power cable, a logic circuit for determining the occurrence of a fault, and an output device for providing an indication of a fault. In a second embodiment, the faulted circuit indicator comprises a plurality of sensor compartments, each disposed about a central point, and each coupled to two other sensor compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Laurence V. Feight, James Manely Duros, Joseph Robert Rauch
  • Patent number: 8313585
    Abstract: A method for diffusing titanium and nitride into a sports equipment component. The method generally includes the steps of providing a sports equipment component providing a salt bath which includes sodium dioxide and a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium cyanate and potassium cyanate; dispersing metallic titanium formed by electrolysis of a titanium compound in the bath, heating the salt bath to a temperature ranging from about 430° C. to about 670° C.; and soaking the sports equipment component in the salt bath for a time of from about 10 minutes to about 24 hours. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the sports equipment component may further be treated with conventional surface treatments or coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Inventors: Philos Jongho Ko, Bongsub Samuel Ko
  • Patent number: 8313228
    Abstract: The present invention provides an agitation device (10) comprising a body portion (12) and at least one stirring element (14) extending from said body portion and for insertion into material in a receptacle which is to be agitated, wherein the body portion comprises a housing having located therein a motion element powered by way of a power source, and arranged to impart a vibrating action to the device and thus to the at least one stirring element, said vibrating action arranged to effect movement of the agitation device relative to the said material, and wherein said at least one stirring element extends from said body portion such that, in normal operation, the at least one stirring element extends downwardly from the body portion and serves to support the device on a surface of the said receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Inventor: Gavin Reay
  • Patent number: 8290879
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for enabling a fundraising program using fundraising cards redeemable by not-for-profit organization (“NPO”) supporters for branded stored-value cards. The system includes a scrip company host system having a server, where the server includes a microcontroller. A remote user device, having a display, is operatively coupled to the scrip company host system and configured to enable access to the scrip company web site. The microcontroller is adapted to detect access to the scrip company web site by a NPO, and cause the plurality of fundraising cards to be distributed to the NPO in response to detecting an order for the plurality of fundraising cards by the NPO. The fundraising cards are distributed to the NPO prior to receiving payment from the NPO for the fundraising cards, thereby making it unnecessary for the NPO to carry a paid-for inventory of fundraising cards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas A. Simonian
  • Patent number: 8250625
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for reducing communication system downtime when enabling cryptographic operation of a cryptographic system of the communication system where the cryptographic system includes a first cryptographic device operatively coupled to a plurality of second cryptographic devices via a communication network of the communication system. The method includes causing a pass-through mode of the second cryptographic devices to be suspended, sequentially determining a state of each of the second cryptographic devices, causing the second cryptographic devices and the first cryptographic device to substantially simultaneously operate in a secure mode if each of the second cryptographic devices is determined to have a first state, and causing the second cryptographic devices and the first cryptographic device to operate in the pass-through mode if at least one of the plurality of second cryptographic devices is determined to have a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Allen D. Risley
  • Patent number: 8194452
    Abstract: A nonvolatile memory system is described with novel architecture coupling nonvolatile storage memory with random access volatile memory. New commands are included to enhance the read and write performance of the memory system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Inventor: G. R. Mohan Rao
  • Patent number: 8179273
    Abstract: A display for a faulted circuit indicator is disclosed. A plurality of light-emitting diodes are arranged so that at least one diode is visible to a person approaching the faulted circuit indicator from a determined angle of approach. When a fault is detected, the faulted circuit indicator flashes the plurality of light-emitting diodes in a predetermined pattern depending on whether a permanent or temporary fault is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurence V. Feight
  • Patent number: 8159360
    Abstract: A display for a faulted circuit indicator is disclosed. A plurality of light-emitting diodes is arranged so that at least two diodes are visible to a person approaching the faulted circuit indicator from a determined angle of approach. When a fault is detected, the faulted circuit indicator flashes the plurality of light-emitting diodes in a progression pattern to indicate the direction to the fault relative to the faulted circuit indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Laurence V. Feight
  • Patent number: 8159362
    Abstract: A faulted circuit indicator utilizes digitized fault indication curves to determine if a fault has occurred in a monitored conductor. Fault indication curves are intended to be similar to trip curves of common power protection devices, and consist of a plurality of associated fault current levels and fault times. The faulted circuit indicator only displays a fault when the current within the monitored conductor exceeds one of the fault current levels for its associated fault time. This results in more accurate fault detection through the ability to distinguish between small and large amplitude faults coupled with the flexability of a fault indicator suitable for use on many different power systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan W. Swartzendruber, Laurence Virgil Feight, Tyson J. Salewske
  • Patent number: 8155326
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the operation of one or more devices is provided. The system includes a microphone acoustically coupled to one the monitored device. An analog-to-digital-converter samples the microphone and a processor examines the resultant digital signal for the occurrence of an abnormal event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, David E. Whitehead, Timothy M. Minteer
  • Patent number: 8126923
    Abstract: A system implementable using a programmable processor includes a plurality of pre-stored commands for building an inventory of audio, musical, works or audio/visual works, such as music videos. A plurality of works can be collected together in a list for purposes of establishing a play or a presentation sequence. The list can be visually displayed and edited. A plurality of lists can be stored for subsequent retrieval. A selected list can be retrieved and executed. Upon execution, the works of the list are presented sequentially either audibly or visually. The works can be read locally from a source, such as a CD, or can be obtained, via wireless transmission, from a remote inventory. If desired, establishment of a predetermined credit can be a pre-condition to being able to add items to the list for presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Premier International Associates, LLC
    Inventors: James D. Hempleman, Sandra M. Hempleman, Neil A. Schneider
  • Patent number: 8111492
    Abstract: An intelligent electronic device creates one or more virtual communications channels using unused or dedicated bits from a primary real-time communications channel. The virtual communications channels are used to transport low-speed information, such as executable commands, or automatic functions not requiring high bandwidth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Tony J. Lee, Bogdan Z. Kasztenny, Luther S. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8106481
    Abstract: Most semiconductor devices manufactured today, have uniform dopant concentration, either in the lateral or vertical device active (and isolation) regions. By grading the dopant concentration, the performance in various semiconductor devices can be significantly improved. Performance improvements can be obtained in application specific areas like increase in frequency of operation for digital logic, various power MOSFET and IGBT ICS, improvement in refresh time for DRAM's, decrease in programming time for nonvolatile memory, better visual quality including pixel resolution and color sensitivity for imaging ICs, better sensitivity for varactors in tunable filters, higher drive capabilities for JFET's, and a host of other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: G. R. Mohan Rao
  • Patent number: 8091485
    Abstract: The present invention provides a joint for transferring load from the underframe of a locomotive to the cant rail of its car body. The joint includes a base connected to the underframe of the locomotive with a body portion attached thereto. This body portion carries a generally diagonally situated member connected to the cant rail of the car body of the locomotive, such that the load from the underframe is transferred to the base of the joint, through the body portion of the joint, to the diagonally situated member and to the cant rail during bending of the underframe of the locomotive. In another aspect of the present invention, a joint is provided which is generally flexible to accommodate bending of the car body and underframe of the locomotive relative to their respective stiffnesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Electro-motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Yogesh D. Khairnar, Butchi Babu Nalluri, Robert Thomas Scott, Xiaokun Liu
  • Patent number: 8092915
    Abstract: A method for diffusing titanium and nitride into a base material having a generally compact, granular microstructure (e.g., carbide). The method generally includes the steps of providing a base material having a generally compact, granular microstructure; providing a salt bath which includes sodium dioxide and a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium cyanate and potassium cyanate; dispersing metallic titanium formed by electrolysis of a titanium compound in the bath; heating the salt bath to a temperature ranging from about 430° C. to about 670° C.; and soaking the base material in the salt bath for a time of from about 10 minutes to about 24 hours. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the base material may further be treated with conventional surface treatments or coatings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Inventors: Philos Jongho Ko, Bongsub Samuel Ko
  • Patent number: 8064627
    Abstract: An acoustic system is described for accurately reproducing sound. The acoustic system generally includes driver which produces a plurality of higher frequency pressure waves at larger amplitudes and produces lower frequency pressure waves at smaller amplitudes. A passage is provided which serves as an amplifier and resonator for the lower frequency pressure waves. Accordingly, the system accurately reproduces a large range of higher and lower frequency sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Inventor: David Maeshiba
  • Patent number: 8059006
    Abstract: A system for communicating information between a detection device and a wireless device is provided. The system generally includes a detection device adapted to monitor a condition related to a power system. A radio interface unit is in communication with the detection device via a communication member. A wireless device is further provided which is in radio communication with the radio interface unit such that the detection device communicates information to the wireless device through a radio interface unit. The system's components are further adapted to endure harsh conditions (e.g., prolonged exposure to water).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Edmund O. Schweitzer, III, Luthor S. Anderson, Witold R. Teller, Mark J. Bosold, Douglas A. Park, Steven A. McMahon, James R. Kesler, Laurence Virgil Feight, Donald C. Hicks
  • Patent number: D672093
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Gavin Reay