Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Michael M. Rickin
  • Patent number: 8291105
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for identifying inaccurate time measurements in a local area network. The local area network comprises a sending device (2), such as a time client, a destination device (3), such as a timeserver, and a switching device and/or a store-and-forward device (6). A time request packet (4) is rejected if it arrives at the time client or timeserver within a given or calculated minimum distance from the preceding network packet. The time request packet (4) is also rejected if it falls outside a set of calculated error limits based on a set of estimates. Those estimates are kept in the time client memory and updated according to a given set of rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Øyvind Holmeide, Tor Skeie, Christoffer Apneseth, Svein Johannessen, Trond Lokstad
  • Patent number: 8229486
    Abstract: A sheet making system that has two or more separated nodes one of which may be a scanner sensing head and the other of which may be a scanner end column. Each node has a wireless system and receives power from a common AC source. Each node receives events data associated with the wireless system. Each wireless system has a circuit that obtains from the common AC power source an associated events data acquisition clock that is the same for all of the wireless systems to time synchronize to each other the associated events data signals at each of the two or more nodes. A central computer may be connected to the two or more nodes. The communication between the computer and each of the two or more nodes can be wireless or by a LAN or other mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Ltd.
    Inventor: Ake Hellstrom
  • Patent number: 8228155
    Abstract: A multi-point connection module comprising a supporting plate provided with a plurality of taps, and a connector which is coupled to the supporting plate. The connector allows the connection of the supporting plate to an external face of a transformer coil having a plurality of turns. The taps are arranged on the supporting plate so that they mate with corresponding turns of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Charlie H Sarver, Bobby Phil Goodson, Joey Lee Chandler
  • Patent number: 8148640
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an insulating element (1) for producing an insulating and supporting device for busbars to install in cabinets for low voltage distribution switchboards. The invention also relates to an insulating and supporting device for busbars comprising the insulating element which essentially comprises a body made of insulating material (5) which extends along a longitudinal axis (100) between two end surfaces (8) transverse to this axis. The body made of insulating material (5) comprises a plurality of lateral surfaces (10, 20) which extend between the end surfaces (8) in the direction of said longitudinal axis (100). At least a first (10) and a second (20) of these lateral surfaces are provided with longitudinal grooves (11, 21) defined between connecting portions (15). In particular, the longitudinal grooves (11) defined on the first lateral surface (10) have a longitudinal extension (L1) differing from that (L2) of the grooves (21) defined on the second lateral surface (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: ABB S.p.A.
    Inventors: Cristian Cagliani, Daniele Cagliani
  • Patent number: 8131485
    Abstract: A method for locating faults in three-terminal and multi-terminal power lines, applicable in electric power systems for overhead and underground cable transmission and distribution lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Przemyslaw Balcerek, Marek Fulczyk, Eugeniusz Rosolowski, Jan Izykowski, Murari Saha
  • Patent number: 8125751
    Abstract: A method for sectioning a medium-voltage distribution electric line evidencing a disturbance using a section switch. The steps are: (a) detecting a current having an amplitude and a wave form profile in the medium-voltage line; (b) analyzing the wave form profile to determine whether the fault is transient, permanent, a transformer input current or transformer in-rush current; (c) and determining the behavior of the section switch from the result of the wave form profile analysis. The section switch is installed on auxiliary branches of a distribution network having a main line that is protected by an automatic reset circuit breaker. The section switch has an opening mechanism having a coil and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit has a power source for the coil and electronic circuit, a detector to detect current and an analyzer to determine whether the detected current is a transient or a permanent fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Jorge Cavanna, Javier Cavanna
  • Patent number: 8079143
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for engine piston installation in which robots are used for the entire engine piston installation process. A first robot equipped with a stuffing gripper and force control picks up a piston with a connection rod, detects the piston ring presence, squeeze the rings, find the engine cylinder bore, and stuffs the piston into the cylinder bore. A second robot can be used to load and unload the engine block, hold the block and position it to the location, and indexes the crankshaft into the proper orientation for each cylinder bore. A set of tools either fixed on a stationary station or on a third robot is used to guide the piston connecting rod, transport and place on the connecting rod cap, and fasten the cap onto the connecting rod. The piston connecting rod guiding process may be omitted in piston stuffing for some types of engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: George Zhang, Hui Zhang, Yanhua Yang, Bruno Barrey, Daniel W. McGillis
  • Patent number: 8060234
    Abstract: There is described a method and apparatus for tracking the location of web features through a converting process, one application of which can involve tracking paper defects from a paper machine as detected by a camera system, to a winder where the sheet is wound to rolls so that the web defects can be repaired in the winder before making the rolls. The method to track web features is based on pattern identification of inherent sheet variability or defects. The apparatus involves two or more sheet property or defect monitoring web sensors arranged at the same cross directional location at different stages of the converting operation, augmented by tachometers and/or roll diameter sensors. A full automation system for drive control on the winder based on this information is preferably added to make maximum advantage of this information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignees: ABB Oy, ABB Ltd.
    Inventors: Ake Hellstrom, Tommi Huotilainen, Antti Saarela
  • Patent number: 8014965
    Abstract: A spectrometric system has a primary channel with a signal waveform and a reference channel with a signal waveform. A digital representation of the primary signal waveform and a digital representation of the reference signal waveform to provide a digital output representing the primary signal at datum points synchronized with the reference signal are processed by computing the Fourier transform of the primary signal waveform and using a fast reverse non-uniform discrete Fourier Transform technique to compute the reverse non-uniform discrete Fourier transform of the Fourier transform of the primary signal waveform to provide the digital output representing the primary signal at datum points synchronized with the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Bomen
    Inventors: Raphaël Desbiens, Henry L. Buijs
  • Patent number: 8000933
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for showing data representative of the accuracy of switching operations executed by a high-voltage switchgear which is operatively coupled to a power line and to a synchronous switching device. Data related to switching operations executed by the high-voltage switchgear is recorded and then, based on the recorded data, values indicative of the accuracy of the switching operations executed with respect to predefined target switching operations are calculated. A histogram is formed using the calculated values and shown to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Anton Poeltl, Michael Mendik
  • Patent number: 7864675
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automation device (100, 100?), with which a multiplicity of physically distributed functional units communicate with each other by means of a common transmission protocol. The device has a microcontroller (110), which is assigned at least one clock generator (120) and one memory unit (150), and which is connected at least to one data source (140), which is designed to output a data bit-stream to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: ABB AG
    Inventors: Heiko Kresse, Andreas Stelter, Ralf Schaeffer
  • Patent number: 7859809
    Abstract: A test plug for use with protective relays has a circuit that when it detects an overvoltage on the secondary side of a current transformer limits the overvoltage amplitude and the occurrence of the overvoltage to a predetermined number of peaks that are less than all of the peaks that occur when the secondary side is open circuited and the test plug is connected to the relays. The test plug also ensures that there is a continuous flow of current in the relays. The test plug further that has an indicator visible external to the plug to indicate the occurrence of an open circuit transformer secondary and that indicator remains illuminated when the test plug is disconnected from the protective relays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Roy Ball, Russ Gonnam, Cristine Luong
  • Patent number: 7751166
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for restoring power to loads connected to a feeder powered by a power source. The feeder is provided with a plurality of switching devices and a master electronic device which is in operative communication with the switching devices and has a plurality of power restoration plans stored therein. Upon occurrence of a fault in a zone of the feeder, the identity of the switching device which is closest to and upstream from the faulted zone relative to the power source is used in order to select a power restoration plan and restore power to some or all the loads connected to non-faulted zones of the feeder from one or more additional feeders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: James D. Stoupis, Donato Colonna, David L. Lubkeman, Jaichander K. Vellore, Robert E. Goodin, Timothy S Fahey, Varagur Ramanan
  • Patent number: 7720625
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a measuring device, especially a flowmeter. The aim of the invention is to simplify inspection if the sensors have been correctly installed. For this purpose, the installation state is detected by the sensors themselves, i.e. by sensing a corresponding sensor value and comparing it with characteristic data. The result of comparison is electronically evaluated and automatically estimated whether the characteristic data obtained match the comparative data within at least a defined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Keese, Harry Plotzki, Frank Buhl, Karl-Heinz Rackebrandt, Andreas Thöne, Jörg Herwig, Rolf Merte, Peter Riegler
  • Patent number: 7679035
    Abstract: An induction heating system used on web manufacturing processes has one or more workcoils each with an associated power module. The power modules are cooled using water. In one embodiment the power modules and the workcoils are in physical contact with a full width water cooled support beam. In another embodiment the key heat generating elements of the power modules are mounted against a thermally conductive power module frame which is then mounted against the thermally conductive wall of an un-perforated water header.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: ABB Ltd.
    Inventors: Bruce Taylor, Rene Larive
  • Patent number: 7593106
    Abstract: A dual sided sheet surface property sensor has the capability to simultaneously measure both sides of a moving sheet at the same location of the sheet on the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet. The energy directed to each side of the sheet may include UV, visible light, infrared, radio frequency, microwave, broadband, or X-ray. The sensor has a source and associated detector on each side of the moving sheet and each source provides energy at a different modulation frequency and the associated detector is responsive only to that frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Ltd.
    Inventor: Ake Arvid Hellstrom
  • Patent number: 7584013
    Abstract: Fast cross direction caliper control recovery time in a sheet making machine during startup of the machine after a sheet break is achieved provided that a preselected time duration measured from the occurrence of the sheet break to the clearing of sheet break has elapsed. One or both of calender stack conditioning and conditioning of a measurement from a sensor for measuring caliper of the sheet, both with feedback CD control suspended, can be selectably performed. These operations can be performed concurrently if the selected time duration for both are identical. A closed loop change in a set of control tuning parameters of a PI controller providing feedback caliper control of actuators associated with the calender stack can be performed after either or both of the other operations are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Quang Tran, Timothy Andrew Mast
  • Patent number: 7558032
    Abstract: A protection system for a transformer system that includes three single phase transformers with auxiliary secondary windings, respectively. The auxiliary secondary windings are connected to form an open delta configuration. The protection system is connected into the open delta configuration, between the auxiliary secondary windings of two of the transformers. The protection system includes a circuit having an element with a threshold voltage and current characteristic connected in series with a thermal protection device and a resistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Wojciech Piasecki, Marek Florkowski, Mariusz Luto, Pentti Mahonen
  • Patent number: 7558031
    Abstract: An intelligent automatic bypass for a motor control device determines if a fault that is occurring is a restricted or non-restricted fault. A restricted fault is one that may damage or destroy the motor if an automatic switch to bypass is allowed to occur for all faults. The intelligent automatic bypass allows the automatic switch to bypass only if the fault is a non-restricted fault and blocks the automatic switch to bypass if the fault is a restricted fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventor: Steven G. Boren
  • Patent number: D652389
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip R. Thompson, William H. Weishuhn, II, Richard E. Tyner