Patents Assigned to Automation Technology, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12216886
    Abstract: An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) comprises a development interface that affords a user a great deal of control over the editing tools, workspace canvases, and project information rendered at a given time. The industrial IDE system automatically filters the tools, panels, and information available for selection based on a current project development task, such that a focused subset of editing tools relevant to a current development task or context are made available for selection while other tools are hidden. The development interface also allows the user to selectively render or hide selected tools or information from among the relevant, filtered set of tools. This can reduce or eliminate unnecessary clutter and aid in quickly and easily locating and selecting a desired editing function. The IDE's development interface can also conform to a structured organization of workspace canvases and panels that facilitates intuitive workflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew R. Ericsson, Andrew R. Stump, Anthony Carrara, Eashwer Srinivasan, Christopher W. Como, Sharon M. Billi-Duran
  • Patent number: 12210326
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause a processor to perform operations that include receiving process input data associated with one or more automation devices, determining a plurality of operating conditions corresponding to the one or more automation devices; clustering the process input data based on the plurality of operating conditions, receiving a decision tree representative of the plurality of operating conditions and corresponding process input data, determining a splitting criterion for one or more nodes of the decision tree based on the clustered process input data, wherein the splitting criterion is configured to link the process input data to at least two operating conditions based on the decision tree, generating control logic for the one or more automation devices based on the decision tree and splitting criterion, and sending the control logic to the one or more automation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan SayyarRodsari, Jakob Methfessel, Kadir Liano
  • Patent number: 12206392
    Abstract: A system may include a switch, a gate driver, and a signal conditioner. The switch may couple to a load. The gate driver may generate one or more gating signals to control one or more operations of the switch. The signal conditioner may receive an input signal associated with the switch and generate a modification signal that may modify the one or more gating signals based on the input signal. The modified gating signal may be used to reduce an amplitude of a voltage transient received by the switch to below a voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Bora Novakovic
  • Patent number: 12204312
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations including receiving a first dataset from a first automation component, the first dataset corresponds to raw data acquired by a first sensor; receiving a second dataset from a second automation component, the second dataset corresponds to raw data acquired by a second sensor; receiving data indicating an expected operation related to operations of an industrial automation system including the first and second automation components; determining a signature based on the first and second datasets and the data indicating the expected operation, wherein the signature indicates an unexpected operation as compared to the expected operation; performing a root cause analysis using the signature to determine a relationship indicating a first set of changes of the first dataset corresponding to a second set of changes in the data indicating the expected operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan SayyarRodsari, Jakob Methfessel, Kadir Liano, Hanyu Shi, Dongzuo Tian
  • Patent number: 12206710
    Abstract: An enterprise-level security policy management tool receives, via a graphical user interface (GUI), inputs defining a security policy configured to be deployed within an enterprise that operates one or more operational technology (OT) networks, generates the security policy based on the inputs, and transmits the security policy to one or more computing devices running respective other instantiations of the enterprise-level security policy management tool, wherein the respective other instantiations of the enterprise-level security policy management tool are configured to facilitate enforcement of the security policy within the one or more OT networks operated by the enterprise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dustin A. Molzon, Taryl J. Jasper, Roch Mikolajczyk
  • Patent number: 12206191
    Abstract: A system for control of motors for industrial applications including a motor control center and motor control unit. The motor control center having at least one printed circuit board, and a motor control unit having at least one pin. At least one pin includes a barrel, a plunger, and a spring. The motor control unit is selectively insertable into the motor control center, whereas the at least one pin transitions from the first position to the second position upon insertion and the at least one pin connects to the at least one printed circuit board forming an electrical connection between the motor control center and motor control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Halpin, Todd R. Sauve, Troy M. Bellows, Corey A. Peterson, Robert Dilgard, Calvin C. Steinweg, Roberto Marques
  • Patent number: 12204318
    Abstract: A system includes a multidrop cable and a connector. The connector is configured to couple to one or more MCC withdrawable units installed in one or more respective buckets of an MCC, wherein the connector is configured to couple the one or more MCC withdrawable units to, and decouple the one or more MCC withdrawable units from, the multidrop cable without disrupting a network or a subnet of the MCC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Corey A. Peterson, Roberto S. Marques, Troy M. Bellows, Calvin C. Steinweg
  • Patent number: 12206684
    Abstract: A method for security and safety of an industrial operation includes receiving sensor information from a plurality of sensors of an industrial operation. Sensor information from at least a portion of the plurality sensors is used for functionality of a plurality of components of the industrial operation. The method includes monitoring data traffic of the industrial operation, and deriving a baseline signature from the sensor information. The baseline signature encompasses a range of normal operating conditions. The method includes identifying an abnormal operating condition of the industrial operation based on a comparison between additional sensor information from the plurality of sensors and the baseline signature and identifying an abnormal data traffic condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chirag Malkan, Kyle Crum, David Vasko, Steven T. Haensgen
  • Patent number: 12205363
    Abstract: For updating a computer vision model, a method converts a user input drawing including a user annotation of a first image in a drawing format to a training format image in a training format for a computer vision model. The method generates a training-representation drawing from the training format image. The training-representation drawing includes an image inference for the first image. The method receives user feedback for the training-representation drawing in the drawing format. The method updates the computer vision model based on the user feedback. The method generates an image inference for a second image based on the updated computer vision model and generates model-health metrics, agreement-metrics, and a sortable image index to explain image inferences with respect to guided user annotation of the second image. The method caches partial results from the image-inferences to afford quicker updating of computer vision models, affording more iterative model-development than ad-hoc model-evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Berman, Bijan SayyarRodsari, Wei Dai, Kadir Liano
  • Patent number: 12195062
    Abstract: A motion control system for an independent cart system provides for an improved system for controlling operation of movers in areas of high traffic. A controller monitors operation of the movers to detect heavy traffic. In heavy traffic, the controller may bring a mover to a stop to avoid collisions. Once a mover is stopped, the segment controller will look at the present location of the mover and determine whether it is at the desired position set in the motion command. If the mover is not at the desired position, the stop was a result of heavy traffic. After detecting heavy traffic, the controller commands the mover to resume travel using a modified motion command. The modified motion command will command the first mover to its desired position but will command the move at a reduced rate or using a reduced response in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuhong Huang
  • Patent number: 12200000
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to industrial automation environments. More specifically, embodiments include systems and methods to detect malicious behavior in an industrial automation environment. In some examples, a security component monitors an integrated design application and generates feature vectors that represent operations of the integrated design application. The security component supplies the feature vectors to a machine learning engine. The security component processes a machine learning output that indicates when anomalous behavior is detected in the operations of the integrated design application. When anomalous behavior is detected in the operations of the integrated design application, the security component generates and transfers an alert that characterizes the anomalous behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan C. Reynolds, John J. Hagerbaumer, Troy W. Mahr, Thomas K. Jacobsen, Giancarlo Scaturchio
  • Patent number: 12198853
    Abstract: A relay device may include an armature that moves between a first position that electrically couples the armature to a first contact and a second position that electrically couples the armature to a second contact. The relay device may also include a relay coil that receives a voltage to magnetize the relay coil, thereby causing the armature to move from the first position to the second position. The relay device also includes an additional coil that couples in series with the relay coil via a switch. The relay device also includes a drive circuit that causes the switch to couple the additional coil to the relay coil in response to receiving a signal indicative of the relay coil energizing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew E. Carlson, Kyle B. Adkins
  • Patent number: 12199960
    Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive, from one or more processing nodes, data representative of usage and inventory of one or more software assets by one or more industrial automation devices of an industrial automation system that are communicatively coupled to the one or more processing nodes, determining a data delta for the industrial automation system that represents differences between the software asset data and a previous iteration of the software asset data, encrypt the data delta for the industrial automation system, and transmit the encrypted data delta for the industrial automation system to a remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Picou, Francisco P. Maturana, Jay W. Schiele, Krutika Kansara, Nikhil Ashok Patange, Larry D. Armstrong, Kerwen Changyuan Zhang, John L. Kelly, Davis Biao Ma
  • Patent number: 12191793
    Abstract: An airflow health predictive maintenance system and method for a motor drive includes a differential pressure sensor that senses an air pressure differential between a sensing location within an enclosed cabinet space of the motor drive and a reference location. The system includes an electronic control system configured to select a setpoint that indicates that airflow through the cabinet space has reached a value associated with a need for air filter maintenance. The control system is further configured to obtain air pressure differential measurements periodically from the differential pressure sensor and generate an actual trend comprising a series of values, wherein each of the values of the actual trend is derived from one or more of the air pressure differential measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John David Allan, Tahsina Hossain, Garron K. Morris
  • Patent number: 12191785
    Abstract: A motor drive receives a position feedback signal from a position sensor operatively connected to a motor. The motor drive receives a command signal defining a desired operation of the motor. A processor in the motor drive generates an acceleration feedforward signal from the command signal and an acceleration reference signal from the command signal and the position feedback signal. The processor also generates an estimated disturbance acceleration from the acceleration reference signal. The acceleration feedforward signal is multiplied by a first gain to obtain a first product, and the estimated disturbance acceleration by a second gain to obtain a second product. The first and second gains are functions of first and second portions of the system inertia. A current reference signal is generated based on the first product and second products, and an output voltage to the motor is generated from the current reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation, Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Hoffman, Adam M. Shea, Robert J. Miklosovic
  • Patent number: 12180744
    Abstract: For motion transformation an apparatus includes a key and a plunger. The key moves along a first axis in a linear key displacement direction and along the first axis in a linear key return direction that is opposite the key displacement direction. The key includes a motivating arm on a distal end. The motivating arm includes a displacement cam surface disposed on a ventral side of the motivating arm and a return cam surface disposed on a dorsal side of the motivating arm. The plunger moves along a second axis. The plunger includes a displacement interface that is motivated by the displacement cam surface in response to the key moving in the key displacement direction to motivate the plunger in a plunger displacement direction. The plunger further includes a return interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Girish Mali, Ryan Copeland, Burt Sacherski
  • Patent number: 12184435
    Abstract: An industrial Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) system and method for connecting devices within an industrial automation system is provided. The industrial SPE system comprises a trunkline formed by a series of trunk cables, where each trunk cable includes a power pair and an SPE pair, and one or more taps connected between the trunk cables of the trunkline. The industrial SPE system further comprises a drop line connected to each of the one or more taps, and a device connected to each of one or more taps via the drop lines. The device is an actuator or a sensor, and at least one of the device and the one or more taps includes a dual-port SPE switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dayin Xu, Katherine L. Sokolnicki, David D. Brandt, Rebecca R. Jaeger
  • Patent number: 12176783
    Abstract: A system and method for holding position of a mover in an independent cart system includes receiving a current feedback signal corresponding to a current present in at least one coil for a linear drive system in the independent cart system. A motion command for the mover is received, where the motion command defines a desired position along a track of the independent cart system to which the mover is to travel. An electromagnetic pinning control mode is disabled while controlling operation of the at least one mover to the desired position and enabled when the at least one mover is at the desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Perreault, Yuhong Huang
  • Patent number: 12176837
    Abstract: A method for flying start control of a motor, a computer readable medium, and a power conversion system having an inverter and a controller configured by computer executable instructions in a memory to perform flying start of a rotating motor by field weakening control to control the motor responsive to the motor speed exceeding the rated speed or other non-zero threshold at startup of the power conversion system. The method includes measuring a motor speed of a motor, responsive to startup of a power conversion system, and performing a flying start operation using field weakening control to control the motor responsive to the motor speed exceeding a non-zero threshold at startup of the power conversion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Bing Li
  • Patent number: 12174624
    Abstract: A method for operating an industrial automation system may involve receiving, via a first module of a plurality of modules in a control system, an indication that an error between a measurement associated with a target variable that corresponds with at least a portion of the industrial automation system and a modeled value for the target variable. The method may then involve determining, via the first module, whether the error is within a first range of values and retraining a model used to generate the modeled value for the target variable based on a portion of a plurality of sets of data points acquired via a plurality of sensors disposed in the industrial automation system in response to the error being within the first range of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bijan SayyarRodsari, Alexander B. Smith, Kadir Liano, Wei Dai, Yash P. Puranik