Patents Assigned to Rockwell Automation Technologies
  • Patent number: 7657814
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides industrial automation systems and/or methods that configure available redundancy. An interface component can obtain input data. Additionally, an optimization component can generate a voting configuration that allocates available redundancy to provide an optimized combination of safety and availability based at least in part on the input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: George K. Schuster, James E. Dogul, Richard Galera, George E. Rollins, Derek W. Jones, Suresh R. Nair, Ray C. Delcher
  • Patent number: 7654404
    Abstract: Protective door systems are presented for equipment enclosures in which an inner door is provided to resist outward opening pressures by facing or abutting one or more interior surfaces of an enclosure opening, with an optional outer panel covering the enclosure opening from the outside, where a closure mechanism is operated by an externally rotatable handle to initially back the inner door away from the enclosure front side and then to move the inner door upward at an angle to effectively clear two edges of the opening to allow pivoting of the inner door to an open position extending partially outside the enclosure opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph S. Kadziolka, Murray Peter Kingston
  • Patent number: 7657333
    Abstract: Systems and methods that vary multiple data sampling rates, to collect sets of data with different levels of granularity for an industrial system. The data for such industrial system includes sets of data from the “internal” data stream(s) (e.g., history data collected from an industrial unit) and sets of data from an “external” (e.g., traffic data on network services) data stream(s), based in part on the criticality/importance criteria assigned to each collection stage. Each set of data can be assigned its own unique data collection rate. For example, a higher sample rate can be employed when collecting data from the network during an operation stage that is deemed more critical (e.g., dynamic attribution of predetermined importance factors) than the rest of the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Bradford, Timothy Siorek, Martin George Gach, Mark Joseph Balewski, Robert J. Kretschmann, Kendal R. Harris, Kenwood H. Hall, Charles Martin Rischar
  • Patent number: 7656751
    Abstract: One or more embodiments provide Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) based time synchronization systems and methods. The CIP Sync solution can be part of Ethernet/IP and can be based on standard UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and/or IEEE 1588 (Time Synchronization) Ethernet technology. According to an embodiment is a system that compensates for step changes in a master clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles M. Rischar, Kendal R. Harris, Mark Chaffee
  • Patent number: 7656117
    Abstract: A system and method for precharging a harmonic filter connected to a power supply line to receive AC power and deliver the AC power to the motor drive unit includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to monitor an operational state of the motor drive unit or the power supply line, and generate a first control signal upon a predetermined change in the operational state and a second control signal delayed from the first control signal. The system also includes a charging circuit having a first switch configured to actuate in response to the first control signal to provide a reduced power to at least a portion of the harmonic filter and a second switch configured to actuate in response to the second control signal to provide a non-reduced power to the at least a portion of the harmonic filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick L. Hoadley, John T. Strelcher
  • Patent number: 7657329
    Abstract: A system for utilization with a logic controller comprises an interface component that receives a request to embed human-machine interface (HMI) logic into control logic. Thereafter, an embedder component executes the request and embeds the HMI logic into the control logic. In an example, the control logic can be ladder logic, and the logic controller can be a combined controller/HMI device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert F. Lloyd
  • Patent number: 7652759
    Abstract: An industrial device comprises a light emitter and a detector that is optically coupled to the emitter. A first deformable mirror/lens is optically coupled to the emitter, the first deformable mirror/lens is dynamically shaped to facilitate receipt of light at the detector. For example, the deformable mirror/lens can be associated with one or more actuators that causes the mirror/lens to be shaped in a desirable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Dogul, Richard Galera, George E. Rollins, Derek W. Jones, George K. Schuster, Suresh R. Nair, Ray C. Delcher
  • Patent number: 7649912
    Abstract: A method and circuit for precisely synchronizing clocks in separate nodes on a communication network is provided by adjusting timestamps and related data in network messages. The circuit will allow a daisy-chain connection of the nodes and will forward time synchronization frames while accounting for delays in a manner that does not use boundary clocks, but does not depart from the IEEE 1588 standard protocol. The delays will be added on the fly to synchronization packets and the IP checksum and frame CRC will be adjusted. Deterministic data delivery and redundant data paths are also provided in a full duplex Ethernet network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sivaram Balasubramanian, Anatoly Moldovansky, Kendal R. Harris
  • Patent number: 7649332
    Abstract: A motor control system uses an incremental encoder that provides a signal indicative of motor position. If an illegal state change is detected in the same sampling interval, an error event is recorded and an error counter is incremented. When the number of counts exceeds a pre-determined threshold, the motor is disabled so that appropriate corrective action can be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas D. Lundell
  • Patent number: 7650198
    Abstract: Historical and real-time data access is leveraged to provide unified data access for interacting with manufacturing process entities such as, for example, process overview displays, charting systems, reporting systems, logging systems, and/or recipe systems and the like. The unified data, for example, allows for playback of historical process overviews for a user selected period of time. In one instance, a “VCR like” user interface can be employed to allow ‘rewinding’ and ‘replaying’ of a historical process overview. This facilitates in proper monitoring and/or troubleshooting of manufacturing processes. The unified availability of past and current data also enables reporting systems to provide “living” reports that automatically update with real-time data. This can allow for efficient comparison of current data with historical data for a given manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric G. Dorgelo, Kevin G. Gordon, Clifton H. Bromley, Douglas J. Reichard, Marc D. Semkow, Shafin A. Virji
  • Patent number: 7649756
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing common mode noise in a three phase pulse width modulated (PWM) system, the method comprising the steps of receiving the first, second and third modulating waveforms, identifying one of the modulating waveforms that is at least one of instantaneously the maximum and instantaneously the minimum of the modulating waveforms as a first identified waveform, wherein comparison of the first identified waveform to the carrier signal would generate a first on-off pulse sequence associated with a phase corresponding to the first identified waveform, generating switch control signals associated with the phase corresponding to the first identified waveform that cause a modified on-off pulse sequence that is phase shifted from the first pulse sequence, using the second and third modulating waveforms to generate second and third on-off pulse sequences corresponding to the second and third phases and providing the modified pulse sequence and the second and third pulse sequences to the one
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russel J. Kerkman, Qiang Yin, Haihui Lu
  • Patent number: 7650267
    Abstract: A simulation system includes a receiver component that receives multiple replications of a simulation scenario. The simulation scenario includes a plurality of interacting components representing devices and elements of the real-world system or abstract process to be simulated. Each of the interacting components has one or more numerical parameters associated therewith, to represent an operational parameter of the system device. During the execution of the replications, each replication operates with a randomness factor that modifies a respective numerical parameter, in accordance with the sorts of variations that can be expected in the actual system. An assignment component is included that assigns a subset of the replications to multiple processors such that a processor within the multiple processors executes at least one replication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David Thayer Sturrock, Cory R. Crooks
  • Patent number: 7650405
    Abstract: A system that facilitates tracking and tracing products in an industrial environment comprises a reception component that receives data indicative of location of entities within an industrial environment, wherein the data conforms to a hierarchically structured data model. A monitoring component facilitates tracking and tracing the entities across process boundaries. Tracking refers to a process of uniformly building a track of objects that are forwarded to, processed for, applied in, or disposed of usage. Similarly, tracing is the process of uniformly generating a sample of traces of objects that are forwarded to, processed for, applied in, or disposed of usage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gavan W. Hood, Ralph Kappelhoff, Kenwood H. Hall
  • Patent number: 7650196
    Abstract: A human-machine interface generation system comprises a reception component that receives a request to generate a human-machine interface relating to at least one of an industrial system, device, process, and sub-process and parameters associated with an initiator of the request. A view generation component generates the human-machine interface based at least in part upon the request and the parameters. For example, the system can further comprise a query generation component that creates a query based at least in part upon the request and the parameters and utilizes the query to extract data from a server within an industrial automation environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin G. Gordon, Clifton H. Bromley, Eric G. Dorgelo, Douglas J. Reichard, Marc D. Semkow, Shafin A. Virji
  • Patent number: 7647131
    Abstract: A system that facilitates determination of a sampling rate to utilize in connection with sampling data in an industrial environment comprises a receiver component that receives data from an I/O port of a controller. An analysis component automatically and dynamically determines a rate at which data associated with the I/O port is to be sampled based at least in part upon the received data. The system can further comprise a sampling component that samples data at the rate determined by the analysis component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randall P. Sadowski, John T. Campbell, Jr., Mark A. Glavach, Scott A. Miller, Keith A. Overstreet, David T. Sturrock
  • Patent number: 7643892
    Abstract: A simulation that integrates historical data and real-time data as a test or simulation tool can capture an entry that relates to a desired output as function points. A determination can intellectually be made as to which activities can achieve the desired output. The activities can be process steps that can represent a workflow that can be automatically implemented by an MES Appliance or other enterprise components. If a simulation reveals that the desired output might not be achieved, a change to one or more function points can be analyzed in an attempt to achieve the desired result. This change can be input into a simulation tool through a feedback loop, for example. Another simulation can performed on the modified data until a determination is made that the desired output can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Crisler Terrill Moor, John J. Baier, Kevin Chao, Lance Christopher Rodenfels, Richard Lee Ryan, Robert J. McGreevy
  • Patent number: 7644262
    Abstract: A system and method adapted to modify or configure an application based, at least, upon a parameter of an operating environment. An interrogation component adapted to interrogate an operating environment receiving defining parameters. A modification component adapted to modify the application based, at least, upon the defining parameters of the operating environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifton Harold Bromley, Shafin A. Virji
  • Patent number: 7644295
    Abstract: A human machine interface (HMI) device comprises a power recognition component that determines at least one power source that is providing power to the HMI device, wherein the at least one power source is one of a host device providing power by way of a Universal Serial Bus connection, an AC power source, a DC power source, and a battery. A selector component can automatically select a subset of functionalities to enable with respect to the HMI from amongst several possible functionalities based at least in part upon the at least one determined power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Dan Dotson, Clinton Duane Britt, Joseph Francis Mann
  • Patent number: 7642884
    Abstract: A relay reset assembly for use with a relay including first and second support members and a bi-stable armature forming an armature bearing surface and carried by the first support member for pivotal movement between first and second stable positions when force is applied to the armature bearing surface, the assembly for resetting the armature in the first position after the armature is tripped into the second position, the assembly comprising an operator forming an operator bearing surface and carried by one of the first and second support members for movement between an activated position and a deactivated position and a push arm forming first and second arm bearing surfaces, the push arm carried by the second support member and juxtaposed such that each of the first and second arm bearing surfaces is proximate one or the other of the operator and armature bearing surfaces wherein, one of the first and second arm bearing surfaces engages one of the operator and armature bearing surfaces and the other of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dallas J. Bergh, Jeffrey R. Annis, Gary Lehman
  • Publication number: 20090327991
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and/or methodology for the customization and transclusion of design templates/patterns for use in industrial automation. The system provides for the de-abstraction of one or more design templates, and generating engineering specifications via customization of the de-abstracted design templates. Additionally, the invention provides a user interface for modification of the template de-abstraction and/or customization process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: N. Andrew Weatherhead