Patents Examined by Christopher E Everett
  • Patent number: 11045384
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing network connectivity and remote monitoring, optimization, and control of pool/spa equipment are provided. “Internet-of-Things” (IoT) functionality is provided for pool and spa equipment in a flexible and cost-effective manner. Network connectivity and remote monitoring/control of pool and spa equipment is provided by various components such as a network communication and local control subsystem installed in pool/spa equipment, and other components. Also disclosed are various control processes (“pool logic”) which can be embodied as software code installed in any of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Potucek, James Murdock, James Carter, Gregory Fournier, Arthur W. Johnson, III, Ray Denkewicz, David Blaine, Jason DeBruin, Vance Willis, Bruce Aubrey, Scott Petty, Jason Parcell, Craig Horrocks
  • Patent number: 11031783
    Abstract: Examples relate to adjusting load power consumption based on a power option agreement. A computing system may receive power option data that is based on a power option agreement and specify minimum power thresholds associated with time intervals. The computing system may determine a performance strategy for a load (e.g., set of computing systems) based on a combination of the power option data and one or more monitored conditions. The performance strategy may specify a power consumption target for the load for each time interval such that each power consumption target is equal to or greater than the minimum power threshold associated with each time interval. The computing system may provide instructions the set of computing systems to perform one or more computational operations based on the performance strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: LANCIUM LLC
    Inventors: Michael T. McNamara, Raymond E. Cline, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11021918
    Abstract: A well drilling system is provided that includes a choke manifold and a controller. The choke manifold includes at least one choke valve. The choke valve is actuable between fully open and closed choke positions. The choke valve has a Cv value for each choke position. The controller is in communication with the choke valve and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions relate Cv values to choke positions for the choke valve. The instructions when executed cause the controller to: a) determine a difference in pressure (?P); b) input or determine a density value; c) input or determine a Q value; d) determine a first Cv value using the ?P, the density value, and the Q value; and e) actuate the choke valve to a first choke position associated with the first Cv value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: ADS SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: Anand Parthasarathy, Scott Charles
  • Patent number: 11013578
    Abstract: A method of correction of a three-dimensional digital model of an arch of a patient or “reference model.” The method includes the following steps: acquisition of at least one two-dimensional image of the arch, called updated image (Ia1;Ia2), in actual acquisition conditions; search, for each updated image, of virtual acquisition conditions providing a two-dimensional image of the reference model, which maximizes the fit with the updated image, or “reference image” (Ir1;Ir2); comparison of the reference image with the updated image to detect differences; and correction of the reference model to reduce said differences to get a corrected reference model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: DENTAL MONITORING
    Inventor: Philippe Salah
  • Patent number: 11004159
    Abstract: Method and system for providing volume manufacturing of customizable items including receiving a data package including a plurality of manufacturing parameters, each of the plurality of manufacturing parameters associated with a unique item, verifying the received data package, and implementing a manufacturing process associated with the received data package is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Artem Borovinskih, Qinghui Lu, Maneesh Dhagat, Shiva P. Sambu, Evgeny Timofeyev, Dmitry Sultanov, Anton Spiridonov, Ivan Ionov, Sergey Nikolskiy, Vasily Ivanov, Alexey Vishnevskiy
  • Patent number: 10995967
    Abstract: A control apparatus controls at least one of a wind direction and a wind volume of a plurality of air conditioners provided with air outlets. The control apparatus includes: a storage unit that stores arrangement information indicating an arrangement of each air conditioner and function information indicating a function of each air conditioner; a display unit that displays a layout screen including the arrangement information; and an input unit that receives an operation specifying a reach position of wind blown out from two or more of the air outlets in association with the layout screen. The control apparatus also includes a controller that controls at least one of the wind direction and the wind volume of two or more of the air outlets based on the information indicating the reach position received by the input unit, the arrangement information, and the function information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutaka Ogura
  • Patent number: 10995604
    Abstract: A downhole closed loop method for controlling a curvature of a subterranean wellbore while drilling includes controlling a direction of drilling such that the drilling attitude is substantially equal to a setpoint attitude. A setpoint rate of penetration is processed in combination with a setpoint dogleg severity to compute a setpoint attitude increment. The setpoint attitude may be adjusted by the setpoint attitude increment. The setpoint attitude may be incremented at some interval to control the curvature of the wellbore while drilling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Hornblower, Steven David Hough, Maja Ignova
  • Patent number: 10998728
    Abstract: A power supply control method includes a step A of determining, by a power management server managing at least one facility connected to a power grid, an adjustment plan for adjusting demand and supply balance of the power grid by using at least one storage battery apparatus provided in the facility. The method includes a step B of transmitting, from the power management server to a control apparatus managed by the power management server, a control message for controlling the storage battery apparatus, based on the adjustment plan. The method includes a step C of transmitting, from the control apparatus to the power management server, reserved capacity information specifying a reserved capacity reserved as a capacity to be used for adjustment of demand and supply balance of the power grid in a storage capacity of the storage battery apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shingo Joko
  • Patent number: 10998764
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of active grid elements. Grid elements are transformed into active grid elements following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity. Also preferably, messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: CAUSAM ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10990079
    Abstract: A fabricating apparatus includes a fabricating device, a sensor, and a control unit. The fabricating device is configured to fabricate a fabrication layer according to fabrication data of a three-dimensional object. The sensor is configured to measure a shape of the fabrication layer. The control unit is configured to control the fabricating device according to the fabrication data and the shape of the fabrication layer measured with the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD
    Inventor: Yasuaki Yorozu
  • Patent number: 10990072
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described herein for maintaining stability of a power grid by providing a continuous power system data stream. Power system data including one or more data packets is monitored to identify reliability of data transmission. A predicted data packet is continually generated, characterizing predicted power system data of the power grid based on filtering of the one or more past and most recent non-missing and reliable data packets. A substitution factor of the one or more data packets is determined. The predicted data packet is selectively substituted in place of the one or more data packets based on the substitution factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: PXiSE Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Sai Akhil Reddy Konakalla, Raymond A. de Callafon
  • Patent number: 10993187
    Abstract: A computer implemented method is provided including establishing a value corresponding to a particular user of a device, receiving an indication of a triggering condition of the particular user of the device, the triggering condition being enabled by the device or measurable by the device, and determining the triggering condition has been met by the user via the device. The method further includes modifying the value responsive to determining the triggering condition has been met, determining when the value crosses a particular threshold, and disabling an application or a functional component of the device responsive to the value crossing the particular threshold. A system for implementing the method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Location Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Hodges, Tasos Roumeliotis, Scott Hotes
  • Patent number: 10985609
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments for electric power grid and network registration and management of active grid elements. Grid elements are transformed into active grid elements following initial registration of each grid element with the system, preferably through network-based communication between the grid elements and a coordinator, either in coordination with or outside of an IP-based communications network router. A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for supply capacity, supply and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity. Also preferably, messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Causam Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10976720
    Abstract: A method for automated part probing using a physical machine defining a physical working volume, the method including: generating a virtual model based on a virtual part design received from a user account, the virtual model comprising a virtual part model, based on the virtual part design, virtually fixed to a virtual fixture plate arranged within a virtual working volume representative of the physical working volume; generating a probing routine based on the virtual model; sending the probing routine to the machine; receiving probe outputs from the machine; and validating the virtual model based on the probe outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Plethora Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Pinkston, Jonathan Stults
  • Patent number: 10969773
    Abstract: A method of operating a polishing system includes training a plurality of models using a machine learning algorithm to generate a plurality of trained models, each trained model configured to determine a characteristic value of a layer of a substrate based on a monitoring signal from an in-situ monitoring system of a semiconductor processing system, storing the plurality of trained models, receiving data indicating a characteristic of a substrate to be processed, selecting one of the plurality of trained models based on the data, and passing the selected trained model to the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Yennie, Benjamin Cherian
  • Patent number: 10962937
    Abstract: Disclosed are a power consumption management method for electric devices, a manager and a management system. The power consumption management method may include: acquiring identification information of an electric device in a power-on state in a monitoring area (S101); collecting information of the monitoring area, and determining whether a user exists in the monitoring area or not according to a collection result (S102); when the user does not exist in the monitoring area, determining a type set to which the identification information belongs (S103); when determining that the identification information is comprised in a first type set, powering off the electric device (S104); and when determining that the identification information is comprised in a second type set, beginning timekeeping, and when a timekeeping duration reaches to a preset duration matched with the identification information, powering off the electric device (S105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai
    Inventors: Zhonghang Feng, Lingjun Wang, Xiao Luo, Shizhuo Shao, Zhiwei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10965486
    Abstract: A home appliance management system includes an outlet plug, a home appliance, and a control terminal. The outlet plug includes a position information storage which stores position information and a position information transmitting unit. The home appliance includes a position information receiving unit, a function providing unit, a type information storage, and a position and type information transmitting unit. The control terminal includes a position and type information receiving unit, a position and type information storage, an operating condition determining unit, and an operation controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Kachi, Kazuki Doumoto, Tsuraki Nakajima, Ayumi Konishi, Masato Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10962251
    Abstract: An air conditioner controller for an air conditioner is configured to obtain a first value of a performance value from a predetermined component of the air conditioner, and estimate a total cost. The controller is configured to estimate the total cost including an operation cost and a renewal cost of the air conditioner based on the first value of the performance variable obtained from the predetermined component of the air conditioner and a second value of the performance variable estimated by an operational model of the air conditioner. The total cost is a total cost of operating and renewing the air conditioner for a time period after a time at which the first value of the performance variable is obtained. The controller is configured to output the total cost via a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Yoshida, Koji Naito, Hayato Mori, Robert D. Turney, Mohammad N. ElBsat, Michael J. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 10954824
    Abstract: A method includes determining, via a processor, a commanded fluid flow rate of a fluid entering or exiting the drum of an industrial system, wherein the commanded fluid flow rate comprises a rate of fluid entering the drum of the industrial system, exiting the drum of the industrial system, or a combination thereof. The method additionally includes determining, via the processor, a measured flow rate of the fluid. The method further includes determining, via the processor, a variable multiplier based at least in part on the commanded fluid flow rate and the measured flow rate; and deriving, via the processor, a multiplied flow rate command for the industrial system by applying the variable multiplier to the commanded fluid flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin David Laskowski, William Forrester Seely
  • Patent number: 10931109
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a computationally efficient technique for determining loads to shed based on both active and reactive power. For example, a monitoring and control system may receive electrical measurements of a power system. The monitoring and control system may determine an active power and a reactive power of each bus in the power system based on the received electrical measurements. The monitoring and control system may send a command to trip at least one breaker to cause the at least one breaker to shed a load based at least in part on both the active power and the reactive power consumed by each bus in the power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Niannian Cai, Abdel Rahman Khatib, Niraj Kiritkumar Shah