Patents Examined by Christopher E Everett
  • Patent number: 9851736
    Abstract: A control system for a power source is disclosed. The control system includes a first sensor module and a second sensor module to generate signals indicative of an ambient condition of the power source and an operating parameter of an engine of the power source, respectively. The control system further includes a controller that receives signals indicative of the ambient condition and the engine operating parameter and determines a first power output based on the ambient condition and a second power output based on the engine operating parameter. A final power output is further determined based on the first and second power outputs, which is further compared with a predetermined power output of the engine. A power conversion device that is coupled to the engine is further controlled to regulate a power output of the power source based on the comparison between the final and predetermined power outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan T. Sunley, Rohit S. Tanksale, William W. Fung, Ramakrishna Nallamalli
  • Patent number: 9849788
    Abstract: Reactive replenishable device management comprises receiving device measurement data from at least one device, updating one or more device usage profiles associated with the at least one device, and if an analysis of the one or more device usage profiles indicates usage of the at least one device is sub-optimal, performing one or more of: controlling at least one of an attribute or an operation of the at least one device, issuing one or more device management recommendations to a user of the at least one device, and issuing one or more user alerts to the user. The at least one device comprises at least one of one or more replenishable devices, one or more replenishers associated with the one or more replenishable devices, and one or more other devices associated with the one or more replenishable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Blake Dickinson, Lisa Lei Horiuchi, Nathaniel Jordan Ramer
  • Patent number: 9841207
    Abstract: Provided are an installation guide system for an air conditioner and a method of using the same. The installation guide system for an air conditioner may include a memory that stores at least one image for a building in which an air conditioner installed, and a display providing a user interface to design a disposition of the air conditioner in the building. The user interface may include a first region that provides a recommended configuration of indoor units to be installed based on a type of an indoor unit of the air conditioner or load information for a prescribed room in which the indoor unit is installed. The user interface may also include a second region that displays the stored image of the building and a graphical image for the indoor units in the image of the building based on the recommendations provided in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungyul Park, Sangeun Cho, Shinae Kang, Junmo Kim, Mingyu Park
  • Patent number: 9841206
    Abstract: Provided are an installation guide system for an air conditioner and a method of using the same, including a display that displays a user interface for designing an installation for an air conditioner, a memory that stores at least one image for a building, and a controller to control a display of the stored images on the user interface. The user interface may include a first region that displays information with respect to a plurality of recommended configurations of the air conditioner including configuration of plurality of tubes that connect an outdoor unit to at least one indoor unit, and a second region that displays one of the stored images for a building and including a display of the outdoor unit, the indoor unit and the plurality of tubes The displayed image may be configured based on a selected recommended configuration of the air conditioner selected in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jungyul Park, Sangeun Cho, Shinae Kang, Junmo Kim, Mingyu Park
  • Patent number: 9841204
    Abstract: A disclosed air conditioning control system includes: a flow path through which cooling air discharged from an exhaust surface of an electronic apparatus is returned to an intake surface thereof, a damper provided in the flow path, a temperature measuring unit for measuring the real temperature of the cooling air, a humidity measuring unit for measuring the real humidity of the cooling air, a target value changing unit for changing target temperature and humidity in accordance with the real temperature and humidity, and a controlling unit for predicting future predicted values of the real temperature and humidity, and controlling the opening extent of the damper such that the predicted temperature and humidity become close to the target temperature and humidity, respectively. The target value changing unit sets the target temperature and humidity such that the real temperature and humidity are raised and lowered in the opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masatoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Endo, Hiroyuki Fukuda, Masao Kondo
  • Patent number: 9841006
    Abstract: A wind turbine has a Lidar device to sense wind conditions upstream of the wind turbine. Signals from the wind turbine are processed to detect an extreme change in wind direction. The detection is performed by differentiating the rate of change of wind direction and filtering for a period of time. On detection of extreme change the system controller takes the necessary evasive action which may include shutting down the turbine, commencing an immediate yawing action, and de-rating the turbine until the yawing action is complete.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Justin Creaby, Robert Bowyer, Christopher Spruce
  • Patent number: 9830671
    Abstract: A power management system comprises a plurality of HEMSs 10 and CEMSs 40. The CEMS 40 receives, from each HEMS 10, power information including the amount of power consumed by a load connected to each HEMS 10. The CEMS 40 transmits, to each HEMS 10, reduction information including the amount of power that should be reduced in each consumer, in response to a curtailment signal and the power information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo Joko
  • Patent number: 9823629
    Abstract: A control device for a process, in which a controlled variable can be influenced with the aid of a plurality of different regulating units, which in particular are based on different physical principles. A set point and the controlled variable are fed to both a first controller and a second controller. The first controller is located as primary controller in automatic operation and has a regulating range of the first manipulated variable that is defined by limiting values. The second controller can be switched between automatic operation and tracking operation, in which the controller generates a predefined or predefinable constant value of the second manipulated variable. By means of a logic circuit, the second controller is switched to automatic operation if a limiting value of the first manipulated variable is reached, and otherwise to tracking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Artur Kuprijanov, Andreas Lübbert, Bernd-Markus Pfeiffer, Sebastian Schaepe, Rimvydas Simutis
  • Patent number: 9822989
    Abstract: Systems and methods of stabilizing HVAC systems with multiple HVAC units configured to control return air temperature or discharge air temperature are provided. HVAC units that are controlled by the return air temperature compare the return air temperature to a setpoint that determines whether the HVAC unit's operation increases, decreases, or stays the same. By adjusting the setpoint of an HVAC unit based on certain criteria (e.g., a desired operational effort of an HVAC unit) the system can be stabilized. A temperature setpoint reset (TSPR) system can be included in each HVAC unit that resets the temperature setpoint (TSP) of the HVAC unit so that the HVAC unit operates within a desired operational effort (e.g. compressor speed or valve position). A master feedback loop and optimizer loop may be implemented to further control the behavior of the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Vigilent Corporation
    Inventor: Clifford C. Federspiel
  • Patent number: 9823641
    Abstract: The PLC communication system associated with the invention is characterized in that the system comprises a programmable logic controller (PLC), a plurality of processing devices, at least three communication processing nodes provided at the PLC and at the plurality of processing devices respectively to establish communication of the PLC and each of the processing devices and an interconnecting device and a plurality of communication lines for connecting the communication processing nodes with one another to establish data communication among the communication processing nodes. The PLC detects a state of communication failure and a display device displays an abnormal portion in a communication route based on the number of occurrences of the state of communication failure in respective interconnecting device and plurality of communication lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Terukazu Senda, Satoshi Kato, Toshio Aono, Toshiyuki Kamauchi, Masanori Ido
  • Patent number: 9823640
    Abstract: Different devices or subsystems, including programmable industrial controllers, are connected to a common network. Each connected device has the capability for autonomous or quasi-autonomous action based on a common pool of information accessible on the network. For example, all or a subset of devices connected to the network may periodically broadcast status data over the shared network medium; status data may include the current state of the controller and/or environmental conditions that the controller monitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: CONTROL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Crater, Thomas N. Schermerhorn
  • Patent number: 9817375
    Abstract: According to various implementations, a demand response (DR) strategy system is described that can effectively model the HVAC energy consumption of a house using a learning based approach that is based on actual energy usage data collected over a period of days. This modeled energy consumption may be used with day-ahead energy pricing and the weather forecast for the location of the house to develop a DR strategy that is more effective than prior DR strategies. In addition, a computational experiment system is described that generates DR strategies based on various energy consumption models and simulated energy usage data for the house and compares the cost effectiveness and energy usage of the generated DR strategies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama
    Inventors: Shuhui Li, Ming Sun, Dong Zhang
  • Patent number: 9810446
    Abstract: Time information indicating a necessary amount of time for a room temperature to reach a set temperature, and charges information indicating electricity charges corresponding to an amount of electric power consumed that is necessary for the room temperature to reach the set temperature, are displayed correlated with each of a plurality of running buttons corresponding to each of a plurality of operating modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventors: Naoyuki Harada, Takamitsu Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9804589
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a control process within a process control system and resolving inconsistencies during execution of the control process includes loading the logical structure of the control process, loading a plurality of instantiation objects or processes when the control process is instantiated, using the instantiation objects to instantiate a procedural element of the control process as the control process calls for the procedural element during execution, executing the procedural element as part of the control process, and deconstructing the procedural element as execution of the procedural element is completed during execution of the control process. Resolution of inconsistencies includes executing a first model of an entity in a controller, executing a second model of the entity in an execution engine, detecting a difference between the models, generating a prompt and receiving an operation instruction to continue the process or abort the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Pettus, Will Irwin, Kim Conner, Mickey Nanda
  • Patent number: 9803880
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a remote maintenance server for remotely maintaining at least one maintenance point provided with an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units performing air conditioning and at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units to drive the indoor units, the remote maintenance server including a display unit configured to display a maintenance screen for maintaining the at least one maintenance point, and a controller configured to control at least one of at least one of an operation rate for the plurality of indoor units, a set temperature, and a compression capacity of a compressor contained in the air conditioner according to a control setting value, and control the display unit to display control information which is information associated with at least one of a control status and a control result in which at least one of the control setting value, the operation rate, the set temperature and the compression capacity is controlled in a first region on the mainte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Seunghwan Jung, Sangwoo Lee, Juntae Kim
  • Patent number: 9806563
    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: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: CAUSAM ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph W. Forbes, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9784461
    Abstract: Air conditioner units and methods of operating the same are provided. One example method includes determining whether one or more heaters included in the air conditioner unit are energized. The method includes determining whether an operating speed of a fan included in the air conditioner unit is less than a threshold speed. The method includes determining whether a power provided to the air conditioner unit by a utilized power supply cord is greater than a threshold power. The method includes de-energizing at least one of the one or more heaters when it is determined that the one or more heaters are energized, the operating speed of the fan is less than the threshold speed, and the power provided by the utilized power supply cord is greater than the threshold power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Haier US Applicance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: David William Billman, Richard Dustin Henderson, Harold D. Moore
  • Patent number: 9785208
    Abstract: Systems and methods of adaptive thermal control are provided for information handling system platforms that may be implemented to automate and scale fan control settings by making the fan control settings relative to a reported component thermal control parameter value from a component of an information handling system platform, such as a CPU or other heat generating component. In one example, bounds for system use of vendor or component manufacturer-reported thermal control parameter values may be set for system cooling so as to confine use of these values within information handling system platform limits characterized by a manufacturer of an information handling system platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Dell Products LP
    Inventors: Dominick Adam Lovicott, Hasnain Shabbir, Eric Tunks
  • Patent number: 9771823
    Abstract: A method of controlling a power generation system following a transient grid event, and a system and controller to control the power generation system are described. The method includes sensing a rate of change of electrical frequency at terminals of a generator, determining a rate of change of shaft line acceleration, and identifying the transient grid event based on the rate of change of shaft line acceleration. The method also includes triggering an action to recover from the transient grid event when the rate of change of electrical frequency exceeds a first specified value and the rate of change of shaft line acceleration exceeds a second specified value for a specified duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Sreedhar Desabhatla
  • Patent number: 9760083
    Abstract: The apparatus for detecting damage to the tool in the machine and the method of detecting damage to the tool according to the present disclosure are applied to a machine, such as a CNC, to detect and control damage to a tool and possibility of damage in advance, thereby efficiently managing processing work by the machine while achieving safety of the machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Doosan Machine Tools Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae Hyuk Chung, Dae Jung Sung