Patents Examined by Christopher E Everett
  • Patent number: 9274518
    Abstract: An energy object extension to an industrial protocol having a comprehensive suite of attributes, messages and services utilized for the monitoring and control of energy consuming or producing resources by a manufacturing automation application is provided. The energy object includes an identifier associated with an energy resource that is associated with a manufacturing automation application and an energy type associated with the energy resource. This includes a measurement characteristic associated with the energy resource to facilitate energy management by the manufacturing automation application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramdas M. Pai, David A. Vasko, David D. Brandt, Richard A. Morgan, David W. Siegler, Angel Sustaeta
  • Patent number: 9270118
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling energy generation and/or storage systems. In one embodiment, a method is provided that can comprise receiving from a control server a plurality of schedules for controlling the charging and discharging of an energy storage device, where each schedule corresponds to a function that takes as input one or more input parameters and returns as output an output parameter corresponding to a power level for the energy storage device. The method can further comprise determining relative priorities for the plurality of schedules and controlling charging/discharging of the energy storage device based on the plurality of schedules and their relative priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Daniel Carlson, Karthikeyan Varadarajan
  • Patent number: 9242386
    Abstract: The invention discloses a novel application of standard printed circuit board (PCB) assembly modules, electronic assembly, and/or semiconductor assembly equipment for the assembly of consumer products, such as razor cartridges. In addition, nozzles of the pick/place component placement machine of the present invention may be desirably adapted to operate on type of razor cartridge component (e.g., blade, lubricating strip) disposed on a pallet. The adapted nozzle may include adaptors which may have an elongated portion, an angled portion, a tapered portion, a gripper portion, a curved portion, a rounded portion, a pointed tip, a stamper, a marker, a printer, a guide portion, a spring portion, a moveable leg, or any combination thereof, for operating on a razor cartridge component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: The Gillette Company
    Inventors: Gregory David Aviza, Yongqing Ju, Vitaly Pesikov
  • Patent number: 9244468
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a smoothing device includes a predicting unit, a calculating unit, and a control unit. The predicting unit predicts a calculation load of operation at a first time slot on the basis of weather prediction information of operation areas in which facility devices that perform environmental control according to control values resulting from the operation based on weather information are installed. The calculating unit calculates a calculation load of operation at a second time slot earlier than the first time slot on the basis of the weather information of the operation areas. The control unit controls an executing device that executes the operation so that part of the operation to be executed at the first time slot is executed at the second time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yu Kaneko, Shigeo Matsuzawa
  • Patent number: 9235818
    Abstract: An electric device includes a storage unit to store operation information for each period, a controller to generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of the operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of a power consumption pattern, and a display to display the consulting message. A power management device includes a communication unit to receive operation information for each period from several electric devices, a controller to generate a consulting message for each electric device, generate a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation information for each period, and generate a consulting message on the basis of the power consumption pattern, and a display to display a consulting message for each electric device. The electric device or the power management device informs a user of a power consumption pattern on the basis of operation- and environmental-information for each electric device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Hyun Shin, Jae Hwi Jang
  • Patent number: 9229786
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for provisioning aggregate computational workloads and air conditioning unit configurations to optimize utility of air conditioning units and processing resources within a data center are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajarshi Das, Hendrik F. Hamann, Vanessa Lopez-Marrero, Andriy Stepanchuk, Srinivas Yarlanki
  • Patent number: 9228315
    Abstract: A system for modifying a path of operation of a machine includes a position sensor and a controller. The controller stores the path of operation, receives a plurality of position signals as the work implement moves material along the path of operation, and determines the position of the work surface. The controller further determines an amount of material moved based at least in part upon the position of the work surface and modifies parameters used to determine a subsequent path of operation if the amount of material moved exceeds a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Thandava K. Edara, Michael Taylor, Timothy Felty, Mo Wei, Kenneth L. Stratton, Jean-Jacques Clar
  • Patent number: 9223052
    Abstract: The present application is directed toward cargo scanning systems having scanners, each arranged to scan a respective object and generate a set of scan data, processors arranged to process each set of scan data to determine whether it meets a predetermined threat condition, workstations, and data management system arranged to direct data that meets the threat condition to one of the workstations for analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Rapiscan Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward James Morton
  • Patent number: 9223326
    Abstract: An approach is provided in which a master thermal controller utilizes a primary fan manager to control fans included in a computer system to cool various devices. When the master thermal controller determines that the primary fan manager is unresponsive, the master thermal controller transfers master thermal control to a backup thermal controller. The backup thermal controller creates fan control information based upon sensor information corresponding to the various devices, and sends the fan control information to a backup fan manager. In turn, the backup fan manager adjusts the speed of the fans according to the fan control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Malcolm Scott Allen-Ware, Timothy Glen Hallett, Wei Huang, Charles Robert Lefurgy, Glenn Rueban Miles, Guillermo Jesus Silva
  • Patent number: 9213331
    Abstract: A controller implemented method of remotely operating a machine includes determining, for each of a plurality of operating conditions of the machine, a predetermined configuration of a machine instrument array and removably mounting a portable computing device on a remote control console. The method further includes defining a configuration of a console instrument array of the remote control console in which, for each of the plurality of operating conditions, the configuration of the console instrument array is generally identically to the predetermined configuration of the machine instrument array. A system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lonny E. Johnson, James Mason, Timothy Felty
  • Patent number: 9215780
    Abstract: A method of reducing electricity usage during peak demand periods includes the steps of establishing predetermined load reduction criteria representative of a desire by a power provider to reduce loading on an electricity supply grid, and coordinating with a facility having lighting equipment to permit the power provider to turn-off one or more of the lighting equipment by sending instructions to a master controller at the facility in response to the predetermined load reduction criteria, and establishing a list of lighting equipment to be turned-off in response to the instructions, and configuring the master controller to send an override control signal to the lighting equipment to implement the instructions, and configuring the lighting equipment to send a response signal to the master controller providing a status of the lighting equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal R. Verfuerth, Michael J. Potts, Jun Wang
  • Patent number: 9207659
    Abstract: An electrical control system for automatically controlling the operation of a plurality of electronic control units, each of which is operatively connected to one or more electrical devices. The electronic control units are configured to communicate with a client device having access to a user application configurable by a user. The user application is configured to automatically control the operation of the electrical devices, which include consumer appliances used at a home or business to perform functions such as cooking, cleaning, lighting, heating or refrigeration. Each of the electrical devices is operatively connected to one or more of the control units, each of which is programmed to operate according to the user application which is stored in the client device and/or the cloud as a user application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventor: Ameer Sami
  • Patent number: 9202181
    Abstract: Optimal charting patterns for charting of raw rolls/sheets from flat sheet industry are produced with a processing system and includes the steps of: (a) receiving user selected business objectives; (b) receiving user selected business preferences; (c) setting targets for user selected business preferences; (d) establishing charting constraint sets; (e) generating charting patterns based on user selected business objectives and targets for user selected business preferences; and (f) selecting charting patterns based on targets for user selected business preference using an objective function, wherein the objective function includes terms related to the user selected business objectives. Target driven charting assists users in knowing the bounds (upper and/or lower) of the values for various business objectives for an individual charting run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Honeywell ASCa Inc.
    Inventors: Gokul Mahendra babu Sunkara, Lingathurai Palanisamy, Mangesh Dattatraya Kapadi
  • Patent number: 9167728
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for removing heat from a rack of information technology equipment may include a sidecar indoor air to liquid heat exchanger that cools air utilized by the rack of information technology equipment to cool the rack of information technology equipment. The system may also include a liquid to liquid heat exchanger and an outdoor heat exchanger. The system may further include configurable pathways to connect and control fluid flow through the sidecar heat exchanger, the liquid to liquid heat exchanger, the rack of information technology equipment, and the outdoor heat exchanger based upon ambient temperature and/or ambient humidity to remove heat generated by the rack of information technology equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark D. Schultz
  • Patent number: 9163849
    Abstract: Various methods related to air moving devices in electronic systems are disclosed. Various electronic systems including controlled air moving devices are also disclosed. Thus, one example electronic system includes an air moving device and a controller for controlling the air moving device. The controller is configured to selectively control a rotational speed of the air moving device. The controller is configured to vary the rotational speed within a range bounded by and including a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed during a time that a target rotational speed is within the range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Iain Scott, Michael B. Dizon, Gordon Currie
  • Patent number: 9158376
    Abstract: An input device for commanding an exoskeleton worn by a person, adapted to be coupled to the person, the input device comprising: at least one signal generator adapted to be coupled to the user's finger capable of generating at least one electric signal when said one signal generator gets contacted and, an input device controller adapted to be coupled to the user's body capable of receiving and processing at least one signal and transmitting a command signal to the exoskeleton.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Yoon Jung Jeong, Kyunam Kim
  • Patent number: 9151511
    Abstract: An example control method is a method for controlling an air conditioner to turn a state in closed space to a predetermined target state. The control method includes: setting a target value for controlling a physical quantity; measuring the physical quantity at different positions in the closed space, and calculating a moving average of measurements of the physical quantity measured at each of the different positions; and controlling the air conditioner in such a manner that a median between the maximum value and the minimum value of the plurality of calculated moving averages is the target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: NAGANO SCIENCE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Jin, Ryuichi Kaji
  • Patent number: 9152154
    Abstract: Methods and system for facilitating multi-dimensional personal heating and cooling. User information is used as a mean to configure the temperature in a surrounding environment, thereby facilitating comfort for a user and, in the case wherein multiple users are accessing an area, classifying the area into a number of regions and maintaining each region at a different temperature and guiding the users to desired regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sachin Gupta, Sara H. Basson, Dimitri Kanevsky, Tara N. Sainath, Pam Nesbitt, Dan Ning Jiang
  • Patent number: 9146604
    Abstract: The electric apparatus using electric power of the present invention includes a communication unit for receiving power information including electric rate information or power demand information on each of time zones from an outside of the electric apparatus, a timer for determining a user unused time period in which a user does not use the electric apparatus during operation of the electric apparatus, and a control unit for shifting the electric apparatus to a power saving mode with reference to the power information received through the communication unit, and the user unused time period determined by the timer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jonghwa Song, Jongsoo Park, Jongho Won
  • Patent number: 9144204
    Abstract: Some embodiments provide an interface unit interfacing with an irrigation controller, comprising: a housing; a controller configured to instruct an interruption of a watering schedule executed by the irrigation controller, the interruption based on one or both of sensed temperature and sensed rainfall amount, and based on one or both of user entered temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; a switching device coupled with the controller, and configured to cause the interruption in response to signaling from the controller; and a user interface comprising: a plurality of user input devices configured to provide signaling to the controller based upon user's engagement, and configured to allow the user to define the temperature and rainfall threshold parameters; and a user display comprising a display screen; wherein the controller is configured to cause the display screen to display a plurality of pictorial representations that in combination convey whether irrigation is being interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Rain Bird Corporation
    Inventors: David M. Redmond, Michael J. Tennyson, Randall A. Hern, Gerald E. Peterson