Patents Examined by Crystal J Barnes Bullock
  • Patent number: 11320893
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a photovoltaic module and a computation module that is coupled to the photovoltaic module and is configured to receive power therefrom, the computation module being configured to communicate an active message to a controller in response to the computation module transitioning to a power on state and configured to receive a task command from the controller in response to communicating the active message to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignees: UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, DOMINION ENERGY INC.
    Inventors: Yilu Liu, Robert Gardner, Yuru Wu
  • Patent number: 11316368
    Abstract: A control system (300) allows recognized standard premise electrical outlets, for example NEMA, CEE and BS, among others to be remotely monitored and/or controlled, for example, to intelligently execute blackouts or brownouts or to otherwise remotely control electrical devices. The system (300) includes a number of smart receptacles (302) that communicate with a local controller (304), e.g., via power lines using the TCP/IP protocol. The local controller (304), in turn, communicates with a remote controller (308) via the internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Zonit Structured Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Chapel, William Pachoud
  • Patent number: 11305416
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for validation of mobile device workflows. In some implementations, sensor data is received from a sensor located at a property. Based on the sensor data, an event that is occurring at the property is determined. Based on the event that is occurring at the property, a configuration for furniture located at the property is determined. Instructions are provided to the furniture to move into the configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated
    Inventors: Matthew Daniel Correnti, Kara Edman, Isaac Murakami
  • Patent number: 11306939
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an energy management system that is based on a distributed architecture that includes networked energy management devices located at a plurality of sites and a collection of energy management program applications and modules implemented by a centralized energy management service unit. The energy management program applications and modules are responsible for facilitating customer access to the system, configuring energy management devices, and collecting, storing, and analyzing energy management data collected from the plurality of sites. The energy management system is adaptable to a wide variety of energy usage requirements and enables customers to configure energy management devices at customer sites using scheduling templates, to define and customize site groupings for device configuration and data analysis purposes, and to request and view various statistical views of collected energy usage data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: EnerAllies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Keil, Stephen C. Maruyama
  • Patent number: 11302545
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and a method for controlling semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The system includes a sensor, a sensor interface, and an analysis unit. The sensor provides a sensor signal. The sensor interface receives the sensor signal and generates an input signal for a database server. A front-end subsystem receives the input signal from the database server and performs a comparison process to generate a data signal. A calculation subsystem performs an artificial intelligence analytical process to generate an optimal parameter set and a simulated result map according to the data signal. A message and tuning subsystem generates an alert signal and a feedback signal according to the optimal parameter set and the simulated result map, and the message and tuning subsystem transmits the alert message to a user of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NANYA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jheng-Ting Jhong, Wei-Pin Lin, Ching-Mao Huang
  • Patent number: 11296508
    Abstract: An aggregation comprises: loads that draw electricity, and a hierarchy including a root dispatch engine at the top of the hierarchy, downstream dispatch engines each servicing downstream points comprising further downstream dispatch engines or loads, and the loads at the bottom of the hierarchy. Each downstream dispatch engine sends draw dispatches to its downstream points such that the total draw computed by summing the draw dispatches equals a draw dispatch received by the downstream dispatch engine from the dispatch engine above it in the hierarchy. The sent draw dispatches also satisfy downstream point draw constraints communicated to the downstream dispatch engine from its downstream points. In a method, a baseline long-term draw dispatch is determined for the aggregation, and the baseline long-term draw dispatch is modulated over a shorter time interval based on a short-term draw requirement to determine a draw dispatch for the aggregation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventors: Jason W. Black, Bradley C. Glenn, Eric Rehberg
  • Patent number: 11293660
    Abstract: A universal control board for high-rise buildings is provided. The universal control board provides a communication system that operatively associates low voltage loading, including a WIFI thermostat application, with line voltage equipment for providing energy savings, humidification, dehumidification, UV lighting and multiple fan applications in high-rise buildings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ChiSupply Co.
    Inventor: Michael Anthony Govea
  • Patent number: 11283292
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for managing environmental conditions and energy usage associated with a site. One exemplary method of regulating an environment condition at a site involves a server receiving environmental measurement data from a monitoring system at the site via a network, determining an action for an electrical appliance at the site based at least in part on the environmental measurement data and one or more monitoring rules associated with the site, and providing an indication of the action to an actuator for the electrical appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Wester, Matthew Paiz, Aleksandr Shulman
  • Patent number: 11274849
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of thermostats corresponding to a plurality of HVAC systems that serve a plurality of spaces and a computing system communicable with the plurality of thermostats via a network. The computing system is configured to, for each space of the plurality of spaces, obtain a set of training data relating to thermal behavior of the space, identify a model of thermal behavior of the space based on the set of training data, perform a model predictive control process using the model of thermal behavior of the space to obtain a temperature setpoint for the space, and provide the temperature setpoint to the thermostat corresponding to the HVAC system serving the space. The plurality of thermostats are configured to control the plurality of HVAC systems in accordance with the temperature setpoints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Kerry M. Bell, Bridget E. Kapler, Alan S. Schwegler, Leyla Mousavi, Kierstyn R. Robbins, Robert D. Turney, Matthew J. Ellis, Michael J. Wenzel, Mohammad N. ElBsat, Juan Esteban Tapiero Bernal, Brennan H. Fentzlaff
  • Patent number: 11267153
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate generally to facilitate performing a task on a surface such as woodworking or printing. More specifically, in some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to mapping the surface of the material and determining the precise location of a tool in reference to the surface of a material. Some embodiments relate to obtaining and relating a design with the map of the material or displaying the current position of the tool on a display device. In some embodiments, the present disclosure facilitates adjusting, moving or auto-correcting the tool along a predetermined path such as, e.g., a cutting or drawing path. In some embodiments, the reference location may correspond to a design or plan obtained from obtained via an online design store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: SHAPER TOOLS, INC.
    Inventors: Alec Rothmyer Rivers, Ilan Ellison Moyer
  • Patent number: 11262095
    Abstract: The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation, as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature, flow velocity and direction. Such a building can include at least one primary compartment and at least one secondary compartment. The primary compartment predominantly serves to achieve the primary purpose of the building. An electronic controller can modulate air flow to and from the secondary compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Inventors: William Boone Daniels, II, Andreas Hieke
  • Patent number: 11261846
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine power system connected to an electrical grid includes collecting data relating to one or more parameters of one or more electrical components of the wind turbine power system. The method may also include performing a statistical analysis of the data relating to one or more parameters of the one or more electrical components. Further, the method includes predicting future behavior of the electrical component(s) based on the statistical analysis. Moreover, the method includes determining set points for the electrical component(s) using the predicted future behavior. In addition, the method includes operating the wind turbine power system at the determined set points for the electrical component(s) so as to optimize at least one characteristic of the electrical component(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Gregory Wagoner, Dale Robert Mashtare, Pedro Arsuaga Santos, James Gregory Rotbert
  • Patent number: 11249012
    Abstract: A domestic laundry-washing appliance including an optical measuring device for obtaining measured values which are representative of a spectral transmission signature of a washing liquid used during operation of the laundry-washing appliance for cleaning textiles, and a control device which is adapted to categorise a cleaning agent contained in the washing liquid in respect of its chemical properties on the basis of the spectral transmission signature obtained, and to control the operation of the laundry-washing appliance in dependence on the categorisation result. The categorisation result can indicate, for example, a distinction between a heavy-duty detergent containing bleach and another bleach-free detergent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: EMZ-HANAUER GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventor: Johann Schenkl
  • Patent number: 11240988
    Abstract: A control unit that controls an automatic milking machine to operate in accordance with control commands and/or parameter settings received from either of a local user interface fixedly arranged at the milking machine or a remote terminal, where the control unit, in response to receiving a lock command from one of the local user interface or the remote terminal, causes the automatic milking machine to operate in a single-control mode in which it operates exclusively to commands and/or parameter settings received from the one of the local user interface or the remote terminal that generated the lock command, in order to ensure predictable and safer operation of the milking machine particularly in view of personnel located in proximity of the milking machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: DeLaval Holding AB
    Inventors: Johan Axelson, Bengt Engman, HÃ¥kan Etell, Hans Hansson
  • Patent number: 11231733
    Abstract: A system includes a control unit having one or more processors and a communication interface. The communication interface is configured to communicate with one or more charging stations that are electrically coupled to receive electrical power from a power distribution grid and that are configured to selectively charge one or more energy storage devices connected to the charging stations. The one or more processors are configured to generate first control signals for communication by the communication interface to the one or more charging stations to control transfer of reactive and/or active power from the charging stations to the power distribution grid. The control signals are generated based at least in part on a load cycle profile of one or more electric machines electrically coupled to the power distribution grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Santosh Sambamoorthy Veda, Robert Dean King, Irene Michelle Berry, Zhi Zhou, Matthew Christian Nielsen, Lembit Salasoo
  • Patent number: 11231693
    Abstract: An execution plan segment of an execution plan can be received at a control unit of a computer numerically controlled machine from a general purpose computer. The execution plan segment can define operations for causing movement of a moveable head of the computer numerically controlled machine to deliver electromagnetic energy to effect a change in a material within an interior space of the computer numerically controlled machine. The execution plan segment can include a predefined safe pausing point from which the execution plan can be restarted while minimizing a difference in appearance of a finished work-product relative to if a pause and restart are not necessary. Operations of the computer numerically controlled machine can be commenced only after determining that the execution plan segment has been received up to and including the predefined safe pausing point by the computer numerically controlled machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Glowforge Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Shapiro, Mark Gosselin, Anthony Wright, Dean Putney, Timothy Ellis, Lauren Banka
  • Patent number: 11221599
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for adjusting environmental conditions based on automatically and manually generated requests. A commissioned unit comprising at least one IP luminaire (140, 150), transmits a signal comprising one or more identification codes. The signal may be, for example, a coded light signal. An environment control device (160) receives the signal, detects user input indicating one or more preferred environmental conditions, and transmits an environment control request comprising the one or more preferred environmental conditions. An environment manager module (110) receives the environment control request, generates an environment control command using the control request, and transmits the environment control command to one or more commissioned units to alter environmental conditions in a space in accordance with the user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Mark Henricus Verberkt, Jurgen Mario Vangeel, Lokesh Narayan, Wijnand Johannes Rietman, Simon Dingle, Jules Martinus Adrianus Gerardus De Laat, Sanjay Bhat, Tony Petrus Van Endert, Michael Petrus Franciscus Verschoor, Petrus Johannes Lenoir
  • Patent number: 11201469
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for autonomous, automatic interleaving of cycled loads coupled to a grid. In one or more embodiments, the method comprises (i) determining, by a smart load coupled to a grid, a first grid stress value; (ii) comparing, by the smart load, the first grid stress value to an activation threshold; (iii) waiting, by the smart load, when the first grid stress value is less than the activation threshold, a delay period; (iv) determining, by the smart load and after the delay period ends, a second grid stress value; (v) comparing, by the smart load, the second grid stress value to the activation threshold; and (iv) activating, by the smart load, when the second grid stress value is less than the activation threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Richard Zimmanck, Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 11187625
    Abstract: An apparatus having a sample sectioning device including a cutting mechanism that is operable to cut sections from a sample and a sample holder that is operable to hold the sample. The apparatus further includes a drive system coupled with the sample holder to drive movement of the sample holder and a reciprocating member coupled to the drive system to drive vertical movement of the drive system. The reciprocating member to move in a reciprocating manner within an angle of rotation of less than 180 degrees. A surface orientation sensor may further be provided that is operable to sense an orientation of a surface of the sample held by the sample holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: SAKURA FINEIEK U.S.A., INC.
    Inventors: Hwai-Jyh Michael Yang, Xuan S. Bui
  • Patent number: 11188066
    Abstract: Provided is a service menu presentation system which: acquires operation data relating to an electric power generation plant; decides which operation pattern, from among a plurality of operation patterns set in advance in accordance with an output mode, is the basis for the operation being indicated by the operation data; calculates, on the basis of the operation data acquired in a certain period, an operation time with respect to each of the operation patterns in the period; determines, on the basis of an operation time ratio in the certain period, an in-period operation pattern of the certain period; and outputs a service menu corresponding to the in-period operation pattern that has been determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Shida, Koji Imakita, Akihisa Endo, Toru Tanaka