Patents Examined by Elliot L. Frank
  • Patent number: 6912434
    Abstract: A processing of a first slaughter product to form a second slaughter product comprises: providing one or more processing stations, a parameter of a processing to be carried out in the processing stations being adjustable; collecting and storing data indicating the availability of the processing stations; collecting and storing data which indicate the availability of the first and/or second slaughter product; collecting and storing properties of the first and/or second slaughter product; storing relationships between the parameter of the processing and the properties of the first and/or second slaughter product. The processing of the first slaughter product to form the second slaughter product is controlled by adjusting the parameter of the processing on the basis of said data, properties and/or relationships, such that an additional added value is obtained during the processing of the first slaughter product to form the second slaughter product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Stork PMT B.V.
    Inventors: Adrianus Josephes van den Nieuwelaar, Maurice Eduardus Theodorus van Esbroeck, Wilhelm George von der Heide
  • Patent number: 6912443
    Abstract: A method of modular manufacturing is disclosed and a modular assembly system is shown utilizing a base unit and a plurality of detachable work stations adapted to operate with the base unit. Each detachable work station includes its own work station control processor. The assembly system is preferably fully modular since each work station is capable of controlling its own operation. Work stations may be plugged into a plurality of different work station ports on the base unit in a plurality of different combinations, preferably without reprogramming either the base unit control processor or the work stations control processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Inventor: David W. Duemler
  • Patent number: 6912450
    Abstract: A hydrogen fuel supply system includes a hydrogen generator for generating hydrogen from an energy source at an outlet pressure. An outlet conduit feeds the hydrogen to a user. A controller controls the hydrogen generator to produce hydrogen at the outlet pressure. An input interface receives user demand data and activates the controller in accordance with the user demand data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Stuart Energy Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew J. Fairlie, William J. Stewart, Andrew T. B. Stuart, Steven J. Thorpe, Charlie Dong
  • Patent number: 6901315
    Abstract: A device for controlling a hydraulic actuator includes an electrically operated valve that controls the flow of a pressure medium in the actuator in response to the operations of three controllers. A first of the controllers designates a position of a piston of the valve. A second of the controllers commands movement of the actuator. And a third of the controllers electronically controls a sequence of movements of the actuator. The three actuators are arranged in a common housing located on the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Bosch Rexroth AG
    Inventor: Albert Köckemann
  • Patent number: 6871108
    Abstract: Systems or methods for creating a finite element model from a list of component identifiers. For example, a CAD drawing could be automatically and dynamically created from a bill of material. Manufacturing instructions can be included into the model creation process. The bill of material need not specify the assembly being generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignees: QSSolutions, Inc., Purna Global Infotech, Ltd.
    Inventors: Arthur C. Carlucci, Vankatesh Kanneganti, Thomas W. Kelly, Chad Van Geenhoven
  • Patent number: 6868311
    Abstract: A system for on-line dynamic screening of contingencies comprising postulated disturbances which an electric power system may experience, the system comprising a dynamic contingency screening program for evaluating a plurality of contingencies with a plurality of contingency classifiers based on the method of finding the controlling unstable equilibrium point of the power system known as the boundary of stability region based controlling unstable equilibrium point method by sequentially applying the contingencies to a network islanding problem classifier, S.E.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignees: The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Hsiao-Dong Chiang, Atsushi Kurita, Hiroshi Okamoto, Ryuya Tanabe, Yasuyuki Tada, Kaoru Koyanagi, Yicheng Zhou
  • Patent number: 6865437
    Abstract: A wafer cluster tool is described which operates in a regular, periodic fashion. Embodiments of the invention have a periodicity of one sending period. The invention enables the determination of pick-up times for process chambers in the cluster tool, and embodiments of the invention allow the creation and maintenance of an updated timetable. The timetable indicates times when each of the process chambers is to be serviced. These values are updated as the process chambers receive new wafers. Robots in the cluster tool may pre-position themselves in front of modules, or process chambers, to be served. Robot pre-positioning eliminates the wait time of individual modules beyond queue times which have been pre-determined for the modules. This renders the path of the individual robots pre-deterministic, and enables the cluster tool to utilize single gripper robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: ASML Holdings N.V.
    Inventors: Dikran Babikian, Hilario Oh
  • Patent number: 6852104
    Abstract: An apparatus for delivering a bolus of a medical agent to a patient. The apparatus comprises a pump mechanism, a data input device, and a processor in data communication with the keypad and arranged to control the pump mechanism. The processor is programmed to receive data specifying a bolus amount through the data port, receive data regarding duration through the data port, receive a percentage through the data port, the percentage defining a portion of the bolus amount to deliver immediately upon executing a deliver command and a remainder of the bolus amount to deliver over the duration upon executing a deliver command, and execute the deliver command thereby controlling the pump mechanism to deliver the bolus. Also a method of temporarily adjusting the delivery rate of an infusion pump. The infusion pump is programmed to deliver a basal rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Smiths Medical MD, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael L. Blomquist
  • Patent number: 6842656
    Abstract: A surface of a long flat product is observed in a production process by way of a surface inspection system. The entire surface is plotted, on the basis of the observation data, as a surface map with established surface characteristics in the, form of surface data and the surface characteristics are classified according to the different types and/or sizes and/or frequency and registered in the surface map according to their position. Production data and product data are jointly fed to a data processing unit in which they are analyzed to determine correlations between them. Rules dealing with the dependence of product data upon given production data are determined so that process parameters can be regulated in line with the rules thus determined to obtain a desired quality. Interrelationships can be recognized between process parameters and the emergence of surface errors, for instance in continuous casting and rolling facilities for steel sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Parsytec Computer GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Burkhardt, Karl Schäfer
  • Patent number: 6819965
    Abstract: The present invention involves a method and system for manufacturing documentation for standardizing product manufacturing in an enterprise. The system creates data records representing work instructions, stores the data records in a database and enables the system's users to search the database for specific data records to view, edit, re-use or copy. The data records include process design data having both a fixed (bit-mapped) graphical component and a modifiable (object-oriented) graphical component, and the system enables one group of users to view the fixed graphical component and another group of users to both view and/or modify the modifiable graphical component. In order to maintain control over edits made to data records, the system maintains a log of additions, changes or deletions made to the data records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: James K. Beatty, Dennis Thimling, Terence Walsh
  • Patent number: 6810299
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a light source and a lighting device that lights the light the light source A connector connects the light source and the lighting device with a metal piece to provide control of generation of noise accompanying increased electrical power supplied to the lamp and control of the space required for installation in a single housing having outer walls with electromagnetic shielding. Temperature of the light source and the lighting device is adjusted using air of the ambient atmosphere from outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Gen Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6799091
    Abstract: An apparatus for the control of electrical energy use by an end-user includes a control panel that is disposed in an electrical distribution panel. The control panel includes a microprocessor and control lines that are adapted to set a main circuit breaker in an on or an off position as well as a plurality of the individual branch circuits. The control panel can be programmed by the end-user to comply with mandatory power outages to shut off the main circuit breaker when desired and to maintain it off for a predetermined period of time. Upon resumption of power, the control panel turns on the individual branch circuit breakers one at a time, pauses, and then turns on the next, and so on until all of the branch circuit breakers have been turned back on. According to an enhancement, the utility company can program the control panel via a telephone line and verify compliance with any required power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Inventor: James Alfred Bradford
  • Patent number: 6775582
    Abstract: A data processing system and device for a cohesive technical process are disclosed. The data processing system includes at least one processing station for processing at least one product with an associated specific data record in which product features and/or process information for the product are maintained. The processing station may also include associated data and product buffers. The product associated data record may be provided in a decentralized manner at the processing station during the technical process and can be passed-on to a further processing station. The processing station further comprises data record storage locations that may be used dynamically. The data record for a product may be dynamically matched to a data record length required from a process sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Schaaf, Wolfgang Schovenberg
  • Patent number: 6775594
    Abstract: A method of dispatching a plurality of electrical generation systems that are controlled by a central monitoring and control system. The central system determines the order in which the distributed generators are deployed based upon several variables, such as maintenance costs, operating costs, and operating performance. The determination of the start order is based upon a significant number of variables that vary from one make and model of generator to another. The system and method of the present invention utilizes fuzzy logic to determine the order in which the generators are dispatched based upon the multiple variables available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Engage Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Conigliaro, Jeffrey S. Zingsheim
  • Patent number: 6763278
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for operating a processing tool in a degraded mode upon detecting a fault and in accordance with one or more business rules. The method comprises detecting a fault associated with a processing tool capable of processing one or more workpieces and operating the processing tool in a degraded mode in response to detecting the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Elfido Coss, Jr., Michael R. Conboy, Sam H. Allen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6754555
    Abstract: The present invention provides an interference preventing apparatus which performs an interference checking operation for plural interfering relationships between a movable member and a structural member. The interference preventing apparatus (1) comprises: an interference area defining section (51) for defining an interference area where the movable member is likely to interfere with the structural member; an interference area data storage section (52) for storing therein data of the defined interference area; and an interference checking section (2) which performs the interference checking operation for any of the interfering relationships on the basis of the interference area data and target movement position data of the movable member and, if a possibility of the interference is confirmed, outputs an interference confirming signal to the numerical controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuniharu Yamato
  • Patent number: 6580952
    Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of power generation plants. The system comprises at least three display-input means for displaying process data of the power plants and for inputting signals for operating the power plants based on the displayed process data, and the display-input means are disposed in a central control room. The system also comprises allocation means for allocating at least one of the display-input means to each one of the power generation plants, based on operation phases of the power generation plants. The system also comprises moving means for moving at least one of the display-input means so that a plurality of groups of the display-input means are formed, and the display-input means of a same group be arranged closer to each other than the display-input means of different groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fukuda, Toshihiko Tanaka, Masao Isshiki, Yuuichi Shibata, Kanetoshi Nara, Naomi Hattori
  • Patent number: 6529799
    Abstract: An automated apparatus for tagging individual boards in a pack of lumber. The apparatus includes a support frame with a jump chain conveyer, a lift, a back stop or bump plate, a labeling assembly including a printer and a stapler, an optical, ultrasonic, or RF detector for determining the position of a leading board within the pack, a positioning assembly for moving the labeling assembly in three dimensions via stepper motors, servo motors, or hydraulic cylinders, a computer, and a bidirectional communications link connecting the detector, the labeling assembly, and the positioning assembly to the computer. In operation, a pack of lumber is placed onto the conveyer, lifted, and conveyed by the moving chains to abut the back stop where it is lowered onto the support frame. The operator inputs the number of courses in the pack, the dimensions of the boards, the size of the pack, and other selected identifying indicia into the computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Innovative Systems & Designs, Inc.
    Inventors: Winnes W. Paulk, Jr., J. Michael Wilson
  • Patent number: 6498961
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a three dimensional reproduction of an article having recesses and relief sections by taking photographs of the article and digitalizing the information. The information is used to produce a volumetric body of the article and an anamorphosed image of the article containing color and texture data. The image is placed on a heat shrinkable material which is applied to the body in symbiotic relationship therewith so that the anamorphosed image becomes undistorted when shrink fitted to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: UMH Universal Master's Head S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Hermet, Bernard Simon
  • Patent number: 6456894
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing environment (110) for a wafer fab, and an SPC environment (112) for setting control limits and acquiring metrology data of production runs. A computation environment (114) processes the SPC data, which are then analyzed in an analysis environment (116). An MES environment (118) evaluates the analysis and automatically executes a process intervention if the process is outside the control limits. Additionally, the present invention provides for an electrical power management system, a spare parts inventory and scheduling system and a wafer fab efficiency system. These systems employ algorithms (735, 1135 and 1335).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jaim Nulman