Patents Examined by Jonathan Michael Skrzycki
  • Patent number: 11675329
    Abstract: A functional safety system performs safety analysis on three-dimensional point cloud data measured by a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor that monitors a hazardous industrial area that includes an automation system. To reduce the amount of point cloud data to be analyzed for hazardous conditions, the safety system executes a real-time emulation of the automation system using a digital twin and live controller data read from an industrial controller that monitors and controls the automation system. The safety system generates simulated, or shadow, point cloud data based on the emulation and subtracts this simulate point cloud data from the measured point cloud data received from the TOF sensor. This removes portions of the point cloud data corresponding to known or expected elements within the monitored area. Any remaining entities detected in the reduced point cloud data can be further analyzed for safety concerns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Pritchard, Michael Sarvo, Jr., Samuel Owen
  • Patent number: 11675346
    Abstract: In an illustrative embodiment, the present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and an industrial internet of things (IIOT) platform and environment for generating a device integration definition to be used for configuring a new device type for interoperability with the IIOT platform and environment, where the device integration definition includes a standardized format in a programming language syntax, the device integration definition is customizable using code hook templates for issuing commands to the device type, and the device integration definition is customizable using control templates for applying the device integration definition as a foundation for preparing a graphical user interface for configuring devices of the device type with the IIOT platform and environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Bentley Systems, Incorporated
    Inventors: Marquis Blount, Justin Ferrara, Adam Hickey, Duke Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11674279
    Abstract: A water supply control system is disclosed that comprises a computer-implemented control system coupled to a plurality of gates, one or more pumps, and a plurality of sensors. The computer-implemented control system is configured to receive a request to transfer excess water from a non-water supply lake to a water supply lake and determine, based at least in part on data from the plurality of sensors and geographic locations of the non-water supply lake and the water supply lake, whether transferring water as requested will cause or worsen a flood event. In response to a determination that transferring water as requested will not cause or worsen a flood event, the computer-implemented control system is further configured to issue a command to cause a gate associated with a dam at the non-water supply lake to open such that water is transferred from the non-water supply lake to the water supply lake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: O'Brien Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Norman James O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11667556
    Abstract: A method for controlling discharging of a glass plate in a glass plate tempering technology process is provided. After a glass plate is fed into a heating furnace, a monitoring unit monitors and performs filtering on a working parameter of a heating element in real time, and then transmits the filtered working parameter to a control unit. The control unit compares the filtered working parameter with a specified threshold. After the working parameter reaches a maximum value or a minimum value, and then reaches the specified threshold during a subsequent change, the control unit sends an instruction to a drive mechanism. The drive mechanism acts to move the glass plate out of the heating furnace directly or after a time delay, so as to complete a glass plate heating process. The present disclosure changes a conventional time-based control method, reduces energy consumption, and improves quality of a tempered glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: LUOYANG LANDGLASS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yan Zhao, Gaofeng Dou, Chunwei Jiang
  • Patent number: 11662715
    Abstract: Methods and systems for synchronizing controllers in an automation control system, can involve arranging redundancy elements in an automation control system comprising a group of nodes, wherein the redundancy elements can include one or more primary controllers and a group of concurrent secondary controllers, and wherein a back-up to the primary controller can exist on any node. Such methods and systems can further involve backing-up of the primary controller by the one or more secondary controllers to allow the primary controller to maintain the one or more secondary controllers as a new, alternate secondary controller for a load balancing or an equipment update.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Paul McLaughlin, Joseph Felix, Norman Swanson, Jason Urso
  • Patent number: 11649837
    Abstract: A controller and related system and method for controlling a choke for choking fluid flow are configured to take into account non-linear behaviors of the choke, to allow more accurate and effective control of the choke. To obtain a desired pressure drop across a choke valve, the controller is configured to monitor the position of a choke actuator coupled to the choke valve and the pressure at the inlet of the choke valve. The controller calculates an adaptive proportional gain coefficient, and optionally adaptive integral and derivative coefficients, based on the choke actuator position, to help mitigate the effects of non-linear behaviors of the choke and, where necessary, based on the inlet pressure, the controller calculates an augmentation correction to address any instability in the choke. The controller then commands the choke actuator accordingly to adjust the flow area through the choke valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Opla Energy Ltd.
    Inventors: Hossein Khorshidian, Skyler Lowe, Saied Afshari
  • Patent number: 11613094
    Abstract: A cardboard sheet manufacturing system includes an information editing unit storing production state information, operation state information, and warping state information as acquisition information in a storage unit, the information editing unit deleting, in a case where the stored acquisition information includes prescribed information to be deleted, the information to be deleted from the storage unit and outputting the acquisition information stored in the storage unit as editing information. The system also includes an editing information storage unit storing the editing information output from the information editing unit, a prediction model calculation unit calculating a prediction model of the warping state based on the editing information stored in the editing information storage unit; and a control table update unit updating a target value of a control value of a control element in the cardboard sheet manufacturing apparatus, based on the prediction model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi Fujita, Koki Tateishi, Hideki Mizutani, Akira Ogino, Koshi Tanimoto
  • Patent number: 11614728
    Abstract: A machine tool management system connects an external server and a large number of NC devices controlling the external server and respective machine tools through a network. The system collects several kinds of signal data from the NC device of each machine tool to the external server. In the system, the external server stores a maintenance period model and a refinement algorithm and obtains a next maintenance period from the maintenance period model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Xiaoguang Qi
  • Patent number: 11599080
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling automation includes a machine performing at least one operation and including a sensor for generating data in response to a performance of the operation by the machine. Data generated by the sensor is stored for retrieval by a server in data memory storage. The server includes at least one display template for displaying the data, and the server generates a data display by populating the at least one display template with the data. The data template can be populated with data in real time, to display the data display immediate to the generation of the data. The display template includes a data feature which is differentiated for displaying the data feature in a mode determined by the data populating the data display. The data display can be displayed in real time by a user device in communication with the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: BEET, Inc.
    Inventor: David Jingqiu Wang
  • Patent number: 11586229
    Abstract: A resistance weld shielding control system includes a computer that is executed to control a fixture to receive and hold at least one part to be welded. The computer also controls one or more electrodes to apply electrical energy to the part for welding the at least one part, and controls a gas delivery system to direct an inert gas onto the part for shielding the part from the ambient atmosphere via a nozzle. The nozzle is configured in the fixture such that the fixture holds the nozzle in a fixed physical relationship to the part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Pacesetter, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin King, Russell Bruch, Nicholas R. Hamor, Kurt Erickson
  • Patent number: 11579583
    Abstract: A multi-stage incremental sheet forming system includes a forming tool, and at least one control unit in communication with the forming tool. The at least one control unit is configured to determine a convex hull of a target structure to be formed by the forming tool. The at least one control unit is further configured to operate the forming tool according to a first tool path in relation to an initial structure to form an intermediate structure having a shape based on the convex hull of the target structure. The at least one control unit is further configured to operate the forming tool according to a second tool path in relation to the intermediate structure to form one or more inward features into the intermediate structure to form the target structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Michael C. Elford
  • Patent number: 11556107
    Abstract: A machining apparatus error correction method is implemented in a machining apparatus error correction system. The method includes setting initial operating parameters according to a predetermined machining program, obtaining dimensional detection data during machining of a product, calculating a dimensional correction parameter according to the detection data and a dimensional inspection standard according to a predetermined correction model and generating a correction parameter file readable by the machining apparatus, and distributing the correction parameter file to the corresponding machining apparatus. The initial operating parameters include clamping parameters and dimensional inspection standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (CHENGDU) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Neng-Wei Chang, Tao Zeng, Hai-Jiu Wan, Yuan-Ji Li, Bing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11537100
    Abstract: A machining apparatus error correction method is implemented in a machining apparatus error correction system. The method includes setting initial operating parameters according to a predetermined machining program, obtaining dimensional detection data during machining of a product, calculating a dimensional correction parameter according to the detection data and a dimensional inspection standard according to a predetermined correction model and generating a correction parameter file readable by the machining apparatus, and distributing the correction parameter file to the corresponding machining apparatus. The initial operating parameters include clamping parameters and dimensional inspection standards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONGFUJIN PRECISION ELECTRONICS (CHENGDU) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Neng-Wei Chang, Tao Zeng, Hai-Jiu Wan, Yuan-Ji Li, Bing Zhou
  • Patent number: 11504933
    Abstract: A pressing apparatus 1 includes a storage 27 that stores a plurality of actual data which are load data which was actually measured and which are configured of a first information and a second information, and a plurality of reference data which is a reference for the load data, an adjustor 23 that expands and contracts the first information of at least one of an actual data pattern which is based on the plurality of the actual data stored in the storage 27 and an reference data pattern based on the plurality of the reference data stored in the storage 27 to correspond with each other, and a determiner 24 that determines appropriateness of a load applied to the ram 9 in a pressing operation based on a similarity of the actual data pattern adjusted by the adjustor 23 and the reference data pattern adjusted by the adjustor 23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yosuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11491548
    Abstract: The machine tool includes modules and a control portion. Each of the modules includes a main spindle for holding a workpiece and a tool post for holding a tool. The tool is used to machine the workpiece held by the main spindle. The control portion is configured to control to restrict a parallel execution of predetermined machining for the workpiece and machining affected by the predetermined machining and to permit an execution of machining other than the restricted machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignees: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Citizen Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shozen Yanakawa
  • Patent number: 11480947
    Abstract: A control information generation device generates control information for controlling an additive manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a layer shape using a bead that is a manufactured object formed by adding a molten processing material to a target surface while moving a processing position along a manufacturing path, and manufactures a three-dimensional shape in which the layer shapes are stacked. The device includes: a bead width correction unit that obtains a corrected width on the basis of the manufacturing path and a reference width of a cross section of the bead, the corrected width being a width of the cross section for allowing the beads to be adjacent to each other without overlapping; a path correction unit that obtains a corrected path on the basis of the manufacturing path and the corrected width; and a control information output unit that outputs control information indicating the corrected path and the corrected width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Iriguchi, Nobuhiro Shinohara, Daiji Morita, Nobuyuki Sumi, Shun Kayashima
  • Patent number: 11474052
    Abstract: Systems and methods for real time, nondestructive inspection of an object being formed by additive manufacturing is provided. The disclosed systems and methods can be used with any additive manufacturing system and can detect defects introduced during fabrication. In operation, additive manufacturing of the object can be paused and the object rotated within the build chamber. An x-ray pulse can then be directed through a linear aperture towards the object being formed inside the build chamber. A linear x-ray detector array can detect the x-ray pulse and an x-ray image of the object being formed can be created. By rotating the object being formed during exposure to the x-ray pulse at least one half of one full rotation, the entire volume of the object can be inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Morteza Safai
  • Patent number: 11454938
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control system comprising a controller arranged to provide an output signal on the basis of an input signal. The controller comprises a linear integrator, a linear gain and a selector. The linear integrator is arranged to provide a first control signal. The linear gain is in parallel to the linear integrator and is arranged to provide a second control signal. The selector is arranged to switch between an integrator mode in which the first control signal is used as the output signal of the controller and a gain mode in which the second control signal is used as the output signal of the controller. The selector is arranged to switch to the integrator mode when the value of the second control signal passes zero, and to switch to the gain mode when: eu<kh?1u2, wherein e is the input signal of the controller, u is the output signal of the controller, and kh is the gain of the linear gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcel François Heertjes, Daniel Andreas Deenen, Natalia Irigoyen Perdiguero, Yannick Knops
  • Patent number: 11435716
    Abstract: An information collecting device controls a plant based on process data acquired from controllers and field devices connected to the controllers. The information collecting device includes an arithmetic controller and an update controller. The arithmetic controller collects first information which is engineering information of the plant and second information which is device information from a controller, a field device or a combination of both selected from the controllers and the field devices. The update controller generates third information based on a definition in which the first information and the second information are set in advance, and updates the third information in a storage based on a preset update cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Iriguchi, Eiji Nagai, Masatoshi Takubo, Jisong Zhang
  • Patent number: 11422540
    Abstract: A process decision support device includes: a machining performance data storage unit that stores machining performance data indicating machining performance of each of a plurality of machining devices including a machining device that adds material and a machining device that removes material; a process pattern generation unit that refers to the machining performance data and sequences and allocates machining steps performed by a combination of any of the plurality of machining devices to generate a process pattern as a combination of the machining steps with which a product is manufacturable; and an output unit that outputs content of the process pattern generated by the process pattern generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Sumi, Shun Kayashima, Kenji Iriguchi, Seiji Uozumi