Patents Examined by Kelvin Booker
  • Patent number: 8224494
    Abstract: Therefore, the illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method and system for providing an application of a resource to plants. A plurality of per plant prescriptions for a plurality of plants are received and a source is selected to fulfill the plurality of per plant prescriptions to form a selected source. Movement of a mobile utility vehicle is controlled to the selected source, the resource is obtained, and movement of the mobile utility vehicle is controlled to each plant in the plurality of plants. The resource is applied from the mobile utility vehicle to each plant according to the per plant prescription.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventor: Noel Wayne Anderson
  • Patent number: 8200347
    Abstract: A controller includes a feedforward module to produce a feedforward component azr, where a is a high frequency gain, a proportional module is to produce a proportional component Kpvz, where Kpv is a proportional gain, and an integral or lag module with state resetting to produce an integral or lag component. The feedforward component azr, the proportional component Kpvz, and the integral component Kivzc are combined as an input u for the system to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Khalid El-Rifai, Osamah El-Rifai
  • Patent number: 8195336
    Abstract: A pressure regulator for controlling pressure with high response and high accuracy even a flow change occurs on the downstream side. The pressure regulator (1) regulates the rate of inflow into an isothermal pressure vessel (13) for the gas supplied from a gas supply source (10) by means of a servo valve (11) to maintain the constant pressure in the isothermal pressure vessel (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Kenji Kawashima, Toshiharu Kagawa, Tomonori Kato
  • Patent number: 8190275
    Abstract: A first home automation control device is configured to control a first electrical appliance and to communicate via a peer-to-peer network with a second home automation control device which is configured to control a second electrical appliance. When the first home automation control device discovers the presence of the second home automation control device, the first home automation control device negotiates with the second home automation control device to determine a goal. The first home automation control device and the second home automation control device then jointly execute a task to achieve the goal. The goal may be an energy savings goal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Alan Chang
  • Patent number: 8155766
    Abstract: A power-saving computer system comprises a plurality of storage areas provided by one or more storage systems, including at least one first storage area which is always powered on and at least one second storage area which is periodically powered on and off according to a power control schedule. The at least one first storage area provides primary and secondary volumes of a first backup set that is scheduled as always paired. For a second backup set that is scheduled as normally suspended and resynchronized according to a backup schedule, a primary volume of the second backup set is included in the at least one first storage area and a secondary volume of the second backup set is included in the at least one second storage area. The at least one second storage area is powered on during every backup time for resynchronizing the second backup set according to the backup schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoko Ichikawa, Yasunori Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8145334
    Abstract: A control systems and methods are presented for controlling a production system, in which a model-based planner includes a formulation, such as a SAT formulation representing possible actions in the production, with a solver being used to provide a solution to the formulation based at least partially on production and diagnostic goals and the current plant condition, and a translation component translates the solution into a plan for execution in the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Minh Binh Do, Hector Luis Palacios Verdes, Rong Zhou, Lukas Daniel Kuhn, Johan de Kleer
  • Patent number: 8135487
    Abstract: A temperature setting method of the present invention includes the steps of: measuring states of an etching pattern within the substrate for a substrate for which a series of photolithography processing including thermal processing and an etching treatment thereafter have been finished; calculating temperature correction values for regions of a thermal processing plate from measurement result of the states of the etching pattern within the substrate using a function between correction amounts for the states of the etching pattern and the temperature correction values for the thermal processing plate; and setting the temperature for each of the regions of the thermal processing plate by each of the calculated temperature correction values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Megumi Jyousaka, Masahide Tadokoro, Yoshitaka Konishi, Shinichi Shinozuka, Kunie Ogata
  • Patent number: 8121734
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for controlling the climate of an environment, e.g. a house, which exchanges thermal energy with an ambient space. Energy is supplied to the environment e.g. by radiators, floor heating, electrical heating fans etc. According to the method, a numerically expressed comfort criteria, and a numerically expressed weight of importance of compliance with the comfort criterion are defined. Subsequently, a supply of a specific amount of energy is considered, and with respect to that amount, a numerical expression of a degree of compliance with the comfort criterion, and a numerical expression of costs related to the supply of that amount of energy are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Danfoss A/S
    Inventors: Lars Finn Sloth Larsen, Honglian Thybo, Claus Thybo
  • Patent number: 8116888
    Abstract: A parameter setting system for programmable logic controller (PLC) includes a document module, a main program module, a parameter storage module, an interface display module, and a display interface. The document module stores application documents and an extensible markup language (XML) document of PLC. The main program module reads names and scale values of the parameters from the XML document, and outputs a control signal. The parameter storage module stores the names and scale values of the parameters from the main program module. The interface display module receives the control signal from the main program module and reading names and scale values of the parameters from the parameter storage module according to the control signal. The display interface displays the names and scale values of the parameters from the interface display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Foxnum Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ming-Chieh Tsai
  • Patent number: 8108058
    Abstract: A method is provided for generating a data product that allows for enhanced design, analysis and manufacture of a composite structure comprising a plurality of plies. The method comprises the steps of obtaining geometric ply definitions, inputting the geometric ply definitions into a computer aided manufacturing (CAM) software program to generate a numerically coded tool path definition containing centerline data for each tape or tow comprising a ply, programming tape or tow course shape definitions of a plurality of plies in CAM to produce actual ply definitions, using CAM to generate an accumulated dataset of actual ply definitions, using a customized software program to analyze the dataset to obtain a data product containing results relating to manufacturing implementation of the actual ply definitions, and using the customized software program to evaluate and visualize potential impact of the data product and to interrogate the data product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Murrish, Jerry D. Zayic
  • Patent number: 8103385
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel techniques for controlling flow rates through parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers using model predictive control. In particular, the present techniques are presented in the context of biofuel production, wherein control of whole stillage flow rates through parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers may be optimized. However, the present techniques may also be applied to other suitable applications, such as the production of agricultural products, where parallel distribution paths of centrifuges and dryers may be used to separate solids from liquids as well as to remove water from the solids and liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Maina A. Macharia, Donald Melvin Maxwell, Srinivas Budaraju
  • Patent number: 8099184
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for compensating for the load a part places on a part positioner system that positions the part for work operations by a robot. The part positioner system rotates a part holding assembly about the axis of rotation of a shoulder drive. The part holding assembly may have a column that extends perpendicular to the shoulder center line. A counter weight system is incorporated into the column that includes a counter weight pack that is moved along the length of the column. The shoulder drive drives the part and part holding assembly load in order to measure a torque applied to the shoulder drive. A load offset may be calculated based on the applied torque. The counter weight pack may then be moved to a position on the column calculated to balance the load of the part and part holding assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Rimrock Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: John Schoening, Lance F. Guymon
  • Patent number: 8055375
    Abstract: A guidance system of an industrial process captures process parameter data that is correlated with a human-machine interface (HMI) in order to learn how an experienced operator selects visualizations of key performance indicators (KPI) in order to take a corrective action to address an abnormal or non-optimal performance condition. Such solution learning can be invoked to recognize onset of another similar occurrence and responding by suggesting visualizations utilized by the experienced operator to diagnose the problem. Analytics can further determine which visualizations provided useful information relative to the problem. In addition, the corrective action can be suggested or automatically implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan Pingel, Micheal John Pantaleano, Bruce Gordon Fuller, Robert Joseph McGreevy, Ian Edward Tooke, Kevin John Albert, John Joseph Baier
  • Patent number: 8036760
    Abstract: A controller includes a control module to control operation of a process in response to control data, a plug-in module coupled to the control module as a non-layered, integrated extension thereof, and a model identification engine. The plug-in detects a change in the control data, and a collects the control data and data in connection with a condition of the process in response to the detected change. The model identification engine executes a plurality of model parameter identification cycles. Each cycle includes simulations of the process each having different simulation parameter values and each using the control data as an input, an estimation error calculation for each simulation based on an output of the simulation and based on the operating condition data, and a calculation of a model parameter value based on the estimation errors and simulation parameter values used in the simulation corresponding to each of the estimation errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish Mehta, Peter Wojsznis, Marty J. Lewis, Larry O. Jundt, Nathan W. Pettus
  • Patent number: 8024075
    Abstract: The invention is a centralized server-based system containing a database with relevant information regarding features, parameters, and characteristics of a particular irrigation system, which utilizes proprietary irrigation software to control a plurality of field modules, at one or more remote locations, via a network bridge adapter. An irrigation system may comprise a single server, or multiple servers that may be configured so that control of the entire system is centralized, and control of one or multiple irrigation locations may be accomplished remotely by wirelessly accessing, monitoring and controlling a location's field module matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Daniel Joseph Fekete
  • Patent number: 8019483
    Abstract: A system and method for managing the distributed generation of power from a plurality of vehicles is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes determining location information for the plurality of vehicles, determining that a demand for power in a first portion of the power grid has reached a power threshold, determining that the location information associated with a set of the plurality of vehicles satisfies a similarity threshold with the first portion of the power grid, and transmitting a request to a first group of vehicles in the set of vehicles to discharge power. In addition, the method may include receiving a response from at least some of the electric vehicles to which a request was transmitted, and determining whether to request the discharge of power from additional vehicles in the set of the plurality of vehicles based, at least in part, on the number of responses containing a confirmation of the discharge of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Current Communications Services, LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Keefe
  • Patent number: 8010212
    Abstract: A method of fuzzy control for adjusting a semiconductor machine comprising: providing measurement values from first the “parameter of a pre-semiconductor manufacturing process”, second the “parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process”, and third the “operation parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process”; performing a fuzzy control to define two inputs and one output corresponding to the measurement values, wherein the difference between the first and third values, and the difference between the second and third values, forms the two inputs, then from the two inputs one target output is calculated by fuzzy inference; finally, determining if the target output is in or out of an acceptable range. Whereby the target output is the “machine control parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process” and when within an acceptable range is used for adjusting the semiconductor machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Feng Lee, Tzu-Cheng Lin, Chun Chi Chen, Yun-Zong Tian
  • Patent number: 7979164
    Abstract: A system for controlling one or more components of a climate control system is provided that includes one or more controllers in connection with low voltage power lines for powering the one or more controllers. The controllers are further capable of transmitting one or more communication signals via the low voltage waveform. The system includes a thermostat controller, at least one system controller for a heating or cooling system, and a controller for a circulating air blower. The thermostat controller, system controller and circulating air blower controller are connected to each other only through each controller's individual connection to the hot and common low voltage power transmission lines. Each controller is capable of transmitting one or more signals that are superimposed onto the low-frequency low-voltage waveform and include information identifying a destination controller that the signals are intended for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventors: James P. Garozzo, William P. Butler
  • Patent number: 6898583
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of designing a set of wavelet basis trained to fit a particular problem. The method and apparatus include constructing a neural network of arbitrary complexity using a discrete and finite Radon transform, feeding an input wavelet prototype through the neural network and its backpropagation to produce an output, and modifying the input wavelet prototype using the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Hawley K. Rising, III
  • Patent number: 6879968
    Abstract: A speaker verification apparatus and method input an identity claim, select voice information of a registered speaker corresponding to the input identity claim, input a voice of the speaker, analyze the input voice so as to extract a feature parameter, calculate a verification distance between a feature parameter of the input voice and that of the voice of the registered speaker and the speaker distances between a feature parameter of the input voice and those of the voices of other speakers; and determine whether or not the input voice matches that of the registered speaker. A false acceptance error rate, is input as a threshold, and a probability distribution of interspeaker distances is functions to determine that the input voice is the voice of the registered person specified by the identity claim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Shoji Hayakawa, Fumitada Itakura, Kazuya Takeda