Patents Examined by Kenneth Lo
  • Patent number: 9223504
    Abstract: Logical data stores are placed on storages to minimize store request time. The stores are sorted. A store counter and a storage counter are each set to one. (A), (B), and (C) are repeated until the storage counter exceeds the number of storages within the array. (A) is setting a load for the storage specified by the storage counter to zero. (B) is performing (i), (ii), and (iii) while the load for the storage specified by the storage counter is less an average determined load over all the storages. (i) is allocating the store specified by the store counter to the storage specified by the storage counter; and, (ii) is incrementing the load for this storage by this storage's request arrival rate multiplied by an expected service time for the requests of this store. (iii) is incrementing the store counter by one. (C) is incrementing the storage counter by one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Akshat Verma, Ashok Anand
  • Patent number: 9120688
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a seawater desalination plant system includes a plant unit that produces fresh water from seawater. The seawater desalination plant system predicts quality of seawater for each predetermined time (for example, 1 hour) for a certain definite period (for example, 24 hours) based on a past actual measurement value of quality of seawater; creates a plurality of proposed plans of fresh water production quantity during the definite period in each of which fresh water production quantity required for the definite period is allotted to the each predetermined time; calculates, with respect to the proposed plans, electric power consumption rates for desalination using the predicted quality of seawater, the fresh water production quantity and a previously obtained recovery rate; and obtains an optimum plan of fresh water production quantity with a minimum electric power consumption rate from the proposed plans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Katsuya Yokokawa, Ryo Namba, Takeshi Matsushiro, Hideaki Yamagata, Futoshi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9097456
    Abstract: In-service diagnostic testing of containers with a climate control system used in intermodal freight transport includes automatically testing the functioning of the climate control system at a possibly pre-scheduled time which may depend on the period of time since the latest pre-trip inspection. According to the invention in-service diagnostic testing is performed with cargo in the container during transportation from origin to destination at a suitable time before expected arrival to the destination so that the approval resulting from the in-service diagnostic testing is fresh and up-to-date. Results of the in-service diagnostic testing are transmitted wirelessly to a receiver at a central facility where managing and allocating a large number of containers to individual transport tasks is performed, and containers which have not passed the in-service diagnostic testing can be taken out of service for maintenance and repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: THERMO KING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ole Thøgersen, Allan Dyrmose
  • Patent number: 9099890
    Abstract: A system for enhancing decentralized coordinated Volt/Var control (CVVC) includes a memory device configured to store a plurality of operational measurements of an electric distribution system. The electric distribution system includes a plurality of capacitive devices. The system also includes a processor coupled in communication with the memory device. The processor is programmed to determine a plurality of potential configurations for the plurality of capacitive devices. The processor is also programmed to determine a priority of switching of each of the plurality of capacitive devices as a function of at least one of at least one actual voltage measurement of the electric distribution system, at least one power factor determination of the electric distribution system, at least one voltage parameter, at least one power factor parameter, and an availability of each of the capacitive devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aleksandar Vukojevic, Borka Milosevic
  • Patent number: 9092018
    Abstract: The range of electric currents that can be assumed by a supply electric current is categorized into a plurality of electric current ranges, where, for each electric current range category, there are combinations of functions, wherein the total value for the electric current required is less than the upper limit value, and no less than the lower limit value, for the electric current range established, and a table wherein these combinations are established is stored in memory. An actual value is detected for a supply current I to ascertain the category of electric current to which the supply electric current I applies, the combination of functions established for the applicable category of electric currents is read out from the table, and operation of the function circuit portions for the functions of the combination that has been read out is enabled, and operation of the other function circuit portions is disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: AZBIL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichirou Murata, Kouji Okuda, Hiroaki Nagoya
  • Patent number: 9073169
    Abstract: A method of controlling polishing includes polishing a first substrate having an overlying layer on an underlying layer or layer structure. During polishing, the substrate is monitored with an in-situ monitoring system to generate a sequence of measurements. The measurements are sorted into groups, each group associated with a different zone of a plurality of zones on the substrate. For each zone, a time at which the overlying layer is cleared is determined based on the measurements from the associated group. At least one second adjusted polishing pressure for at least zone is calculated based on a pressure applied in the at least one zone during polishing the substrate, the time for the at least one zone, and the time for another zone. A second substrate is polished using the at least one adjusted polishing pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Xu, Ingemar Carlsson, Feng Q. Liu, David Maxwell Gage, You Wang, Dominic J. Benvegnu, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Yuchun Wang, Pierre Fontarensky, Wen-Chiang Tu, Lakshmanan Karuppiah
  • Patent number: 9069018
    Abstract: A device for monitoring and measuring the electrical and mechanical parameters of a power line conductor. Sensors of the device measure conductor temperature, the angle of inclination of the overhead conductor, current flowing in the conductor, and voltage to ground. The device has a low-power mode in which parameters of the power line conductor are not measured. Upon detecting a change in an electrical or mechanical value of the power line conductor, the device measures parameters of the power line conductor for a predetermined length of time before returning to the low power mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: UNDERGROUND SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Paul Alan Alex, Duncan Breese, Larry Fish, Charles Lipsky, Chunchuan Xu
  • Patent number: 9070726
    Abstract: A temperature control method of a chemical vapor deposition device including: a chamber; a susceptor positioned on the inner side of the chamber allowing rotation therein, a wafer stacked on an upper side; a gas supplier disposed on the inner side of the chamber, and sprays gas toward the wafer; a heater disposed on the inner side of the susceptor, and heats the wafer; and a temperature sensor positioned in the chamber, and measures the temperature. The temperature control method includes: (a) calculating the temperature distribution of the susceptor based on a measured value of the temperature sensor, and dividing a section with relatively high temperature as a susceptor section and a section with relatively low temperature as a wafer section from the temperature distribution; and (b) controlling the heater by comparing a reference temperature with the temperature of a selected position of the susceptor section or the wafer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: LIGADP CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sung Jae Hong
  • Patent number: 9067274
    Abstract: A method and system for optimizing a weld schedule is disclosed. The weld schedule is used to control a plurality of welding apparatuses, and includes a plurality of weld sequences for control the plurality of welding apparatuses. The weld sequences each define one or more weld events. Each of the weld events defines a weld operation and a duration of the weld operation. The weld schedule is analyzed to determine if any time points in the weld schedule have two or more weld events scheduled where the aggregate current demand exceeds a maximum current threshold. If such a conflict in the weld schedule is identified, the weld schedule is modified by rescheduling a lower priority weld event. The method executes iteratively until all conflicts in the welding schedule are resolved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Laszlo M. Hideg
  • Patent number: 9059485
    Abstract: Reactive replenishable device management comprises receiving device measurement data from at least one device, updating one or more device usage profiles associated with the at least one device, and if an analysis of the one or more device usage profiles indicates usage of the at least one device is sub-optimal, performing one or more of: controlling at least one of an attribute or an operation of the at least one device, issuing one or more device management recommendations to a user of the at least one device, and issuing one or more user alerts to the user. The at least one device comprises at least one of one or more replenishable devices, one or more replenishers associated with the one or more replenishable devices, and one or more other devices associated with the one or more replenishable devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Blake Dickinson, Lisa Lei Horiuchi, Nathaniel Jordan Ramer
  • Patent number: 9043040
    Abstract: A method of damping power system oscillations include obtaining a time synchronized damping control signal from a remote location and determining a communication time delay in receiving the time synchronized damping control signal from the remote location. The time synchronized damping control signal is then modified based on a phase compensation factor and an amplitude compensation factor determined from the time delay. Finally, a damping signal is generated based on the modified time synchronized damping control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Swakshar Ray, Mark Gerard Adamiak, Amol Rajaram Kolwalkar
  • Patent number: 9043033
    Abstract: A network system may be provided that includes an electronic product, a recognition target, a recognition device, a setting program and a display unit. The electronic product may operate to manage or process a target. The recognition target may include information relating to the target. The recognition device may recognize information listed on the recognition target. The setting program may convert information recognized by the recognition device into setting information. The display unit may display the setting information converted by the setting program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Museung Kim, Minjin Oh
  • Patent number: 9043039
    Abstract: An arc detection and intervention system for a solar energy system. One or more arc detectors are strategically located among strings of solar panels. In conjunction with local management units (LMUs), arcs can be isolated and affected panels disconnected from the solar energy system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: TIGO ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Eizips, Shmuel Arditi
  • Patent number: 9037308
    Abstract: A power control system that includes a plurality of electrical appliances and a controller. Each of the electrical appliances includes an energy storage device comprising a heat storage medium, a heater, and a temperature sensor. The heater is configured to heat the storage medium at a heating rate. The temperature sensor produces a temperature signal that is indicative of a temperature of the heat storage medium. The controller adjusts the heating rate of each energy storage device from a first heating rate to a second heating rate based on the temperatures of the heat storage mediums of the other energy storage devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Steffes Corporation
    Inventors: Paul J. Steffes, Thomas P. Steffes
  • Patent number: 9037283
    Abstract: A safeguard method and system. The method includes receiving and analyzing apparatus data associated with an electro/mechanical apparatus. A type, mode, and state of the electro/mechanical apparatus are determined and a list of associated safeguard devices is generated and presented to a user. A selection for a safeguard device is received and it is determined if the safeguard device is currently present. In response, a specified action is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nadine M. Ellison-Marion, Mark A. Nelson, Kevin H. Peters, Louis R. Ruggiero
  • Patent number: 9037273
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enabling an operator to make control or protection related decisions in a process control system, an operator terminal in a process control system as well as to a computer program product for such an operator terminal. The method includes the steps receiving (38) an operator selection of a control object in a view of control objects, selecting (40) a number of data points for a group of control objects including the operator selected control object according to a data point selection criterion, fetching (42) process data values associated with the data points and with different control aspects, and presenting (44) the process data values of on a display, where each data point receives one corresponding presentation axis on which data values of this data point are presented and data values of data points associated with the same control aspect are linked together with a line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: ABB RESEARCH LTD.
    Inventor: Christine Mikkelsen
  • Patent number: 9031688
    Abstract: A nesting data generation device generates nesting data for cutting off a part from a work supported by plural support projections. The nesting data generation device includes a nesting data generating unit that generates the nesting data by arranging a geometry of the part on the work. The nesting data generating unit performs, upon arranging the geometry of the part on the work, an avoidance process for avoiding an impediment due to the support projections. According to the nesting data generation device, the part can be prevented from welding on the support projections and the support projections can be prevented from welding upon arranging the geometry on the work by considering positions of the support projections, so that a drop-off and an inclination of the cut part can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Amada Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tatsunori Himeno, Kazuhisa Nogi
  • Patent number: 9031676
    Abstract: An operation control apparatus includes a command generation portion that generates a command signal for commanding operation of a control surface, and first and second monitoring portions that monitor an abnormality of operation of first and second control portions, respectively, of the actuator control apparatus. The actuator control apparatus includes first and second control portions that generate a control signal for an actuator for driving the control surface and that are different in design, and a switching unit that switches the connection to the actuator from one of the first and second control portions to the other, when an abnormality is detected by the first and second monitoring portions. Accordingly, it is possible to monitor a generic failure, and realize redundancy enabling control of the overall operation of the actuator, from start to finish, when a generic failure has occurred, thus realizing further simplification and streamlining of the configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: NABTESCO Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Nakagawa, Atsushi Fukui
  • Patent number: 9026239
    Abstract: A method of extending advanced process control (APC) models includes constructing an APC model table including APC model parameters of a plurality of products and a plurality of work stations. The APC model table includes empty cells and cells filled with existing APC model parameters. Average APC model parameters of the existing APC model parameters are calculated, and filled into the empty cells as initial values. An iterative calculation is performed to update the empty cells with updated values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Po-Feng Tsai, Yen-Di Tsen, Jo Fei Wang, Jong-I Mou
  • Patent number: 9020626
    Abstract: Systems and methods of measuring feet and designing and creating orthopedic inserts are described. The method can include measuring a pressure the foot exerts during a stride at a plurality of points over a period of time, and analyzing a pressure at the plurality of points over the period of time and designing the orthopedic inserter based on the analysis. The system can include a device that measures a pressure exerted by foot at a plurality of times at each of a plurality of points and a computer connected to the device, the computer having a memory that stores the measured pressures and a program operable to analyze the measured pressures to create a design of an orthopedic insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Inventor: Donald Spector