Patents Examined by M. N. Von Buhr
  • Patent number: 8170693
    Abstract: The present system teaches an autostop system for a stage control system in which some of all of the device implemented effects associated with a production may be automatically stopped when certain conditions exist. The conditions causing the effects to stop may be configurable by the show creator to prevent injury to the persons involved with the production and damage to the scenery and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Production Resource Group, LLC
    Inventor: Rusty Mahew
  • Patent number: 8160736
    Abstract: Efficient manufacturing automation system and methods are described. The automation system controls movement of materials for processing by tools in a manufacturing facility. The system and methods include pre-emptive dispatching for transferring of materials. With the pre-emptive dispatching, the next destination and next lot to be processed is determined prior to a first lot being converted to a ready to unload state. This reduces wait time or idle time to improve tool utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Thangappan Krisnamuthi, Mohd Azizi Chik, Tin Tin Ung, Kian Wee Lim, Stephen Todd Markle
  • Patent number: 8140196
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for controlling temperature of a computer system is disclosed. The computer system contains multiple modules and at least one cooling fan. The method contains the steps of collecting thermal data from a first set of modules, calculating an initial fan speed, collecting thermal data from a second set of modules, and recalculating the fan speed to adjust cooling of modules to desired operating temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James A. Rozzi, Peter Hansen
  • Patent number: 8126583
    Abstract: A chemical or chemical compound (L) is supplied via at least two displacement pumps (1, 4) to a common supply line (11), through which the chemical or chemical compound (L) is supplied to the operating device (12) of a fibrous web machine. Each pump (1, 4) has a corresponding electric actuator (2, 5) which is equipped with a corresponding control drive (3, 6). The fibrous web machine has a measuring device (8; 8a, 8b) for determining the phase angles of at least the first and second actuators (2,5). A control signal based on the determined phase angle information is formed and transmitted to the first control drive (3), based on the control signal, the difference between the first and second electric actuators (2, 5) is adjusted. An electric synchronization signal between the control drives (3, 6) maintains the difference between the phase angles electric actuators (2, 5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Metso Paper, Inc.
    Inventors: Ilkka Roitto, Tapio Nikola, Alf Robertsson, Ari Murronmaa, Petri Jokiranta, John Bergman
  • Patent number: 8126580
    Abstract: Device for producing a three-dimensional object by solidification of a material solidifiable under the action of electromagnetic radiation by means of energy input via an imaging unit comprising a predetermined number of discrete imaging elements (pixels), said device comprising a computer unit, an IC and/or a software implementation respectively with the ability of adjusting and/or controlling the energy input via a specific gray value and/or color value in a voxel matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Envisiontec GmbH
    Inventors: Ali El-Siblani, Volker Schillen, Hendrik John
  • Patent number: 8112169
    Abstract: A polishing apparatus has a polishing table having a polishing surface and a top ring for pressing a substrate against the polishing surface while independently controlling pressing forces applied to a plurality of areas on the substrate. The polishing apparatus has a sensor for monitoring substrate conditions of a plurality of measurement points on the substrate, a monitor unit for performing a predetermined arithmetic process on a signal from the sensor to generate a monitor signal, and a controller for comparing the monitor signal of the measurement points with the reference signal and controlling the pressing forces of the top ring so that the monitor signal of the measurement point converges on the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Kobayashi, Yasumasa Hiroo, Tsuyoshi Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8112167
    Abstract: A process control method comprises adjusting a process condition in consideration of a performance variation among a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses, the performance variation affecting a finished shape of a pattern used to manufacture a semiconductor device, running a simulation of the finished shape under the adjusted process condition, extracting a dangerous point of the pattern affecting satisfaction from the result of the simulation, comparing a first process capability serving as a judgment standard to find whether a production schedule of the device is achieved with a second capability serving to form a dangerous pattern containing the dangerous point, and improving the second process when the second process capability is lower than the first process capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ayako Endo, Kenji Yoshida, Toshiya Kotani, Satoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8086341
    Abstract: A control system for a manufacturing chain having a plurality of modular manufacturing stations positioned in series includes a memory for storing a plurality of unique operation patterns thereon. The control system also includes at least one communications conduit for receiving a first position signal from a first position tracking device of each modular manufacturing station. A processor is configured to independently transmit at least one operation signal corresponding to one of the unique operation patterns to an article transportation device of each modular manufacturing station via the communications conduit based, at least in part, on the first position signal from each modular manufacturing station. The communications conduit further receives a second position signal from a second position tracking device of each modular manufacturing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Spangler, Mark E. Dietz
  • Patent number: 8060259
    Abstract: A real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring an electric power grid. The electric power grid has a plurality of grid portions, each grid portion corresponding to one of a plurality of control areas. The real-time performance monitoring system includes a monitor computer for monitoring at least one of reliability metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid. The data for metrics being monitored by the monitor computer are stored in a data base, and a visualization of the metrics is displayed on at least one display computer having a monitor. The at least one display computer in one said control area enables an operator to monitor the grid portion corresponding to a different said control area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Electric Power Group, LLC
    Inventors: Vikram S. Budhraja, James D. Dyer, Carlos A. Martinez Morales
  • Patent number: 8060239
    Abstract: According to the invention, an initial trajectory (2) that is to be followed in a positionally guided manner is input into a computer (15), said initial trajectory (2) being described by an initial function (AF) such that one respective corresponding position (pA) is determined on the initial trajectory (2) by substituting a scalar trajectory parameter (s) into the initial function (AF). The scalar trajectory parameter (s) is different from time (t) while being characteristic of a distance (s) covered along the initial trajectory (2). The computer (15) filters the initial trajectory (2) with low-pass characteristics referring to the scalar trajectory parameter (s) as a function of the scalar trajectory parameter (s) and thus determines a rough function (GF) such that one respective corresponding position (pG) is determined on the rough trajectory (13) by substituting the scalar trajectory parameter (s) into the rough function (GF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Walter Hoffmann, Wolfgang Papiernik, Tomas Sauer
  • Patent number: 8046107
    Abstract: A refrigeration system comprising a compressor for compressing a refrigerant, a condenser for condensing refrigerant to a liquid, an evaporator for evaporating liquid refrigerant from the condenser to a gas, an inner control loop for optimizing a supply of liquid refrigerant to the evaporator, and an outer control loop for optimizing a level of refrigerant in the evaporator, said outer control loop defining a supply rate for said inner control loop based on an optimization including measurement of evaporator performance, and said inner control loop optimizing liquid refrigerant supply based on said defined supply rate. Independent variables, such as proportion of oil in refrigerant, amount of refrigerant, contaminants, non-condensibles, scale and other deposits on heat transfer surfaces, may be estimated or measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hudson Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Zugibe, Riyaz Papar
  • Patent number: 8036770
    Abstract: A numerical control apparatus with a single block function is provided including a start button (3), an execution amount setting unit (13), and a machining program execution controller (4). Once the amount of execution of the machining program to be executed by a single operation is set in the execution amount setting unit, the machining program execution controller (4) batch executes the blocks included in the set amount of execution upon a single operation, such as a depression, of the start button (3). Additionally, upon detecting a block including a non-cutting command or a command for abruptly changing a machining direction, the machining program execution controller (4) suspends the execution of the machining program as of that block and waits for the start button (3) to be depressed again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuneaki Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8027744
    Abstract: A design system for generating an object design for producing an engineered object, the design system includes an estimate generator, a layout drawing generator, and a design generator. The estimate generator generates a cost estimate based on at least one of a request for proposal defining the engineered object, components of the engineered object, and engineering rules and knowledge. The layout drawing generator generates a layout drawing based on at least one of the request for proposal, the engineered object, and engineering rules and knowledge. The design generator generates the object design based on a proposal and an order. The proposal is generated based on the cost estimate and the layout drawing. The order is generated based on the proposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Tramco, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Trammell, Hiroshi Takaki
  • Patent number: 8014893
    Abstract: A groove (Da) extending in a Y-axis direction of a workpiece (D) is finish machined with an offset tool (T) that has a cross-section with a shape (L3) offset in a reducing direction by only a predetermined offset amount relative to a finished shape (L1) of the groove (Da) and that rotates around an axis of rotation parallel to a Z axis. Each time an incising step in which the offset tool (T) is relatively moved within the X-Z plane only by a predetermined distance on the circumference of an imaginary circle (C) having an initial position as its center and the offset amount (o) as its radius is carried out, a cutting step in which the entire length of the groove (Da) is cut while relatively moving the offset tool (T) in the Y-axis direction is carried out repeatedly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Miki, Joji Kikuhara
  • Patent number: 7996093
    Abstract: In an industrial control system, a relatively large number of bindings can permeate between different controllers. As a modification is made in a primary binding, supplemental bindings can be impacted and can become erroneous. The supplemental bindings can be automatically resolved such that they are no longer erroneous. Resolution can take place through access of a distributed directory that holds information related to the different controllers. To lower a likelihood of control system error or failure, the primary binding and supplemental binding can be placed online in synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Subbian Govindaraj, Raymond J. Staron, Charles Martin Rischar, Kenwood H. Hall, David A. Vasko, Robert J. Kretschmann, Michael D. Kalan, Paul R. D'Mura, Taryl J. Jasper, Eugene Liberman
  • Patent number: 7979689
    Abstract: A remote inspection apparatus has an active display unit receiving image data in digital form and graphically rendering the image data on an active display. A communication medium connects devices to the active display unit, such as an imager head capturing the image data. A computer readable medium records one or more instances of software for operating the one or more devices. A computer processor located in the active display unit that operates a boot loader program to detects and sequentially interrogate the devices by different protocols in order to determine appropriate software to load and operate the devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Perceptron, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Watt, Al Boehnlein, Tye Newman, Paul J. Eckhoff, Jeffrey J. Miller, Jeff Schober
  • Patent number: 7971052
    Abstract: A configuration system uses process plant items that may represent, or be capable of representing, entities in a process plant to assist in configuring, organizing, and changing the control and display activities within the process plant. Access to the items may be controlled by associating access control data with the items. The configuration system may also use objects that represent, or may be capable of representing, one or more steps to be performed by entities in the process plant. Access to these objects may be controlled by associating access control data with the objects. The access control data may indicate whether users or certain users may be able to, for example, view or modify all or some data associated with the process plant items or the objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Michael Lucas, Arthur Webb, Mark J. Nixon, Larry Oscar Jundt, Jian Li, Dennis L. Stevenson, Michael George Ott, Herschel O. Koska, Robert Burke Havekost
  • Patent number: 7970483
    Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, a method for the improved operation of an electronic device manufacturing system is provided. The method includes providing information to an interface coupled to an electronic device manufacturing system having parameters, processing the information to predict a first parameter, and providing an instruction related to at least a second parameter of the electronic device manufacturing system wherein the instruction is based on the predicted first parameter. Numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sebastien Raoux, Mark W. Curry, Peter Porshnev, Allen Fox
  • Patent number: 7966095
    Abstract: A color paint formula adjusting system and the method thereof are provided, which allow a user to log onto with a stand-alone or a network, input color paint and adjust it. By computer-aided computing of mix ratio of resin, the color paint is made satisfactory to restrictive conditions of physical and chemical properties, with the color unchanged, wherein the color paint is manufactured by mixing a plurality of color pastes. And color paste content data and color paint mix ratios are stored in a database. The mixture contents input by the user and the amounts thereof to be added are corrected by color paint formula adjusting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventor: Chen-Te Huang
  • Patent number: 7962244
    Abstract: A number of water related issues concern most communities. Among these are the availability of water, and the ability of the existing infrastructure to efficiently pump and deliver that water without wasting energy. The present invention addresses these issues with respect to landscape water use. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is an add-on module that may be programmed with local watering restrictions including time of use (TOU), and that is connected to the output of any existing landscape irrigation controller. The module is programmed to not allow watering during certain times of day or certain days of the week as established by a local water authority or municipality. Embodiments of the invention also provide methods and apparatus for updating the local watering restrictions, and integrating the present invention into existing controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Inventor: George Alexanian