Patents Examined by Michael D. Masinick
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Patent number: 9914177Abstract: A round hole machining method and a round-hole machining device in which machining can be accurately performed regardless of the wear of an edge tool. A non-round hole machining device includes: a machining load data acquisition section for obtaining machining load data corresponding to a machining load acting on the cutting edge of a cutting tool when boring a bore in a cylinder block; a machined shape prediction section for predicting a machined shape of the workpiece by utilizing the obtained machining load data and elastic deformation amounts at respective positions on the workpiece; and a motor control section for machining the workpiece so as to form an inverted shape, that is, a shape formed by inverting the predicted machined shape with respect to a target shape.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2014Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenji Mori, Jin Fukumitsu, Akihiro Nemoto, Takuro Kidani
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Patent number: 9910410Abstract: The invention provides a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) control system comprising a controller adapted for receiving an input set of at least two control input parameters and a set of at least two control output parameters, said control system arranged for effecting a modified deadbeat control, in which said modified deadbeat control comprises a robust deadbeat control for an n-th order, linear time invariant (LTI) system based upon a series of cascade proportional integrating-differentiating (PID) controls, each PID control comprising a system transfer function having a nominator and a denominator, wherein for the nominator a constant gain (K) is selected for each PID control. The invention further provides a method for controlling a continuous process using this control system.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignees: SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V., SAUDI BASIC INDUSTRIES CORPORATIONInventor: Yousof Mustafa Ghazzawi
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Patent number: 9904257Abstract: A process controller adaptation and tuning technique uses a closed loop adaptation cycle that performs an autocorrelation analysis on the prediction error or the control error of a process control system to determine if significant process model mismatch exists or to determine an increase or a decrease in process model mismatch over time. The adaptation and tuning technique may perform a controller tuning cycle when the determined model mismatch raises above a predetermined level.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: FISHER-ROSEMOUNT SYSTEMS, INC.Inventor: Dirk Thiele
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Patent number: 9901046Abstract: A method of irrigating a saline aquaculture system to control pests is described herein. The method includes acquiring a second set of environmental condition data on a computing device using a sensor coupled to a platform, such that the platform is configured to grow a salt-tolerant plant therein; comparing the second set of environmental condition data to a first set of environmental condition data acquired at a previous time point; determining whether freshwater accumulation has increased or will increase at a future time point on a surface of the platform; when it is determined that the freshwater accumulation on the surface of the platform has increased or will increase relative to the previous time point, activating a saltwater distribution device coupled to the platform; and reducing an accumulation of one or more of: insects, caterpillars, fungi, and bacteria on the surface of the platform.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Marine Agrifuture, LLCInventors: Wenhao Harold Sun, Hongzhe Michael Sun
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Patent number: 9897084Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus that features a signal processor or processing module configured to receive signaling containing information about an adaptive or self-calibrating set point control curve and a varying equivalent system characteristic curve based at least partly on an instant pump pressure and a flow rate using an adaptive moving average filter, and equivalent hydronic system characteristics associated with the instant pump pressure and the flow rate to corresponding motor power and speed reconstructed and remapped using a discrete numerical approach; and determine an adaptive pressure set point, based at least partly on the signaling received.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2014Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Fluid Handling LLCInventors: Andrew A. Cheng, James J. Gu, Graham A. Scott
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Patent number: 9889762Abstract: An object is to avoid the situation in which the power cannot be turned off. A control system is provided in which the first and second control units are connected. At least one of the first and second control units include: a stop control section for, if a condition for ending a predetermined operation mode is satisfied in that operation mode, performing stop control for having the control system in a low-power-consumption state while communicating with the other control unit; and a mode control section for having a mode undefined state in which the operation mode is instable at restoration from a reset state and for allowing, if a predetermined transition condition for allowing transition into the operation mode is satisfied in the mode undefined state, transition into the operation mode whose transition condition has been satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2013Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignees: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shinji Takemoto, Daisuke Okajima, Masayuki Suzuki, Jyunya Tokinaga, Ryuichi Kamaga
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Patent number: 9887051Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of a remote disconnect switch assembly. In one embodiment, the remote disconnect switch assembly comprises: an actuator; a shuttle that is operably moved by the actuator; one or more disconnect switches that are opened or closed by movement of the shuttle; one or more sensors; a communication interface; and a processor, wherein the processor is operably connected with the actuator, the one or more sensors and the communication interface, and wherein the processor is configured to: communicate with one or more other computing devices over a network using the communication interface; receive signals from the one or more sensors; and cause the actuator to operate in accordance with the signals received from the one or more sensors or the communications with the one or more other computing devices.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Aclara Meters LLCInventors: Ryan Marc LaFrance, Scott Michael Shill, Steven Lee Bietz, Subramanyam Satyasurya Chamarti
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Patent number: 9874860Abstract: A user interface of frequency converter over a wireless connection is disclosed. The frequency converter can be connected to a mobile communications device over a short range wireless connection. The mobile communications device can be connected to a wide area network to a service center maintaining information associated with frequency converters. Operational information of the frequency converter can be relayed to the service center over the wide area network as a view of the frequency converter user interface. The frequency converter can be controlled by control commands from the mobile communications device, the control commands being determined based on selections received from the service center, in response to the view conveyed to the service center.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2014Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: ABB Technology OyInventor: Petri Schroderus
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Patent number: 9869997Abstract: A protection monitoring system is provided that includes a protection fault handler. The protection fault handler includes a protection fault indicator. The protection fault handler is configured to activate the protection fault indicator upon indication of a protection fault signal. Moreover, the protection fault signal is indicative of a critical fault which has occurred in a protection system monitored by the protection monitoring system. The protection monitoring system also includes a user inhibit handler. The user inhibit handler includes a user inhibit indicator. Moreover, the user inhibit handler is configured to activate the user inhibit indicator upon indication of a user inhibit signal. Furthermore, the user inhibit signal is indicative of a user-enabled alarm inhibit or a user-enabled bypass.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Foster Richetta, Michael Alan Tart, Thomas Franklin Kalb, Kyle Allan Farwell, Curtis Lee Hoffman
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Patent number: 9870547Abstract: Systems of demand and capacity management with machine-time accuracy are provided. The system includes an allocation planning module, an order management module, a capacity model, and a capacity management module. The allocation planning module receives a demand plan for a product. The capacity management module transforms the demand plan into a machine-time-based plan according to the capacity model, and reserves capacity according to the machine-time-based plan for the demand plan. The capacity management module further transforms a purchase order received by the order management module before a cutoff date for the product into a machine-time-based order, accepts the machine-time-based order and decreases the reservation capacity depending on the machine-time-based plan.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2009Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Inventors: Chung-Wen Wang, Chii-Ming M. Wu, Edwin Liou, Chiang-Sheng Chin
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Patent number: 9862034Abstract: A round hole machining method and a round-hole machining device in which machining can be accurately performed regardless of a residual stress caused by casting. An out-of-round hole machining device, which carries out inner diameter machining for a bore in a cast cylinder block includes the following: a stress deformation amount correspondence table that stores, for each portion of the cylinder block, a stress deformation amount based on stress that resides in the cylinder block during casting; a machining shape prediction section that predicts the machining shape on the basis of the stress deformation amount read from the stress deformation amount correspondence table; and a motor control unit that reverses the predicted machining shape with respect to a target shape and carries out reverse machining on a workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2014Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Jin Fukumitsu, Kenji Mori, Akihiro Nemoto, Takuro Kidani
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Patent number: 9862097Abstract: An industrial robot system includes an end effector connectable to a robot arm, a drive assembly, and a controller. The end effector includes a distal housing, a spindle assembly rotatable about a rotational axis, a drill bit rotatable about the rotational axis, and a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a first light source, a second light source, and a photosensitive array. The first light source produces a first fan of light which is projected as a first line of light on the object surface. The second light source produces a second fan of light, which is projected as a second line of light on the object surface. The photosensitive array detects a first reflection line corresponding to the first line of light and a second reflection line corresponding to the second line of light.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignees: Recognition Robotics, Inc., Zagar Inc.Inventors: Simon Melikian, Jeremy Hughes, Brian Zagar
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Patent number: 9857780Abstract: The present invention is a positioning work stop for use with a machine tool for and having a signaling means that operates as a placement indicator effective for providing a signal if the work piece to be machined is in its proper position for machining or for signaling if the work piece has shifted out of position for machining. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the positioning work stop comprises a stop member having a stop surface, a switch element, a signaling means, and a power supply that are electrically coupled such that the signaling means activates when the work piece is in its proper position for manufacturing and for signaling if the work piece has shifted out of position for machining.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: January 2, 2018Inventor: Daniel Reed
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Patent number: 9849633Abstract: A method for processing a three-dimensional (3D) mesh model includes receiving a 3D mesh model. One or more regions including a potential sharp cusp are automatically detected. The automatically detected one or more regions are displayed to a user and an active region of the 3D mesh model is defined by the user. Sphere fitting and Laplacian smoothing are applied to the designated active region to remove a sharp cusp therefrom and to obtain a modified 3D mesh model.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2014Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.Inventors: Erhan Arisoy, Suraj Ravi Musuvathy, Livio Dalloro
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Patent number: 9831810Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a system and method for regulating reactive power in a wind farm connected to a power grid so as to improve reactive speed-of-response of the wind farm. The method includes receiving a voltage feedback from the power grid and a voltage reference and calculating a linear voltage error as a function of the voltage feedback and the voltage reference. A further step includes generating a first output based on the linear voltage error via a first control path having a first voltage regulator. A further step includes determining a non-linear voltage error based on the linear voltage error via a second control path having a second voltage regulator. A second output is generated via the second control path based on the non-linear voltage error. As such, a reactive power command is generated as a function of the first and second outputs.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alfredo Sebastian Achilles, Einar Vaughn Larsen
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Patent number: 9827719Abstract: A method for fabricating custom surface reflectance and spatially-varying bi-directional reflectance distribution functions (BDRFs or svBRDFs). The 3D printing method optimizes micro-geometry to produce a normal distribution function (NDF) that can be printed on surfaces with a 3D printer. Particularly, the method involves optimizing the micro-geometry for a wide range of analytic NDFs and simulating the effective reflectance of the resulting surface. Using the results of the simulation, the appearance of an input svBRDF can be reproduced. To this end, the micro-geometry is optimized in a data-driven fashion and distributed on the surface of the printed object. The methods were demonstrated to allow 3D printing svBRDF on planar samples with current 3D printing technology even with a limited set of printing materials, and the described methods have been shown to be naturally extendable to printing svBRDF on arbitrary shapes or 3D objects.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.Inventors: Jan Kautz, Olivier Roullier, Bernd Bickel, Marc Alexa, Wojciech Matusik
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Patent number: 9822986Abstract: A system and method for controlling a boiler comprising a microcomputer operatively connected to a microcontroller wherein the microcontroller is configured to provide flame safeguard operations and the microcomputer is configured to provide operating control instructions to the microcontroller. The boiler control system may operate either in a stand-alone, cascade master or cascade slave configuration.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Harsco Technologies LLCInventors: Christopher Ellingwood, Andrew Demers, John Pollard, Mark Spiridigloizzi
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Patent number: 9806531Abstract: A control unit controls a reader/writer to generate a vehicle ID read signal that is formed of a high frequency signal and used to read a vehicle ID recorded in an ID circuit, and supply the signal to a high-pass filter. The read signal or a write signal formed of the high frequency signal is superimposed on a power supply line and supplied to the high-pass filter. The high-pass filter supplies the vehicle ID read signal formed of the high frequency signal to the ID circuit. On the basis of the read signal, the ID circuit reads the vehicle ID stored in an IC built in the own circuit and transmits it as a response signal to a charger along a reverse path. An authentication part of the control unit turns on a selector switch when the vehicle ID being the response signal is determined to be legitimate.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2012Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Takanori Washiro, Kazuyoshi Takemura, Isao Soma
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Patent number: 9798343Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for quantifying operating strategy energy usage. One embodiment describes an industrial control system that includes a tangible, non-transitory, computer readable medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a processor of the industrial control system.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Philip John Kaufman
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Patent number: 9791870Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for mitigating finished product temperature transients caused by changes in product flow, raw product temperature, or other disturbances in an aseptic sterilization process. The methods and systems include applying an energy balance feedforward control scheme to the aseptic sterilization process to compensate for raw product temperature changes and changes in product flow. The methods and systems prevent damage to a finished product from occurring based on adverse transient temperature responses of heaters and coolers in an aseptic sterilization process.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Nestec S.A.Inventor: Daniel Louis Cummings