Patents Examined by Michael W Choi
  • Patent number: 11892181
    Abstract: An HVAC system with an integrated source of outdoor air is provided. In one embodiment, an HVAC system includes an outdoor unit, having a compressor and a heat exchanger, and a ventilation unit to receive and provide outdoor air to a structure. The ventilation unit has a blower, a dehumidifying coil, and a reheat coil installed in a housing. The HVAC system also includes a first electronic expansion valve coupled outside the housing of the ventilation unit to control refrigerant flow into the dehumidifying coil and a second electronic expansion valve coupled outside the housing of the ventilation unit to control refrigerant flow into the reheat coil. An electronic expansion valve controller is connected to control operation of the first electronic expansion valve and the second electronic expansion valve. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Goodman Manufacturing Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kazuki Ikari, Keitaro Hoshika, Hideyuki Nakagawa, Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 11885508
    Abstract: A heating system is configured to optimize the speed and accuracy of the system in achieving various ambient air temperature setpoints, by modulating the heated water supply water setpoint to optimize the slope of the system's response curve. Optimized response curves are automatically determined by analyzing differences between ambient air temperatures over time in response to modulated supply water temperatures as they are reset upward or downward to achieve response times prioritized for improved occupant comfort. The controller of the heating system calculates a temperature slope, and adjusts the supply water setpoint to increase/decrease the speed of ambient temperature rise to achieve a desired slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Warmboard, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Wayne Alsberg, David Diepersloot
  • Patent number: 11886157
    Abstract: Operational optimization of an industrial plant that implements steam and power systems and that includes multiple equipment including a cogeneration system and a steam turbine includes, for each equipment, a computer system receives, during operation of each equipment, measured operational physical parameter values output by the equipment during operation. The computer system determines mass balance and energy balance parameters associated with the equipment using the received operational physical parameter values. The computer system validates an operation of the equipment using the determined mass balance and energy balance parameters. After validating mass balance and energy balance parameters for all the equipment, the computer system determines mass balance and energy balance parameters associated with the industrial plant using the parameters for each equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mana Mohammed Al-Owaidh, Abdulrahman M. Hazazi, Solomon C. Oji
  • Patent number: 11864659
    Abstract: A sleep concierge system is provided and includes a bedding assembly configured to assume multiple configurations with multiple settings and a computing device. The computing device is configured to communicate with the bedding assembly and to control the bedding assembly to assume a selected configuration with selected settings in in accordance with user inputs in response to a predefined event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DREAMWELL, LTD.
    Inventors: John-David Velilla, Lisa Barclay DiBenedetto
  • Patent number: 11860604
    Abstract: An analysis assistance apparatus 10 includes: a control program obtainment unit 11 that obtains a control program of a plant based on sensor data from a sensor installed in the plant; an event information obtainment unit 12 that obtains event information, which includes a variable that defines a state of the plant when a predetermined event has occurred and a value thereof, as information necessary for searching the control program for a safety barrier for avoiding the occurrence of the predetermined event in the plant; and a safety barrier search unit 13 that extracts, from the control program, a causal relationship between an input variable and an output variable, and searches the control program for the safety barrier based on the variable and the value included in the event information and on the extracted causal relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11860596
    Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, devices, and other techniques for implementing smart windows, smart home systems that include smart windows, and user devices and applications for control thereof. A smart window, or photovoltaic window, may include a photovoltaic configured to generate electrical power from incident light onto the photovoltaic window, store the electrical power, and send the electrical power to an electronics package or various electrical loads including a wireless communication system, sensors, or window functions. The photovoltaic window may communicate with various smart home system devices such as hub devices and user devices, which may include the reception of control data at the photovoltaic window and the transmission of sensor data captured by the window sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ubiquitous Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Miles C. Barr, Ian Millard, Rachel Molaro, Susan Stone, Veeral Hardev, Christopher Traverse, Anthony Sagneri, David Maikowski, Edwin Hathaway, Bradley J. Gleeson
  • Patent number: 11860611
    Abstract: A method via which it is possible to identify a limited operator control is identified, monitoring of a technical plant is performed and in which a process is controlled via a process control system that includes at least two operator station servers and at least one operator station client, wherein process objects associated with the process are distributed to process images of different operator station servers of the process control system, where for process monitoring, a graphical user interface for displaying plant images with symbols associated with the process objects is provided on the operator station client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Benjamin Lutz
  • Patent number: 11835931
    Abstract: To provide an information processing apparatus capable of enhancing an illegal action prevention effect by restricting an operation leading to an illegal action, an information processing method, and a storage medium. An information processing apparatus including a sensor data acquisition part configured to acquire sensor data output from a sensor, and a control part configured to restrict an operation on an object of interest when detecting a person who is likely to violate a predetermined rule after operating the object of interest on the basis of the sensor data, and to remove the restriction of the operation on the object of interest after giving a warning on the basis of the predetermined rule via a notification part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwanami
  • Patent number: 11835247
    Abstract: An air conditioning control device controls an air conditioning apparatus capable of changing an air environment of a target space. The air conditioning control device includes a first information grasping unit and a control unit. The first information grasping unit grasps a predetermined comfort-related value relating to comfort of a subject. The control unit controls the air conditioning apparatus so as to satisfy a predetermined discomfort condition based on the comfort-related value grasped by the first information grasping unit. An air conditioning apparatus includes the air conditioning control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiori Emoto, Atsushi Nishino, Satoshi Hashimoto, Shouta Hori, Junya Nakase, Toshiyuki Maeda
  • Patent number: 11826977
    Abstract: A transfer device transfers a workpiece by a transfer motion which is based on a transfer individual phase signal synchronized with a master phase signal, and includes: a setting unit that sets a point on a trajectory of a transfer bar as a switching point of a timing switch, the point on the trajectory being separated from a reference point on the trajectory by a designated distance designated by a user, and the trajectory being based on the transfer motion; and a signal output unit that outputs a timing signal to an external device at a timing when the transfer bar reaches the switching point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: AIDA ENGINEERING, LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Fujita, Sotoyuki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 11808467
    Abstract: Techniques for instantiating energy saving setpoint adjustments are described. In an example, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is controlled via a thermostat during a first time period according to a first temperature setpoint schedule including one or more temperature setpoints and a first usage amount of the HVAC system is monitored during the first time period. After it is determined that the first usage amount of the HVAC system during the first time period has met a first predefined HVAC runtime threshold criterion, a second temperature setpoint schedule is generated with at least one of the one or more temperature setpoints being adjusted to decrease energy usage by the HVAC system compared to the first temperature setpoint schedule. The HVAC system is then controlled via the thermostat during a second time period according to the second temperature setpoint schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Marco Bonvini, Kristoffer J. Donhowe, Ramya Bhagavatula, Eric Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11796205
    Abstract: A system and method for managing all of the HVAC components of a building so they operate like one optimized ecosystem. The system and method optimize HVAC operations by predicting HVAC requirements based historical data, weather forecasts and/or occupancy rates. Historical data includes data obtained from an observation phase in which sensor data is collected from the building and used to train the algorithms utilized in the system and method and thereby providing for a more accurate prediction of HVAC requirements. In some embodiments, the systems and methods are configured to predict future required operational parameters using an artificial intelligence engine trained using historical data from the HVAC components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: BRAINBOX AI INC.
    Inventor: Jean-Simon Venne
  • Patent number: 11796976
    Abstract: A zoned heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is controlled via a home automation hub. The home automation hub communicates commands to an air handler via either a zoning interface module or a specially adapted thermostat. The zoning interface module or specially adapted thermostat are programmed to send commands to the air handler based on a default strategy whenever communication with the hub is lost, thereby mitigating the impact of a hub failure of communications failure. The zoning interface module additionally forwards commands from the hub to zone dampers. A user may conveniently indicate the type of equipment by inserting a removable terminal label from a set of provided removable terminal labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventor: Reid Alan Baldwin
  • Patent number: 11795804
    Abstract: A drilling device may use a concurrent path planning process to create a path from a starting location to a destination location within a subterranean environment. The drilling device can receive sensor data. A probability distribution can be generated from the sensor data indicating one or more likely materials compositions that make up each portion of the subterranean environment. The probability distribution can be sampled, and for each sample, a drill path trajectory and drill parameters for the trajectory can be generated. A trained neural network may evaluate each trajectory and drill parameters to identify the most ideal trajectory based on the sensor data. The drilling device may then initiate drilling operations for a predetermined distance along the ideal trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Landmark Graphics Corporation
    Inventors: Yashas Malur Saidutta, Srinath Madasu, Shashi Dande, Keshava Prasad Rangarajan, Raja Vikram R. Pandya, Jeffrey M. Yarus, Robello Samuel
  • Patent number: 11790247
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided. The computer-implemented includes a data-driven model and a robust closure model stored in a memory by using a processor for controlling a system. The computer-implemented method includes steps of acquiring sensor signals from at least one sensor of the system via an interface, computing a state of the system based on the sensor signals, determining a gain of the robust closure model based on the state of the system, reproducing a state of the system based on the determined gain, estimating a physics-based model of the system by combining the data-driven model and the robust closure model, and generating control commands by mapping the state of the system using the estimated physics-based model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Mouhacine Benosman, Saleh Nabi
  • Patent number: 11791631
    Abstract: A system enabling localized intelligent control with communication and coordination at local subsections of a power grid with information transfer to utility for supervisory control is disclosed. The disclosure extends the control and communication capability within, at the edge, and outside the edge of the power grid using intelligent and self-aware FACTS devices. Aspects of the disclosure enable control of a distribution network, energy storage systems and generation sources as an integrated system allowing optimization of power grid operation from generation to distribution. This control capability further enables a supervisory utility to implement and manage policy issues, such as standard compliance, carbon emission reduction, right-of-way management, and conformance to environmental regulations, such as EMI compliance, noise reduction, etc. This also allows the supervisory utility to optimize energy cost, network reliability, and asset utilization and life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Smart Wires Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Kreikebaum, Haroon Inam
  • Patent number: 11788749
    Abstract: A multi-unit air conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units each of which causes a notification unit of the indoor unit to operate in response to a notification signal from a control device. When at least one indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units is malfunctioning, the at least one indoor unit each transmits a malfunction occurred signal which includes identification information of the indoor unit to the control device. If the control device cannot check operation of the notification unit of each of the malfunctioning at least one indoor unit by a response signal corresponding to the transmitted notification signal, the control device transmits a notification signal to an indoor unit to which a notification signal has not been transmitted among the plurality of indoor units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Maki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11754296
    Abstract: A system for heating a building, including a heat generator to heat a carrier fluid, at least one radiating element for transferring heat to a thermal load included in a building, a delivery conduit for transferring the carrier fluid from the heat generator to the radiating element, a return conduit for transferring the carrier fluid from the radiating element to the heat generator, a three-way valve arranged along the delivery conduit and connected to the return conduit, the three-way valve being operable to mix the carrier fluid in the delivery conduit to the carrier fluid in the return conduit, a plurality of temperature sensors arranged to measure the temperature of the carrier fluid and a temperature of the environment outside the building, and a control unit operatively connected to the heat generator, to the three-way valve and to the temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: ALPERIA GREEN FUTURE S.r.l.
    Inventors: Luca Barboni, Giorgia Farella, Giovanni Bartucci, Alessandro Fonti, Francesco Cocchioni, Alessandro Bellini
  • Patent number: 11757675
    Abstract: A mechanism is described for facilitating portable, reusable, and shareable Internet of Things-based services and resources according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes wherein receiving a recipe request for selecting a recipe relating to Internet of Things (IoT) services, where selecting includes at least one of searching the recipe and modifying the recipe. The method may further include selecting the recipe, where the recipe includes a set of resource requirements and business logic. The method may further include modifying the set of resource requirements, where the modified set of resource requirements is associated with the business logic to modify the recipe, and deploying the modified recipe at one or more computing devices, where the modified recipe to facilitate management for one or more IoT devices at one or more locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Shao-Wen Yang, Nyuk Kin Koo, Yen-Kuang Chen
  • Patent number: 11747037
    Abstract: A building system of a building includes an in-zone plume control system located within a zone of the building, the in-zone plume control system including one or more return air inlets comprising openings to receive one or more air plumes generated by one or more users. The in-zone plume control system includes one or more exhaust outlets configured to exhaust the one or more air plumes, a filter, and a fan configured to draw the one or more air plumes in through the one or more return air inlets, through the filter, and out through the one or more exhaust outlets back into the zone, wherein the filter is configured to filter the one or more air plumes to remove particles from the one or more air plumes before returning the one or more air plumes to the zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Douglas, Kirk H. Drees, Clay G. Nesler