Patents Examined by Nathan Laughlin
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Patent number: 8731702Abstract: In mill stands of a continuous rolling train, a product passes through the train is rolled such that the product upon leaving the train has predetermined final characteristics. To remove one of the stands, the mill stand to be removed is completely relieved of load according to a defined temporal load relieving sequence. Locally simultaneously with the load relieving, at least one other mill stand is placed under load according to a defined temporal loading sequence. The load-relieving and loading sequence are mutually adjusted to preserve the final product characteristics. A circumferential roll velocity is controlled until the stand has been completely relieved such that a discharge velocity corresponds always to a predetermined desired discharge velocity. After the complete load-relieving, a correspondence of the circumferential roll velocity to the desired discharge velocity is maintained and the working rolls are lifted off. The mill stand is then deactivated.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hans-Joachim Felkl, Andreas Maierhofer
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Patent number: 8731690Abstract: The invention relates to the control, for example the creation or modification of a lighting scene with a lighting system, and the invention particularly relates to a more easily and user oriented controlling of the creation and modification of the lighting scene.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: George Frederic Yianni, Mikhail Sorokin, Gertjan Cornelis Schouten
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Patent number: 8725298Abstract: The disclosure provides an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. In one embodiment the network includes a subnet controller, a system device and a gateway. The controller is configured to publish control messages over a data bus. The system device is configured to receive the messages and to provide an HVAC service in response to the messages. A gateway is configured to provide access by a remote user to the network. The access includes operating the network to generate diagnostic data and retrieving the diagnostic data via the gateway.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Lennox Industries, Inc.Inventor: Timothy E. Wallaert
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Patent number: 8718827Abstract: A monitoring system for distributed utilities. A generation device is provided for converting an available resource to a desired utility; the resource may be water, in which case the generator is a purifier for providing potable water, or, alternatively, the generator may convert a fuel to electrical power. In either case, an input sensor is provided for measuring input to the generation device, while an output sensor is provided for measuring consumption of output from the generation device. The monitoring system has a controller for concatenating measured input and consumption of output on the basis of the input and output sensors. Measured parameters are telemetered to a remote site where utility generation and use are monitored and may also be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2004Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: DEKA Products Limited PartnershipInventors: Dean Kamen, Jason A. Demers, Kingston Owens
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Patent number: 8694144Abstract: A difference between a first expected required polish time for a first substrate and a second expected required polish time for a second substrate is determined using a first pre-polish thickness and a second pre-polish thickness measured at an in-line metrology station. A duration of an initial period is determined based on the difference between the first expected required polish time and the second expected required polish time. For the initial period at a beginning of a polishing operation, no pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a lesser expected required polish time while simultaneously pressure is applied to whichever of the first substrate and the second substrate has a greater expected required polish time. After the initial period, pressure is applied to both the first substrate and the second substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alain Duboust, Stephen Jew, David H. Mai, Huyen Tran, Wen-Chiang Tu, Shih-Haur Shen, Jimin Zhang, Ingemar Carlsson, Boguslaw A. Swedek, Zhihong Wang
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Patent number: 8666558Abstract: A power outage restoration system manages a power network including a plurality of switching devices. The power outage restoration system includes an outage management system having a network model of said power network. A plurality of local restoration controllers are in communication with the outage management system and each said local restoration controller includes a trimmed network model correlating to a respective area of responsibility.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.Inventors: Zhenyuan Wang, James Stoupis, Vaibhav Donde, Wenping Li, William Peterson
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Patent number: 8660705Abstract: A soil moisture based irrigation system includes a stand alone irrigation controller with a seasonal adjust feature and a stand alone weather station including at least one soil moisture sensor. The soil moisture based irrigation system further includes a stand alone soil moisture control unit operatively connected to the irrigation controller and the soil moisture sensor. The soil moisture control unit includes programming configured to calculate an estimated soil moisture requirement value using a signal from the soil moisture sensor and to automatically modify a watering schedule of the irrigation controller through the seasonal adjust feature based on the estimated soil moisture requirement value to thereby conserve water while maintaining plant health.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.Inventors: Peter J. Woytowitz, Jeffery J. Kremicki, LaMonte D. Porter
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Patent number: 8660682Abstract: Paper and continuous web scanners operate at varying and high temperature conditions. Regulating the temperature within the measurement gap between dual scanner heads during measurement and calibration modes of operation by employing air wipe and sheet guide temperature control assures consistent and accuracy sensor measurements of sheet characteristics. Air wipes blow pre-heated air into the measurement and the sheet guides are heated. The air temperature fluctuations that otherwise caused significant adverse effects on the sensors that measure, for example, the basis weight, ash content, and thickness of the moving sheet, are eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2010Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Honeywell ASCa Inc.Inventors: Gertjan Hofman, Ron Beselt
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Patent number: 8655461Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes receiving input for a simulation model, the simulation model including a sensor. The method includes concurrently executing the simulation model and control code for a simulated physical controller, where the control code interacts with the simulation model according to a state of the sensor. The method includes generating revised control code based on the executed simulation model and control code, and generating controller-specific control code based on the revised control code. The method includes executing the simulation model and the controller-specific control code, the controller-specific control code interacting with the simulation model.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.Inventors: Roland Schneider, Richard Gary McDaniel
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Patent number: 8655501Abstract: Systems associated with moving heat out of a computer are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a large heat exchanger, large, quiet, automatically redundant fans, automatically redundant pumps, and a leak containment apparatus. The example system may also include logics for selectively controlling air flow, liquid flow, and flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2009Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, Robert B. Curtis, David W. Sherrod
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Patent number: 8630724Abstract: Techniques for implementing system best practices are provided. In one aspect, a method for monitoring, modeling and managing a physical system is provided. The method includes the following steps. A physical data model of the physical system is provided. Real time data is obtained from the physical system. The physical data model is updated based on the real time data. An analytic model of the physical system is created based on the updated physical data model. Operation of the physical system is controlled based on output from the analytic model.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2009Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hendrik F. Hamann, Jon Lenchner, Andrew Stepanchuk
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Patent number: 8620461Abstract: A method and system for updating tuning parameters associated with a controller without repetitive compilation of a controller code. The controller code represents an algorithm associated with the controller and can be compiled separately from a data set representing a solution for an optimization problem and also from a data set representing parameters required for prediction. The algorithm can be implemented in a programming language code suitable for implementation on an embedded platform or other types of computer platforms. The data sets can be represented in a specified data structure and the variables associated with the data structure can be declared in the controller template code. The variables can be updated independently without varying the compiled code associated with the controller algorithm that is referring to the variables. The controller can also be updated while the controller actively performs online.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2009Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.Inventor: Dejan Kihas
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Patent number: 8620486Abstract: An expandable data center is provided. The expandable data center includes a first movable container, a second movable container coupling with the first movable container, and a plurality of racks disposed within the first movable container and the second movable container. The size of the second movable container is less than that of the first movable container, so that the second movable container can be moved into the first movable container when a vehicle carries the first movable container and the second movable container from a place to another place. A plurality of sensors and/or detectors are disposed within the first movable container and the second movable container, respectively, for sensing and/or detecting one or more environmental parameters in the first and the second movable containers. A method for deploying a data center is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2010Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.Inventor: Bruce C. H. Cheng
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Patent number: 8606374Abstract: Systems and methods for modeling the behavior of an enclosure for use by a control system of an HVAC system are described. A model for the enclosure that describes the behavior of the enclosure for use by the control system is updated based on a weather forecast data. The weather forecast data can include predictions more than 24 hours in the future, and can include predictions such as temperature, humidity and/or dew point, solar output, precipitation. The model for the enclosure can also be updated based on additional information and data such as historical weather data such as temperature, humidity, wind, solar output and precipitation, occupancy data, such as predicted and/or detected occupancy data, calendar data, and data from the one or more weather condition sensors that sense current parameters such as temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation, and/or solar output.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Nest Labs, Inc.Inventors: Anthony Michael Fadell, Matthew Lee Rogers, Kipp Avery Rogers, Abraham K. Ishihara, Shahar Ben-Menahem, Rangoli Sharan
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Patent number: 8606416Abstract: A system and method of controlling an electricity generating system that includes at least one intermittent energy source generating plant are disclosed. An exemplary method includes calculating actual operating parameters of the at least one intermittent energy source generating plant; calculating forecast operating parameters of the at least one intermittent energy source generating plant; generating intermittent energy source contingency definitions from such actual operating parameters and forecast operating parameters; analysing the intermittent energy source contingency definitions to provide contingency analyses; and controlling the electricity generating system in dependence upon such contingency analyses.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.Inventors: Mats Larsson, Adrian Timbus, Carsten Franke, Jorge Naccarino
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Patent number: 8600558Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods of employing a first subnet controller in an HVAC network. The method comprises conveying a fixed parameter from a first networked device in the HVAC system to the first subnet controller, conveying a variable parameter from the first networked device in the HVAC system to the first subnet controller, and providing an option to a user to modify the variable parameter.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Lennox Industries Inc.Inventor: Wojciech Grohman
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Patent number: 8600569Abstract: An ET based irrigation system includes a stand alone irrigation controller with a seasonal adjust feature and a stand alone weather station including at least one environmental sensor. The ET based irrigation system further includes a stand alone ET unit operatively connected to the irrigation controller and the weather station. The ET unit includes programming configured to calculate an estimated ET value using a signal from the environmental sensor and to automatically modify a watering schedule of the irrigation controller through the seasonal adjust feature based on the estimated ET value to thereby conserve water while maintaining plant health.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Hunter Industries, Inc.Inventors: Peter J. Woytowitz, Christopher M. Shearin
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Patent number: 8600557Abstract: A first communication section in an optical communication interface communicates with outdoor units and indoor units using a first communication method. A central management controller communicates with the optical communication interface using the first communication method and manages the outdoor units and the indoor units according to the first communication method. A second method communication section in a second communication method indoor unit of a different manufacturer communicates with a second method communication section in a second communication method outdoor unit using a second communication method. The optical communication interface and the second communication method indoor unit exchange information by optical communication with each other using respective optical communication sections.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2006Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Hirotaka Masui, Hidesuke Hayakawa
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Patent number: 8577494Abstract: Disclosed herein is technology for, among other things, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a control system and a control method therefor, by which a target parameter that is measured from a wafer processed with a plurality of processing parameters that are processing conditions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to process a wafer, a multiple classification analysis is performed with the plurality of processing parameters and the target parameter to calculate a model formula expressing the target parameter in a selected parameter, a predicted value of the target parameter of the wafer being processed by use of the model formula is calculated, while the processing is being performed, the processing parameters of the processing is modified on the basis of the predicted value, and the processing is continuously performed.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2011Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Spansion LLCInventors: Kazuhiro Miwa, Kazuhiro Watanabe, Akito Mifune
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Patent number: 8560110Abstract: An electroerosion control system includes a general CNC controller being configured for controlling a general CNC machine process, a power supply for energizing a tool electrode and a workpiece to be machined, an electroerosion controller electrically connecting with the power supply for controlling an output of the power supply, and adaptively and electrically connecting with the general CNC controller for communication thereof, and a sensor sensing real-time status information of a working gap between the tool electrode and the workpiece and for sending said real-time status information to said electroerosion controller. Said electroerosion controller automatically controls the electroerosion machining process through the general CNC controller according to the real-time status information of the working gap.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2010Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yimin Zhan, Renwei Yuan, Garth M. Nelson, Yuanfeng Luo, Jun Cai, Ugo Cantelli