Patents Examined by Robert Fennema
  • Patent number: 9696773
    Abstract: A network system is provided. The network system includes: at least one component selected from an energy receiving unit receiving energy and an energy management unit managing the energy receiving unit. The energy receiving unit or the energy management unit receives energy rate related information; an energy usage amount or a usage rate of when the component is controlled on the basis of at least the energy rate related information is less than that of when the component is controlled without the basis of at least energy rate related information; if the energy rate related information is high cost information, a function of one component constituting the energy receiving unit is limited; and an operating time or an output of the energy receiving unit is adjusted in correspondence to the limited function of one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Junho Ahn, Yanghwan Kim, Hoonbong Lee, Koonseok Lee, Seogho Go, Jonghee Han, Donghyun Kim
  • Patent number: 9698616
    Abstract: Systems and methods for restoring service within electrical power systems are disclosed. The methods may include identifying a restoration path for an outage area within a power system, selecting a mobile energy resource connection site that is electrically connected to the restoration path and/or the outage area, sending power injection requests to a plurality of mobile energy resources, at least some of which may be proximate the connection site, receiving power injection acceptances from participating ones of the plurality of mobile energy resources, and implementing the restoration path. The systems may include a processor and a computer readable storage medium having a plurality of machine-readable instructions embodied thereon and configured for execution by the processor to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Salman Mohagheghi, James Stoupis
  • Patent number: 9690312
    Abstract: The disclosure facilitates generation of energy-related revenue for an energy customer of an electricity supplier. The disclosure herein can be implemented to generate suggested operating schedules for energy assets that include a controllable energy asset, using an objective function. The objective function is determined based on a dynamic simulation model of the energy profile of the energy assets. The dynamic simulation model is adaptive to physical changes in the energy assets based at least in part on a physical model of the thermodynamic property of the at least one energy asset and at least in part on data representative of an operation characteristic of the controllable energy asset, a thermodynamic property of the energy assets, and/or a projected environmental condition. Energy-related revenue available to the energy customer is based at least in part on a wholesale electricity market or on a regulation market.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Viridity Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain P. Steven, Eunice Hameyie
  • Patent number: 9690283
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a number-of-same-rotation-speed-cutting-passes computing section that decides the number of same rotation speed cutting passes. The number-of-same-rotation-speed-cutting-passes computing section determines the cutting mode of a threading process based on a set machining program etc., and automatically decides an optimal number of same rotation speed cutting passes according to the cutting mode. Thus, even unskilled operators can easily suppress chatter vibrations, and can easily use the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Okuma Corporation, National University Corporation Nagoya University
    Inventors: Kohei Nishimura, Kiyoshi Yoshino, Shigeki Ueno, Eiji Shamoto
  • Patent number: 9690261
    Abstract: Robustly stabilizing controller bandwidth for a controlled mechanical system is determined as a function of the system's estimated inertia and dominant system parameters that define constraints on the bandwidth. In one or more embodiments, a bandwidth model is derived that defines a relationship between robustly stabilizing controller bandwidth and system gain over a range of reasonable system uncertainties. Using the model, a suitable controller bandwidth can be determined for a given motion control system given only estimates of the system gain and the dominant parameters(s) that constrain the bandwidth. In an example two-inertia system, the system gain and dominant parameter can comprise system inertia and mechanical coupling stiffness, respectively. Accordingly, estimates of the system inertia and coupling stiffness can be provided to the system, which determines a suitable controller bandwidth for the motion control system characterized by the estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: LINESTREAM TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Gang Tian, Ahmed H. El-Shaer
  • Patent number: 9690267
    Abstract: A power plant controller (36) is described. The power plant controller (36) controls a power generation system (10) having one or more power generators (12) and an energy storage system (22), and provides a utility grid or transmission system operator with the capability to select the droop response provided by the power generation system. Accordingly, an operator can request a specific generator droop response in order to provide appropriate frequency and grid control services. The power plant controller (36) operates in real time determining one or more power characteristics of the power generation system (10). Based on these characteristics and an indication of a future predicted power output for the power generation system, the power plant controller can take the necessary steps to ensure that the power generation system is capable of responding with the selected droop response, or can advise the operator that a different droop is preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Mohamed Haj-Maharsi, Jason Hoffman
  • Patent number: 9679823
    Abstract: A method of controlling polishing of a substrate is described. A controller stores a library having a plurality of reference spectra. The controller polishes a substrate and measures a sequence of spectra of light from the substrate during polishing. For each measured spectrum of the sequence of spectra, the controller finds a best matching reference spectrum from the plurality of reference spectra and generates a sequence of best matching reference spectra. The controller uses a cell counting technique for finding the best matching reference spectrum. The controller determines at least one of a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the sequence of best matching reference spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Kiran Lall Shrestha
  • Patent number: 9671764
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a control system including a sensing device capable of periodically driving a corresponding operation device based on a trigger policy, wherein the sensing device and the operation device have the same trigger policy stored therein. The control system is characterized in that the trigger policy at least includes a trigger code, a time data (such as “after 15 minutes”) and an operation data (such as “turn on a lamp”). When the sensing device detects a sensing signal, the sensing device generates and transmits a trigger instruction to the operation device. When the operation device determines that a trigger code carried in the trigger instruction matches with a second identification code stored therein, the operation device calculates an expiration time of the time data based on the current time, and then executes an action corresponding to the operation data at the expiration time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: D-LINK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hsiu-Ju Cheng, Ming-Han Liu
  • Patent number: 9671842
    Abstract: A control device for a plurality of distributed generators connected to a main grid, the control device including a load power measuring unit measuring power consumption of loads connected to the plurality of distributed generators, a distributed generator power measuring unit measuring power output from the plurality of distributed generators, a power flow reference value determining unit determining a power flow reference value of a power line connected to the main grid based on the power consumption and the power output from the plurality of distributed generators, and a mode control unit changing an operation mode of one of the plurality of distributed generators such that a flow power of the power line connected to the main grid maintains the power flow reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: LSIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Khanh-Loc Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9671840
    Abstract: In a method for designating cooling fan control management in a computing system, a processor causes one or more cooling fans to be managed by a first process, wherein the first process utilizes a first set of temperature sensors of a plurality of temperature sensors. A processor receives temperature data from a first set of temperature sensors. A processor determines a second process to manage the one or more cooling fans, based on the received temperature data from the first set of temperature sensors, wherein the second process utilizes a second set of temperature sensors of the plurality of temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anand Haridass, Prasanna Jayaraman, Tony E. Sawan
  • Patent number: 9671768
    Abstract: A smart building management system manages a building for providing smart analyses and strategies. The management system connects with plural hardware devices in the building and receives the data and statuses replied by the hardware devices, and further analyzes the maintenance statuses and energy consumption statuses of the hardware devices. Then the management system gathers the statistics of the total energy consumption statuses of the building according to the energy consumption statuses of the hardware devices. The management system receives the requests of users through a graphic user interface. The management system plans an energy-saving strategy based on the maintenance statuses of the hardware devices and the requests of users, and adjusts the hardware devices depending on the energy-saving strategy. Therefore, the total energy consumption statuses of the building meet an energy-saving target set by users in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Tien-Szu Lo, Meng-Seng Chen, Hsueh-Hsing Chao
  • Patent number: 9667607
    Abstract: A control apparatus is disclosed, including a first processor which can be connected to a network; and a second processor which includes a user interface, which is communicatively connected to the first processor, and which performs equipment control based on information input via the user interface and information obtained by the first processor from the network, wherein the first processor includes a communications control unit which conducts a protocol control and/or cryptographic process in communications via the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Mizunashi
  • Patent number: 9660442
    Abstract: A frequency regulation method for a grid which is performed by a control device that connects, through a communication network, a controller for controlling at least one load device and a storage battery. The frequency regulation method including: obtaining, when it is detected that a frequency of a grid deviates from a predetermined range, an instruction signal including a power instruction value for keeping the frequency of the grid within the predetermined range; and generating a control signal for controlling the load device when the load device is operable in accordance with the instruction signal, and transmitting the control signal to the controller, and generating a control signal for charging or discharging the storage battery when the load device is not operable in accordance with the instruction signal, and transmitting the control signal to the storage battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hanafusa
  • Patent number: 9651972
    Abstract: The priority of a demand regulating control for a device is changed in accordance with a simple operation by a consumer. A demand regulating system has an operation unit that selects from among a plurality of consumption devices, on the basis of priority information and a regulating quantity, a plurality of control-target devices, which are targeted for demand regulating control reducing consumption of the resource. A control unit executes the demand regulating control on the basis of a control instruction; and an input unit receives a first operation by the consumer, and transmits first request information requesting a change in the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices, to the operation unit in accordance with the first operation. The operation unit, upon receiving the first request information, specifies the plurality of control-target devices, and changes the priorities of the plurality of control-target devices in the priority information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Takahashi, Yasushi Tomita, Ikuma Sugamata, Maki Hayashi, Kahoru Kakimoto
  • Patent number: 9651271
    Abstract: This invention relates to methods and systems for controlling consumption, particularly power consumption, more particularly by appliances in a building, and is generally suitable for integration with building management systems. Embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems which probabilistically limit the aggregated power load of a plurality of climate control appliances in a building to a selected value, while seeking to minimize the deviation from target environmental conditions within the building. The embodiments of the invention propose distributed decision-making by individual devices based on projected deviation from the target conditions after a period of activity or inactivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignees: Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research, British Telecommunications plc, Emirates Telecommunications Corporation
    Inventors: Fabrice Saffre, Mark Shackleton, Hanno Hildmann, Sébastien Matthieu René Nicolas
  • Patent number: 9639413
    Abstract: Systems and methods for building automation system management are shown and described. The systems and methods relate to fault detection via abnormal energy monitoring and detection. The systems and methods also relate to control and fault detection methods for chillers. The systems and methods further relate to graphical user interfaces for use with fault detection features of a building automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kirk H. Drees, James P. Kummer
  • Patent number: 9640997
    Abstract: A power grid of renewable sources is stabilized. Inverters for connecting power sources, such as wind turbines, batteries, or photovoltaics, to a grid are used to damp grid oscillations. The damping is distributed to the inverters, but based on measurements for the grid rather than local measurements. The control of the damping is based on grid wide analysis, and the damping is performed proportionately by already existing inverters distributed throughout the grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Corporation
    Inventors: Divya Kurthakoti Chandrashekhara, Yaosuo Xue
  • Patent number: 9639073
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus, article of manufacture and method for discriminating between combined results of a plurality of elements. The apparatus includes: an assigning unit that assigns an element identification value to each of a plurality of basic elements, a generating unit that combines two or more basic elements, among the plurality of basic elements, so as to generate a combined element representing the two or more combined basic elements, and a calculating unit that merges, through an operation corresponding to an element combination method, a plurality of element identification values individually assigned to the plurality of basic elements contained in the combined element so as to calculate one element identification value for the combined element, where two elements are combined by an order-considered or ordered-ignored combination method, the calculating unit merges two corresponding element identification values through an operation where the commutative law holds or does not hold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Takayuki Yoshizumi
  • Patent number: 9639904
    Abstract: A method includes: calculating a load prediction arising from an power consumption entity over a prospective time period; calculating a predicted off-grid power supply from an off-grid power supply; minimizing, for a respective time interval, a calculated amount of electrical-power to import from a power grid, in accordance with output from a cost function; and, for at least one interval, importing, from the power grid, the corresponding calculated amount of electrical-power corresponding to the at least one interval. The cost function uses: (i) a multi-component time of use tariff schedule associated with the power grid that includes a first power rate during a prospective time period and second power rate during a second time period, (ii) the load prediction over the prospective time period, (iii) the predicted off-grid electrical-power supply over the prospective time period, (iv) a state of a rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: OPTERRA ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Osama Mohammed Idrees, David Sterling Potter, Eduardo Alberto Alegria
  • Patent number: 9639068
    Abstract: A control system including an input component configured to receive an input and generate control information in response to the input; a communication link coupled to the input component; and a plurality of control components, each of the control components coupled to the input component through the communication link and configured to receive the control information and to actuate an associated actuator in response to the control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: LEVITON MANUFACTURING CO., INC.
    Inventors: Richard A. Leinen, David E. Burgess, Scott Alexander Anderson, Kevin Parsons