Patents Examined by Steven Garland
  • Patent number: 8930010
    Abstract: A manufacturing system and method for manufacturing a product include storing product-related information with the product. The product-related information may be stored on one or more tags secured to a portion of the product and may be used to facilitate or control an aspect of manufacturing. During manufacturing, product-related information may be updated, for example, to reflect completion of a manufacturing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Philip C. Hanses, Michael A. Drago
  • Patent number: 8914143
    Abstract: System and method for handling substrates in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for handling substrates in a lithography manufacturing process includes a plurality of porous chucks positioned above a substrate for imaging, a plurality of pressure sources configured to apply pressured air towards the substrate through the plurality of porous chucks, a plurality of vacuums configured to apply suction force away from the substrate, and a controller with control logic configured to hold the substrate in place by controlling the pressured air applied by the plurality of pressure sources and the suction force generated by the plurality of vacuums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kaskey, Thomas Laidig, Dave Markle, Jang-Fung Chen
  • Patent number: 8909384
    Abstract: A computing apparatus is configured to operate under multiple operational policies. In a method for controlling the computing apparatus, a plurality of sensors are correlated with a plurality of actuators. An operational policy of the multiple operational policies is selected to implement and input from the plurality of sensors is received. The inputs are analyzed to identify at least one of the plurality of actuators to be manipulated based upon the correlation and the selected operational policy to implement. In addition, at least one of the identified plurality of actuators is manipulated based upon the selected operational policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Abdlmonem H. Beitelmal, Chandrakant D. Patel, Mehrban Jam
  • Patent number: 8903534
    Abstract: A set of two-dimensional layers is determined based on a digital three-dimensional model. An image corresponding to each of the layers is rendered on each of a corresponding number of sheets of at least partially transparent material. The sheets of material are assembled together to produce a three-dimensional structure corresponding to the digital model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Holroyd, Ilya Baran, Jason Davis Lawrence, Wojciech Matusik
  • Patent number: 8903552
    Abstract: Controllers and methods are disclosed for aiding a user in programming a schedule of a programmable controller. In an illustrative embodiment, a guided programming routine can be activated by a user, which then guides a user through two or more screens that are designed to collect sufficient information from the user to generate and/or update at least some of the schedule parameters of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventors: John B. Amundson, Heidi J. Finch, Brent D. Vick
  • Patent number: 8892238
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for shaping an edge at a juncture of two adjoining surfaces of a part. A first surface and a second surface of the part are abraded by contacting a polishing surface of a polishing wheel to the first surface and to the second surface. The polishing surface spins in opposite rotational directions about an axis parallel to the edge when contacting the first and second surfaces respectively. The polishing surface moves at different translational speeds and the polishing wheel spins at different rotational speeds along straight segments and along curved segments of the edge. The shaped edge has a visually smooth and geometrically uniform appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Inventors: Edward T. Sweet, Roberto Ortega, Andrew Davidson, Simon Lancaster, Thomas Johannessen
  • Patent number: 8892263
    Abstract: A method and system detects and resolves impending failures in a sump pump, such as failures in a motor of the sump pump and soft mechanical failures. To detect failures in the motor, the method and system may analyze the electrical load waveform of the motor to identify signatures that may indicate potential problems with the motor. To detect soft mechanical failures, the method and system may measure the current water level in a sump basin, which houses the sump pump. The current water level may be determined by a water level sensor placed slightly above the high water level mark in the sump basin. To resolve the detected failures, the method and system may activate a mechanical shaker, which may be attached or integrated with the sump pump, that produces vibrations to physically shake the sump pump. If the failures cannot be resolved by the mechanical shaker, the method and system may send an alert message to notify a user of the situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Scott C. Morris, Shawn M. Call, Jackie O. Jordan, II
  • Patent number: 8880230
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of operating a wind park having a plurality of wind power installations. A wind power installation includes an electrical energy storage means associated with the wind power installation to store electrical energy which is consumed for starting up the wind power installation after stoppage and consumed for emergency shutdown of the wind power installation. In some embodiments, the wind power installation includes a control system to control taking of energy from the electrical energy storage means for an emergency shutdown procedure such that a sufficient emergency shutdown reserve is maintained in the electrical energy storage means to start a first wind power installation without consuming energy from a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Patent number: 8868247
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a policy coordination device receives soft policies from a plurality of localized energy consumption control devices, and examines the received soft policies to determine corresponding energy consumption. From this, the policy coordination device creates a global policy to reduce overall peak energy consumption between the received soft policies. As such, the policy coordination device transmits corresponding policy control commands to one or more of the plurality of localized energy consumption control devices based on the global policy. In another embodiment, a particular localized energy consumption control device discloses its soft policies and in response, receives a policy control command from the policy coordination device to control operation of one or more energy consuming devices (within soft limits of the soft policies) based on the global policy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, David I. Leimbrock, Richard G. Geiger
  • Patent number: 8855791
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that enable high-level and abstract business engines to affect and influence plant-floor or industrial operations via dynamic and flexible operator interfaces. In a similar manner, actions directed from the operator interfaces can be communicated to higher level decision components of an enterprise to facilitate automated control and dynamics of the enterprise. In one aspect, an industrial automation system is provided. The system includes one or more controllers to process transaction events in an industrial automation environment. One or more operator interface components are provided that automatically adapt interface control functionality based on the transaction events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sujeet Chand, Stephen C Briant, Kenwood H Hall, Gavan W Hood, John J Baier, Michael D Kalan
  • Patent number: 8849463
    Abstract: A fan array fan section in an air-handling system includes a plurality of fan units arranged in a fan array and positioned within an air-handling compartment. One preferred embodiment may include an array controller programmed to operate the plurality of fan units at peak efficiency by computing the power consumed in various configurations and selecting the configuration requiring minimum power to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Huntair, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence G. Hopkins, Brian James Motland, Matthew Alan Gassaway
  • Patent number: 8831784
    Abstract: An automated building monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of apparatuses in a building, includes: a plurality of controllers for controlling the plurality of apparatuses; a controlling platform for providing control-setting information; and a controlling server connected to the controllers and the controlling platform for receiving and storing the control-setting information provided by the controlling platform, and obtaining real-time data of the controllers or real-time data of the apparatuses via the controllers, the controlling server controlling the controllers to control the apparatuses based on the control-setting information and the real-time data of the controllers or the apparatuses. When the controlling platform is abnormal or is abnormally connected to the controlling server, the controlling server continuously monitors the apparatuses in the building based on the stored real-time data of the controllers or the apparatuses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Yu Wang, Ming-Hsien Pan, Chin-Hsuan Chang
  • Patent number: 8831765
    Abstract: The instant disclosure provides a method for operating an automatic handling system applied to many wafer processing apparatuses. When a OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) vehicle is moved to one of the wafer processing apparatuses, the OHT vehicle can ask a OHT control module whether a wafer carrier device can be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus. There are two judgment methods as follows: (1) If there is another wafer carrier device already disposed on the wafer processing apparatus, the OHT control module will inform the OHT vehicle that the wafer carrier device cannot be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus; (2) If there is no any wafer carrier device disposed on the wafer processing apparatus, the OHT control module will inform the OHT vehicle that the wafer carrier device can be unloaded from the OHT vehicle onto the wafer processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Inotera Memories, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsan-I Chen, Jung-Pin Lai
  • Patent number: 8812145
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides techniques and systems for modeling mask errors based on aerial image sensitivity. During operation, the system can receive an uncalibrated process model which includes a mask error modeling term which is based at least on an aerial image sensitivity to mask modifications which represent mask errors. Next, the system can fit the uncalibrated process model using measured CD data. Note that the mask error modeling term can also be dependent on the local and/or long-range pattern density. In some embodiments, the mask error modeling term can include an edge bias term and a corner rounding term. The edge bias term can be based on the sensitivity of the aerial image intensity to an edge bias, and the corner rounding term can be based on the sensitivity of the aerial image intensity to a corner rounding adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongfa Fan, JenSheng Huang
  • Patent number: 8781609
    Abstract: A system, method, and device for generating a signal processing network for deployment on a motion control system are disclosed. The exemplary system may have a module that supplies one or more signal processing units represented in data format using existing compiled and linked code. Another module provides a dedicated interface with the motion control system. The system may also have a module that supplies each signal processing unit with multiple inputs and multiple outputs and a module that routes the inputs and the outputs between the one or more signal processing units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Schiffer, Stephen J. Yutkowitz
  • Patent number: 8774973
    Abstract: In a device for controlling an electromagnetic valve, input device(s) write a multitude of measured values for the current and/or the voltage into a first memory to represent a characteristic. Analysis device(s) perform a state analysis and/or a change-over-time analysis. On the basis of the state analysis and/or the change-over-time analysis, evaluation device(s) correct at least one control variable, which characterizes the control, and write it into a second memory. Control device(s) control an output stage on the basis of the control variables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jan Kaluza, Horst Kleinknecht
  • Patent number: 8774958
    Abstract: Values are selected for a plurality of controllable parameters of a chemical mechanical polishing system that includes a carrier head with a plurality of zones to apply independently controllable pressures on a substrate. Data is stored relating variation in removal profile on a front surface of the substrate to variation in the controllable parameters, the data including removal at a plurality of positions on the front surface of the substrate, there being a greater number of positions than chambers. A value is determined for each parameter of the plurality of controllable parameters to minimize a difference between a target removal profile and an expected removal profile calculated from the data relating variation in removal profile on a front surface of the substrate to variation in the parameters. The value for each parameter of the plurality of controllable parameters is stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huanbo Zhang, Garrett Ho Yee Sin, King Yi Heung, Nathan Bohannon, Qing Zhang
  • Patent number: 8768501
    Abstract: Methods and systems for the fabrication and application of Magnetically Actuated Propellers (MAPs) are described. MAPs are structures with typical feature sizes in the range of 20 nanometers up to 100 microns in one spatial dimension. MAPs are propellers that can be obtained from nano-structured surfaces and that can be produced in large numbers. MAPs are propelled and controlled by magnetic fields. The MAPs are optimized for low Reynolds number propulsion and can be moved in fluids and biological tissues. MAPs are useful for measurements, quantification, imaging and sensing purposes e.g. detecting biomolecules and for the controlled transportation of (drug- and bio-) molecules and the delivery of microscopic and nanoscale objects and/or materials or systems of therapeutic value. The MAPs are formed on a substrate and the released from the substrate using sonication, vibration, agitation, dissolution or etching which allows the MAPs to be produced in large numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenscaften e.V. (MPG)
    Inventors: Peer Fischer, Ambarish Ghosh
  • Patent number: 8755942
    Abstract: An HVAC controller and a method of controlling an HVAC system. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) a processor couplable to at least one indoor air quality sensor to receive values therefrom representing at least three levels of indoor air quality and (2) memory coupled to the processor and configured to store a software program capable of causing the processor to control an HVAC system based on magnitudes of the values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Lennox Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Absalon Bonilla, Carlos O. Chamorro, Richard A. Mauk
  • Patent number: 8731691
    Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates utilizing a human machine interface (HMI). An interface component can facilitate receipt of data. A human machine interface (HMI) component communicatively coupled to the interface component can include a device with a pre-programmed primitive; the device employs a user-defined functionality via the received data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert F. Lloyd