Patents Examined by Thomas Stevens
  • Patent number: 8600523
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an operation of a coordinate measuring device, at least one operational parameter is determined. One value of the operational parameter is allocated to a plurality of components. A sequence for determining the operational parameter is provided for the majority of the components. The method for determining the operational parameter in the predetermined sequence for each component is now described. It starts with the component that is first in the sequence: i) if the value of the operational parameter is allocated to the component, the value is adopted as a value of the operational parameter that is available for the operation, ii) if no value of the operational parameter is allocated to the components, one available value of the operational parameter that was available until then still remains available, iii) if another component is provided in the sequence, the method is carried out with the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Industrielle Messtechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Otto Ruck
  • Patent number: 8600568
    Abstract: A system is provided to control fluid flow in a wastewater treatment system. The wastewater treatment system may include a wastewater treatment plant and a main that connects a plurality of pump stations to the wastewater treatment plant. Each of the plurality of pump stations may include a wet well and a pump carried by the wet well to pump the wastewater. The system may include a central server and a sensor in communication with the central server to sense a level of wastewater within the wet well. The pump may be moved to an on position when the level of the wastewater in the wet well is at or above a first level. The level of wastewater within the wet well may be systematically manipulated responsive to the central server to control the fluid flow in the wastewater treatment system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Data Flow Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Smaidris
  • Patent number: 8594851
    Abstract: Reductions in energy consumption and maintenance requirements for operating a wastewater treatment plant are achieved by controlling the operation of pumps at pump stations along a force main in a systematic fashion. The operation of the pumps is controlled to manage the flow of wastewater along the force main to minimize energy consumption, to eliminate sediment, to manage peak pressures encountered by smaller pumps and to avoid septic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Data Flow Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas F. Smaidris
  • Patent number: 8594822
    Abstract: Electronic supervision may be provided. First, a stock number may be sent to a database server. The stock number may correspond to an electrical cable. In response to sending the database server the stock number, specification information corresponding to the product may be received from a database stored on the database server. The specification information may be, for an electrical cable, a number of wires, a weight per thousand feet, and a diameter. Next, product production may be monitored to determine faults occurring during production. Monitoring the production may include displaying a data monitoring screen to production personnel. The data monitoring screen may provide data regarding the product and product comparison against a standard maintained within the database for the product. Fault data corresponding to the determined faults occurring during the production may be saved to the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Southwire Company
    Inventors: Jackie McGuinn, Tom Stephens, Steve Wilson, Stephen Logan, Mike Crumpler, Alon Stewart, Hugh Butler
  • Patent number: 8594831
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a conversational automatic programming device or the like capable of generating an NC program in a simpler manner and in a shorter period of time. The automatic programming device is provided with, a machining-profile setting processor in which based on data for specifying a geometric entity selected as a contour shape of a machined portion, out of geometric entities of a geometry defined by two-dimensional CAD data, the geometric entity corresponding to the data is recognized, and based on the recognized geometric entity, a machining profile which is the contour shape of the machined portion is set; a CL-data generating processor for generating tool path data based on the set machining profile; and an NC-program generating processor for generating an NC program based on the generated tool path data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bingyan Zhao, Jui-jen Chuang, Jiewu Lu, Meng Wang
  • Patent number: 8577488
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of optimizing self-supporting film production. The method includes the steps of: determining at least one scrap factor which relates to a total amount of scrap in processing a film product; correlating the at least one scrap factor to at least one processing parameter; and adjusting the at least one processing parameter to reduce the total amount of scrap in processing the film product. The present invention also relates to a system for optimizing film production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: MonoSol Rx, LLC
    Inventor: Beuford A. Bogue
  • Patent number: 8560139
    Abstract: An automatic flow control apparatus includes a solar cell module that provides a received light signal, an energy storage module, a charging circuit, a regulating module, a control module, a rainfall detection module for generating a detected rainfall signal, and a pair of conductors. The control module converts the received light signal and the detected rainfall signal into measured light data and measured rainfall data, and stores a measured data set that includes the measured light data and the measured rainfall data. The controller determines based on at least the measured data set whether to output a control signal to the regulating module for controlling regulation of fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: Tung-Teh Lee
  • Patent number: 8554389
    Abstract: A thermal manager has a digital filter whose input is to receive raw temperature values from a sensor and whose output is to provide processed or filtered temperature values according to a filter function that correlates temperature at the sensor with temperature at another location in the device. The thermal manager has a look-up table that further correlates temperature at the sensor with temperature at the other location. The look-up table contains a list of processed temperature sensor values, and/or a list of temperatures representing the temperature at the other location, and their respective power consumption change commands. The thermal manager accesses the look-up table using selected, filtered temperature values, to identify their respective power consumption change commands. The latter are then evaluated and may be applied, to mitigate a thermal at the other location. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Cox, Andrew Bradley Just, Matthew G. Watson, Eric Albert, David Matthew Powers, Daniel Ariel West, Donald J. Novotney, Michael F. Culbert
  • Patent number: 8548637
    Abstract: Systems and methods for associating a load demand with a variable power generation are described. For example, a method of providing power from a renewable resource includes receiving a signal including an output capability value for a renewable variable power generation module. An input power demand value is calculated for a load demand module based on the output capability value of the received signal. A customer load is controlled on a power transmission and distribution grid based on the calculated input power demand value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: Carl J. S. Lenox
  • Patent number: 8543237
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method are presented for finding positional relationships and geometrical changes of at least one rotating part attached to or forming part of a machine when the part is in a rotating mode. In the apparatus and method, geometrical changes of the part caused by its state of production and use, determine any locations on the rotating part which exhibit contaminants, and subsequently remove or compensate effects of such contaminants present on the rotating part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Conoptica AS
    Inventors: Gudmunn Slettemoen, Christian Askeland, Espen Stenberg, Torstein Osa Greger, Jean-Philippe Besuchet
  • Patent number: 8543249
    Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system is provided for designing improved intelligent, LED-based lighting systems. The LED based lighting systems may include fixtures with one or more of rotatable LED light bars, integrated sensors, onboard intelligence to receive signals from the LED light bars and control the LED light bars, and a mesh network connectivity to other fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Digital Lumens Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian J. Chemel, Colin Piepgras, Steve T. Kondo, Scott D. Johnston
  • Patent number: 8543245
    Abstract: Systems and methods for specifying one or more operational parameters for a pumping system are disclosed. A first suction pressure loss profile for a first pump in a pumping system is determined. A second suction pressure loss profile for a second pump in the pumping system is determined. The first suction pressure loss profile is compared with the second suction pressure loss profile. One or more operational parameters are specified based, at least in part, on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Heitman, Stanley V. Stephenson, David W. Looper, Kenneth G. Neal
  • Patent number: 8538557
    Abstract: Producing complicated effects based on image processing operations. The image processing operations are defined for a processor which may be different than the processor which is actually used. The processor that is actually used runs an interpreter that interprets the information into its own language, and then runs the image processing. The actual information is formed according to a plurality of layers which are combined in some way so that each layer can effect the layers below it. Layers may add to, subtract from, or form transparency to the layer below it or make color filtering the layer below it. This enables many different effects computed and precompiled for a hypothetical processor, and a different processor can be used to combine and render those effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Production Resource Group, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A Hunt, Drew Findley
  • Patent number: 8538572
    Abstract: A method for automatically identifying an optimal endpoint algorithm for qualifying a process endpoint during substrate processing within a plasma processing system is provided. The method includes receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors during substrate processing of at least one substrate within the plasma processing system, wherein the sensor data includes a plurality of signal streams from a plurality of sensor channels. The method also includes identifying an endpoint domain, wherein the endpoint domain is an approximate period within which the process endpoint is expected to occur. The method further includes analyzing the sensor data to generate a set of potential endpoint signatures. The method yet also includes converting the set of potential endpoint signatures into a set of optimal endpoint algorithms. The method yet further includes importing one optimal endpoint algorithm of the set of optimal endpoint algorithms into production environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jiangxin Wang, Andrew James Perry, Vijayakumar C Venugopal
  • Patent number: 8532808
    Abstract: A computer system for use with a building management system in a building includes a processing circuit configured to use historical data received from the building management system to automatically select a set of variables estimated to be significant to energy usage in the building. The processing circuit is further configured to apply a regression analysis to the selected set of variables to generate a baseline model for predicting energy usage in the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kirk H. Drees, Michael J. Wenzel
  • Patent number: 8532839
    Abstract: A building management strategy includes using exponentially weighted moving averages with statistical models to detect changes in the behavior of the building management system. Detected changes in the behavior of the system may indicate a detected fault, a change in a predicted behavior, or a need for the statistical models to be updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Kirk H. Drees, James P. Kummer
  • Patent number: 8527106
    Abstract: A control unit of a system stabilization device uses a fluctuation detection block (60) to determine fluctuation components included in the active component and reactive component currents of a system current and fluctuation components included in the frequency signal and the amplitude signal of a system voltage. The high frequency cut-off of the fluctuation detection block (60) is set to be f1; the low frequency cut-off is set to be f2. The fluctuation detection block (60) is composed of a low-pass filter (61) with a time constant of T1, a low-pass filter (62) with a time constant of T2, a subtracter (63) which outputs the difference, between the output signals of the filter (61) and the filter (62), and a feedback circuit (64) which provides feedback on the output of the subtracter (63) to the filters (61, 62). Thus, stability is ensured without using a current detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Meidensha Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Muneshima, Kazunobu Oi, Issei Hirayama
  • Patent number: 8521308
    Abstract: A supervisory control system includes a supervisory control target device and a supervisory control device. The supervisory control device is configured such that an attribute usage flag that indicates whether the supervisory control device supports any changes in the attributes due to adding of a function, and an attribute effectiveness flag which indicates whether the supervisory control target device supports the changes, are added, as information concerning the attributes that undergo the changes, to a definition of the instance which the supervisory control device retains. Further, the supervisory control device includes a control unit which, on a basis of data of the attribute usage flag and attribute effectiveness flag relating to the attributes undergoing the changes due to adding of a function, determines whether the supervisory control target device supports a new function or whether supervisory control based upon the new function is effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Kimio Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8509934
    Abstract: A Manufacturing Executing System (MES) implements a planned manufacturing process and controls the corresponding production at the plant floor in a method and in a system for managing and controlling manufacturing processes planned by an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and produced by the plant floor. The method includes defining sequential process segments. Each sequential process segment includes a plurality of actions to be performed at a plant floor level. The method includes the execution of a software tool including the steps of activating a sequential process segment and sequentially executing the respective actions. The method further includes defining state machines including a plurality of states and state transitions corresponding to actions to be performed at plant floor. A state manager tool is executed to define the state machines. A software tool is activated by the state manager tool to execute the state transitions of the state machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marco Solimano, Massimo Peretti
  • Patent number: 8504214
    Abstract: A method for determining a self-healing power grid status is presented. The method includes receiving respective real-time monitoring data corresponding to one or more power grid components, wherein one or more agents are coupled to the power grid components. The method includes the steps of determining a respective current infectiousness state based upon the received respective real-time monitoring data, determining respective output data based upon the respective current infectiousness state, exchanging the respective output data with one or more neighboring agents, and generating a respective new infectiousness state based upon the respective exchanged output data and a state transition diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sahika Genc, Ibrahim Gokcen