Patents by Inventor Benfeng Tang

Benfeng Tang has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240329668
    Abstract: A control method, a control system, and a non-transient computer-readable storage medium are provided. The control method is applicable to a pumping station comprising one or more pumps. The method may include: comparing an inflow rate of the pumping station with a flow rate for optimal energy consumption of the pumping station; determining, based on whether the inflow rate of the pumping station is greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to, the flow rate for optimal energy consumption of the pumping station, a corresponding constraint that indicates whether a target outflow rate of the pumping station is to be greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to, the flow rate for optimal energy consumption of the pumping station; and setting a target outflow rate that meets the constraint, for constant flow rate control of the pumping station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Matthew Sikai Zhang, Benfeng Tang, Xuyuan Xiao, Da Huo, Zhengchun Gao
  • Patent number: 11967470
    Abstract: A method for determining contact thickness change in a contactor includes sensing a first displacement distance moved by an armature of the contactor from a reference location to a first transition point during a switch-off operation of the contactor at a first contactor life reference time when movable contacts and fixed contacts of the contactor define a first contact thickness. The method further includes sensing a second displacement distance moved by the armature from the reference location to a second transition point during a switch-off operation at a second contactor life reference time that is after the first contactor life reference time when the movable and fixed contacts define a second contact thickness that is less than the first contact thickness. The first displacement distance and the second displacement distance are used to determine a contact thickness change between the first contact thickness and the second contact thickness. A contactor adapted to implement the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junfeng Liao, Benfeng Tang
  • Patent number: 11656589
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to power topology discovery in industrial environments. More specifically, some embodiments relate to automatic power topology discovery for factories based on device data that is already recorded for other purposes. Systems and methods described herein may be used to generate an accurate electrical network topology by collecting power data from power devices that may provide real-time or recorded measurements, detecting power change events, and matching power change signatures over power events for the devices in order to calculate the likelihoods of possible topology assumptions. Power change event data is used to recursively update topology probabilities using the Bayesian formula until a system topology can be produced with satisfactory confidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaolong Zhang, Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, David B. Berman, Phillip R. Bush, Steven T. Haensgen, Michael L. Gasperi, Sean C. Schmelzer, Alex Nicoll
  • Publication number: 20230071662
    Abstract: A system comprises a set of power conversion components powered by a power line system, and a time domain reflectometry apparatus coupled to the power line system. The time domain reflectometry apparatus is configured to acquire a reflection signal that results from reflection of an incident signal injected on the power line system, compute a difference signal based on the reflection signal and a baseline signal, and detect a fault in the set of power conversion components based on the difference signal and a fault pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yanbin Zhang, Austen Kolar Scudder, Benfeng Tang
  • Publication number: 20230061652
    Abstract: A method for determining contact thickness change in a contactor includes sensing a first displacement distance moved by an armature of the contactor from a reference location to a first transition point during a switch-off operation of the contactor at a first contactor life reference time when movable contacts and fixed contacts of the contactor define a first contact thickness. The method further includes sensing a second displacement distance moved by the armature from the reference location to a second transition point during a switch-off operation at a second contactor life reference time that is after the first contactor life reference time when the movable and fixed contacts define a second contact thickness that is less than the first contact thickness. The first displacement distance and the second displacement distance are used to determine a contact thickness change between the first contact thickness and the second contact thickness. A contactor adapted to implement the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Junfeng Liao, Benfeng Tang
  • Patent number: 11442743
    Abstract: For device configuration and monitoring, a processor receives configuration settings from an electronic device via the electronic device interface. The processor converts the configuration settings to hardware settings for a target device. The processor communicates the hardware settings to the target device via a target device interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Shi, Yanbin Zhang, Chirag L. Malkan, Zhen Wei, Vaithianathan Jothi, Benfeng Tang, Alvaro Sanchez, Steven T. Haensgen, David D. Brandt, John Caspers
  • Publication number: 20220075337
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to power topology discovery in industrial environments. More specifically, some embodiments relate to automatic power topology discovery for factories based on device data that is already recorded for other purposes. Systems and methods described herein may be used to generate an accurate electrical network topology by collecting power data from power devices that may provide real-time or recorded measurements, detecting power change events, and matching power change signatures over power events for the devices in order to calculate the likelihoods of possible topology assumptions. Power change event data is used to recursively update topology probabilities using the Bayesian formula until a system topology can be produced with satisfactory confidence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Xiaolong Zhang, Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, David B. Berman, Phillip R. Bush, Steven T. Haensgen, Michael L. Gasperi, Sean C. Schmelzer, Alex Nicoll
  • Publication number: 20220066790
    Abstract: For device configuration and monitoring, a processor receives configuration settings from an electronic device via the electronic device interface. The processor converts the configuration settings to hardware settings for a target device. The processor communicates the hardware settings to the target device via a target device interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2020
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Xiaofeng Shi, Yanbin Zhang, Chirag L. Malkan, Zhen Wei, Vaithianathan Jothi, Benfeng Tang, Alvaro Sanchez, Steven T. Haensgen, David D. Brandt, John Caspers
  • Patent number: 10747508
    Abstract: For function block framework generation, a method generates a function block framework for a hardware device. The function block framework includes function block framework source code and a function block framework description. The hardware device includes a logic engine and automation hardware. The function block framework presents a standard interface to a function block core executed by the logic engine. The method instantiates the function block framework and the function block core as an executable image for the hardware device. The method further configures the logic engine to execute the executable image using the function block framework description. The method executes the executable image with the logic engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Tao Song, LingLai Li, Zhen Wei, Bingchao Tang, David W. Siegler, David B. Berman, John P. Caspers, Jeffrey S. Martin, Liz V. Bahl Prosak
  • Publication number: 20200210154
    Abstract: For function block framework generation, a method generates a function block framework for a hardware device. The function block framework includes function block framework source code and a function block framework description. The hardware device includes a logic engine and automation hardware. The function block framework presents a standard interface to a function block core executed by the logic engine. The method instantiates the function block framework and the function block core as an executable image for the hardware device. The method further configures the logic engine to execute the executable image using the function block framework description. The method executes the executable image with the logic engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Tao Song, LingLai Li, Zhen Wei, Bingchao Tang, David W. Siegler, David B. Berman, John P. Caspers, Jeffrey S. Martin, Liz V. Bahl Prosak
  • Patent number: 10571495
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of power monitors that, in operation, monitor parameters of power in an automation system at points between loads and/or power sources. Each of the power monitors includes sensing circuitry to sense the power parameters, peer-to-peer communications circuitry to communicate with other power monitors via peer-to-peer communication, network communications circuitry to communicate with automation devices via a network, and functional circuits to perform analysis of monitored power parameters in a cooperative manner based upon the power parameters monitored by the respective power monitor and power parameters monitored by other power monitors communicated via peer-to-peer communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, Xuyuan Xiao, Kun Wei, Phillip Bush, David Bradly Berman, Sean Charles Schmelzer, Steven A. Lombardi
  • Publication number: 20180372782
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of power monitors that, in operation, monitor parameters of power in an automation system at points between loads and/or power sources. Each of the power monitors includes sensing circuitry to sense the power parameters, peer-to-peer communications circuitry to communicate with other power monitors via peer-to-peer communication, network communications circuitry to communicate with automation devices via a network, and functional circuits to perform analysis of monitored power parameters in a cooperative manner based upon the power parameters monitored by the respective power monitor and power parameters monitored by other power monitors communicated via peer-to-peer communication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, Xuyuan Xiao, Kun Wei, Phillip Bush, David Bradly Berman, Sean Charles Schmelzer, Steven A. Lombardi
  • Patent number: 9568514
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an upstream/downstream probability module that determines, for each measurement point in an electrical power system, an upstream/downstream probability. The apparatus includes a zone module that identifies a plurality of zones within the power system and an upstream/downstream module that identifies, for each measurement point and for each zone, if a power quality event in a zone is upstream or downstream of a measurement point. The apparatus includes a zone probability module that determines a zone probability for each zone by multiplying the upstream probability or the downstream probability for each measurement point. The zone probability is a probability that the event happened in a zone. The zone probability module uses the upstream probability of a measurement point when the zone is upstream of the measurement point and uses the downstream probability when the zone is downstream of the measurement point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: LingLai Li, Benfeng Tang, Fredrick M Discenzo, David Berman, Phillip Bush
  • Patent number: 9304963
    Abstract: Systems and methods self-organize a multifunctional power and energy control and management system by integrating multiple backplane based modules through module descriptions, the module descriptions including control logic and parameters associated with the modules. Dynamic data table structures may be configured based on information provides with the module descriptions and provide for improved data accessing, storing, and updating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Xuyyan Xiao, Mark E. Delker, Benfeng Tang, Chao Chen, Steven A. Lombardi, David Berman
  • Publication number: 20150331035
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an upstream/downstream probability module that determines, for each measurement point in an electrical power system, an upstream/downstream probability. The apparatus includes a zone module that identifies a plurality of zones within the power system and an upstream/downstream module that identifies, for each measurement point and for each zone, if a power quality event in a zone is upstream or downstream of a measurement point. The apparatus includes a zone probability module that determines a zone probability for each zone by multiplying the upstream probability or the downstream probability for each measurement point. The zone probability is a probability that the event happened in a zone. The zone probability module uses the upstream probability of a measurement point when the zone is upstream of the measurement point and uses the downstream probability when the zone is downstream of the measurement point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: LingLai Li, Benfeng Tang, Fred Discenzo, David Berman, Phillip Bush
  • Publication number: 20120185704
    Abstract: Systems and methods self-organize a multifunctional power and energy control and management system by integrating multiple backplane based modules through module descriptions. Dynamic data table structures may be configured based on information provides with the module descriptions and provide for improved data accessing, storing, and updating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Xuyuan Xiao, Mark E. Delker, Benfeng Tang, Chao Chen, Steven A. Lombardi, David Berman