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).
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Publication number: 20240329668Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2023Publication date: October 3, 2024Inventors: Matthew Sikai Zhang, Benfeng Tang, Xuyuan Xiao, Da Huo, Zhengchun Gao
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Patent number: 11967470Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 2, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Junfeng Liao, Benfeng Tang
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Patent number: 11656589Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20230071662Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2021Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yanbin Zhang, Austen Kolar Scudder, Benfeng Tang
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Publication number: 20230061652Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Junfeng Liao, Benfeng Tang
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Patent number: 11442743Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20220075337Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Xiaolong Zhang, Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, David B. Berman, Phillip R. Bush, Steven T. Haensgen, Michael L. Gasperi, Sean C. Schmelzer, Alex Nicoll
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Publication number: 20220066790Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Xiaofeng Shi, Yanbin Zhang, Chirag L. Malkan, Zhen Wei, Vaithianathan Jothi, Benfeng Tang, Alvaro Sanchez, Steven T. Haensgen, David D. Brandt, John Caspers
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Patent number: 10747508Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 31, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20200210154Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2018Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: 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
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Patent number: 10571495Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 23, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, Xuyuan Xiao, Kun Wei, Phillip Bush, David Bradly Berman, Sean Charles Schmelzer, Steven A. Lombardi
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Publication number: 20180372782Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Benfeng Tang, Linglai Li, Xuyuan Xiao, Kun Wei, Phillip Bush, David Bradly Berman, Sean Charles Schmelzer, Steven A. Lombardi
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Patent number: 9568514Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 2, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: ROCKWELL AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: LingLai Li, Benfeng Tang, Fredrick M Discenzo, David Berman, Phillip Bush
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Patent number: 9304963Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 14, 2011Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Xuyyan Xiao, Mark E. Delker, Benfeng Tang, Chao Chen, Steven A. Lombardi, David Berman
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Publication number: 20150331035Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2014Publication date: November 19, 2015Applicant: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.Inventors: LingLai Li, Benfeng Tang, Fred Discenzo, David Berman, Phillip Bush
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Publication number: 20120185704Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2011Publication date: July 19, 2012Inventors: Xuyuan Xiao, Mark E. Delker, Benfeng Tang, Chao Chen, Steven A. Lombardi, David Berman