Patents by Inventor Charles F. Ridolfo

Charles F. Ridolfo 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).

  • Patent number: 7088255
    Abstract: A single page enterprise wide level display provides a comprehensive readily understood representation of the overall health status of a complex plant. Color coded failure domains allow rapid intuitive recognition of component failure status. A three-tier hierarchy of displays provide details on the health status of the components and systems displayed on the enterprise wide level display in a manner that supports a logical drill down to the health status of sub-components on Tier 1 to expected faults of the sub-components on Tier 2 to specific information relative to expected sub-component failures on Tier 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Co, LLC
    Inventors: Charles F. Ridolfo, Daryl L. Harmon, Dreyfuss Colin
  • Patent number: 6735549
    Abstract: A display system in which subsequent failures of plant equipment and plant systems are predicted to occur and in which the probability of failure before a specified date and the probability of failure after a specified date is determined and displayed and in which the calendar date is determined and displayed when the desired probability that the equipment not fail prior to the calendar date is specified. The system includes an Equipment Failure And Degradation Module that determines the remaining equipment/system life; a Probability-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the probability of the equipment/system failing prior to a specified date and the probability of the equipment/system failing after a specified date; and a Date-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the calendar date that corresponds to a specified probability that equipment not fail prior to the date.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo
  • Publication number: 20030216888
    Abstract: A display system in which subsequent failures of plant equipment and plant systems are predicted to occur and in which the probability of failure before a specified date and the probability of failure after a specified date is determined and displayed and in which the calendar date is determined and displayed when the desired probability that the equipment not fail prior to the calendar date is specified. The system includes an Equipment Failure And Degradation Module that determines the remaining equipment/system life; a Probability-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the probability of the equipment/system failing prior to a specified date and the probability of the equipment/system failing after a specified date; and a Date-of-Failure Predictor Module that determines the calendar date that corresponds to a specified probability that equipment not fail prior to the date.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo
  • Publication number: 20030005486
    Abstract: A single page enterprise wide level display provides a comprehensive readily understood representation of the overall health status of a complex plant. Color coded failure domains allow rapid intuitive recognition of component failure status. A three-tier hierarchy of displays provide details on the health status of the components and systems displayed on the enterprise wide level display in a manner that supports a logical drill down to the health status of sub-components on Tier 1 to expected faults of the sub-components on Tier 2 to specific information relative to expected sub-component failures on Tier 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Inventors: Charles F. Ridolfo, Daryl L. Harmon, Dreyfuss Colin
  • Patent number: 6492901
    Abstract: An alarm management system and method includes structure and function for receiving one or more process parameter signals representative of one or more process parameters. Each of the received process parameters is then compared with an associated alarm point. An alarm status signal is generated on the basis of the comparison. An annunciation command signal is transmitted on the basis of the alarm status signal. And, a sound is then generated on the basis of the annunciation command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo
  • Patent number: 6421405
    Abstract: Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group is within the position range where an administrative limit is imposed. The increments of effective exposures for each group are accumulated, and the accumulated effective exposure for each group is compared with the administrative limit to each group. This comparison is then displayed to the reactor operator, preferably using either a “rolling wheel” or “sliding bar” format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Co. LLC
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo
  • Patent number: 6236699
    Abstract: Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group is within the position range where an administrative limit is imposed. The increments of effective exposures for each group are accumulated, and the accumulated effective exposure for each group is compared with the administrative limit to each group. This comparison is then displayed to the reactor operator, preferably using either a “rolling wheel” or “sliding bar” format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo
  • Patent number: 6091790
    Abstract: Compliance with administrative limits on cumulative exposure of control rod groups in the reactor core, is monitored by computing the incremental effective exposure for each group commensurate with core power, for each time increment at which each group is within the position range where an administrative limit is imposed. The increments of effective exposures for each group are accumulated, and the accumulated effective exposure for each group is compared with the administrative limit to each group. This comparison is then displayed to the reactor operator, preferably using either a "rolling wheel" or "sliding bar" format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles F. Ridolfo