Patents by Inventor Dana Robert Kreft

Dana Robert Kreft 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: 10571880
    Abstract: An industrial controller that controls operation of an industrial system. The industrial controller comprises a processor and a memory storing instruction, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform certain functions. In particular, the instructions cause the processor to communicate high speed data in a first industrial protocol between the industrial controller and a high speed device during a first frame section but not during a second frame section of a controller frame of the industrial controller and communicate linking device data in a second industrial protocol between the industrial controller and a linking device during the second frame section but not during the first frame section or during the third frame section of the controller frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alexander Petzen, III, Timothy John Kolb, Dana Robert Kreft, Isaac Millen Rushing
  • Publication number: 20190086892
    Abstract: An industrial controller that controls operation of an industrial system. The industrial controller comprises a processor and a memory storing instruction, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform certain functions. In particular, the instructions cause the processor to communicate high speed data in a first industrial protocol between the industrial controller and a high speed device during a first frame section but not during a second frame section of a controller frame of the industrial controller and communicate linking device data in a second industrial protocol between the industrial controller and a linking device during the second frame section but not during the first frame section or during the third frame section of the controller frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: John Alexander Petzen, III, Timothy John Kolb, Dana Robert Kreft, Isaac Millen Rushing
  • Patent number: 9772617
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a system and a method. In one embodiment, a system includes a library configured to store reusable executable control information and a substitution information. The system further includes a controller configured to instantiate the reusable executable control information in a memory and to associate the substitution information with a field device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dana Robert Kreft, Robert William Grubbs, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Patent number: 9110690
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for deploying application code change configurations for multiple target controllers. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for updating configurations associated with one or more controllers. The method can include updating one or more library user blocks, associating corresponding user block instances with the one or more library user blocks, and modifying one or more application code configurations associated with the one or more controllers based at least in part on the association.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dana Robert Kreft, Patrick Joseph Conroy, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Patent number: 8745281
    Abstract: A device includes an interface configured to receive an indication of a second device on a network, and a processor configured to determine if the indication is one of an expected set of indications and generate a permanent node address for assignment to the second device if the indication is one of an expected set of indications. The permanent node address places the second device into an active mode as a permanent node addressed device. The processor is further configured to receive at least one device parameter from the permanent node addressed device, determine if the at least one device parameter matches an expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device, and generate a second permanent node address for assignment to the device if the at least one device parameter matches the expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alexander Petzen, Andre Steven DeMaurice, Dana Robert Kreft, William Kennedy Galt, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20130282931
    Abstract: A device includes an interface configured to receive an indication of a second device on a network, and a processor configured to determine if the indication is one of an expected set of indications and generate a permanent node address for assignment to the second device if the indication is one of an expected set of indications. The permanent node address places the second device into an active mode as a permanent node addressed device. The processor is further configured to receive at least one device parameter from the permanent node addressed device, determine if the at least one device parameter matches an expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device, and generate a second permanent node address for assignment to the device if the at least one device parameter matches the expected device parameter for the permanent node addressed device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alexander Petzen, Andre Steven DeMaurice, Dana Robert Kreft, William Kennedy Galt, William Robert Pettigrew
  • Publication number: 20130053987
    Abstract: An industrial process control system includes a field device having a first plurality of device parameter values corresponding to a plurality of device parameters. The industrial process control system also includes a processor configured to determine a second plurality of device parameter values, corresponding to the plurality of device parameters, from a device definition (DD) file. The processor is also configured to present a reconciliation tool comprising a first portion of the plurality of device parameters, the corresponding first plurality of device parameter values, and the corresponding second plurality of device parameter values. The processor is also configured to set a second portion of the plurality of device parameters to the corresponding second plurality of device parameter values based on instructions received from the reconciliation tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Kennedy Galt, David Richard Socky, David Evans McMillan, Dana Robert Kreft
  • Patent number: 8352641
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying one or more Fieldbus devices in a control system are described. One or more messages from respective linking devices and including information associated with a plurality of segments for the linking devices may be received and analyzed to identify one or more segments to which at least one Fieldbus device is connected. A respective query message requesting information associated with connected Fieldbus devices may then be generated and communicated to each identified segment. One or more responses to the query messages may be received and utilized to prepare a listing of the Fieldbus devices that are included in or connected in the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Dana Robert Kreft
  • Publication number: 20130006390
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a system and a method. In one embodiment, a system includes a library configured to store reusable executable control information and a substitution information. The system further includes a controller configured to instantiate the reusable executable control information in a memory and to associate the substitution information with a field device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Dana Robert Kreft, Robert William Grubbs, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Publication number: 20120306620
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a system and a method. In one embodiment, an industrial process control system includes a controller configured to couple to a field device. The industrial process control system further includes an alarm viewer configured to couple to the controller. The alarm viewer comprises a user interface control. The controller is configured to receive alert information from the field device in a first protocol and communicate the alert information to the alarm viewer in a second protocol, and the alarm viewer is configured to present, via the user interface control, a first alert indication of the alert information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karaffa, Dana Robert Kreft, David Evans McMillan
  • Publication number: 20110271266
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for deploying application code change configurations for multiple target controllers. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method for is provided for updating configurations associated with one or more controllers. The method can include updating one or more library user blocks, associating corresponding user block instances with the one or more library user blocks, and modifying one or more application code configurations associated with the one or more controllers based at least in part on the association.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Dana Robert Kreft, Patrick Joseph Conroy, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Publication number: 20110264244
    Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying one or more Fieldbus devices in a control system are described. One or more messages from respective linking devices and including information associated with a plurality of segments for the linking devices may be received and analyzed to identify one or more segments to which at least one Fieldbus device is connected. A respective query message requesting information associated with connected Fieldbus devices may then be generated and communicated to each identified segment. One or more responses to the query messages may be received and utilized to prepare a listing of the Fieldbus devices that are included in or connected in the control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Robert Pettigrew, Dana Robert Kreft