Patents by Inventor James K. Newbern

James K. Newbern 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: 11677348
    Abstract: A motor control center (MCC) for an industrial system includes a plurality of sections and a safety bus. Each section includes one or more units. Each unit includes one or more industrial control devices. The safety bus is configured to receive safety signals from a safety distribution unit and delivers the safety signals to each unit of the plurality of section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto S. Marques, Calvin Steinweg, James K. Newbern, Robert Dilgard
  • Patent number: 11640737
    Abstract: For secure and safe access control, a method authenticates a user of an equipment unit with a user credential. The method determines an equipment status for the equipment unit. The equipment status includes one of energized and un-energized and one of locked and unlocked. The method determines whether the user is authorized to access the equipment unit with an equipment authorization. The determination that the user is authorized is based on the equipment status. In response to the user being authenticated and authorized to access the equipment unit energized or the user being authorized to access the equipment unit un-energized and the equipment unit being un-energized, the method releases a unit lock for the equipment unit with a unit lock credential and the user credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Marques, James K. Newbern, Calvin C. Steinweg, Robert Dilgard
  • Publication number: 20230066880
    Abstract: A motor control center (MCC) for an industrial system includes a plurality of sections and a safety bus. Each section includes one or more units. Each unit includes one or more industrial control devices. The safety bus is configured to receive safety signals from a safety distribution unit and delivers the safety signals to each unit of the plurality of section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Roberto S. Marques, Calvin Steinweg, JAMES K. NEWBERN, Robert Dilgard
  • Publication number: 20210390809
    Abstract: For secure and safe access control, a method authenticates a user of an equipment unit with a user credential. The method determines an equipment status for the equipment unit. The equipment status includes one of energized and un-energized and one of locked and unlocked. The method determines whether the user is authorized to access the equipment unit with an equipment authorization. The determination that the user is authorized is based on the equipment status. In response to the user being authenticated and authorized to access the equipment unit energized or the user being authorized to access the equipment unit un-energized and the equipment unit being un-energized, the method releases a unit lock for the equipment unit with a unit lock credential and the user credential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Roberto Marques, James K. Newbern, Calvin C. Steinweg, Robert Dilgard
  • Patent number: 11120658
    Abstract: For secure and safe access control, a method authenticates the user of an equipment unit with a user credential. The method determines whether the user is authorized to access the equipment unit with an equipment authorization. In response to the user being authenticated and authorized to access the equipment unit, the method releases a unit lock for the equipment unit with a unit lock credential or the user credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Marques, James K. Newbern, Calvin C. Steinweg, Robert Dilgard