Patents by Inventor Joseph W. Latham

Joseph W. Latham 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: 10830230
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes establishing a set of predictors, and establishing a model for an estimated head clearance of the linear compressor with the set of predictors. Coefficients of the model for the estimated head clearance of the linear compressor may also be established. The model for the estimated head clearance of the linear compressor may be used to calculate an estimated head clearance during operation of the linear compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory William Hahn, Srujan Kusumba, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W Latham
  • Patent number: 10670008
    Abstract: A method for detecting head crashing in a linear compressor includes sampling a rolling average of a peak applied voltage and a desired peak current each time that a current controller adjusts the desired peak current. The method also includes calculating a linear regression for a predicted peak applied voltage as a function of the desired peak current, calculating the predicted peak voltage for the motor of the linear compressor with the linear regression and a current value for the desired peak current from the current controller, and establishing that a piston of the linear compressor is soft crashing when the predicted peak voltage is different than the current value for the rolling average of the peak applied voltage by more than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Patent number: 10641263
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes substituting a first observed velocity, a bounded integral of the first observed velocity, an estimated clearance, an estimated discharge pressure, and an estimated suction pressure into the mechanical dynamic model for the motor, calculating an observed acceleration for the piston with the mechanical dynamic model for the motor, calculating a second observed velocity for the piston by integrating the observed acceleration for the piston, calculating an observed position of the piston by integrating the second observed velocity for the piston, and updating an estimated clearance, an estimated discharge pressure, and an estimated suction pressure based upon an error between the first and second observed velocities and an error between the bounded integral of the first observed velocity and the observed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Patent number: 10502201
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes providing a dynamic model for a motor of the linear compressor, estimating values for each unknown constant of a plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor and repeatedly updating the estimate for each unknown constant of the plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor in order to reduce an error between a measured value for the electrical dynamic model and an estimated valve for the electrical dynamic model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20190063425
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes substituting a first observed velocity, a bounded integral of the first observed velocity, an estimated clearance, an estimated discharge pressure, and an estimated suction pressure into the mechanical dynamic model for the motor, calculating an observed acceleration for the piston with the mechanical dynamic model for the motor, calculating a second observed velocity for the piston by integrating the observed acceleration for the piston, calculating an observed position of the piston by integrating the second observed velocity for the piston, and updating an estimated clearance, an estimated discharge pressure, and an estimated suction pressure based upon an error between the first and second observed velocities and an error between the bounded integral of the first observed velocity and the observed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20190063424
    Abstract: A method for detecting head crashing in a linear compressor includes sampling a rolling average of a peak applied voltage and a desired peak current each time that a current controller adjusts the desired peak current. The method also includes calculating a linear regression for a predicted peak applied voltage as a function of the desired peak current, calculating the predicted peak voltage for the motor of the linear compressor with the linear regression and a current value for the desired peak current from the current controller, and establishing that a piston of the linear compressor is soft crashing when the predicted peak voltage is different than the current value for the rolling average of the peak applied voltage by more than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Patent number: 10208741
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor is provided. The method includes estimating an acceleration of the motor of the linear compressor using at least a robust integral of the sign of the error feedback. A position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point is also determined based at least in part on a measured current to the motor of the linear compressor and an estimated acceleration of the motor. The position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at a top dead center point is calculated based at least in part on the position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point and a stroke length of the motor of the linear compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20180187674
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes establishing a set of predictors, and establishing a model for an estimated head clearance of the linear compressor with the set of predictors. Coefficients of the model for the estimated head clearance of the linear compressor may also be established. The model for the estimated head clearance of the linear compressor may be used to calculate an estimated head clearance during operation of the linear compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Gregory William Hahn, Srujan Kusumba, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20160215767
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor is provided. The method includes estimating an acceleration of the motor of the linear compressor using at least a robust integral of the sign of the error feedback. A position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point is also determined based at least in part on a measured current to the motor of the linear compressor and an estimated acceleration of the motor. The position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at a top dead center point is calculated based at least in part on the position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point and a stroke length of the motor of the linear compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20160215770
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor is provided. The method includes supplying a motor of the linear compressor with a time varying voltage and estimating a back-EMF of the motor of the linear compressor. The method also includes determining a velocity of the motor of the linear compressor based at least in part on the back-EMF of the motor and calculating a stroke length of the motor of the linear compressor based at least in part on the velocity of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
  • Publication number: 20160215772
    Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes providing a dynamic model for a motor of the linear compressor, estimating values for each unknown constant of a plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor and repeatedly updating the estimate for each unknown constant of the plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor in order to reduce an error between a measured value for the electrical dynamic model and an estimated valve for the electrical dynamic model.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham