Patents by Inventor Mike Frank

Mike Frank 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: 11936376
    Abstract: A method for operating at least one optoelectronic button or operating element arranged behind an optically transparent control panel of a field device of automation technology for detecting an actuation of the optoelectronic button or operating element by an operator of the field device includes detecting whether the field device of automation technology is located in an interior area or in an exterior area; defining an evaluation condition which is used to detect the actuation of the optical button or control element; and detecting or evaluating whether an actuation of the optoelectronic button or control element is present based on the defined evaluation condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser SE+Co. KG
    Inventors: Simon Gerwig, Mike Frank, Dirk Rapp
  • Publication number: 20240022250
    Abstract: A method for operating at least one optoelectronic button or operating element arranged behind an optically transparent control panel of a field device of automation technology for detecting an actuation of the optoelectronic button or operating element by an operator of the field device includes detecting whether the field device of automation technology is located in an interior area or in an exterior area; defining an evaluation condition which is used to detect the actuation of the optical button or control element; and detecting or evaluating whether an actuation of the optoelectronic button or control element is present based on the defined evaluation condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Simon Gerwig, Mike Frank, Dirk Rapp
  • Patent number: 11456621
    Abstract: A field device of automation technology includes a field device housing and a field device electronics arranged in the field device housing. The field device also includes a first rechargeable battery arranged in the field device housing for energy supply of the field device electronics and a receiving unit with a receiving coil for receiving wirelessly inductively transmitted energy. The receiving unit is connected with the rechargeable battery so that the received, wirelessly inductively transmitted energy is storable, and is stored, in the rechargeable battery. The field device electronics is adapted in such a manner that energy supply occurs exclusively or at least partially from the first rechargeable battery and wherein the receiving unit and the receiving coil are adapted to receive wirelessly inductively transmitted energy as defined in a Qi standard 1.2.4 or a standard derived therefrom and to store such in the first rechargeable battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER SE+CO. KG
    Inventors: Tobias Paul, Ralph Stib, Harald Schäuble, Patrick Geib, Simon Gerwig, Mike Frank
  • Publication number: 20220150826
    Abstract: A method for operating a wireless field-device network, comprising: wirelessly transmitting a process variable and an expected remaining running time from each field device to the other field devices within a field-device network so that in each field device the process variable and the expected remaining running time of the other field devices of the field-device network are stored; activating a second radio module of that field device which has the highest expected remaining running time, and deactivating the second radio modules of the other field devices within the field-device network; wirelessly transmitting the process variables of all field devices of the field-device network stored in the active field device, or at least a subset of the stored process variables, to the superordinate unit, which is not part of the field-device network, by means of the second radio module of the active field device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Tobias Paul, Ralph Stib, Harald Schäuble, Patrick Geib, Simon Gerwig, Mike Frank
  • Publication number: 20210333780
    Abstract: A user input module for an automation engineering field device comprising: at least one user input element without haptic feedback; an electronic unit configured to detect instances of operation of the user input elements, to prompt a first feedback for a user when an instance of operation of one of the user input elements is detected, which instance of operation lasts in particular for longer than a first prescribed period, and to prompt a second feedback for the user when an instance of operation of one of the user input elements is detected, which instance of operation lasts for longer than a second prescribed period, wherein the second period is longer than the first period, and an automation engineering field device that has the user input module according to the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Junaid Ali Shah, Mathieu Weibel, Mike Frank
  • Publication number: 20200244103
    Abstract: A field device of automation technology includes a field device housing and a field device electronics arranged in the field device housing. The field device also includes a first rechargeable battery arranged in the field device housing for energy supply of the field device electronics and a receiving unit with a receiving coil for receiving wirelessly inductively transmitted energy. The receiving unit is connected with the rechargeable battery so that the received, wirelessly inductively transmitted energy is storable, and is stored, in the rechargeable battery. The field device electronics is adapted in such a manner that energy supply occurs exclusively or at least partially from the first rechargeable battery and wherein the receiving unit and the receiving coil are adapted to receive wirelessly inductively transmitted energy as defined in a Qi standard 1.2.4 or a standard derived therefrom and to store such in the first rechargeable battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tobias Paul, Ralph Stib, Harald Schäuble, Patrick Geib, Simon Gerwig, Mike Frank
  • Publication number: 20200097485
    Abstract: Systems, devices, and techniques are disclosed selective synchronization of linked records. A criteria may be received for a primary database that includes records. Records of the primary database may be linked to records of a first instance database. The criteria may include an inclusion of an expression or value in a specified field of a record. Records of the primary database may be determined to meet the criteria by determining that the records of the primary database include the expression or value of the criteria in the specified field. Records of the primary database that meet the criteria may be synchronized with the first instance database. The synchronization of records of the primary database that do not meet the criteria may be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua Siegel, Mike Frank, Robert Phillips, Michael Diffenderfer
  • Publication number: 20200080587
    Abstract: A piston unit for coupling to a crosshead piston rod with a crosshead piston pin includes a piston crown member and an integrated crosshead pin support and skirt member. The piston crown member consists essentially of forged steel. An integrated crosshead pin support and skirt member consists essentially of forged steel. The integrated pin support and skirt member is affixed to the piston crown member and is configured to support the crosshead piston pin. In a method of making a crosshead piston, a piston crown member is forged from steel. An integrated crosshead pin support and skirt member is forged from steel. The piston crown member is welded to the integrated crosshead pin support and skirt member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: PAI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Campbell, Navid Yavari, Mike Franks, Jan A. Ruble
  • Patent number: 8928499
    Abstract: An input device is disclosed that includes keys on a first surface and a second surface of the input device. At least some of the keys are operably coupled to a matrix including a switch for each key therein. When one of the keys is pressed, the corresponding switch is activated to provide a signal indicative thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Rensberger, Gene Robert Obie, Mike Franks, Vincent Ball, Steven W. Fisher
  • Patent number: 8614675
    Abstract: Automatic mode determination for an input device is disclosed. Depending on conditions of the input device, the input device can transition from a first mode to a transition mode and/or a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Rensberger, Gene Robert Obie, Mike Franks, Vincent Ball
  • Publication number: 20080030470
    Abstract: Automatic mode determination for an input device is disclosed. Depending on conditions of the input device, the input device can transition from a first mode to a transition mode and/or a second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Rensberger, Gene Robert Obie, Mike Franks, Vincent Ball
  • Publication number: 20080030380
    Abstract: An input device is disclosed that includes keys on a first surface and a second surface of the input device. At least some of the keys are operably coupled to a matrix including a switch for each key therein. When one of the keys is pressed, the corresponding switch is activated to provide a signal indicative thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Rensberger, Gene Obie, Mike Franks, Vincent Ball, Steven Fisher