Patents by Inventor Milton Alley

Milton Alley 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: 10432412
    Abstract: Exemplified methods and systems are disclosed that facilitate field devices controlled by networks using Power-over-Ethernet. The field device includes a field-side circuit having a plurality of universal and independent configurable (and re-configurable) input-output interface that can universally interface to most industrial field devices. Each channel employs a group of analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion paths that facilitate independent data flows in which signals are not multiplexed across individual interfaces. In addition, the field-side circuit operatively couples to a control side circuit with two Power-over-Ethernet modules, e.g., for redundancy, that each facilitates communication and power to the field-side circuit while, concurrently, reducing wiring complexity for a redundant system during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Shawn Hinchy
  • Patent number: 10366033
    Abstract: Described are systems, methods and computer-program product for replacing a prior input/output (I/O) module and terminal board with a universal I/O device by providing software based instructions and configuration settings for the installer. The method includes provisions for new wiring changes or harnesses as well as preset adapters, converting prior device configuration settings from an I/O module, pack, and/or terminal board to new configuration settings for a programmable I/O device, generating a wiring chart for any wiring changes based on the settings, and displaying the information for the installer and/or programmer's use. This allows a universal I/O device capable of each channel having different operating modes to replace one or more of a mixture of several types of dedicated I/O modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Roy Anthony Carter, Joshua Sherman
  • Patent number: 10338548
    Abstract: The exemplified methods and systems support shared output drivers or shared control setting drivers across separate control devices for a redundant system of 1, 2, 3, or more control devices in simplex, dual, triple redundancy, and etc. Digital communication links between the control devices are implemented to facilitate sensing, from other control devices, of operation states (e.g., amount of contribution by the control devices to the shared output) and on-line/health status of other control devices in the redundant network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Milton Alley
  • Publication number: 20180299848
    Abstract: The exemplified methods and systems support shared output drivers or shared control setting drivers across separate control devices for a redundant system of 1, 2, 3, or more control devices in simplex, dual, triple redundancy, and etc. Digital communication links between the control devices are implemented to facilitate sensing, from other control devices, of operation states (e.g., amount of contribution by the control devices to the shared output) and on-line/health status of other control devices in the redundant network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventor: Daniel Milton Alley
  • Publication number: 20180139062
    Abstract: Exemplified methods and systems are disclosed that facilitate field devices controlled by networks using Power-over-Ethernet. The field device includes a field-side circuit having a plurality of universal and independent configurable (and re-configurable) input-output interface that can universally interface to most industrial field devices. Each channel employs a group of analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion paths that facilitate independent data flows in which signals are not multiplexed across individual interfaces. In addition, the field-side circuit operatively couples to a control side circuit with two Power-over-Ethernet modules, e.g., for redundancy, that each facilitates communication and power to the field-side circuit while, concurrently, reducing wiring complexity for a redundant system during installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Shawn Hinchy
  • Patent number: 9940285
    Abstract: The present technology provides for an IO module system (e.g., an industrial control system) that can provide multiple-channel analog and digital interfaces to a number of sensor devices of different types, where each channel of the IO module is programmably configurable as a digital input, a digital output, an analog input, and an analog output. Each sensor interface is implemented on an individual channel basis using discrete components in communication with a microcontroller. The present technology enables the rapid implementation of an IO channel operable in a wide range of voltage and current modes needed for common sensor interfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Alan Carroll Lovell
  • Publication number: 20180074987
    Abstract: Described are systems, methods and computer-program product for replacing a prior input/output (I/O) module and terminal board with a universal I/O device by providing software based instructions and configuration settings for the installer. The method includes provisions for new wiring changes or harnesses as well as preset adapters, converting prior device configuration settings from an I/O module, pack, and/or terminal board to new configuration settings for a programmable I/O device, generating a wiring chart for any wiring changes based on the settings, and displaying the information for the installer and/or programmer's use. This allows a universal I/O device capable of each channel having different operating modes to replace one or more of a mixture of several types of dedicated I/O modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Roy Anthony Carter, Joshua Sherman
  • Publication number: 20170307666
    Abstract: An integrated circuit and/or sensing circuitry assists in determining the thermal capacity available at a given and future time. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a number of channels connected to any number of components having differing thermal capacities. The integrated circuit may provide information relating to available thermal capacity on a per-channel basis as well as on a system-wide basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Milton ALLEY
  • Publication number: 20170147367
    Abstract: The present technology provides for an IO module system (e.g., an industrial control system) that can provide multiple-channel analog and digital interfaces to a number of sensor devices of different types, where each channel of the IO module is programmably configurable as a digital input, a digital output, an analog input, and an analog output. Each sensor interface is implemented on an individual channel basis using discrete components in communication with a microcontroller. The present technology enables the rapid implementation of an IO channel operable in a wide range of voltage and current modes needed for common sensor interfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Alan Carroll Lovell
  • Publication number: 20160335237
    Abstract: A display module is coupled to a first universal control module and the display module includes an e-ink display. The first universal control module is configured to be connected to a control system. The first universal control module is customizable and programmable. Information is subsequently received. At least some of the information is rendered on the e-ink display. The information includes at least one of: information as to an installation of the universal control module, or information as to the status of the universal control module. The e-ink display is configured to display the information in the absence of power being provided to the e-ink display or when the display module is removed from the first universal control module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Shawn Michael Hinchy, Tommy J. Hatmaker
  • Patent number: 9228905
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide for a resistance temperature device (RTD) measurement device. In one embodiment, aspects of the invention include a RTD measurement device that includes: an input including a plurality of terminals from an RTD sensor; a plurality of burnout switches, each burnout switch connected to a terminal of the RTD sensor; a plurality of resources; and a switch block connecting the plurality of terminals and the plurality of resources to determine a measurement of the RTD sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Milton Alley
  • Publication number: 20150347342
    Abstract: Provided is an interface architecture for an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The interface architecture includes a circuit board layout including slots for electrically coupling to (n) number of acquisition boards, each acquisition board being configured to accommodate (m) universal channels. The interface architecture is connectable to a plurality of terminal board types and can be configured to accommodate a predetermined multiple of (m) universal channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel Milton ALLEY, Alan Carroll LOVELL, Christopher Todd MOORE
  • Patent number: 9158728
    Abstract: System and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a master device comprising a first serial peripheral interface (SPI) port having only a first four wires. The system further includes a slave device comprising a second SPI port having only a second four wires. The system additionally includes a galvanic isolation barrier communicatively coupling the first four wires to the second four wires. The master device is configured to use the first four wires to transmit a plurality of signals representative of a reset and of a first communications mode. The first communications mode is used to transfer data between the master device and the slave device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Stephen Emerson Douthit
  • Patent number: 9148239
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein describe filtering signals or channels using a programmable bandwidth filter. Each channel may be filtered according to a different bandwidth such that noise may be removed from each channel without the need to increase the complexity of an anti-aliasing filter, for example. In one embodiment, the programmable filter may be a decimation filter that may be coupled to a delta sigma modulator, which may sample an analog channel according to a programmable sampling rate to generate a digital representation of the analog channel. In one embodiment, multiple analog channels may be multiplexed and subsequently sampled and filtered by the delta sigma modulator and decimation filter, respectively. According to various embodiments, the above processing may be performed by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a microcontroller, or a computing device including one or more software programs and/or modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Milton Alley
  • Patent number: 9128726
    Abstract: System and methods are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a first processor comprising a serial peripheral interface (SPI) port, and a second processor. The system further includes a galvanic isolation barrier. The system additionally includes a SPI bridge comprising a first output pin control configured to control a device. The SPI bridge additionally includes a first analog multiplexor control configured to route signals to a circuitry. The SPI bridge is configured to communicatively couple the first processor with the second processor through the galvanic isolation barrier, and to communicatively couple the first processor to the device through the first output pin control, and to route the signals between the first processor and the circuitry by using the first analog multiplexor control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Xiaomin Hu, Ye Xu
  • Patent number: 9116531
    Abstract: A system includes a triple modular redundant (TMR) control system comprising three controllers. Each controller of the three controllers includes a current driver system configured to detect and regulate a portion of a total current output of the TMR control system, and a universal input-output (UIO) system comprising a plurality of universal input-output (UIO) ports, wherein the universal input-output (UIO) system is configured to detect the portion of the total current output and the total current output of the TMR control system via one or more of the plurality of the UIO ports, compare the portion of the total current output and the total current output of the TMR control system, and adjust the portion of the total current output according to a predetermined total current output threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel Milton Alley
  • Patent number: 9008197
    Abstract: Systems for communicating over a communication interface are provided. An integrated circuit includes circuitry for monitoring a current flowing between two terminals of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit also includes a voltage driver circuit for modulating a voltage between two terminals of the integrated circuit. The voltage driver modulates the voltage across the two terminals of the integrated circuit to encode data according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Bruce Henderson, Vitaly Alexandrovich Tkachuk, Longhui Shen, Ye Xu, Alan Carroll Lovell
  • Publication number: 20150100137
    Abstract: A channel interface component including redundancy within a control system with highway addressable remote transfer (HART) channels is provided. In one embodiment, a circuit includes: at least two highway addressable remote transfer (HART) channels, each HART channel including an input terminal and an output terminal configured to connect with a HART device via a current loop; an channel interface component coupled to each HART channel that is configured to support HART protocol signals for communications with the HART device, wherein the channel interface component includes a suicide relay switch for connecting or disconnecting each HART channel from the HART device; and a programmable logic device coupled to the channel interface component that is configured to perform modulation and demodulation of HART protocol signals for communications with the HART device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Bruce Cameron Henderson, Longhui Shen
  • Publication number: 20150045936
    Abstract: A system includes a head board with a first head processor, a first carrier board, and a first junction. The first carrier board includes a first plurality of connectors configured to communicatively couple the head board to one or more first acquisition modules with a first attachment pattern. The first carrier board is configured in a first simplex or a first redundant configuration based at least in part on the first attachment pattern. The first junction is configured to removably couple the first carrier board with a terminator or to removably couple the first carrier board with a second carrier board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Alan Carroll Lovell, Christopher Todd Moore
  • Publication number: 20150030089
    Abstract: Systems for communicating over a communication interface are provided. An integrated circuit includes circuitry for monitoring a current flowing between two terminals of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit also includes a voltage driver circuit for modulating a voltage between two terminals of the integrated circuit. The voltage driver modulates the voltage across the two terminals of the integrated circuit to encode data according to the Highway Addressable Remote Transducer protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Milton Alley, Bruce Henderson, Vitaly Alexandrovich Tkachuk, Longhui Shen, Ye Xu, Alan Carroll Lovell