Patents by Inventor Mitchell Stephen Panther
Mitchell Stephen Panther 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).
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Patent number: 10996236Abstract: An accelerometer wireless position transducer or sensor is physically coupled to a control device in a process control system and includes an accelerometer that generates a signal based on a position of the control device or its actuator. The transducer converts the accelerometer signal into a wireless signal that includes a value indicative of the actuator position, and causes the wireless position feedback signal to be transmitted over a wireless channel to a valve controller, e.g., by using a short-range wireless protocol. The controller controls the valve based on the value included in the wireless signal. In some configurations, the feedback signal is received at a device paired with the transducer, and the paired device transmits the feedback signal to the controller. The paired device may be paired with multiple transducers and/or sensors, and may transmit various feedback signals to multiple recipient controllers and other devices.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Matthew J. Kemp, Davin Scott Nicholas
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Patent number: 10379548Abstract: A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve in a switch position. One or more processors receives a temperature measurement associated with an operating environment of the battery-powered pilot valve assembly, compares the received temperature measurement to a temperature threshold level, and continuously drives the battery-powered pilot valve assembly to maintain the output valve in the switch position if the temperature measurement is below the temperature threshold level.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2014Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Michael Anthony Conger
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Patent number: 10185308Abstract: Methods and systems to update information of a device description of a field instrument are described. In one example, a method involves comparing a host revision of the device description executed via a host application to an instrument revision of the device description of the field instrument, generating a character string of update information based on the comparison, the character string containing the update information, and displaying the character string via the host application.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventor: Mitchell Stephen Panther
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Patent number: 9665076Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to interface with a control a loop are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a loop controller to control a control loop, a sensor to provide a measurement value to the loop controller, a device controller to adjust a control device based on an output from the loop controller, and a loop interface to receive a set point value and send the set point value to the loop controller, wherein the loop interface is different from a host device communicatively coupled to the loop controller.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2013Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Brian J. Burlage, Rickey Lee Osborn, Carter Bill Cartwright
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Patent number: 9459630Abstract: A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve assembly in a switch position. A processor energizes a bistable valve of the pilot valve assembly to enable a fluid supply to drive the output valve assembly to a desired switch position, whereupon the pilot valve assembly may be de-energized and the switch position of the output valve assembly maintained.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Scott Richard Kratzer, Mitchell Stephen Panther, Davin Scott Nicholas
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Publication number: 20160025765Abstract: An accelerometer wireless position transducer or sensor is physically coupled to a control device in a process control system and includes an accelerometer that generates a signal based on a position of the control device or its actuator. The transducer converts the accelerometer signal into a wireless signal that includes a value indicative of the actuator position, and causes the wireless position feedback signal to be transmitted over a wireless channel to a valve controller, e.g., by using a short-range wireless protocol. The controller controls the valve based on the value included in the wireless signal. In some configurations, the feedback signal is received at a device paired with the transducer, and the paired device transmits the feedback signal to the controller. The paired device may be paired with multiple transducers and/or sensors, and may transmit various feedback signals to multiple recipient controllers and other devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2014Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Matthew J. Kemp, Davin Scott Nicholas
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Patent number: 9020619Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to a controller of a local control loop having a field device and a sensor configured in a closed-loop control system are disclosed. The controller is wirelessly coupled to a control system wherein the controller and the control system execute complementary control over the field device.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2012Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Kurtis Kevin Jensen
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Publication number: 20150112492Abstract: A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve in a switch position. One or more processors receives a temperature measurement associated with an operating environment of the battery-powered pilot valve assembly, compares the received temperature measurement to a temperature threshold level, and continuously drives the battery-powered pilot valve assembly to maintain the output valve in the switch position if the temperature measurement is below the temperature threshold level.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Michael Anthony Conger
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Publication number: 20150112491Abstract: A system and method for controlling a remote valve includes temporarily driving or activating a battery-powered pilot valve assembly to place an operatively coupled output valve assembly in a switch position. A processor energizes a bistable valve of the pilot valve assembly to enable a fluid supply to drive the output valve assembly to a desired switch position, whereupon the pilot valve assembly may be de-energized and the switch position of the output valve assembly maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Scott Richard Kratzer, Mitchell Stephen Panther, Davin Scott Nicholas
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Patent number: 9002973Abstract: Techniques for delaying the publication of data to a network by a device in a process control system or plant include obtaining, at the device, data to be published to the network; storing the obtained data and a corresponding timestamp in a cache; triggering a publication of cached data; and, based on the trigger, publishing the oldest cached data to the network during the publishing timeslot assigned to the device. The cached data may correspond to a sample rate of the device and may include multiple instances of data obtained over time. The device includes a network interface, a cache, and a publisher, and the device may be configured to operate in the delayed publishing mode, or to operate in an immediate publishing mode in which currently obtained data that has not been cached is published to the network during the publishing time slot assigned to the device.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2012Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLCInventor: Mitchell Stephen Panther
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Publication number: 20140214186Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to interface with a control a loop are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a loop controller to control a control loop, a sensor to provide a measurement value to the loop controller, a device controller to adjust a control device based on an output from the loop controller, and a loop interface to receive a set point value and send the set point value to the loop controller, wherein the loop interface is different from a host device communicatively coupled to the loop controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2013Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Brian J. Burlage, Rickey Lee Osborn, Carter Bill Cartwright
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Publication number: 20130289747Abstract: Methods and systems to update information of a device description of a field instrument are described. In one example, a method involves comparing a host revision of the device description executed via a host application to an instrument revision of the device description of the field instrument, generating a character string of update information based on the comparison, the character string containing the update information, and displaying the character string via the host application.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Inventor: Mitchell Stephen Panther
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Publication number: 20130282150Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to a controller of a local control loop having a field device and a sensor configured in a closed-loop control system are disclosed. The controller is wirelessly coupled to a control system wherein the controller and the control system execute complementary control over the field device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2012Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicant: FISHER CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL LLCInventors: Mitchell Stephen Panther, Kurtis Kevin Jensen