Patents by Inventor Steve Kieman

Steve Kieman 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: 6963782
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for fine tuning the control of a manufacturing process. A material adjusting device is in communication with a PID controller and PID control loop, and is used to alter a flow of material used in the manufacturing process, so as to maintain a target physical property of the material at a setpoint. A measurement device captures measurements of the flow relevant to the physical property of interest. A change is introduced to the material adjusting device while the PID controller and PID control loop are disabled, and appropriate measurements of the flow are continually captured; a process that may be repeated several times. Once sufficient physical property measurement data has been captured, the data is loaded into an optimization program that outputs optimized controlled parameters that may be used by the PID controller and control loop to better control the physical property of the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Automation and Control Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Kieman, David Honigford
  • Patent number: 6675073
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for fine tuning the process of controlling the weight of a flow of material, such as a rod of material in a production facility. A control actuator in communication with a PID controller and PID control loop is used to change the unit volume of the flow so as to maintain a target unit weight. A measurement device captures unit weight measurements of the flow at intervals over the length of the flow. A change is introduced to a control actuator while the PID controller and PID control loop are disabled, and appropriate weight measurements of the flow are continually captured along with the control actuator's “feed back” position; a process that may be repeated several times. Once sufficient weight measurement data has been captured, the data is loaded into an optimization program that outputs optimized controlled parameters that may be used by the PID controller and control loop to better control the weight of the flow of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Inventors: Steve Kieman, David Honigford
  • Publication number: 20030097192
    Abstract: The present invention includes a system and method for fine tuning the process of controlling the weight of a flow of material, such as a rod of material in a production facility. A control actuator in communication with a PID controller and PID control loop is used to change the unit volume of the flow so as to maintain a target unit weight. A measurement device captures unit weight measurements of the flow at intervals over the length of the flow. A change is introduced to a control actuator while the PID controller and PID control loop are disabled, and appropriate weight measurements of the flow are continually captured along with the control actuator's “feed back” position; a process that may be repeated several times. Once sufficient weight measurement data has been captured, the data is loaded into an optimization program that outputs optimized controlled parameters that may be used by the PID controller and control loop to better control the weight of the flow of material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Applicant: Automation Control Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Steve Kieman, David Honigford