Patents by Inventor Van Duros

Van Duros 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: 9846423
    Abstract: A single-wire safety system is provided that yields reliable safety device monitoring without the need for dual redundant signal channels. The safety system comprises a safety relay acting as a communications master device and one or more safety devices connected in series with the safety relay via a single-wire communication circuit. A smart tap device is used to interface safety devices that are not compliant with the single-wire protocol to the single-wire channel. The safety device or smart tap device farthest from the safety relay on the safety circuit modulates a safety signal with a recognizable pulse pattern that traverses the single-wire safety circuit to the safety relay via the intermediate safety devices or smart taps. The safety relay maintains safety mode as long as the pulse pattern is received and recognized. The architecture allows bi-directional communication of initialization, configuration, and diagnostic messages over the single-wire safety channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh R. Nair, Wayne R. Foster, Alex Harris, Rudolf Laurenz Papenbreer, Norbert Machuletz, Oliver Heckel, Thomas Helpenstein, Van Duros
  • Patent number: 9841142
    Abstract: A single-wire safety system architecture is provided that yields reliable safety device monitoring without the need for dual redundant signal channels. The safety system comprises a safety relay acting as a communications master device and one or more compatible safety devices connected in series with the safety relay via a single-wire communication circuit. The safety device farthest from the safety relay on the safety circuit modulates a safety signal with a recognizable pulse pattern that traverses the single-wire safety circuit to the safety relay via the intermediate safety devices. The safety relay maintains safety mode as long as the pulse pattern is received and recognized. The architecture allows bi-directional communication of initialization, configuration, and diagnostic messages over the single-wire safety channel, and can also allow safety devices to insert prognostic data into the safety signal in order to convey health information while the system is in normal operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh R. Nair, Wayne R. Foster, Alex Harris, Rudolf Laurenz Papenbreer, Norbert Machuletz, Oliver Heckel, Thomas Helpenstein, Van Duros
  • Publication number: 20160299484
    Abstract: A single-wire safety system is provided that yields reliable safety device monitoring without the need for dual redundant signal channels. The safety system comprises a safety relay acting as a communications master device and one or more safety devices connected in series with the safety relay via a single-wire communication circuit. A smart tap device is used to interface safety devices that are not compliant with the single-wire protocol to the single-wire channel. The safety device or smart tap device farthest from the safety relay on the safety circuit modulates a safety signal with a recognizable pulse pattern that traverses the single-wire safety circuit to the safety relay via the intermediate safety devices or smart taps. The safety relay maintains safety mode as long as the pulse pattern is received and recognized. The architecture allows bi-directional communication of initialization, configuration, and diagnostic messages over the single-wire safety channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Suresh R. Nair, Wayne R. Foster, Alex Harris, Rudolf Laurenz Papenbreer, Norbert Machuletz, Oliver Heckel, Thomas Helpenstein, Van Duros
  • Publication number: 20160290559
    Abstract: A single-wire safety system architecture is provided that yields reliable safety device monitoring without the need for dual redundant signal channels. The safety system comprises a safety relay acting as a communications master device and one or more compatible safety devices connected in series with the safety relay via a single-wire communication circuit. The safety device farthest from the safety relay on the safety circuit modulates a safety signal with a recognizable pulse pattern that traverses the single-wire safety circuit to the safety relay via the intermediate safety devices. The safety relay maintains safety mode as long as the pulse pattern is received and recognized. The architecture allows bi-directional communication of initialization, configuration, and diagnostic messages over the single-wire safety channel, and can also allow safety devices to insert prognostic data into the safety signal in order to convey health information while the system is in normal operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Suresh R. Nair, Wayne R. Foster, Alex Harris, Rudolf Laurenz Papenbreer, Norbert Machuletz, Oliver Heckel, Thomas Helpenstein, Van Duros