Patents by Inventor Wojtek Miller

Wojtek Miller 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: 8378833
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a level of product in a tank to detect one of a delivery and a drain operation is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operably coupled to the tank and adapted to detect the level of product in the tank at a first rate and at a second rate. The data center is in communication with the monitor and adapted to receive a user inputtable threshold level of change. The monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the first rate until the threshold level of change is detected. Thereafter, the monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the second rate. The data center generates an alarm signal to indicate that one of the delivery and the drain has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, John O'Brien Evans, II
  • Patent number: 8223027
    Abstract: A wireless tank monitoring system for remotely monitoring a plurality of storage tanks is provided. This tank monitoring system utilizes wireless communication from individual tank level monitors to a single SatComm Gateway. The SatComm Gateway then utilizes a low-Earth Orbit satellite constellation to transmit information to a central data collection center. The data collection center then provides access to this information to clients. These clients also have the capability of controlling individual monitors via the bi-directional communications path through the satellite link to the SatComm Gateway to the individual monitors. The SatComm Gateway packages the information from each of the monitors to optimize the communications through the satellite link to decrease the cost of transmission. Intrinsic safety is provided by each of the individual tank level monitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Patrick A. Jenkins, Paul D. Kronau, Wojtek Miller
  • Patent number: 7483795
    Abstract: A method of determining a temperature and a pressure in a tank is provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining sensor data and calculating coefficients. Then, a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determined from a bridge voltage. A temperature is calculated with the coefficients and the bridge resistance. Thereafter, a transition from a temperature measurement mode to a pressure measurement mode is made. A voltage per resistance is calculated with the coefficients and a differential voltage. Then, a normalized voltage is calculated using the voltage per resistance, the differential voltage, and the bridge resistance to indirectly compensating for temperature. A pressure is calculated with the coefficients and the normalized voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, Kenneth Alan Cupples, James Robert Champion
  • Patent number: 7423541
    Abstract: A system for detecting excessive usage of product in a storage tank is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operatively coupled to the tank for monitoring a level of product stored therein. The data center is in communication with the monitor. The data center generates an alarm signal when excessive product usage has been detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: Wojtek Miller
  • Patent number: 7298278
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a level of product in a tank to detect one of a delivery and a drain operation is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operably coupled to the tank and adapted to detect the level of product in the tank at a first rate and at a second rate. The data center is in communication with the monitor and adapted to receive a user inputtable threshold level of change. The monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the first rate until the threshold level of change is detected. Thereafter, the monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the second rate. The data center generates an alarm signal to indicate that one of the delivery and the drain has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, John O'Brien Evans, II
  • Publication number: 20070251951
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a level of product in a tank to detect one of a delivery and a drain operation is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operably coupled to the tank and adapted to detect the level of product in the tank at a first rate and at a second rate. The data center is in communication with the monitor and adapted to receive a user inputtable threshold level of change. The monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the first rate until the threshold level of change is detected. Thereafter, the monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the second rate. The data center generates an alarm signal to indicate that one of the delivery and the drain has occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 1, 2007
    Applicant: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, John Evans
  • Patent number: 7249505
    Abstract: A tank level monitoring system is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operatively connected to the tank to periodically monitor a level of product stored in the tank. The monitor includes a user-defined reporting schedule programmed therein. The data center is in communication with the monitor via a data channel. The monitor transmits level measurement information to the data center over the communication channel based on the user-defined reporting schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventor: Wojtek Miller
  • Patent number: 7191072
    Abstract: A temperature and pressure measuring circuit is provided. The circuit comprises an uncompensated pressure transducer, an analog-to-digital converter, a reference resistive device, and first and second switches. The transducer has variable resistive devices between first, second, third, and fourth bridge nodes. The analog-to-digital converter has first and second reference inputs and first and second differential inputs. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the third bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and a ground, a bridge voltage is measurable and a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determinable. The bridge resistance is employed to calculate a temperature. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the first bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and the second bridge node, a differential voltage is measurable. The differential voltage is employed to calculate a pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robertshaw Controls Company
    Inventors: James Robert Champion, Kenneth Alan Cupples, Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060111040
    Abstract: A wireless tank monitoring system for remotely monitoring a plurality of storage tanks is provided. This tank monitoring system utilizes wireless communication from individual tank level monitors to a single SatComm Gateway. The SatComm Gateway then utilizes a low-Earth Orbit satellite constellation to transmit information to a central data collection center. The data collection center then provides access to this information to clients. These clients also have the capability of controlling individual monitors via the bi-directional communications path through the satellite link to the SatComm Gateway to the individual monitors. The SatComm Gateway packages the information from each of the monitors to optimize the communications through the satellite link to decrease the cost of transmission. Intrinsic safety is provided by each of the individual tank level monitors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Patrick Jenkins, Paul Kronau, Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060052968
    Abstract: A method of determining a temperature and a pressure in a tank is provided. The method comprises the steps of obtaining sensor data and calculating coefficients. Then, a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determined from a bridge voltage. A temperature is calculated with the coefficients and the bridge resistance. Thereafter, a transition from a temperature measurement mode to a pressure measurement mode is made. A voltage per resistance is calculated with the coefficients and a differential voltage. Then, a normalized voltage is calculated using the voltage per resistance, the differential voltage, and the bridge resistance to indirectly compensating for temperature. A pressure is calculated with the coefficients and the normalized voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, Kenneth Cupples, James Champion
  • Publication number: 20060052967
    Abstract: A temperature and pressure measuring circuit is provided. The circuit comprises an uncompensated pressure transducer, an analog-to-digital converter, a reference resistive device, and first and second switches. The transducer has variable resistive devices between first, second, third, and fourth bridge nodes. The analog-to-digital converter has first and second reference inputs and first and second differential inputs. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the third bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and a ground, a bridge voltage is measurable and a bridge resistance is ratiometrically determinable. The bridge resistance is employed to calculate a temperature. When the first switch couples the first differential input and the first bridge node and the second switch couples the second differential input and the second bridge node, a differential voltage is measurable. The differential voltage is employed to calculate a pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventors: James Champion, Kenneth Cupples, Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060033618
    Abstract: A system to detect theft of product from a storage tank is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operatively coupled to the tank to measure the level of product therein. The data center is in communication with the monitor and adapted to receive an activation period from a user. The data center generates an alarm signal when the level monitored by the monitor has dropped by a predetermined amount during the activation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventor: Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060032304
    Abstract: A tank level monitoring system is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operatively connected to the tank to periodically monitor a level of product stored in the tank. The monitor includes a user-defined reporting schedule programmed therein. The data center is in communication with the monitor via a data channel. The monitor transmits level measurement information to the data center over the communication channel based on the user-defined reporting schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventor: Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060032862
    Abstract: A system for detecting excessive usage of product in a storage tank is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operatively coupled to the tank for monitoring a level of product stored therein. The data center is in communication with the monitor. The data center generates an alarm signal when excessive product usage has been detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventor: Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060033631
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for remotely monitoring a liquid level in a tank are provided by broadcasting a signal indicative of the liquid level in the tank directly to a cellular communication network from a stand-alone liquid level monitor operatively attached to the tank. The stand-alone monitor is battery powered and includes a processor configured for conserving power by operating the monitor according to a periodic sampling and broadcast schedule, which may be modified by signals received at the monitor directly from the cellular communications network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventors: Kenneth Cupples, James Champion, Wojtek Miller
  • Publication number: 20060032863
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a level of product in a tank to detect one of a delivery and a drain operation is provided. The system comprises a monitor and a data center. The monitor is operably coupled to the tank and adapted to detect the level of product in the tank at a first rate and at a second rate. The data center is in communication with the monitor and adapted to receive a user inputtable threshold level of change. The monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the first rate until the threshold level of change is detected. Thereafter, the monitor detects the level of product in the tank at the second rate. The data center generates an alarm signal to indicate that one of the delivery and the drain has occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Applicant: Ranco Incorporated of Delaware
    Inventors: Wojtek Miller, John Evans
  • Patent number: 5895857
    Abstract: A signal processing device for processing a machine vibration signal includes a peak value detector for determining the peak vibration amplitude values during predetermined sample time periods. In one embodiment, the vibration signal is digitally processed prior to receipt by a digital peak value detector. In another embodiment, analog processing and peak value detection of the vibration signal is employed. The peak values are then made available for further processing. In many situations, the peak values will be associated with mechanical faults which will be detected at periodic rates corresponding to the mechanical component defect frequencies without additional signal enhancement. Further enhancement can be acquired by synchronous averaging the peak values with the speed of a rotating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1999
    Assignee: CSI Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Robinson, Brent Vanvoorhis, Wojtek Miller