Patents Issued in January 14, 2020
  • Patent number: 10534343
    Abstract: A unit is connected to both devices to be controlled and the other unit. The unit includes a control unit connected to the devices to be controlled, and a shared memory to be capable of storing therein information. The control unit allocates control data related to the devices to be controlled to the shared memory of its own unit and the shared memory of the other unit so as to be stored respectively in the shared memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10534344
    Abstract: An operation management system configured to acquire measured values of a workpiece from a numerical controller which controls a machine tool to measure the workpiece is provided with a measurement macro receiving unit configured to read a measurement macro for controlling the measurement from the numerical controller, a measurement macro analysis unit configured to analyze the measurement macro to identify the name of a measurement result variable loaded with the measured values, and a measurement result read-out unit configured to read out the value of the measurement result variable from the numerical controller. The operation management system easily acquires the result of the workpiece measurement from the numerical controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Inoue, Takashi Hosaka
  • Patent number: 10534345
    Abstract: A spindle with intelligent auto-detection system may comprise a spindle, a shell configured for covering the spindle, a first conducting ring, a second conducting ring and at least a sensor. The spindle has a connecting section and a working section, and the connecting section is configured for connecting a power unit of a processing machine. Moreover, a tool is secured on the working section, and the sensor is positioned in an inner tube of the spindle. The first conducting ring and the second conducting ring in a recess of the shell are respectively electrically connected to the sensor and an analytical instrument. When the spindle is spinning, the sensor is adapted to measure various data of statuses of the spindle and the processing machine, and the obtained data is configured to be sent to the analytical instrument, thereby achieving monitoring effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Inventor: Wei-Ting Lin
  • Patent number: 10534346
    Abstract: Terminal 20 for processing facilities having a communication device 28 arranged to exchange information about the processing facility with a communication partner, a screen 22 arranged to display the information about the processing facility, a position sensor 26 arranged to collect alignment information relating to an alignment of the terminal 20 and a processor 24 arranged to control the communication device 28, the screen 22 and the position sensor 26. The functionality of the terminal is extended by the fact that the processor sets a function of the terminal 20 dependent on alignment information from the position sensor 26.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SIG Technology AG
    Inventors: Peter Holzkämper, Thomas Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10534347
    Abstract: In order to facilitate reuse of an NC program for operation that has been executed in the past, this control device for a machine tool that drives the machine tool by executing an NC program is provided with: a first program storage unit that identifies an NC program for machining using a program name or program number and stores said program; a second program storage unit that stores an NC program for operation each time an operator executes an NC program for operation that is input manually; and a display unit that lists a plurality of NC programs for operation stored in the second program storage unit and displays said programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rie Kawai, Hideki Heishi, Kenichi Ono, Yoshihiro Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10534348
    Abstract: Provided is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic machining method using CAM which includes the step (S10) of determining machining grade in accordance with a machining target and the step (S20) of determining machining grade in accordance with a machining process, in which the machining grade is a processing condition which is determined in accordance with the rotational speed and the feeding speed of a spindle as a machining tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Industrial Technology
    Inventors: Tae Gon Kim, Seok Woo Lee, Kyung Hee Park, Hyo Young Kim
  • Patent number: 10534349
    Abstract: A machining program editing apparatus includes a GUI unit configured to specify an indication route having two points located on an original machining path, as a start point and an end point, and a program editing unit configured to edit a machining program indicative of the original machining path to thereby form a new machining path by replacing an area from the start point to the end point on the original machining path, with the indication route specified through the GUI unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Kimura, Akira Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 10534350
    Abstract: A flexible pressing system for accepting and rejecting pressed part into a part may include a pressing apparatus configured to press components into a hole of a part and a controller programmed to receive press data for a press of at least one of the components, the press data including force, distance and time of the press, and determine whether the force is indicative of an inadequate press based on the force and distance at a specific time of the press.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: Ford Motor Company, ABB Technology AG
    Inventors: Alexander Marrocco, Hossein Firoozgan, Joosok Jinn, Isaac Zolotarev, Arnold Bell
  • Patent number: 10534351
    Abstract: An automation system network can have a host connected to a first device via a network with the first device having a processor that assigns a first address to the first device, imports factory information from a second device connected to the first device via the network, and assigns a second address for the second device. At least one automation activity may be executed with the first device and the first and second addresses are employed to conduct device-to-device communications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Quest Automated Services, LLC
    Inventors: Ed Martell, Hanz Da Silva, Adam Cooper
  • Patent number: 10534352
    Abstract: A processing device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a provider configured to provide a process to a first device connected to a network of a process control system in a plant, an acquirer configured to acquire a live list generated by the first device based on diagnostic communication packets transmitted from the first device at predetermined time intervals, the live list comprising information indicating whether communication between the first device and another processing device that provides a process to the first device is norma, the processing device and the another processing device constituting a redundant pair 1, and a switch configured to switch a state of the provider from a standby state in which the provider is on standby to provide the process to the first device to an active state in which the provider provides the process to the first device based on the acquired live list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Ohno, Nobuaki Ema
  • Patent number: 10534353
    Abstract: A system for reducing processing defects during processing of a semiconductor wafer prior to back-grinding the wafer includes a table having one or more holes formed therein, wherein the table comprises at least one of a chuck table or a support table, wherein the holes are perpendicular to the surface upon which a pre-back-grinding (PBG) process occurs. The system further includes one or more sensors disposed in said holes for monitoring a parameter during the PBG process. The system further includes a computer-implemented process control tool coupled with the one or more sensors and configured to determine whether the PBG process will continue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Fa Lu, Cheng-Ting Chen, James Hu, Chung-Shi Liu
  • Patent number: 10534354
    Abstract: A device maintenance apparatus, includes: a communication control part configured to control a communication with a device; a device information acquisition part configured to acquire device information of the device via the communication; a storage configured to store maintenance process information, the maintenance process information including device specifying information for specifying a maintenance target device and process specifying information for specifying details of a maintenance process; and an information processing part configured to compare the acquired device information to the stored maintenance process information, and to execute a maintenance process on the device based on the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Kodama
  • Patent number: 10534355
    Abstract: Efficiency of prediction of a physical quantity increases in repeated simulation of an etching process with a change of parameters. An information processing device includes a base shape storage unit and a physical quantity prediction unit. The base shape storage unit of the information processing device stores a shape of a sample etched within a chamber as a base shape. On the other hand, the physical quantity prediction unit of the information processing device predicts a physical quantity within the chamber on the basis of a processing condition determined for the sample and associated with the physical quantity and the base shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kuboi, Takashi Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10534356
    Abstract: An access arbitration module includes a plurality of active component communication ports for communicating with a plurality of active components, and includes a passive component communication port for communicating with a passive component. The access arbitration module also includes switching logic defined to control transmission of access communication protocol signals between each of the plurality of active component communication ports and the passive component communication port, such that an authorized one of the plurality of active component communication ports is connected in communication with the passive component communication port at a given time, and such that non-authorized ones of the plurality of active component communication ports are prevented from communication with the passive component communication port at the given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Pablo Gonzalez, Gary Roy Watts
  • Patent number: 10534357
    Abstract: The application relates to a device for a machine in the beverage industry, comprising an HMI for user input of control commands for the machine. The device is configured to be connectable to an external control module via a wireless communication connection. The device can then exchange an HMI data record with the external control module by use of this wireless connection. The device can receive at least one HMI data record from the external control module, said data record comprising data or parameters for configuring the HMI. Furthermore, at least one HMI data set can be transferred from the HMI to the external control module and comprise data or parameters for evaluation or storage by the external control module. The device can be a separate module of the machine and can accordingly be connected to the HMI, communicate with the HMI, or at least control the HMI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Maximilian Hoferer, Theodor Bielmeier
  • Patent number: 10534358
    Abstract: An exemplary method is disclosed for estimating operational efficiency of a marine vessel with a propeller mounted to a rotatable shaft for converting rotative shaft power transferred from the shaft to the propeller into thrust to propel the marine vessel across water, the method including obtaining a respective time series of values for operating parameters of the marine vessel; constructing a multi-dimensional power matrix for a first time period based on operating parameter values within a respective sub-series thereof that represents a first time period; computing, for one or more propulsion parameters, fouling values based on information stored in the power matrix and information stored in a base matrix, of a reference fouling level; and creating indications concerning operating status of the marine vessel in dependence of the fouling values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: WÄRTSILÄ FINLAND OY
    Inventors: Ronald Van Miert, Frank Velthuis, John Kop, Kenny Joosen
  • Patent number: 10534359
    Abstract: A vehicle management system includes an onboard vehicle system and a ground system. The onboard vehicle system includes a compressor exit temperature sensor configured to determine an ECS compressor exit temperature; a data acquisition unit coupled to receive the compressor exit temperature, an altitude of the first vehicle, and an ambient temperature and configured to generate a data report; and a communications system coupled to receive and transmit the data report. The ground system includes a ground data server coupled to receive the data report and determine a fouling condition of an environmental conditioning element of the ECS based on at least the compressor exit temperature, the altitude, and the ambient temperature; and a mobile application module coupled to receive the fouling condition from the ground data server and configured to provide an interface for displaying the fouling condition to a user on a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Bin Dong, Qingqiu Ginger Shao, Eric Shi, Kyusung Kim, Jinkun Liu, Wenyan Guo
  • Patent number: 10534360
    Abstract: An occurrence of a predetermined event is detected or predicted within a stream of data and a classification for the event is determined. A message is sent to an application when the predetermined event is detected or predicted. The message is received at the application and the message is visualized to a user of the application. The stream of data from the industrial machine to the transceiver circuit, to the control circuit, and to the application occurs in real-time without substantial interruption allowing the user of the application to make decisions and determine insights concerning the industrial machine in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Veera Kishore Reddipalli, Vamshi Gandrapu
  • Patent number: 10534361
    Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for generating a health profile of an industrial asset based upon data pertaining to such an industrial asset. The health profile describes an expected condition of the industrial asset during a prediction period, a predicted cause of the expected condition, and/or a predicted impact of the expected condition. In some embodiments, the health profile is generated using a model that is configured to be periodically and/or intermittently updated. Further, in some embodiments, a diagnostic profile may be generated describing diagnostic actions that may be taken to improve predictions included within a health profile and/or to improve a confidence in one or more of those predictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Karen J. Smiley, Steven Thomas Zyglowicz, Shakeel M. Mahate, Chihhung Hou
  • Patent number: 10534362
    Abstract: A request to determine a drone's capability may be received. A request type of the request and service context may be determined. A challenge may be generated based on the request type and the service context. The challenge may be presented to a drone and causing the drone to attempt the challenge. Information may be received from the drone, the information indicating the drone's response to the challenge attempted by the drone. The drone may be controlled to perform a given task or not perform the given task, based on the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Komminist Weldemariam, Anca Sailer, Clifford A. Pickover
  • Patent number: 10534363
    Abstract: An autonomous driving device includes a route acquisition unit, a vehicle position determination unit, a stop section estimation unit, an intention confirmation unit, a reward provision unit configured to provide reward for getting off the vehicle in a case where the intention confirmation unit confirms that the occupant has the intention to get off the vehicle, and a traveling controller configured to perform an autonomous driving control and to stop a vehicle before the vehicle arrives at an autonomous driving stop section in a case where the intention confirmation unit confirms that an occupant has the intention to get off the vehicle while the autonomous driving control is being performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya Watanabe, Hideyuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 10534364
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an autonomous driving vehicle (ADV) speed following system determines how much and when to apply a throttle or a brake control of an ADV to maneuver the ADV around, or to avoid, obstacles of a planned route. The speed following system calculates a first torque force to accelerate the ADV, a second torque force to counteract frictional forces and wind resistances to maintain a reference speed, and a third torque force to minimize an initial difference and external disturbances thereafter between predefined target speed and actual speed of the ADV over a planned route. The speed following system determines a throttle-brake torque force based on the first, second, and third torque forces and utilizes the throttle-brake torque force to control a subsequent speed of the ADV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: BAIDU USA LLC, BAIDU.COM TIMES TECHNOLOGY (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fan Zhu, Qi Kong, Xiang Yu, Sen Hu, Qi Luo, Zhenguang Zhu, Yuchang Pan, Wenli Yang, Guang Yang, Jingao Wang
  • Patent number: 10534365
    Abstract: A system includes an inspection robot having mounted sleds, and a number of sensors each mounted to a sled. A couplant chamber is disposed within at least two of the sleds, each couplant chamber between a transducer of the sensor and an inspection surface. Each couplant chamber includes a cone, the cone having a cone tip portion at an inspection surface end, and a sensor mounting end opposite the cone tip portion. A couplant entry for each couplant chamber is at a vertically upper side of the cone in the intended orientation of the inspection robot on the inspection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Gecko Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Loosararian, Joshua Moore, Yizhu Gu, Kevin Low, Edward Bryner, Logan MacKenzie, Ian Miller, Alvin Chou, Todd Joslin
  • Patent number: 10534366
    Abstract: A human-following robot for searching a following target when failing to track the following target includes a location estimating module configured to estimate a location of the following target based on map information and trajectory information, a search range setting module configured to set a search range of the following target based on the estimated location information and human walking pattern information, and tracking module configured to track the following target after moving to the search range. Since the robot estimates a location of a missed following target and the moves to the estimated location by utilizing map information and human walking pattern information including walking pattern data of persons in a surrounding environment, which is accumulated during a predetermined period, the following target may be detected again.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jongsuk Choi, Sang-Seok Yun, Hoang Minh Do
  • Patent number: 10534367
    Abstract: A method of operating a robotic cleaning device over a surface to be cleaned. The method includes: registering roadmap nodes at intervals on the surface during cleaning, the roadmap nodes including positional information; and linking the roadmap nodes to form roadmap links in a roadmap graph, if the robotic cleaning device is driving directly from a previously registered roadmap node to a currently registered roadmap node. The roadmap links in the roadmap graph facilitate navigation of the robotic cleaning device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventors: Anders Haegermarck, Magnus Lindhé
  • Patent number: 10534368
    Abstract: A crowdsourced virtual sensor generator is provided which could be generated by a vehicle or provided to the vehicle as, for example, a service. The crowdsourced virtual sensor generator may include, but is not limited to, a communication system configured to receive contributing vehicle sensor data from one or more contributing vehicles, a location of the one or more contributing vehicles and a target vehicle, and a processor, the processor configured to filter the received contributing vehicle sensor data based upon the location of the one or more contributing vehicles and the location of the target vehicle, aggregate the filtered contributing vehicle sensor data into at least one of a data-specific dataset and an application-specific data set, and generate a virtual sensor for the target vehicle, the virtual sensor processing the filtered and aggregated contributing vehicle sensor data to generate output data relative to the location of the target vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ramesh Sethu, Arun Adiththan, Shuqing Zeng, Upali P. Mudalige
  • Patent number: 10534370
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle support system, including a lighting network (100) having, a plurality of light units (106-1, . . . , 106-N) wherein at least one light unit includes at least one sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), and a centralized or distributed controller (102, 105-1, . . . , 105-N), wherein a first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N) receives sensor data from its sensor type (110-1, . . . , 110-N), wherein the controller (105-1, . . . , 105-1) forms a local environmental perception of an area local to the first light unit (106-1, . . . , 106-N), using the received sensor data from light unit, and receives sensor measurement data from an autonomous vehicle relating to at least a portion of the area, and cross-validates the local environmental perception of the area and the sensor measurement data from the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dave Alberto Tavares Cavalcanti, Marcin Krzysztof Szczodrak, Talmai BrandÃo De Oliveira, Yong Yang
  • Patent number: 10534371
    Abstract: A system and method for providing power to and monitoring the energy usage includes at least one electrical control unit having an unmanned vehicle, at least one electrical control unit, a sensor enabled to monitor a given condition; a power source; a processor configured to be in communication with the at least one sensor and said power source, said processor further configured to manage communications with said management system; an unmanned vehicle releasably coupled to said electrical control unit, said processor being adapted to release said unmanned vehicle to enable the unmanned vehicle to separate from said electrical control unit, wherein said sensor is enabled to monitor at least one of the following: voltage, current, real power, apparent power, reactive power, frequency, total harmonic distortion, arc fault, plug loads, power factor, GFI, AFI, light, temperature, humidity, methane, carbon monoxide, motion, thermal, occupancy, radio frequency, audio, video, infrared, and combinations thereof and wh
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: 286 Two LLC
    Inventors: Paul Amelio, David Katz, Alfonso Amelio
  • Patent number: 10534372
    Abstract: A method of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, including: receiving from a customer a first data request, the first data request having: a first geographic coverage area; and a refresh rate for the first geographic coverage area; planning a first plurality of flight missions to accomplish the first data request; uploading flight missions data representing the first plurality of flight missions into a UAV pod; and deploying the UAV pod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Eugene Fisher, Jason Sidharthadev Mukherjee, William Arden Lott
  • Patent number: 10534373
    Abstract: An apparatus for locational aiming of an overhead directional service unit includes a body including a first end configured to be matingly engaged with a housing assembly of the overhead directional service unit and a second end longitudinally opposed to the first end. A light source is disposed within the body and operable to project a light beam from the second end in a direction defined by a longitudinal axis of the body. With the first end matingly engaged with the housing assembly, pivotal movement of the body about a pivot axis relative to a mounting assembly of the overhead directional service unit applies a leverage force to the housing assembly to pivotally reposition the housing assembly relative to the mounting assembly so that the housing assembly is directionally aimed toward a target location visually indicated by the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark Albrecht, Jeffrey R. Dempsey
  • Patent number: 10534374
    Abstract: A crossover protection system including a product transport vehicle having a tank compartment for containing a liquid product, a fluid property sensor positioned to contact liquid product stored in the tank compartment, a system controller, and a valve coupled to the tank compartment. The valve regulates a flow of liquid product from the tank compartment and has a normally locked state. The system controller may compare a received transported liquid type signal from the fuel property sensor indicative of the type of liquid product in the tank compartment and compare the type of liquid product to a stored liquid product type. If the two types match, the crossover protection controller transitions the valve to an unlocked state to allow the liquid product to unload from the tank compartment. If the two types do not match, the crossover protection controller will disable the valve from transitioning to the unlocked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: KNAPPCO, LLC
    Inventors: Scott A. Finnell, Steven D. Gramling, Mark William Dudley, Claude W. Mixon, Francis V. Stemporzewski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10534375
    Abstract: Mass flow control systems and methods for controlling the mass flow rate of a gas through a primary conduit are disclosed. One mass flow control system includes a primary conduit for directing a flow of a gas and an adjustment system configured to divert a portion of the gas from the primary conduit to a secondary conduit and provide an adjustment signal that changes when a composition of the gas changes. A mass flow controller is operatively coupled to the primary conduit to control a primary flow rate of the gas. The mass flow controller includes a valve to control the primary flow rate of the gas and a control loop configured to receive the adjustment signal and control the valve to provide the primary flow rate of the gas at a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryan Johnson, Alexei V. Smirnov, Patrick Albright, Cy Jordan, Arun Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 10534376
    Abstract: A gas divided flow supplying apparatus, including a control valve 3, a pressure type flow control unit 1a connected to a process gas inlet 11, a gas supply main pipe 8 connected to the downstream side of control valve 3, a plurality of branched pipe passages 9a, 9n connected in parallel to the downstream side of main pipe 8, opening and closing valves 10a, 10n interposed in the respective branched pipe passages 9a, 9n, orifices 6a, 6n provided on the downstream sides of valves 10a, 10n, a temperature sensor 4 provided near the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, a pressure sensor 5 provided in the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, divided gas flow outlets 11a, 11n provided on the outlet sides of the orifices 6a, 6n, and an arithmetic and control unit 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10534377
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control system for a water network. The control system includes a plurality of remotely-located monitoring and or monitoring and automatic control stations each including an automation controller for local control and automation, and each in communication via a dual-ring communication topology for system or wide-area control. The dual-ring facilitates redundant peer-to-peer data exchange to provide upstream and downstream water flow and water quality information. Systems described herein may calculate flow differential based on water flow data from each of the monitoring stations, and control flow based on the calculated flow differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Dolezilek, Amandeep Singh Kalra
  • Patent number: 10534378
    Abstract: A system, method, and device may be used to provide irrigation water consumption data. An irrigation flow controller may include an irrigation valve interface and controller that communicates with irrigation valves to open and close the valves. An identification module identifies one or more time periods when water consumption is not likely to occur or is likely minimal and a calibration module opens and closes the irrigation valves according to calibration schedule data. A timestamp module may identify a calibration valve open time and a calibration valve close time for the irrigation valves and a computational module may calculate a computed flow rate for the irrigation valves based on the calibration valve open time, the calibration valve close time, and the actual water usage data that occurred between the calibration valve open time and the calibration valve close time. The computed flow rate may be utilized to identify anomalies and provide notifications thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Orbit Irrigation Products, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Eyring, Karl L. Connolly, Bradly Williams, Eric Tres Wangsgaard, Brad Wardle
  • Patent number: 10534379
    Abstract: A pressure reducing valve includes a body, an annular valve seat, a valve element, and a pressing mechanism configured to press the valve element. The pressing mechanism includes a plug provided downstream of the valve seat and having a plug hole, and a pin including a sliding portion and an upstream end, the sliding portion having a shaft shape and being inserted in the plug hole such that a gap is provided between the sliding portion and an inner peripheral surface of the plug hole, and the upstream end being provided upstream of the sliding portion so as to contact the valve element. A fitting length of the sliding portion with respect to the plug hole and the gap between the sliding portion and the plug hole satisfy 0.0005 L<C<0.00908 L, where L indicates the fitting length, and C indicates the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Sugiyama, Koji Nishi, Akira Nakano, Yutaka Hotta, Akira Yamashita, Shota Yamamoto, Yasushi Mitsuishi
  • Patent number: 10534380
    Abstract: A regulator is disclosed that controls fluid flow through a control valve via a linkage including a lever that is acted upon by a spring cylinder acting in a direction perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow through pipes connected to the control valve. The closure performance of the control valve of the regulator is optimized by the direction the spring cylinder acts and the mechanical advantage the lever provides. The regulator further includes a diaphragm and diaphragm cover, and the regulator is configured to allow the diaphragm cover to be stamped rather than cast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FISHER JEON GAS EQUIPMENT (CHENGDU) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Biao Zhou, Zhongyang Xiao
  • Patent number: 10534381
    Abstract: A self-contained pressure compensation system and a control method thereof are provided, wherein the self-contained pressure compensation system comprises an oil supply device, a pressure compensation device, a power unit associated with the pressure compensation device, and a switch control device, the pressure compensation device supplies oil to the power unit and detects a change in a chamber pressure of itself in real time, the switch control device triggers the oil supply device to supply oil to the pressure compensation device if the chamber pressure is less than a predetermined first threshold and triggers the oil supply device to stop supplying oil to the pressure compensation device if the chamber pressure is greater than a predetermined second threshold. The invention can detect a chamber pressure of the pressure compensation device in real-time and can achieve automatic oil refilling, and can provide pressure compensation for the power unit effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Xuzhou Construciton Machinery Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xingcong Wu, Yong Li, Wen Zheng
  • Patent number: 10534382
    Abstract: The invention comprises systems and methods for detecting the use of networked consumer electronics devices as indications of occupancy of a structure for purposes of automatically adjusting the temperature setpoint on a thermostatic HVAC control. At least one thermostat is located inside a structure and is used to control an HVAC system in the structure. At least one networked electronic device is used to indicate the state of occupancy of the structure. The state of occupancy is used to alter the setpoint on the thermostatic HVAC control to reduce unneeded conditioning of unoccupied spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: EcoFactor, Inc.
    Inventor: John Douglas Steinberg
  • Patent number: 10534383
    Abstract: An HVAC controller is configured to log and record performance related data related to a performance of an HVAC system over a period of time in one or more performance logs stored in a memory of the HVAC controller. In some cases, the HVAC controller may be configured to retrieve at least some of the performance related data from the performance log that corresponds to a selected period of time that may be selected by a user, and display the retrieved performance related data on a display of the HVAC controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ademco Inc.
    Inventors: Stan Zywicki, III, Cary Leen, Eric Barton, Peter Joseph Erickson, Jonathan Frenz
  • Patent number: 10534384
    Abstract: A current mode switching regulator circuit and operating method includes a variable duty cycle power switch controller, a voltage feedback loop that provides a feedback signal based on the output voltage, a current feedback loop that provides a current sense signal based on the output current, and an offset circuit having an external signal input and coupled to the current feedback loop. The power switch controller controls the switching regulator circuit to generate an output voltage and an output current. The offset circuit is configured to provide an offset output control signal, independently of the voltage feedback loop, to control the power switch controller so as to vary a duty cycle of the power switch controller based on the current sense signal and an external offset signal applied to the external signal input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Linear Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory Manlove, James McKenzie, Robert Chiacchia, Yi Ding Gu, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 10534385
    Abstract: Voltage regulators with fast transient response are provided herein. According to one aspect, a voltage regulator for accepting an input voltage (VREF) and producing an output voltage (VouT) includes an operational amplifier having as a first input (VREF) and having as a second input a feedback voltage (VFB); an output amplifier having an input coupled to the output of the operational amplifier and an output that produces VOUT, the output being coupled to a feedback path that produces VFB; a compensation capacitor (Cc) connected between the output of the output amplifier and an input to a buffer amplifier that supplies a voltage to the input of the output amplifier. The buffer amplifier has a transconductance (gmBUF) that is controlled to be proportional to a load current (ILOAD), thereby causing the left hand plane zero of the buffer amplifier to cancel the pole created by the output amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventor: Gaurav Singh
  • Patent number: 10534386
    Abstract: A voltage regulation circuit includes a voltage regulator that is configured to provide a stable output voltage based on an input voltage; and a control circuit, coupled to the voltage regulator, and configured to provide an injection current to maintain the stable output voltage in response to an enable signal provided at an input of the control circuit transitioning to a predetermined state and cease providing the injection current when the control circuit detects that a voltage level of the output voltage is higher than a pre-defined voltage level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-An Chang, Chia-Fu Lee, Yu-Der Chih, Yi-Chun Shih
  • Patent number: 10534387
    Abstract: A power control integrated circuit (IC) chip can include a direct current (DC)-DC converter that outputs a switching voltage in response to a switching output enable signal. The power control IC chip can also include an inductor detect circuit that detects whether an inductor is conductively coupled to the DC-DC converter and a powered circuit component in response to an inductor detect signal. The power control IC chip can further include control logic that (i) controls the inductor detect signal based on an enable DC-DC signal and (ii) controls the switching output enable signal provided to the DC-DC converter and a linear output disable signal provided to a linear regulator based on a signal from the inductor detect circuit indicating whether the inductor is conductively coupled to the DC-DC converter and the powered circuit component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sachin Sudhir Turkewadikar, Nitin Agarwal, Madhan Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 10534388
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes a temperature sensor generating a first voltage representative of current operating temperature. An amplifier compares the first voltage to a second voltage representative of an upper threshold operating temperature, and generates a control signal based thereupon. A variable current source generates a load current from the control signal. The amplifier generates the control signal to cause the variable current source to generate the load current as having a magnitude equal to an upper threshold when the first voltage is less than the second voltage. The amplifier generates the control signal to cause the variable current source to generate the load current as having a magnitude that is decreasing until the first and second voltages are equal, and then generates the control signal to cause the variable current source to maintain the load current magnitude at a level at which the first and second voltages are equal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventor: Santo Ilardo
  • Patent number: 10534389
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a Miller compensation and stabilization device for a feedback control loop includes a capacitor and a control circuit. The capacitor has a first terminal configured to be coupled to an output of a comparator of the feedback control loop and a second terminal. The control circuit is coupled to the second terminal of the capacitor and is configured to control, in response to a voltage applied to a setpoint input of the feedback control loop, a first voltage across the first and second terminals of the capacitor by controlling a value of a potential of the second terminal of the capacitor such that the first voltage is lower than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Alps) SAS
    Inventor: Kuno Lenz
  • Patent number: 10534390
    Abstract: A series regulator includes, for example, first and second operational amplifiers, for driving a first transistor for a heavy load and a second transistor for a light load respectively, and an amplifier control circuit. The amplifier control circuit controls the first and second operational amplifiers such that, in a light load region, a first output current passing through the first transistor has a zero value and a second output current passing through the second transistor covers the entire output current passing through a load, and such that, in a heavy load region, the second output current has a zero value (or a fixed value lower than an amplifier switching threshold value) and the first output current covers the entire output current (or a difference left by subtracting the second output current from the output current).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Yasusaka
  • Patent number: 10534391
    Abstract: A method for automatically associating a module to a corresponding inverter of a plurality of inverters which are adapted to generate measurements related to their operation, comprising: installing the module for generating measurements related to the operation of a corresponding inverter of the plurality of inverters; comparing, by processing means, the measurements generated by the module to the measurements generated by the plurality of inverters; and basing on the comparison, determining by the processing means which of the plurality of inverters is the corresponding inverter of the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Davide Tazzari, Filippo Vernia
  • Patent number: 10534392
    Abstract: A method for dispatching buildings, including: generating data sets, each having energy values along with corresponding time and outside temperature values, where the energy values are shifted by one of a plurality of lag values relative to the corresponding time and outside temperature values; performing a non-linear parabolic analysis on the each of the data sets; determining a least valued residual that indicates a corresponding energy lag for each of the buildings, the corresponding energy lag describes a transient energy consumption period preceding a change in outside temperature; using outside temperatures, model parameters, and energy lags for all of the buildings to estimate a cumulative energy consumption for the buildings, and to predict a dispatch order reception time for the demand response program event; and employing the dispatch order reception time to prepare actions required to control the each of the buildings to optimally shed energy specified in a dispatch order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ENEL X NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Husain Al-Mohssen, Angela S. Bassa, Richard R. Paradis
  • Patent number: 10534393
    Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method. A semiconductor substrate is provided and has a base region and a crown structure extending upwardly from the base region. A plurality of fins are formed to extend upwardly from an upper surface of the crown structure. A gate dielectric material is formed over upper surfaces and sidewalls of the plurality of the fins. A conductive electrode material is formed over upper surfaces and sidewalls of the gate dielectric material. An etch is performed to etch back the conductive electrode material so upper surfaces of etched back conductive electrodes reside below the upper surfaces of the plurality of fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yvonne Lin, Da-Wen Lin, Peter Huang, Paul Rousseau, Sheng-Jier Yang