Monitoring Systems Patents (Class 318/565)
  • Patent number: 11966202
    Abstract: Motorized window treatment systems are disclosed. A motorized window treatment system may include a covering material, a sensor circuit, and a control circuit. The sensor circuit may be configured to generate sensor signals indicative of a position of the covering material. The control circuit may be configured to determine a present sensor state of the sensor circuit, determine a predicted sensor state for the sensor circuit based at least in part on a power-down position recorded at a first time and a final position recorded at a second time, compare the predicted sensor state with the present sensor state, and determine a present position of the covering material based on the comparison of the predicted sensor state and the present sensor state. Methods of adjusting a position of a covering material of a motorized window treatment also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Thomas F. Rebbert, Robert J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11923792
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of predicting conditions of machines as well as a corresponding data processing system, computer program and computer-readable medium are disclosed. A technical specification of a machine is received. A data set including at least one current operational parameter of the machine is continuously received. A current load of the machine is continuously derived based on the provided technical specification and the received data set via a knowledge base. A current condition of the machine is continuously predicted by integrating over the derived current load and all previously derived current loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Daniel Dubber, Matthias Sandkaul
  • Patent number: 11843339
    Abstract: A system and method estimate the fault severity index and consequently the number of shorted turns in permanent magnet motors (PMSM) with inter turn short circuit fault (ITSC). In this method, the machine is excited with DC current at stand still conditions to obtain the winding resistance seen by the d-axis of the machine. The estimated d-axis resistance contains useful information pertaining to the fault severity index, and is used to extract the fault severity index and the number of shorted turns in the faulty motor. The method enables the estimation of fault severity index without complex modeling with different machine prototypes, or FEA models to analyze the relationship between machine currents and short circuit current. To enhance the accuracy of the estimation method, this disclosure addresses issues associated with inverter non-linearity effects such as distortion voltage due to dead time effects and voltage drops across the switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Bilal Akin, Kudra Baruti, Vigneshwaran Gurusamy, Feyzullah Erturk
  • Patent number: 11748216
    Abstract: The voter circuit and method determines a voted output among plural inputs each carrying circular data. To supply the voted output, a statistical average (e.g., mean or median) is computed by grouping the plural inputs into pairs, and for each pair generating a minimum angular difference by selecting the minimum of (a) the absolute difference between the pairs of inputs, and (b) the conjugate of the absolute difference between the pairs of inputs. The voted output is a statistical average generated from the minimum angular difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Sergio Ferreira, Joshua Lindsay
  • Patent number: 11648666
    Abstract: A method is provided for vibration suppression, which is useful in systems with configuration dependent dynamic parameters. The method is a general and practical solution for obtaining a set of inputs to a dynamic system, which will result in reduced vibrational behavior. A novel discrete time buffer implementation is employed, which yields reduced vibration due to a constant unity sum of applied impulses. The method includes shaping a position input with a continuously updated filter and using numerical differentiation to obtain consistent feedforward derivatives without phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL ROBOTS A/S
    Inventor: Dan Kielsholm Thomsen
  • Patent number: 11513031
    Abstract: Conformance testing of a rebuilt motor includes disposing a motor under test in a motor test stand, coupling a plurality of sensors to the motor under test including a first vibrational sensor to the motor under test; a first temperature sensor to the motor under test; a first rotational speed sensor to the motor under test. A set of test parameters are received comprising parameters for a conformance test, the test parameters including a vibrational sensor parameter, a temperature sensor parameter, and a rotational speed parameter. A motor under test is placed in an on-state and a processing device receives sensor data simultaneously from the sensors, determines that the rotational speed satisfies the rotational speed parameter, and stores time sampled sensor data received from the plurality of sensors relative to a time zero corresponding to a time when the rotational speed satisfies the rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Inventors: Douglas Johnson, Michael Ingram, Greg Ziegler, Soenke Petersen
  • Patent number: 11409248
    Abstract: A motorized window treatment system is provided for moving a covering material (e.g., a shade fabric). The motorized window treatment system includes a motor drive circuit configured to generate signals that cause a motor to change a position of the covering material. A sensor circuit is provided to generate one or more sensor signals indicative of the position of the covering material. The motorized window treatment system further includes a control circuit coupled to the sensor circuit to receive the one or more sensor signals. The control circuit is configured to detect a power-down event when a supply voltage is equal to or less than a threshold value, and stores a power-down position and one or more power-down sensor states. The control circuit is configured to determine a present position based on the stored power-down position and the one or more power-down sensor states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
    Inventors: Thomas F. Rebbert, Robert J. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11385621
    Abstract: A system is provided that predicts motor wear and failures before they occur. Telemetry data from motors in a motor application is collected and predictive algorithms are used to determine when a motor is aging and when it may fail. Identifying a potential failure in these types of applications can help mitigate risk of other equipment failures and realize cost savings. In one example, a motor aging detection system is provided that includes one or more DC motors, and a motor controller coupled to each motor. The motor controller reads three phase currents from each motor and converts the phase currents to digital values, calculates telemetry data including applied voltages, back electric-motive force, inductance, and resistance of each motor at periodic intervals, stores this telemetry data for each motor in a memory. An age detection circuit retrieves this information from the memory and determines age factors of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ACTIVE-SEMI, INC.
    Inventors: Marc David Sousa, John Alexander Goodrich-Ruiz
  • Patent number: 11353340
    Abstract: Provided are a motor rotation angle measurement device and method. The device may comprise: a signal conditioning circuit, configured to receive a three-phase output voltage of a motor and separately generate three square-wave signals; and a processor, configured to generate a six-multiplying frequency pulse whenever jumping of any one of the three square-wave signals, is detected in a rotation period of a motor, generate compensation pulses between the current six-multiplying frequency pulse and a next six-multiplying frequency pulse based on a time interval between the current six-multiplying frequency pulse and a previous six-multiplying frequency pulse and a preset compensation subdivision coefficient k, and accumulate the number of the compensation pulses, wherein the number of the compensation pulses is related to the rotation angle of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: XINJIANG GOLDWIND SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Huang, Jiangming Huo
  • Patent number: 11247335
    Abstract: A robot controller is disclosed. The robot controller may include one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, configured to: receive, from a vision sensor, an image of a path marker disposed on a workpiece, the path marker having a work path identifier corresponding to a work path to be traced by a robot end effector; determine, using a computer vision model, the work path based on the image, the computer vision model having been trained to detect the work path identifier and identify the work path based on the work path identifier; determine a set of coordinates within a workspace of the robot end effector based on the work path; generate a work path instruction to guide the robot end effector according to the set of coordinates; and cause the robot end effector to operate according to the work path instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Kimball Cassidy, II
  • Patent number: 11249104
    Abstract: An electronic device monitors accelerations using a motion sensor. The electronic device determines a current motion state based on the accelerations. The electronic device identifies a plurality of applications that subscribe to a motion state identification service and notifies a subset of the applications of the current motion state, the subset meeting notification criteria associated with the current motion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Philippe Richard Kahn, Arthur Kinsolving, Mark Andrew Christensen, Brian Y. Lee, David Vogel
  • Patent number: 11235470
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes driving means for rotationally driving a predetermined mechanism, braking means for braking the driving means by pressing a pressing unit against a rotation unit of the driving means, and control means for, in order to change rotation position of the predetermined mechanism, controlling the driving means in a braking release period in which the pressing unit is returned to a predetermined position to temporarily maintain the rotation position of the predetermined mechanism, and then driving the predetermined mechanism to thereby change the rotation position. The control apparatus performs at least one of notification to the user, braking of the predetermined mechanism, and stopping of the driving means when a command time for the driving means at the time of temporarily maintaining the rotation position of the predetermined mechanism is longer than or equal to a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shun Sato
  • Patent number: 11194231
    Abstract: A method includes determining an actual orientation of a base of an apparatus, obtaining a target orientation of a payload support of the apparatus, and determining target angular displacements of the payload support about gimbal axes of a plurality of pivoted supports of the apparatus based on the actual orientation of the base and the target orientation of the payload support. The payload support is mounted to the base through the plurality of pivoted supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SZ DJI OSMO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tie Su, Paul Pan
  • Patent number: 11090805
    Abstract: A robot includes a first arm that rotates around the first axis, a second arm that rotates around a second axis in a direction different from the first axis, a third arm that rotates around a third axis parallel to the second axis, a first inertia sensor that is installed at the first arm, a second (a) inertia sensor that is installed at the third arm, first to third angle sensors, a posture detection unit that detects the posture of the third arm with the second arm as a reference and derives a feedback gain, and a second drive source control unit that feeds back a second correction component, which is obtained by multiplying a value, which is obtained by subtracting the angular velocity ?A2m and the angular velocity ?A3m from the angular velocity ?A3, by the feedback gain, and controls the second drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiro Gomi, Masaki Motoyoshi, Shunsuke Toshimitsu
  • Patent number: 11073848
    Abstract: A method for recognizing a motor system is provided. The method includes steps of: establishing a functional series filter model for describing a motor system; generating a logarithmic sweep signal; feeding the logarithmic sweep signal to the motor system and obtaining, by an accelerometer, a vibration acceleration output by the motor system; generating an inverse signal of the logarithmic sweep signal generated; convolving the vibration acceleration with the inverse signal to obtain a one-dimensional impulse response sequence; intercepting the one-dimensional impulse response sequence by using a window function to obtain impulse response sequences; solving kernel functions according to the impulse response sequences, substituting the kernel functions into a recognition formula of the motor system, and describing and identifying the motor system through the recognition formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: AAC Technologies Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Xuan Guo, Zheng Xiang, Tao Li
  • Patent number: 11022108
    Abstract: A rotor device for a peristaltic pump containing a housing, a supporting shaft extending in an axial direction and being mounted in the housing, a rotor which contains a rotor-body mounted on the supporting shaft and extending in a radial direction from the supporting shaft and a plurality of rollers, mounted on the radially outer portion of the rotor-body and a driving device connected to the supporting shaft for driving the rotor, in which the peristaltic pump further contains a number of roller-markers corresponding to the number of rollers, in which the roller-markers indicate a dead zone, the roller-markers are provided directly or indirectly on the supporting shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Raoul Weil, Emmanuelle Simon, Christophe Di-Palo, Vincent Schaal
  • Patent number: 10965136
    Abstract: A data logging device including a data request and receiving module receiving an input, a switch circuit receiving said input, a resistive load interconnected to said switch circuit, a data request switch providing a signal to said data request and receiving module, a charge storage device interconnected with said resistive load, a transmitter interconnected with said data request and receiving module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: LO3 Energy Inc.
    Inventor: Zac Wheeler
  • Patent number: 10958205
    Abstract: This motor control device is provided with a motor control unit which, on the basis of an operation command signal for driving the motor and a feedback signal from the encoder corresponding to motor operation, generates a command value relating to operation of the motor in accordance with a prescribed feedback method such that operation of the motor follows the operation command signal. The occurrence of an error is determined on the basis of the result of comparing a prescribed feedback value, which is calculated from the feedback signal from the encoder, and an operation command value, which is calculated from the operation command signal, and, on the basis of this determination result, interruption processing of the drive signal is performed. By means of this configuration, it is possible to improve safety performance of the motor control device without hampering the safety performance of the encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Hashimoto, Tetsuya Akagi, Ryuichi Jimbo
  • Patent number: 10947966
    Abstract: A peristaltic pump includes a rotor and first and second rollers mounted on the rotor. The first and second rollers rotate between a disengaged, initially engaged and a fully engaged position with respect to a section of tubing. The rollers begin to occlude the tubing when in the initially engaged positon and fully occlude the tubing when in the fully engaged position. The pump also includes an encoder and a rotor controller. The encoder monitors the position of the first and second rollers as the rotor rotates. The rotor controller is in electrical communication with the encoder and controls the operation of the pump and rotor. The controller stops the rotation of the rotor in response to a stop command and based upon the monitored position of the first and second rollers such that either the first or second roller remains in the fully engaged positon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Haemonetics Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Stacey, Edward Kaleskas
  • Patent number: 10948512
    Abstract: An electronic device monitors accelerations using a motion sensor. The electronic device determines a current motion state based on the accelerations. The electronic device identifies a plurality of applications that subscribe to a motion state identification service and notifies a subset of the applications of the current motion state, the subset meeting notification criteria associated with the current motion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Philippe Richard Kahn, Arthur Kinsolving, Mark Andrew Christensen, Brian Y. Lee, David Vogel
  • Patent number: 10948893
    Abstract: This motor control device is provided with a motor control unit which, on the basis of an operation command signal for driving the motor and a feedback signal from the encoder corresponding to motor operation, generates a command value relating to operation of the motor in accordance with a prescribed feedback method such that operation of the motor follows the operation command signal. Interruption processing of the drive signal is performed on the basis of the comparison result of a prescribed feedback value, which is calculated from the feedback signal from the encoder, and a control calculation value, which, comparable with a prescribed feedback value, is calculated during the process of generation of the command value by the motor control unit. By means of this configuration, it is possible to improve safety performance of the motor control device without hampering the safety performance of the encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Hashimoto, Tetsuya Akagi, Ryuichi Jimbo
  • Patent number: 10935363
    Abstract: Device for detecting highly stressed positions in a machining tool with a spindle head and a spindle motor, the device comprising: a measuring unit adapted to acquire measurement values of the spindle head during operation of the spindle unit, the measurement values having a current position of the spindle head; a memory unit adapted to store the measurement values acquired; a stress determining unit adapted to determine an associated stress value for each of the detected positions taking into account the measurement values; and an output unit adapted to at least one of outputting the detected positions with the respective associated stress value, and determining from a total number of the determined stress values at least one high stress value which is greater than the other stress values of the total number, and then outputting the at least one determined high stress value with the position assigned to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: CHIRON-WERKE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Claus Eppler, Pascal Schröder
  • Patent number: 10921800
    Abstract: A motor control device comprising a motor control unit that, on the basis of an operation command signal for driving a motor and a feedback signal, from an encoder, corresponding to the operation of the motor, generates a command value pertaining to the operation of the motor in accordance with a prescribed feedback scheme so that the operation of the motor follows the operation command signal, wherein interrupt processing of a drive signal is executed by an interrupt unit on the basis of a comparison result of two items pertaining to a prescribed feedback value calculated using the feedback signal from the encoder, and to a state calculation value that is calculated on the basis of the operation command signal and that pertains to an operating state of the motor comparable with the prescribed feedback value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Akagi, Minoru Hashimoto, Ryuichi Jimbo
  • Patent number: 10877458
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for mitigation of the damages in case of accidental collisions in a machine tool comprising a computer numerical control (CNC) and a plurality of axes, wherein the occurrence of collisions is monitored, comprises: identifying a first axis being an axis at which a collision is first detected, identifying a second axis being an axis parallel to said first axis, and determining if both or one or none of the axes are resting. If both are resting unlocking the first axis or both axes. If the first axis or second axis is not resting, then the moving axis is defined as the collider, and said moving axis is braked, and simultaneously the resting axis is unlocked or stepped away or held in position. If both axes are moving, defining a collider axis based on said identified first axis at which a collision has been first detected, braking said collider axis and simultaneously unlocking or stepping away the axis parallel to said collider axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventor: Marco Taborelli
  • Patent number: 10870203
    Abstract: A machine tool control device and a production system are provided which determine an operation sequence of a robot and set numerical data required in operation, by setting the selection of an operating program of a robot, and/or setting of operations of the operating program, based on an instruction by the user from the machine tool side. A numerical control device which is connected to a robot control device for controlling a robot and controls a machine tool that is used in combination with the robot, includes: a reception unit that accepts setting information for the robot; and a sending unit for sending a parameter setting a selection of an operating program of the robot, and/or setting operations of the operating program, based on the setting information accepted by the reception unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Tarui, Yoshitsugu Ogawa, Yoshinori Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10866577
    Abstract: To provide a numerical controller for facilitating mass production of various types of workpieces in comparison with a prior art, by controlling a rotary index machine or the like having a plurality of machining stations. A numerical controller for a machine tool executes multi-path control for collectively controlling a plurality of paths requiring conveyance operations between the processes when each of workpieces receives a plurality of processes. The numerical controller includes an execution unit for executing a plurality of machining programs each of which is generated for each of the workpieces so as to correspond to each of the paths, the plurality of machining programs including execution commands of the processes and conveyance commands between the processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daijirou Koga
  • Patent number: 10824139
    Abstract: A method for maintaining industrial equipment through analyzing data from multiple sources associated with the industrial equipment is based on a predetermined list of fault categories. The method includes acquiring the data associated with the industrial equipment, analyzing the data according to the predetermined list of fault categories, and outputting a fault report of the industrial equipment according to the analysis. Information as to fault processing of the industrial equipment is updated to the predetermined list, the fault processing information being adopted according to the fault report. An equipment maintenance device and a storage medium are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Shenzhen Jingjiang Yunchuang Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xue-Qin Zhang
  • Patent number: 10715068
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for braking a translator of a linear multiphase electromagnetic machine. The system detects a fault event, and in response to detecting the fault event, causes the translator to brake using an electromagnetic technique. Braking includes causing the translator to stop reciprocating, by applying a force opposing an axial motion, which may occur within one cycle, or over many cycles. The fault event may include, for example, a fault associated with an encoder, a controller, an electrical component, a communications link, a phase, or a subsystem. The system includes a power electronics system configured to apply current to the phases. The system may use position information, current information, operating parameters, or a combination thereof to brake. Alternatively, the system need not use position information, current information, and operating parameters, and may brake the translator independent of such information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Mainspring Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Da Costa, Matthew Roelle, John Powers, Patrick Gorzelic, Christopher David Gadda
  • Patent number: 10705501
    Abstract: A matching recognition method for an NC program and corresponding cutting tools includes a step of using an imaging device to capture 2-dimensional images from the cutting tools mounted at the corresponding numbered tool holders on a machine tool, a step of based on the 2-dimensional images to extract outline feature points and assembling postures of cutting tools and converting into corresponding tool-assembling strings, a step of obtaining tool demands from each of the sequential machining steps in the NC program and converting into corresponding stepwise tool-demanding strings, and a step of performing matching upon the tool-assembling strings and the stepwise tool-demanding strings to generate and output corresponding step-and-tool matching strings. In addition, an associated matching recognition system is provided to include an imaging device, an image-processing module, a step-decoding module and a matching and comparing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chih-Ping Cheng, Chu-Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 10691101
    Abstract: A device for transporting containers comprises at least two transport devices for the containers, at least two servo motors, at least two position sensors, and at least one control unit. The at least one control unit is to control the at least two servo motors, by closed-loop control, based on a comparison of positions determined by respective position sensors of the at least two position sensors and respective target positions. The at least one control unit is further to bring the at least two servo motors to a standstill in the event of a fault of a position sensor, wherein: a) a servo motor is brought to a standstill in a closed-loop manner using the position if it is determinable by the position sensor, or b) the servo motor is brought to a standstill in an open-loop manner based on the target position if the position is not determinable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Krones AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Langwieser, Dieter Finger, Helmut Schneider, Johannes Strauss
  • Patent number: 10678212
    Abstract: A numerical control system includes an image processing device that performs image processing on images captured by an imaging device and a numerical controller. The numerical controller includes a program analysis unit and a storage unit that stores operation control information of the machine, the imaging device, and the image processing device in a format that can be read and written by the program analysis unit. The numerical control system includes a conversion unit that converts commands or the operation control information stored in the storage unit to image processing input items which are setting values of a format that can be recognized by the imaging device and the image processing device and converts image processing output items which are the results of the image processing from the image processing device to operation control information of a format that can be recognized by the program analysis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 10610323
    Abstract: A telescoping control mechanism for controlling a medical instrument, the medical instrument includes a telescoping axis which intersects a patient at a work point, the telescoping control mechanism includes: a first rotary module disposed on a base, and including a first axis which extends through the work point; a second rotary module disposed on the base and including a second pivot which is pivoted to the base and has a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; a linkage module including a proximal linkage assembly disposed on the second pivot and parallel to the telescoping axis, and a distal linkage assembly for mounting of the medical instrument; and a telescoping module disposed on the proximal linkage assembly to drive the distal linkage assembly to reciprocate along the proximal linkage assembly, which consequently causes movements of the medical instrument along the telescoping axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Ren-Jeng Wang
  • Patent number: 10616080
    Abstract: A robot data transfer method includes the step of collecting data from each of a plurality of robots in a multi-robot production facility in real-time. The data collected from the robots is then transferred in real-time from a controller of each of the robots to a first data collection device. Within the first data collection device, the data is buffered using a multi-segment queueing mechanism. The queueing mechanism is configured with a retention policy. The data is then transferred to a second data collection device based on the retention policy of the queueing mechanism of the first data collection device. The second data collection device analyzes the data and determines whether maintenance or optimization is necessary for any of the robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isaac Eckert, Gordon Geheb, Bradley Q. Niederquell, Yi Sun, Jason Tsai, Rick E. Wunderlich
  • Patent number: 10577083
    Abstract: A method of controlling an artificial force feel generating device for generation of an artificial feeling of force on an inceptor that is adapted for controlling a servo-assisted control unit of a vehicle control system, wherein the artificial force feel generating device comprises at least one force generating device that is mechanically connected to the inceptor for generating a tactile cue force acting in operation on the inceptor, and wherein a safety device is provided for limiting authority of the at least one force generating device, the method comprising at least the steps of: monitoring usage of the safety device during operation of the artificial force feel generating device, determining a current accumulated fatigue of the safety device on the basis of the monitored usage, and re-configuring the at least one force generating device on the basis of the current accumulated fatigue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Boris Grohmann, Thomas Rohr
  • Patent number: 10578463
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing sensor information obtained from a coding wheel of a motor may detect defects in the sensor information caused by contamination or damage of any of the angular step markers, index marker, and/or blank space on the tracks of the coding wheel. A step counter counts toward an overflow value representing the number of angular step markers on the coding wheel. The step counter and the index are correlated: when the overflow value is reached, if the index marker is not detected an error is raised; coincidently, when the index marker is detected, if the step counter has not reached the overflow value an error is raised. The systems and methods may be applied to bidirectionally rotating motors and other devices by detecting a change in rotational direction and switching from incrementing the angular step counter to decrementing it, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Karl Courtel
  • Patent number: 10528046
    Abstract: An autopilot system comprising an onboard unit. The onboard unit has a plurality of sets of sensors that are redundant and mutually independent, together with a plurality of calculation channels, each calculation channel being connected to the sensors of one of the sets of sensors and receiving data coming from the sensors. A supervisor is connected to the sensors of a set of sensors, the supervisor having the function of coupling at most one of the calculation channels to the control members, the supervisor having the function of decoupling the coupled channel from the control members in the event that the current behavior of the aircraft departs from predetermined predicted behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Thierry Vieux
  • Patent number: 10530223
    Abstract: With respect to servo amplifiers attached to a component mounter, a motor unit of at of a drive mechanism assembled on a mounting head is attached to be exchangeable. A control device of the component mounter switches the servo amplifier from a servo on state to a servo off state before exchange of the motor unit, maintains servo amplifier system power in an on state, initializes an encoder of the motor unit connected to the servo amplifier after the motor unit has been exchanged, and returns the servo amplifier to a servo on state. By this, the servo motor of the exchange motor unit achieves a state in which feedback control can be performed based on detection information of the encoder, and operation of the exchanged motor unit can be started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masatoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 10509391
    Abstract: A machine tool collision avoidance method includes: loading multiple processing codes; simulating multiple path traces corresponding to the processing codes; estimating multiple execution periods for running the path traces; selecting the shortest execution period from the execution periods; determines whether the distance between the trace point points on any two of the path traces is less than a safety distance within the shortest execution period; if the distance between a first trace point on a first path trace and a second trace point on a second path trace is less than the safety distance, estimating a first time point at which a first turret runs to the first trace point and a second time point at which the second turret runs to the second trace point; generating a collision warning if the difference between the first time point and the second time point is lower than a tolerance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Chao-Chuang Mai, Chin-Hui Chen, Shu-Yu Lin
  • Patent number: 10503718
    Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to parallel transfers of electronic data. Some examples disclosed herein may include executing, by a processing node of a computation engine, a computation task among a plurality of computation tasks generated by the computation engine for transferring an electronic data table to a target table. The computation task, when executed by the processing node, may cause the processing node to transfer a segment of the electronic data table to a staging table, update a task status table upon completing the transfer of the segment to the staging table, in response to determining that the plurality of computation tasks have completed, update a last committer table with a task identifier associated with the computation task, and in response to determining that the last committer table includes the task identifier associated with the computation task, transfer the staging table to the target table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: MICRO FOCUS LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey LeFevre, Maria Castellanos, Meichun Hsu, Rui Liu
  • Patent number: 10500723
    Abstract: There is provided a machining system in which for automation of loading and unloading of an article with respect to a machining device, an operation of a robot can be easily set from a machine controller of the machining device. The machining system includes a machine controller and a robot controller. The machine controller includes a communication section configured to read from a storage section setting data and a robot operation program which correspond to the type of the machined article as set by a setting section when a determination section determines that the moving robot is disposed at a predetermined position, and transmit the same to the robot controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroji Nishi
  • Patent number: 10409261
    Abstract: Machine tool (10), in particular a cutting machine tool, comprising at least one digital storage unit (34) in which a machining program code that codes the machining process of a workpiece by means of the machine tool (10) and a monitoring program code that codes a monitoring process for monitoring the machining process are stored. According to the invention, it is intended that a script editor (38) is stored in the digital storage unit (34) for inputting and/or reading modification commands that change the monitoring process, and a compiler is also stored in the digital storage unit (34) that is designed to automatically generate an executable process monitoring pro- gram code from the monitoring program code and the modification commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: KOMET GROGF GMBH
    Inventor: Jan-Wilm Brinkhaus
  • Patent number: 10254155
    Abstract: A monitoring device and a method for detecting mechanical torsional oscillations in a rotor shaft of a turbine-generator system. Specifically, the monitoring device and a method for detecting mechanical torsional oscillations in a turbine-generator system having a plurality of, such as two, three, four, five, six or more, turbines that are interconnected by means of a common turbine shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Tord Bengtsson, Zoran Gajic, Stefan Roxenborg
  • Patent number: 10250532
    Abstract: Systems and methods for personality consistent automated chatting are provided. The systems and methods track the emotional state of the chat bot, track entity related dispositions of the chat bot and/or track the closeness of the relationship between the chat bot and a user. Accordingly, the systems and methods are able to provide consistent personality and/or points of view by generating replies based on the tracked chat bot emotional state, chat bot entity dispositions, and/or the relationship closeness between the chat bot and the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Emmanouil Koukoumidis, Joseph Johnson, Jr., Dustin I. Abramson, Maria A. Rangel, Ying Wang, Di Li, Steven G. Zittrower, Hailong Mu, Kelli A. Stuckart, Hudong Wang, Pengfei Hao, Donald F. Brinkman, Kati A. London, Zhan Chen
  • Patent number: 10191469
    Abstract: A numerical control device includes an approach path calculation unit configured to calculate an approach path to the restarting machining point of the tool, a manual operation approach command unit, and an approaching operation switching unit, wherein the approaching operation switching unit is configured to receive switching request from an operator during the manual operation approach and switch to the automatic operation approach, or, receive manual intervention of the operator during the automatic operation approach and switch to the manual operation approach.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Haraguchi, Makoto Haga
  • Patent number: 10054063
    Abstract: A system for controlling a CVVD by adjusting an actuator for controlling the CVVD is provided. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output a command phase angle and a selection signal for controlling the actuator based on a vehicle state and a mode of operation, and an actuator controller configured to operate based on the command phase angle and the selection signal and output an electric current to adjust the actuator. The actuator controller is configured to output an electric current corresponding to the command phase angle originating from the ECU or adjust the command phase angle and then output an electric current corresponding to the corrected command phase angle based on a type of selection signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI KEFICO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jin Wook Baek
  • Patent number: 10034053
    Abstract: A method at a computer system includes: receiving a request from a user device for presenting a poll based on a broadcast program being viewed by a user of the user device, the request corresponding to a triggering event detected by the user device, the triggering event being initiated by the user on the user device; receiving from electronic devices search queries related to the broadcast program; identifying automatically popular moments of the broadcast program based on at least a corresponding history of search queries related to the broadcast program including the received search queries related to the broadcast program; generating a poll including one or more questions related to the broadcast program, the questions being populated based on the popular moments; and sending the generated poll to the user device configured for display by the user device, wherein the poll is configured to be actionable by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Ingrid McAulay Trollope, Ant Oztaskent, Yaroslav Volovich
  • Patent number: 9945799
    Abstract: A thermal displacement correction device for a machine tool is provided with detection result determination unit configured to determine, based on an actual position and a reference position detected by position detection unit, whether or not the actual position is based on correct detection, correction error calculation unit configured to calculate a correction error in the actual position if it is determined that the result of detection is based on correct detection, and correction amount modification unit configured to modify a thermal displacement correction amount based on the correction error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Koyama, Susumu Maekawa
  • Patent number: 9902063
    Abstract: A robot system of the present invention has a disturbance torque monitoring part which monitors a disturbance torque of a servo motor which drives rotation about a joint of the robot in accordance with an operating command of a robot operation control part. Further, when a work gripped by the hand is fastened by a work fasting device, the abnormality judging part compares the disturbance torque with a predetermined first threshold value and, when the disturbance torque is over the first threshold value, judges that an abnormality has occurred in the position of the work fastened by the work fastening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshitake Furuya
  • Patent number: 9903060
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for monitoring current flow in an induction motor, particularly an induction motor associated with a washing machine and for controlling operation of the motor to limit thermals during operation of the motor. The subject matter provides for periodically stopping the motor and applying a phase limited alternating (AC) voltage to the motor that is of insufficient magnitude to start the motor rotating. A current reading is taken and converted using a look up table to a corresponding temperature. If the temperature exceeds a predetermined amount, temperature fold back procedures are initiated the may include shortening and/or pausing certain washer operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Anthony Didat, Richard Dean Suel, II, Scott Michael Gelber
  • Patent number: 9881283
    Abstract: A service data record system and a POS system with the service data record system are provided. The service data record system transmits a data of an electronic device to a remote monitoring device. The electronic device includes plural electronic units and a power unit. The service data record system includes a power device, a remote monitoring interface and a micro processing unit. The micro processing unit is connected with the electronic device, the remote monitoring interface and the power device. By the micro processing unit, the electronic data set of the electronic unit may be externally transmitted to the remote monitoring device. Moreover, the pre-designate event of the electronic device may be externally transmitted to the remote monitoring device. According to the pre-designate event, it is convenient for a service engineer to make the preparation before repair or maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: FLYTECH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Tai-Seng Lam, Hsiao-Hui Lee, Shuei-Jin Tsai