Machine Condition Patents (Class 340/679)
  • Patent number: 8779916
    Abstract: Timeline presentations of process control system alarms are described. An operator interface apparatus for a process control system is described that includes an operator display module to present an operator application on a display. The operator interface also includes an alarm presentation interface to be presented on the display via the operator application. The alarm presentation interface includes a timeline to graphically indicate a temporal relationship of a plurality of active alarms of the process control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kim Ordean Van Camp, Bruce Hubert Campney, Trevor Duncan Schleiss, Glenn Mclaughlin
  • Patent number: 8766795
    Abstract: An availability notification for a device can be provided to a mobile device. The availability notification can be provided based on a configuration established by a subscriber of a mobile device as well as a characteristic of the mobile device. The subscriber can interact with an interface provided by the network provider to establish the configuration. Additionally, the subscriber can reserve the device via his or her mobile device. For example, a reservation interface may be provided to the subscriber via his or her mobile device that includes reservation options that can be selected by the subscriber to reserve the device. The reservation interface can further include the availability notification that indicates the device is currently available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Mark Edward Causey, Scott Andrus, Adrianne B. Luu, Kevin W. Jones
  • Patent number: 8760309
    Abstract: A wear sensor system, compressors using the wear sensor system and methods of detecting wear on a bearing. The wear sensor system includes a stationary housing-mounted circuit comprising a first inductor electrically connected to a voltage source and a rotating shaft-mounted circuit comprising a second inductor electrically connected to a capacitor. When there is no metal-to-metal contact between the shaft of the compressor and the housing into which the shaft is mounted, the housing-mounted circuit inductively charges the shaft-mounted capacitor and reduces a current level when the shaft mounted capacitor is charged. Likewise, when there is metal-to-metal contact between the shaft and the housing (which is indicative of bearing wear), the shaft-mounted circuit is grounded; this causes the housing-mounted circuit to increase the current level. This increased current level may be output to a suitable device for display or other indicia of bearing wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Vyas Mussro
  • Patent number: 8754776
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting and calculating the level of ambient and/or environmental noise, such as electromagnetic interference generated by electric power lines, ambient lights, light dimmers, television or computer displays, power supplies or transformers, and medical equipment. In some embodiments, the system performs frequency analysis on the interference signal detected by light photodetectors and determines the power of the interference signal concentrated in the analyzed frequency bands. The worst-case interference level can be determined by selecting the maximum from the computed power values. In some embodiments, the determined interference signal power can be compared with the noise tolerance of a patient monitoring system configured to reliably and non-invasively detect physiological parameters of a user. The results of the comparison can be presented to the user audio-visually. In some embodiments, the system can be used to perform spot check measurements of electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Cercacor Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeroen Poeze, Jesse Chen, Mathew Paul, Marcelo Lamego, Massi Joe E. Kiani
  • Patent number: 8751170
    Abstract: A method for determining the fatigue of the pump rotor of a gas turbopump comprises the following method steps: continuous determination of the rotational speed (n) of the pump rotor, determination of the local rotational speed maxima and minima of a temporal rotational speed profile under consideration, association of the rotational speed maxima and minima with each other to form pairs, determination of a pair fatigue value (L) for each of the rotational speed pairs, and accumulation of all pair fatigue values (L) to form a total fatigue value (Ltot). In this manner it is possible to determine the cyclic stress for the pump rotor of a vacuum pump and to include it in the calculation of a total fatigue value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Blumenthal, Michael Froitzheim, Thomas Palten, Dieter Bohry, Manfred Kiefer
  • Patent number: 8742911
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring the load of vehicle tires which are each contacting a pavement with a circumferential section during travel, by means of monitoring devices (4) which are mounted to the tire (1) and contain a transmitter and a generator which is driven by the flexion of the tire (1), said flexion occurring during vehicle operation, wherein the generator generates a first voltage pulse each time it reaches the beginning of the circumferential section of the tire (1), which is contacting the pavement, and generates a second voltage pulse each time it reaches the end of the circumferential section of the tire (1), which is contacting the pavement, the time intervals (t1) between first and second voltage pulses are measured, the time intervals (t1) or a value calculated therefrom are/is compared with a reference value, and a warning signal is generated if a difference detected in this comparison exceeds a predefined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Wagner, Hendrik Troeger
  • Patent number: 8730053
    Abstract: A battery alarm for use with a battery assembly is provided, the battery alarm including a first activation component, a signaling component, and an output component. The first activation component is configured to activate the alarm upon disengagement of the battery assembly from a battery-operated device and is further configured to deactivate the alarm upon engagement of the battery pack with the battery-operated device. The signaling component is coupled to the first activation component and is configured to transmit a signal when the alarm is activated. The output component is adapted to receive the signal from the signaling component and is configured to produce a visual, audible, and/or tactile output upon receipt of the signal from the signaling component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Sean T. Dycus
  • Patent number: 8730054
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an industrial process control system includes a field device configured to provide an alert. The process control system also includes a graphical user interface configured to present an alarm for the alert, and an alarm server comprising a processor and configured to associate an alarm class with the alert. The alarm class includes a plurality of alarm attributes having a respective plurality of values, and the graphical user interface is configured to present the alarm for the alert based on the plurality of alarm attributes and the respective plurality of values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Michael Karaffa, Johnny Stephen Downor, Steven William Smith
  • Publication number: 20140132418
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring of one or more machines or devices, such as washers and dryers, for a change of state and indicating when the change of state has occurred. In one aspect, the system comprises a monitor and alert unit which generates a signal indicative of the change of the state of the machine or device being monitored and a device or system to produce an alert notification based upon the signal. The monitor and alert unit includes an operational state sensor, a signal conditioner, and a comparator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Inventors: Thomas Martin Lill, Ralph Shoemaker
  • Publication number: 20140125490
    Abstract: A collection apparatus weight and fullness level reporting system includes: an inlet; a removable collection bin receiving material placed into the collection apparatus; a compacting mechanism including a ram body, wherein the ram body travels between a home position located above the collection bin to a maximum travel position located inside the collection bin, wherein during each compaction cycle the ram body travels along a variable length of the compaction path; a fullness-reporting module that determines the height of the material in the collection bin; and a controller that determines the length of the compaction path the ram body travels during each compaction cycle based on the input received from the fullness reporting module, wherein at the end of each compaction cycle in which the material height is below a maximum height, the ram body is brought to rest at a height below the home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: DRATONX, INC.
    Inventors: Julie Ann Ullrich, Thomas Albert Ullrich
  • Patent number: 8717188
    Abstract: A diagnostic system and method for a home appliance is provided. When the home appliance outputs product information as a sound signal, a service center remotely performs fault diagnosis of the home appliance by receiving the sound signal, detecting the product information from the sound signal, checking the state of the home appliance using diagnostic data included in the product information to determine whether the home appliance is out of order, determining, when a door error has occurred, a cause of the door error, and deriving a solution to the door error. Upon deriving a diagnosis result through the fault diagnosis of the home appliance, the service center immediately notifies the user of the diagnosis result and may dispatch a service technician or may provide the user with a solution to allow the user to easily fix the fault.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jonghye Han, Inhaeng Cho, Phaljin Lee, Hoijin Jeong
  • Patent number: 8710997
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for the detection or correction of defects in machines, whereby a defect is optically and/or acoustically displayed at its point of origin and/or correction by means of at least one reporting device (5). According to the invention, the reporting device (5) is arranged independently from the location and is preferably centrally arranged. Furthermore, the reporting device (5) marks the point of origin and/or correction of the defect remotely and both in an optical and/or acoustical manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: KHS GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Buchkremer, Wilfried Ehmer
  • Patent number: 8704674
    Abstract: Device (10) for detecting wrong position of a container (2) in a container handling machine (1), comprising a movable contact element (11) provided with a trigger (34) coupled to an alarm sensor (33), said contact element (11) having a rest position wherein the trigger (34) blocks said alarm sensor (33), and a tilted position wherein the trigger (34) actuates the alarm sensor (33) to stop movement of the container (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sidel Participations
    Inventor: Sebastien Morand
  • Patent number: 8692681
    Abstract: A nuclear imaging system includes a scanner (8), such as a PET scanner. A patient is injected with a [13N]ammonia radioisotope tracer which is contaminated with a small percent of 18F contamination. The scanner receives radiation from the injected tracer and a reconstruction processor (28) reconstructs the detected radiation into image representations. A calibration processor (16) generates an estimated decay curve based on the proton bombardment and a priori information about the tracer. An activity meter (42) measures radiation emitted from a sample of the tracer and a dose calibrator (44) determines a decay curve from the measured radiation. The detected radiation is corrected with one of the decay curves during reconstruction or a correction processor (50) corrects reconstructed images with one or both of the decay curves. A display (14) displays uncorrected reconstructed images and the decay curve and/or the corrected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Herfried Wieczorek, Frank O. Thiele, Manoj V. Narayanan
  • Patent number: 8686867
    Abstract: An abnormal discharge alarm device is applied in a steam trap. The steam trap is installed in a pipeline of a steam system. The abnormal discharge alarm device includes a power generation component and a control circuit. The power generation component receives a fluid discharged from the steam trap and generates a self-generated electric power. The control circuit receives and detects the self-generated electric power to obtain a detection result. The control circuit sends an alarm signal when the detection result is greater than a predetermined threshold value. In addition, the abnormal discharge alarm device may further include a monitoring unit. The control circuit transmits the detection result to the monitoring unit. The monitoring unit obtains an updated threshold value according to accumulated detection results, and determines whether to send an alarm after comparing the updated threshold value with a real-time detection result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jung-Huang Liao, I-Te Huang, Jing-Lyang Jeng
  • Patent number: 8688405
    Abstract: A system for monitoring an industrial process, comprising one or more sensors connected to one or more operating components of the industrial process; a remote monitoring station, comprising a computer and a database; and a connection between the one or more sensors and the remote monitoring station, wherein the remote monitoring station is at least about 100-2500 miles away from the industrial process, for example 500-1000 miles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Michael Edward Cottrell, Chester Bing Dang, Rong Pieter Gul, Wilhelmus Antonius Hardeveld, Brett Richard Alexander Harnish, Kenneth John Innes, James Po Kong, Mark Theodoor Van Latum, Kwi-Cheng Lee, Charles Anthony Lickteig, Robert Frank Parchewsky, Matthew Charles Polley, Wilhelmus Ravesloot, Steven Michael Schultheis, Daniel Dazhang Ying, George Mark Zolkiewski
  • Patent number: 8674844
    Abstract: Malfunction of a component within an RF-powered plasma chamber is detected by observing an operating condition of the plasma chamber and detecting when the operating condition deviates from a previously observed range bounded by lower and upper limits. The lower and upper limits are determined by observing the minimum and maximum values of that operating condition during the processing of workpieces throughout one or more plasma chamber cleaning cycles immediately preceding the most recent cleaning of the plasma chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Beom Soo Park, Hong Soon Kim, Soo Young Choi, James Hoffman, Suhail Anwar, John M. White
  • Publication number: 20140062709
    Abstract: Imperfections in conveyor belting and its supporting elements can adversely affect weighing accuracy of belt scales, particularly when weighing and/or metering low density materials, such as those encountered in the snack food industry. A system and methods for a belt conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention provide simultaneous benefits of both short and long weigh spans. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a virtual weigh span may be programmably set to adjust for variations in the belt conveyor weighing system. Advantages include, higher degrees of accuracy and calibration to account for changes in the belt or belting system over time using non-mechanical adjustments. In addition, weight measurement error producing effects, some that may not be particularly known, may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Frank S. Hyer, Richard J. Tolles
  • Patent number: 8666936
    Abstract: A system and method for asset management is disclosed. The method receives information from a first reporting source about an asset. In addition, information from a second reporting source about an asset is also received. A database is then populated with the information from the first reporting source and the information from the second reporting source such that information from the first reporting source and information from the second reporting source can be collected from the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited
    Inventor: Daniel John Wallace
  • Publication number: 20140055274
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring operating machinery, acquiring data regarding characteristic behavior of the machinery being monitored, and processing of the data to determine and indicate when significant deviations from normal operating conditions are occurring that represent maintenance initiating or failure mode events. The method includes learning what normal operating conditions are for a machine of interest by acquiring data during observed normal operation, then calculating detection threshold values based on the acquired data. Finally, real-time monitoring of the machinery of interest during operation is employed, with alarms triggered upon occurrence of a previously-defined number of occurrences of behavior exceeding parameters associated with normal operation behavior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Charles Terrance Hatch, Steven Ross Hadley
  • Patent number: 8649736
    Abstract: The invention concerns a test method for a transmitter-receiver circuit. This transmitter-receiver circuit includes an antenna, connected to a processing unit, arranged for receiving signals and converting their frequency. The transmitter-receiver circuit also includes a power amplifier connected to said antenna and arranged for sending transmission signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: EM Microelectronic-Marin SA
    Inventors: Arthur Descombes, Tindaro Pittorino
  • Patent number: 8639367
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing system, which comprises a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses configured to process a substrate; and a group management apparatus configured to connect and manage the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses, wherein the group management apparatus includes: a communication part configured to transmit and receive data to and from the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses; a first storage part configured to store the data transmitted through the communication part from the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses; a second storage part configured to store a file prescribing a condition for determining an abnormality of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses from the data; a display part including a manipulation screen for inputting the condition for determining the abnormality using the data stored in the first storage part or the file stored in the second storage part; a screen control part configured to control the display part to chang
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuhide Asai
  • Publication number: 20140015685
    Abstract: A stability control system for an engineering machine and a control method are provided. The stability control system includes a detection device (1), a control device (2) and an alarm device (3). The detection device (1) detects the current center-of-gravity positions of each component of the engineering machine to obtain the center-of-gravity position signals of each component and transmits the center-of-gravity position signals to the control device (2). The control device (2) receives the center-of-gravity position signals from the detection device (1), calculates the center-of-gravity position of the engineering machine according to a center-of-gravity calculation strategy, and compares it with a preset balance range. The control device (2) controls the alarm device (3) for warning when the center-of-gravity position of the engineering machine exceeds the balance range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicants: SANY HEAVY INDUSTRY CO., LTD, HUNAN SANY INTELLIGENT CONTROL EQUIPMENT CO., LTD
    Inventors: Zhikui Wei, Mingxing Shen, Minna Wang
  • Publication number: 20140015684
    Abstract: Provided are a home appliance and a method of outputting a signal sound for diagnosis. The home appliance includes: a selection unit for receiving a diagnosis command on the home appliance from a user; a memory for storing diagnosis data on the home appliance; a controller for processing the diagnosis data stored in the memory in order to generate a packet according to a diagnosis command input through the selection unit; a conversion unit for generating a frame including a combination of symbols, which respectively correspond to four different carrier frequencies, on the basis of data constituting the packet, according to a Quadrature Frequency Shift Keying (QFSK) method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Sangdoo HA, Jinwook LEE, Moonhyun KIM, Deoghyeon KIM
  • Publication number: 20140009300
    Abstract: Provided are a home appliance and its system. The home appliance include: an input unit for inputting driving information; a data unit for storing a diagnosis logic; a control unit for diagnosing a state of the home appliance and whether a failure occurs according to the diagnosis logic on the basis of product information including the driving information inputted from the input unit, operation information detected during an operation, and failure information occurring during an operation, in order to generate a diagnosis result including the operation information and the failure information, and encoding transmission information including predetermined data for a diagnosis, which are selected from the driving operation, and the diagnosis result and outputting the encoded transmission information; a modulator for converting the encoded transmission information; and a sound output unit for outputting the transmission information converted by the modulator as a sound including a plurality of frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Sangdoo HA, Jinwook Lee, Moonhyun Kim, Deoghyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 8618929
    Abstract: A method includes transmitting first wireless signals towards a conveyor belt having multiple layers of material. The first wireless signals penetrate one or more layers in the conveyor belt. The method also includes receiving second wireless signals that have interacted with the conveyor belt. The method further includes identifying a condition of the conveyor belt using the second wireless signals and outputting an indicator identifying the condition of the conveyor belt. Identifying the condition of the conveyor belt could include identifying a thickness of at least one of the layers in the conveyor belt. This could be done by identifying pulses in the second wireless signals and using time of flight calculations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Viswanath Ganapathy, Vijayakumar Basalingappa, Vijendran Gopalan Venkoparao, Neil Freeman
  • Patent number: 8599032
    Abstract: System and method for detection of oversize particles in the underflow of a vibratory separator and method for measuring the operability of a vibratory separator. The system comprises a sampling line connected to the underflow discharge line of the vibratory separator for sampling a portion of material, a centrifugal sensing pump powered by an electric motor with a power supply measuring device, a sampling screen, and a return line. A reduction in power supplied to the electric motor indicates a reduction in flow of material through the sampling screen as a result of oversize particles in the underflow of the vibratory separator. A baseline amount of power supplied to the electric motor may be measured and recorded. The subsequent amount of power supplied to the electric motor may then be compared to the recorded baseline amount to measure the operability of the vibratory separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventor: Joseph L. Smith
  • Patent number: 8599008
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring an appliance is disclosed. The method includes establishing a wireless communication connection between a communication module in an appliance and a communication network, transmitting operational data in real-time from the appliance to an external monitoring system over the communication network, determining a status of a component of the appliance from the real-time operational data, and if a failure mode of the component is detected, initiating a service protocol corresponding to the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric K. Watson, Timothy A. Hamel, Richard DeVos, Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, Charles Dawes, Michael Kello, Rajendra Prasad Gottipati, Donald Ganiere, Steven Keith Root
  • Patent number: 8593296
    Abstract: A measurement system measures a gap between a plurality of rotating bucket tips and a stationary shroud surface. The system includes a sensor secured to the shroud surface, where the sensor senses a distance between each of the rotating bucket tips and the shroud surface, and a key phasor indexing each of the plurality of rotating bucket tips. A processor receives data from the sensor and the key phasor and calculates a shift against each of the plurality of buckets. The processor determines a time to bucket replacement based on current service hours of the plurality of rotating buckets tips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: KrishnaKumar Pg, Daniel Howard Tragesser, Saurav Dugar, Joseph Vincent Pawlowski
  • Patent number: 8593295
    Abstract: A process for detecting an alarm in an operating machine (1), so that an operator (7) is able to interact with such a machine (1) determining a connection between the machine and the ground, comprising the steps of: determining a current value of a main parameter representative of an electric interaction between said operator (7) and said operating machine (1) under a condition of normal operation of said machine (1); comparing said determined current value with a main reference value; activating an alarm procedure as a function of said comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Grasselli, Giorgio
    Inventors: Giorgio Grasselli, Stefano Santini
  • Patent number: 8587425
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems, methods and apparatus for monitoring and controlling energy usage. Alert notifications may be generated based on a current power status of an energy-consuming device and location information of a mobile device associated with the energy-consuming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Rodney Ferlitsch, Basil Isaiah Jesudason
  • Patent number: 8587446
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for monitoring and displaying occupancy of a seating area, such as a theater. In a seating area there are chairs for use by patrons. There is a system and method for determining and communicating occupancy information to a display corresponding to the chairs in the seating area. On each chair there is affixed a wireless sensing device that detects when a patron has sat in the chair. When a patron sits in the chair, the wireless sensing device sends an occupied signal to an occupancy monitoring computer system. The occupancy monitoring system changes the status of the corresponding chair to occupied and updates the output on the display available for viewing by all patrons. When the occupied state of the chair changes, the wireless sensing device updates the occupancy status at the occupancy monitoring system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Inventor: Matthew Thomas Hefferon
  • Patent number: 8588757
    Abstract: A system and method of initiating user notification for a wireless device is provided for allowing a user to locate the wireless device when it has been accidentally misplaced. Notification settings of a wireless device indicate whether incoming communication triggers user notification. If the wireless device has been configured to not ring, then calling the wireless device will not help the user to locate the wireless device. A message (e.g. email, SMS) configured for prompting user notification notwithstanding the notification settings is sent to the wireless device. The message is routed through a wireless network and received by the wireless device. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, in response to the message, the wireless device executes a user notification notwithstanding the notification settings. In some implementations, the user notification includes audible ringing, which might help the user to locate the wireless device based on the audible ringing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: John Vincent Storozuk
  • Patent number: 8589088
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for evaluating pipeline using GIS data. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for evaluating pipeline using geographical information system (GIS) data. The method can include receiving component information from a GIS database for one or more components in a pipeline; determining a modified maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOPm) for the one or more components; determining an uprating pressure (MAOPm*) that the one or more components can withstand; and outputting a upgrade recommendation or an uprate recommendation based at least in part on the MAOPm and the MAOPm*.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vinoth Kumar Mohan, Kavitha Andoji, Christophe Faucherand
  • Patent number: 8587447
    Abstract: An early warning device for use with an ultrasonic probe includes a service lifetime acquisition unit configured to acquire service lifetimes of individual parts of the ultrasonic probe, a total working time acquisition unit configured to acquire total working times of the individual parts of the ultrasonic probe, a calculation unit configured to calculate existing service lifetime percents depending on the service lifetimes and the total working times, and a judgment and warning unit configured to determine whether any of the existing service lifetime percents is less than a threshold value, and to issue a warning if the existing service lifetime is less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventor: You Chen
  • Publication number: 20130285826
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for tracking and providing reminders of scheduled events for medical equipment involve the use of portable tracking devices that may be secured to individual items of medical equipment that are scheduled to which one or more scheduled events may apply. In a specific embodiment, shields for limiting an individual's exposure to ionizing radiation may be tracked. Methods for actively or passively tracking one or more medical devices until the arrival of a time for a predetermined, or scheduled, event or total time elapsed are also disclosed, as are methods for performing predetermined events on medical devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: BIoXR Corporation
    Inventors: Prataprai Chowdhary, Ashok C. Khandkar
  • Patent number: 8564449
    Abstract: A component including a surface subject to wear by an electrically conductive wear counterface (50). The component comprises a substrate (10); one or more material layers (32) overlying the substrate (10); a wear surface layer (16) overlying the one or more material layers (32); a first pair of spaced apart and electrically open wear sensor conductors (12/14) disposed in the substrate (10), in the one or more material layers (32), or in the wear surface layer (16); a first wear warning electrical circuit (68/69/70/74) for communicating with the first pair of conductors (12/14) for providing a first wear warning; and wherein when the wear counterface (50) has worn overlying layers, the wear counterface (50) interconnects the first pair of conductors (12/14) to activate the first wear warning circuit (68/69/70/74).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Mitchell, Anand A. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 8565393
    Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are disclosed. Product information and status information of the home appliance are converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal, and a sound corresponding to the at least one transmission acoustic signal is output to the outside. The product information and status information are formed as a digital signal and stored in a storage device. The digital signal is encoded through a conversion device, and converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal. The at least one transmission acoustic signal is formed as an analog signal. Meanwhile, the at least one transmission acoustic signal can be dividedly formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Phal Jin Lee, Hoi Jin Jeong, Jong Hye Han, Young Soo Kim, In Haeng Cho, Si Moon Jeon
  • Patent number: 8558711
    Abstract: A monitoring system for a NAC (Notification Appliance Circuit) is provided. The monitoring system includes a system controller, and a NAC comprised of notification appliances that may be in a series. The NAC and its appliances may be operatively coupled to the system controller. The system controller is operable to determine whether a notification appliance has sufficient voltage at a low voltage operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: SimplexGrinnell LP
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Savage, Jr., Anthony J. Capowski, Mark P. Barrieau
  • Patent number: 8552880
    Abstract: An ambulatory infusion pump can include a guided user help system that allows for a user to correct an error with the pump without needing to summon a home healthcare aide or other medical professional. When an error occurs with the pump, the user can select an option to receive help with the error. The help screen can display a possible solution for correcting the error that the user can follow. Additional help screens can display additional possible solutions if prior possible solution prove ineffective at correcting the problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Smiths Medical ASD, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Sean Kopp, Mary Ward-Welisevich, David DeBelser
  • Patent number: 8547200
    Abstract: A home appliance and a method for operating the same are provided. The home appliance outputs product information as a predetermined sound signal and the sound signal is transmitted to a remote service center over a communication network so that the state of the home appliance is easily checked at the service center. Data associated with each operation of the home appliance is stored as product information according to the operation state of the home appliance. The product information is also stored when the operation is suddenly terminated and is then output as a sound signal so that it is possible to correctly check the state of the home appliance and to correctly diagnose an error that has occurred in the home appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jonghye Han, Inhaeng Cho, Phaljin Lee, Hoijin Jeong
  • Publication number: 20130239330
    Abstract: An assembly monitoring system includes a receiver, an assembly, and a processor. The assembly includes at least one trackable component including a transmitter configured to deliver component identifying data to the receiver. The processor is in electronic communication with the receiver and stores authorized assembly configuration data associated with at least one authorized component. The processor is configured to receive the component identifying data from the receiver and to compare the component identifying data with the authorized assembly configuration data. The processor is further configured to generate a first improper assembly signal when the component identifying data does not correspond to at least a portion of the authorized assembly configuration data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: INVACARE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Douglas J. Newlin
  • Patent number: 8537024
    Abstract: A sanitary rotary valve has a casing, a side plate arranged at a first side of the casing, a rotor provided in the casing, a rotatable shaft for rotating the rotor, a geared motor for rotating the shaft, and a motor mount for mounting the motor. The side plate has a cylinder which extends into the casing and is inserted into the rotor, extending to an approximate center of the rotor. An angular supporting bearing for rotatably supporting the shaft is provided at an end of the cylinder disposed at the approximate center of the rotor. An electrical alarm system stops rotation of the geared motor automatically if the rotor touches the casing. A clearance between the side plate and casing can be cleaned by extracting the side plate using a hanger and connecting rod. The position of the side plate is correctly fixed by set bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventor: Shuichi Okabe
  • Patent number: 8532273
    Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are provided. The home appliance may convert product information into an acoustic signal and externally output the same as a sound. The home appliance system may receive the sound, convert the same into the acoustic signal, and then inversely convert the acoustic signal into the product information and read the same. Accordingly, the home appliance may externally output the acoustic signal as the sound so that the user may be easily notified of transmission. Also, the home appliance system may easily transmit the sound to a management device to read the product information because the sound may be transmitted via a communications network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyung Jun Park, Hae Yong Kang, Young Soo Kim, Si Moon Jeon, Koon Seok Lee, Yong Tae Kim
  • Publication number: 20130176133
    Abstract: A method to monitor health of a process controller. The method includes receiving, at a remote service computer, a limited set of diagnostic alarm data that relates to the health of the process controller. The limited set of diagnostic alarm data includes diagnostic alarm data that has been filtered based on a set of rules. The method also includes displaying the limited set of diagnostic alarm data to a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mark Robert Phelps
  • Patent number: 8477043
    Abstract: A monitoring system for monitoring the integrity of a member disposed within a machine includes an image analyzer configured to receive image data from an imaging device and to determine an amount of radiation incident on one or more of one or more pixels of the imaging device. The monitoring system also includes a monitor coupled to the image analyzer and configured to generate an alarm in the event an amount of radiation on one or more of the one or more pixels exceeds a limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Etienne Rene Jarrier, Steve David Hiner, Simon Charles Larcombe
  • Patent number: 8471702
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the health of a compressor of a gas turbine is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of turbine data points, wherein the plurality of turbine data points may include one or more operating parameters, at least one of a computer discharge temperature (CTD), and one or more performance parameters. The plurality of turbine data points may be categorized based on the one or more operating parameters. A statistical variability measure of at least one of the CTD and the one or more performance parameters may be computed for each of the plurality of bands. An alarm indicator may be computed based on the at least one statistical variability measure. The method may also include combining two or more of the operating parameters, the CTD and the performance parameters using sensor fusion techniques. The alarm indicator may be computed based on the combined parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravi Yoganatha Babu, Vinay Bhaskar Jammu, Achalesh Kumar Pandey, Sudhanshu Rai
  • Patent number: 8471713
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for detecting and calculating the level of ambient and/or environmental noise, such as electromagnetic interference generated by electric power lines, ambient lights, light dimmers, television or computer displays, power supplies or transformers, and medical equipment. In some embodiments, the system performs frequency analysis on the interference signal detected by light photodetectors and determines the power of the interference signal concentrated in the analyzed frequency bands. The worst-case interference level can be determined by selecting the maximum from the computed power values. In some embodiments, the determined interference signal power can be compared with the noise tolerance of a patient monitoring system configured to reliably and non-invasively detect physiological parameters of a user. The results of the comparison can be presented to the user audio-visually. In some embodiments, the system can be used to perform spot check measurements of electromagnetic interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Cercacor Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeroen Poeze, Jesse Chen, Mathew Paul, Marcelo Lamego, Massi Joe E. Kiani
  • Patent number: 8473252
    Abstract: A system includes a subsystem interaction module device, which includes at least one interface configured to receive input signals associated with multiple components of a system. The subsystem interaction module device also includes at least one processing unit configured to identify a potential fault in one or more of the components using the input signals and to provide an indicator identifying the potential fault. The at least one processing unit is configured to identify the potential fault by: identifying conflicting frequencies that are associated with different faults in the components of the system; and determining a confidence level associated with the potential fault based on the conflicting frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Chinmaya Kar, Venkataramana Bantwal Kini, Vedika Agrawal, Meenakshi Sunderam
  • Patent number: 8462007
    Abstract: A monitoring device configured to be installed in an information processing apparatus to detect a failure of the information processing apparatus, and to output an alarm signal when the failure is detected, the monitoring device including an alarm signal generating unit that generates the alarm signal upon detecting the failure, an alarm signal storing unit that stores the generated alarm signal, an alarm signal output unit that outputs the stored alarm signal to outside, an alarm signal input unit that receives, when the monitoring device is in a standby state, another alarm signal from another monitoring device in an active state, and an alarm signal storage instructing unit that supplies to the alarm signal storing unit an instruction signal for storing said another alarm signal in the alarm signal storing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Daishi Fujieda