Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Patrick Joseph Delaney, Iii

Elik I Fooks

Philip E Johnson

Anatoly G Grinberg

Barbara Janina Byczkiewicz

Francis Lawrence Leard

Roberto S Santos

Mark Stephen Schladenhauffen

Hassan R Manjunath

Nelson D Sheppard

Shaun Paul Hentchel

Embodiments include an apparatus including a color sensor including a transmitter portion and a receiver portion, the transmitter portion including a light source operable to generate and transmit a light having a particular range of wavelengths, the receiver portion including a first detector operable to receive a first portion of the light emitted from the transmitter portion and to measure a luminance of the received first portion of the emitted light, and a second detector including a polarization filter, the second detector operable to receive a second portion of the light emitted from the transmitter after the second portion has passed through the polarization filter, and operable to measure a pure color of the received second portion of transmitted light.

Color sensors using polarimetric techniques

The present invention relates to conveyor control system and methodology that may be operatively coupled with other such systems in order to implement a control strategy for a modular conveyor system. A module and/or series of modules are provided that clamp to a cable, the modules having associated logic and inter-module communications for control. This includes relatively inexpensive power distribution, interconnection and motion logic for industrial conveyor systems.

System and methodology providing coordinated and modular conveyor zone control

A sensing device mounting mechanism, and related method of operating such a mechanism, are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the mechanism can include a housing that is mountable to a support structure. The housing can define an interior for receiving and supporting a sensing device. The mechanism further includes light pipe device coupled to the housing. The light pipe device can be used to communicate light from a light source to the sensing device, or from the sensing device to a location exterior of the housing such that it can be viewed, detected or received by an operator or other device. Advantageously, the sensing device mounting mechanism is constructed so as to enhance and facilitate, as opposed to interfere with, proper performance of the sensing device.

Sensor mounting structure with light pipe

An electronic device using total internal reflection to guide light from a light source housed within the electronic device to the surface of the device. The electronic device has a cover secured to a protective housing to form a protective enclosure for the electronic device. The cover is adapted to use total internal reflection to guide light through the cover to a plurality of surface portion of the cover. A second surface portion of the cover is adapted to totally internally reflect a first portion of the light to the first surface portion.

Multiple viewing angle cover having integral light pipe

A method and apparatus for alternately displaying status information in an photoelectric detection unit. The apparatus comprising an LCD display capable of displaying numerical information and alternately providing target and background margin information in a periodic fashion which is decoupled from the target or process speed. The method further comprising the steps of first displaying either target or background margin information and second displaying the margin information not displayed in the first step. The apparatus and method further comprising a diagnostic capability or step which identifies when the photoelectric detection unit is operating near the fringe or beyond the range of acceptable operating parameters and providing information as to the cause for any degradation of the operating conditions.

System to provide alignment and troubleshooting aid photoelectric

A dual channel communications method including: (A) providing a control system with a central control station and a remote sensor for sensing a process status, the central control station and the remote sensor being connected by a power supply line and an output line; (B) impressing a non-periodic high-amplitude process status signal on the output line at the remote sensor so as to transfer status information about the process status to the central control station; (C) simultaneously impressing a periodic low-amplitude low-frequency diagnostic condition signal on the output line at the remote sensor so as to transfer diagnostic information about an operating condition of the remote sensor to the central control station; (D) monitoring the electrical state of the output line at the central control station to detect the level of the non-periodic high-amplitude process status signal so as to receive status information about the process status at the central control station; and (E) monitoring the electrical state of the output line at the central control station to detect the presence of the periodic low-amplitude low-frequency diagnostic condition signal so as to receive diagnostic information about the operating condition of i) the remote sensor, ii) said power supply line and iii) said output line at the central control station.

Heartbeat communications

An operator interface for a photoelectric control unit including a graphical display having a plurality of icons corresponding to different control functions and a numerical display for indicating parameter settings and operating margin values. The operator interface allows the user to rapidly and conveniently reconfigure the control unit for operation in a number of different modes in accordance with a number of different operational settings. Furthermore, the interface provides information on the operating margin of the photoelectric control unit which can be useful to the operator in aligning the unit and in judging conditions under which the unit is operating. Furthermore, the operator interface allows the user to select different light pulse repetition rates and corresponding operating ranges for the photoelectric control unit.

Operator interface for a photoelectric control unit

An apparatus for providing an indication of the operational stability of a photoelectric control unit. The system separately measures photoelectric operating margin and background noise affecting the control unit. A stability figure is generated as a function of the operating margin and background noise in accordance with fuzzy logic techniques. An indication of the level of this stability figure is provided to the operator of the unit.

System for determining operational stability of a photoelectric control

A target acquisition system for a photoelectric control unit which helps avoid interference problems due to optical and electrical noise. The system provides for the interpulse interval between light pulses transmitted by the photoelectric control unit to be varied in accordance with pseudo-random jitter factors during the target acquisition process. Noise which may be on frequency with the normal repetition rate of the photoelectric control unit is then eliminated from the detection process pursuant to synchronous detection procedures.

Process for reliably detecting the passage of a target object using a

A photoelectric control unit including an electronic system having a system architecture which is adapted for allowing the unit to readily and accurately determine its own operating margin. This architecture system includes a pair of variable gain modules which operate in conjunction with a pair of separate signal channels. The signal channels have comparators for comparing signal amplitudes on their respective channels with a common reference level. Operating margin values are determined by varying the gain of the amplification modules and tracking the output from the comparators on the signal channels. The photoelectric control unit can then use operating margin values to automatically set the system gain and thereby adjust the sensitivity of the unit for optimum performance.

Growing community of inventors

Sudbury, MA, United States of America

Patrick Joseph Delaney, Iii