Eric W Hamber

US Patent:

60556323, Apr 25, 2000

Filed:

Sep 25, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/937573

Inventors:

Thomas J. Deegan - North Royalton OH
Frank D. Lucko - Lakewood OH
Gary A. Turck - Menomonee Falls WI
Eric W. Hamber - New Berlin WI

Assignee:

Allen-Bradley Company, LLC - Milwaukee WI

International Classification:

G06F 9445

US Classification:

713100

Abstract:

A method of transferring firmware to a non-volatile memory of a programmable controller system comprises the steps of establishing a remote network connection and transferring the firmware to the non-volatile memory of the programmable controller system by way of the remote network connection. The remote network connection is established between a first computer system utilized by a firmware provider and the programmable controller system. The first computer system is located remotely from the programmable controller system. Alternatively, the remote network connection may also be established between the first computer system and a second computer system utilized by a user of the programmable controller system and located locally with the programmable controller system. Advantageously, using a network link, firmware upgrade can be downloaded into a processor module of a programmable controller system from a firmware provider, without any transportation delays and without any significant hardware intervention. Additionally, the network link also enables the computer to be networked to a plurality of processor modules at once, so that the firmware upgrade can be nearly simultaneously downloaded to the plurality of networked processor modules at once, without significant hardware intervention.

US Patent:

20230004515, Jan 5, 2023

Filed:

Sep 13, 2022

Appl. No.:

17/943423

Inventors:

- Milwaukee WI, US
Lisa E. Strand - Wauwatosa WI, US
Ryan J. Bykowski - South Milwaukee WI, US
Daniel R. Gottschalk - Racine WI, US
Eric W. Hamber - New Berlin WI, US

Assignee:

Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP - Milwaukee WI

International Classification:

G06F 13/42
H04L 12/28
G05B 15/02
G06F 13/362
H04L 41/0806

Abstract:

A building management system includes a communications bus, and devices coupled to the communications bus. The devices are coupled to the communications bus and configured to communicate on the communications bus using a master-slave token passing protocol. A first one of the devices has an active node table stored therein. The active node table includes multiple nodes. Each node represents one of the devices participating in a token passing ring used to exchange information among the devices via the communications bus using the master-slave token passing protocol. The first device is configured to monitor the active node table for new nodes and to identify a new device communicating on the communications bus in response to a determination that the active node table includes a new node.

US Patent:

20200177409, Jun 4, 2020

Filed:

Nov 29, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/204926

Inventors:

- Auburn Hills MI, US
Eric W. Hamber - New Berlin WI, US

Assignee:

Johnson Controls Technology Company - Auburn Hills MI

International Classification:

H04L 12/28

Abstract:

A controller for equipment includes a communications interface, a communications protocol manager, a protocol detection manager, and an equipment controller. The communications interface connects to at least one of a serial bus and a wireless communications device. The communications protocol manager communicates via at least one of the serial bus and the wireless communications device according to a communications protocol and a predetermined parameter. The protocol detection manager causes the communications protocol manager to test for multiple communications protocols and predetermined parameters to identify a communications protocol and parameter used by at least one of the serial bus and the wireless communications device. The equipment controller uses the identified communications protocol and parameter to generate protocol-specific control signals or communication signals for the equipment and use the protocol-specific control signals or communication signals to control the equipment or communicate with the equipment.

US Patent:

20190370208, Dec 5, 2019

Filed:

Aug 20, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/546076

Inventors:

- Auburn Hills MI, US
Lisa E. Strand - Wauwatosa WI, US
Ryan J. Bykowski - South Milwaukee WI, US
Daniel R. Gottschalk - Racine WI, US
Eric W. Hamber - New Berlin WI, US

Assignee:

Johnson Controls Technology Company - Auburn Hills MI

International Classification:

G06F 13/42
G06F 13/362
H04L 12/28

Abstract:

A building management system includes a communications bus, and devices coupled to the communications bus. The devices are coupled to the communications bus and configured to communicate on the communications bus using a master-slave token passing protocol. A first one of the devices has an active node table stored therein. The active node table includes multiple nodes. Each node represents one of the devices participating in a token passing ring used to exchange information among the devices via the communications bus using the master-slave token passing protocol. The first device is configured to monitor the active node table for new nodes and to identify a new device communicating on the communications bus in response to a determination that the active node table includes a new node.

US Patent:

20170357607, Dec 14, 2017

Filed:

Jun 10, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/179894

Inventors:

- Plymouth MI, US
Lisa E. Strand - Wauwatosa WI, US
Ryan J. Bykowski - South Milwaukee WI, US
Daniel R. Gottschalk - Racine WI, US
Eric W. Hamber - New Berlin WI, US

Assignee:

Johnson Controls Technology Company - Plymouth MI

International Classification:

G06F 13/42
H04L 12/28
G06F 13/362

Abstract:

A building management system including a system manager, a zone coordinator, and one or more zone controllers configured to monitor and control building zones. The system manager includes a system bus datalink having an active node table stored therein. The zone coordinator includes a second system bus datalink and a zone bus datalink. A system bus connects the first system bus datalink to the second system bus datalink. A zone bus connects the zone bus datalink to the one or more zone controllers. The active node table includes a plurality of nodes, each node representing a system bus device communicating on the system bus. The system manager is configured to monitor the active node table for new nodes and to identify a new system bus device communicating on the system bus in response to a determination that the active node table includes a new node.