Ferrell L Mercer

US Patent:

7266589, Sep 4, 2007

Filed:

Aug 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/682280

Inventors:

Carrie Brownhill - Earlysville VA, US
Bill Huntley - Earlysville VA, US
David Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Mercer - Earlysville VA, US
Jason Kadingo - Palmyra VA, US
Brad Bolfing - Charlottesville VA, US
Dan Miller - Waynesboro VA, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709218, 709219, 709220, 709250

Abstract:

The invention presents a system and a method for assisting automation control module (ACM) customers to retrieve information relevant to their specific ACM(s). A service-portal ACM combines a conventional ACM with a service portal and/or a general-purpose computer to facilitate locating relevant information by the customers. The service-portal ACM comprises a first central processing unit (CPU), and a first memory operably connected to the first CPU. A second CPU is operably connected to the first CPU, and a second memory is operably connected to the second CPU for storing a service-portal database containing a first set of service-portal data and one or more links to a second set of service-portal data stored in a remote network server. A first network interface is operably connected to the second CPU and to a gateway configured for enabling the second CPU to communicate with the remote network server.

US Patent:

7441114, Oct 21, 2008

Filed:

Sep 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/241665

Inventors:

David Scott Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Louis Mercer - Madison VA, US
Jason Daniel Kadingo - Palmyra VA, US
Brad J. Bolfing - Charlottesville VA, US

Assignee:

GE FANUC Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

H04L 9/00
H04Q 7/00
G05B 11/01
G05B 15/00

US Classification:

713152, 4554221, 700 18, 700 83

Abstract:

An automation control module (ACM) including an ACM central processing unit (CPU) and a web system electrically connected to the ACM CPU. The web system is configured to process security layer encrypted hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests from a network.

US Patent:

7536475, May 19, 2009

Filed:

Sep 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/238361

Inventors:

David Scott Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Daniel H. Miller - Waynesboro VA, US
Ferrell Louis Mercer - Madison VA, US
Jason Daniel Kadingo - Palmyra VA, US
Brad J. Bolfing - Charlottesville VA, US
David Charles Elliott - Ruckersville VA, US

Assignee:

GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709236, 709217, 709220, 709223, 709250

Abstract:

An automation control module (ACM) is provided that includes an ACM central processing unit (CPU), a backplane and a SOAP/XML and web server system electrically coupled to the backplane and to the ACM CPU. The SOAP/XML and web server system is embedded within the automation control module (ACM) and is configured to process simple object access protocol (SOAP)/extensible markup language (XML) requests from a network.

US Patent:

7590712, Sep 15, 2009

Filed:

Sep 10, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/238360

Inventors:

David Scott Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Louis Mercer - Madison VA, US
Jason Daniel Kadingo - Palmyra VA, US
Robert Francis Newman - Borboursville VA, US
David Charles Elliott - Ruckersville VA, US
David J. Hietanen - Charlottesville VA, US

Assignee:

GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 15/173

US Classification:

709223, 709224, 709225

Abstract:

An automation control module (ACM) includes an ACM central processing unit (CPU), a backplane electrically coupled to the ACM CPU, and a web system embedded within the ACM and electrically coupled to the ACM CPU and backplane. The web system includes a secure web server and is configured to process hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests from a network to program and configure the ACM through the network. The HTTP requests are received by the secure web server and transmitted by the secure web server directly the ACM CPU without using the backplane.

US Patent:

7734716, Jun 8, 2010

Filed:

Jan 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/056596

Inventors:

David Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Mercer - Earlysville VA, US
Bill Hannold - Charlottesville VA, US
Brad Bolfing - Charlottesville VA, US
Bob Newman - Barboursville VA, US
Carrie Brownhill - Earlysville VA, US
Dave Hietanen - Charlottesville VA, US
Robert Chambers - Barboursville VA, US
David Elliott - Ruckersville VA, US

Assignee:

GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16
G05B 19/18
G05B 15/00

US Classification:

709217, 709218, 709219, 709230, 700 65, 700 83

Abstract:

A web-enabled automation control module (ACM) includes an ACM central processing unit (CPU) and a web and file transfer system electrically connected to the ACM CPU, and embedded within the ACM. The system is configured to process hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) requests from a network.

US Patent:

7836347, Nov 16, 2010

Filed:

Oct 17, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/873852

Inventors:

Daniel H. Miller - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Mercer - Madison VA, US
Judy Popelas - Charlottesville VA, US

Assignee:

GE Intelligent Platforms Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 11/00

US Classification:

714 38, 714 31

Abstract:

A diagnostic and service logic program for a programmable logic controller (PLC) is provided in parallel with the main machine logic program. The diagnostic and service logic program has the same functionality as the main machine logic program, but can be modified and operated independently of the main machine logic program for testing and debugging a faulty main machine logic program. The PLC can be switched between programs for testing and debugging.

US Patent:

7904583, Mar 8, 2011

Filed:

Jul 11, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/617551

Inventors:

Ferrell Mercer - Madison VA, US

Assignee:

GE Fanuc Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709236, 709217, 709220, 709223, 709250

Abstract:

A web-enabled automation control module (ACM) system includes at least one network module configured to receive a request for a file from the network, a web server and database module located outside the network module and including a database configured to store the file, and an ACM central processing unit (CPU) configured to send ACM data to the web server and database module to embed ACM data in the file.

US Patent:

7269640, Sep 11, 2007

Filed:

Jan 23, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/055442

Inventors:

Carrie Brownhill - Earlysville VA, US
Robert Chambers - Barboursville VA, US
Misty Chambers - Barboursville VA, US
David Collier - Charlottesville VA, US
Ferrell Mercer - Earlysville VA, US
Jason Kadingo - Palmyra VA, US
Brad Bolfing - Charlottesville VA, US

Assignee:

GE FANUC Automation North America, Inc. - Charlottesville VA

International Classification:

G06F 15/177

US Classification:

709220, 709206, 709217

Abstract:

An e-mail-enabled automation control module (ACM) includes an ACM and an e-mail subsystem electrically connected to the ACM. The e-mail subsystem is configured to perform at least one of sending e-mail messages from the ACM through a network and receiving e-mail messages from the network.