Patents by Inventor Ajith Kuttannair Kumar

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Apparatus and method for lifting and moving an axle of a rail vehicle
    Patent number: 9925991
    Abstract: An apparatus for lifting and moving an axle of a rail vehicle includes a frame, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted to the frame to movably support the frame on a railroad track rail, and a pair of wedges mounted to the frame having mutually opposed ramped faces. The pair of wedges adjustable along the frame between a first position in which the ramped faces bracket, but do not contact, a rail vehicle wheel that rests on the track rail, and a second position in which the ramped faces engage the circumference of the wheel to support the wheel at a height above the railroad track rail. The apparatus further includes at least one jacking device for urging the wedges toward one another from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Suyu Hou, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Dwayne Worden, Robert Michael Zirin, Jingjun Zhang, Dennis Richter
  • ROUTE EXAMINING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20180065650
    Abstract: Systems for examining a route inject one or more electrical examination signals into a conductive route from onboard a vehicle system traveling along the route, detect one or more electrical characteristics of the route based on the one or more electrical examination signals, and detect a break in conductivity of the route responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics decreasing by more than a designated drop threshold for a time period within a designated drop time period. Feature vectors may be determined for the electrical characteristics and compared to one or more patterns in order to distinguish between breaks in the conductivity of the route and other causes for changes in the electrical characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Brett Alexander Matthews, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Jeffrey Michael Fries, Joseph Forrest Noffsinger, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha, Tannous Frangieh, Frederick Wilson Wheeler, Brian Lee Staton, Timothy Robert Brown, Gregory Boverman, Majid Nayeri
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20180065629
    Abstract: A vehicle control system determines an upper non-zero limit on deceleration of a vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle down a grade being traveled up on by the vehicle. The upper non-zero limit on deceleration is determined by the controller based on a payload carried by the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle, and a grade of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle. The controller is configured to monitor the deceleration of the vehicle, and to automatically prevent the deceleration of the vehicle from exceeding the upper non-zero limit by controlling one or more of a brake or a motor of the vehicle. The controller also is configured to one or more of actuate the brake or supply current to the motor of the vehicle to prevent rollback of the vehicle while the vehicle is moving up the grade at a non-zero speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Wolff, Timothy Brown, Henry Young, Lindsay Short, Edward Thomas Petrak, Ronald Fischer, Michael Wagner, Justin Chadwell, Carlos Vallejo, Sean Cillessen, Larry Bench, Kenneth Paul Nedley, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ROUTE MAPPING
    Publication number: 20180045517
    Abstract: A system includes a location determining circuit configured to acquire position information of a vehicle system moving along a route. The system also includes a controller circuit having one or more processors. The controller circuit is configured to calculate curvatures of the route, based at least in part on the position information, to form a curvature waveform. The controller circuit is further configured to generate a route map based on the curvature waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Munishwar Ahuja, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Dwayne Worden, Shankar Chandrasekaran, Dattaraj Jagdish Rao
  • System and method for reducing fuel consumption in a vehicle
    Patent number: 9889746
    Abstract: A drive system includes an engine, an alternator coupled to the engine, the alternator being configured to power at least one auxiliary load, a traction motor system operatively coupled to drive wheels of the vehicle, the traction motor system being configured for receiving primary electrical power from the alternator and for propelling the vehicle in response to the primary electrical power, and a motor electrically connected to the traction motor system and mechanically coupled to the engine. The motor is configured to receive electrical power from the traction motor system in a dynamic braking mode of operation of the traction motor system and to communicate power to the engine during the dynamic braking mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey John Wolff, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Henry Todd Young, Jason Daniel Kuttenkuler, Maksim V. Borisenko, Edward Petrak
  • System and method for determining a quality value of a location estimation of equipment
    Patent number: 9862396
    Abstract: A system is provided for determining a quality of a location estimation of a powered system at a location. The system includes a first sensor configured to measure a first parameter of the powered system at the location. The system further includes a second sensor configured to measure a second parameter of the powered system at the location. The system further includes a second controller configured to determine the location estimation of the powered system and the quality of the location estimation, based upon a first location of the powered system based on the first parameter, and a second location of the powered system based on the second parameter of the powered system. A method is also provided for determining a quality of a location estimation of a powered system at a location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vishram Vinayak Nandedkar, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VEHICLE SYSTEM CONTROL
    Publication number: 20170369083
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle system includes determining a vehicle reference speed using an off-board-based input speed and an onboard-based input speed. The off-board-based input speed is representative of a moving speed of the vehicle system and is determined from data received from an off-board device. The onboard-based input speed is representative of the moving speed of the vehicle system and is determined from data obtained from an onboard device. The method includes using the vehicle reference speed to at least one of measure wheel creep for one or more wheels of the vehicle system or control at least one of torques applied by or rotational speeds of one or more motors of the vehicle system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: David Bradley PULLIAM, Ajith Kuttannair KUMAR, Bret Dwayne WORDEN, Jeremy Thomas MCGARRY, Kevin Ray RUYBAL
  • WIRELESS SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MEASURING AN OPERATIVE CONDITION OF A MACHINE
    Publication number: 20170363601
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor configured to be disposed within a reservoir of a machine having moving parts that are lubricated by a liquid in the reservoir. The sensor is configured to obtain a measurement of the liquid that is representative of at least one of a quantity or quality of the liquid in the reservoir. The system also includes a device body operably coupled to the sensor. The device body has a processing unit that is operably coupled to the sensor and configured to generate first data signals representative of the measurement of the liquid. The device body also includes a transmitter that is configured to wirelessly communicate the first data signals to a remote reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Bret Dwayne Worden, Mahalakshmi Shunmugham Balasubramaniam, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Jingjun Zhang, Jennifer Lynn Coyne, Sachidananda Chinagudi Jagadeesha
  • System and method for traction control
    Patent number: 9845084
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to detect sliding of a wheel of a vehicle. The controller is configured to communicate with the sensor and a traction motor operatively connected to the wheel such that the traction motor selectively applies forces in at least one direction to the wheel during operation. The controller is further configured to direct the traction motor to apply a motoring slide reducing force to the wheel when the sensor detects sliding of the wheel resulting from a frictional braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Dwayne Worden, Glenn Lovercheck, Dharmdeo Singh, Jingjun Zhang, Jeremy McGarry
  • System and method for predicting mechanical failure of a motor
    Patent number: 9845012
    Abstract: A method for predicting mechanical failure of a traction motor in a vehicle includes monitoring first characteristics of an electrical signal supplied to a traction motor of a vehicle during a first detection window. The first characteristics represent a first motor electrical signature for the traction motor. The method also includes deriving one or more signature values from a first mathematical model of the first motor electrical signature and predicting a mechanical failure of the traction motor based on the one or more signature values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yinghui Lu, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • Route examining system and method
    Patent number: 9834237
    Abstract: Systems and methods for examining a route inject one or more electrical examination signals into a conductive route from onboard a vehicle system traveling along the route, detect one or more electrical characteristics of the route based on the one or more electrical examination signals, apply a filter to the one or more electrical characteristics, and detect a break in conductivity of the route responsive to the one or more electrical characteristics decreasing by more than a designated drop threshold for a time period within a designated drop time period. Feature vectors may be determined for the electrical characteristics and compared to one or more patterns in order to distinguish between breaks in the conductivity of the route and other causes for changes in the electrical characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Brett Alexander Matthews, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Jeffrey Michael Fries, Joseph Forrest Noffsinger, Samhitha Palanganda Poonacha, Tannous Frangieh, Frederick Wilson Wheeler, Brian Lee Staton, Timothy Robert Brown, Gregory Boverman, Majid Nayeri
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING EFFECTIVENESS OF A FRICTION MODIFIER ALONG A ROUTE SEGMENT
    Publication number: 20170334418
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining creep measurements and tractive/braking measurements from at least one vehicle system at different locations along a route segment while the at least one vehicle system moves through the route segment. The method also includes calculating tribology characteristics of the route segment at the different locations. The tribology characteristics are based on the creep measurements and the tractive/braking measurements from the at least one vehicle system. The tribology characteristics are indicative of a friction coefficient of the route segment at the different locations. The method also includes determining an effectiveness of a friction modifier applied to the route segment based on the tribology characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Joseph Forrest Noffsinger
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACTION CONTROL
    Publication number: 20170334414
    Abstract: A system includes a sensor and a controller. The sensor is configured to detect sliding of a wheel of a vehicle. The controller is configured to communicate with the sensor and a traction motor operatively connected to the wheel such that the traction motor selectively applies forces in at least one direction to the wheel during operation. The controller is further configured to direct the traction motor to apply a motoring slide reducing force to the wheel when the sensor detects sliding of the wheel resulting from a frictional braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: AJITH KUTTANNAIR KUMAR, BRET DWAYNE WORDEN, GLENN LOVERCHECK, DHARMDEO SINGH, JINGJUN ZHANG, JEREMY McGARRY
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACTION CONTROL
    Publication number: 20170334415
    Abstract: A system includes a plurality of wheels, a braking system, and one or more sensors. The plurality of wheels includes a guardian wheel and at least one non-guardian wheel and is disposed on a wheeled vehicle. The braking system is operatively connected to the guardian and non-guardian wheels and applies a first braking force to the at least one non-guardian wheel and a second braking force to the guardian wheel. The second braking force increases a slide risk of the guardian wheel beyond a slide risk of the at least one non-guardian wheel. One or more sensors disposed within the wheeled vehicle detect sliding of the guardian wheel allowing a corrective action to be taken to prevent sliding of the at least one non-guardian wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: AJITH KUTTANNAIR KUMAR, BRET DWAYNE WORDEN
  • Control system and method
    Patent number: 9822717
    Abstract: A system and method control a powered system having an engine configured to operate using a plurality of fuel types. A first set of control signals including a first set of valve signals are communicated to each fuel tank based at least in part on a first stored engine operating profile to control amounts of fuel provided from each fuel tank to the engine. A different, second set of control signals including a second set of valve signals are communicated to the fuel tanks based at least in part on a second stored engine operating profile to control or change the amounts of fuel from each fuel tank to the engine. The system and method can switch between operating conditions associated with different external domains to alter the engine operating profile used to control the fuel or fuels supplied to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Wolfgang Daum
  • Energy management system and method for vehicle systems
    Patent number: 9815470
    Abstract: An energy management system and method for a vehicle system operate the vehicle system according to a current trip plan as the vehicle system travels along a route during a trip. The current trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system. The system and method also revise the current trip plan into a revised trip plan responsive to current, actual operation of the vehicle system differing from the current trip plan by at least a designated threshold amount. The revised trip plan designates operational settings of the vehicle system and includes an initial designated operational setting that matches the current, actual operation of the vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Juli-Ann Luther, Jeffrey Twichel, Brian Nedward Meyer, Joseph Daniel Wakeman, Swapna Rameshbabu Gaikwad, John William Brand, James Brooks, David Allen Eldredge, Robert James Foy, Kevin Kapp, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, William Martin, James Andrew Napolitano, Saravanan Thiyagarajan, Eric Vorndran
  • System and method for electrical short detection
    Patent number: 9810730
    Abstract: Methods and systems detect short circuits in an electrical system, such as a dynamic braking grid of a vehicle. The methods and system measure a characteristic of a current that is conducted through one or more resistive elements of an electrical system. The current is supplied to the electrical system from a power source as an applied voltage. A resistance change signal representative of a change in one or more electrical resistances of the one or more resistive elements is determined The resistance change signal can be based at least in part on a difference between the characteristic of the current that is measured and a low pass filtered value of one or more of the characteristic of the current that is measured or the applied voltage supplied by the power source. A short circuit event is identified based at least in part on the resistance change signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William James Premerlani, Karim Younsi, Bret Dwayne Worden, John Krahn, Daniel Cullen, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar
  • SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A VEHICLE INVERTER CONNECTION BUS
    Publication number: 20170313196
    Abstract: A bus assembly is provided having a bus bar with first and second conductive layers extending along an insulator sheet interposed between the first and second conductive layers. The first and second conductive layers are partially aligned with respect to each other to form a first overlap region of the insulator sheet. The bus assembly includes a first set of arms having a set of diodes and a second set of arms having a set of switches. The bust bar includes a plurality of bus links coupling the plurality of arms to the bus bar forming a plurality of inverters. Each of bus links include a respective first bracket and a respective second bracket aligned with each other forming a second overlap region of the insulator sheet. The first bracket is electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second bracket is electrically coupled to the second conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Sarit Ratadiya, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Tharunendra Sekhar, Mark Allen Murphy, Jacob Alan Hubbell, Kevin Ruybal, Emil Nikolaev Nikolov
  • METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR DIAGNOSING AN ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170254726
    Abstract: A system includes a generator coupled to an engine and configured to generate electricity from rotational movement of a shaft of the engine, a sensor configured to measure one or more of a parameter of generator output, engine speed, or engine shaft torque, and a controller configured to detect engine imbalance based on a frequency content of a signal output from the sensor in response to a contribution to the frequency content from another component of the system being less than a threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Subhas Chandra Das, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Shankar Chandrasekaran, Rupam Mukherjee
  • System and method of vehicle system control
    Patent number: 9751542
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle system includes determining a vehicle reference speed using an off-board-based input speed and an onboard-based input speed. The off-board-based input speed is representative of a moving speed of the vehicle system and is determined from data received from an off-board device. The onboard-based input speed is representative of the moving speed of the vehicle system and is determined from data obtained from an onboard device. The method includes using the vehicle reference speed to at least one of measure wheel creep for one or more wheels of the vehicle system or control at least one of torques applied by or rotational speeds of one or more motors of the vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Bradley Pulliam, Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, Bret Dwayne Worden, Jeremy Thomas McGarry, Kevin Ray Ruybal