Patents by Inventor Claude W. Keefer

Claude W. Keefer 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).

  • Patent number: 9805317
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fluid delivery on a site using at least one fluid delivery machine are disclosed. An exemplary such method includes identifying at least one path on the site based on map information associated with the site, calculating a fluid delivery requirement of the at least one path based on environmental information associated with the site, and dispatching a fluid delivery machine on a mission to treat the at least one path with fluid based on the fluid delivery requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, James D. Humphrey, Peter W. Anderton, David C. Orr, Kenneth L. Stratton, Craig L. Koehrsen, Claude W. Keefer, Michael D. Braunstein
  • Patent number: 9463483
    Abstract: A mobile fluid delivery machine has a communication device configured to receive fluid delivery mission instructions that identify a sequence of path segments on a site and corresponding fluid delivery allocation information for the path segments, and a location device determining the location of the mobile fluid delivery machine. It also has a fluid delivery system including a display device and at least one processor that is configured to identify the fluid delivery allocation information for the path segment that corresponds to the location of the mobile machine on the site, and to determine, based on the fluid delivery allocation information for the path segment that corresponds to the location of the mobile machine on the site, a fluid delivery rate for the path segment. The processor is also configured to cause the display device to display an indication of the determined fluid delivery rate for the path segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J Gudat, James D Humphrey, Peter W Anderton, David C Orr, Kenneth L Stratton, Craig I Koehrsen, Claude W Keefer, Michael D Braunstein
  • Patent number: 8360343
    Abstract: A mobile fluid delivery machine for delivering fluid to a site has a tank storing fluid, and at least one spray head configured to spray the stored fluid onto the site. In addition, the machine has a communication device configured to receive fluid delivery mission instructions from a site computing system, the mission instructions identifying a sequence of path segments on the site and corresponding fluid delivery amounts allocated to the path segments, and a location device configured to determine the location of the machine on the site. Th machine may also have a fluid delivery system configured to determine whether the location of the fluid delivery machine corresponds to a path segment of the sequence, and when it is determined that the location of the machine corresponds to a path segment in the sequence, to identify the fluid delivery amount allocated to that path segment based on the mission instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, James D. Humphrey, Peter W. Anderton, David C. Orr, Kenneth L. Stratton, Craig L. Koehrsen, Claude W. Keefer, Michael D. Braunstein
  • Publication number: 20110288769
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fluid delivery on a site using at least one fluid delivery machine are disclosed. An exemplary such method includes identifying at least one path on the site based on map information associated with the site, calculating a fluid delivery requirement of the at least one path based on environmental information associated with the site, and dispatching a fluid delivery machine on a mission to treat the at least one path with fluid based on the fluid delivery requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Adam J. GUDAT, James D. Humphrey, Peter W. Anderton, David C. Orr, Kenneth L. Stratton, Craig L. Koehrsen, Claude W. Keefer, Michael D. Braunstein
  • Publication number: 20110266360
    Abstract: Systems and methods for executing a fluid delivery mission are disclosed. In one embodiment a mobile fluid delivery machine for delivering fluid to a site has a tank storing fluid, and at least one spray head configured to spray the stored fluid onto the site. In addition, the mobile fluid delivery machine has a communication device configured to receive fluid delivery mission instructions from a site computing system, the mission instructions identifying a sequence of path segments on the site and corresponding fluid delivery amounts allocated to the path segments, and a location device configured to determine the location of the mobile fluid delivery machine on the site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventors: Adam J. Gudat, James D. Humphrey, Peter W. Anderton, David C. Orr, Kenneth L. Stratton, Craig L. Koehrsen, Claude W. Keefer, Michael D. Braunstein
  • Patent number: 6751540
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for storing earthwork design templates in an on-board system on a work machine. The machine operator may select one or more of the templates and place and orient the template on a topographic map displayed on a screen. The operator may adjust the position and heading in the x-y plane and adjust the elevation, slope, and cross slope of the template relative to the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Claude W. Keefer, Craig L. Koehrsen
  • Patent number: 6701239
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for updating a machine database. The database includes data representing the desired and actual terrain of a work site. Additional data represents portions of the work site which have been further worked. An indicator detects the machine's current work function and updates the data in the database based on the current work function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventor: Claude W. Keefer
  • Publication number: 20030195687
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for updating a machine database. The database includes data representing the desired and actual terrain of a work site. Additional data represents portions of the work site which have been further worked. An indicator detects the machine's current work function and updates the data in the database based on the current work function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventor: Claude W. Keefer
  • Publication number: 20030069679
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for storing earthwork design templates in an on-board system on a work machine. The machine operator may select one or more of the templates and place and orient the template on a topographic map displayed on a screen. The operator may adjust the position and heading in the x-y plane and adjust the elevation, slope, and cross slope of the template relative to the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Claude W. Keefer, Craig L. Koehrsen