Patents by Inventor Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr.

Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr. 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).

  • Publication number: 20180322791
    Abstract: A control system and method identify a first vehicle system that is traveling from a first location toward a different, second location, and a second vehicle system for combining with the first vehicle system into a convoy of vehicle systems. The system and method also direct the first and second vehicle systems to couple with each other for travel as the convoy. The system and method direct one or more of the second vehicle system of the convoy to separate from the convoy and/or a third vehicle system that is outside of the convoy to join the convoy by coupling with one or more of the first vehicle system or the second vehicle system in the convoy in at least one intermediate location between the first location and the second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180273064
    Abstract: A system and method identifies vehicles to be included in a multi-vehicle system that is to travel along one or more routes for an upcoming trip, and determines plural different potential builds of the multi-vehicle system. The different potential builds represent different sequential orders of the vehicles in the multi-vehicle system. The system and method also simulate travels of the different potential builds for the upcoming trip, calculate a safety metric, consumption metric, and/or build metric for the different potential builds based on travels that are simulated, and generates a quantified evaluation of the safety metric, consumption metric, and/or build metric for the different potential builds for use in selecting a chosen potential build of the different potential builds. The chosen potential build is used to build the multi-vehicle system for the upcoming trip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., William Schoonmaker
  • Publication number: 20180200963
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system is configured to manufacture a component. The additive manufacturing system includes a laser device, a build platform, a first scanning device, and an air knife. The laser device is configured to generate a laser beam. The component is disposed on the build platform. The air knife is configured to channel an inert gas across the build platform. The first scanning device is configured to selectively direct the laser beam across the build platform. The laser beam is configured to generate successive layers of a melted powdered build material on the component and the build platform. The build platform is configured to rotate the component relative to the air knife.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: David Charles Bogdan, JR., Jason Harris Karp, Justin John Gambone, JR., Lang Yuan, Jinjie Shi, Victor Petrovich Ostroverkhov, Marshall Gordon Jones, William Thomas Carter, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Kevin George Harding
  • Publication number: 20180193956
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a laser device, a build plate, a first scanning device, and an alignment system. The laser device is configured to generate a laser beam. The build plate has a position relative to the laser device. The first scanning device is configured to selectively direct the laser beam across the build plate. The laser beam generates a melt pool on the build plate. The alignment system includes a fiducial marks projector configured to project a plurality of fiducial marks across the build plate. Each fiducial mark has a location on the build plate. The alignment system also includes an optical detector configured to detect the location of each of the fiducial marks on the build plate. The alignment system is configured to detect the position of the build plate relative to the laser device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Victor Petrovich Ostroverkhov, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Justin John Gambone, JR., Jason Harris Karp, Kevin George Harding, Scott Michael Miller, William Thomas Carter
  • Publication number: 20180193955
    Abstract: A component is fabricated in a powder bed by moving a laser array across the powder bed. The laser array includes a plurality of laser devices. The power output of each laser device of the plurality of laser devices is independently controlled. The laser array emits a plurality of energy beams from a plurality of selected laser devices of the plurality of laser devices to generate a melt pool in the powder bed. A non-uniform energy intensity profile is generated by the plurality of selected laser devices. The non-uniform energy intensity profile facilitates generating a melt pool that has a predetermined characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Jason Harris Karp, Justin John Gambone, JR., Michael Evans Graham, David Charles Bogdan, JR., Victor Petrovich Ostroverkhov, William Thomas Carter, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Kevin George Harding, Jinjie Shi, Marshall Gordon Jones, James William Sears
  • Publication number: 20180185959
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes an excitation energy source for generating a melt pool in a build material based on a build parameter. The system includes a sensing energy source and a first scanning device that directs the sensing energy source across the build material. The build material emits an ambient quantity of electromagnetic radiation prior to being contacted by an energy beam from the sensing energy source, and a sensing quantity of electromagnetic radiation different than the ambient quantity after contact by the energy beam. The system includes an optical system having an optical detector for detecting the sensing quantity of electromagnetic radiation and generating a detection signal in response. A computing device receives the detection signal and generates a control signal in response. The control signal is configured to modify the build parameter based on the sensing quantity of electromagnetic radiation to achieve a desired melt pool characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Michael Evans Graham
  • Publication number: 20180185963
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes build plate with a powdered metal material disposed thereon. The additive manufacturing system also includes at least one wall defining an air-locked build chamber, a conveyor system, and a plurality of operation stations. The conveyor system is disposed within the air-locked build chamber. The conveyor system is configured to transport the build plate. The plurality of operation stations are positioned adjacent to the conveyor system and within the air-locked build chamber. Each operation station of the plurality of operation stations is configured to facilitate execution of at least one additive manufacturing operation on the powdered metal material disposed on the build plate. The conveyor system is configured to transfer the build plate from a first operation station of the plurality of operation stations to a second operation station of the plurality of operation stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Victor Petrovich Ostroverkhov, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Justin John Gambone, JR.
  • Patent number: 10005561
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stabilizing an aircraft in response to a yaw movement are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a yaw movement of the aircraft. The yaw movement can cause a front portion of the aircraft to move towards a first side of the aircraft. The method can further include, in response to the yaw movement, initiating a trim process resulting in a thrust differential. The trim process can include increasing thrust in one or more engines on the first side of the aircraft and decreasing thrust in one or more engines on a second side of the aircraft. The method can include controlling the trim process based at least in part on a detected yaw movement of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Steven Louis Kiebles, David Michael Lax, Otto Y Darias, Mark Lawrence Darnell, Sean Sanghyun Hwang, Christopher Daniel Holbert, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Sridhar Adibhatla, Jeffrey Russell Bult, Thomas Charles Swager
  • Publication number: 20180148077
    Abstract: A system (e.g., a control system) includes a sensor configured to monitor an operating condition of a vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system along a route. The system also includes a controller configured to designate one or more operational settings for the vehicle system as a function of time and/or distance along the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Brian Nedward MEYER, Harry Kirk MATHEWS, JR., James D. BROOKS, Kristopher Ryan SMITH
  • Patent number: 9937936
    Abstract: A method and system monitor coupler fatigue by determining an upcoming fatigue metric representative of fatigue that is to be experienced by a coupler configured to connect plural vehicles in a vehicle system, determining whether a failure metric of the coupler during the upcoming trip exceeds a designated failure threshold (where the failure metric is based on the upcoming fatigue metric), and, responsive to determining that the failure metric exceeds the designated failure threshold, one or more of notifying an operator of the upcoming fatigue metric, displaying one or more of the upcoming fatigue metric or the failure metric, changing a driving plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system during the upcoming trip, and/or changing a characteristic of the vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Gabriel de A. Gleizer
  • Patent number: 9862397
    Abstract: A system (e.g., a control system) includes a sensor configured to monitor an operating condition of a vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system along a route. The system also includes a controller configured to designate one or more operational settings for the vehicle system as a function of time and/or distance along the route. The controller is configured to operate in a first operating mode responsive to the operating condition of the vehicle system being at least one of at or above a designated threshold, and in a second operating mode responsive to the operating condition of the vehicle system being below the designated threshold. The controller designates operational settings to drive the vehicle system toward achievement of a first objective when in the first operating mode and toward achievement of a different, second objective when in the second operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brian Nedward Meyer, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., James D. Brooks, Kristopher Ryan Smith
  • Patent number: 9849807
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes one or more processors configured to assign plural vehicles to different groups in one or more vehicle systems for travel along one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to determine trip plans for the different groups. The trip plans designate different operational settings of the vehicles in the different groups at different locations along one or more routes during movement of the one or more vehicle systems along the one or more routes. The one or more processors also are configured to modify one or more of the groups to which the vehicles are assigned or the operational settings for the vehicles in one or more of the vehicle systems based on a movement parameter of one or more of the vehicle systems. The trip plans for the different groups of the vehicles are interdependent upon each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Dan Dai, James Brooks
  • Publication number: 20170361941
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stabilizing an aircraft in response to a yaw movement are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a yaw movement of the aircraft. The yaw movement can cause a front portion of the aircraft to move towards a first side of the aircraft. The method can further include, in response to the yaw movement, initiating a trim process resulting in a thrust differential. The trim process can include increasing thrust in one or more engines on the first side of the aircraft and decreasing thrust in one or more engines on a second side of the aircraft. The method can include controlling the trim process based at least in part on a detected yaw movement of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Steven Louis Kiebles, David Michael Lax, Otto Y. Darias, Mark Lawrence Darnell, Sean Sanghyun Hwang, Christopher Daniel Holbert, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Sridhar Adibhatla, Jeffrey Russell Bult, Thomas Charles Swager
  • Publication number: 20170308080
    Abstract: A distributed control system includes a remote control system configured to be communicatively coupled with plural separate vehicle systems. The remote control system is configured to remotely control operation of the vehicle systems and/or communicate with the local vehicle control system or operator. The remote control system also is configured to one or more of change how many of the vehicle systems are concurrently controlled by the remote control system or change how many remote operators of the remote control system concurrently control the same vehicle system of the vehicle systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Paul Houpt
  • Publication number: 20170282942
    Abstract: A system includes an energy management system disposed onboard a vehicle system configured to travel on a route during a trip. The energy management system is configured to receive trip information that includes one or more constraints including at least one of speed, distance, or time restrictions for the vehicle system along the route. The energy management system is further configured to generate a trip plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system along the route during the trip. The trip plan is generated based on the one or more constraints. The trip plan has a plan speed profile that designates speeds for the vehicle system according to at least one of distance or time during the trip. The energy management system is further configured to control movement of the vehicle system during the trip according to the plan speed profile of the trip plan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Brian Nedward Meyer, James D. Brooks, Joseph Daniel Wakeman, Dan Dai, Anup Menon
  • Publication number: 20170274915
    Abstract: A power control system for a vehicle system identifies coupler nodes in the vehicle system for travel of the vehicle system along a route. The coupler nodes represent slack states of couplers between vehicles in the vehicle system. The system also determines combined driving parameters at locations along the route where a state of the coupler nodes in the vehicle system will change within the vehicle system during the upcoming movement of the vehicle system. The system determines a restriction on operations of the vehicle system to control the coupler nodes during the upcoming movement of the vehicle system and to distribute the combined driving parameters among two or more of the vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Lucas Vares Vargas, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Brian Nedward Meyer, Gabriel de Albuquerque Gleizer, Carlos Gonzaga
  • Patent number: 9676403
    Abstract: A vehicle control system and method determine one or more designated speeds of a trip plan for a trip of a vehicle system along a route. The trip plan can designate the one or more designated speeds as a function of one or more of time or distance along the route for the trip. Geometry of the route that the vehicle system will travel along during the trip is determined, as well as one or more prospective forces that will be exerted on the vehicle system during movement of the vehicle system along the route for the trip based at least in part on the geometry of the route. The trip plan is revised to reduce at least one of the prospective forces by reducing at least one of the designated speeds of the trip plan based on the one or more prospective forces that are determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Dan Dai, Ramu Sharat Chandra, Gabriel De Albuquerque Gleizer, Bruno Paes Leao, Carlos Gonzaga
  • Patent number: 9669811
    Abstract: A planning system and method determine handling parameters of one or more of a route or a vehicle system at different locations along a length of the vehicle system having plural vehicles traveling together along the route. The system and method also determine asynchronous brake settings for two or more of the vehicles in the vehicle system based on the handling parameters that are determined. Brakes of the two or more vehicles are controlled according to the asynchronous brake settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Gabriel de Albuquerque Gleizer, Lucas Vargas
  • Publication number: 20170151965
    Abstract: A method and system monitor coupler fatigue by determining an upcoming fatigue metric representative of fatigue that is to be experienced by a coupler configured to connect plural vehicles in a vehicle system, determining whether a failure metric of the coupler during the upcoming trip exceeds a designated failure threshold (where the failure metric is based on the upcoming fatigue metric), and, responsive to determining that the failure metric exceeds the designated failure threshold, one or more of notifying an operator of the upcoming fatigue metric, displaying one or more of the upcoming fatigue metric or the failure metric, changing a driving plan for controlling movement of the vehicle system during the upcoming trip, and/or changing a characteristic of the vehicle system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR., Gabriel de.A. Gleizer
  • Publication number: 20170120376
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a surface holding a particulate and a focused energy source configured to generate at least one beam that moves along the surface to heat the particulate to a melting point creating a melt path. A camera is configured to generate an image of the surface as the at least one beam moves along the surface. The camera has a field of view and is positioned in relation to the surface such that the field of view encompasses a portion of the melt path defining a plurality of rasters. The camera generates a time exposure image of at least the portion of the melt path defining the plurality of rasters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Allen Cheverton, Harry Kirk Mathews, JR.