Patents by Inventor Alan Wetzel

Alan Wetzel 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: 9904274
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device. Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Publication number: 20150073603
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data fir a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device. Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Patent number: 8914046
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device. Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Patent number: 8534553
    Abstract: A device for conducting rail car inspections including an inspection module, an imaging module, a scanner module, a location module, a printer module and a communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prescott Logan, David Davenport, John Hershey, Rahul Bhotika, Robert Mitchell, Emad Andarawis, Kenneth Welles, Robert Alan Wetzel
  • Publication number: 20120318865
    Abstract: A device for conducting rail car inspections including an inspection module, an imaging module, a scanner module, a location module, a printer module and a communication module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Prescott LOGAN, David Davenport, John Hershey, Rahul Bhotika, Robert Mitchell, Emad Andarawis, Kenneth Welles, Robert Alan Wetzel
  • Patent number: 8292172
    Abstract: A device for conducting rail car inspections including an inspection module, an imaging module, a scanner module, a location module, a printer module and a communication module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Prescott Logan, David Davenport, John Hershey, Rahul Bhotika, Robert Mitchell, Emad Andarawis, Kenneth Welles, Robert Alan Wetzel
  • Publication number: 20120258739
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device. Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: ROBERT ALAN WETZEL, PATRICK JOSEPH VENNEMAN
  • Patent number: 8244276
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool (14) to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device (32). Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Patent number: 7832638
    Abstract: A system (10) and method for recording inspection data for geographically remote equipment assets. A portable inspection data recording device (14) is transported by a mobile inspector to a plurality of locations of equipment (12) to be inspected. The data recording device includes a location detection device (32), and a unique equipment identifier is associated with each remote equipment location, so that travel instructions may be displayed for directing the inspector to the location of selected equipment. Recordation of inspection data for selected equipment is enabled only when the portable inspection data recording device is located proximate the selected equipment. Data recordation may be enabled by displaying an equipment-specific data recordation form on input/output display (40) having selected data field automatically populated in response to the selected unique equipment identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Publication number: 20090082039
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool (14) to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device (32). Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Patent number: 7428419
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data for a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool (14) to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device (32). Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Alan Wetzel, Patrick Joseph Venneman
  • Patent number: 5821796
    Abstract: A network circuit has a single port device 28 having a high impedance output node 42 when the single port device 28 is powered down; and a multi port device 50 having a bias node 60 coupled to the output node 42.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dan Yaklin, David K. Johnson, Alan Wetzel