Patents by Inventor Andrew J. Frank

Andrew J. Frank 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: 20240409154
    Abstract: A method for performing diagnostics on a steering system of a vehicle includes controlling an electronic power steering (EPS) gear of the steering system to apply force to the steering system in accordance with a predetermined torque profile, receiving signals corresponding to a measured response of the steering system caused by the predetermined torque profile, comparing the received signals to an expected response of the steering system, and generating an output that includes a diagnosis of the steering system based on the comparison between the received signals and the expected response of the steering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Andrew J. Frank, Peter D. Schmitt, SayedMohammad Hosseini
  • Publication number: 20240180337
    Abstract: A support structure for supporting a human body. The support structure includes a plurality of zones, including a hip zone, a lumbar zone, and a shoulder zone. The support structure includes at least one air bladder cell being disposed in each of the plurality of zones, each of the at least one air bladder cell being a hermetically sealed body. An air pressure controller includes a plurality of air pumps being connected to a pliable manifold, the pliable manifold being connected to one or more of a plurality of solenoid valves. A plurality of inlet tubes can each be connected at a first end to one of the plurality of solenoid valves and at a second end to the inlet port of one of the at least one air bladder cell. The number of air bladder cells can be greater than the number of zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventor: Andrew J. Frank
  • Publication number: 20240109487
    Abstract: A method for providing a post-event alert includes receiving sensor data, detecting, based on the sensor data, at least one vehicle event, and determining a severity value associated with the at least one vehicle event. The method also includes determining whether the severity value is greater than a severity threshold and, in response to a determination that the severity value is greater than the severity threshold, identifying at least one aspect of a vehicle that is potentially damaged. The method also includes determining a potential damage value associated with the at least one aspect of the vehicle that is potentially damaged, determining whether the potential damage value is greater than a potential damage threshold, and, in response to determining that the potential damage value is greater than the potential damage threshold, generating an alert indicating at least the at least one aspect of the vehicle that is potentially damaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: MICHAEL R. STORY, ANDREW J. FRANK, WILLIAM D. BODEIS, PETER D. SCHMITT, JOACHIM J. KLESING, SAYEDMOHAMMAD HOSSEINI
  • Publication number: 20240101053
    Abstract: A method for predicting component life. The method includes receiving at least one vehicle signal, calculating at least one road surface condition metric based on the at least one vehicle signal, and calculating a duty cycle for at least one vehicle component. The method also includes calculating a remaining component life value for the at least one vehicle component based on the duty cycle for the at least one vehicle component and the at least one road surface condition metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: MICHAEL R. STORY, ANDREW J. FRANK
  • Publication number: 20230342656
    Abstract: A method for signal anomaly detection includes receiving at least one signal and determining, using at least one machine learning anomaly detection model, whether a value associated with the at least one signal is within a range of an expected value. The method also includes, in response to a determination that the value associated with the at least one signal is not within the range of the expected value, incrementing a counter, and, in response to a determination that a value of the counter is greater than or equal to a threshold value, identifying, based on the at least one signal, signal anomaly information. The method also includes communicating the signal anomaly information to a remote computing device, receiving, from the remote computing device, diagnostics information responsive to the signal anomaly information, and, in response to receiving the diagnostics information, initiating at least one corrective action procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Bernard C. Robinson, Peter D. Schmitt, Jonathan Hirscher, Owen K. Tosh, Michael R. Story, Emilio Quaggiotto, Joachim J. Klesing, Andrew J. Frank
  • Publication number: 20230232186
    Abstract: Technologies for tracking the location of mobile assets include a tracking device mounted to an asset and radio-frequency identification tags installed or attached to static structures. The radio-frequency identification tags include identification data stored thereon. The identification data is associated with the installed location of the corresponding radio-frequency identification tags. The tracking device includes one or more transceivers configured to energize or trigger the radio-frequency identification tags and receive the stored identification data when the tracking device and asset are in proximity to the tags. The current location of the mobile asset is determined based on the identification data received from the radio-frequency identification tags.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Inventors: Robin Kjaldgaard, Andrew J. Frank, Robert Golden
  • Publication number: 20230169802
    Abstract: A method for vehicle analytics includes receiving data from at least one condition indicator sensor of a vehicle and receiving data from at least one usage indicator sensor of the vehicle. The method also includes updating a vehicle specific model corresponding to a vehicle master model, based on the data from the at least one condition indicator sensor and the at least one usage indicator sensor. The method also includes identifying, using the vehicle specific model, at least one usage trend of the vehicle and determining an estimate of a remaining useful life of at least one aspect of the vehicle based on the at least one usage trend of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Bernard C. Robinson, Peter D. Schmitt, Andrew J. Frank, Jonathan Hirscher, Owen K. Tosh, Michael R. Story, Emilio Quaggiotto, Joachim J. Klesing
  • Publication number: 20210227991
    Abstract: A support structure for supporting a human body. The support structure includes a plurality of zones, including a hip zone, a lumbar zone, and a shoulder zone. The support structure includes at least one air bladder cell being disposed in each of the plurality of zones, each of the at least one air bladder cell being a hermetically sealed body. An air pressure controller includes a plurality of air pumps being connected to a pliable manifold, the pliable manifold being connected to one or more of a plurality of solenoid valves. A plurality of inlet tubes can each be connected at a first end to one of the plurality of solenoid valves and at a second end to the inlet port of one of the at least one air bladder cell. The number of air bladder cells can be greater than the number of zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventor: Andrew J. Frank
  • Patent number: 5247251
    Abstract: An eddy current probe, especially useful for inspecting roll plugs in steam generator tubes, has a detector assembly which is automatically extended and retracted in a radial recess in an elongated body to prevent damage to the detector assembly during insertion and retraction of the probe, yet permits the detector assembly to bear against the interior wall of the roll plug, including the roll zone. In one embodiment, a mechanical actuator in the form of a pair of finger members spring biased radially outward operate through camming surfaces to rotate a pivot member which retracts the detector assembly; however, when the probe enters the bore of a roll plug the fingers are compressed to permit extension of the detector assembly. In another embodiment, a linear actuator such as a solenoid rotates the pivot member to extend and retract the detector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp.
    Inventors: William D. Yost, Randall A. Holmes, Michael D. Coradi, Andrew J. Frank, Jr.