Patents by Inventor Anthony J. Grichnik

Anthony J. Grichnik 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: 20100076806
    Abstract: A computer system for an inventory management tool using a criticality measure is disclosed. The computer system has a memory, at least one input device, and a central processing unit in communication with the memory and the at least one input device. The central processing unit calculates an amount of existing inventory for one or more parts used to produce a product and determines a lead time to receive the one or more parts. The central processing unit also determines a build time to produce the parts into the product and receives a criticality measure for the product, the criticality measure indicating an order time for delivering the product. Further, the central processing unit adjusts a supply chain process for the parts based on the lead time, the build time, and the criticality measure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Gordon Duncan Ferguson, Arthur J. Stack, Brian Dara Byrne, Brian E. Beer, Thomas Eugene Stoner, Terry Shan Livingston
  • Publication number: 20100050025
    Abstract: A method for providing a virtual sensor network based system. The method may include obtaining project data descriptive of a virtual sensor network to be used in a control system of a machine; establishing a virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the project data. Each virtual sensor may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include recording model information, measurement data, and performance information of the virtual sensor network including the plurality of virtual sensors; creating one or more calibration certificates of the virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the model information, the measurement data, and the performance information; and generating a documentation package associated with the virtual sensor network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Mary L. Kesse, Amit Jayachandran, James Mason, Tim Felty, Christopher L. Wynkoop
  • Publication number: 20100004901
    Abstract: A method for transforming machine sensor data between a time domain and a combustion pulse domain is disclosed. The method may include determining a number of pulse events per rotation of a shaft and determining a sampling rate per pulse event. The method may also include sampling one or more sensors at the sampling rate per pulse event. The method also may include transforming the samples into the combustion pulse domain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Timothy J. Felty, James R. Mason, Amit Jayachandran, Mary Lou Kesse, Christopher L. Wynkoop
  • Publication number: 20100004898
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for pre-processing data. The method may include detecting one or more erroneous vectors in a plurality of vectors, detecting one or more erroneous elements in the one or more erroneous vectors, and deleting the detected one or more erroneous elements. The method may also include detecting one or more missing elements in the plurality of vectors. Further, the method may include populating one or more offending vectors that include one or more missing elements and/or deleted erroneous elements with one or more elements that are based on a distance metric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Timothy J. Felty, James R. Mason
  • Publication number: 20090293457
    Abstract: A method is provided for a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for reducing a pollutant emission level in exhaust gas of an engine on a machine. The method may include providing a plurality of virtual sensors each having a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The plurality of virtual sensors may include a first virtual sensor for measuring an emission level of a first component the pollutant and a second virtual sensor for measuring an emission level of a second component the pollutant. The method may also include integrating the plurality of virtual sensors into a virtual sensor network; operating the virtual sensor network to provide the first component emission level and the second component emission level; and calculating a ratio between the first component and the second component based on the first component emission level and the second component emission level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Amit Jayachandran, Mary L. Kesse, James Mason, Tim Felty
  • Publication number: 20090300422
    Abstract: A method for analyzing operations of a plurality of machines communicating with a server computer. The method may include establishing a plurality of virtual sensors corresponding to a plurality of engine systems of the respective plurality of machines. Each virtual sensor may be indicative of interrelationships between a plurality of input parameters and a plurality of output parameters of an engine system. The method may also include determining an operational accuracy of each virtual sensor, and calculating a score of each machine based on the operational accuracy of a virtual sensor of the machine. Further, the method may include ranking the plurality of machines based upon the score of each machine, scheduling maintenance for a certain number of machines based on the ranking of the plurality of machines, and providing automatic notification of the scheduled maintenance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael Seskin, Wade S. Willden
  • Publication number: 20090256077
    Abstract: A method of correlating thermal sensors data with temperature sensor data is disclosed. The method may include generating one or more temperature sensor data points and receiving the one or more temperature sensor data points at a remote location. The method may also include generating one or more thermal sensor data points or images and receiving the one or more thermal sensor data points or images at the remote location. Additionally, the method may include correlating the one or more thermal sensor data points or images based on the one or more temperature sensor data points and generating a notification when a temperature of one or more correlated thermal sensor data points or images fails to maintain a determined relationship with a preset limit in one or more locations other than the location of one or more temperature sensor data point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Inventors: Kevin C. Brady, Michael Seskin, Anthony J. Grichnik
  • Patent number: 7593804
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure includes a method for a control system of a machine. The method may include establishing a virtual sensor model indicative of interrelationships between at least one sensing parameter and a plurality of measured parameters related to the machine. The method may also include obtaining data and function information representing the virtual sensor model and converting the data information into fixed-point representation. Further, the method may include converting the function information into fixed-point representation and loading the converted fixed-point representation of data information and function information in the control system such that the control system uses the virtual sensor model in fixed-point arithmetic operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, James Mason, Tim Felty
  • Patent number: 7584166
    Abstract: A method is provided for a medical risk stratification system. The method may include obtaining data records associated with one or more health variables and a plurality of medical risks from a plurality of MRS models based on an expert knowledge combination process and establishing a medical risk process model indicative of interrelationships between the plurality of medical risks and a plurality of health parameters based on the data records. The method may also include obtaining a set of values corresponding to the plurality of health parameters and calculating values of the plurality of medical risks simultaneously based upon the set of values corresponding to the plurality of health parameters and the medical risk process model. Further, the method may include optimizing the plurality of health parameters to minimize the plurality of medical risks simultaneously and presenting the values of the plurality of medical risks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Grichnik
  • Patent number: 7565333
    Abstract: A method is provided for a control system. The method may include obtaining data records associated one or more input variables and one or more output parameters, and selecting one or more input parameters from the one or more input variables. The method may also include generating a computational model indicative of interrelationships between the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters based on the data records, and determining desired respective statistical distributions of the one or more input parameters of the computational model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael Seskin, Marco Perez, Roy T. Collins
  • Patent number: 7542879
    Abstract: A method for a virtual sensor system corresponding to a target physical sensor is provided. The method may include selecting a plurality of measured parameters provided by a set of physical sensors based on operational characteristics of the virtual sensor system. The method may also include establishing a virtual sensor process model indicative of interrelationships between one or more sensing parameter and the plurality of measured parameters. Further the method may include obtaining a set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters; calculating a value of the sensing parameter based upon the set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters and the virtual sensor process model; and providing the value of the sensing parameter to a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael Seskin
  • Publication number: 20090132216
    Abstract: A method is provided for designing a product. The method may include obtaining data records relating to one or more input variables and one or more output parameters associated with the product and selecting one or more input parameters from the one or more input variables. The method may also include generating a computational model indicative of interrelationships between the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters based on the data records and providing a set of constraints to the computational model representative of a compliance state for the product. Further the method may include using the computational model and the provided set of constraints to generate statistical distributions for the one or more input parameters based on an asymmetric random scatter process and the one or more output parameters. The one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters represent a design for the product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael X. Seskin, James R. Mason, Timothy J. Felty
  • Publication number: 20090119323
    Abstract: System and methods are provided for applying a dimensionality reduction process to a data set. The method includes obtaining a data set including a first set of variables and identifying collections of the first set of variables for replacement by a second set of variables. The method also includes replacing the collections of the first set of variables with the second set of variables and eliminating the first set of variables from the data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. GRICHNIK, Michael Lee TAYLOR, Christos NIKOLOPOULOS, James Robert MASON, Meredith Jaye CLER, Gabriel Carl HART
  • Publication number: 20090119065
    Abstract: A method is used for providing sensing data to a control system of a machine. The method may include providing a plurality of virtual sensors, each of which may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include integrating the plurality of virtual sensors into a virtual sensor network; determining interdependencies among the plurality of virtual sensors; and obtaining operational information of the plurality of virtual sensors. Further, the method may include recording measurement data and performance information of the virtual sensor network and the plurality of virtual sensors; and generating one or more calibration certificate of the virtual sensor network based on the operational information, the measurement data, and the performance information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, James Mason, Tim Felty
  • Publication number: 20090118841
    Abstract: A method is used for providing sensing data to a control system of a machine. The method may include providing a plurality of virtual sensors, each of which may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include integrating the plurality of virtual sensors into a virtual sensor network; determining interdependencies among the plurality of virtual sensors; and obtaining operational information of the plurality of virtual sensors. Further, the method may include determining a first condition under which the virtual sensor network is unfit to provide one or more virtual sensor output parameter to the control system based on the determined interdependencies and the operational information; and presenting the determined first condition to the control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, James Mason, Tim Felty
  • Publication number: 20090112334
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure includes a method for a control system of a machine. The method may include establishing a virtual sensor model indicative of interrelationships between at least one sensing parameter and a plurality of measured parameters related to the machine. The method may also include obtaining data and function information representing the virtual sensor model and converting the data information into fixed-point representation. Further, the method may include converting the function information into fixed-point representation and loading the converted fixed-point representation of data information and function information in the control system such that the control system uses the virtual sensor model in fixed-point arithmetic operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, James Mason, Tim Felty
  • Patent number: 7505949
    Abstract: A method is provided for a virtual sensor system. The method may include establishing a first process model indicative of interrelationships between a plurality of input parameters and a plurality of output parameters and establishing a second process model indicative of interrelationships between at least the plurality of input parameters and modeling errors of the first process model. The method may also include operating the first process model to generate values of the plurality of output parameters and simultaneously operating the second model to generate estimated deviations between the values of the plurality of output parameters and desired values of the plurality of output parameters. Further, the method may include compensating the values of the plurality of output parameters with the estimated deviations to generate the desired values of the plurality of output parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony J. Grichnik
  • Publication number: 20090062621
    Abstract: System and methods are provided for prioritizing communication of a health risk. The method may include obtaining health information for individuals and determining, based on the health information, a risk of each individual contracting each of plurality of diseases. The method may also include calculating, based on the risks, an average risk of each individual contracting the diseases and selecting a subset of the individuals based on the average risks. Further, the method may include calculating an improved risk by making lifestyle changes for the subset of the individuals and communicating the health risks and the lifestyle changes to individuals in the subset based on the amount of improved risk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael L. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20090063087
    Abstract: A method for a virtual sensor system corresponding to a target physical sensor is provided. The method may include selecting a plurality of measured parameters provided by a set of physical sensors based on operational characteristics of the virtual sensor system. The method may also include establishing a virtual sensor process model indicative of interrelationships between one or more sensing parameter and the plurality of measured parameters. Further the method may include obtaining a set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters; calculating a value of the sensing parameter based upon the set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters and the virtual sensor process model; and providing the value of the sensing parameter to a control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael Seskin
  • Patent number: 7499842
    Abstract: A method is provided for a virtual sensor system. The method may include establishing a virtual sensor process model indicative of interrelationships between a plurality of sensing parameters and a plurality of measured parameters, and obtaining a set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters. The method may also include calculating the values of the plurality of sensing parameters simultaneously based upon the set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters and the virtual sensor process model, and providing the values of the plurality of sensing parameters to a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony J. Grichnik, Michael Seskin