Patents by Inventor Dean E. Winner

Dean E. Winner 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: 11947361
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls an industrial vehicle responsive to encountering working environment tags. The system comprises a transceiver and a tag reader mounted on the industrial vehicle. Also, the system comprises an information processing device communicably coupled to the transceiver and the tag reader. The information processing device comprises a processor in data communication with memory. In this regard, the processor is programmed to receive an identifier of a tag detected by the tag reader while the industrial vehicle is being operated within a work environment, and access electronically, a predetermined action based upon the identifier of the detected tag. The processor is further programmed to communicate information across a vehicle network bus to at least one electronic component of the industrial vehicle to perform the predetermined action, wherein the predetermined action automatically modifies a working state of the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 11823502
    Abstract: Operation of a materials handling vehicle is monitored for impacts by generating an electrical impact signal indicative of a force measurement electronically read from a sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle, generating an electrical impulse signal indicative of a change of momentum of the materials handling vehicle, and outputting an electrical impact alarm signal when the electrical impact signal exceeds a selected force limit threshold and the electrical impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Ziegler, Dean E. Winner, Michael P. Kovach, Timothy A. Wellman
  • Publication number: 20230350424
    Abstract: A system that controls an industrial vehicle responsive to encountering working environment tags comprises a tag reader mounted on an industrial vehicle. Further, a tag is incorporated into a harness that is to be worn by an operator of the industrial vehicle. An information processing device on the industrial vehicle is communicably coupled to the tag reader and comprises a processor that is programmed to receive an identifier of the tag in the harness, access a predetermined action based upon the identifier of the detected tag, and communicate information across a vehicle network bus to an electronic component of the industrial vehicle to perform the predetermined action. The predetermined action automatically modifies a working state of the industrial vehicle to a first action when the harness worn by the operator is not clipped in, and a second action when the harness worn by the operator is clipped in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 11225404
    Abstract: A system collects information related to a lockout event that occurs on an industrial vehicle. A lockout condition associated with an industrial vehicle is detected by a processor executing on the industrial vehicle. Responsive thereto, the industrial vehicle operator is locked out so that the industrial vehicle cannot be driven from its locked location. A message is wirelessly communicated to a server application that indicates that the industrial vehicle has been locked. When the processor executing on the industrial vehicle receives a command to unlock the industrial vehicle, the industrial vehicle is unlocked and the identity is stored, of the person who unlocked the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron H. Harshbarger, David K. Tinnerman, Timothy A. Wellman, Jeffrey C. Whitford, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20210035035
    Abstract: An information system for an industrial vehicle comprises an electronic component on the industrial vehicle that is programmably configured to obtain data by communicating across a vehicle network bus of the industrial vehicle with at least one other component of the industrial vehicle. The information system also comprises memory that stores industrial vehicle information according to a mapping specified by a data object model. Moreover, a processor on the industrial vehicle is programmed to repeatedly perform a cyclically recurring operation that extracts at least a portion of the industrial vehicle information stored in the memory device as broadcast information, generates at least one broadcast message representing the extracted broadcast information, and transmits the generated at least one broadcast message on the vehicle network bus. Accordingly, the entire contents of the broadcast information are repeatedly transmitted across the vehicle network bus in a cyclically recurring manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 10810521
    Abstract: An information system for an industrial vehicle comprises an electronic component on the industrial vehicle that is programmably configured to obtain data by communicating across a vehicle network bus of the industrial vehicle with at least one other component of the industrial vehicle. The information system also comprises memory that stores industrial vehicle information according to a mapping specified by a data object model. Moreover, a processor on the industrial vehicle is programmed to repeatedly perform a cyclically recurring operation that extracts at least a portion of the industrial vehicle information stored in the memory device as broadcast information, generates at least one broadcast message representing the extracted broadcast information, and transmits the generated at least one broadcast message on the vehicle network bus. Accordingly, the entire contents of the broadcast information are repeatedly transmitted across the vehicle network bus in a cyclically recurring manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20200218283
    Abstract: A system is provided that controls an industrial vehicle responsive to encountering working environment tags. The system comprises a transceiver and a tag reader mounted on the industrial vehicle. Also, the system comprises an information processing device communicably coupled to the transceiver and the tag reader. The information processing device comprises a processor in data communication with memory. In this regard, the processor is programmed to receive an identifier of a tag detected by the tag reader while the industrial vehicle is being operated within a work environment, and access electronically, a predetermined action based upon the identifier of the detected tag. The processor is further programmed to communicate information across a vehicle network bus to at least one electronic component of the industrial vehicle to perform the predetermined action, wherein the predetermined action automatically modifies a working state of the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20200175778
    Abstract: Operation of a materials handling vehicle is monitored for impacts by generating an electrical impact signal indicative of a force measurement electronically read from a sensor mounted on the materials handling vehicle, generating an electrical impulse signal indicative of a change of momentum of the materials handling vehicle, and outputting an electrical impact alarm signal when the electrical impact signal exceeds a selected force limit threshold and the electrical impulse signal exceeds an impulse signal limit within a predetermined time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Ronald L. Ziegler, Dean E. Winner, Michael P. Kovach, Timothy A. Wellman
  • Patent number: 10600256
    Abstract: A method of monitoring operation of a vehicle detects an application of force to the vehicle and a change of momentum of the vehicle is calculated. If the change of momentum and the application of force are determined to occur within a predetermined time period of one another, an impact signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald L. Ziegler, Dean E. Winner, Michael P. Kovach, Timothy A. Wellman
  • Patent number: 10599160
    Abstract: A process of operating a materials handling vehicle based upon tasks comprises receiving an operator login of an operator and wirelessly transmitting an identification of the operator to a remote server based upon the received operator login. Further, an operation on the materials handling vehicle by the operator is monitored to derive operational information communicated across a materials handling vehicle network bus of the materials handling vehicle. The operational information is then wirelessly transmitted to the remote server. An instruction that is derived from blending a task related activity associated with the operator login and the operational information is wirelessly received from the server. A command, based on the received instruction, is communicated across the vehicle network bus to an electronic component on the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20180276579
    Abstract: An information system for an industrial vehicle comprises an electronic component on the industrial vehicle that is programmably configured to obtain data by communicating across a vehicle network bus of the industrial vehicle with at least one other component of the industrial vehicle. The information system also comprises memory that stores industrial vehicle information according to a mapping specified by a data object model. Moreover, a processor on the industrial vehicle is programmed to repeatedly perform a cyclically recurring operation that extracts at least a portion of the industrial vehicle information stored in the memory device as broadcast information, generates at least one broadcast message representing the extracted broadcast information, and transmits the generated at least one broadcast message on the vehicle network bus. Accordingly, the entire contents of the broadcast information are repeatedly transmitted across the vehicle network bus in a cyclically recurring manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20180276909
    Abstract: A system collects information related to a lockout event that occurs on an industrial vehicle. A lockout condition associated with an industrial vehicle is detected by a processor executing on the industrial vehicle. Responsive thereto, the industrial vehicle operator is locked out so that the industrial vehicle cannot be driven from its locked location. A message is wirelessly communicated to a server application that indicates that the industrial vehicle has been locked. When the processor executing on the industrial vehicle receives a command to unlock the industrial vehicle, the industrial vehicle is unlocked and the identity is stored, of the person who unlocked the industrial vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Aaron H. Harshbarger, David K. Tinnerman, Timothy A. Wellman, Jeffrey C. Whitford, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 10013815
    Abstract: Industrial vehicles communicate across a wireless environment and the wireless communication, data collection and/or processing capabilities of industrial vehicles are leveraged against robust software solutions to implement enterprise wide asset management functions, to integrate industrial vehicle data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management. Still further, wireless communication, data collection and/or processing capabilities of industrial vehicles are leveraged with robust software solutions that aggregate and analyze data across multiple enterprises and/or promote the exchange of information between independent entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Aaron H. Harshbarger, David K. Tinnerman, Timothy A. Wellman, Jeffrey C. Whitford, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 9984341
    Abstract: Industrial vehicles communicate across a wireless environment and the wireless communication, data collection and/or processing capabilities of industrial vehicles are leveraged against robust software solutions to implement enterprise wide vehicle management functions, to integrate industrial vehicle data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management. Still further, wireless communication, data collection and/or processing capabilities of industrial vehicles are leveraged with robust software solutions that aggregate and analyze data across multiple enterprises and/or promote the exchange of information between independent entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20170248965
    Abstract: A process of operating a materials handling vehicle based upon tasks comprises receiving an operator login of an operator and wirelessly transmitting an identification of the operator to a remote server based upon the received operator login. Further, an operation on the materials handling vehicle by the operator is monitored to derive operational information communicated across a materials handling vehicle network bus of the materials handling vehicle. The operational information is then wirelessly transmitted to the remote server. An instruction that is derived from blending a task related activity associated with the operator login and the operational information is wirelessly received from the server. A command, based on the received instruction, is communicated across the vehicle network bus to an electronic component on the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 9632506
    Abstract: Materials handling vehicles are integrated with enterprise computing systems by providing a transceiver on a vehicle, where the transceiver is configured for wireless data communication across a wireless computing environment. More particularly, integration is implemented by configuring a processor on the materials handling vehicle to: communicate with the transceiver for wireless communication to a corresponding server computer, to communicate with at least one electronics component of the materials handling vehicle across a vehicle network bus and to receive logon information to identify an operator logging onto the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20160041559
    Abstract: Materials handling vehicles are integrated with enterprise computing systems by providing a transceiver on a vehicle, where the transceiver is configured for wireless data communication across a wireless computing environment. More particularly, integration is implemented by configuring a processor on the materials handling vehicle to: communicate with the transceiver for wireless communication to a corresponding server computer, to communicate with at least one electronics component of the materials handling vehicle across a vehicle network bus and to receive logon information to identify an operator logging onto the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 9202186
    Abstract: Materials handling vehicles are integrated with enterprise computing systems by providing a transceiver on a vehicle, where the transceiver is configured for wireless data communication across a wireless computing environment. More particularly, integration is implemented by configuring a processor on the materials handling vehicle to: communicate with the transceiver for wireless communication to a corresponding server computer, to communicate with at least one electronics component of the materials handling vehicle across a vehicle network bus and to receive logon information to identify an operator logging onto the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Publication number: 20120232961
    Abstract: Materials handling vehicles are integrated with enterprise computing systems by providing a transceiver on a vehicle, where the transceiver is configured for wireless data communication across a wireless computing environment. More particularly, integration is implemented by configuring a processor on the materials handling vehicle to: communicate with the transceiver for wireless communication to a corresponding server computer, to communicate with at least one electronics component of the materials handling vehicle across a vehicle network bus and to receive logon information to identify an operator logging onto the materials handling vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner
  • Patent number: 8249910
    Abstract: Systems of hardware and software are provided for enabling mobile assets to communicate across a wireless network environment. Systems, computer-implemented methods and computer program products are also provided for leveraging wireless communication and/or processing capabilities of mobile assets against a robust software solution to implement enterprise wide asset management functions, to integrate mobile asset data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Wellman, Dean E. Winner