Patents by Inventor Dennis John Melas
Dennis John Melas 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: 9990552Abstract: A fatigue monitoring system is disclosed for use with a machine. The fatigue monitoring system may have an input device configured to generate a first signal indicative of an activity performed by a machine operator, a scanning device configured to generate a second signal indicative of a recognized characteristic of the machine operator, and a warning device. The fatigue monitoring system may also have a controller in communication with the input device, the scanning device, and the warning device. The controller may be configured to determine a time between generations of the first signal, to make a comparison of the recognized characteristic with a threshold characteristic, and to selectively activate the warning device based on the time or the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc.Inventors: Dennis John Melas, John David Semple
-
Publication number: 20160257321Abstract: A railway machine comprising a first electrical traction motor, a first wheel assembly, a first gear assembly and a controller module is disclosed. The first gear assembly may include a first pinion gear rotatably engaged with a drive shaft of the first electrical traction motor. The first gear assembly may further include a first driven gear that may be rotatably engaged with the first pinion gear and also operatively coupled to the first wheel assembly. The controller module may observe a plurality of railway machine operating conditions, execute program instructions while the railway machine is being operated and may determine whether the first pinion gear is decoupled from the drive shaft of the first electrical traction motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2015Publication date: September 8, 2016Applicant: ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL, INC.Inventors: Isaac Suwa Traylor, Gregory Raymond Kupiec, Dennis John Melas
-
Publication number: 20160082838Abstract: A fatigue monitoring system is disclosed for use with a machine. The fatigue monitoring system may have an input device configured to generate a first signal indicative of an activity performed by a machine operator, a scanning device configured to generate a second signal indicative of a recognized characteristic of the machine operator, and a warning device. The fatigue monitoring system may also have a controller in communication with the input device, the scanning device, and the warning device. The controller may be configured to determine a time between generations of the first signal, to make a comparison of the recognized characteristic with a threshold characteristic, and to selectively activate the warning device based on the time or the comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Dennis John MELAS, John David SEMPLE
-
Patent number: 9283969Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a communication system for a consist having a locomotive and a tender car. The communication system may have a locomotive access point configured to be located onboard the locomotive, a locomotive controller connected to the locomotive access point, a tender car access point configured to be located onboard the tender car, and a tender car controller connected to the tender car access point. The communication system may also have at least one network component configured to be located onboard the locomotive or the tender car and connected with a corresponding one of the locomotive and tender car access points, and a communication coupling extending between the locomotive and tender car access points. The locomotive and tender car controllers may be configured to selectively affect operation of the locomotive and tender car, respectively, based on operational information obtained via the at least one network component.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Tom Otsubo, Dennis John Melas, Gregory Raymond Kupiec, Mark Alan Fanara
-
Patent number: 9132843Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a communication method for use with a train consist having a locomotive and a tender car. The communication method may include transmitting between the locomotive and the tender car operational data captured by network components located onboard at least one of the locomotive and the tender car. The method may further include selectively adjusting an operation of at least one of the locomotive and the tender car based on the data.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Tom Otsubo, Dennis John Melas, Gregory Raymond Kupiec, Mark Alan Fanara
-
Patent number: 8924052Abstract: A locomotive consist control system may include a lead controller associated with a lead locomotive of the consist, and a secondary controller associated with a trailing locomotive of the consist and communicatively coupled by a communication link with the lead controller. The lead controller may be configured to receive a generator voltage or current output from a power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive, determine a total electrical power output requirement for the consist, determine an electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist, and supply instructions to dynamically adjust an output voltage or current generated by a generator associated with each locomotive to a desired voltage or current anywhere within the rated capacity of the generator.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2013Date of Patent: December 30, 2014Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Dennis John Melas, Andrew Joseph Shakal
-
Publication number: 20140353434Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a communication system for a consist having a locomotive and a tender car. The communication system may have a locomotive access point configured to be located onboard the locomotive, a locomotive controller connected to the locomotive access point, a tender car access point configured to be located onboard the tender car, and a tender car controller connected to the tender car access point. The communication system may also have at least one network component configured to be located onboard the locomotive or the tender car and connected with a corresponding one of the locomotive and tender car access points, and a communication coupling extending between the locomotive and tender car access points. The locomotive and tender car controllers may be configured to selectively affect operation of the locomotive and tender car, respectively, based on operational information obtained via the at least one network component.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Tom OTSUBO, Dennis John MELAS, Gregory Raymond KUPIEC, Mark Alan FANARA
-
Publication number: 20140358336Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a communication method for use with a train consist having a locomotive and a tender car. The communication method may include transmitting between the locomotive and the tender car operational data captured by network components located onboard at least one of the locomotive and the tender car. The method may further include selectively adjusting an operation of at least one of the locomotive and the tender car based on the data.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.Inventors: Tom OTSUBO, Dennis John MELAS, Gregory Raymond KUPIEC, Mark Alan FANARA
-
Publication number: 20140252174Abstract: A locomotive consist control system may include a lead controller associated with a lead locomotive of the consist, and a secondary controller associated with a trailing locomotive of the consist and communicatively coupled by a communication link with the lead controller. The lead controller may be configured to receive a generator voltage or current output from a power bus electrical characteristics sensor associated with each locomotive, determine a total electrical power output requirement for the consist, determine an electrical power output requirement for each locomotive in the consist, and supply instructions to dynamically adjust an output voltage or current generated by a generator associated with each locomotive to a desired voltage or current anywhere within the rated capacity of the generator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2013Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: ELECTRO-MOTIVE DIESEL, INC.Inventors: Dennis John MELAS, Andrew Joseph SHAKAL
-
Publication number: 20140214181Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a control system for a machine. The control system has an electronic module that includes a memory storing a control system software. The control system also includes at least one programmable controller in communication with the memory, where the at least one programmable controller is configured to protect machine components from damage by running the control system software, detecting a control system software fault, intercepting a process fault termination command, setting at least one output signal in response to the control system software fault, terminating at least part of the control system software that contains the control system software fault, and resetting at least part of the control system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2013Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.Inventors: Behrouz Ghazanfari, Dennis John Melas, Gregory Raymond Kupiec