Patents by Inventor Douglas Scott Jacobs
Douglas Scott Jacobs 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: 11965424Abstract: A method for providing overspeed protection for a gas turbine engine having an engine shaft includes monitoring, via an overspeed protection system, a torque of the engine shaft. The method also includes determining, via the overspeed protection system, at least one additional condition of the engine shaft. Further, the method includes determining, via the overspeed protection system, an overspeed condition of the gas turbine engine when the torque of the engine shaft drops below a torque threshold and the at least one additional condition of the engine shaft is indicative of the gas turbine engine being in an operational state. Thus, the overspeed condition is indicative of an above normal rotational speed of the engine shaft. In addition, the method includes initiating a shutdown procedure for the gas turbine engine in response to the determined overspeed condition to reduce the rotational speed of the engine shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Erich Alois Krammer, Douglas Scott Jacobs, Joseph Alfred Iannotti
-
Publication number: 20230407761Abstract: A method for providing overspeed protection for a gas turbine engine having an engine shaft includes monitoring, via an overspeed protection system, a torque of the engine shaft. The method also includes determining, via the overspeed protection system, at least one additional condition of the engine shaft. Further, the method includes determining, via the overspeed protection system, an overspeed condition of the gas turbine engine when the torque of the engine shaft drops below a torque threshold and the at least one additional condition of the engine shaft is indicative of the gas turbine engine being in an operational state. Thus, the overspeed condition is indicative of an above normal rotational speed of the engine shaft. In addition, the method includes initiating a shutdown procedure for the gas turbine engine in response to the determined overspeed condition to reduce the rotational speed of the engine shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2022Publication date: December 21, 2023Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Erich Alois Krammer, Douglas Scott Jacobs, Joseph Alfred Iannotti
-
Patent number: 10970169Abstract: A distributed control system for a vehicle includes a configuration controller and at least three nodes communicatively coupled to the configuration controller. Each of the at least three nodes includes a memory device for storing local data and portions of shared data of the distributed control system. Further, portions of the shared data are dissimilarly copied across the at least three nodes using dissimilar methods. More specifically, the dissimilar methods include at least one of striping the shared data amongst the at least three nodes, storing parity information of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes, storing unique identification or signatory information of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes, storing subsets of the shared data amongst the at least three nodes, and/or storing exact copies of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes so as to increase redundancy of the shared data.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2019Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, Charles William Dowdell
-
Publication number: 20200409792Abstract: A distributed control system for a vehicle includes a configuration controller and at least three nodes communicatively coupled to the configuration controller. Each of the at least three nodes includes a memory device for storing local data and portions of shared data of the distributed control system. Further, portions of the shared data are dissimilarly copied across the at least three nodes using dissimilar methods. More specifically, the dissimilar methods include at least one of striping the shared data amongst the at least three nodes, storing parity information of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes, storing unique identification or signatory information of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes, storing subsets of the shared data amongst the at least three nodes, and/or storing exact copies of the shared data amongst at least one of the at least three nodes so as to increase redundancy of the shared data.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2019Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, Charles William Dowdell
-
Patent number: 10760485Abstract: A distributed control system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations comprise obtaining an instance of shared data for a control system of the vehicle from each of at least three separate nodes of the distributed control system. The shared data may include configuration or health data for the control system or the vehicle itself. The operations include comparing the at least three instances of shared data; detecting a shared data inconsistency amongst the at least three instances; and generating a control action associated with resolving the shared data inconsistency.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, John Michael O'Neill
-
Publication number: 20200149472Abstract: A distributed control system for a vehicle includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations comprise obtaining an instance of shared data for a control system of the vehicle from each of at least three separate nodes of the distributed control system. The shared data may include configuration or health data for the control system or the vehicle itself. The operations include comparing the at least three instances of shared data; detecting a shared data inconsistency amongst the at least three instances; and generating a control action associated with resolving the shared data inconsistency.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2018Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, John Michael O'Neill
-
Patent number: 10450863Abstract: A gas turbine engine and system for measuring torque for a gas turbine engine shaft is provided. The system may include a first sensor module, a second sensor module, a first coupler, a second coupler, and a static antenna. The first and second sensor modules may include strain sensors positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft. The first coupler may be positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft and electrically connected with the first sensor module. The second coupler may be positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft and electrically connected with the second sensor module. The static antenna may include a first band and a second band. The first signal band may be in operable communication with the first sensor module and positioned radially outward from the first coupler. The second signal band may be in operable communication with the second sensor module and positioned radially outward from the second coupler.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, Aaron Jay Knobloch, Robert Edward Goeller, Mudassar Ali Muhammad, Joseph Alfred Iannotti
-
Publication number: 20170350253Abstract: A gas turbine engine and system for measuring torque for a gas turbine engine shaft is provided. The system may include a first sensor module, a second sensor module, a first coupler, a second coupler, and a static antenna. The first and second sensor modules may include strain sensors positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft. The first coupler may be positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft and electrically connected with the first sensor module. The second coupler may be positioned on the gas turbine engine shaft and electrically connected with the second sensor module. The static antenna may include a first band and a second band. The first signal band may be in operable communication with the first sensor module and positioned radially outward from the first coupler. The second signal band may be in operable communication with the second sensor module and positioned radially outward from the second coupler.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2016Publication date: December 7, 2017Inventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, Aaron Jay Knobloch, Robert Edward Goeller, Mudassar Ali Muhammad, Joseph Alfred Iannotti
-
Publication number: 20170167287Abstract: A system for measuring torque for a gas turbine engine shaft is provided. The system can include a torque sensor positioned at an engine shaft. The torque sensor, itself, can include a strain sensor for obtaining a strain measurement of the engine shaft and a temperature sensor for obtaining a temperature measurement of the engine shaft. The system can also include a wireless communication element operably connected to the torque sensor for transferring the strain measurement and the temperature measurement. In addition, one or more memory storage units co-located with the torque sensor can be provided. The one or more memory storage units can store calibration information for the system. The calibration information is used by one or more processors to calibrate the strain measurement obtained by the strain and the temperature measurement obtained by the temperature sensor. Methods of using the system are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2015Publication date: June 15, 2017Inventors: Douglas Scott Jacobs, Aaron Jay Knobloch, Robert Edward Goeller, Mudassar Ali Muhammad