Patents by Inventor Kristofer M. Ruhland

Kristofer M. Ruhland 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: 11827259
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a vehicle control (VC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from vehicle systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the VC system and/or an on-board system of a vehicle. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a vehicle control (VC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: WABTEC HOLDING CORP.
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20230373484
    Abstract: A system includes one or more processors configured to communicatively link a first operator control unit (OCU) disposed off-board a vehicle system with a vehicle control system (VCS) disposed onboard the vehicle system. The vehicle system is formed from first and second vehicles. The VCS is configured to remotely control movement of the second vehicle from the first vehicle, wherein the one or more processors configured to receive a control signal communicated from the first OCU to a communication device that is onboard the first vehicle. The control signal dictates a change in movement operational setting of the second vehicle. The one or more processors configured to direct the communication device to communicate the control signal from the first vehicle to the second vehicle via the VCS, wherein movement of the second vehicle is automatically changed responsive to communicating the control signal from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: James D. Brooks, Jeffery Armstrong, Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20230249728
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting an enforceable instruction in a vehicle control system may include receiving a checksum contained in at least one enforceable instruction. Methods for checksum challenge mitigation in a vehicle control system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20210403062
    Abstract: A system is provided that include at least one positioning system that can detect a location or position of a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle group that includes the vehicle, at least one sensor positioned on or associated with the vehicle that can generate sensor data of a determined parameter or condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning system. The controller can determine that a hazard event has occurred based at least partially on sensor data, and can communicate a hazard event notification based at least in part on the location data and the sensor data to a remote server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Joshua M. Bramucci, Benjamin Henniges, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher, Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Patent number: 11148692
    Abstract: A system is provided that include at least one positioning system that can detect a location or position of a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle group that includes the vehicle, at least one sensor positioned on or associated with the vehicle that can generate sensor data of a determined parameter or condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning system. The controller can determine that a hazard event has occurred based at least partially on sensor data, and can communicate a hazard event notification based at least in part on the location data and the sensor data to a remote server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joshua M. Bramucci, Benjamin Henniges, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher, Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20210129882
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a vehicle control (VC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from vehicle systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the VC system and/or an on-board system of a vehicle. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a vehicle control (VC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Patent number: 10919551
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a vehicle control (VC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from vehicle systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the VC system and/or an on-board system of a vehicle. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a vehicle control (VC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a vehicle are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Wabtec Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20200001906
    Abstract: A system is provided that include at least one positioning system that can detect a location or position of a vehicle or a portion of a vehicle group that includes the vehicle, at least one sensor positioned on or associated with the vehicle that can generate sensor data of a determined parameter or condition, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the positioning system. The controller can determine that a hazard event has occurred based at least partially on sensor data, and can communicate a hazard event notification based at least in part on the location data and the sensor data to a remote server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Joshua M. Bramucci, Benjamin Henniges, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher, Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20190092361
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a positive train control (PTC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from railroad systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the PTC system and/or an on-board system of a locomotive. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a positive train control (PTC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a train are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Karen A. Shaw, James L. Fenske
  • Patent number: 10081378
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a positive train control (PTC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from railroad systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the PTC system and/or an on-board system of a locomotive. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a positive train control (PTC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a train are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Wabtec Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, James L. Fenske, Karen A. Shaw
  • Patent number: 9956973
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for generating vital messages on an on-board system of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes generating a plurality of vital messages with each processor of a plurality of different processors of the on-board system based on train data available to each processor, transmitting the plurality of vital messages from the plurality of different processors to a separate processor, and generating, by the separate processor, a final vital message based on at least two vital messages of the plurality of vital messages. A system and an apparatus for implementing the aforementioned method includes appropriately communicatively connected hardware components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Kendrick W. Gawne, James L. Fenske
  • Patent number: 9283945
    Abstract: Disclosed are a computer-implemented method for determining safety factors or a safety factor formula for use in a braking model of at least one train, a computer-implemented method for determining a plurality of safety factors for use in a braking model of at least one train, and braking systems for use on trains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Wabtec Holding Corp.
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Dennis W. Sutherland, Kristofer M. Ruhland, James A. Oswald
  • Publication number: 20160001801
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for generating vital messages on an on-board system of a vehicle is disclosed. The method includes generating a plurality of vital messages with each processor of a plurality of different processors of the on-board system based on train data available to each processor, transmitting the plurality of vital messages from the plurality of different processors to a separate processor, and generating, by the separate processor, a final vital message based on at least two vital messages of the plurality of vital messages. A system and an apparatus for implementing the aforementioned method includes appropriately communicatively connected hardware components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, Kendrick W. Gawne, James L. Fenske
  • Publication number: 20140172205
    Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting enforceable instructions in a positive train control (PTC) system includes receiving, by a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) calculator, at least one enforceable instruction from railroad systems. The CRC calculator calculates at least one enforceable instruction CRC based at least partly on the at least one enforceable instruction and transmits the at least one enforceable instruction CRC to a back office server of the PTC system and/or an on-board system of a locomotive. Methods for cyclic redundancy check (CRC) hazard mitigation in a positive train control (PTC) system and verifying enforceable instruction data on-board a train are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Inventors: Kristofer M. Ruhland, James L. Fenske, Karen A. Shaw