Patents by Inventor Michael Bratcher

Michael Bratcher 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: 12060095
    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: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    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: 20220299336
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a controller that may receive location data points indicative of locations of a vehicle as measured by a location sensor. This controller may determine a distribution of the location data points and identify one or more of a route or a lane of a route in which the vehicle is disposed by comparing the distribution of the location data points to one or more characteristics of the one or more of the route or the lane of the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: James A. Oswald, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher
  • Patent number: 11385066
    Abstract: A controller is provided that can receive or determine at least one first location associated with at least a first vehicle belonging to a vehicle group; receive or determine at least one second location associated with at least a second vehicle; and determine a route or lane from a plurality of possible routes or lanes on which the vehicle group is located based at least partly on the at least one first location and on the at least one second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Oswald, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher
  • 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: 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: 20190383625
    Abstract: A controller is provided that can receive or determine at least one first location associated with at least a first vehicle belonging to a vehicle group; receive or determine at least one second location associated with at least a second vehicle; and determine a route or lane from a plurality of possible routes or lanes on which the vehicle group is located based at least partly on the at least one first location and on the at least one second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: James A. Oswald, Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher
  • Publication number: 20180327010
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for determining a location of a train as it travels on a track network is provided. The system includes an end-of-train device located on an end of the train, the end-of-train device comprising at least one signal receiving device configured to activate and receive transponder data from a plurality of passive transponders located throughout at least a portion of the track network. The system also includes at least one processor in communication with the at least one signal receiving device, the at least one processor programmed or configured to determine a location of the train based at least partially on at least a portion of the transponder data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Kernwein, Michael Bratcher