Patents by Inventor Michael W. Steffen, II

Michael W. Steffen, II 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: 10654500
    Abstract: An arrival time and location targeting system for a train, the system including at least one computer programmed or configured to: (a) receive at least one target location associated with a forward route of the train; (b) determine required time of arrival at the at least one target location based at least partially on the current location of a leading edge of the train; (c) determine an estimated time of arrival of the leading edge of the train at the at least one target location based at least partially on the current location of the leading edge of the train and the current speed of the train; and (d) based at least partially on the difference between the determined required time of arrival and the determined estimated time of arrival, generate a target speed of the train. A computer-implemented arrival time and location targeting method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Timothy Allen Schultz, Scott A. Sollars, Joseph W. Gorman, Michael W. Steffen, II, Frank J. Swiderski
  • Publication number: 20160362123
    Abstract: An arrival time and location targeting system for a train, the system including at least one computer programmed or configured to: (a) receive at least one target location associated with a forward route of the train; (b) determine required time of arrival at the at least one target location based at least partially on the current location of a leading edge of the train; (c) determine an estimated time of arrival of the leading edge of the train at the at least one target location based at least partially on the current location of the leading edge of the train and the current speed of the train; and (d) based at least partially on the difference between the determined required time of arrival and the determined estimated time of arrival, generate a target speed of the train. A computer-implemented arrival time and location targeting method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy Allen Schultz, Scott A. Sollars, Joseph W. Gorman, Michael W. Steffen, II, Frank J. Swiderski
  • Patent number: 8833703
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a crossing equipment controller. In one embodiment, a method comprises prior to a vehicle entering a diverging zone, calculating a travel time until the vehicle at a determined position would reach a crossing based on one or more vehicle conditions, and in response to the vehicle entering the diverging zone, updating the travel time with a time-based countdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Steffen, II, Steven Murphy, Brian Wesley Isaacson, William D. Shields, James B. Strecker
  • Patent number: 8725405
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for predicting crossing times. In one embodiment, a method comprises determining a vehicle position of a vehicle from sensed data, filtering the vehicle position, determining vehicle velocity based on the filtered vehicle position, filtering the vehicle velocity to a greater extent than vehicle position is filtered, at least above a threshold frequency, and determining a time-to-crossing based on the filtered vehicle position and filtered velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael W. Steffen, II, Brian Wesley Isaacson
  • Publication number: 20130270395
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for predicting crossing times. In one embodiment, a method comprises determining a vehicle position of a vehicle from sensed data, filtering the vehicle position, determining vehicle velocity based on the filtered vehicle position, filtering the vehicle velocity to a greater extent than vehicle position is filtered, at least above a threshold frequency, and determining a time-to-crossing based on the filtered vehicle position and filtered velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Michael W. Steffen, II, Brian Wesley Isaacson
  • Publication number: 20130015297
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a crossing equipment controller. In one embodiment, a method comprises prior to a vehicle entering a diverging zone, calculating a travel time until the vehicle at a determined position would reach a crossing based on one or more vehicle conditions, and in response to the vehicle entering the diverging zone, updating the travel time with a time-based countdown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Michael W. Steffen, II, Steven Murphy, Brian Wesley Isaacson, William D. Shields, James B. Strecker