Patents by Inventor Mitchell Wayne Beard

Mitchell Wayne Beard 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).

  • Publication number: 20240001975
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Mitchell Wayne Beard, Kent Robert Shue
  • Patent number: 11767041
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Mitchell Wayne Beard, Kent Robert Shue
  • Publication number: 20220089203
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Mitchell Wayne Beard, Kent Robert Shue
  • Patent number: 11230308
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Patent number: 11230307
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Patent number: 11104361
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Publication number: 20210253147
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Publication number: 20210253148
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Publication number: 20210086805
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Patent number: 10894550
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard
  • Publication number: 20180319413
    Abstract: A method of railroad track control includes partitioning a physical track block into a plurality of virtual track blocks, the physical track block defined by first and second insulated joints disposed at corresponding first and second ends of a length of railroad track. The presence of an electrical circuit discontinuity in one of the plurality of virtual track blocks; is detected and in response a corresponding virtual track block position code indicating the presence of the discontinuity in the one of the plurality of virtual track blocks is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Jerry Wade Specht, Ralph E. Young, Kent Robert Shue, Mitchell Wayne Beard