Patents by Inventor Nicholas A. Oetken

Nicholas A. Oetken 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: 10559208
    Abstract: A method includes receiving first location information at a first reporting frequency, the first location information being generated by a location sensor and indicating a first location of a paving system component. The method also includes determining that a distance between a second location of the paving system component and a first geofence is less than or equal to a distance threshold. The method further includes controlling the location sensor to provide second location information at the first reporting frequency, and receiving third location information at the first reporting frequency. In such a method, the third location information indicates a third location of the paving system component. The method also includes determining that the third location is within the first geofence, and controlling the location sensor to provide fourth location information at a second reporting frequency greater than the first reporting frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc
    Inventors: Jacob J. McAlpine, Nicholas A. Oetken, Dann J. Rawls
  • Patent number: 10480131
    Abstract: A method includes determining a delivery rate of paving material being delivered from a paving material plant to a worksite, and determining a plurality of paving machine speeds, wherein at least one speed of the plurality of paving machine speeds is determined based on the delivery rate. The method also includes determining a desired paving machine speed based on a lowest speed of the plurality of paving machine speeds, and causing a paving machine to travel at the desired paving machine speed while depositing paving material on a work surface of the worksite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob J. McAlpine, John L. Marsolek, Nicholas A. Oetken, Timothy M. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 10196791
    Abstract: A compacting machine includes a frame supporting a compacting member and a monitoring system. The monitoring system includes a sensor, a computer-readable medium bearing a compacting member monitoring program, a controller, and an interface device in communication with the controller. The sensor is arranged with the compacting member to sense a parameter of its ground-engaging surface and to generate a surface parameter signal indicative of the parameter. The controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the surface parameter signal therefrom and is configured to execute the compacting member monitoring program. The compacting member monitoring program is configured to determine whether a piece of the material being compacted becomes adhered to the ground-engaging surface based upon the surface parameter signal satisfying a condition and to produce, through the interface device, an indicator alerting the operator once the surface parameter signal satisfies the condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Patent number: 9856612
    Abstract: A compactor for compacting a jobsite having a plurality of work areas has a frame, a compacting element coupled to the frame, and a control system. The control system receives a plurality of vibration measurements from a plurality of vibration sensors located at a plurality of measuring locations, determines a plurality of vibration distances where the plurality of vibration distances represent a distance and a direction for each vibration sensor to the compactor, and determines a projected compaction state for each of the plurality of work areas based on the plurality of vibration measurements and the plurality of vibration distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Patent number: 9765488
    Abstract: A compactor for compacting a jobsite with a plurality of work areas includes a frame, a compacting element coupled to the frame and having a variable vibratory mechanism and providing a first compaction effort to a first work area on which the compactor is located and a control system. The control system determines a first compaction state for the first work area, determine a second compaction state for a second work area, receive a vibration measurement, determine a first vibration distance, and determine a second vibration distance. The control system also determines a second compaction effort for the second work area based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration measurement, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance. The control system provides the second compaction effort to the second work area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Patent number: 9759708
    Abstract: A device and method of communicating the temperature of paving material on a surface, including receiving temperature and position information of a portion of the paving material, determining a plurality of predicted temperatures of the paving material each associated with a plurality of positions of the paving material with a temperature and positional model, and displaying the plurality of predicted temperatures of the paving material at the plurality of positions of the paving material with respect to at least one machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: John Marsolek, Nicholas Oetken
  • Publication number: 20170175346
    Abstract: A compactor for compacting a jobsite having a plurality of work areas has a frame, a compacting element coupled to the frame, and a control system. The control system receives a plurality of vibration measurements from a plurality of vibration sensors located at a plurality of measuring locations, determines a plurality of vibration distances where the plurality of vibration distances represent a distance and a direction for each vibration sensor to the compactor, and determines a projected compaction state for each of the plurality of work areas based on the plurality of vibration measurements and the plurality of vibration distances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Publication number: 20170175345
    Abstract: A compactor for compacting a jobsite with a plurality of work areas includes a frame, a compacting element coupled to the frame and having a variable vibratory mechanism and providing a first compaction effort to a first work area on which the compactor is located and a control system. The control system determines a first compaction state for the first work area, determine a second compaction state for a second work area, receive a vibration measurement, determine a first vibration distance, and determine a second vibration distance. The control system also determines a second compaction effort for the second work area based on the first compaction state, the second compaction state, the vibration measurement, the first vibration distance, and the second vibration distance. Finally, the control system provides the second compaction effort to the second work area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Patent number: 9587361
    Abstract: A compactor system for compacting a work material includes a roller drum, a vibratory mechanism, and a controller. The roller drum is configured to compact a work material. The vibratory mechanism is coupled to the roller drum and operatively coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to determine a vibration effort based on a vibration parameter, and further configured to generate an output signal to control the vibratory mechanism to apply the vibration effort to the roller drum. The controller includes at least one sensor and a processor. The at least one sensor is configured to sense a first data parameter of the work material and a second data parameter of the roller drum. The processor is configured to calculate the vibration parameter based on the first data parameter and the second data parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Oetken, John Marsolek, Maria Biberdorf, Bryan Downing
  • Patent number: 9556569
    Abstract: A screed system for a paving machine. The screed system includes a screed plate coupled to a screed frame of the paving machine. The screed plate includes a primary heating member. The screed system further includes a secondary heating member movably coupled to the screed frame and disposed to a rear end of the screed plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Publication number: 20170016184
    Abstract: A vibratory compactor is disclosed which may include a chassis, a prime mover supported by the chassis, and at least one roller supporting the chassis. The at least one roller may be adapted to emit both conventional vibrations and oscillatory vibrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Patent number: 9534995
    Abstract: A system for determining a modulus of resilience of a work material during a compaction operation includes a processor configured to determine a work material stiffness based on a force applied to the work material and a displacement of the work material, and determine the modulus of resilience of the work material based on a relationship between the work material stiffness and the modulus of resilience of the work material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Kristian Stoeckel, Liqun Chi, Paul Corcoran, Nicholas Oetken
  • Publication number: 20160362851
    Abstract: A screed system for a paving machine is disclosed. The screed system includes a screed plate coupled to a screed frame of the paving machine. The screed plate includes a primary heating member. The screed system further includes a secondary heating member movably coupled to the screed frame and disposed to a rear end of the screed plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Publication number: 20160298308
    Abstract: A compactor system for compacting a work material includes a roller drum, a vibratory mechanism, and a controller. The roller drum is configured to compact a work material. The vibratory mechanism is coupled to the roller drum and operatively coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to determine a vibration effort based on a vibration parameter, and further configured to generate an output signal to control the vibratory mechanism to apply the vibration effort to the roller drum. The controller includes at least one sensor and a processor. The at least one sensor is configured to sense a first data parameter of the work material and a second data parameter of the roller drum. The processor is configured to calculate the vibration parameter based on the first data parameter and the second data parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Oetken, John Marsolek, Maria Biberdorf, Bryan Downing
  • Publication number: 20160245785
    Abstract: A device and method of communicating the temperature of paving material on a surface, including receiving temperature and position information of a portion of the paving material, determining a plurality of predicted temperatures of the paving material each associated with a plurality of positions of the paving material with a temperature and positional model, and displaying the plurality of predicted temperatures of the paving material at the plurality of positions of the paving material with respect to at least one machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: John Marsolek, Nicholas Oetken
  • Publication number: 20160201275
    Abstract: A vibratory roller for a compactor is provided. The vibratory roller includes a rotary drum, and a vibratory mechanism. The rotary drum includes an inner circumference. The vibratory mechanism is installed within the rotary drum. The vibratory mechanism includes a cradle and at least one actuating cylinder. The cradle is axially suspended within the rotary drum and includes an outer peripheral portion. The outer peripheral portion abuts against a portion of the inner circumference of the rotary drum. The actuating cylinder includes a housing and a piston-rod arrangement. The piston-rod arrangement is slideably positioned relative to the housing and is connected to the cradle. The housing extends and retracts relative to the piston-rod arrangement and a corresponding reaction imparts a vibratory motion in the cradle and the rotary drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Publication number: 20160076205
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a system and method for compacting materials, and more specifically, a system and method for proactively varying compaction effort over a mat of materials located at a worksite area responsive to previously mapped data relating to the compaction makeup of that specific worksite area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventors: Paul T. Corcoran, Nicholas Oetken, Allen DeClerk
  • Publication number: 20150362414
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a system and method for determining a modulus of resilience of a work material during a compaction operation. The system includes a processor configured to determine a work material stiffness based on a force applied to the work material and a displacement of the work material. The processor is further configured to determine the modulus of resilience of the work material based on a relationship between the work material stiffness and the modulus of resilience of the work material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: Kristian Stoeckel, Liqun Chi, Paul Corcoran, Nicholas Oetken
  • Patent number: 9103077
    Abstract: A vibratory mechanism for a compaction machine, the vibratory mechanism including first and second eccentrics, and a key shaft including oppositely helically splined portions. The first helically splined portion is complimentary to and disposed at least partially within a first internally helically splined bore of the first eccentric. The second helically splined portion is complimentary to and disposed at least partially within second internally helically splined bore of the second eccentric. The key shaft is disposed to linearly translate within the helically spined bores to cause the second eccentric to rotate in a direction opposite the first eccentric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken
  • Publication number: 20150191880
    Abstract: A vibratory mechanism for a compaction machine, the vibratory mechanism including first and second eccentrics, and a key shaft including oppositely helically splined portions. The first helically splined portion is complimentary to and disposed at least partially within a first internally helically splined bore of the first eccentric. The second helically splined portion is complimentary to and disposed at least partially within second internally helically splined bore of the second eccentric. The key shaft is disposed to linearly translate within the helically spined bores to cause the second eccentric to rotate in a direction opposite the first eccentric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Applicant: Caterpillar Paving Products Inc.
    Inventor: Nicholas A. Oetken