Patents by Inventor Nicholas Dryer

Nicholas Dryer 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: 11954753
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing automated asset management are provided. In embodiments, an asset data collector is configured to automatically collect asset data associated with assets in an intermodal facility according to a mission plan. An automated data collection configurator is configured to configure the mission plan based on one or more parameters and to instantiate the asset data collector to initiate collection of the asset data according to the mission plan. An automated asset data analyzer is configured to identify data in which one or more assets appear, to identify the one or more assets detected in the set of data, to inspect, based on the set of data in which the one or more assets are detected, the one or more assets to determine a condition of the one or more assets, and to output the condition of the one or more assets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Dryer, Zachery Bettis, Bryan Gabric, Michael Ibanez, Yasha Hajizeinalibiouki
  • Publication number: 20240071080
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing mechanisms for automated inventory control are provided. In embodiments, an operational workflow for providing automated inventory control includes automated data collection and automated image data analysis. The automated data collection includes capturing image data for a storage facility by a capturing device (e.g., an unmanned aerial system (UAS)). The automated image data analysis includes functionality to detect objects (e.g., containers, trailers, empty slots, and/or other objects) appearing in the image data (e.g., using a machine learning (ML) model), to identify the objects in the image data (e.g., using the ML model), to inspect the objects (e.g., including determining a condition and/or location of the objects) based on the collected image data and metadata associated with the image capturing device and correlated to the image data (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Dryer, Zachery Bettis, Bryan Gabric, Michael Ibanez, Yasha Hajizeinalibiouki
  • Publication number: 20240070598
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing automated asset management are provided. In embodiments, an asset data collector is configured to automatically collect asset data associated with assets in an intermodal facility according to a mission plan. An automated data collection configurator is configured to configure the mission plan based on one or more parameters and to instantiate the asset data collector to initiate collection of the asset data according to the mission plan. An automated asset data analyzer is configured to identify data in which one or more assets appear, to identify the one or more assets detected in the set of data, to inspect, based on the set of data in which the one or more assets are detected, the one or more assets to determine a condition of the one or more assets, and to output the condition of the one or more assets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Dryer, Zachery Bettis, Bryan Gabric, Michael Ibanez, Yasha Hajizeinalibiouki
  • Patent number: 11915404
    Abstract: An on-board thermal track misalignment detection system method therefor is presented. The system can use on-board locomotive sensors attached to an end-of-train device to detect (on the edge), signs and symptoms of thermal misalignments of the track. Once detected an alert can be transmitted to prevent potential derailments. The system can also include a forward-facing and rearward-facing imaging sensors (e.g., camera, LiDAR sensor, etc). The system can wirelessly communicate (e.g., via radio) with a leading locomotive to ensure proper air pressure and location. The system can be powered by an on-board battery and/or air pressure device. Advantageously, the system can calculate whether any rail deviation is significant (e.g., via one or more threshold values). The system can also leverage image processing functionality, executed by one or more processors) to find the centerline and the distance between the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Asim Ghanchi, Nicholas Dryer, Coleman Barkley, Michael Saied Saniei
  • Publication number: 20230401684
    Abstract: An on-board thermal track misalignment detection system method therefor is presented. The system can use on-board locomotive sensors attached to an end-of-train device to detect (on the edge), signs and symptoms of thermal misalignments of the track. Once detected an alert can be transmitted to prevent potential derailments. The system can also include a forward-facing and rearward-facing imaging sensors (e.g., camera, LiDAR sensor, etc). The system can wirelessly communicate (e.g., via radio) with a leading locomotive to ensure proper air pressure and location. The system can be powered by an on-board battery and/or air pressure device. Advantageously, the system can calculate whether any rail deviation is significant (e.g., via one or more threshold values). The system can also leverage image processing functionality, executed by one or more processors) to find the centerline and the distance between the tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Applicant: 2500 Lou Menk Drive, AOB-3
    Inventors: Asim Ghanchi, Nicholas Dryer, Coleman Barkley, Michael Saied Saniei
  • Patent number: 11688169
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing mechanisms for automated inventory control are provided. In embodiments, an operational workflow for providing automated inventory control includes automated data collection and automated image data analysis. The automated data collection includes capturing image data for a storage facility by a capturing device (e.g., an unmanned aerial system (UAS)). The automated image data analysis includes functionality to detect objects (e.g., containers, trailers, empty slots, and/or other objects) appearing in the image data (e.g., using a machine learning (ML) model), to identify the objects in the image data (e.g., using the ML model), to inspect the objects (e.g., including determining a condition and/or location of the objects) based on the collected image data and metadata associated with the image capturing device and correlated to the image data (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Dryer, Zachery Bettis, Bryan Gabric, Michael Ibanez, Yasha Hajizeinalibiouki
  • Patent number: 11623669
    Abstract: An on-board thermal track misalignment detection system method therefor is presented. The system can use on-board locomotive sensors attached to an end-of-train device to detect (on the edge), signs and symptoms of thermal misalignments of the track. Once detected an alert can be transmitted to prevent potential derailments. The system can also include a forward-facing and rearward-facing imaging sensors (e.g., camera, LiDAR sensor, etc). The system can wirelessly communicate (e.g., via radio) with a leading locomotive to ensure proper air pressure and location. The system can be powered by an on-board battery and/or air pressure device. Advantageously, the system can calculate whether any rail deviation is significant (e.g., via one or more threshold values). The system can also leverage image processing functionality, executed by one or more processors) to find the centerline and the distance between the tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: Asim Ghanchi, Nicholas Dryer, Coleman Barkley, Michael Saied Saniei