Patents by Inventor Paul Oliver Caffrey
Paul Oliver Caffrey 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).
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Patent number: 10542007Abstract: A method for controlling an operation of an industrial machine that includes authenticating control commands remotely issued by command issuers through a network. The control commands each describe a modifying action to the operation of the industrial machine. The method includes: providing a jump host as a communication buffer between a unit controller of the industrial machine and the network; maintaining within a memory of the jump host whitelisted commands, the whitelisted commands including a list of the approved control commands; receiving, at the jump host, a first control command via the network; determining, at the jump host, whether the first control command is contained within the whitelisted commands; in response to an affirmative determination that the first control command is contained within the whitelisted commands, deeming the first control command as being authenticated; and transmitting the first control command to the unit controller of the industrial machine.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Robert Scott Garry, Peter Frank Andrews, Clemens Karl Woeste, Robert Hugh Putman, Gregory Pearson Fry
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Patent number: 10352825Abstract: A system for controlling an operation of a combustor in a gas turbine that includes: an acoustic sensor configured to periodically measure a pressure of the combustor and generate a raw data stream having the pressure data points resulting from the periodic measurements; and a blowout detection unit configured to receive the raw data stream from the acoustic sensor. The blowout detection unit may include a processor and a machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the processor to execute a procedure related to a detection of a blowout precursor. The procedure may include an ensemble approach in which the detection of the blowout precursor depends upon a outcomes generated respectively by separate detection analytics.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2017Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Frank Andrews, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Robert Daniel Reviere
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Publication number: 20190207944Abstract: A method for controlling an operation of an industrial machine that includes authenticating control commands remotely issued by command issuers through a network. The control commands each describe a modifying action to the operation of the industrial machine. The method includes: providing a jump host as a communication buffer between a unit controller of the industrial machine and the network; maintaining within a memory of the jump host whitelisted commands, the whitelisted commands including a list of the approved control commands; receiving, at the jump host, a first control command via the network; determining, at the jump host, whether the first control command is contained within the whitelisted commands; in response to an affirmative determination that the first control command is contained within the whitelisted commands, deeming the first control command as being authenticated; and transmitting the first control command to the unit controller of the industrial machine.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2017Publication date: July 4, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Robert Scott Garry, Peter Frank Andrews, Clemens Karl Woeste, Robert Hugh Putman, Gregory Pearson Fry
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Patent number: 10215156Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for autonomous yaw control of a wind turbine. The method includes measuring, via a wind sensor, one or more wind conditions near the wind turbine. Another step includes receiving, via a distributed inputs and outputs (I/O) module, the one or more wind conditions from the wind sensor. The method also includes determining, via the distributed I/O module, a control signal for a yaw drive mechanism of the wind turbine as a function of the one or more wind conditions. Further, the yaw drive mechanism is configured to modify an orientation of a nacelle of the wind turbine. Thus, the method also includes controlling, via the distributed I/O module, the yaw drive mechanism based on the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2015Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Timothy Botsford Cribbs, Christopher Lee Tschappatt, William Borea Noto, Joerg Middendorf
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Patent number: 10167851Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of wind turbines located within a wind farm may generally include first and second wind turbines. The first wind turbine may include a first turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the first wind turbine and provide a first control interface for controlling the operation of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine may include a second turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the second wind turbine and provide a second control interface for controlling the operation of the second wind turbine. The system may also include a secondary computing device coupled to the second turbine controller. The second turbine controller may be configured to provide the secondary computing device access to the first control interface in order to allow the operation of the first wind turbine to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Joerg Hagmann
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Publication number: 20180328817Abstract: A system for controlling an operation of a combustor in a gas turbine that includes: an acoustic sensor configured to periodically measure a pressure of the combustor and generate a raw data stream having the pressure data points resulting from the periodic measurements; and a blowout detection unit configured to receive the raw data stream from the acoustic sensor. The blowout detection unit may include a processor and a machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the processor to execute a procedure related to a detection of a blowout precursor. The procedure may include an ensemble approach in which the detection of the blowout precursor depends upon a outcomes generated respectively by separate detection analytics.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2017Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Frank Andrews, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Robert Daniel Reviere
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Publication number: 20180106240Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of wind turbines located within a wind farm may generally include first and second wind turbines. The first wind turbine may include a first turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the first wind turbine and provide a first control interface for controlling the operation of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine may include a second turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the second wind turbine and provide a second control interface for controlling the operation of the second wind turbine. The system may also include a secondary computing device coupled to the second turbine controller. The second turbine controller may be configured to provide the secondary computing device access to the first control interface in order to allow the operation of the first wind turbine to be controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2017Publication date: April 19, 2018Inventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Joerg Hagmann
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Patent number: 9845789Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of wind turbines located within a wind farm may generally include first and second wind turbines. The first wind turbine may include a first turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the first wind turbine and provide a first control interface for controlling the operation of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine may include a second turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the second wind turbine and provide a second control interface for controlling the operation of the second wind turbine. The system may also include a secondary computing device coupled to the second turbine controller. The second turbine controller may be configured to provide the secondary computing device access to the first control interface in order to allow the operation of the first wind turbine to be controlled.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2014Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Joerg Hagmann
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Publication number: 20170076235Abstract: A method for scheduling software updates for industrial assets may generally include receiving, with a computing device, an indication that a software update is available for an industrial asset, accessing, with the computing device, forecasted operating data for the industrial asset, determining, with the computing device, a suggested time for installing the software update based on the forecasted operating data and providing, with the computing device, a notification indicating the availability of the software update and the suggested time for installing the software update.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2015Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, David Charles Korim
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Publication number: 20160327023Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for autonomous yaw control of a wind turbine. The method includes measuring, via a wind sensor, one or more wind conditions near the wind turbine. Another step includes receiving, via a distributed inputs and outputs (I/O) module, the one or more wind conditions from the wind sensor. The method also includes determining, via the distributed I/O module, a control signal for a yaw drive mechanism of the wind turbine as a function of the one or more wind conditions. Further, the yaw drive mechanism is configured to modify an orientation of a nacelle of the wind turbine. Thus, the method also includes controlling, via the distributed I/O module, the yaw drive mechanism based on the control signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2015Publication date: November 10, 2016Inventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Timothy Botsford Cribbs, Christopher Lee Tschappatt, William Borea Noto, Joerg Middendorf
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Publication number: 20160115942Abstract: In one aspect, a system for monitoring and controlling the operation of wind turbines located within a wind farm may generally include first and second wind turbines. The first wind turbine may include a first turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the first wind turbine and provide a first control interface for controlling the operation of the first wind turbine. The second wind turbine may include a second turbine controller configured to monitor an operating parameter(s) associated with the second wind turbine and provide a second control interface for controlling the operation of the second wind turbine. The system may also include a secondary computing device coupled to the second turbine controller. The second turbine controller may be configured to provide the secondary computing device access to the first control interface in order to allow the operation of the first wind turbine to be controlled.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2014Publication date: April 28, 2016Inventors: William Borea Noto, Paul Oliver Caffrey, Joerg Hagmann
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Patent number: 9160172Abstract: A system for determining the output capacity of a power generating system including a sensor that monitors at least one condition of the power generating system and outputs the monitored condition data, and a power capability determination device that dynamically determines a full capacity of the power generating system based upon the outputted environmental data from the electronic controller.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2011Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Anthony William Galbraith, Kuruvilla Pallathusseril Kuruvilla, James David Rackmales
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Publication number: 20130096856Abstract: A system for determining the output capacity of a power generating system including a sensor that monitors at least one condition of the power generating system and outputs the monitored condition data, and a power capability determination device that dynamically determines a full capacity of the power generating system based upon the outputted environmental data from the electronic controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2011Publication date: April 18, 2013Inventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Anthony William Galbraith, Kuruvilla Pallathusseril Kuruvilla, James David Rackmales
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Publication number: 20130018490Abstract: A web-based operator control interface system can include an operator interface section including a web browser application, a generator exciter section or a static starter section coupled to the operator interface section, a generator coupled to the generator exciter section and a web server application configured to receive processing requests from the web browser application, and further configured to internally process real-time generator functions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2011Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Jordan Brantley Casteel, Dhanashree Sadanand Damodar, Douglas Gregg Fowley, Roy Jackson, William Robert Pearson
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Patent number: 8315718Abstract: Control systems and methods for controlling certain systems, devices, and apparatus are described. A control system may include a memory and at least one processor. The memory may be operable to store both a Foundation Fieldbus protocol that facilitates communication with one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and a second protocol that facilitates communication with one or more control devices. The at least one processor may be operable to access both the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the second protocol, and to control the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and the one or more control devices. A network may facilitate communications between the at least one processor and both the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices using the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the one or more control devices using the second protocol.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: November 20, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, John Alexander Petzen, III, Dennis Brian King, Frank L. Kerr, III
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Publication number: 20120030372Abstract: A system includes a first communication network including a first switch and a second switch connected to the first switch, a second communication network including a third switch and fourth switch coupled to the third switch, and a first computing device coupled to the first communications network through a first network interface controller (NIC) and coupled to the second communication network through a second NIC. The first computing device is configured to communicate through the first NIC first communication network until it determines that it is not receiving bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) and then to communicate through the second NIC.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2010Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, Mark Asfaw, Abhishek Bhatt, Kumardeep Mazumder
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Publication number: 20110082570Abstract: Control systems and methods for controlling certain systems, devices, and apparatus are described. A control system may include a memory and at least one processor. The memory may be operable to store both a Foundation Fieldbus protocol that facilitates communication with one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and a second protocol that facilitates communication with one or more control devices. The at least one processor may be operable to access both the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the second protocol, and to control the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices and the one or more control devices. A network may facilitate communications between the at least one processor and both the one or more Foundation Fieldbus devices using the Foundation Fieldbus protocol and the one or more control devices using the second protocol.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2009Publication date: April 7, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Paul Oliver Caffrey, John Alexander Petzen, III, Dennis Brian King, Frank L. Kerr, III