Patents by Inventor Samuel Minton

Samuel Minton 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: 20230278600
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance for a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables the automating of an adaptive maintenance process for the asset that is being maintainanced. The system can identify a railroad asset scheduled for maintenance using various forms of inspection including real-time kinematic (RTK)-corrected GPS data, radar signal processing data, and real-time imaging. The system also provides for the acquisition and upload of asset pictures for verification and analysis of a railroad asset. The system can identify a next location to perform maintenance and can calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics. The system further can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Publication number: 20230278602
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance by a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables collision avoidance between members of the tie gang performing maintenance on railway assets (e.g., Rails, Ties, Ballasts, Turnouts, Crossings, etc.). The system can generate production numbers for the railway assets and evaluate an asset queue for the tie gang to perform maintenance. The system can utilize real-time updates from the tie gang to optimize work output. The system can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset. The system also provides for a heads-up-display (HUD) to notify an operator of relevant information, such as maintenance information, travel indicators, and updated asset queue. The system can identify a next location and calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Publication number: 20230278599
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance for a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables the automating of an adaptive maintenance process for the asset that is being maintainanced. The system can identify a railroad asset scheduled for maintenance using various forms of inspection including real-time kinematic (RTK)-corrected GPS data, radar signal processing data, and real-time imaging. The system also provides for the acquisition and upload of asset pictures for verification and analysis of a railroad asset. The system can identify a next location to perform maintenance and can calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics. The system further can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Publication number: 20230278601
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance by a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables collision avoidance between members of the tie gang performing maintenance on railway assets (e.g., Rails, Ties, Ballasts, Turnouts, Crossings, etc.). The system can generate production numbers for the railway assets and evaluate an asset queue for the tie gang to perform maintenance. The system can utilize real-time updates from the tie gang to optimize work output. The system can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset. The system also provides for a heads-up-display (HUD) to notify an operator of relevant information, such as maintenance information, travel indicators, and updated asset queue. The system can identify a next location and calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Patent number: 11628869
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance by a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables collision avoidance between members of the tie gang performing maintenance on railway assets (e.g., Rails, Ties, Ballasts, Turnouts, Crossings, etc.). The system can generate production numbers for the railway assets and evaluate an asset queue for the tie gang to perform maintenance. The system can utilize real-time updates from the tie gang to optimize work output. The system can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset. The system also provides for a heads-up-display (HUD) to notify an operator of relevant information, such as maintenance information, travel indicators, and updated asset queue. The system can identify a next location and calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Patent number: 11565730
    Abstract: A system and method for automating railroad maintenance for a tie gang using electronic tie marking (ETM) configured to optimize railroad asset maintenance. The system enables the automating of an adaptive maintenance process for the asset that is being maintainanced. The system can identify a railroad asset scheduled for maintenance using various forms of inspection including real-time kinematic (RTK)-corrected GPS data, radar signal processing data, and real-time imaging. The system also provides for the acquisition and upload of asset pictures for verification and analysis of a railroad asset. The system can identify a next location to perform maintenance and can calculate an optimum path based on sensor input incorporating machine-specific and environmental characteristics. The system further can provide a customizable user interface to identify, track, and process information related to maintenance of the railroad asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Lisa Marie Kelly, Samuel Minton, Richard William Keller
  • Publication number: 20220324497
    Abstract: A system and method for strategic track and maintenance planning (STAMP) that can provide an organizational and adaptive infrastructure configured to facilitate railroad asset management and capital planning is presented. The system can provide a railroad asset inspector with relevant data for an assigned inspection segment. Location-based functionality can acquire a device's precise location and provide only the data necessary for the inspection of a particular railroad asset by providing step-by-step input prompting based upon the device location. The system provides adaptive thresholding of asset-related criteria to determine whether and when asset maintenance should occur. The system can acquire inspection data for one or more railroad assets, apply a data optimization algorithm to the inspection data, analyze railroad asset-related data (including historical data), and generate an optimized capital plan with a schedule for railroad asset maintenance and replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Samuel Minton, Christopher Neil Pickard, Phillip Hunt, Benjamin Klein, Francis Showry Polisetty
  • Publication number: 20220242466
    Abstract: A Railroad Tie Management System is disclosed that can provide an efficient and organized method of inspecting and auditing ties in a rail system. Tie mark files can be retrieved by a client from a server or database in operable communication with the client, and upon instantiation of an inspection process governed by the system, an inspection information table and tie grid can be generated. The tie grid can operable to receive commands from a user, and the inspection information table is operable to automatically increment and decrement fields contained within in response to changes within the tie grid. The tie grid can also be configured to incorporate data from tie scans and serve the data to the client in a useful and user-friendly manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Samuel Minton, Christopher Neil Pickard, Phillip Hunt, Justin Lee Devine
  • Patent number: 11364943
    Abstract: A system and method for strategic track and maintenance planning (STAMP) that can provide an organizational and adaptive infrastructure configured to facilitate railroad asset management and capital planning is presented. The system can provide a railroad asset inspector with relevant data for an assigned inspection segment. Location-based functionality can acquire a device's precise location and provide only the data necessary for the inspection of a particular railroad asset by providing step-by-step input prompting based upon the device location. The system provides adaptive thresholding of asset-related criteria to determine whether and when asset maintenance should occur. The system can acquire inspection data for one or more railroad assets, apply a data optimization algorithm to the inspection data, analyze railroad asset-related data (including historical data), and generate an optimized capital plan with a schedule for railroad asset maintenance and replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Samuel Minton, Christopher Neil Pickard, Phillip Hunt, Benjamin Klein, Francis Showry Polisetty
  • Patent number: 11338832
    Abstract: A Railroad Tie Management System is disclosed that can provide an efficient and organized method of inspecting and auditing ties in a rail system. Tie mark files can be retrieved by a client from a server or database in operable communication with the client, and upon instantiation of an inspection process governed by the system, an inspection information table and tie grid can be generated. The tie grid can operable to receive commands from a user, and the inspection information table is operable to automatically increment and decrement fields contained within in response to changes within the tie grid. The tie grid can also be configured to incorporate data from tie scans and serve the data to the client in a useful and user-friendly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: BNSF Railway Company
    Inventors: Michael James Brick, Samuel Minton, Christopher Neil Pickard, Phillip Hunt, Justin Lee Devine