Patents by Inventor Timothy North

Timothy North 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: 11780610
    Abstract: A system and method for acquiring accurate vibration data, time of arrival, or other mechanical state for a mechanical system with rotary elements, such as a planetary gear system with multiple planet gears that rotate relative to a central sun gear, or blades in a turbine engine. Multiple vibration sensors are arranged at spaced intervals along the exterior of the gear system (such as along the ring gear of the system or the exterior housing of the system). Each vibration sensor is so situated as to periodically detect vibrations from each one of the planet gears in succession, as the planet gears rotate around the central sun gear. Using timing and gear-system configuration information, a determination is made as to which gear is being sensed by any one sensor at any time; also determined is which teeth of each gear are being sensed by a particular sensor at any one time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Nicholas Keningley, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Matthew William Wiseman
  • Patent number: 11727732
    Abstract: A system and method preserves raw vibration data for a physical event involving a transport vehicle such as a helicopter, plane, boat, car, or truck. The event may involve unexpected mechanical stresses on the vehicle. The system and method preserves raw vibration data for parts of the transport vehicle, such as from multiple points along the drive train. The preserved raw vibration data includes data from time prior to the physical event. In an embodiment, the system and method continuously detects vibration data, and stores the most recent vibration data in a circular memory buffer. The buffer is continually updated with the most current vibration data. When an event is automatically detected or manually triggered, the most recently saved vibration data is transferred from the buffer to permanent storage, along with vibration data obtained subsequent to the event. This allows for a more thorough post-event analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
  • Patent number: 11618585
    Abstract: A system and method relates to analysing data indicative of system performance for a vehicular transport system. More particularly, the present invention relates to integrating aircraft management, monitoring, and maintenance systems, such as Health & Usage Monitoring/Management Systems (HUMS), On-board Maintenance Systems (OMS), Cockpit Voice & Flight Data Recorders (CVFDR), and/or Quick Access Recorder (QAR) previously distributed over multiple systems, into a single circuit card assembly (CCA). The single circuit card may consist of the electronics needed for data acquisition, processing, storage and transmission to support all of the above systems and similar. The present system and method is further related to running the software to perform aircraft management, monitoring, and maintenance functions on the single common CCA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
  • Publication number: 20220390329
    Abstract: A system and method preserves raw vibration data for a physical event involving a transport vehicle such as a helicopter, plane, boat, car, or truck. The event may involve unexpected mechanical stresses on the vehicle. The system and method preserves raw vibration data for parts of the transport vehicle, such as from multiple points along the drive train. The preserved raw vibration data includes data from time prior to the physical event. In an embodiment, the system and method continuously detects vibration data, and stores the most recent vibration data in a circular memory buffer. The buffer is continually updated with the most current vibration data. When an event is automatically detected or manually triggered, the most recently saved vibration data is transferred from the buffer to permanent storage, along with vibration data obtained subsequent to the event. This allows for a more thorough post-event analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul DUNNING, Steven BONNETT, Timothy NORTH, Daniel LEE
  • Patent number: 11455848
    Abstract: A system and method preserves raw vibration data for a physical event involving a transport vehicle such as a helicopter, plane, boat, car, or truck. The event may involve unexpected mechanical stresses on the vehicle. The system and method preserves raw vibration data for parts of the transport vehicle, such as from multiple points along the drive train. The preserved raw vibration data includes data from time prior to the physical event. In an embodiment, the system and method continuously detects vibration data, and stores the most recent vibration data in a circular memory buffer. The buffer is continually updated with the most current vibration data. When an event is automatically detected or manually triggered, the most recently saved vibration data is transferred from the buffer to permanent storage, along with vibration data obtained subsequent to the event. This allows for a more thorough post-event analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
  • Patent number: 11212869
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to identify and configure sensors are disclosed. Certain examples provide an apparatus including a processor and a communication interface. The example processor is configured to broadcast, using the communication interface, a request for sensor identification in a detection mode. The example processor is configured to receive, using the communication interface, sensor identification information. The example processor is configured to instruct, based on the sensor identification information, sensors to enter a monitoring mode to await a stimulus. The example processor is configured to receive, in response to a first stimulus applied to a first location, a first sensor response to the first stimulus from a first sensor. The example processor is configured to evaluate the first sensor response with respect to an expected sensor response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Tod Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20210139167
    Abstract: A system and method for acquiring accurate vibration data, time of arrival, or other mechanical state for a mechanical system with rotary elements, such as a planetary gear system with multiple planet gears that rotate relative to a central sun gear, or blades in a turbine engine. Multiple vibration sensors are arranged at spaced intervals along the exterior of the gear system (such as along the ring gear of the system or the exterior housing of the system). Each vibration sensor is so situated as to periodically detect vibrations from each one of the planet gears in succession, as the planet gears rotate around the central sun gear. Using timing and gear-system configuration information, a determination is made as to which gear is being sensed by any one sensor at any time; also determined is which teeth of each gear are being sensed by a particular sensor at any one time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Nicholas Keningley, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Matthew William Wiseman
  • Publication number: 20210107679
    Abstract: A system and method relates to analysing data indicative of system performance for a vehicular transport system. More particularly, the present invention relates to integrating aircraft management, monitoring, and maintenance systems, such as Health & Usage Monitoring/Management Systems (HUMS), On-board Maintenance Systems (OMS), Cockpit Voice & Flight Data Recorders (CVFDR), and/or Quick Access Recorder (QAR) previously distributed over multiple systems, into a single circuit card assembly (CCA). The single circuit card may consist of the electronics needed for data acquisition, processing, storage and transmission to support all of the above systems and similar. The present system and method is further related to running the software to perform aircraft management, monitoring, and maintenance functions on the single common CCA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
  • Publication number: 20210097782
    Abstract: A system and method preserves raw vibration data for a physical event involving a transport vehicle such as a helicopter, plane, boat, car, or truck. The event may involve unexpected mechanical stresses on the vehicle. The system and method preserves raw vibration data for parts of the transport vehicle, such as from multiple points along the drive train. The preserved raw vibration data includes data from time prior to the physical event. In an embodiment, the system and method continuously detects vibration data, and stores the most recent vibration data in a circular memory buffer. The buffer is continually updated with the most current vibration data. When an event is automatically detected or manually triggered, the most recently saved vibration data is transferred from the buffer to permanent storage, along with vibration data obtained subsequent to the event. This allows for a more thorough post-event analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
  • Publication number: 20200128615
    Abstract: Methods (400), apparatus (100), and articles of manufacture (800) to identify and configure sensors are disclosed. Certain examples provide an apparatus (100) including a processor (240, 812) and a communication interface (220, 820). The example processor (240, 812) is configured to broadcast, using the communication interface (220, 820), a request for sensor identification in a detection mode. The example processor (240, 812) is configured to receive, using the communication interface (220, 820), sensor identification information. The example processor (240, 812) is configured to instruct, based on the sensor identification information, sensors (101, 102, 103) to enter a monitoring mode to await a stimulus. The example processor (240, 812) is configured to receive, in response to a first stimulus applied to a first location, a first sensor response to the first stimulus from a first sensor (101, 102, 103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Tod Gilbert
  • Publication number: 20140153182
    Abstract: A stand for a portable computer can include a top including a front surface, a rear surface, and a trough. The stand can include a base. The rear surface can be substantially coplanar with the front surface. The rear and front surfaces can be configured to support the portable computer in a first orientation. The trough can be configured to hold the portable computer in a second orientation different from the first orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Belkin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy North, Kenneth Mori, Mona Lisa Alexander
  • Publication number: 20140136749
    Abstract: A cable dock assembly can include a first sub-assembly including a power adapter configured to attach to a power source, a second sub-assembly including a first video display plug configured to attach to a first video display, a third sub-assembly including a universal serial bus plug configured to attach to a computing device placed on a surface, a first electrical cable attached at the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, a second electrical cable attached at the second sub-assembly and the third sub-assembly, and one or more controller chips. The one or more controller chips can be fully contained within at least one of the first, second, or third sub-assemblies. Other related assemblies and methods are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Belkin International, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy North, Mauricio Chacon, Sydney Wen, Ken Mori