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).
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Patent number: 11780610Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 7, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Nicholas Keningley, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Matthew William Wiseman
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Patent number: 11727732Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 8, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
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Patent number: 11618585Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
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Publication number: 20220390329Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul DUNNING, Steven BONNETT, Timothy NORTH, Daniel LEE
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Patent number: 11455848Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
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Patent number: 11212869Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Tod Gilbert
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Publication number: 20210139167Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2019Publication date: May 13, 2021Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Nicholas Keningley, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Matthew William Wiseman
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Publication number: 20210107679Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2019Publication date: April 15, 2021Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
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Publication number: 20210097782Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: April 1, 2021Applicant: GE AVIATION SYSTEMS LIMITEDInventors: Paul Dunning, Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Daniel Lee
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Publication number: 20200128615Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2018Publication date: April 23, 2020Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven Bonnett, Timothy North, Tod Gilbert
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Publication number: 20140153182Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2013Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Belkin International, Inc.Inventors: Timothy North, Kenneth Mori, Mona Lisa Alexander
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Publication number: 20140136749Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2013Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: Belkin International, Inc.Inventors: Timothy North, Mauricio Chacon, Sydney Wen, Ken Mori