Patents by Inventor William A. Grubb

William A. Grubb 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: 20230408083
    Abstract: Example furnaces and methods related thereto include a burner box including at least one burner configured to combust a fuel/air mixture. In addition, the furnace includes a first blower including an inlet nozzle having an air inlet and fuel inlet. The inlet nozzle is configured such that operation of the first blower is to pull air and fuel into the inlet nozzle to produce the fuel/air mixture at a fuel/air ratio that is configured to produce flue products having less than 14 Nano-grams per Joule of nitrogen oxides when combusted. Operation of the first blower is configured to push the fuel/air mixture into the burner box. Further, the furnace includes a heat exchanger assembly fluidly coupled to the burner box through a vestibule, and a second blower configured to pull the flue products through the heat exchanger assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Timothy J. Tupa, Justen William Grubb, Caleb R. Joiner, William James Teising, Stephen Kowalski, Gary L. Wright
  • Patent number: 11781748
    Abstract: Example furnaces and methods related thereto include a burner box including at least one burner configured to combust a fuel/air mixture. In addition, the furnace includes a first blower including an inlet nozzle having an air inlet and fuel inlet. The inlet nozzle is configured such that operation of the first blower is to pull air and fuel into the inlet nozzle to produce the fuel/air mixture at a fuel/air ratio that is configured to produce flue products having less than 14 Nano-grams per Joule of nitrogen oxides when combusted. Operation of the first blower is configured to push the fuel/air mixture into the burner box. Further, the furnace includes a heat exchanger assembly fluidly coupled to the burner box through a vestibule, and a second blower configured to pull the flue products through the heat exchanger assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Tupa, Justen William Grubb, Caleb R. Joiner, William James Teising, Stephen Kowalski, Gary L. Wright
  • Publication number: 20220010958
    Abstract: Example furnaces and methods related thereto are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the furnace includes a burner box including at least one burner configured to combust a fuel/air mixture. In addition, the furnace includes a first blower including an inlet nozzle having an air inlet and fuel inlet. The inlet nozzle is configured such that operation of the first blower is to pull air and fuel into the inlet nozzle to produce the fuel/air mixture at a fuel/air ratio that is configured to produce flue products having less than 14 Nano-grams per Joule of nitrogen oxides when combusted. Operation of the first blower is configured to push the fuel/air mixture into the burner box. Further, the furnace includes a heat exchanger assembly fluidly coupled to the burner box through a vestibule, and a second blower configured to pull the flue products through the heat exchanger assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Timothy J. Tupa, Justen William Grubb, Caleb R. Joiner, William James Teising, Stephen Kowalski, Gary L. Wright
  • Patent number: 10436676
    Abstract: Methods of analyzing a cyclo-mechanical engine include detecting an engine signal associated with a plurality of cycles of the cyclo-mechanical engine, comparing a first sample of the engine signal with a second sample of the engine signal to determine a cycle length of the cyclo-mechanical engine, and analyzing the engine signal to detect a variation in the cycle length of the cyclo-mechanical engine over time based on the determined cycle length. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Thompson Automotive Labs LLC
    Inventors: Eric G. Horlbeck, John Thompson, Daniel McDonald, Gregory Keith Chatham, Emery Carr, William A. Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20170364674
    Abstract: Systems and methods are described for accessing a secure system requiring multi-point authentication by receiving an optical image, wherein the optical image includes at least a portion of an identification badge; determining a plurality of characteristics from the optical image of at least a portion of the identification badge; comparing one or more of the plurality of characteristics to a database of characteristics of authorized users; assigning a confidence factor based on the comparison; and prompting for a second form of authentication if the confidence factor meets or exceeds a threshold or denying access to the secure system if the confidence factor does not meet or exceed the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Robert William GRUBBS, Justin Varkey JOHN
  • Patent number: 9772617
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein include a system and a method. In one embodiment, a system includes a library configured to store reusable executable control information and a substitution information. The system further includes a controller configured to instantiate the reusable executable control information in a memory and to associate the substitution information with a field device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dana Robert Kreft, Robert William Grubbs, Andre Steven DeMaurice
  • Patent number: 9684347
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to automated display of permissive logic in control systems associated with a power generation unit. A control device may be configured to provide automated updates of system data, such as signals received from power generation equipment, to a human machine interface (HMI) or a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) display, as non-limiting examples. A logic builder block may receive permissive logic configurations, including one or more combinational logic blocks. A logic builder block may be associated with power generation equipment to facilitate the identification of related system data and the subsequent association of the system data to corresponding input pins for the combinational logic blocks. The permissive logic configurations may be compiled into object code and downloaded to the control device, where it may be executed to perform the above described functions, among other functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Grubbs, Lester D. Childs, Adam Foard, Muhammad Adnan, Timothy Joseph Rhode
  • Patent number: 9560523
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for mobile device authentication. The system includes a public-facing server configured to interface with a mobile device. The system also includes a secure server configured to interface with the public-facing server and an authorization station. The authorization station includes processing circuitry configured to establish authorization limits for the mobile device and generate an authentication key associated with the authorization limits. The processing circuitry is further configured to provide the authentication key and an identifier of the mobile device to the secure server, and generate an authorization code including an encoded version of the authentication key and an address of the public-facing server. The processing circuitry is also configured to provide the authorization code to the mobile device to establish authentication for the mobile device to receive data from a control system network as constrained by the authorization limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Justin Varkey John, Robert William Grubbs
  • Patent number: 9459786
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to systems and methods for sharing a user interface element based on user gestures. In one embodiment, a method can include selecting, based on a user gesture, a user interface element being displayed on an output device of the source computer. The method can further include identifying a location on the output device of the source computer to move the user interface element. The method can further include updating the output device of the source computer to display the user interface element at the identified location on the output device. The method can also include generating, in response to updating the output device, a notification indicating that the source computer is sharing the user interface element. The method can also include transmitting the notification to one or more target computers in communication with the source computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, Robert William Grubbs
  • Patent number: 9383890
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to cause a display to display a graphical visualization of an industrial system, detect a user input corresponding to an area of the display, perform a semantic zoom of the area of the display, and to display a first level of information based on a first level of the semantic zoom. The first level of information includes a data that was not previously displayed on the area of the display. The processor is configured to perform a semantic zoom of a graphical visualization of a graphical device during the first level of the semantic zoom. The processor is configured to cause the display to transition to a concurrent display of the graphical device and a second level of information during a second level of the semantic zoom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Grubbs, Justin Varkey John
  • Patent number: 9007207
    Abstract: A dynamic alarm system for operating a power plant is disclosed. The dynamic alarm system includes a sensor configured to generate a signal related to a measurement of an operation of the power plant. An interface displays a generated alarm to an operator and receives a dynamic rating value from the operator related to the generated alarm. A processor generates the alarm using the generated signal, compiles the rating value and alters an operation of the power plant from the compiled rating value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Varkey John, Robert William Grubbs, Jonathan Carl Thatcher
  • Publication number: 20150058947
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for mobile device authentication. The system includes a public-facing server configured to interface with a mobile device. The system also includes a secure server configured to interface with the public-facing server and an authorization station. The authorization station includes processing circuitry configured to establish authorization limits for the mobile device and generate an authentication key associated with the authorization limits. The processing circuitry is further configured to provide the authentication key and an identifier of the mobile device to the secure server, and generate an authorization code including an encoded version of the authentication key and an address of the public-facing server. The processing circuitry is also configured to provide the authorization code to the mobile device to establish authentication for the mobile device to receive data from a control system network as constrained by the authorization limits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Varkey John, Robert William Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20150058801
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for providing a multi-touch inspection tool. The system includes a multi-touch display and processing circuitry configured to display an inspection tool for a chart on a user interface on the multi-touch display. The inspection tool includes a multiplier-scale control and a precision control. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a base level of scaling to apply to the chart based on a current value of the multiplier-scale control and detect a touch-based input on the precision control for a precision adjustment of the chart. The precision adjustment is based on linear steps dynamically defined with respect to the base level of scaling. The chart is adjusted in response to the touch-based input on the precision control as a combination of the base level of scaling determined by the multiplier-scale control and the precision adjustment of the precision control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Varkey John, Robert William Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20150058808
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for providing a dynamic contextual touch menu. The system includes a multi-touch display and processing circuitry coupled to the multi-touch display. The processing circuitry is configured to detect a contextual menu display request in response to a touch detected on the multi-touch display. The processing circuitry is configured to display a dynamic contextual touch menu associated with a first element as a targeted element in response to the detected contextual menu display request. The processing circuitry is also configured to modify content of the dynamic contextual touch menu to align with a second element as the targeted element in response to a detected motion on the multi-touch display between the first and second elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Varkey John, Robert William Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20150058809
    Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a system for multi-touch gesture processing. The system includes a multi-touch display and processing circuitry coupled to the multi-touch display. The processing circuitry is configured to detect a gesture on a gesture target area of a panel toolbar associated with a panel displayed on the multi-touch display. The panel includes panel content displayed in a content area. The gesture target area includes an empty area absent one or more command icons. Based on detection of the gesture, additional content is displayed on the multi-touch display associated with the panel content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert William Grubbs, Justin Varkey John
  • Publication number: 20140359478
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to systems and methods for sharing a user interface element based on user gestures. In one embodiment, a method can include selecting, based on a user gesture, a user interface element being displayed on an output device of the source computer. The method can further include identifying a location on the output device of the source computer to move the user interface element. The method can further include updating the output device of the source computer to display the user interface element at the identified location on the output device. The method can also include generating, in response to updating the output device, a notification indicating that the source computer is sharing the user interface element. The method can also include transmitting the notification to one or more target computers in communication with the source computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, Robert William Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20140359538
    Abstract: Certain embodiments herein relate to systems and methods for moving display objects based on user gestures. In one embodiment, a system can include at least one memory configured to store computer-executable instructions and at least one control device configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions. The instructions may be configured to detect a first user gesture adjacent to an output device in order to identity a display object displayed on the output device. The instructions may be configured to detect a second user gesture adjacent to the output device in order to identify a location to move the display object. The instructions may be configured to update the output device to display the display object at the identified location on the output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Pavan Kumar Singh Thakur, Robert William Grubbs, Justin V. John
  • Publication number: 20140297157
    Abstract: Methods of analyzing a cyclo-mechanical engine include detecting an engine signal associated with a plurality of cycles of the cyclo-mechanical engine, comparing a first sample of the engine signal with a second sample of the engine signal to determine a cycle length of the cyclo-mechanical engine, and analyzing the engine signal to detect a variation in the cycle length of the cyclo-mechanical engine over time based on the determined cycle length. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Thompson Automotive Labs LLC
    Inventors: Eric G. Horlbeck, John Thompson, Daniel McDonald, Gregory Keith Chatham, Emery Carr, William A. Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20140277612
    Abstract: A system is provided that includes a controller configured to control an industrial automation system. The system also includes a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller. The sensor is configured to measure at least one operating parameter of the industrial automation system, and the sensor, the controller, or a combination thereof, is configured to derive an indication that the at least one operating parameter surpasses a process limit. The system also includes a memory configured to store the indication as an item included in a start checklist. Moreover, the controller is configured to disable a start of the industrial automation system based on the start checklist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John V. Justin, Robert William Grubbs
  • Publication number: 20140282215
    Abstract: A system includes a processor configured to cause a display to display a graphical visualization of an industrial system, detect a user input corresponding to an area of the display, perform a semantic zoom of the area of the display, and to display a first level of information based on the semantic zoom. The first level of information includes a data that was not previously displayed on the area of the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert William Grubbs, Justin Varkey John