Search Patents
  • Patent number: 8379584
    Abstract: Provided are methods and systems of using division-free duplexing (DFD) to reduce rendezvous time between two or more cognitive radio devices. The cognitive radio devices may opportunistically use available frequency spectra by communicating over available channels. To communicate, a first device may rendezvous with a second device by transmitting a beaconing signal over a frequency on which the second device is listening. DFD techniques may enable each of the devices to listen to a channel while concurrently transmitting beacon signals over the same channel. As periods of listening and periods of transmitting over the same channel need not be separated due to the transmitter cancelling approach used in DFD techniques, rendezvous time may be significantly reduced. Further, embodiments include a generalized DFD (GDFD) approach wherein devices listen to a broad band of frequencies, thus further reducing rendezvous time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael James Hartman, John Erik Hershey, Richard Louis Zinser, John Anderson Fergus Ross, Michael J. Dell'Anno
  • Patent number: 8378843
    Abstract: A telematics system in an asset network is provided. The telematics system includes one or more sensors configured to acquire data from multiple assets at different locations in the asset network. The telematics system also includes a transceiver configured to receive the data acquired from the one or more sensors. The telematics system further includes a data analysis system. The data analysis system includes a central data server configured to receive the data transmitted from the transceiver. The data analysis system also includes a processing circuitry configured to combine data, analyze combined data to detect trends, generate value added services based on the detected trends and distribute the value added services to multiple end users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patricia Denise Mackenzie, John William Carbone, Charles Burton Theurer, Joseph James Salvo, Joseph Edward Jesson
  • Patent number: 8377812
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of fabricating a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor. The method includes the steps of forming a source region on a silicon carbide layer and annealing the source region. A gate oxide layer is formed on the source region and the silicon carbide layer. The method further includes providing a gate electrode on the gate oxide layer and disposing a dielectric layer on the gate electrode and the gate oxide layer. The method further includes etching a portion of the dielectric layer and a portion of the gate oxide layer to form sidewalls on the gate electrode. A metal layer is disposed on the gate electrode, the sidewalls and the source region. The method further includes forming a gate contact and a source contact by subjecting the metal layer to a temperature of at least about 800° C. The gate contact and the source contact comprise a metal silicide. The distance between the gate contact and the source contact is less than about 0.6 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Sean Matocha, Gregory Keith Dudoff, William Gregg Hawkins, Zachary Matthew Stum, Stephen Daley Arthur, Dale Marius Brown
  • Patent number: 8378681
    Abstract: A multiple-frequency RF trap and an MRI system including a multiple-frequency RF trap. The multiple-frequency RF trap being tuned to block RF energy at two frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor Taracila, James S. Tropp, Fraser J. Robb, Robert Carl Minnich
  • Patent number: 8377387
    Abstract: A system includes a fluidization device including a flow passage configured to convey a flow of solid fuel particles in a downstream direction, and a body disposed within the flow passage. The body is configured to direct the flow of solid fuel particles between the body and an outer wall of the flow passage. The fluidization device also includes a carrier gas injection port positioned radially outward from the body. The carrier gas injection port is configured to provide a flow of carrier gas in the downstream direction to break up agglomerations within the flow of solid fuel particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Constantin Dinu, Steven Craig Russell, Yichuan Fang
  • Patent number: 8378557
    Abstract: Ultrasound transducers and methods of making ultrasound transducers with improved thermal characteristics are provided. An ultrasound transducer includes a piezoelectric element defining a front side and a back side. The ultrasound transducer includes a lens connected to the front side of the piezoelectric element, a heat sink connected to the back side of the piezoelectric element, and a backside matching layer disposed between the piezoelectric element and the heat sink. The backside matching layer is thermally connected to the piezoelectric element and the heat sink, and the backside matching layer is configured to conduct heat from the piezoelectric element to the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan C. Tai, Hiroshi Isono
  • Patent number: 8380373
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling the movement of plural trains over a rail network, where the rail network is divided into at least one control area with a dispatcher assigned to manage the movement of trains in a control area by predicting the occurrence of events along the network based on the movement plan and prompting the dispatcher to provide information or take specified actions relating to the predicted events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul M. Julich, Mitchell Scott Wills, Joanne Maceo, Joseph Wesley Philp, Brian Smith, Christopher P. Roney
  • Patent number: 8380454
    Abstract: An electrical equipment assembly includes at least one electrical device provided with an identifier member. The identifier member includes a measurement tolerance data associated with the electrical device. The electrical assembly also includes a meter electrically coupled to the electrical device. The meter includes a memory device, a processor device operatively coupled to the memory device, a communication link member operatively coupled to the processor device, and a selectively updatable measurement tolerance indicator stored in one of the memory device, the processor device. The processor device being configured and disposed to establish measurement accuracy of the meter based on the tolerance indicator stored in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: John Steven Holmes
  • Patent number: 8376703
    Abstract: A blade extension for a rotor blade and a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a blade extension including a first panel and an opposed second panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each of the first panel and the second panel is spaced apart from the rotor blade in a generally chord-wise direction in a standard operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christian A. Carroll, Stefan Herr, Aaron Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 8376070
    Abstract: A system and method for a propulsion system includes an electric motor and an energy storage unit configured to supply a primary power to the electric motor. The propulsion system also includes a plurality of auxiliary power units (APUs) configured to supply a secondary power to at least one of the electric motor and the energy storage unit. Each of the plurality of APUs includes a free-piston engine configured to generate a mechanical output, a linear generator configured to transform the mechanical output to an electrical power, and a controller. The controller receives a power command from the electric motor and/or the energy storage unit, determines an amount of secondary power needed to meet the power command, and selectively activates a number of the plurality of APUs to generate the needed amount of secondary power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michal-Wolfgang Waszak, Parag Vyas, Jan Hemmelmann, Robert Dean King
  • Patent number: 8379948
    Abstract: Methods and systems for iterative image reconstruction. The method includes selecting a particular X and Y location corresponding to one or more selected voxels in an image volume. Further, one or more Z locations are iteratively selected for the particular X and Y location. One or more partial sums corresponding to channel dependent portions of a separable system model associated with the particular X and Y location are pre-computed. Additionally, row-dependent portions of the separable system model are computed independent of the pre-computing of the one or more partial sums. The partial sums and the row-dependent portions of the separable system model are combined to compute corresponding updates for the selected voxels. The one or more partial sums are then updated to be consistent with the computed updates. Additionally, the computed updates are applied to the selected voxels independent of updating the one or more partial sums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Thomas Matthew Benson
  • Patent number: 8380361
    Abstract: A remote control system for controlling movement of a train comprises one or more sensors positioned relative to a railroad track for detecting the presence of a lead railcar on the track being pushed by a remotely controllable locomotive. The one or more sensors are spaced a distance from a predetermined stop location of a lead railcar and transmit signals when the lead railcar is detected on the track. A programmable controller positioned off-board or wayside receives signals from the one or more sensors and is in radio communication with an onboard operating system of the locomotive. The controller transmits a signal to the locomotive when the lead railcar is detected by a sensor, and in response to the signal the operating system of the locomotive sets a maximum speed setting for the locomotive to travel on the track toward the stop location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jay Evans
  • Patent number: 8378248
    Abstract: A system for heat treating a weld joint includes a beam generator that produces a beam directed at the weld joint. A beam splitter between the beam generator and the weld joint diverts a portion of the beam along a path. A reflector receives the diverted portion of the beam and directs it to a point at the weld joint. A modulator in the path controls passage of the diverted portion of the beam. A method for heat treating a weld joint includes directing a beam at the weld joint, diverting a portion of the beam, and reflecting the diverted portion of the beam in the direction of the weld joint. The method further includes modulating the diverted portion of the beam to control the passage of the diverted portion of the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Krishnakumar Rangarao
  • Patent number: 8378668
    Abstract: A method of non-destructive testing that employs composite systems that include a curable resin and detectable particles that have a property that can be distinguished from a property of the resin is disclosed. Array probes useful in the method also are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Changting Wang, Stephane Renou, Shu Ching Quek, Nilesh Tralshawala, Aparna Chakrapani Sheila-Vadde, Peter J. Fritz
  • Patent number: 8380371
    Abstract: A method of producing a variable thrust cutback of an aircraft during aircraft departure is provided. The method includes the steps of storing expected sound exposure levels for an aircraft in memory, and storing a sound exposure level limit for a navigation flight in memory. The method also includes the steps of determining aircraft altitude and determining aircraft airspeed. The method further includes the steps of computing an engine thrust value that complies with the sound exposure level limit based on the altitude, airspeed and the sound exposure levels, and outputting the computed engine thrust value for use in controlling the aircraft during departure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Michael K. DeJonge
  • Patent number: 8377156
    Abstract: The present subject matter is directed to a method for operating a fuel reformer. The method may generally include directing a fluid stream around a reactor assembly of the fuel reformer to cool the reactor assembly, and mixing a heated reformate stream produced by the reactor assembly with the fluid stream to cool the heated reformate stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Patent number: 8377228
    Abstract: A fluid filtration assembly for a dishwasher system includes at least one spray arm assembly configured to distribute fluid within a wash chamber, and a filter assembly including a filter body defining a fluid inlet and a soil outlet thereon. A soil collection chamber is coupled in flow communication with the soil outlet and is configured to receive soil filtered by the filter assembly. A pump is configured to direct fluid to one of the spray arm assembly and the soil collection chamber. A valve assembly is movable between a first position and a second position. The valve assembly is coupled in flow communication with the spray arm assembly and the soil collection chamber. In the first position, the pump is configured to direct fluid to the at least one spray arm assembly. In the second position, the pump is configured to direct fluid into the soil collection chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matt D. Mersch, Joseph Duane Tobbe, Gregory Miller
  • Patent number: 8380284
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for tracking a moving object using magnetic resonance imaging. The technique includes acquiring a scout image scan having a number of image frames and extracting non-linear motion parameters from the number of image frames of the scout image scan. The technique includes prospectively shifting slice location using the non-linear motion parameters between slice locations while acquiring a series of MR images. The system and method are particularly useful in tracking coronary artery movement during the cardiac cycle to acquire the non-linear components of coronary artery movement during a diastolic portion of the R-R interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manojkumar Saranathan, Christopher Judson Hardy, Thomas K. F. Foo
  • Patent number: 8380797
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, an account may be established for a user, and the account may be associated with a set of authorized combination identifiers, each authorized combination identifier including an authorized sending device identifier, an authorized destination device identifier, and an authorized file type identifier. A dynamically generated list of notification options may be displayed to the user, each option being associated with one of the authorized combination identifiers. The user may then select a notification option for each of the authorized combination identifiers. In addition, a business file may be received along with a received combination identifier that includes a sending device identifier associated with the sending device, a destination device identifier, and a file type identifier associated with the business file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Cheryl Eckardt
  • Patent number: 8376708
    Abstract: A drivetrain for a wind turbine includes a gearbox and a generator. The gear box includes a housing and an output shaft that is rotatably coupled within the housing, wherein the gearbox further includes at least one bearing positioned between the housing and the output shaft. The generator includes a stator coupled to the housing such that the stator is positioned radially inward from the housing, and a rotor coupled to the output shaft such that the rotor is positioned radially inward from the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Priyangu C. Patel, Edwin Hidding, Gary R. Barnes, Patrick Lee Jansen, Adam Daniel Minadeo, Stephen B. Johnson, James H. Madge, Blake Weldon Wilson, Eric Steven Buskirk, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Jacob Johannes Nies