JOSEPH FORREST NOFFSINGER
Engineers in Lees Summit, MO

2010002, Feb 4, 2010

Sep 17, 2008

12/212079

Wolfgang Daum - Erie PA, US
Mark Bradshaw Kraeling - Melbourne FL, US
Brian D. Lawry - Erie PA, US
Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US

H04B 7/00

455 59, 398 5

A method for communicating on a train that has at least two locomotives, the method including determining when a primary communication path ceases to be available for a specific subsystem of the train, identifying at least one auxiliary communication path to transmit information for the specific subsystem, configuring a message for the specific subsystem which complies with a message format of the at least one auxiliary communication path, and transmitting the message on the at least one auxiliary communication path. A system and a computer software code are further disclosed for providing a communication system for a powered system.

2005025, Nov 17, 2005

Apr 8, 2004

10/820499

Samuel Mollet - Grain Valley MO, US
Joseph Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
David Davenport - Niskayuna NY, US
John Hershey - Ballston Lake NY, US

B61L021/00

340286010

A system for remote control of an electrically operated railroad wayside equipment having a power supply for powering the wayside equipment. a central controller provides central control signals. A transmitter associated with the controller receives the control signals and transmits communications signals corresponding to the control signals. A remote equipment controller controls operation of the wayside equipment in response thereto.

8473127, Jun 25, 2013

Jan 9, 2007

11/621221

Wolfgang Daum - Erie PA, US
John Erik Hershey - Ballston Lake NY, US
David Michael Peltz - Melbourne FL, US
Glenn Robert Shaffer - Erie PA, US
Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
John Borntraeger - Melbourne FL, US
Ajith Kumar - Erie PA, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05D 1/00

701 19, 701 20, 701482

A method for improving train performance, the method including determining a rail car parameter for at least one rail car to be included in a train, and creating a train trip plan based on the rail car parameter in accordance with one or more operational criteria for the train.

8180544, May 15, 2012

Jan 13, 2009

12/352861

Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
Ajith Kuttannair Kumar - Erie PA, US
David Michael Peltz - Melbourne FL, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G06F 19/00

701 70, 701 297, 701 83, 303167

An optimization system is provided for a braking schedule of a powered system traveling along a route. The braking schedule is based on at least one predetermined characteristic of the powered system and is configured to be enacted in a braking region along the route. The optimization system includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter related to the operation of the powered system. Additionally, the system includes a processor coupled to the sensor, to receive parameter data. The processor compares the measured parameter with an expected parameter, which is based on the at least one predetermined characteristic of the powered system. The processor adjusts the at least one predetermined characteristic based on the comparison, and adjusts the braking schedule based on the adjustment to the at least one predetermined characteristic. A method is also provided for optimizing a braking schedule of a powered system traveling along a route.

8155811, Apr 10, 2012

Dec 29, 2008

12/345073

Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
Paul Kenneth Houpt - Schenectady NY, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

B60L 15/00

701 21, 701201

A system is provided for optimizing a path for a marine vessel through a waterway from an initial location to a final location. The system includes a propulsion system and a directional system on the marine vessel, which impart a selective propulsion force on the marine vessel at a selective direction based on a received propulsion command and direction command from a processor. The processor determines an optimal path for the marine vessel, an optimal propulsion command and optimal directional command at a respective incremental location along the optimal path, so to optimize a performance characteristic of the marine vessel. The determination of the optimal path, the optimal propulsion command and the optimal directional command is based on the initial location, the final location, at least one operating parameter, the performance characteristic, and navigational data of the waterway.

8112191, Feb 7, 2012

Jul 31, 2008

12/183310

Ajith Kuttannair Kumar - Erie PA, US
Glenn Robert Shaffer - Erie PA, US
David Michael Peltz - Melbourne FL, US
Joseph F. Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05D 3/00, G06F 7/00

701 22, 701 36, 701 70, 903903

A system is provided for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system. The system includes a sensor configured to measure a parameter related to the operation of the powered system. Additionally, the system includes a processor coupled to the sensor, to receive data related to the parameter. Subsequent to activating the braking function, the processor is configured to determine the effectiveness of the braking function of the powered system, based upon whether the parameter data varies by a predetermined threshold. A method and a computer software code are also provided for monitoring the effectiveness of a braking function in a powered system.

8538608, Sep 17, 2013

Sep 9, 2009

12/556334

Mikhail Meltser - Hanover Park IL, US
Timothy Medema - Algonquin IL, US
John Brand - Melbourne FL, US
Jared Klineman Cooper - Palm Bay FL, US
Todd Goodermuth - Satellite Beach FL, US
David Allen Eldredge - Malabar FL, US
Robert Foy - Melbourne FL, US
Christopher McNally - Girard PA, US
Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
David McKay - Melbourne FL, US
Patricia Lacy - Lawrence Park PA, US
Kristopher Smith - Satellite Beach FL, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05D 11/00, G06F 17/00

701 19, 249187 C, 701 20, 701 2, 701123, 60706, 60711

A control system for a rail vehicle system including a lead powered unit and a remote powered unit is provided. The system includes a user interface, a master isolation module and a slave controller. The user interface is disposed in the lead powered unit and is configured to receive an isolation command to turn on or off the remote powered unit. The master isolation module is configured to receive the isolation command from the user interface and to communicate an instruction based on the isolation command. The slave controller is configured to receive the instruction from the master isolation module. The slave controller causes the remote powered unit to supply tractive force to propel the rail vehicle system when the instruction directs the slave controller to turn on the remote powered unit. The slave controller causes the remote powered unit to withhold the tractive force when the instruction directs the slave controller to turn off the remote powered unit.

8645047, Feb 4, 2014

Oct 3, 2008

12/245242

Wolfgang Daum - Erie PA, US
Glenn Robert Shaffer - Erie PA, US
Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
Gerald Douglas Rose - Erie PA, US
Scott Sexauer - Lawrence Park PA, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G06F 19/00

701110, 701 1, 701 19

A method for controlling operations of a power system having at least one internal combustion power unit includes: (a) identifying a plurality of discrete potential dynamic events; (b) for each potential dynamic event, computing an optimization profile which describes power settings for the power system to follow in order to optimize at least one operating parameter of the at least one power unit; (c) selecting one of the optimization profiles based on the potential dynamic event with the highest current probability; and (d) operating the system in accordance with the selected optimization profile.

8140203, Mar 20, 2012

Apr 8, 2008

12/099431

Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
Ajith Kuttannair Kumar - Erie PA, US
Glenn Robert Shaffer - Erie PA, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G05D 1/00

701 20, 701 19, 701 33, 701300, 246122 R

A method for operating a train includes: (a) using a processor carried by the train, creating a trip profile which is computed at so as to substantially optimize an operating parameter of the train which depends on multiple operating variables; (b) operating the train along a route at speeds determined by the trip profile; (c) identifying a target location ahead of the train which cannot be cleared in a desired time if the train operates in accordance with the trip profile; and (d) operating the train at a clearing speed substantially faster than determined by the trip profile until the target location is cleared. A computer program product is provided for carrying out the method.

7395141, Jul 1, 2008

Sep 12, 2007

11/854425

Daryl William Seck - Overland Park KS, US
Joseph Forrest Noffsinger - Lees Summit MO, US
Robert James Foy - Melbourne FL, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G06F 19/00

701 19, 246 87 C

A method of distributed control of train throttle and braking includes transmitting an instruction to a remote power unit to apply at least one acceleration to the train at a future time; receiving the instruction; transmitting a confirmation that the remote power unit is armed to execute the instruction to a lead power unit; and computing a profile describing at least one acceleration to be applied to the train as it travels over a predetermined route. The computation is determined at least in part on whether or not the confirmation has been received by the lead power unit. The instructions may be contained in a profile which optimizes fuel consumption, emissions, and/or trip time. The accelerations may be carried out by direct control or by prompting an operator. In another aspect, the confirmed instructions may be used to ensure braking in accordance with a predetermined braking curve.