John D Weickert

8018225, Sep 13, 2011

Nov 25, 2008

12/277354

John Weickert - Fairfield OH, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G01B 7/30

32420725, 324164

A system and method for sensing the periodic position of one or more objects, such as rotating blades of a turbine. The system includes a passive eddy current sensing unit having one or more magnets and first and second cores around which first and second coils are wound, respectively, which together generate first and second magnetic fields. The sensing unit is positioned so that the object periodically passes through the first and second magnetic fields in succession, and the first and second coils consequently produce first and second output signals, respectively. Each coil is individually connected to a processing circuitry that receives each of the first and second output signals. The circuitry electronically combines the first and second output signals so that common mode signals thereof electronically subtract from each other to eliminate from output of the circuitry any electromagnetic interference noise present in the first and second output signals.

8161806, Apr 24, 2012

Dec 23, 2010

12/977219

John David Weickert - Fairfield OH, US
Eric John Bair - West Chester OH, US
Gregory Keelen Griffin - Mason OH, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G01M 15/14

7311201

A method of monitoring engine performance parameters of a gas turbine engine during its operation. The method includes sensing the performance parameters and generating analog sensor outputs, producing digital data by conditioning the analog sensor outputs with at least one hub unit that is mounted sufficiently close to the engine to be subjected to a first temperature in excess of 125 C. , receiving the digital data from the hub unit with a collector unit subjected to a second temperature of less than the first temperature, receiving the digital data from the collector unit with a distributor computer unit subjected to a third temperature of less than the second temperature, and processing the digital data with the distributor computer unit to assess the engine performance parameters of the engine. The conditioning step is performed with a control circuit board and at least one signal conditioning circuit board within the hub unit.

8600642, Dec 3, 2013

Dec 23, 2010

12/977200

Eric John Bair - West Chester OH, US
John David Weickert - Fairfield OH, US
Gregory Keelen Griffin - Mason OH, US

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

G06F 13/00
G01N 25/16

701100, 374 57

A hub unit adapted for use in a monitoring system that monitors engine performance parameters of a gas turbine engine. The hub unit includes a housing, at least one signal conditioning circuit board within the housing and adapted to receive the analog sensor outputs from the sensors, and a control circuit board within the housing, connected to the signal conditioning circuit board, and adapted to produce digital data corresponding to analog sensor outputs. The signal conditioning circuit board multiplexes a plurality of the analog sensor outputs generated by the sensors to produce an individual multiplexed analog output, and has at least one amplifier with adjustable gain for scaling the analog sensor outputs of the individual multiplexed analog output to produce an individual conditioned multiplexed analog output from which the corresponding digital data are produced. The amplifier and the adjustable gain thereof are controlled by the control circuit board.

20100052659, Mar 4, 2010

Aug 29, 2008

12/201356

John Weickert - Fairfield OH, US

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY - Schenectady NY

G01P 3/46

324164

A system and method for sensing the periodic proximity of one or more objects, such as the rotating blades of a gas turbine. The system includes a passive eddy current sensing unit having first and second magnets and first and second coil-wound cores coupled to generate and detect first and second magnetic fields. The sensing unit is positioned relative to the object such that the first and second coil-wound cores produce outputs in response to the object periodically passing through the first and second magnetic fields, respectively. Circuitry electronically combines the outputs of the first and second coil-wound cores to produce output signals corresponding to the proximity and timing of the object as it periodically passes through the first and second magnetic fields. Electromagnetic interference noise present in the outputs of the first and second coil-wound cores is eliminated from the output signals of the circuitry.

20120163408, Jun 28, 2012

Dec 23, 2010

12/977188

John David Weickert - Fairfield OH, US
Eric John Bair - West Chester OH, US
Gregory Keelen Griffin - Mason OH, US

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY - Schenectady NY

G01N 25/00

374 57

A system for monitoring performance parameters of an apparatus operating at an elevated temperature, such as a gas turbine engine. The system includes sensors for sensing the performance parameters and generating analog sensor outputs, at least one hub unit mounted sufficiently close to the apparatus so as to be subjected to a first temperature in excess of 125 C., a collector unit subjected to a second temperature of less than the first temperature, and a distributor computer unit subjected to a third temperature of less than the second temperature. The hub unit has control and signal conditioning circuit boards that operate together to condition the analog sensor outputs of the sensors and produce corresponding digital data. The collector unit transmits the digital data from the hub unit to the distributor computer unit, which processes the digital data to assess the performance parameters of the apparatus.

20120163958, Jun 28, 2012

Dec 23, 2010

12/977215

Gregory Keelen Griffin - Mason OH, US
John David Weickert - Fairfield OH, US
Eric John Bair - West Chester OH, US

GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY - Schenectady NY

F01D 25/00

415118

A hub unit adapted for use in a monitoring system that monitors engine performance parameters of a gas turbine engine. The hub unit includes a housing, at least one signal conditioning circuit board within the housing and adapted to receive the analog sensor outputs from the sensors, and a control circuit board within the housing, connected to the signal conditioning circuit board, and adapted to produce digital data corresponding to analog sensor outputs. The control circuit board and the signal conditioning circuit board each comprise electrical circuit components that define an analog signal processing path and have accuracy and precision characteristics that drift in response to component aging and to changes in the temperature to which the hub unit is subjected. The hub unit performs a continuous calibration scheme to determine and remove errors in the analog signal processing path resulting from the drifts of the electrical circuit components.