Patents by Inventor Thomas Leroy

Thomas Leroy 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: 20160084963
    Abstract: A scintillator element (22) includes scintillator blocks (60) arranged to form an array, and transparent or translucent material (62) disposed between adjacent scintillator blocks of the array. The transparent or translucent material may comprise epoxy or glue disposed between adjacent scintillator blocks of the array and adhering the adjacent scintillator blocks together. In some embodiments the scintillator blocks have a refractive index for scintillation light of at least •=1.8, and the transparent or translucent material has a refractive index for the scintillation light of at least •=1.6. An array of light detectors (24), such as silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) detectors formed monolithically on a silicon substrate, may be disposed on a bottom face of the scintillator element to detect scintillation light generated in the scintillator element. For PET applications, the scintillator element and the array of light detectors define a radiation detector (20) configured to detect 511 keV radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Leroy LAURENCE
  • Patent number: 9267717
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has an upper region, a lower region disposed vertically lower than the upper region, and a passive charge management device. The passive charge management device has an internal volume, an upper tube connecting the internal volume to at least one of the upper region and the lower region at a first vertical height, and a lower tube connecting the internal volume to at least one of the upper region and the lower region at a second vertical height that is vertically lower than the first vertical height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Gary Lee Sapp, Darryl Elliott Denton, Jason Thomas LeRoy, John Bailey, Roy Randall Crawford
  • Patent number: 9261300
    Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC system electronic expansion valve (EEV) includes determining an optimal EEV position for the HVAC system as a function of a variable related to an ambient environment enthalpy and operating the HVAC system as a function of the optimal EEV position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Trane International Inc.
    Inventors: Hunter Ian Golden, Jason Thomas LeRoy, Raymond Walter Rite
  • Patent number: 9229115
    Abstract: A detector maintains thermal stability between two different operating modes. The detector includes at least one controller which sets the detection sensitivity of the detector to a level disabling the detection of gamma photons. The controller further controls a heat generator to maintain the temperature of the detector at a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is the steady state temperature of the detector when the detection sensitivity of the detector is set to a level enabling the detection of gamma photons. A method for maintaining thermal stability of a detector between two different operating modes is also provided. Approaches are also disclosed for normalize acquired imaging data during image reconstruction using dark current-dependent normalization factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Jerome John Griesmer, Thomas Leroy Laurence, Sharon Xiaorong Wang
  • Publication number: 20150330129
    Abstract: A mechanism for providing a means of adjusting the vertical height of a hinged door having a jamb leaf (15) with jamb leaf pin barrels (25), (30) and (35) attached to a door leaf (40) with door leaf pin barrels (45) and (50) by means of a threaded hinge pin (20) penetrating leaf pin barrels (25), (30),(35),(45) and (50). A means (55) and (60), containing set screws (75) and (80), of adjusting the vertical height of one leaf (40) in relation to the other leaf (15). A means (70),(72), (65) and (68) of mounting said adjustable hinge to a door (85) and door jamb (90).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas Leroy Hendrickson, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150247447
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a combustion engine (1) equipped with a supercharging system, comprising a turbocharger (2) and a mechanical compressor (3) and a bypass circuit disposed in parallel with the mechanical compressor comprising a controlled bypass valve (4). The method includes: a) acquiring a boost pressure setpoint Pspsural; b) converting the boost pressure setpoint Pspsural into an opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve (4) using a filling model modelling the filling of the supercharging boost volume between the intake valves of the engine (1) and the mechanical compressor (3) and bypass valve (4); and c) controlling the bypass valve (4) is according to the opening setpoint Bypasssp of the bypass valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Publication number: 20150240826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the pressure Pavcm upstream of a mechanical compressor (3) equipped with a double supercharging circuit of a combustion engine. The pressure is determined by a dynamic model based on a law of conservation of flow rate in the volume upstream of the mechanical compressor. The model links the pressure Pavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3) to a temperature Tavcm upstream of the mechanical compressor (3), to a boost pressure Psural and boost temperature Tsural on the intake side of the engine, and to an openness Bypass of the bypass valve (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin, Alexandre Chasse
  • Patent number: 9109522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling a combustion engine (1) comprising at least one cylinder (2) and a manifold (3) and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) circuit including an EGR valve. The EGR valve (6) is controlled by carrying out the following stages: a) measuring a pressure difference ?P in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve; b) selecting a burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold (3); c) calculating an opening set point for the EGR valve (6) from a pressure drop relation applied in a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation circuit including the EGR valve, depending on difference ?P at the EGR valve and on the burnt gas fraction set point BGRsp in the intake manifold; and d) controlling the EGR valve (6) as a function of the opening set point of EGR valve (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES nouvelles
    Inventors: Delphine Bresch-Pietri, Thomas LeRoy, Jonathan Chauvin
  • Publication number: 20150192685
    Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) system (10) and method (100) classifies gamma events. At least one processor (62, 66, 70) is programmed to receive event data for a plurality of scintillation events corresponding to gamma events. The gamma events are generated by gamma photons from a region of interest (ROI) (14). The gamma events of the event data are classified into a plurality of classifications. The classifications distinguish between single-crystal gamma events and multi-crystal gamma events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Jerome John Griesmer, Thomas Leroy Laurence
  • Publication number: 20150177386
    Abstract: A detector maintains thermal stability between two different operating modes. The detector includes at least one controller which sets the detection sensitivity of the detector to a level disabling the detection of gamma photons. The controller further controls a heat generator to maintain the temperature of the detector at a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature is the steady state temperature of the detector when the detection sensitivity of the detector is set to a level enabling the detection of gamma photons. A method for maintaining thermal stability of a detector between two different operating modes is also provided. Approaches are also disclosed for normalize acquired imaging data during image reconstruction using dark current-dependent normalization factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Jerome John GRIESMER, Thomas Leroy LAURENCE, Sharon Xiaorong WANG
  • Publication number: 20150160353
    Abstract: A system (10) and method for energy correction of positron emission tomography (PET) event data by at least one processor. Event data for a plurality of strike events corresponding to gamma events is received. Each strike event is detected by a pixel of a detector module (50) and includes an energy and a time. The energy of the strike events is linearized using an energy linearity correction model including one or more parameters. Clusters of the strike events are identified based on the times of the strike events, and sub-clusters of the clusters are identified based on the pixels corresponding to the strike events of the clusters. Energies of the sub-clusters are corrected using a first set of correction factors, and energies of clusters including a plurality of sub-clusters are corrected using a second set of correction factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Sharon Xiaorong Wang, Thomas Leroy Laurence
  • Patent number: 8987659
    Abstract: When calibrating a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, a radioactive calibration phantom is scanned over a period of several half lives to acquire a plurality of frames of scan data. Interlaced timing windows are employed to facilitate acquiring coincidence data for a plurality of coincidence timing windows and energy windows during a single calibration scan. Coincident events are binned according to each of a plurality of selected coincidence windows, and the PET scanner is calibrated for each of the plurality of coincidence timing windows using data acquired from the single calibration scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy Laurence, Jeffrey Allan Kolthammer
  • Publication number: 20150046313
    Abstract: A distributed software application and communications terminal which allows for increased situational awareness and faster, more informed decision making for both floor and non-floor exchange derivatives traders. The present invention gives traders an enhanced situational awareness perhaps analogous to the way tactical cockpit displays give a fighter pilot enhanced situational awareness. The present invention has several closely interrelated modes and embodiments tailored to allow traders to maintain instant-glance situational awareness of a market, or of several markets, simultaneously. The present invention presents a novel way of presenting an alert for a significant trade, or for targeting yields, via a plethora of modes and specially juxtaposed graphical layouts, which the inventors have tested on themselves and upon beta-tester users, which showed a measurable improvement in mental awareness times, and overall quickness of mental perception of each alert over other existing systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventor: Thomas LeRoy Pantelis
  • Patent number: 8822931
    Abstract: When constructing a nuclear detector module in a gantry, a plurality of overlapping light guide modules (10) are mounted to the gantry in a spaced-apart fashion, and a plurality of underlapping light guide modules (12) are mounted in between each pair of overlapping light guide modules (10). Each of the underlapping modules and the overlapping modules includes a scintillation crystal array (16) on an interior surface thereof, and a plurality of PMTs on an exterior surface thereof. Overlapping modules (10) have overlapping structures (22) that interface with underlapping structures (18) on the underlapping modules (12) and thereby eliminate a seam directly beneath PMTs that overlap the crystal arrays of both an overlapping module and an underlapping module. Optical grease is used to form a resilient grease coupling and reduce light scatter between the underlapping and overlapping modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy Laurence, Jinling Liu, Steven E. Cooke, Steven John Plummer
  • Patent number: 8740179
    Abstract: Two-piece trim apparatus for use with fluid regulators are described. In one described example, a fluid regulator has a regulator body and a first seat ring to provide a first flow characteristic disposed within the body and defining a fluid orifice. The first seat ring is interchangeable with a second seat ring that is to provide a second flow characteristic different from the first flow characteristic. The fluid regulator also includes a first cage to provide a third fluid characteristic and removably coupled to the first seat ring. The first cage is interchangeable with a second cage that is to provide a fourth fluid flow characteristic different from the third flow characteristic. The first cage can be selectively coupled to the first seat ring or the second seat ring and the first seat ring can be selectively coupled to the first cage or the second cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Fisher Controls International, LLC
    Inventors: James Lyman Griffin, Jr., Thomas Leroy Weyer, Jr., Daniel Gunder Roper, Harold Joe McKinney
  • Publication number: 20140131599
    Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC system electronic expansion valve (EEV) includes determining an optimal EEV position for the HVAC system as a function of a variable related to an ambient environment enthalpy and operating the HVAC system as a function of the optimal EEV position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Hunter Ian Golden, Jason Thomas LeRoy, Raymond Walter Rite
  • Publication number: 20130340451
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has an upper region, a lower region disposed vertically lower than the upper region, and a passive charge management device. The passive charge management device has an internal volume, an upper tube connecting the internal volume to at least one of the upper region and the lower region at a first vertical height, and a lower tube connecting the internal volume to at least one of the upper region and the lower region at a second vertical height that is vertically lower than the first vertical height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Gary Lee Sapp, Darryl Elliott Denton, Jason Thomas LeRoy, John Bailey, Roy Randall Crawford
  • Publication number: 20130256537
    Abstract: When constructing a nuclear detector module in a gantry, a plurality of overlapping light guide modules (10) are mounted to the gantry in a spaced-apart fashion, and a plurality of underlapping light guide modules (12) are mounted in between each pair of overlapping light guide modules (10). Each of the underlapping modules and the overlapping modules includes a scintillation crystal array (16) on an interior surface thereof, and a plurality of PMTs on an exterior surface thereof. Overlapping modules (10) have overlapping structures (22) that interface with underlapping structures (18) on the underlapping modules (12) and thereby eliminate a seam directly beneath PMTs that overlap the crystal arrays of both an overlapping module and an underlapping module. Optical grease is used to form a resilient grease coupling and reduce light scatter between the underlapping and overlapping modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy Laurence, Jinling Liu, Steven E. Cooke, Steven John Plummer
  • Publication number: 20130240721
    Abstract: When calibrating a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, a radioactive calibration phantom is scanned over a period of several half lives to acquire a plurality of frames of scan data. Interlaced timing windows are employed to facilitate acquiring coincidence data for a plurality of coincidence timing windows and energy windows during a single calibration scan. Coincident events are binned according to each of a plurality of selected coincidence windows, and the PET scanner is calibrated for each of the plurality of coincidence timing windows using data acquired from the single calibration scan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy Laurence, Jeffrey Allan Kolthammer
  • Patent number: 8307814
    Abstract: The invention is a method of controlling trapped gas masses in cylinders of a variable timing gasoline engine. A set point is determined for a trapped air mass in a cylinder and a set point is determined for trapped burnt gas mass in a cylinder. Then, in order to meet these set points: an intake pressure set point is generated from measurements of variable timing of positions of actuators and from the air mass set point; a position set point is generated for each of two variable timing actuators, from an intake pressure measurement and from the burnt gas mass set point; finally, a throttle and the variable timing actuators are controlled so as to meet the intake pressure set point and the set point position of the variable timing actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: IFP
    Inventors: Thomas Leroy, Jonathan Chauvin