Patents by Inventor Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton

Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton 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).

  • Patent number: 11987253
    Abstract: A processor, responsive to a set of location or motion data describing one or more objects relative to a first, local frame of reference, generates a transformed set of location or motion data describing the one or more objects relative to a second, local frame of reference different than the first local frame of reference, such that the set of location or motion data and the transformed set of location or motion data relative to a global frame of reference are same. The processor also outputs the transformed set of location or motion data to a vehicle such that the vehicle performs control operations responsive thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 11774326
    Abstract: A method for testing an engine in a vehicle includes arranging a bath separate from the vehicle configured to cool a driveline component of the vehicle, adjusting a temperature of the driveline component to a target temperature, and responsive to the driveline component achieving the target temperature, operating the engine according to a mapping procedure, and controlling the bath to maintain the temperature of the driveline component at the target temperature during the operating. The method further includes measuring heat transfer from the driveline component to the bath during the operating, and calculating torque loss or energy loss of the driveline component during the operating based on the heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: HORIBA Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20230003618
    Abstract: A vehicle test system includes a free-wheeling automobile wheel including a rim defining a rim passage, and a bearing that extends through the rim passage such that the bearing is outside the rim to support the free-wheeling automobile wheel and retracts through the rim passage such that the bearing is inside the rim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 11415484
    Abstract: A vehicle longitudinal speed control testing apparatus includes a first movable target body spaced away from a vehicle executing active speed control while loaded by a dynamometer assembly, and a controller. The controller changes a distance between the first movable target body and the vehicle to cause a speed parameter of the vehicle to follow a desired vehicle speed schedule based on speed parameter feedback from the dynamometer assembly or the vehicle, a sum of a speed of the first movable target body and the speed parameter feedback to follow a desired absolute speed schedule, or the distance between the first movable target body and the vehicle to increase according to a desired distance schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20220244142
    Abstract: A testing method, for a camera-based autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle control system, includes while the vehicle control system operates with at least one control input from at least one camera during a first laboratory test of the vehicle control system, automatically controlling an electronic simulator configured to generate signals indicative of dynamic virtual lane markers based on speed information from a speed schedule or a feedback signal from a laboratory instrument, and displaying the virtual lane markers on a transparent or semi-transparent screen or monitor, within view of the at least one camera, and at screen or monitor coordinates reflective of relative locations of the at least one camera and the screen or monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 11397132
    Abstract: A test method for a vehicle powertrain includes, during a first test in which dynamic engine torque from a powertrain drives a vehicle on a road, recording throttle position or accelerator pedal position to define a throttle schedule, and recording engine speed to define an engine speed schedule. The test method further includes, during a second test of a vehicle engine, controlling a dynamometer and the vehicle engine according to the engine speed schedule and throttle schedule to reproduce the dynamic engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20220221376
    Abstract: A method for testing an engine in a vehicle includes arranging a bath separate from the vehicle configured to cool a driveline component of the vehicle, adjusting a temperature of the driveline component to a target temperature, and responsive to the driveline component achieving the target temperature, operating the engine according to a mapping procedure, and controlling the bath to maintain the temperature of the driveline component at the target temperature during the operating. The method further includes measuring heat transfer from the driveline component to the bath during the operating, and calculating torque loss or energy loss of the driveline component during the operating based on the heat transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard BRETON
  • Publication number: 20210276571
    Abstract: A processor, responsive to a set of location or motion data describing one or more objects relative to a first, local frame of reference, generates a transformed set of location or motion data describing the one or more objects relative to a second, local frame of reference different than the first local frame of reference, such that the set of location or motion data and the transformed set of location or motion data relative to a global frame of reference are same. The processor also outputs the transformed set of location or motion data to a vehicle such that the vehicle performs control operations responsive thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 11073444
    Abstract: A test method includes deriving road grade information or wind load information from test schedule torque outputs generated by a dynamometer operatively arranged with a first vehicle, and controlling an accelerator pedal, an accelerator pedal signal, a fuel injector, a manifold pressure, a motor controller, or a throttle valve associated with the first or a second vehicle according to a speed schedule such that the dynamometer, or another dynamometer, programmed with the road grade information or wind load information and operatively arranged with the first or second vehicle applies a load to the first or second vehicle that reflects the road grade information or wind load information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: Horiba Europe GmbH, Horiba Instruments Incorporated, Horiba Mira Ltd.
    Inventors: Thomas Hoehr, Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton, Alex Mason
  • Publication number: 20210010902
    Abstract: A vehicle longitudinal speed control testing apparatus includes a first movable target body spaced away from a vehicle executing active speed control while loaded by a dynamometer assembly, and a controller. The controller changes a distance between the first movable target body and the vehicle to cause a speed parameter of the vehicle to follow a desired vehicle speed schedule based on speed parameter feedback from the dynamometer assembly or the vehicle, a sum of a speed of the first movable target body and the speed parameter feedback to follow a desired absolute speed schedule, or the distance between the first movable target body and the vehicle to increase according to a desired distance schedule.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 10775268
    Abstract: A test method for a vehicle powertrain includes, during a first test of a first vehicle or a portion of a first vehicle on a dynamometer, coordinatingly controlling (i) an accelerator pedal, an accelerator pedal signal, a fuel injector, a manifold pressure, a motor controller, or a throttle valve according to a load schedule and (ii) the dynamometer according to a speed schedule such that the dynamometer applies dynamic torque that causes a powertrain of the first vehicle or portion of the first vehicle to produce dynamic powertrain torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HORIBA INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20200249123
    Abstract: A test method for a vehicle powertrain includes, during a first test in which dynamic engine torque from a powertrain drives a vehicle on a road, recording throttle position or accelerator pedal position to define a throttle schedule, and recording engine speed to define an engine speed schedule. The test method further includes, during a second test of a vehicle engine, controlling a dynamometer and the vehicle engine according to the engine speed schedule and throttle schedule to reproduce the dynamic engine torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 10591294
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a hermitically sealed rigid vessel, a differential pressure sensor, and a controller. The differential pressure sensor measures a difference between ambient pressure in a vicinity of the vessel and internal pressure in the vessel, and outputs a signal indicative of the difference. The controller computes a change in elevation of the apparatus between a first location and a second location based on a value of the signal associated with the first location and a value of the signal associated with the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Horiba Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20200072605
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a hermitically sealed rigid vessel, a differential pressure sensor, and a controller. The differential pressure sensor measures a difference between ambient pressure in a vicinity of the vessel and internal pressure in the vessel, and outputs a signal indicative of the difference. The controller computes a change in elevation of the apparatus between a first location and a second location based on a value of the signal associated with the first location and a value of the signal associated with the second location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Publication number: 20190234833
    Abstract: A test method includes deriving road grade information or wind load information from test schedule torque outputs generated by a dynamometer operatively arranged with a first vehicle, and controlling an accelerator pedal, an accelerator pedal signal, a fuel injector, a manifold pressure, a motor controller, or a throttle valve associated with the first or a second vehicle according to a speed schedule such that the dynamometer, or another dynamometer, programmed with the road grade information or wind load information and operatively arranged with the first or second vehicle applies a load to the first or second vehicle that reflects the road grade information or wind load information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Thomas Hoehr, Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton, Alex Mason
  • Publication number: 20190195734
    Abstract: A test method for a vehicle powertrain includes, during a first test of a first vehicle or a portion of a first vehicle on a dynamometer, coordinatingly controlling (i) an accelerator pedal, an accelerator pedal signal, a fuel injector, a manifold pressure, a motor controller, or a throttle valve according to a load schedule and (ii) the dynamometer according to a speed schedule such that the dynamometer applies dynamic torque that causes a powertrain of the first vehicle or portion of the first vehicle to produce dynamic powertrain torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 6470732
    Abstract: A real-time emissions reporting system includes an instrument module adapted to be detachably connected to the exhaust pipe of a combustion engine to provide for flow of exhaust gas therethrough. The instrument module includes a differential pressure probe which allows for determination of flow rate of the exhaust gas and a gas sampling tube for continuously feeding a sample of the exhaust gas to a gas analyzer or a mounting location for a non-sampling gas analyzer. In addition to the module, the emissions reporting system also includes an elastomeric boot for detachably connecting the module to the exhaust pipe of the combustion engine, a gas analyzer for receiving and analyzing gases sampled within the module and a computer for calculating pollutant mass flow rates based on concentrations detected by the gas analyzer and the detected flowrate of the exhaust gas. The system may also include a particulate matter detector with a second gas sampling tube feeding same mounted within the instrument module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 6382014
    Abstract: An on-board vehicle emissions testing system includes an instrument module adapted to be detachably connected to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle to provide for flow of exhaust gas therethrough. The instrument module includes a differential pressure probe which allows for determination of flow rate of the exhaust gas and a gas sampling tube for continuously feeding a sample of the exhaust gas to a gas analyzer. In addition to the module, the on-board emission testing system also includes an elastomeric boot for detachably connecting the module to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, a gas analyzer for receiving and analyzing gases sampled within the module and a computer for calculating pollutant mass flow rates based on concentrations detected by the gas analyzer and the detected flow rate of the exhaust gas. The system may also include a particulate matter detector with a second gas sampling tube feeding same mounted within the instrument module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Adminstrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton
  • Patent number: 6148656
    Abstract: An on-board vehicle emissions testing system includes an instrument module adapted to be detachably connected to the exhaust pipe of a vehicle to provide for flow of exhaust gas therethrough. The instrument module includes a differential pressure probe which allows for determination of flow rate of the exhaust gas and a gas sampling tube for continuously feeding a sample of the exhaust gas to a gas analyzer. In addition to the module, the on-board emission testing system also includes an elastomeric boot for detachably connecting the module to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, a gas analyzer for receiving and analyzing gases sampled within the module and a computer for calculating pollutant mass flow rates based on concentrations detected by the gas analyzer and the detected flow rate of the exhaust gas. The system may also include a particulate matter detector with a second gas sampling tube feeding same mounted within the instrument module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Adminstrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
    Inventor: Leo Alphonse Gerard Breton