Patents Examined by David Hung Vu
  • Patent number: 8125153
    Abstract: A plasma lamp including a waveguide body comprising at least one dielectric material. The body is coupled to a microwave power source which causes the body to resonate in at least one resonant mode. A lamp chamber integrated with the body contains a bulb with a fill forming a light-emitting plasma when the chamber receives power from the resonating body. A bulb either is self-enclosed or an envelope sealed by a window or lens covering the chamber aperture. Embodiments disclosed include lamps having a drive probe and a feedback probe, and lamps having a drive probe, feedback probe and start probe, which minimize power reflected from the body back to the source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Espiau, Yian Chang
  • Patent number: 8125156
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating at least one high-pressure discharge lamp (16), has four switches (Q1 to Q4) in a full-bridge arrangement (14), a first and a second switch (Q1, Q2) forming the first half-bridge arm, and a third and a fourth switch (Q3, Q4) forming the second half-bridge arm, at least two terminals for coupling the high-pressure discharge lamp (16) between the midpoint of the first and the second half-bridge arms, at least two terminals for supplying the circuit arrangement (10) with a dc voltage signal and a drive circuit (20) for driving the four switches (Q1 to Q4). The drive circuit (20) is designed to provide drive signals, (z1(t), z2(t), z1(t), z2(t)) for the four switches (Q1 to Q4), whose clock pulse (ft) is swept between a first and a second frequency, and whose pulse width and/or phase is modulated with a prescribable third frequency (fa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: OSRAM AG
    Inventor: Herbert Kaestle
  • Patent number: 8120264
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting circuit for supplying an AC power to a discharge lamp includes first and second converters for receiving a DC voltage and stepping up the voltage. A controlling circuit drives the first and second converters CON1, CON2 alternately at a first frequency and stops an operation of a side that is not driven such that the AC power is supplied to the discharge lamp to execute a lighting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Tomoyuki Ichikawa, Shinji Ohta
  • Patent number: 8110994
    Abstract: A multi-zone daylight harvesting method and apparatus having a closed loop system utilizing a single light sensor is disclosed herein. This light control system includes an ambient light sensor connected to a detection circuit for detecting the amount of ambient light within a given zone and converting the light signal to an digital one. A control device couples to receive a predetermined rate of change for each respective zone from a storage unit along with the converted digital signal. The control device connects each zone of a plurality of electrical loads to control the power supplied to the electrical load at the predetermined corresponding rate of change and responsive to the amount of ambient light detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Hick, Richard A. Leinen
  • Patent number: 8110988
    Abstract: A dielectric waveguide integrated plasma lamp is disclosed for powering a small and bright bulb with a diameter of a few millimeters. The lamp is contained within a high dielectric constant material which guides the microwaves to the bulb, provides heat isolation to the drive circuit, contains the microwaves, provides structural stability and ease of manufacturing and allows efficient energy coupling to the bulb when used as a dielectric resonant oscillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Luxim Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Espiau, Chandrashekhar J. Joshi, Yian Chang
  • Patent number: 8106593
    Abstract: A hybrid lighting device is described. The hybrid lighting device comprises a solar panel arranged to generate electric power; a wind turbine arranged to generate electric power; an energy storage device electrically connected with the power controller and arranged to store electric power; a power controller electrically connected with the energy storage device and the solar panel and the wind turbine and arranged to transfer electric power; and an induction-based light source electrically connected with the power controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Olen Nevins
  • Patent number: 8106598
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for assuring use of a fluorescent or similar high efficiency lamp in a screw base socket, the invention provides a circuit containing a screw base socket and an associated thermal sensing unit capable of interrupting power to the circuit on sensing of heat such as is generated by an incandescent or similar low efficiency lamp when mounted in the screw base socket. Practice of the method permits use of only fluorescent or similar lamping such as is incapable of sufficient heat generation to interrupt power to the circuit, the methodology of the invention preventing use of incandescent or similar energy inefficient lamping. The method and apparatus are particularly useful in the lamping of recessed downlighting fixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: James P. Yates
  • Patent number: 8098024
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for compensating for lamp lumen depreciation and providing selective discretionary lamp power adjustment, e.g., for lamp dimming. The method includes operating the lamp under rated wattage for a period towards the first part of operating life of the lamp. Operating wattage is increased at one or more later times. Energy savings are realized. The increases also restore at least some light lost by lamp lumen depreciation. The apparatus uses a timer to track operating time of the lamp. A few wattage changes made at spaced apart times can be made in a number of ways, including changing capacitance to the lamp, or using different taps on the lamp ballast. A component allows selective discretionary adjustment of electrical power or some other controlling factor to adjust light output (e.g. dim) the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Musco Corporation
    Inventor: Myron Gordin
  • Patent number: 8093822
    Abstract: An LED driver providing an LED lighting current to an LED path, extracts the LED lighting current information from the LED path to produce a first signal including an AC component and a DC component, and extracts the DC component information of the first signal to produce a second signal to regulate an average of the LED lighting current. This LED driver implements real constant average current regulation for an LED lighting apparatus, eliminates the need of output capacitor as well as rectifier diode in most applications to simplify the circuit of the power stage, and is applicable to power stages of various modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Jing-Meng Liu
  • Patent number: 8093836
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for striking a discharge lamp, comprising: a drive apparatus, having an output adapted to provide a drive signal with a predeterminable frequency; an inverter, which is coupled to the output of the drive apparatus, and having an output adapted to provide a square-wave signal with a predeterminable duty factor; a load circuit, which is coupled to the output of the inverter and has at least one terminal for the discharge lamp, the load circuit comprising a lamp inductor, which is coupled in series between the output of the inverter and the at least one terminal for the discharge lamp; a first control loop with a first reference variable, a first manipulated variable and a first controlled variable, the first control loop having a first time constant; a second control loop with a second reference variable, an auxiliary manipulated variable and a second controlled variable, the second control loop having a second time constant; and a strike detection apparatus, which is adapted to detect str
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Siegfried Mayer, Arwed Storm
  • Patent number: 8093824
    Abstract: A backlight driving system comprises an inverter module, a current balance module, a feedback module and an open-lamp protection detection module. The inverter module provides electrical signals to a plurality of lamps. The current balance module balances currents flowing through the plurality of lamps. The feedback module detects the current of the backlight and generates a feedback signal to the invert module accordingly. The open-lamp protection detection module detects voltage variations of the feedback transformer and generates a detection signal to the inverter module accordingly. The inverter module regulates the currents flowing through the plurality of lamps according to the feedback signal and determines one or more of the plurality of lamps are faulty according to the detection signal generated by the open-lamp protection detection module, and stops providing the electrical signals to the plurality of lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Ampower Technology Co., Ltd,
    Inventors: Yong-Long Lee, Chin-Po Cheng
  • Patent number: 8092032
    Abstract: A lighting array assembly has a plurality of support members facing different directions and on which emitters are mounted. Each support member has an emitter circuit thereon in operative association with at least one emitter and has a lighting center point. The emitters on each support member are positioned together around the lighting center point. The number of emitters mounted on each of the outer surfaces is determined by the light specified in each direction to meet the desired lighting distribution configuration in each direction. A method of configuring an emitter lighting array assembly includes selecting the desired lighting distribution configuration to achieve a desired lighting distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: King Luminaire Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Michael R. Pearse
  • Patent number: 8089222
    Abstract: A fast electromagnet device (140) receives a high voltage from a pulse power supply through a coaxial cable and excites an electromagnet at high speed, so as to bend a charged particle beam. The fast electromagnet device (140) includes a kicker magnet (150) and an auxiliary circuit (160). The kicker magnet (150) is equivalent to a circuit element of a lumped constant circuit, is formed with a space penetrating in the traveling direction of the charged particle beams, instantaneously generates a magnetic field in the penetrated space with a high voltage applied, and bends the charged particle beams passing through the penetrated space. The auxiliary circuit (160) constitutes a matching circuit in combination with the kicker magnet (150), so that the input impedance of the matching circuit and the characteristic impedance of the coaxial cable connected to the input terminal of the matching circuit are matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Osaka University
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Oki, Takahisa Itahashi, Yoshitaka Kuno
  • Patent number: 8076853
    Abstract: A terahertz sheet beam klystron (TSBK) includes an electron gun configured to generate a sheet electron beam and a drift tube through which the sheet beam is propagated. The drift tube is provided with multiple resonant cavities and includes a drift tube circuit including an input RF circuit through which an input RF signal is introduced and an output RF circuit through which an output RF signal is extracted, a collector, and a vacuum envelope. The output RF circuit is configured such that Qe (extraction Q) of the drift tube circuit is comparable to Q0 (unloaded Q) of the drift tube circuit, thereby improving the efficiency of the drift tube circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Communications & Power Industries LLC
    Inventor: George Caryotakis
  • Patent number: 8072153
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a multi-color backlight control circuit, comprising: a plurality of pins for electrically connecting with a plurality of LED strings of different LED colors; and a voltage supply circuit for receiving an input voltage and supplying a single output voltage to the plurality of LED strings of different LED colors. The present invention also discloses a multi-color backlight control method, comprising: supplying a single output voltage to a plurality of LED strings of different LED colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation R.O.C.
    Inventor: Jing-Meng Liu
  • Patent number: 8067907
    Abstract: In a charged particle accelerator, voltage of several tens of kV is applied between accelerating electrodes. In such a case, electric discharge is sometimes generated between the accelerating electrodes. In the charged particle accelerator, part or entirety of the accelerating electrodes is coated with an electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy having a high melting point as compared with metal. When impurity fine particles are accelerated by an electric field and collide with the electrodes, the electric discharge suppressing layer made of ceramics or alloy prevents metal vapor from being easily generated from the electrodes and an ionized plasma from being easily produced, thus suppressing electric discharge between the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Morita, Ryozo Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Yokosuka
  • Patent number: 8067898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power supply device for light elements, including a first light element having a first color, a second light element having a second color, and a third light element having a third color. The power supply includes a power supply unit, a controllable switch coupled in series to the third light element in parallel to the second light element. The power supply unit has a first and a second output such that the first light element is coupled to the first output and the second and third light elements are coupled to the second output. The power supply unit provides adjustable output signals at the first and said second output such that the third light element radiates light when the switch is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Harald Josef Gunther Radermacher, Volkmar Schulz, Matthias Wendt
  • Patent number: 8063577
    Abstract: A driver circuit for operating one or more light emitting diodes(LEDs) is disclosed. An alternating supply current is generated and transformed to an alternating secondary winding voltage. Using rectifier means, such as diodes or synchronous switches, the alternating secondary winding voltage is converted to a substantially constant load current by using a buffer element. The buffer element comprises an output choke, such as an inductor. The power transferred from the power source to the LEDs may be controlled by frequency control of the alternating supply current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Georg Sauerlaender, Reinhold Elferich, Bernd Ackermann, Dirk Hente, Christoph Martiny, Matthias Wendt
  • Patent number: 8063576
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method are disclosed for providing illumination from at least one light emitting diode lighting fixture. Each lighting fixture includes a respective LED array and the method includes the steps of determining at least one parameter associated with the LED array and supplying drive signals to light LEDs in the LED array responsive to the parameter thereby providing illumination having a desired characteristic from said lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Dialight Lumidrives Limited
    Inventor: Gordon Routledge
  • Patent number: 8058807
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp includes a ballast, a holder, a power regulating switch, and a fluorescent tube. The power regulating switch includes a housing, a base, plurality of inductors, a plurality of first contacts, a plurality of second contacts, a plurality of conducting bridges, a plurality of push rods, and a plurality of elastic members. The circuit of the power regulating switch has different values of inductance and output power by provision of the inductors, and the output power of the power regulating switch is regulated by the electrical connection between each of the first contacts and the respective different second contact so as to fit the fluorescent tube of different power specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kaoyi Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Hsin Chao