Patents Examined by Don Le
  • Patent number: 9814111
    Abstract: A modular light control device and a dimming control system are disclosed. The modular light control device comprises a power conversion module, an output module and a control module. The power conversion module has a conversion circuit and a first recognition unit. The conversion circuit receives a power source and converts the power source into a power signal. The output module has an output circuit and a second recognition unit. When the control module is electrically connected with the power conversion module and the output module, the control module distinguishes configurations of the power conversion module and the output module through the first recognition unit and the second recognition unit, respectively, and outputs a control signal according to the configuration of the output module, and the output circuit outputs a driving signal to drive a lamp according to the power signal and the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Gooee Limited
    Inventors: Ji De Huang, Chun-Kuang Chen, Tung Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 9807852
    Abstract: This document describes an interactive cord with integrated light sources. An interactive cord includes a cable, and a fabric cover that covers the cable. The fabric cover includes one or more conductive threads woven into the fabric cover to form one or more capacitive touchpoints which are configured to enable reception of touch input. The fabric cover further includes one or more light sources. A controller, implemented at the interactive cord or a computing device coupled to the interactive cord, can detect touch input to a capacitive touchpoint and trigger one or more functions. In addition, the controller can control the light sources to output light to visually indicate a position of the capacitive touchpoint on the fabric cover and/or to provide feedback by outputting light responsive to detecting touch input to a respective capacitive touchpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer, Greg Ellis Priest-Dorman
  • Patent number: 9807853
    Abstract: A lighting device that is capable of discriminating a type of an external power source device connected from among types of connectable devices without increasing the number of terminals of a connector. A connector is electrically connectable to an external power source device and includes a first terminal for supplying electric power from the external power source device to a main capacitor and a second terminal for discriminating a type of the external power source device. An obtaining unit obtains the information for discriminating the type of the external power source device by comparing a voltage value of a signal input to the second terminal from the external power source device with a predetermined voltage threshold when an attribute of the second terminal is set to an input. A discrimination unit discriminates the type of the external power source device by contrasting the information obtained with information stored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Teruyuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 9800247
    Abstract: In a processor or the like including a reconfigurable (RC) circuit, the RC circuit is used to form a test circuit to test a core, a cache memory, or the like, and then part of the RC circuit is used as an auxiliary cache memory. When a memory can store data after stop of power supply, a startup routine program (SRP) of the processor can be stored therein. For example, after the test, an SRP is loaded to a memory in the RC circuit from an external ROM or the like, and when power is resupplied to the processor, a startup operation is performed using the loaded SRP. When the processor is in a normal operation state, this memory is used as an auxiliary cache memory and the SRP is overwritten. The SRP is loaded to the memory again at the end of use of the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9801259
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light fixture comprising at least one visible light source emitting visible light, at least one IR light source emitting infrared light in an infrared spectrum, an outer housing in which the at least one visible light source and the at least one IR light source is located, a first projection system configured to collect at least some of the visible light and configured to generate at least one first light beam of the visible light along an optical axis having a first beam characteristic, a second projection system configured to collect at least some of the infrared light and configured to generate at least one second light beam of the IR light along the optical axis, wherein the second projection system is configured such that at least outside the outer housing the second beam characteristic substantially corresponds to the first beam characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Inventor: Niels Jorgen Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 9801264
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus that emits light from a light source using accumulated electric energy and that performs wireless communication with another illumination apparatus via a communication unit includes a capacitor that accumulates the electric energy used to emit light from the light source, a detection unit that detects a charge state of the capacitor, and a notification unit that performs notification indicating information indicating that the illumination apparatus is in a flash available state and notification indicating information indicating that both the illumination apparatus and the other illumination apparatus are in a flash available state in a distinguishable manner in accordance with information on the other illumination apparatus received by the communication unit and a result of the detection performed by the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kentarou Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 9794992
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving LEDs using high voltage includes two LED driving circuits and two switches that can be turned on or off by a universal controller so as to connect the two LED driving circuits in two different configurations. When the input voltage is in a range from rectified 90 volt AC to rectified 140 volt AC, the two switches are controlled in such a way that the two LED driving circuits are connected in parallel. When the input voltage VIN is in a range from rectified 180 volt AC to rectified 265 volt AC, the two switches are controlled to connect the LED segments of the LED unit in one LED driving circuit in series with the other LED driving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: VastView Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Hung-Chi Chu, Yuhren Shen
  • Patent number: 9795015
    Abstract: One or more embodiments set forth techniques for identifying and locating wireless light emitting elements within a lighting system. An identification and location module executing on calibration system transmits a message to instruct a first light emitting element included in a plurality of light emitting elements within the lighting system to emit light having a first characteristic. The identification and location module detects, via a photosensitive device, a first location of the first light emitting element within the lighting system based on the first characteristic. The identification and location module stores a data entry in a memory that associates the first location with the first light emitting element. At least one advantage of the approach described herein is that wireless light emitting elements are automatically identified and located during post assembly testing, thereby reducing labor costs associated with manually presorting or recording IDs of the light emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Davide Di Censo, Stefan Marti, Kevin Hague, Jaime Elliot Nahman
  • Patent number: 9788394
    Abstract: A lighting system has a first lighting unit for providing general lighting and a second lighting unit for providing directed lighting. The lighting units are controlled based on sensed light conditions, in order to maintain an intensity and/or color contrast between the general lighting and the directed lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Lucas Leo Desire Van Der Poel
  • Patent number: 9781779
    Abstract: An illumination device with a number of light sources arranged in at least two groups of light sources that are individually controllable. The first group of light sources (203) have light collectors (209) such as internal reflection (TIR) lenses, mixers or other lenses placed over them to collect and convert light of the light sources into a number of light source beams. The second group of light sources (205) pass light through diffusing areas (215) of a diffuser (213) in the form of a diffusion cover included in the lamp housing to diffuse the light and create a background light for the first group of light sources. The light from the first group of light sources pass through non diffusing regions (211) of the diffuser cover without the light being diffused. The second group of light sources are interleaved with the first group by the diffuser having one or several diffusion areas between non diffusion areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Martin Professional ApS
    Inventors: Thomas Vinther, Claus Hansen
  • Patent number: 9779039
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for impedance adjustment operations in memory devices are disclosed. One such method includes adjusting an impedance of a particular driver circuit of a particular memory device to a desired impedance, determining configuration information corresponding to a configuration of the particular driver circuit adjusted to the desired impedance, transferring the configuration information to a different memory device and configuring an impedance of a driver circuit of the different memory device responsive to the configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry Grunzke
  • Patent number: 9780786
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for standby current control of a signal path in a semiconductor device are described. An example apparatus includes: first and second logic gates coupled in series; a first circuit coupled between the first logic gate and a power supply line that activates the first logic gate responsive to a first control signal; and a second circuit coupled between the second logic gate and the power supply line that activates the second logic gate responsive to a second control signal that is different from the first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Arai
  • Patent number: 9781806
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) driving device and a short protection method for a driving device are provided. The driving device includes an LED module, a driving circuit, a reference voltage setting circuit, a voltage comparison circuit, and a power supply. A first node of the LED module receives a lighting voltage, and a second node of the LED module has a first voltage. The reference voltage setting circuit receives the lighting voltage to generate a reference voltage. The voltage comparison circuit determines whether the first voltage is greater than the reference voltage when the LED module is turned off. When the first voltage is greater than the reference voltage, the voltage comparison circuit generates a short signal. The power supply supplies power to the LED module and determines whether to shut down the power of the LED driving device according to the short signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Shih-Chi Yeh, Ju-Hsing Hu, Pei-Chi Tsai, Wei-Chiuan Huang
  • Patent number: 9775208
    Abstract: In one embodiment, and LED control circuit may be configured to monitor the value of currents in two or more strings of series connected LEDs, and to adjust the currents to be substantially equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Jean-Paul Louvel
  • Patent number: 9769898
    Abstract: An LED controller includes: an absolute value calculator to calculate an initial light intensity value for a desired light output curve; a fade-in calculator to calculate a first light intensity value; and a fade-out calculator to calculate a second light intensity value. The LED controller also includes processing logic configured to: select one of the fade-in calculator and the fade-out calculator as a selected incremental value calculator, based on a directional indicator that indicates whether a fade-in light output effect or a fade-out light output effect is requested, initialize coefficients of the absolute value calculator and the selected incremental value calculator with a set of coefficient values associated with the desired light output curve, and output a set of voltage levels to a set of pulse width modulation (PWM) generators that output a set of PWM signals, which control light output of a string of LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Henricus Cornelis Johannes Buthker
  • Patent number: 9768784
    Abstract: Integrated circuits such as programmable integrated circuits may include programmable logic regions that can be configured to perform custom user functions. The programmable logic regions may include lookup table (LUT) circuitry driven using vectored multiplexing circuits. The vectored multiplexing circuits may include a first multiplexer stage controlled by common configuration bits, a second multiplexer stage, and means for connecting either outputs of the first multiplexer stage or the output of the second multiplexer stage to corresponding logic circuits. The vectored multiplexing circuits may be used to generate multiple signal variants to vectored lookup table circuitry. The vectored lookup table circuitry may include a first stage of LUTs sharing some number of inputs and a second stage of LUTs at least some of which can be switched out of use. The second stage of LUTs may have inputs that are deactivated in a fractured mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: John Curtis Van Dyken
  • Patent number: 9767990
    Abstract: Apparatus for treating a gas in a conduit of a substrate processing system are provided. In some embodiments, an apparatus for treating a gas in a conduit of a substrate processing system includes: a dielectric tube configured to be coupled to a conduit of a substrate processing system to allow a flow of gases through the dielectric tube, wherein the dielectric tube has a conical sidewall; and a radio frequency (RF) coil wound about an outer surface of the conical sidewall of the dielectric tube. In some embodiments, the RF coil is hollow and includes coolant fittings to couple the hollow RF coil to a coolant supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jibing Zeng, Brian T. West, Rongping Wang, Manoj A. Gajendra
  • Patent number: 9762400
    Abstract: Embodiments include apparatuses, methods, and systems for a physically unclonable function (PUF) circuit. The PUF circuit may include an array of PUF cells to generate respective PUF bits of an encryption code. Individual PUF cells may include first and second inverters cross-coupled between a bit node and a bit bar node. The individual PUF cells may further include a first pre-charge transistor coupled to the bit node and configured to receive a clock signal via a first clock path, and a second pre-charge transistor coupled to the bit bar node and configured to receive the clock signal via a second clock path. Features and techniques of the PUF cells are disclosed to improve the stability and/or bias strength of the PUF cells, to generate a dark bit mask for the array of PUF cells, and to improve resilience to probing attacks. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Sanu K. Mathew, Sudhir K. Satpathy
  • Patent number: 9755645
    Abstract: A current source logic gate with depletion mode field effect transistor (“FET”) transistors and resistors may include a current source, a current steering switch input stage, and a resistor divider level shifting output stage. The current source may include a transistor and a current source resistor. The current steering switch input stage may include a transistor to steer current to set an output stage bias point depending on an input logic signal state. The resistor divider level shifting output stage may include a first resistor and a second resistor to set the output stage point and produce valid output logic signal states. The transistor of the current steering switch input stage may function as a switch to provide at least two operating points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Michael J. Krasowski, Norman F. Prokop
  • Patent number: 9744902
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling headlight systems of vehicles. In accordance with one embodiment, a vehicle comprises a headlight system, a processor, and a sensor unit. The processor is configured to at least facilitate transmitting one or more light images with an identifiable characteristic from the vehicle via the headlight system. The sensor unit is configured to receive one or more light images. The processor is further configured to at least facilitate determining whether one or more received light images have the identifiable characteristic, and taking an action based at least on part on whether the one or more received light images have the identifiable characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. Dziurda