Abstract: A positive counter starts counting, starting with an initial value, upon receiving a positive edge of a dimming pulse signal. A negative edge counter starts counting, starting with an initial value, upon receiving a negative edge of the dimming pulse signal. For each i-th (2?i?n) channel, the phase shift amount is calculated by multiplying a period count value that indicates the period of the dimming pulse signal by (i?1)/n. When the count value matches the phase shift amount, a burst control signal is switched to a first level. When the count value matches the phase shift amount, the burst control signal is switched to a second level.

Abstract: A collector included in an electron tube is covered with a carbon nanotube layer over a required area on the surface thereof.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided that include alterable characteristics and such alterable characteristics may be coordinated. Such systems, apparatuses, and methods may include wearable apparatuses and such alterable characteristics may relate to illumination conditions. In one example, a wearable apparatus includes an illumination device that may be manually manipulated between two different illumination conditions. In another example, two wearable apparatuses may each include an illumination device and operation of the two illumination devices may be coordinated. In a further example, operation of an apparatus may be controlled by a third party or venue. Still another exemplary system may include a capturing device for capturing a characteristic of an object and controlling an output device of an apparatus to operate with the same characteristic as the captured characteristic.

Abstract: A method for controlling electrical power of light emission diodes (LED) is provided. The above method comprises steps of providing a supply voltage to the LED driver; providing a driving current to the LED by the LED driver; obtaining an operating voltage of the LED; and adjusting the supply voltage according to the operating voltage of the LED.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a switched-mode power supply. It is also related to a LED lighting system and driver which comprise such a switched-mode power supply. In addition, the present invention is related to a method for electrically driving a load. According to the present invention, the switched-mode power supply is switched from a charging state, in which an energy storage is charged, to a discharging state, in which the energy storage feeds a load, when a current limit has been exceeded. This current limit is set proportional to an instantaneous voltage outputted by the rectifier.

Abstract: A decorative light in the form of a candelabrum, chandelier, or sphere, the candelabrum and chandelier having a plurality of artificial flower blossoms, each with an LED. A control circuit is electronically connected to each LED and has electronic circuitry to cause each LED to illuminate at a preselected time each day, remain illuminated for a predetermined interval, and then extinguish.

Abstract: A lighting device which lights the discharge lamp, includes: a converting circuit which converts the direct current into an alternating current; a pulse generating circuit which generates a high voltage pulse; and a trigger circuit which causes the pulse generating circuit to generate the high voltage pulse, wherein the pulse generating circuit includes a primary winding and a secondary winding and generates the high voltage pulse by increasing a current input to the secondary winding based on a current input to the primary winding, and the trigger circuit includes a high pass filter; a first capacitor which stores and discharges charges input via the high pass filter; and a third switching element which outputs an output current from a second capacitor connected in parallel to the converting circuit to the primary winding if an output voltage from the first capacitor exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: Driving circuits are provided that compensate for devices having characteristics that change with age. A correction circuit has a reference device having an output that changes with age in a known manner over a time span similar to the expected lifetime of the driven device. The output of reference device provides an indication of the current age of driven device.

Abstract: A lamp includes an arc tube and a lighting unit for lighting the arc tube. The lighting unit includes a rectifier circuit, a smoothing circuit for partial smoothing, and an inverter circuit having a pair of switching elements. The smoothing circuit smoothes portions of the output voltage of the rectifier circuit below the first voltage value and outputs a voltage that falls between the first voltage value and the second voltage value. The discharge sustaining voltage of the arc tube is set to fall between the first and second values of the voltage Vdc output from the smoothing circuit.

Abstract: An illumination controlling device for a vehicle includes a controlling portion to change a luminance phase of a meter based on operation of an operating portion and to maintain a luminance phase of a lighting while the lighting is extinguished. The controlling portion changes the luminance phase of the meter based on the operation of the operating portion and changes the luminance phase of the lighting to correspond to the luminance phase of the meter if the operating portion is operated in a state that the luminance phase is different between the meter and the lighting while the lighting is illuminated.

Abstract: An apparatus of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source may include: a magnet unit containing a magnet for generating magnetic fields; an ionizing chamber housing unit for generating ions through electron cyclotron resonance from a plasma; a microwave generating unit for injecting microwaves to the ionizing chamber housing unit to generate ions; and a beam integrating and guiding unit for treating the generated ions. The magnet unit may include: a bobbin for winding the magnet; a variable spacer for dividing the bobbin into a plurality of sections; and the magnet which is wound into the form of a wire or a tape in the plurality of sections formed by the variable spacer.

Abstract: There is provided a method for advanced configuration and initialization of a luminaire system. The luminaire system comprises one or more lighting devices (102), an apparatus (104) and a user interface (106). The apparatus comprises a light sensor. One or more of the lighting devices are not connected to a central controller by means of a wired/wireless connection. Therefore, techniques and procedures to use manual interaction by an operator (114) to control these lighting devices are proposed. The proposed techniques enable backward compatible and low-cost implementations of advanced luminaire initialization and configuration. Moreover, this invention proposes to combine the user input, sensing and control functionality into one device, thereby reducing the total cost of implementation and ownership of the proposed system. A corresponding system and apparatus are also presented.

Abstract: A wireless battery-powered daylight sensor for measuring a total light intensity in a space is operable to transmit wireless signals using a variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The sensor comprises a photosensitive circuit, a wireless transmitter for transmitting the wireless signals, a controller coupled to the photosensitive circuit and the wireless transmitter, and a battery for powering the photosensitive circuit, the wireless transmitter, and the controller. The photosensitive circuit is operable to generate a light intensity control signal in response to the total light intensity in the space. The controller transmits the wireless signals in response to the light intensity control signal using the variable transmission rate that is dependent upon the total light intensity in the space. The variable transmission rate may be dependent upon an amount of change of the total light intensity in the space.

Abstract: An enhanced control mechanism for an LED light string system is provided for switching between one of two DC output phases or polarities so as to actuate one or the other of two LEDs within the bulbs on the light string. The control mechanism is further configured to allow switching so as to pass through the input power provided by a light string that is plugged into its electrical power feeding end. The control mechanism may provide either AC, rectified AC, or DC voltage of various values to the LED string according to the particular needs of the LED bulbs.

Abstract: In a circuit that turns off a fluorescent lamp, clamping circuitry is provided to dissipate energy stored in a ballast when the lamp is being turned off. In a normal state in which the lamp is on, or in a normal state in which the lamp is off, clamping is not performed as long the VDS of a power switch is below a voltage A. In a lamp turn off operation, the switch is turned on for a time period to extinguish the lamp, and is then made to operate as a clamp (operate in its linear region) for a second period of time to dissipate energy that was stored in the ballast. Clamping in the linear region continues for VDS voltages down to B as ballast energy is dissipated, where B is smaller than A. By clamping down to the lower voltage B, re-ignition of the lamp is prevented.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a multi-color light emitting device circuit, which includes: multiple light emitting device strings of different colors, a timing control circuit, a power regulator circuit, and preferably a dark feedback circuit. Each light emitting device string has multiple light emitting devices coupled in series. The number of the light emitting devices of each light emitting device string is determined by an operational voltage of the light emitting device, wherein at least two of the light emitting device strings have different numbers of the light emitting devices, such that voltage drops of the two light emitting device strings are closer to each other than in a case wherein the two light emitting device strings have the same number of the light emitting devices, and the response time of the light emitting device strings are increased.

Abstract: To provide a lighting device in which the luminance of an EL element is maintained even when the EL element deteriorates so that degradation of the lighting device is reduced, the lighting device includes a surface light source portion including an organic EL element, and a control circuit portion provided in a base portion. The control circuit portion counts a lighting time of the organic EL element and controls the luminance of the organic EL element in accordance with the lighting time. Accordingly, the lighting device in which the luminance of an EL element is maintained regardless of degradation of the EL element so that degradation of the lighting device is reduced can be provided.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for operating high intensity discharge (HID) lamps at a predetermined substantially constant luminous flux output. A power-time characteristic is developed using a test lamp of similar type and rating to the HID lamps. This characteristic defines the power required at different times, which may be regularly spaced intervals of for example 20 hours, during the operating life of the HID lamps to operate the lamps at the predetermined luminous flux output. The power time characteristic is then “played back” in real time via a microprocessor based master controller for the HID lamps. The communications to the HID lamps may be wireless or hard wired. The result is that the HID lamps are operated at substantially constant lumens resulting in significant energy savings and improved lamp performance.

Abstract: A lighting system includes a plurality of LED lights having at least two different color LED lights. A controller is coupled to the LED lights for independently controlling the intensity of sets of different color LED lights. A program stored on a storage device is operable on the controller to control the intensity of each of the different sets of different color LED lights to produce light representative of color and intensity changes of outdoor daylight conditions.

Abstract: A power line communication system communicates a ballast dimming level to an electronic ballast over an AC power line. A power line controller is operable to generate the ballast control signal and to insert that signal on the AC power signal being transmitted over the AC power line. A power line receiver receives the AC power signal and extracts the ballast control signal from the AC power signal to generate the dimming level signal corresponding with the desired ballast dimming level. To insert the ballast control signal on the AC power signal, the power line controller has a transformer coupled to the signal pattern circuit. The secondary winding of this transformer is connected in series with the AC power line to insert the ballast control signal on the AC power signal. This AC power signal is then transmitted to the electronic ballast. To extract the ballast control signal out of the AC power signal, the power line receiver has a resonant circuit connected in series with the AC power line.