Patents Examined by Thuy Vinh Tran
  • Patent number: 10098202
    Abstract: A driver circuit of a light fixture includes a half-bridge inverter, a resonant tank circuit, an isolating transformer, an output rectifier, and a controller. The half-bridge inverter provides an alternating current signal to the resonant tank circuit. The resonant tank circuit includes a resonant inductor, a resonant capacitor, a first clamping diode, and a second clamping diode. The clamping diodes limit the voltage of the resonant capacitor to a power rail voltage and a ground voltage. The isolating transformer is connected to the resonant tank circuit. The controller senses current provided to the light source and adjusts a switching frequency of the half-bridge inverter to maintain the sensed current at a target current. The driver circuit operates as a constant current source with a self-limited output voltage determined as a function of the voltage of the power rail and the turns ration of the isolating transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10098210
    Abstract: A luminaire includes: a main body having a placement surface on which a light-emitting module is placed to emit light forward; and a wireless communication module which receives, by wireless communication, a control signal for controlling the light-emitting module. The wireless communication module: includes a substrate, and a transceiver which is provided on the substrate and receives the control signal. The wireless communication module is secured to the main body in such an orientation that the transceiver is located forward of the main body and the substrate intersects the placement surface of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takafumi Arai
  • Patent number: 10098201
    Abstract: A system for controlling lighting devices at one or more light-enabled facilities includes a portable electronic device with an app that communicates with a gateway controller at each facility, and/or a remote server. The portable electronic device pairs with a gateway controller upon arrival at the facility. The portable electronic device may receive available scenes from the gateway controller upon arrival, or from the remote server before arrival, and it may select scenes for the gateway controller to implement. Each scene will adjust various hardware settings of the lighting devices to alter the optical characteristics of emitted light at various times. The system also may use geolocation data to identify and schedule lighting services at various light-enabled facilities in a geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Cooper Lighting, LLC
    Inventors: Brian M. Wilson, Joseph R. Casper, Christopher D. Nolan
  • Patent number: 10080272
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette comprises at least one touch sensor, a microprocessor, and a light-emitting module. A control method comprises when a user touches the touch sensor, the touch sensor is triggered to generate an electric signal and transmit the electric signal to the microprocessor; the microprocessor controls the light-emitting module to emit a light on the basis of the electric signal transmitted by the touch sensor. The electronic cigarette light emission control method facilitates the user to find and use the electronic cigarette in the dark. Illumination with the light emitted by the electronic cigarette facilitates the user to walk in the dark, and, additionally, it facilitates the user to learn the power level of the electronic cigarette, while power saving is allowed by decreasing the intensity of light emission gradually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: SHENZHEN KIMSEN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Qiuming Liu
  • Patent number: 10066818
    Abstract: A system for controlling a headlamp includes a computing device and a capacitance sensor. A method for operating the headlamp includes detecting a first change at a first sensor on the headlamp and determining if the first change is a first swipe. The method further includes activating a first light of the headlamp in response to the first swipe and detecting a second change at the first sensor on the headlamp. The method further includes determining the second change is a hold and cycling the intensity of the first light of the headlamp in response to the second change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Nite Ize, Inc.
    Inventors: Bowden Ormsbee, Richard N. Case, Michael C. Boyd
  • Patent number: 10070500
    Abstract: A spotlight and a method of controlling the spotlight with an external device. The spotlight having a first light source including a center spotlight, a second light source including area lights, a power supply, a transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with the external device, and a processor. The processor is operable to receive a first input from the external device specifying a first amount of power to be provided to the first light source, and receive a second input from the external device specifying a second amount of power to be provided to the second light source. The processor is also operable to control the power supply to provide the first amount of power to the first light source in response to the first input, and control the power supply to provide the second amount of power to the second light source in response to the second input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyle Harvey, Alan Amundson, Ross McIntyre
  • Patent number: 10070499
    Abstract: A system to control an electrical device, such as a lighting component or set of components. The system includes a set of connection lines, a power control module and a load interface component. The power control module is responsive to an alternating current source being connected to one of a first connection line and a second connection line to provide a regulated voltage signal output. A load interface component receives the regulated voltage signal output to control the electrical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Brilliant Home Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Marcus Stewart, Aaron T. Emigh, Steven Stanek
  • Patent number: 10051713
    Abstract: A method for command transmission and configuration to sensor implemented by ambient light source is disclosed and adopted by a sensor having a light-sensing unit. The sensor collects ambient light time series data through the light-sensing unit, and extracts valid brightness toggle data therefrom. Next, the sensor determines if the obtained brightness toggle data matches with a triggering condition of a pre-stored command. When the obtained brightness toggle data matches with the triggering condition, the sensor outputs a flashing signal through its display unit and further determines if receiving a confirmed brightness toggle data or not. When receiving the confirmed brightness toggle data within a waiting period after outputting the flashing signal, the sensor automatically performs the pre-stored command corresponding to the matched triggering condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Chao-Chun Tseng, Min-Nan Liao
  • Patent number: 10039176
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a storage unit that stores information; a lamp drive unit that supplies drive power to the discharge lamp; a voltage detection unit that detects the lamp voltage of the discharge lamp; and a control unit that, on the basis of the voltage detection value supplied from the voltage detection unit, stores in the storage unit error log information that indicates the operating state of the discharge lamp when change of the lamp voltage indicates a predetermined voltage characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS, LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Tagishi, Hiroki Tanaka, Yasuji Kawai
  • Patent number: 10032607
    Abstract: A method of frequency tuning an electrical generator for supplying electrical power to a plasma is provided. Also provided is a plasma processing system and a computer program product. The method, the electrical generator, the plasma processing system, and the computer program product may have the advantage that the stability of the plasma with respect to repeated and essentially identical high and low power pulses is used to reduce the controlling effort and to check the stability of the plasma process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: COMET AG
    Inventor: Roland Schlierf
  • Patent number: 10034357
    Abstract: An external wireless module for controlling a lighting fixture in a lighting system is provided. In one example implementation, an external wireless module for mounting to a lighting fixture includes a module housing. The module includes one or more electrical components located within the module housing. The one or more electrical components is configured to provide wireless control capability for the lighting fixture over a wireless network. The module housing is configured to be mounted to an exterior of a lighting fixture housing associated with the light fixture. The one or more electrical components are configured to be interfaced with one or more internal components of the lighting fixture located in an interior of the lighting fixture housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: HUBBELL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Adam J. Clark, Perry Romano
  • Patent number: 10034338
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a full voltage segmented linear constant-current LED drive circuit in an auto switchover mode comprising a minimum of two groups of LEDs in series connection in proper sequence and a voltage detection and control circuit used for detection of an input power voltage from a power source, a positive terminal of each group of LEDs is connected to the power source via a change-over switch, a negative terminal of each group of LEDs is grounded via a control switch; wherein, one group of LEDs comprises a minimum of two LED units in series connection in proper sequence, a negative terminal of each LED unit is grounded via a control switch; the change-over switch and control switch are connected to and controlled by the voltage detection and control circuit to change inter-group series parallel connection mode and ON/OFF of different LED units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: CH LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Guosong Zhao
  • Patent number: 10034342
    Abstract: An indoor horticultural system includes a grow bed and a lighting system arranged in proximity to the grow bed. The lighting system includes lighting fixtures having an optical axis and a light distribution whose intensity increases as the angle of the generated light increases in relation to the optical axis to increase cross-lighting. Alternately, the lighting system includes lighting fixtures mounted at varying angles and with varying beam widths so as to increase cross-lighting. Series connected light fixtures include a master light fixture that employs an intensity controller to control the intensity of light generated by each of the series-connected light fixtures, where the intensity controller derives operational power from an LED string contained within the master light fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Illum Horticulture LLC
    Inventors: Stephen P. Adams, James V. Rhodes, Arthur A. Wilkes, Darin M. Carpenter
  • Patent number: 10028369
    Abstract: Ions are released over time from an ion source into a beam area proximate a central axis. A radiofrequency (RF) system with a variable frequency and variable voltage accelerates the ions in orbiting trajectories expanding outward from the central axis. The ions are accelerated to different extraction energy levels within a given design range at a shared extraction radius from the central axis. An RF-frequency versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is set such that the frequency versus time scenario is the same for any ion extraction energy from the given design range, and a constant-or-variable-RF-voltage versus ion-time-of-flight scenario is adjusted to provide ion acceleration from injection to extraction for ions with different respective extraction energy levels within the given design range; and the ions are extracted at the different energy levels at the shared extraction radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventor: Alexey Radovinsky
  • Patent number: 10028352
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for a lighting interface system configured to adjust tunable lighting characteristics output by one or more lighting devices based on a plurality of simple, intuitive touch-gestures without necessarily providing visual indicators via a display screen or other feedback elements. The lighting interface system is implemented as a relatively simple touchpad device that is wall-mounted or portable depending on a desired configuration. The lighting interface system is configured to capture user-gestures via the touchpad device and translate the same into target lighting characteristics and an adjustment value to adjust each of the target lighting characteristics thereby. User gestures are adjustably mapped to lighting characteristics including, for example, intensity, color temperature, hue and color saturation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Nancy Chen, John Selverian
  • Patent number: 10028340
    Abstract: A dual stage power converter capable of being installing in a one-gang box and powering an LED load is presented. The dual stage converter includes a power factor correction (PFC) stage operating in transition mode and a resonant converter stage operating at a fixed frequency with a fixed duty cycle and dead time. A dimmer input is included to select a desired luminosity of the LED load. A main controller adjusts the value of the voltage output from the PFC stage in order to maintain the voltage output from the resonant stage at the desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ERP POWER, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Archer
  • Patent number: 10028350
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a horticultural light for use in a horticultural facility that uses both continuous current control and discontinuous current control to select an intensity for each LED string in the horticultural light. Continuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating above a threshold intensity and discontinuous current control is selected when the horticultural light is operating below the threshold intensity for enhanced dimming fidelity. A CPU detects the number of LED strings present in the horticultural light and determines the optimal operating voltage for each detected LED string based upon the detected forward voltage of each detected LED string. Based upon the optimal operating voltage determined for each LED string, the CPU additionally selects an optimized current stabilization network for each detected LED string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Illum Horticulture LLC
    Inventors: Stephen P. Adams, James V. Rhodes, Arthur A. Wilkes
  • Patent number: 10021766
    Abstract: A controller (202) for a horticultural lighting system comprising: a receiver (220) configured to receive a set of lighting parameters; and one or more output terminals configured to provide lighting control signalling to an LED array (210), wherein the lighting control signalling is configured to set one or more operating parameters of the LED array (210) in accordance with the received set of lighting parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Jan-Willem Vogel
  • Patent number: 10015868
    Abstract: Solid-state lamps having an electronically adjustable light beam distribution are disclosed. In accordance with some embodiments, a lamp configured as described herein includes a plurality of solid-state emitters (addressable individually and/or in groupings) mounted over a non-planar interior surface of the lamp. The interior mounting surface can be concave or convex, as desired, and may be of hemispherical or hyper-hemispherical geometry, among others, in accordance with some example embodiments. In some embodiments, the heat sink of the lamp may be configured to provide the interior mounting surface, whereas in some other embodiments, a separate mounting interface, such as a parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR), a bulged reflector (BR), or a multi-faceted reflector (MR), may be included to such end. Also, the lamp may include one or more focusing optics for modifying its output. In some cases, a lamp provided as described herein may be configured for retrofitting existing lighting structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Quilici, Seung Cheol Ryu, Lori Brock
  • Patent number: 10015867
    Abstract: A low-voltage controller (LVC) is configured to utilize a low-voltage signal to operate a high-voltage load, such as, for example, a lamp. The LVC is configured to receive a low-voltage step signal at a switch input. The LVC has a line input for connection to a source of power at a line voltage and a load output for connection to a first load, and a dimmer for setting an intensity of the first load. Subsequent step signals may alter the intensity of the load. A method for low-voltage control of a load is provided. A method includes the steps of receiving a first switch signal at a switch input of an LVC; setting a lamp to a first intensity; receiving a second switch signal at the switch input; and setting the lamp to a second intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Curbell Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Wilkolaski