Patents Examined by Thuy Vinh Tran
  • Patent number: 9854630
    Abstract: A flicker-free dimming circuit for non-point light source has a TRIAC module, an input module, a conversion module and an output module. The TRIAC module adjusts the voltage phase of an external power supply for the input module to export an input voltage, and the conversion module in a boost circuit structure is provided with a conversion coil and a converter to receive and raise the voltage value of the input voltage to a voltage value of an operating voltage and then supplies the operating voltage to the output module. The output module adopts a fly-back circuit structure and induces the operating voltage to form a driving voltage in a constant value and then outputs the driving voltage to a lamp with a relatively wide light source area. In this way, the panel lamp can meet high safety standards and enhance its product adaptability and competiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsien Wu, Kai-Cheng Chuang, Cheng-Han Hung
  • Patent number: 9848479
    Abstract: A faceplate remote control device is attached to a wall-mounted mechanical light switch that has a toggle actuator. The faceplate remote control device includes a toggle indicator that detects operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch. The toggle indicator causes the generation of an indication of detected operation of the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator comprises a sliding member that is configured to move with the toggle actuator. The toggle indicator may comprise an obstruction detection device that includes an infrared (IR) transmitter and an IR receiver. The faceplate remote control device includes a control circuit and a wireless communication circuit. The control circuit is configured to cause the wireless communication circuit to transmit one or more messages in response to detecting operation of the toggle actuator of the mechanical switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Karc, Jamie Steffie, Jordan H. Crafts
  • Patent number: 9844120
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus for powering intelligent lighting networks. The power for the intelligent lighting network is supplied by Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switches and/or Mid-Spans, which are conditioned by a powered device to distribute power tuned specifically for each, at least one light emitting diode (LED) fixture. The Power-over-Ethernet switch and/or Mid-Span with associated router and wireless access point can be used to communicate with, and power a sensor network that collects data relevant to the intelligent lighting network. Optionally, the Power-over-Ethernet switch and/or Mid-Span can be used to communicate with, and power a network of sensors that collects data relevant to the space the intelligent lighting network is operating in, or can be used to communicate with and power a network of AC wall plugs that can be turned on and off, and various switches, relays, and PLCs, RFID systems, USB hubs, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: IDS-IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Snyder, Leslie D. Baych, Walter F. Emig, III
  • Patent number: 9844110
    Abstract: The current adjustment apparatus includes a communication interface, a current generating module, and a current adjustment module. The current generating module includes a microprocessor, a memory for storing a current setting parameter, and a current generating unit; the memory and the current generating unit are electrically connected to the microprocessor. When the current adjustment module is not physically connected to the current generating module, the microprocessor makes the current generating unit generate a driving current in response to the current setting parameter; when the current adjustment module is physically connected to the current generating module via the communication interface, the microprocessor makes the current generating unit generate the driving current in accordance with a setting signal from the current adjustment module, and the microprocessor further overwrites the current setting parameter in accordance with the setting signal when receives a writing signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chao-Wei Tsai, Chih-Hsien Chiang, Sung-Wei Wu, Chih-Hung Lin, Hung-Ta Shih
  • Patent number: 9843384
    Abstract: A processor receives data associated with a device. On the basis of the data associated with the device, the processor modulates a light from the artificial light source at a rate imperceptible to a human eye while detectable by a light sensor device. The modulated light is representative of the data associated with the device. The modulated light is detected, demodulated, and decoded by the light sensor device to retrieve the data associated with the device. Further, the data associated with the device is presented by the light sensor device to a user. In addition, the light sensor device is configured to receive input data from the user and communicate the input data to the processor via a wireless link. The processor is configured to receive the input data from the light sensor device and effect a change in a characteristic of the device based on the received input data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Dale Walma, Jr., Brian Elwell
  • Patent number: 9844105
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a rectifier circuit, a driver circuit and a shunt circuit. The driver circuit is configured to apply respective voltage components contained in a pulsating voltage from the rectifier circuit every period of the pulsating voltage across part and all of solid light sources in response to the pulsating voltage and respective ON voltages of light source circuits including the part and all of the solid light sources. The shunt circuit is electrically connected in parallel with a light source circuit having a lowest ON voltage of the light source circuits, and configured to set a value of an output current from the rectifier circuit to a value proportional to a value of the pulsating voltage while the pulsating voltage is less than the lowest ON voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Ido
  • Patent number: 9839100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method, and apparatus for powering intelligent lighting networks. The power for the intelligent lighting network is supplied by Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switches and/or Mid-Spans, which are conditioned by a powered device to distribute power tuned specifically for each, at least one light emitting diode (LED) fixture. The Power-over-Ethernet switch and/or Mid-Span with associated router and wireless access point can be used to communicate with, and power a sensor network that collects data relevant to the intelligent lighting network. Optionally, the Power-over-Ethernet switch and/or Mid-Span can be used to communicate with, and power a network of sensors that collects data relevant to the space the intelligent lighting network is operating in, or can be used to communicate with and power a network of AC wall plugs that can be turned on and off, and various switches, relays, and PLCs, RFID systems, USB hubs, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: IDS-IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: David M. Snyder, Leslie D. Baych, Walter F. Emig, III
  • Patent number: 9832822
    Abstract: Disclosed is a line voltage compensation AC LED driving device. The line voltage compensation AC LED driving device comprises a line voltage compensation module and an AC LED driving module. The line voltage compensation module detects an output voltage of a rectifier bridge, and outputs a corresponding line voltage compensation reference voltage to the AC LED driving module according to the change of the output voltage of the rectifier bridge, and the AC LED driving module adjusts a driving current in real time according to the line voltage compensation reference voltage to keep the output power unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: SHENZHEN SENDIS GREEN POWER INTEGRATIONS TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Chen, Bo Chen, Xunsheng Deng, Yanquan Mai, Hengyou Chen
  • Patent number: 9832846
    Abstract: An electrical apparatus management system includes electrical apparatuses installed in a building, a management device that communicates with each of the electrical apparatuses, and an operation terminal that communicates with each of the electrical apparatuses. The operation terminal transmits management address information individually to each of the electrical apparatuses using radio having directivity, the management address information being information to be assigned individually to each of the electrical apparatuses. Each of the electrical apparatuses has an own specific address, stores the management address information transmitted from the operation terminal, and transmits the specific address and the management address information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Nishioka, Hiroshi Sugawara
  • Patent number: 9826592
    Abstract: A lamp having a first illumination module, a second illumination module and a control circuit is provided. The first illumination module has a first light-emitting surface, and the second illumination module has a second light-emitting surface connected to the first light-emitting surface. The control circuit is coupled to the first illumination module and the second illumination module. When the control circuit increases the luminance of the first illumination module and the luminance of the second illumination module, a percentage of increasing the luminance of the first illumination module is less than a percentage of increasing the luminance the second illumination module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: Qisda (Suzhou) Co., Ltd, Qisda Corporation
    Inventors: Chang-Yu Tsai, Teng-Yi Tsai, Jiung-Cheng Pan
  • Patent number: 9816673
    Abstract: A vending machine includes a controller with an interface to control vending machine peripherals including an integrated LED lamp assembly having a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a DC power connector to connect to a source of DC power within the vending machine. A power regulating circuit adjustably controls the amount of power provided to the LEDs in response to vending machine control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ELLENBY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Bob M. Dobbins, Louis J. Frontino, Philip Rene Reger, Paul L. Mason
  • Patent number: 9820356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a lighting fixture (10) that illuminates a presentation object or surface. The lighting fixture includes a first member (18) that at least partially surrounds or encompasses the presentation object and has a plurality of LED-based light sources (12) which can create a variety of lighting effects based on one or more characteristics of the presentation object. The lighting fixture further has a sensor (34) that detects a characteristic of the presentation object, and a controller (26) connected to the sensor such that, as a result of the individual addressability of the LED-based light sources, create or modify a directional lighting effect based on the detected characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis, Philip Steven Newton, Tim Dekker, Bram Knaapen
  • Patent number: 9815401
    Abstract: An apparatus for driving a light emitting device includes a constant current control circuit configured to control a current flowing through the light emitting device to be constant, and an extension circuit configured to generate a post-extending PWM signal obtained by extending a period of an input PWM signal having a first level. The constant current control circuit is turned on during the period of the post-extending PWM signal having the first level, and the constant current control circuit is turned off during a period of the post-extending PWM signal having a second level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kei Nagao, Toru Takahashi, Toru Takuma
  • Patent number: 9814114
    Abstract: An LED lighting module includes a substrate and multiple divergent types of LED light sources that have different wavelengths and are housed on the substrate. The multiple LED light sources include: a phosphor-converted amber source; a phosphor-converted green source; a direct emission red source; a direct emission green source; a direct emission blue source; and a direct emission cyan source. The module can further include a controllable power source unit configured to supply the LED light sources and a control unit to control the power supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: CLAY PAKY S.P.A.
    Inventor: Francesco Campetella
  • Patent number: 9814116
    Abstract: An LED lamp is enhanced by adding an integral control receptacle, wherein a frame structure of the lamp having a horizontal top surface is adapted by attaching a photocontrol receptacle on the top surface and wiring it for powering some pins of the receptacle and for connecting some pins for controlling functions of the LED lamp. The control is provided by plugging a suitable controller into the receptacle. Advantageously, a metal plate is attached between the receptacle and the lamp frame, thereby enhancing performance in ways that include heat sinking, blocking uplight, reflecting added light down and outward. Additional lighting effects are derived from optionally shaping the plate, providing different surfaces on it, and/or attaching more LEDs on it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Eye Lighting International of North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Jurkovic
  • Patent number: 9800429
    Abstract: A LED based illumination source with integrated communications and processing functions, which can communicate via wireless communications to a mobile phone, smart phone, smart pad, notebook, tablet, desktop or other computing device. The LED based illumination source is programmed to operate autonomously, and is able to alter its behavior, based on the proximity of a controlling element. The communications and processing functions can also be integrated into other household and commercial electrical devices, such as wall outlets, light switches, plug in timers, appliances, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SMARTBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Ian Crayford, Kelly Coffey, Speros Koulouras
  • Patent number: 9795016
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9791133
    Abstract: A lighting control device includes a sensor that detects a state of a user and a gesture made by the user and a controller that controls a lighting characteristic of a lighting device. In the lighting control device and/or the lighting control method, it is determined (by the controller) whether a gesture made by the user and acquired by the sensor matches a first predetermined gesture including a predetermined hand shape and a predetermined movement of both hands of the user made within a detecting region between a boundary 30% larger than a periphery of a projection region illuminated by the lighting device and a boundary 30% smaller than the periphery of the projection region. When it is determined that the gesture matches the first predetermined gesture, a size of the projection region is changed (by the controller).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hyodo, Minoru Tanaka, Tatsuya Sasago, Haruka Miyagata, Teruyuki Kimata, Ryo Kawamura
  • Patent number: 9795005
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling an electrical load, in particular for the environmental control of a room, comprises an occupancy sensor (5) comprising a thermopile array. The occupancy sensor is responsive to the presence of a person within a detection field (13) of the occupancy sensor (5). The apparatus further comprises a movement sensor (6) responsive to the movement of a person within a detection field of the movement sensor and a controller arranged to receive detection signals from the occupancy sensor (5) and the movement sensor (6) and to generate a control signal for the electrical load in response to the received detection signals. The controller is configured to generate a first control signal in response to detection of a person by the movement sensor (6) and to modify the first control signal to a second control signal in response to detection of a person by the occupancy sensor (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Legrand Electrics Limited
    Inventors: Paul Mans, Merlin Miler
  • Patent number: 9795012
    Abstract: When a controller receives an external instruction for initial setting, the controller gives image sensors an instruction regarding lighting. When an image sensor among the image sensors receives the instruction regarding lighting from the controller, the image sensor performs lighting control in accordance with the instruction regarding lighting on a luminaire among luminaires to determine (i) a relative position of the luminaire relative to the image sensor and (ii) a relative position of the image sensor relative to a different image sensor among the image sensors. The controller determines positions of the image sensors and positions of the luminaires by collecting the relative positions of the image sensors and the relative positions of the luminaires determined by the image sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuhei Hayashi, Yuichi Ejiri