Patents by Inventor Bernd P. Keller

Bernd P. Keller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10234616
    Abstract: A luminaire having a waveguide suspended beneath a mounting element, the waveguide has a first surface proximal to the mounting element, a second surface distal to the mounting element, and an edge between the first and the second surfaces. At least one cavity extends into the waveguide from the first surface to the second surface. A LED component is coupled to the waveguide so as to emit light into the cavity. LED support structures are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Tarsa, Hormoz Benjamin, Bernd P. Keller, Kurt S. Wilcox, Zongjie Yuan
  • Patent number: 10209429
    Abstract: A luminaire comprises at least one waveguide having a first region that emits a first luminous intensity pattern and a second region that emits a second luminous intensity pattern different from the first luminous intensity pattern. The luminaire further includes a plurality of LED elements and circuitry to control the plurality of LED elements to cause the luminaire to produce a selected one of a plurality of luminous intensity patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Eric J. Tarsa, Bernd P. Keller, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Jean-Claude David Ramey de Sugny
  • Patent number: 10168467
    Abstract: A luminaire includes at least first and second waveguides. The first waveguide has a first coupling surface extending between a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second waveguide has a second coupling surface extending between a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The first and second coupling surfaces define a coupling cavity. The luminaire further includes at least one light source within the coupling cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Eric J. Tarsa, Hormoz Benjamin, John W. Durkee, Bernd P. Keller
  • Publication number: 20180259140
    Abstract: A lighting fixture appears as a skylight and is referred to as a skylight fixture. The skylight fixture has a sky-resembling assembly and a plurality of sun-resembling assemblies. The sky-resembling assembly has a sky-resembling optical assembly and a sky-specific light source, wherein light from the sky-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sky-resembling light optical assembly as skylight light. The plurality of sun-resembling assemblies are arranged adjacent one another and extend downward from a periphery of the sky-resembling assembly. Each of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies has a sun-resembling optical assembly and a sun-specific light source, wherein light from the sun-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sun-resembling optical assembly as sunlight light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Theodore D. Lowes, Michael Leung, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Eric Tarsa, James Ibbetson, Claudio Girotto
  • Publication number: 20180252374
    Abstract: A lighting fixture appears as a skylight and is referred to as a skylight fixture. The skylight fixture has a sky-resembling assembly and a plurality of sun-resembling assemblies. The sky-resembling assembly has a sky-resembling optical assembly and a sky-specific light source, wherein light from the sky-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sky-resembling light optical assembly as skylight light. The plurality of sun-resembling assemblies are arranged adjacent one another and extend downward from a periphery of the sky-resembling assembly. Each of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies has a sun-resembling optical assembly and a sun-specific light source, wherein light from the sun-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sun-resembling optical assembly as sunlight light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Theodore D. Lowes, Michael Leung, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Eric Tarsa, James Ibbetson, Claudio Girotto
  • Publication number: 20180066808
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a waveguide comprises a waveguide body having a coupling cavity defined by a coupling feature disposed within the waveguide body. A plug member comprises a first portion disposed in the coupling cavity and an outer surface substantially conforming to the coupling feature and a second portion extending from the first portion into the coupling cavity. The second portion includes a reflective surface adapted to direct light in the coupling cavity into the waveguide body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Eric J. Tarsa, Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 9869432
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a luminaire includes a waveguide body having an interior coupling cavity extending into a portion of the waveguide body remote from an edge thereof. The luminaire further includes an LED element extending into the interior coupling cavity having first and second sets of LEDs wherein each LED of the first set comprises a blue-shifted yellow LED and each LED of the second set comprises a red LED wherein the red LEDs are disposed between the blue-shifted yellow LEDs and wherein the blue-shifted yellow LEDs have a first height and the red LEDs have a second height less than the first height. The LED element further includes a lens disposed over the first and second sets of LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Eric J. Tarsa, Zongjie Yuan
  • Publication number: 20170336554
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a body of optically transmissive material having a width substantially greater than an overall thickness thereof and including a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a central bore extending between the first and second sides and adapted to receive a light emitting diode, and extraction features on the second side. A light diverter extends into the central bore for diverting light into and generally along the width of the body of material. The extraction features direct light out of the first side and wherein at least one extraction feature has an extraction surface dimension transverse to the thickness that is between about 5% and about 75% the overall thickness of the body of material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox, Eric J. Tarsa, Fabian Jean-Daniel Rol, James Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 9823408
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a body of optically transmissive material having a width substantially greater than an overall thickness thereof. The body of material has a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of interior bores extending between the first and second sides each adapted to receive a light emitting diode. Extraction features are disposed on the second side and the extraction features direct light out of at least the first side and at least one extraction feature forms a taper disposed at an outer portion of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox, Eric J. Tarsa, Fabian Jean-Daniel Rol, James Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller, Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9773760
    Abstract: According to one aspect, an LED package comprises a plurality of LEDs and a primary optic disposed adjacent the LEDs wherein the primary optic includes protrusions for mixing light developed by the plurality of LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Eric J. Tarsa, Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox
  • Publication number: 20170205567
    Abstract: A luminaire includes at least first and second waveguides. The first waveguide has a first coupling surface extending between a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second waveguide has a second coupling surface extending between a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The first and second coupling surfaces define a coupling cavity. The luminaire further includes at least one light source within the coupling cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: ERIC J. TARSA, HORMOZ BENJAMIN, JOHN W. DURKEE, BERND P. KELLER
  • Patent number: 9690029
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a waveguide comprises a waveguide body further comprising a first face and a second face opposite the first face and a coupling cavity comprising an extent between the first and second faces and defined by at least one light coupling feature that extends between the first and second faces. The coupling cavity is adapted to receive a light emitting diode and the coupling cavity is noncircular and nonrectangular in a cross-section perpendicular to the extent of the coupling cavity. Further, the at least one light coupling feature comprises at least one protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Eric J. Tarsa, Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 9666762
    Abstract: Light emitter packages having multiple light emitter chips, such as light emitting diode (LED) chips, and related methods are provided. In one aspect, a light emitter package can include a submount, an array of light emitter chips disposed on a portion of the submount, and a lens provided over the submount and covering at least portions of the array. In some aspects, at least some of the light emitter chips can be adapted to emit light of a first dominant wavelength. In further aspects, at least some other light emitter chips are adapted to emit light of a second dominant wavelength that is different than the first dominant wavelength. In some aspects, the lens can be asymmetric. In some aspects, a collective center of the chips, or a center of an array of chips can be offset from a center of the asymmetric lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Lowes, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 9645303
    Abstract: A luminaire includes at least first and second waveguides. The first waveguide has a first coupling surface extending between a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second waveguide has a second coupling surface extending between a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The first and second coupling surfaces define a coupling cavity. The luminaire further includes at least one light source within the coupling cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Tarsa, Hormoz Benjamin, John W. Durkee, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 9581751
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a body of optically transmissive material having a width substantially greater than an overall thickness thereof and including a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a central bore extending between the first and second sides and adapted to receive a light emitting diode, and extraction features on the second side. A light diverter extends into the central bore for diverting light into and generally along the width of the body of material. The extraction features direct light out of the first side and wherein at least one extraction feature has an extraction surface dimension transverse to the thickness that is between about 5% and about 75% the overall thickness of the body of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox, Eric J. Tarsa, Fabian Jean-Daniel Rol, James Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 9515056
    Abstract: A multi-emitter solid state lighting device includes at least one narrow spectral output solid state light emitter, such as may be in the green range, having a full width-half maximum emission value of no greater than 30 nm. First, second, and third electrically solid state emitters may include dominant wavelengths in the ranges of 485-505 nm (or 491-505 nm), 526-545 nm, and 615-625 nm. Aggregate emissions of a solid state lighting device may comprise a scotopic/photopic (S/P) ratio value that exceeds threshold values for conventional white light-emitting devices including at least one phosphor-converted LED by at least 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40%, in combination with reasonably high gamut and brightness, over a range of desired CCT values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony Paul van de Ven, Benjamin A. Jacobson, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 9389367
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a body of optically transmissive material having a width substantially greater than an overall thickness thereof. The body of material has a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of interior bores extending between the first and second sides each adapted to receive a light emitting diode. Extraction features are disposed on the second side and the extraction features direct light out of at least the first side and at least one extraction feature forms a taper disposed at an outer portion of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox, Eric J. Tarsa, Fabian Jean-Daniel Rol, James Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller, Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9263636
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) for achieving an asymmetric light output includes a multilayered structure comprising a p-n junction, where at least one layer of the multilayered structure comprises a surface configured to provide a peak emission in a direction away from a normal to a mounting surface, the surface being a top or bottom surface of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Tarsa, Theodore D. Lowes, Bernd P. Keller
  • Publication number: 20160018584
    Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a body of optically transmissive material having a width substantially greater than an overall thickness thereof. The body of material has a first side, a second side opposite the first side, and a plurality of interior bores extending between the first and second sides each adapted to receive a light emitting diode. Extraction features are disposed on the second side and the extraction features direct light out of at least the first side and at least one extraction feature forms a taper disposed at an outer portion of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox, Eric J. Tarsa, Fabian Jean-Daniel Rol, James Ibbetson, Bernd P. Keller, Nicholas W. Medendorp, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160005920
    Abstract: According to one aspect, an LED package comprises a plurality of LEDs and a primary optic disposed adjacent the LEDs wherein the primary optic includes protrusions for mixing light developed by the plurality of LEDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Bernd P. Keller, Eric J. Tarsa, Zongjie Yuan, Kurt S. Wilcox