Patents by Inventor Chin-Wen Chou

Chin-Wen Chou 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: 7385333
    Abstract: A piezoelectric power supply includes a power supply unit to provide DC intermediate voltage power output to drive a high voltage output unit of a first load through a first piezoelectric plate and a low voltage output unit of a second load through a second piezoelectric plate. Thereby the power supply can provide a low voltage secondary power output to reduce cost and improve power output flexibility and efficiency. It can be used on display devices such as gas discharge lamps, and also provide additional low voltage secondary power for peripheral devices such as speakers, lamps, ear sets, USB connection ports and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng
  • Patent number: 7381911
    Abstract: A multi-instruction switch includes a base, a control disk, a plurality of electrodes and a conductive element. The control disk is located above the base and can rotate relative to the base to issue instructions. The conductive element is bent to form a common contact end in the middle portion and a first contact end and a second contact end on two ends to connect respectively to a common electrode, a first electrode and a second electrode. By rotating the control disk, a guiding portion located on an inner peripheral rim of the control disk can move the conductive element in a biased manner so that the common electrode and the first electrode or the second electrode are electrically connected to generate a leftward or rightward rotational instruction. Meanwhile a rotational click is produced. The structure is simple and the fabrication cost is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Hong-Yi Lee
  • Patent number: 7379050
    Abstract: An input device adopts a low cost and simple terminal design to replace the conventional grating and instruction switch structures that are costly and complicated. The input device includes a braced rotary member turnable, tiltable leftwards and rightwards, and movable upwards and downwards for selected displacements and an instruction mechanism located within the displacements to receive forces and be driven by the rotary member to generate instructions. The instruction mechanism has abutting mechanical terminals to contact with each other to generate instruction signal output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, King-Long Lee
  • Patent number: 7375469
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved electrode structure of planar lamp, which applies to the planar lamp that has a gas-discharge cavity with at least a bending channel and with a discharge gas and a fluorescent material equipped thereinside. Via disposing an electrically conductive element, which traverses the bending channels, onto the discharge electrodes on the external wall of the gas-discharge cavity, the input area of the power output by the discharge electrodes is increased, and thus, the light uniformity of the planar lamp is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng
  • Patent number: 7365740
    Abstract: A scroll wheel device with a thin film type command switch mainly replaces conventional optical grating switch during rotation of a wheel for outputting a signal. The thin film type command switch is a flexible circuit board, and is provided with a circuit arrangement corresponding to a rotating trajectory of the wheel. The wheel is provided with a pressing portion which is simultaneously driven during rotation of the wheel and pressing the thin film type command switch for outputting different command signals. The thin film type command switch of the present invention can decrease the manufacturing cost and save the installation space of the scroll wheel device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Patent number: 7355138
    Abstract: A simplified pushbutton switch includes a circuit board which has a signal circuit consisting of a common contact and at least one signal contact, a main bracket which has an anchor end on one end to couple with the circuit board and a force receiving end on another end formed by extending the anchor end through at least one bend point that is movable reciprocally about the anchor end which serves as an axis, and a conductive member which is located on the main bracket and has at least two legs corresponding to the signal circuit. The force receiving end can receive an external force to move towards the circuit board about the bend point such that the two legs are driven to connect the common contact and the signal contact to form a conductive condition to output at least one command signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Patent number: 7352140
    Abstract: A master-slave control architecture for inverters includes a master control circuit board which has a master control unit to output a plurality of frequency signals of the same phase and same frequency so that driving units on a plurality of separated slave control circuit boards on the rear end can be driven synchronously by the frequency signals to control electricity input of transformation units to transform voltage for outputting. Thereby the frequency of the driving electricity of the discharge lamps can be synchronized to maintain uniform luminance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Kuang-Ming Wu, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Patent number: 7352147
    Abstract: A power supply to provide operation power for cooling fans includes a non-stop power system to provide DC power in normal conditions to a remote switch control circuit to set a computer in an ON or OFF condition. The non-stop power system also outputs the DC power to a fan actuation control circuit to drive a rear end cooling fan. The fan actuation control circuit and the remote switch control circuit are bridged by a cooling delay unit. The cooling delay unit receives a computer ON/OFF signal from the remote switch control circuit and outputs another signal to enable the cooling fan to operate for a period of time before stopping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Publication number: 20080053807
    Abstract: A simplified pushbutton switch includes a circuit board which has a signal circuit consisting of a common contact and at least one signal contact, a main bracket which has an anchor end on one end to couple with the circuit board and a force receiving end on another end formed by extending the anchor end through at least one bend point that is movable reciprocally about the anchor end which serves as an axis, and a conductive member which is located on the main bracket and has at least two legs corresponding to the signal circuit. The force receiving end can receive an external force to move towards the circuit board about the bend point such that the two legs are driven to connect the common contact and the signal contact to form a conductive condition to output at least one command signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Publication number: 20080048576
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for dimming a hot cathode fluorescent lamp (HCFL) that combines frequency conversion and pulse width modulation (PWM) to change the outputted voltage and current of a piezoelectric transformer, so as to achieve the purpose of adjusting the brightness of a cathode fluorescent lamp. The invention can substitute a starter and a voltage regulator of a hot cathode fluorescent lamp without the need of installing a ballast that produces high heat during its operation easily, and extend the life expectancy of the fluorescent lamp, reduces the number components of the fluorescent lamp, and provides a quick start of the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng
  • Publication number: 20080048524
    Abstract: A piezoelectric power supply includes a power supply unit to provide DC intermediate voltage power output to drive a high voltage output unit of a first load through a first piezoelectric plate and a low voltage output unit of a second load through a second piezoelectric plate. Thereby the power supply can provide a low voltage secondary power output to reduce cost and improve power output flexibility and efficiency. It can be used on display devices such as gas discharge lamps, and also provide additional low voltage secondary power for peripheral devices such as speakers, lamps, ear sets, USB connection ports and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng
  • Publication number: 20080049461
    Abstract: A power supply having multiple power output includes a power source to supply an AC signal to an EMI filter unit and a commutation unit that filter and commutate the AC signal and output a full wave/half wave pulse wave DC signal to an inverter which boosts voltage and outputs a high voltage electric signal to drive a first load. The invention further has a DC voltage transformation unit to receive the full wave/half wave pulse wave DC signal to lower the voltage and output a low voltage electric signal to a second load. Thus the power supply can supply multiple power and is more flexible and efficient. It can be adopted on display devices to provide low voltage DC power for other peripheral devices such as speakers, lamps, 3C products and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng
  • Publication number: 20080048568
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a natural light-generating device, wherein a light-sensing unit is used to detect the surrounding lighting signals, and a modulated control unit transforms the lighting signals into control signals, and an ultra-low frequency sinusoidal-wave generator performs the permutation and combination of the control signals to sequentially generate driving signals of different timings, frequencies and amplitudes; the driving signals control light-generating elements to simulate the delicate and leisurely variation of the diversified natural daylight; thereby, the windows of the soul can enjoy the gentle and mellow lighting similar to natural daylight; thus, the eyes is massaged, the body and mind relaxed, the health improved, and ocular diseases prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Kuang-Ming Wu
  • Publication number: 20080030146
    Abstract: A backlight driving and control circuit with an isolated power factor correction structure includes a power stage for providing a power supply; a driver stage having a first power factor correction unit for correcting the power factor of the power supply and outputting DC power; an inverter for converting a middle-voltage DC power into a high-voltage power output and driving the operation of a backlight light emitting component; and a control/dimming stage having a second power factor correction unit, a DC transformer unit, and an AD board installed at a secondary winding of the DC transformer unit and grounded jointly with the inverter. With the invention, the power factor correction unit can be electrically isolated from the power stage, and the AD board can directly control/dim the inverter of the driver stage to change the operating status of the backlight light emitting component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Publication number: 20070294893
    Abstract: A positioning device for clipping apparatus includes a hollow body which has an open side on one side that holds a track portion and an anchor portion on another side. The body houses a sliding member having a clipping unit and a harness arm. The harness arm is connected to the track portion to form a displacement path of the sliding member. The clipping unit includes an upper clipping portion and a lower clipping portion. The upper clipping portion is driven by the sliding member to move close to the lower clipping portion. A linking means connects an elastic element to the anchor portion and the sliding member so that the elastic element can be stretched and retracted against the displacement path of the sliding member to provide a returning elastic force to the sliding member. Thereby the sliding member can be positioned rapidly on each displacement path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Chou
  • Patent number: 7309962
    Abstract: A protection control circuit for discharge lamps aims to control protection signals input to a load at a rear end of a high voltage output zone that are generated during abnormal conditions. The high voltage output zone has a control unit and a driving unit, and a switch device interposed between them to receive a first voltage distribution signal output from the control unit and output a plurality of second voltage distribution signals corresponding to the number of the driving devices. Each of the driving devices is connected to a high voltage output zone line of the discharge lamp that feeds back a protection signal to the switch device. The switch device determines a first electricity condition or a second electricity condition of each high voltage output zone line of the discharge lamps that is connected to the individual driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Patent number: 7294975
    Abstract: A method for controlling an inverter under altering voltage aims to change the electric conductive interval of the electric conductive cycle of the inverter corresponding to alteration of an input voltage so that the dimming duty cycle, electric conductive cycle and transformer oscillation duty cycle of the inverter can be maintained at a selected level. Thereby when the input voltage is altered, the existing dimming range can be maintained and actuation electricity output is stabilized. The transformer can be protected and the life span of the load can be extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Patent number: 7294972
    Abstract: A feedback circuit for push-pull inverters aims to improve the existing push-pull inverters that provide input electricity to a discharge lamp at a phase difference of 180 degrees without feedback electricity to regulate frequency signals and cannot effectively control uniform luminance of the discharge lamp. The invention includes a feedback device to get a detection electricity of the driving electricity of the discharge lamp through non-contact coupling induction. The detection electricity is transformed by the feedback device and output to a frequency control unit. The control unit can regulate and output the frequency signal in response to the luminance of the discharge lamp to timely adjust input electricity of a push-pull inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Patent number: 7289339
    Abstract: An inverter circuit for inhibiting electricity transmission interference receives an electric signal output from an electricity input circuit, and includes a control unit to output an operating frequency, an actuation circuit to receive the operating frequency and divide the electric signal and output an actuation signal, and a transformer to receive the actuation signal and transform electricity to actuate a first load to operate. The actuation unit and the control unit are bridged by an isolation unit which separates grounding of the actuation unit and control unit on the first side and the second side of the transformer to enable the control unit to output the steady operating frequency and inhibit electric transmission interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Zippy Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Ying-Nan Cheng, Chin-Biau Chung
  • Publication number: 20070246949
    Abstract: A release actuation device for clipping apparatus includes a body which houses a sliding member being movable up and down. The sliding member drives a clipping member synchronously. The clipping member has an upper clipping portion and a lower clipping portion to form a clipping zone. The upper clipping portion is fastened to one end side of the sliding member through a movable linking element, and the movable linking element can drive the upper clipping portion to form a fan-shaped moving track. The upper clipping portion and the sliding member are interposed by an elastic element. The elastic element stores a returning elastic force when the upper clipping potion is moved. The returning elastic force is released to drive the upper clipping portion to an accurate return position when moving of the upper clipping portion stops. Through the elastic element, the released upper clipping portion can be opened rapidly to release a clipped article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Chin-Wen Chou, Tsui-Jung Su