Patents by Inventor Chris J. Salvestrini
Chris J. Salvestrini 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).
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Patent number: 11991796Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2023Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20240114605Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20230232510Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 11638334Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20210211062Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2021Publication date: July 8, 2021Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 10958186Abstract: A load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor (such as, a triac) coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit arranged to conduct current through a gate terminal of the thyristor, and a control circuit configured to control the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit may control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a present half cycle of the AC power source, and allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the present half cycle.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2019Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20200067419Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 10447171Abstract: A load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor (such as, a triac) coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled to conduct current through a gate terminal of the thyristor, a controllable switching circuit coupled between the gate coupling circuit and the gate terminal of the thyristor, and a control circuit configured to control the gate coupling circuit and the controllable switching circuit. The control circuit may cause the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a present half cycle of the AC power source, and allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the present half cycle.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2018Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20190081569Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 10158300Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20180131288Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: May 10, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 9343997Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main terminal and a gate terminal of the thyristor, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal to render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the half cycle. The load control device is further arranged to conduct current through the electrical load if the thyristor becomes non-conductive and remains non-conductive during the half-cycle.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20150108913Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2014Publication date: April 23, 2015Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Patent number: 8988058Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2013Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte
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Publication number: 20140103827Abstract: A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2013Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, JR., Chris J. Salvestrini, Matthew V. Harte