Patents by Inventor Martin Niedermaier

Martin Niedermaier 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).

  • Ballast for operating electric lamps
    Patent number: 6731078
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ballast for operating electric lamps, having an inverter (WR), a DC voltage supply circuit (GLV) for the inverter (WR), a load circuit, connected to the inverter (WR), for supplying voltage to one or more electric lamps (LP), a microcontroller (MC) for monitoring and controlling the operation of the ballast and a voltage supply device (HLV) for the microcontroller (MC). According to the invention, the voltage supply device (HLV) is designed as a DC-DC converter—in particular as a step-down converter—, which ensures a voltage supply to the microcontroller (MC) even in the standby mode of the ballast with the inverter (WR) deactivated. As a result, the power consumption in the standby mode can be reduced to less than 0.5 W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur elektrische Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Andreas Huber, Martin Niedermaier
  • Ballast for operating electric lamps
    Publication number: 20020109466
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ballast for operating electric lamps, having an inverter (WR), a DC voltage supply circuit (GLV) for the inverter (WR), a load circuit, connected to the inverter (WR), for supplying voltage to one or more electric lamps (LP), a microcontroller (MC) for monitoring and controlling the operation of the ballast and a voltage supply device (HLV) for the microcontroller (MC). According to the invention, the voltage supply device (HLV) is designed as a DC-DC converter—in particular as a step-down converter—, which ensures a voltage supply to the microcontroller (MC) even in the standby mode of the ballast with the inverter (WR) deactivated. As a result, the power consumption in the standby mode can be reduced to less than 0.5 W.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer elektrische Gluihlampen mbH
    Inventors: Andreas Huber, Martin Niedermaier