Patents by Inventor Paul D. Rucker

Paul D. Rucker 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: 10917950
    Abstract: An automatically reconfiguring light-emitting circuit includes a first and second block of electric lights, a switching mechanism, the switching mechanism having (i) a first state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in parallel with the second block of electric lights and (ii) a second state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in series with the second block of electric lights, a current regulator that generates a current control signal in response to a current in the first group of lights and second group of lights, and a controller electrically connected to the switching mechanism, the controller configured to switch the switching mechanism between the first state and the second state based on the current control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: LiteIdeas, LLC
    Inventor: Paul D. Rucker
  • Patent number: 10542601
    Abstract: A light dimming system is disclosed. The system includes an alternating current (AC) power source having a main line carrying an AC mains voltage and a neutral line, a lighting control module connected to the main line and the neutral line of the AC power source, wherein the control module provides a mixed output signal that combines the AC mains voltage with an encoded dimming control signal, and an LED lighting fixture (“luminaire”) that is connected to the mixed output signal of the lighting control module and is under control of a line decoder module, wherein the line decoder module decodes the mixed output signal into the AC mains voltage and a dimming control signal for consumption by the luminaire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: LiteIdeas, LLC
    Inventors: Paul D Rucker, Todd W Hodrinsky
  • Publication number: 20190239307
    Abstract: An automatically reconfiguring light-emitting circuit includes a first and second block of electric lights, a switching mechanism, the switching mechanism having (i) a first state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in parallel with the second block of electric lights and (ii) a second state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in series with the second block of electric lights, a current regulator that generates a current control signal in response to a current in the first group of lights and second group of lights, and a controller electrically connected to the switching mechanism, the controller configured to switch the switching mechanism between the first state and the second state based on the current control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: Paul D. Rucker
  • Patent number: 10257899
    Abstract: An automatically reconfiguring light-emitting circuit includes a first and second block of electric lights, a switching mechanism, the switching mechanism having (i) a first state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in parallel with the second block of electric lights and (ii) a second state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in series with the second block of electric lights, a current regulator that generates a current control signal in response to a current in the first group of lights and second group of lights, and a controller electrically connected to the switching mechanism, the controller configured to switch the switching mechanism between the first state and the second state based on the current control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: LiteIdeas, LLC
    Inventor: Paul D Rucker
  • Publication number: 20190037660
    Abstract: A light dimming system is disclosed. The system includes an alternating current (AC) power source having a main line carrying an AC mains voltage and a neutral line, a lighting control module connected to the main line and the neutral line of the AC power source, wherein the control module provides a mixed output signal that combines the AC mains voltage with an encoded dimming control signal, and an LED lighting fixture (“luminaire”) that is connected to the mixed output signal of the lighting control module and is under control of a line decoder module, wherein the line decoder module decodes the mixed output signal into the AC mains voltage and a dimming control signal for consumption by the luminaire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Paul D Rucker, Todd W Hodrinsky
  • Publication number: 20180103521
    Abstract: A smart dimming network encoder is connected to an alternating current power source having a substantially regular period of cycles. The encoder includes a bipolar switch connecting the alternating current power source to a modified alternating current line, the bipolar switch having an on state permitting the modified alternating current line to conduct alternating current from the alternating current power source and an off state preventing conduction on the modified alternating current line. The encoder includes a processor coupled to the bipolar switch, the processor configured to receive a control signal at a control signal input and to switch the bipolar switch to the off state for an off time having a duration corresponding to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Paul D. Rucker, Todd W. Hodrinsky
  • Patent number: 9872351
    Abstract: A smart dimming network encoder is connected to an alternating current power source having a substantially regular period of cycles. The encoder includes a bipolar switch connecting the alternating current power source to a modified alternating current line, the bipolar switch having an on state permitting the modified alternating current line to conduct alternating current from the alternating current power source and an off state preventing conduction on the modified alternating current line. The encoder includes a processor coupled to the bipolar switch, the processor configured to receive a control signal at a control signal input and to switch the bipolar switch to the off state for an off time having a duration corresponding to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventors: Paul D Rucker, Todd W Hodrinsky
  • Publication number: 20180007758
    Abstract: An automatically reconfiguring light-emitting circuit includes a first and second block of electric lights, a switching mechanism, the switching mechanism having (i) a first state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in parallel with the second block of electric lights and (ii) a second state in which the switching mechanism electrically connects the first block of electric lights in series with the second block of electric lights, a current regulator that generates a current control signal in response to a current in the first group of lights and second group of lights, and a controller electrically connected to the switching mechanism, the controller configured to switch the switching mechanism between the first state and the second state based on the current control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventor: Paul D. Rucker
  • Publication number: 20160299555
    Abstract: A smart dimming network encoder is connected to an alternating current power source having a substantially regular period of cycles. The encoder includes a bipolar switch connecting the alternating current power source to a modified alternating current line, the bipolar switch having an on state permitting the modified alternating current line to conduct alternating current from the alternating current power source and an off state preventing conduction on the modified alternating current line. The encoder includes a processor coupled to the bipolar switch, the processor configured to receive a control signal at a control signal input and to switch the bipolar switch to the off state for an off time having a duration corresponding to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Paul D. Rucker, Todd W. Hodrinsky