Patents by Inventor Paul Smola

Paul Smola 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: 11470702
    Abstract: A system and method to determine a health status of a LED light string. The system (100) includes a circuit that includes a LED light string (110) and a pulsed current driver (115) of the LED light string. The circuit is connected to a power source (105). The system includes a current sensor (120) measuring a current through the circuit. The system includes a detecting device (130) determining a state of the circuit. The detecting device determines an expected current expected to be passing through the circuit where the expected current is associated with the state. The detecting device receives a current measurement from the current sensor during a time when the circuit is in the state. The detecting device determines a comparison between the current measurement and the expected current. The detecting device generates an output indicative of a health status of the circuit based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Paul Smola
  • Publication number: 20210337643
    Abstract: A system and method to determine a health status of a LED light string. The system (100) includes a circuit that includes a LED light string (110) and a pulsed current driver (115) of the LED light string. The circuit is connected to a power source (105). The system includes a current sensor (120) measuring a current through the circuit. The system includes a detecting device (130) determining a state of the circuit. The detecting device determines an expected current expected to be passing through the circuit where the expected current is associated with the state. The detecting device receives a current measurement from the current sensor during a time when the circuit is in the state. The detecting device determines a comparison between the current measurement and the expected current. The detecting device generates an output indicative of a health status of the circuit based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventor: PAUL SMOLA
  • Patent number: 10667369
    Abstract: A device, system, and method determine addresses of nodes for an arrangement including strings that have nodes and a splitter. The system includes a controller device connected to a first string, the first string also connected to the splitter. The system includes a bus configuration connecting the nodes to one another and to the controller device. The controller device transmits first signals to the nodes of the first string and sequentially receives first responses. The controller device assigns addresses to the nodes of the first string. The controller device generates a second signal that defines a path to a splitter output. The controller device sequentially receives second responses from nodes of a second string on the splitter output and then assigns addresses to the nodes of the second string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Paul Smola
  • Publication number: 20200077493
    Abstract: A device, system, and method determine addresses of nodes for an arrangement including strings that have nodes and a splitter. The system includes a controller device connected to a first string, the first string also connected to the splitter. The system includes a bus configuration connecting the nodes to one another and to the controller device. The controller device transmits first signals to the nodes of the first string and sequentially receives first responses. The controller device assigns addresses to the nodes of the first string. The controller device generates a second signal that defines a path to a splitter output. The controller device sequentially receives second responses from nodes of a second string on the splitter output and then assigns addresses to the nodes of the second string.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventor: PAUL SMOLA
  • Patent number: 9652010
    Abstract: An energy management system for providing sequential application of power to electrical loads contains a series of electrical loads and at least one unit controller, wherein each unit controller connects to at least one electrical load and controls power application to the at least one electrical load. Each individual unit controller has a unique identification to allow for communication with the individual unit controller, wherein each unique identification has a unique power-on delay. The unit controller contains a memory and a processor configured by the memory to: determine if a power-off condition has occurred, being followed by a power-on condition, referred to as a powerup event; and enable delivery of power, after a powerup event, to the at least one electrical load in accordance with the unique power-on delay of the unit controller. A building controller or central server may instead provide sequential application of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Paul Smola, Bruce Daryl Duhamel
  • Publication number: 20130079942
    Abstract: An energy management system for providing sequential application of power to electrical loads contains a series of electrical loads and at least one unit controller, wherein each unit controller connects to at least one electrical load and controls power application to the at least one electrical load. Each individual unit controller has a unique identification to allow for communication with the individual unit controller, wherein each unique identification has a unique power-on delay. The unit controller contains a memory and a processor configured by the memory to: determine if a power-off condition has occurred, being followed by a power-on condition, referred to as a powerup event; and enable delivery of power, after a powerup event, to the at least one electrical load in accordance with the unique power-on delay of the unit controller. A building controller or central server may instead provide sequential application of power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Paul Smola, Bruce Daryl Duhamel
  • Publication number: 20090005883
    Abstract: A system and method for providing device independent control and modification is provided, where the system contains a supervisory controller and a first level controller in communication with the supervisory controller. The first level controller contains software therein, wherein the software is the intersection of program code and objects, and wherein objects of the software include at least one device object summarizing properties of the first level controller and limits of the first level controller, and at least one logical element object defining functionality to be performed by the first level controller. Functionality of the first level controller can be changed by changing values of the objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Teletrol Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew H. McMillan, Kurt Kavanaugh, Paul Smola
  • Patent number: 5861823
    Abstract: A data entry device is provided, having as its primary function the entry of numeric data. A secondary function is the entry of alphabetic characters. The device is operated with a single hand and requires no shift or function keys. The number of keys of the device is kept to a minimum to avoid visual clutter and to facilitate its use with one hand. The keys are designed to be easy to access and to be operated while wearing a glove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Granite Communications Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary J. Strauch, Paul Smola
  • Patent number: D966198
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: SIGNIFY HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Peter Swai, Kalyan Pisupati, Paul Smola, Hong Zhang