Patents by Inventor Shigeru Ido

Shigeru Ido 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: 9232616
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a light source module and a power supply module. The light source module includes an electrical light source and a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless signal containing information about the light source. The power supply module is connected to the light source module and includes a power supply circuit configured to generate electric power for the light source, a receiver circuit configured to receive the wireless signal transmitted from the transmitter circuit, and a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit in accordance with the wireless signal received through the receiver circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinori Hiramatu, Hiroshi Kido, Junichi Hasegawa, Shigeru Ido, Daisuke Ueda
  • Patent number: 9185775
    Abstract: The lighting device of the present invention includes: a power source configured to supply power to a plurality of light sources; and a cooling control circuit configured to control a plurality of cooling devices for respectively cooling the plurality of light sources. The cooling control circuit includes a power supply circuit, a plurality of output circuits, a plurality of temperature measurement circuits, and an output control circuit. The power supply circuit outputs a constant voltage by use of power from the power source. The output circuits receive the constant voltage from the power supply circuit and supply drive voltages to the plurality of cooling devices respectively. The temperature measurement circuits measure temperatures of the plurality of light sources respectively. The output control circuit regulates the drive voltages respectively supplied from the plurality of output circuits based on the temperatures respectively measured by the plurality of temperature measurement circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Kido, Akinori Hiramatu, Takeshi Kamoi, Shigeru Ido, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Publication number: 20150257217
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power conversion unit, an impedance adjustment unit, a first control unit, and a second control unit. The power conversion unit is configured to convert input power to direct-current power used for a light source. The impedance adjustment unit is formed of a series circuit of a resistor element and a switch element and is coupled to the light source in parallel, relative to the power conversion unit. The second control unit is configured to cause the power conversion unit to operate, for each burst cycle, for an operation period which is not longer than the burst cycle, and increase and reduce the ratio of the operation period to the burst cycle. The first control unit is configured to make the switch element conductive for a predetermined adjustment period which is not longer than the operation period, during the operation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Shigeru IDO, Hiroshi KIDO, Akinori HIRAMATU, Junichi HASEGAWA, Daisuke UEDA
  • Publication number: 20150257212
    Abstract: A control unit of a light source device after activation time is configured to turn on switches respectively connected in series with light sources, in prescribed order. The light source device and a lighting device are configured to transmit characteristics of the light sources, based on a voltage change depending on a pattern of on and off of the switches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Shigeru IDO, Hiroshi KIDO, Akinori HIRAMATU, Junichi HASEGAWA, Daisuke UEDA
  • Patent number: 9131564
    Abstract: A light emitting element lighting device includes: a rectifying unit which rectifies an AC voltage; a smoothing unit which smoothes a ripple voltage from the rectifying unit; a power supply unit having a switching element; and a control unit which controls on/off of the switching element. Further, the smoothing unit servers as a partial smoothing circuit for partially smoothing a low voltage period of the ripple voltage outputted from the rectifying unit. The power supply unit supplies a lighting power to a light source unit including one or more light emitting elements. The control unit controls a switching frequency of the switching element to decrease as the output voltage of the smoothing unit decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Nakajo, Hiroshi Kido, Shigeru Ido
  • Publication number: 20150250036
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: first and second power feed terminals between which a light source of a light source device is configured to be electrically connected; a power supply circuit having output ends electrically connected respectively to the first and second power feed terminals and configured to output a DC power across the first and second power feed terminals; a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit; and at least one identifying terminal for identifying a rated current of a light source. The control circuit is configured to identify a rated current of a light source connected between the first and second power feed terminals by detecting whether the identifying terminal is in floating state or not, and to control the power supply circuit so as to supply a current corresponding to the identified rated current through the first and second power feed terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke UEDA, Hiroshi KIDO, Akinori HIRAMATU, Junichi HASEGAWA, Shigeru IDO
  • Publication number: 20150250037
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a step-down circuit configured to convert an input voltage into a DC voltage by no insulation, and a control circuit configured to control the step-down circuit. The step-down circuit has an input end, and the step-down circuit is provided on a side of the input end with an overcurrent protector. The overcurrent protector is configured to be fused by flowing of an overcurrent. The step-down circuit has an output end, a side of which is connected in parallel with a switching circuit. The switching circuit includes a switching element. The control circuit is configured to turn on the switching element according to an output voltage of the step-down circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventor: Shigeru Ido
  • Patent number: 9113509
    Abstract: The lighting device according to the present invention includes: a power source configured to supply power to a light source having a plurality of regions; a plurality of cooling devices arranged corresponding to the plurality of regions to cool the plurality of regions, respectively; and a cooling control circuit configured to control the plurality of cooling devices. The cooling control circuit includes: a plurality of output circuits configured to supply drive voltages to the plurality of cooling devices by use of power from the power source to drive the plurality of cooling devices, respectively; a plurality of temperature measurement circuits configured to respectively measure temperatures of the plurality of regions; and an output control circuit configured to regulate the drive voltages respectively supplied from the plurality of output circuits based on the temperatures respectively measured by the plurality of temperature measurement circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Kido, Akinori Hiramatu, Takeshi Kamoi, Shigeru Ido, Nobutoshi Matsuzaki, Daisuke Yamahara
  • Patent number: 9113532
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a set of light source units including multiple types of solid state light emitting elements having different light colors, each of the light source units comprising the same type of the solid state light emitting elements connected in series and; and an information storage unit which stores information about electrical characteristic of the set of light source units. The information stored in the information storage unit represents a relationship between a light output and a drive current in the set of light source units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Naruo, Shigeru Ido, Sana Esaki, Akinori Hiramatu
  • Publication number: 20150145433
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a light source module and a power supply module. The light source module includes an electrical light source and a transmitter circuit configured to transmit a wireless signal containing information about the light source. The power supply module is connected to the light source module and includes a power supply circuit configured to generate electric power for the light source, a receiver circuit configured to receive the wireless signal transmitted from the transmitter circuit, and a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit in accordance with the wireless signal received through the receiver circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Akinori HIRAMATU, Hiroshi KIDO, Junichi HASEGAWA, Shigeru IDO, Daisuke UEDA
  • Publication number: 20150145422
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a plurality of DC power supply circuits. A plurality of light sources and switching units are connected to each of the DC power supply circuits, the switching units being configured to respectively switch electrical connection between the light sources and said each of the DC power supply circuits. A difference in rated voltage between any two light sources connected to one of the plurality of DC power supply circuits in common is smaller than a difference in rated voltage between two light sources respectively connected to different DC power supply circuits of the plurality of DC power supply circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Akinori HIRAMATU, Hiroshi KIDO, Junichi HASEGAWA, Shigeru IDO, Daisuke UEDA
  • Publication number: 20150145436
    Abstract: A lighting device includes: a DC power source circuit; an output control circuit including a chopping switch to adjust an output current by chopping of the chopping switch; light source switches respectively connected to the light sources; and a control unit for controlling a time period for which a current flows in the light sources. The control unit controls the output control circuit such that an operation period for which the chopping is conducted and a stop period for which the chopping is stopped are repeated alternately and performs switchover of the light source switches to be sequentially and selectively turned on, and the switchover is conducted during the stop period with a time interval from a beginning of the stop period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Junichi HASEGAWA, Akinori HIRAMATU, Shigeru IDO
  • Patent number: 9030107
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes: a series circuit of a thyristor and at least one load circuit connected across an AC power source; a current control circuit for adjusting an input current to be maintained at a predetermined level during a part or the whole of an ON period of the thyristor; and a short circuit for short-circuiting input ports of the load circuit to have a predetermined resistance during a part of the ON period of the thyristor and a part or the whole of an OFF period of the thyristor. The current control circuit and the short circuit are connected in parallel to the load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Ido
  • Publication number: 20150054420
    Abstract: A controller has a first mode and a second mode. First mode is of generating a PWM signal that has a duty ratio to be changed according to a luminous level for a light emitting element and has a constant amplitude. Second mode is of generating a PAM signal that has a constant duty ratio and has an amplitude to be changed according to the luminous level for the light emitting element. Controller is configured to apply one of PWM signal in first mode and PAM signal in second mode to a control terminal of a switching element, when the luminous level is a predetermined level or more. Controller is configured to apply the other of PWM signal in first mode and PAM signal in second mode to the control terminal of the switching element, when the luminous level is less than the predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Akinori HIRAMATU, Shigeru IDO, Junichi HASEGAWA, Hiroshi KIDO
  • Publication number: 20150054419
    Abstract: In first mode, controller is configured, when receiving a dimming instruction signal, to control voltage-adjusting part to provide a DC voltage with a magnitude corresponding to a luminous level, across output ends of DC power supply, and apply a control voltage with a magnitude kept constant to a control terminal of switching element. In second mode, controller is configured, when receiving the dimming instruction signal, to apply the control voltage with a magnitude corresponding to luminous level to the control terminal of switching element, and control voltage-adjusting part to provide the DC voltage with a magnitude kept constant, across the output ends of DC power supply. Controller is configured to operate in one of first and second modes when luminous level is predetermined level or more, and in the other of first and second modes when luminous level is less than predetermined level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Akinori HIRAMATU, Shigeru IDO, Junichi HASEGAWA, Hiroshi KIDO
  • Patent number: 8957591
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a lighting apparatus having a solid-state light emitting element as a light source; and a dimmer including a bidirectional switching element having a self-sustaining function and connected to a serial circuit of the lighting apparatus and an external power source. The dimmer varies a conduction angle of the bidirectional switching element by controlling a phase of an AC voltage of the external power source, wherein the lighting apparatus performs dimming of the light source based on the conduction angle of the bidirectional switching element, and the dimmer continues to apply driving current to the bidirectional switching element during a first period, which is a part of a second period, the bidirectional switching element being allowed to conduct throughout the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Murakami, Koji Nakagawara, Masahito Ohnishi, Masahiro Naruo, Shigeru Ido, Kazuhiro Nisimoto, Hiromitsu Mizukawa
  • Publication number: 20150042228
    Abstract: An electronic ballast includes an AC-DC converter, a DC-DC converter, a cooling device and a power supply. The cooling device is configured to cool the light source. The power supply includes a first power supply configured to generate a first operating voltage from a first voltage obtained from a chopper circuit included in the AC-DC converter to supply the first operating voltage to at least one of the AC-DC converter and the DC-DC converter. The power supply further includes a second power supply configured to generate a second operating voltage from a second voltage obtained from the chopper circuit to supply the second operating voltage to at least the cooling device of the AC-DC converter, the DC-DC converter and the cooling device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Akinori HIRAMATU, Daisuke YAMAHARA, Shigeru IDO, Junichi HASEGAWA, Takeshi KAMOI, Hiroshi KIDO
  • Publication number: 20150035441
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes light sources differing from one another in terms of light-emission color and voltage drop when identical current flows therein, switches in one-to-one correspondence with the light sources, a DC power supply circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit performs a first control of the switches through a time division control method such that an on-period of each switch is not overlapped with that of any other switch. The control circuit also performs a second control to individually control at least one of a target current magnitude, flowing through each switch in the switched-on state, and a target on-period length of each switch, and to adjust a ratio of the plurality of light sources in terms of a product of the target current magnitude and the target on-period length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Junichi HASEGAWA, Hiroshi KIDO, Akinori HIRAMATSU, Shigeru IDO
  • Patent number: 8853966
    Abstract: A lighting device includes lighting control units respectively provided for controlling lighting of solid state light emitting element groups irradiating light of different chromaticities and a color ratio setting unit for setting a target output ratio of the solid state light emitting element groups. In an xy chromaticity diagram of an XYZ color system, a straight line connecting chromaticity coordinates of lights irradiated by a first and a second solid state light emitting element group intersects a black body locus. Further, the lighting control units include a first and a second lighting control unit for controlling lighting of the first and the second solid state light emitting element group, and the first and the second control unit perform a feedback control such that an output ratio of the second to the first solid state light emitting element group becomes equal to the target output ratio thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Naruo, Shigeru Ido, Sana Esaki, Akinori Hiramatu
  • Patent number: 8841863
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes: a lighting circuit; a dimming signal circuit; and a feedforward control circuit. The lighting circuit receives an output which is rectified and smoothed commercial power, and supplies power to a light source Lamp. The dimming signal circuit sends a timing signal to the lighting circuit, wherein the timing signal is a signal for switching an output of the lighting circuit periodically to an ON state and either of an OFF state and a dimmed state. The feedforward control circuit detects either of an input voltage of the lighting circuit and an input voltage of the smoothing circuit, and sends a control signal to the dimming signal circuit, wherein the control signal is a signal for correcting a lighting time so that a light output of the light source can become a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Ido