Patents by Inventor Tim C. W. Schenk

Tim C. W. Schenk 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: 9363855
    Abstract: The invention relates to control system configured for controlling at least one controllable device. The device has been assigned a corresponding identifier and is configured for transmitting an identification signal comprising the identifier of the device. The control system comprises a display for displaying a control item configured for controlling the controllable device. The control system also comprises a receiver configured for wirelessly receiving the identification signal comprising the identifier. The control system is configured for assigning a position of the control item on the display to the device identified by means of said received identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Feri, Tim C. W. Schenk, Hendricus T. G. M. Penning De Vries, Paulus H. A. Damink
  • Patent number: 9025966
    Abstract: A method for driving a lamp (2) comprises the steps of: generating a lamp current (ICONST) having a constant magnitude; defining a commutation period having a duration TCOMM; defining a time base of original commutation moments, having fixed mutual intervals of 0.5*TCOMM; receiving data to be embedded in the light output; commutating the lamp current at commutation moments; wherein individual commutations are time-modulated in order to encode said received data. Preferably, a commutation moment is: either equal to an original commutation moment if there are no data to embed; or advanced over a modulation distance (?) with respect to the corresponding original commutation moment in order to encode data having a first value (“0”); or delayed over said modulation distance (?) with respect to the corresponding original commutation moment in order to encode data having a second value (“1”).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Koninklijkle Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C. W. Schenk, Sel B. Colak, Johannes P. Wernars, Johan P. M. G. Linnartz, Lorenzo Feri, Paulus H. A. Damink, Hendricus T. G. M. Penning de Vries
  • Patent number: 8693878
    Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination device connectable to an AC voltage source for applying an alternating voltage during a series of time intervals. The illumination device comprises at least a first light source and a second light source, arranged to be connected in series to the AC voltage source, to generate a luminance output in response to the alternating voltage. Selection means are provided configured for selectively applying the alternating voltage over the first light source or the first and second light source. A controller is provided for controlling the selection means in response to a data signal comprising data symbols such that one or more of the data symbols are contained in said luminance output. The invention also relates to a method of embedding one or more data symbols in the luminance output of such an illumination device, an optical receiver and an illumination system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C. W. Schenk, Lorenzo Feri, Peter Deixler
  • Patent number: 8319440
    Abstract: A direction controllable lighting unit (10) and use thereof in a lighting system (40) are described. A lighting unit (10) has means (16) for directing the light emission (22) into different directions. A plurality of light sources (20a, 20b) are mounted on a common body (14). The light sources (20a, 20b) are disposed to emit directed light into different directions. The light is modulated to contain identification codes ‘A’, ‘B’, which are unique. Within the lighting system (40), an optical sensor (46) is arranged in a region illuminated by the lighting unit (10). The optical sensor (46) demodulates the received light according to the identification code. A control unit (44) is connected to the optical sensor (46) and to the lighting unit (10) to control the direction of the lighting unit (10) based on information from the optical sensor (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C. W. Schenk, Lorenzo Feri, Hongming Yang
  • Publication number: 20120105266
    Abstract: A method for driving a lamp (2) comprises the steps of: generating a lamp current (ICONST) having a constant magnitude; defining a commutation period having a duration TCOMM; defining a time base of original commutation moments, having fixed mutual intervals of 0.5*TCOMM; receiving data to be embedded in the light output; commutating the lamp current at commutation moments; wherein individual commutations are time-modulated in order to encode said received data. Preferably, a commutation moment is: either equal to an original commutation moment if there are no data to embed; or advanced over a modulation distance (?) with respect to the corresponding original commutation moment in order to encode data having a first value (“0”); or delayed over said modulation distance (?) with respect to the corresponding original commutation moment in order to encode data having a second value (“1”).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C. W. Schenk, Sel B. Colak, Johannes P. Wernars, Johan P.M.G. Linnartz, Lorenzo Feri, Paulus H.A. Damink, Hendricus T.G.M. Penning de Vries
  • Publication number: 20110276151
    Abstract: The invention relates to control system configured for controlling at least one controllable device. The device has been assigned a corresponding identifier and is configured for transmitting an identification signal comprising the identifier of the device. The control system comprises a display for displaying a control item configured for controlling the controllable device. The control system also comprises a receiver configured for wirelessly receiving the identification signal comprising the identifier. The control system is configured for assigning a position of the control item on the display to the device identified by means of said received identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Lorenzo Feri, Tim C. W. Schenk, Hendricus T. G. M. Penning De Vries, Paulus H. A. Damink
  • Publication number: 20110236034
    Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination device connectable to an AC voltage source for applying an alternating voltage during a series of time intervals. The illumination device comprises at least a first light source and a second light source, arranged to be connected in series to the AC voltage source, to generate a luminance output in response to the alternating voltage. Selection means are provided configured for selectively applying the alternating voltage over the first light source or the first and second light source. A controller is provided for controlling the selection means in response to a data signal comprising data symbols such that one or more of the data symbols are contained in said luminance output. The invention also relates to a method of embedding one or more data symbols in the luminance output of such an illumination device, an optical receiver and an illumination system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C. W. Schenk, Lorenzo Feri, Peter Deixler
  • Publication number: 20100271617
    Abstract: A vehicle position measurement system (100) and method to determine the (relative) position of a vehicle (110) and an object (120) are proposed. The system comprises at least two light sources (131, 132) capable of emitting light and positioned at a predetermined distance (140) to each other. Furthermore the system comprises at least one detector (150/151, 152) capable of measuring the light emitted. The light emitted by the light sources comprises synchronized light source identification codes. The detector is arranged to determine the position of the vehicle (110) and object (120) on the basis of a phase-difference measurement between the light originating from the individual light sources (131, 132) and a comparison phase. The vehicle (110) may comprise the at least two light sources (131, 132) and the detector (151, 152), while the phase-difference is measured between light reflected from the object (120) and the comparison phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Paulus H.A. Damink, Sel B. Colak, Cornelis R. Ronda, Lorenzo Feri, Tim C.W. Schenk
  • Publication number: 20100225484
    Abstract: Proposed is an object localization method, system and user interface device for locating a (misplaced) object (10) in an area of a construction (1). The method comprises the steps of (i) identifying the object (10), (ii) providing an illumination device (20) comprising a plurality of light sources (30) modulated to emit light comprising light source identification codes (35), (iii) illuminating the tag (11) with light emitted by the light sources (30), (iv) requesting the tag (11) to measure the illumination and to identify the light sources (30) illuminating the tag by their light source identification codes (35), (v) transmitting object location data from the tag (11) relating to the measured illumination and light source identification codes (35) to a master controller (25) arranged to control the illumination device (20), (vi) providing a feedback signal related to the object (10) using the master controller (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Bartel M. Van De Sluis, Lorenzo Feri, Tim C.W. Schenk, Sel B. Colak, Paulus H.A. Damink, Hendricus T.G.M. Penning De Vries
  • Publication number: 20100176732
    Abstract: A direction controllable lighting unit (10) and use thereof in a lighting system (40) are described. A lighting unit (10) has means (16) for directing the light emission (22) into different directions. A plurality of light sources (20a, 20b) are mounted on a common body (14). The light sources (20a, 20b) are disposed to emit directed light into different directions. The light is modulated to contain identification codes ‘A’, ‘B’, which are unique. Within the lighting system (40), an optical sensor (46) is arranged in a region illuminated by the lighting unit (10). The optical sensor (46) demodulates the received light according to the identification code. A control unit (44) is connected to the optical sensor (46) and to the lighting unit (10) to control the direction of the lighting unit (10) based on information from the optical sensor (46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Tim C.W. Schenk, Lorenzo Feri, Hongming Yang