Vehicle Patents (Class 315/77)
  • Patent number: 10797698
    Abstract: An example circuit includes a plurality of light emitters connected in parallel between a first node and a second node. The circuit also includes a plurality of capacitors, with each capacitor corresponding to one of the light emitters, and a plurality of discharge-control switches, with each discharge-control switches corresponding to one of the capacitors. The circuit further includes a pulse-control switch connected to the plurality of light emitters. During a first period, the pulse-control switch restricts current flow, and each of the plurality of capacitors is charged via the first node. During a second period, one or more of the plurality of discharge-control switches allows current flow that discharges one or more corresponding capacitors. During a third period, the pulse-control switch allows current flow that discharges one or more undischarged capacitors of the plurality of capacitors through one or more corresponding light emitters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Pierre-yves Droz, Augusto Tazzoli, Michael Marx
  • Patent number: 10788196
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a converter device is provided. The device includes a phosphor element for converting a pump radiation into a conversion radiation and an excitation coil for producing an alternating magnetic field in which the phosphor element is arranged. The phosphor element has a conductor loop forming a coupling coil that is inductively coupled to the excitation coil such that the coupling coil and hence the phosphor element can be monitored by way of the inductive coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: OSRAM Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Massmann, Jens Richter, Peter Vogt, Jan Oliver Drumm
  • Patent number: 10787114
    Abstract: A headlamp control apparatus may include: an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a forward image of a vehicle; a driving information acquisition unit configured to acquire driving information including one or more of driving environment information and driving state information of the vehicle; and a control unit configured to decide a shadow area for a position of a forward vehicle, which is recognized based on the forward image acquired by the image acquisition unit, and control light emission of a headlamp according to the decided shadow area, wherein the control unit controls the light emission of the headlamp by variably adjusting the shadow area based on the driving information acquired by the driving information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jun Young Sung
  • Patent number: 10780818
    Abstract: A tri-state electronic vehicle system control circuit comprises a plurality of 3-position switches, each of which is coupled to a dedicated pin on a wiring harness for coupling multiple portions of a combination vehicle such as a tractor-trailer combination. Each switch controls a device (e.g., brake lights, turn signal, etc.) and a data link that can be selectively toggled in a manner that permits data transmission without perceptibly affecting device function. Alternatively, two devices controlled by a given switch can be enabled by a single pin on the wiring harness. The tri-state switching circuitry thus doubles the capacity of the wiring harness to which it is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: BENDIX COMMERICAL VEHICLE SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventor: Rick Foster
  • Patent number: 10731814
    Abstract: A lamp for a vehicle includes an array module including a plurality of micro Light Emitting Diode (LED) chips. The array module has a shape that is concave in a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ZKW Group GmbH
    Inventors: Shinwoo Yoon, Juhwan Seol, Yongkyo Kim
  • Patent number: 10727386
    Abstract: A radiation-emitting component includes a radiation source including at least one semiconductor layer sequence that generates radiation; an optical waveguide device disposed downstream of the radiation source; and a conversion element for radiation conversion disposed downstream of the optical waveguide device, wherein radiation is emittable from the radiation source via an emission surface and couplable into the optical waveguide device, radiation is couplable from the optical waveguide device into the conversion element via an input surface, and the emission surface of the radiation source is larger than the input surface of the conversion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: OSRAM OLED GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Grötsch
  • Patent number: 10723258
    Abstract: A lamp assembly is provided herein. The lamp assembly includes first and second light sources operably coupled to an exterior portion of a vehicle. The first light source illuminates a front door and the second light source illuminates a rear door. A controller is configured to activate the first and second light sources to selectively illuminate the front or rear doors to indicate a predefined door of entry into the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Annette Lynn Huebner, Paul Kenneth Dellock, James J. Surman, David Brian Glickman
  • Patent number: 10670204
    Abstract: The present invention provides a LED light strip, wherein the light strip comprises an outer casing, an inner casing disposed in the outer casing and a light-emitting component placed in the inner casing, the light-emitting component comprises a substrate and some LED illuminant modules set on the substrate, the inner casing is provided with a light exit through which the light of the LED illuminant directly passes, cut marks are arranged in a position between the light exits corresponding to a interval of LED illuminant modules connected in parallel, and a wall of the outer casing facing the LED illuminant is transparent. The cut mark of the present invention is easily seen and a user can see the cut mark trough the transparent wall directly thus facilitating the cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: GUANGDONG OML TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoping Li
  • Patent number: 10660167
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lighting apparatus includes an LED driver that outputs a driving current, a switch circuit that selects at least one division terminal among a first division terminal to a fourth division terminal and electrically connects the selected at least one division terminal with a driving current terminal receiving the driving current, a first resistor circuit that is connected with the first and second division terminals, a second resistor circuit that is connected with the third and fourth division terminals, a first LED light source that is electrically connected with the first resistor circuit and emits a first light having a first color temperature, and a second LED light source that is electrically connected with the second resistor circuit and emits a second light having a second color temperature higher than the first color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Deok Hee Han
  • Patent number: 10604136
    Abstract: Circuits for providing to an operator warning interfaced system of a transportation vehicle a conductive path to ground or voltage source are described herein. The operator warning interface system, when provided a conductive path to ground or voltage source, may generate an audio and/or visual alert that indicates that the parking brake of the transportation vehicle is disengaged. The circuits may include at least one switch that when integrated into a safety and warning system of a transportation vehicle and when closed provides a conductive path to ground or voltage source to an operator warning interface system of the transportation vehicle, where the switch closes when the parking brake of the transportation vehicle is disengaged. In some implementations, the circuits may further include a second switch that must be closed in order to provide the conductive path to ground or voltage source. The second switch may close when the vehicle ignition is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SBS, Incorporated
    Inventors: Frank Williams, Bannion Frank Allen
  • Patent number: 10562440
    Abstract: A directional lighting system may include a plurality of lights positioned on a singular planar surface. A plurality of stationary reflectors may also be provided, each reflector positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of lights. The stationary reflectors may be positioned on the single planar surface in an orientation so as to provide directional illumination of one of the plurality of lights in a different direction relative to another of the plurality of lights. The single planar surface may define a surface of a printed circuit board (PCB) to which the plurality of lights are mounted. The directional lighting system may further include a controller in communication with the plurality of lights. The controller may include one or more preset lighting functions, whereby a user may select one of the one or more preset buttons to illuminate specific lights of the plurality of lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Inventors: Danial Julian, Zhongren Zhang
  • Patent number: 10525878
    Abstract: A pedestrian warning system for an eco-friendly vehicle may include a warning sound controller including an alarm sound controller and a virtual engine sound system configured to inform a pedestrian of a behavior of the vehicle; and an alarm sound output device including not only an amplifier for amplifying a pedestrian alarm sound and a virtual engine sound, but also a directional speaker for outputting the amplified pedestrian alarm sound and the amplified virtual engine sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jung Keun You, Mun Hwan Cho, Jin Mo Lee
  • Patent number: 10502772
    Abstract: A device outage detector, comprising: a microcontroller; a plurality of shunt resistors, each connected to at least one of a plurality of vehicle elements; a current sensor configured to measure a plurality of instantaneous currents passing through the plurality of shunt resistors, respectively; and a voltage sensor configured to measure a plurality of instantaneous voltages across the plurality of shunt resistors, respectively, wherein the microcontroller is configured to issue a warning for a given shunt resistor if its corresponding instantaneous current is below the first threshold value and its instantaneous voltage is zero, or if its corresponding instantaneous current is above a second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Grote Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Adam Broadbent Slade
  • Patent number: 10492259
    Abstract: A dimming signal conversion method can include: converting a dimming voltage to a PWM signal; adjusting a corresponding relationship between the dimming voltage and a duty cycle of the PWM signal according to brightness requirements of a LED light source; and generating a drive current of an LED driver based on the corresponding relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Longqi Wang, Jianxin Wang
  • Patent number: 10464475
    Abstract: A lighting device for a motor vehicle, the lighting device being designed to emit at least one light beam, at least one characteristic of which relates to the type of propulsion of the motor vehicle, the device being arranged to emit the light beam at least when the motor vehicle is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Christophe Dubosc, Denis Manceau, Remi Mathieu, Edmond Pilla
  • Patent number: 10421390
    Abstract: A lamp device mounted on a vehicle includes a housing, a first translucent member defining a housing space together with the housing, a lamp unit housed in the housing space and including a light source, a sensor housed in the housing space and configured to detect information outside the vehicle based on invisible light, and a second translucent member housed in the housing space and covering the sensor. The second translucent member has transmittance of visible light lower than that of the first translucent member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hara, Kazuhito Osada, Nobuyuki Horikawa
  • Patent number: 10412797
    Abstract: A driver coupled to a configurable load includes a first switch coupled between an intermediate node of the load and a converter supply voltage and a second switch coupled between the converter supply voltage and a reference potential. A slew rate control circuit is responsive to a command input signal and to a feedback voltage across the first and second switches and is configured to generate switch control signals with a controllable slew rate for coupling to control terminals of the first and second switches. In an embodiment, the command input signal includes a load configuration command and a converter mode command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Allegro MicroSystems, LLC
    Inventor: Nai-Chi Lee
  • Patent number: 10390405
    Abstract: The disclosed systems and methods emphasize driving LEDs in series and in parallel with the same LED driver chip and a single inductor. For creating overlap, the systems and methods of LED color overlap disclosed herein take advantage of the fact that green and blue LEDs have the same voltage. Thus, green and blue LEDs can be driven in parallel as needed. LED suppliers can screen parts for sufficiently close voltage matching between green and blue LEDs. This is especially true when using green LED die based on a blue die with a green phosphor. Cyan may be produced by driving a green LED and a blue LED in parallel. White may produced by driving a green LED and a blue LED in parallel and a red LED in series with this green and blue parallel pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Dan Morgan, Paulo Pinheiro
  • Patent number: 10351053
    Abstract: The auxiliary turn light for a tractor-trailer is an illumination system. The tractor-trailer further comprises a left turn control signal and a right turn control signal. The left turn control signal and the right turn control signal generates an electrical signal that operates the left turn signal and the right turn signal respectively. The auxiliary turn light for a tractor-trailer comprises a left illumination circuit and a right illumination circuit. The left illumination circuit operates a left lamp that generates a field of illumination on the left side of the tractor. The right illumination circuit operates a right lamp that generates a field of illumination on the right side of the tractor. The operation of the left illumination circuit is initiated by the left turn control signal. The operation of the right illumination circuit is initiated by the right turn control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Inventor: Derek Salinas
  • Patent number: 10336244
    Abstract: An arrangement for producing a glare-free high-beam for vehicles is disclosed with headlights, which have a plurality of LEDs controllable by an ADB control and regulating unit and that a front camera is provided which is connected with the ADB control and regulating unit and which is designed to transmit information about oncoming and/or preceding vehicles to the ADB control unit, the arrangement being characterized in that the headlights are designed to generate an ADB illumination area asymmetrically only for an area of the own lane and that the headlights are designed to generate for an area of the oncoming lane only a low-beam area and a high-beam area. A method for producing an asymmetrical, glare-free high-beam is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Varroc Lighting Systems, s.r.o.
    Inventors: Rainer Neumann, Vladimír Kub{hacek over (e)}na
  • Patent number: 10306719
    Abstract: A first LED is connected to a power line to emit a first light in a first color toward a screen when applied with a power-line voltage of the power line. A second LED is connected to the power line to emit a second light in a second color toward the screen when applied with the power-line voltage. The first color is complementary to the second color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Wiegand
  • Patent number: 10292231
    Abstract: The invention proposes a device and a method which make it possible to manage the light fluxes emitted respectively by fixed and mobile parts of a light device for a motor vehicle. It is noteworthy that the management of the light fluxes takes into account the relative position between the different parts of the light device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventor: Mathieu Gaborieau
  • Patent number: 10272821
    Abstract: A connection device for electrical connection of a lighting means of a vehicle headlight, includes a vehicle connection for connection to the vehicle headlight connection of the vehicle, a lighting means connection for the electrical coupling of the at least one lighting means of the vehicle headlight, an on-board power supply system connection for connection to an electrical on-board power supply system of the vehicle, a lighting means simulation unit connected to the vehicle connection and to the on-board power supply system connection to detect the electrical quantity and to simulate a predefinable lighting means taking account of the detected electrical quantity on the vehicle connection, and a control unit connected to the lighting means connection and to the on-board power supply system connection to determine a control signal depending on the detected electrical quantity and to control the lighting means depending on the determined control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: OSRAM GMBH
    Inventors: Benjamin Kreisz, Manuel Maresch, Sammr Nasrallah-Goldberg, Marc Schwenkbeck
  • Patent number: 10271399
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a lighting system for a rear of a motor vehicle and a corresponding method. In particular, an example lighting system includes a first rear combination lamp and a second rear combination lamp, the first and second rear combination lamps each including a first lighting section configured to illuminate a first color and a second lighting section configured to illuminate one of an second color and a third color. The system further includes a controller configured to selectively illuminate each of the first and second lighting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Ekladyous, Ghassan E. Mady, Lisa Hohmann, Arun Kumar, Kevin Woycik, Kelley Maria Adams-Campos
  • Patent number: 10240728
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a motor vehicle component having a receiver and a portable utility light that is releasably held in that receiver. The portable utility light includes a housing having a lens and an external reflector and a light source held in the housing. A method of providing a motor vehicle with a multi function light source is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Xu, Yun Shin Lee, Daniel Howard Weckstein, Robert Ralph Armitage, Jr., Todd Jared Konet
  • Patent number: 10236426
    Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor component and a method for producing an optoelectronic semiconductor component are disclosed. In an embodiment, the component includes a carrier, a multi-pixel semiconductor chip that emits electromagnetic radiation during operation, wherein the semiconductor chip is arranged on the carrier, and wherein the semiconductor chip has a plurality of individually activatable pixels capable of generating primary radiation and a wavelength conversion element for at least partially converting the primary radiation emitted from the semiconductor chip into electromagnetic secondary radiation, wherein an active zone of the multi-pixel semiconductor chip extends continuously over the plurality of pixels, and wherein the wavelength conversion element is implemented in one piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Britta Göötz, Wolfgang Mönch, Norwin von Malm
  • Patent number: 10231312
    Abstract: In a lighting device, when determining that both of a first measuring value and a second measuring value are not an abnormal value, a controller is configured to control an output of a power converter based on the first and second measuring values. The first measuring value is a temperature inside a main body of the lighting device, sensed by a first temperature sensor. The second measuring value is a temperature of a light source, sensed by a second temperature sensor. When determining that at least one of the first and second measuring values is the abnormal value, the controller is configured to control the output of the power converter to another value that is different from a value of the output set based on the first and second measuring values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kato, Toshiaki Nakamura, Akihiro Kishimoto, Kenichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10220780
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting module for a vehicle, the lighting module comprising: a light emitting device; and a control unit configured to control a lighting state of the lighting device, wherein the lighting module is adapted for arrangement in a first location of at least two spatially separated locations of the vehicle; wherein the control unit of the lighting module comprises a connection port, wherein the control unit is configured to receive a voltage status via the connection port, the voltage status being indicative of that the lighting module is configured to be arranged in the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Christopher Bengtsson
  • Patent number: 10173576
    Abstract: A first lamp assembly has a first attachment surface, a first transparent surface, a first side surface extending from the first transparent surface to the first attachment surface, and a first lighting member positioned to emit light through a portion of the first side surface. A second lamp assembly has a second attachment surface, a second transparent surface opposite the second attachment surface and a second side surface extending from the second transparent surface to the second attachment surface. The second side surface has a first projection extending therefrom that defines a first light deflecting surface such that when the second side surface and the first side surface are adjacent to one another with the light deflecting surface and first lighting member being aligned, the first light deflecting surface reflects and disperses light in a first area between the first lamp assembly and the second lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Happy, Thomas Cho
  • Patent number: 10121934
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device package including steps of disposing a plurality of light emitting structures on a support substrate, each light emitting structure including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, shaping a mixture containing a wavelength conversion material and a glass composition on the plurality of light emitting structures, sintering the mixture to form a wavelength conversion part, removing the support substrate, and cutting the plurality of light emitting structures into individual device units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jong Sup Song
  • Patent number: 10113338
    Abstract: A motor vehicle door lock status system is provided. That system includes a door lock actuator, a door lock status indicator for indicating lock status of the multiple motor vehicle doors, and a controller. The controller is connected to the door lock actuator and the door lock status indicator. Further, the controller is configured to provide a door open signal, an all doors closed and locked signal and a failure to lock signal. A related method of indicating door lock status of a motor vehicle is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: George Anthony Bernwanger, Jr., Howard Paul Tsvi Linden, Pawan Gupta, John Thomas Ricks, Rajesh K. Patel
  • Patent number: 10086748
    Abstract: A method and headlight system is disclosed for operating a headlamp arrangement of a motor vehicle. At least one sensor monitors an area in the traveling direction in front of the motor vehicle. The system acquires an object and calculates object data relative to the motor vehicle, which include a distance of the object, a horizontal location angle of the object as well as an angular velocity of the object. Latency between the object acquisition and change in light distribution for the headlight system is known. A light distribution of the headlamp arrangement is modified as a function of the object data and latency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Carsten Neitzke
  • Patent number: 10071685
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a head unit, a vehicle including the same, and a method for controlling the vehicle having the head unit. The head unit includes: a controller configured to control an in-vehicle device contained in a vehicle by interacting with manipulation of a user device, where the controller is configured to: receive information from the user device; control the in-vehicle device based on the information; and perform a command for operating the in-vehicle device based on signal sensitivity of the information and a predetermined logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Dae Sun Park, Unhwan Sol
  • Patent number: 10070494
    Abstract: A dimming switch device includes a key switch having a switching element controlled to be open-circuit or closed-circuit, a rectifying diode to rectify input AC voltages according to the state of the switching element, a power state coupling circuit, a controller, and a driving circuit. The key switch and the power state coupling circuit together generate a signal to inform the controller whether the switching element is open-circuit or closed-circuit through a pair of power lines that transmit both the signal and the power required by the dimming switch device and an electric load driven by the driving circuit. Methods for determining user operation events over the dimming switch device are also provided as routines like: reset, one-click, N-click, so that a lamp load can be turned on and off and adjust brightness according to the user operation events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CVICLOUD CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chung-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 10053008
    Abstract: A light emitting element driving device includes a first and second driving circuits, an abnormality detecting portion, a bypass path, and a switching portion. The first driving circuit can supply power to a light emitting element in a first mode, and is disabled to supply power in a mode other than the first mode. The second driving circuit can supply power to a light emitting element in a second mode. The abnormality detecting portion detects an abnormality of the light emitting element normally connected to the second driving circuit at least in the second mode. The bypass path connects the first driving circuit to the second driving circuit. The switching portion is disposed in the bypass path so as to make the bypass path into a conductive state when an abnormality is detected, and to make the bypass path into a cutoff state when an abnormality is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masaaki Nakayama
  • Patent number: 10017214
    Abstract: Disclosed are air rail assemblies for improved vehicle aerodynamics, methods for making and methods for using such air rail assemblies, and motor vehicles employing air rail assemblies for reducing turbulent flow and wake bubbles in and around the rear cargo bed. An air rail assembly for a motor vehicle is disclosed that includes an inlet port that extends through the rear quarter panel of a cargo bed sidewall. The inlet port intakes passing fore-aft airflow. An outlet port extends through a rail cap and ejects airflow intake from the cargo sidewall. An air duct, which attaches to an inboard surface of the rear quarter panel, fluidly connects the air inlet and outlet ports. The air duct includes transverse and vertical channels that cooperatively redirect the airflow intake in an inboard and upward direction. The air duct includes convergent portions that constrict and accelerate the airflow intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: David Schroeck
  • Patent number: 9986616
    Abstract: A lamp control device includes a lamp including an LED module which has a plurality of LED channels; and a controller configured to detect respective feedback voltages of the plurality of LED channels, and determine, when at least any one feedback voltage among the feedback voltages is retained to be lower than a predetermined reference voltage and a generation count of an over voltage protection signal reaches a predetermined reference count, an LED channel corresponding to the feedback voltage, as an open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SILICON WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ju Pyo Hong, Joo Wan Ha, Hai Feng Jin, Se Won Lee, Wanyuan Qu, Sung Hwan Kim, Sun Geon Yoo, Byeong Ho Jeong, Ju Hyun Lee
  • Patent number: 9972099
    Abstract: An operation assistance device includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes acquiring an operation image captured at each unit of operation in a linking operation to link a plurality of devices together, identifying positions, in the acquired operation image, of connection portions respectively provided at the plurality of devices, based on marker information included in the operation image, and based on design information of the plurality of devices, the design information including position information and a linkage state of the connection portions, executing image analysis processing on the identified positions of the connection portions to determine state of each connections made at each of the units of operation, based on a result of comparing a design image generated based on the design information and the operation image, and outputting information indicating a determination result to a display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Junya Kato
  • Patent number: 9897265
    Abstract: An LED tube lamp, comprising a lamp tube, which includes a light transmissive portion, a reinforcing portion and an end cap; an LED module, which includes an LED light source and an LED light strip; and a power supply module, which includes a set of N electronic components operably interconnected to drive the LED light source, wherein: the light transmissive portion is fixedly connected to the reinforcing portion; the reinforcing portion includes a platform and a bracing structure; the bracing structure is fixedly connected to the platform and holds the platform in place; the LED light source is thermally and electrically connected to the LED light strip, which is in turn thermally connected to the reinforcing portion; and the end cap is attached to an end of the lamp tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Jiaxing Super Lighting Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Aiming Xiong, Qifeng Ye, Yueqiang Zhang
  • Patent number: 9894721
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power converter, a second switching element and a microcomputer. The power converter is configured to convert DC power that is received from a power supply, and supply an output obtained by the conversion to a load. The second switching element is configured to short-circuit at least one LED of a plurality of LEDs, as part of the load. The microcomputer is configured to control the power converter, and control switching on/off of the second switching element. The microcomputer is configured to reduce an output current of the power converter, in a case where a power supply voltage of the battery is a reference voltage or less. A reduction amount of the output current in an on-state of the second switching element is lower than the reduction amount of the output current in an off-state of the second switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukui, Kazutoshi Suganuma, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9894731
    Abstract: A method for detecting a failure of at least one light emitting diode in a light emitting diode arrangement to which a supply current is applied by a constant-current source via a supply terminal and in which a respective luminous state of the light emitting diodes is set individually or in groups by means of a respective switching element by respective short-circuiting is disclosed, wherein a voltage signal of a chain voltage dropped across the light emitting diodes and dependent on the respective switching state of the switching elements is tapped off by a circuit apparatus at the supply terminal. The voltage signal is fed to an analog maximum value detector of the circuit apparatus, the maximum value detector is operated for a predetermined measurement duration and a maximum value signal of the voltage signal is provided at an output of the maximum value detector after the measurement duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Emil Kovatchev
  • Patent number: 9884582
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a thermal sensor, power converter circuits and a control circuit. The thermal sensor is configured to measure an internal temperature of a case. The power converter circuits are housed in the case and configured to be connected with different types of light sources, respectively. The control circuit is housed in the case and has priorities that are provided with respect to the different types of light sources according to their respective types. The control circuit is configured to, when the internal temperature is greater than a threshold, control the respective outputs of the power converter circuits so as to preferentially decrease an output for a light source corresponding to a first priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Kato, Toshiaki Nakamura, Akihiro Kishimoto, Kenichi Fukuda, Masaaki Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 9878655
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a first light source that emits light of a first brightness, a second light source that emits light of a second brightness higher than the first brightness, an actuator that changes the direction of light emitted from the first light source and the second light source, and an ADB control device that controls the light output of the second light source and the actuator so as to be associated with each other in accordance with a driving condition of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetada Tanaka, Yuichi Shibata, Misako Nakazawa, Michihiko Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 9867244
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, lighting systems feature lightsheets including multiple illumination units or modules electrically interconnected such that unremoved illumination units or modules remain energized upon removal of at least a portion of one or more illumination units or modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: COOLEDGE LIGHTING INC.
    Inventors: Paul Palfreyman, Paul Jungwirth, Jane Wei Yang, Michael A. Tischler
  • Patent number: 9839084
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, lighting systems feature lightsheets including multiple illumination units or modules electrically interconnected such that unremoved illumination units or modules remain energized upon removal of at least a portion of one or more illumination units or modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: COOLEDGE LIGHTING INC.
    Inventors: Paul Palfreyman, Paul Jungwirth, Jane Wei Yang, Michael A. Tischler
  • Patent number: 9829166
    Abstract: Vehicular lamp furnished with: a first light source emitting blue laser light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength region of 450 nm to 470 nm; a second light source emitting green laser light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength region of 510 nm to 550 nm; a third light source emitting red laser light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength region of 630 nm to 650 nm; a phosphor that by being excited by a portion of the blue laser light emitted by the first light source or of the green laser light emitted by the second light source emits excitation light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength region of 580 nm to 600 nm; and a light condensing unit for collecting the blue, green, and red laser light, and the excitation light, to generate white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shibata, Hiroyuki Ishida, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 9799805
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the optoelectronic semiconductor chip includes a semiconductor layer sequence having an active layer configured to generate a primary radiation having a main wavelength less than 500 nm. The semiconductor chip contains a first conversion element configured to generate a first secondary radiation and a second conversion element configured to generate a second secondary radiation. The semiconductor layer sequence is divided into segments that can be controlled electrically independently of each other and that are arranged laterally adjacent to each other. The conversion elements are attached to main radiation sides of the segments. The first secondary radiation is colored light and the second secondary radiation white light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OSRAM OPTO SEMICONDUCTORS GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Brandl, Ulrich Frei
  • Patent number: 9793847
    Abstract: An electric power tool includes: a brushless motor having a plurality of stator windings and configured to rotate in accordance with voltages applied to the plurality of stator windings, an induced voltage being generated in accordance with a rotation of the brushless motor; a rectifier circuit configured to rectify an AC voltage; a smoothing capacitor configured to smooth the AC voltage rectified by the rectifier circuit to a pulsation voltage having a maximum value larger than the induced voltage and a minimum value smaller than the induced voltage; and an inverter circuit configured to perform switching operations to output the pulsation voltage to the plurality of stator windings by rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Iwata, Toshiaki Koizumi
  • Patent number: 9764682
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting system includes a first LED, a second LED, a mode switch controller, and an electronic switch. The first LED is electrically connected in series with the second LED. The mode switch controller is electrically connected to each of the first and second LEDs. The electronic switch is electrically connected to the mode switch controller between the first and second LEDs. The electronic switch is configured to short circuit the second LED in a primary mode, and to remove the short circuit in a secondary mode. The mode switch controller is configured to control the electronic switch to short circuit the second LED in the first mode, receive an input indicative of the secondary mode from a vehicle controller, and in response, control the electronic switch to remove the short circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: MLS Automotive Inc.
    Inventors: Ahmad Sameh Jwania, Favian de Lima
  • Patent number: 9718395
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle light having an adjustable light output are provided. An apparatus includes a processor configured to receive sensor data from a sensor module having a number of sensors. The processor is further able to determine a light output mode for the vehicle light in accordance with the sensor data. The sensor data indicates a vehicle or environment condition. A method of using an apparatus for controlling a vehicle light with adjustable light output is provided that includes receiving sensor data from one or more sensors in a vehicle, determining a light output mode in accordance with the sensor data, and sending to the vehicle light appropriate commands for adjusting the light output in accordance with the determined light output mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Feniex Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hamza Deyaf, Nicholas Mazzanti, Kyle Hale