Patents Examined by Christian L Garcia
  • Patent number: 10149362
    Abstract: A dimmer interface circuit for reducing ringing on a drive signal to a lighting device. The dimmer interface circuit controls brightness of the lighting device and receives a brightness control voltage from a dimmer circuit. The dimmer interface includes a voltage converter and a charge store, which is coupled to receive charge from an inductive component to convert the brightness control voltage to the converter output voltage. The dimmer interface circuit also includes control circuitry to control the voltage converter such that a difference between the brightness control voltage and the converter output voltage at a time of transition of the brightness control voltage is closer to a target voltage difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventor: Antonius Jacobus Johannes Werner
  • Patent number: 10122252
    Abstract: A method for the start-up and/or the maintenance of a supply voltage for a driver circuit for a solid state light source is described. The driver circuit comprises a switched-mode power converter with a switch and a transformer. The switched-mode power converter converts an input voltage into an output voltage. The driver circuit has a controller which generates a gate control signal for putting the power converter switch into an on-state or an off-state. The driver circuit comprises a supply voltage capacitor to provide a voltage to the controller. A primary coil of the transformer is arranged in series with the power converter switch. A secondary coil arrangement of the transformer provides the output voltage. and is coupled to the supply voltage capacitor via a supply voltage transistor which is controlled such that the supply voltage provided by the supply voltage capacitor lies within a pre-determined voltage interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor GmbH
    Inventor: Horst Knoedgen
  • Patent number: 10076006
    Abstract: Drivers (1-7) comprise respective switching circuits (1, 2) for guiding respective current signals during respective time-intervals for the sequential driving of light emitting circuits (91, 92). The respective time-intervals are defined by the fact that amplitudes of a mains signal are in respective ranges during the respective time-intervals. More specifically, there is a bypass switching circuit (5) for guiding a bypass current signal which bypasses all light emitting circuit (91, 92) during an initial time-interval. An adaptation circuit (6, 7) adapts amplitudes of the respective current signals during the respective time-intervals, to reduce a total harmonic distortion. Said adapting may comprise an adaptation in response to information derived from the amplitude of the mains signal, and may comprise shaping the amplitudes of the current signals in response to information derived from the amplitude of the mains signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Henricus Marius Joseph Maria Kahlman, Ralph Kurt
  • Patent number: 10070495
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a solid-state lighting source, such as an LED light source. A control module of the lighting fixture uses temperature sensing circuitry to determine a relative ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature is above a defined ambient temperature threshold, a drive signal is provided to the solid-state light source at a target drive level that corresponds to a normal light output level. When the ambient temperature is below the ambient temperature threshold, the drive signal is provided to the solid-state light source at a reduced drive level, which is lower than the target drive level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuequan Hu, Eric Low
  • Patent number: 10054284
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus for a vehicle, including: a bulb which generates light; a socket in which the bulb is mounted; a reflector which has a socket coupling unit to which the socket is coupled, allows the bulb to be inserted into the reflector, and reflects forward light generated by the bulb; and an electromagnetic shield which is disposed between the socket and the socket coupling unit, and has a bulb through hole which the bulb penetrates, in which first ground contact protrusions, which protrude toward a center of the bulb through hole and come into ground contact with the socket and the socket coupling unit, are formed on a portion of the electromagnetic shield where the bulb through hole is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Hee Mun
  • Patent number: 10015850
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a lighting apparatus capable of uniformly maintaining power consumed by light emitting units even in the case in which various voltages are applied, and increasing power efficiency while minimizing a heating problem by adjusting a reference voltage applied to a connection structure of the light emitting units and a distribution switch according to magnitude of the applied voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: LUMENS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tai-Hyun Kim, Jong-il Kim, Hyun-Pyo Hong, Jun-Hyung Lim, Tae-Kwan Lee, Young-Jun Lee
  • Patent number: 9979270
    Abstract: A controllable driver (1) is provided for driving a load. The controllable driver (1) comprises a primary converter (11) and a control circuit (13) isolated from one another by an opto-isolator (18). The controllable driver (11) is isolated from an output load (19) by a magnetically coupled pair of windings (112, 114); wherein said windings are adapted to provide a voltage supply to said output load. A feedback signal from the output load, indicative of a load current flowing in the second winding, is provided to the control circuit by a winding (12) isolated from the first and second windings (112, 114), such that the control circuit (13) remains isolated from the output load. The control circuit also directly receive input control signal without an opto-isolator. The control circuit is also isolated from the switching core (111) of the primary converter (11) via an opto-isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Bing Lai
  • Patent number: 9974123
    Abstract: A power supply system uses a DC-DC power converter (28) for supplying an output load. A compensation circuit (40) is connected between the input to the DC-DC converter and the output of the DC-DC converter and it provides a compensating path in response to a voltage drop at the output of the DC-DC converter caused by a surge in the output load. The power supply system further comprises a low drop out regulator (30) as the output load, which low drop out regulator (30) having an input connected to the DC-DC power converter and the compensation circuit, and an output connected to an output terminal (C) for connection to a further output load. This enables the DC-DC power converter to have a low current capability, because a large current demand can be met by the DC supply to the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Shan Wang, Kai Qi Tian, Gang Wang
  • Patent number: 9967930
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a driving system for a semiconductor light source and a semiconductor lighting device. The driving system comprises: a transformer, the transformer comprising a first coil (201) and a second coil (202) mutually coupled to each other, the second coil (202) being used for receiving an input voltage; a switching device which is connected in series to the second coil (202) and used for controlling energy storage and energy release of the second coil (202); and an outputting device which is connected in parallel to the second coil (202) and used for supplying power to the semiconductor light source. An induced signal is generated on the first coil of the transformer due to a coupling effect between the first coil and the second coil and is used for controlling the switching-on and switching-off of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: OPPLE LIGHTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiaoming Qi
  • Patent number: 9956902
    Abstract: A headlight controller and a vehicle headlight system including an ADB can include a headlight controller and an optical unit. The headlight controller can include a system controller and a camera photographing vehicles located in a forward direction thereof, and the system controller can be configured to output a control signal to provide various favorable light distribution patterns by using image data output from the camera in accordance with traffic conditions. The optical unit can be configured to emit beam lights using lights emitted from a first and second light-emitting device via a projector lens so that the beam lights can be used as a high beam and a low beam without movable parts. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can include providing vehicle headlight systems that can form various favorable light distribution patterns by utilizing the characteristics of the controller and the optical unit in accordance with the traffic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Junichi Fukayama
  • Patent number: 9918360
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus using light emitting diodes is disclosed. A plurality of light-emitting groups are connected to each other in series at an output terminal of a rectification unit. Current diodes as current sources are branched from a node between the light-emitting groups. Current values set in the current diodes are set according to the amount of current flowing into the light-emitting groups. Therethrough, the amount of current flowing in each light-emitting group can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung Hoon Lee, Keon Young Lee
  • Patent number: 9894718
    Abstract: A driver circuit provides current to a light source from a resonant tank having a single inductive element. The driver circuit is coupled to DC power source having a power rail and a ground, and includes a power inverter providing AC input to the tank, which further includes a DC blocking capacitor and a primary winding of the inductive element coupled in series between the output of the inverter and the ground. A leakage inductance of the inductive element provides resonant inductance for the tank. The inductive element further distributes power output from the resonant tank to a plurality of secondary windings coupled to an output rectifier. A resonant capacitor coupled across output ends of the secondary windings provides resonant capacitance for the tank. The output voltages across the secondary windings are clamped to a value based in part on a turns ratio between respective secondary windings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Xiong, Rohan Dayal, Candice Ungacta
  • Patent number: 9867254
    Abstract: A dimmable LED lighting system includes first, second and third types of LED light sources, and an LED driver to control the supply of current on first, second and third channels, respectively to the first, second and third types of LED light sources. The first, second and third types of LED light sources are selected according to their spectral power distribution (SPD) curves. The selected SPD curves together model a dimming color curve that is characteristic of an incandescent light source when the first, second and third types of LED light sources are separately driven with current at predefined power ratios that correspond to dimming levels over a dimming region of the dimming color curve. The dimmable LED lighting system can have a color rendering index Ra greater than 80 over the dimming region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Raghuram L. V. Petluri, Towfiq Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 9855885
    Abstract: A method for operating a lighting device comprising n>1 light generating units configured to generate a respective primary light beam and comprising a phosphor surface spaced apart from the light generating units is provided. The method may include illuminating an i-th partial surface of the phosphor surface by i light generating units if a desired positive brightness value on this illuminated partial surface falls below or reaches a next higher i-th brightness threshold value from a group of n?1 positive, progressively increasing brightness threshold values; otherwise illuminating by n light generating units; wherein i and n are whole natural numbers and i=[1, . . . , n] holds true.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Schwaiger, Oliver Hering, Juergen Hager
  • Patent number: 9853189
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a backlight module using MJT LEDs and a backlight unit including the same. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure provide a backlight module, which includes MJT LEDs configured to increase an effective light emitting area of each of light emitting cells and optical members capable of uniformly dispersing light emitted from the MJT LEDs. In addition, embodiments of the disclosure provide a backlight unit using the backlight module, thereby reducing the number of LEDs constituting the backlight unit while allowing operation at low current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Young Jun Song, Hyuck Jung Choi, Il Kyung Suh
  • Patent number: 9794999
    Abstract: LED-based light source modules can incorporate color tunability and brightness control, allowing a user to select a desired color temperature and/or brightness and to change either or both dynamically. An emitter can include multiple independently addressable groups of LEDs, each emitting light of a different color. By controlling the relative operating current provided to each group, a desired color temperature can be achieved, and by controlling the absolute operating currents, the brightness of the output light can be controlled. Pulse width modulation (PWM) can be used to control the relative and absolute operating currents. Smooth, gradual transitions between brightness and/or color temperature settings in response to changes can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: LedEngin, Inc.
    Inventors: Kachun Lee, Xiantao Yan, Zequn Mei
  • Patent number: 9788370
    Abstract: A light-emitting-diode-driving device includes a control circuit that is configured to perform constant current control with a DC-DC converter so that a value of a current detected by a current detection unit agrees with a prescribed reference current value to be supplied to a light source. The control circuit includes a reference-current-instruction unit, a threshold-voltage-setting unit, and a comparator circuit. The reference-current-instruction unit is configured to set the prescribed reference current value. The threshold-voltage-setting unit is configured to set a threshold voltage for determining a short circuit failure in the light source. The comparator circuit is configured to compare, with the threshold voltage, a value of a voltage that is detected by a voltage detection unit. The control circuit is configured to make the threshold-voltage-setting unit reduce the threshold voltage, when the reference-current-instruction unit reduces the prescribed reference current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Inada
  • Patent number: 9788392
    Abstract: A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a light source configured to output light. The computing device also includes a light sensor configured to measure the level of light surrounding the computing device. The computing device further includes a control mechanism operatively coupled to the light source and light sensor and configured to adjust the level of output light based on the measured level of light surrounding the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Duncan Kerr, Bas Ording, Greg Christie, Imran Chaudhri, Marcel van Os, Nick King
  • Patent number: 9788375
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hasegawa, Akinori Hiramatu, Shigeru Ido
  • Patent number: 9781784
    Abstract: In an embodiment, method of controlling an illumination device by an output signal of a DC-DC converter is disclosed. The output signal is controlled by a PWM signal. The method includes receiving a feedback signal corresponding to variation in the output signal with respect to a pre-determined output signal, and determining a target duty cycle of the PWM signal based on the feedback signal. The PWM signal of the target duty cycle is capable of enabling the DC-DC converter to generate the pre-determined output signal. The method includes providing the PWM signal of an effective duty cycle equal to the target duty cycle over N switching pulses of the PWM signal to the DC-DC converter. The method provides the PWM signal by providing M switching pulses of a first PWM signal of a first duty cycle, and N?M switching pulses of a second PWM signal of a second duty cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Bharath Patil, Jagannathan Venkataraman