Patents Examined by David H. Vu
  • Patent number: 8866385
    Abstract: A self-ballasted lamp includes a base body, a light source unit attached to one side of the base body, a lens attached to the light source unit, a cap provided on the other side of the base body and a lighting circuit arranged in the space provided by the base body and the cap. The light source unit includes a light source constituted by semiconductor light emitting elements. The lens has a lens body facing the light source and an attachment leg for attaching the lens body to the light source unit. A claw portion to be secured to the light source unit can be provided on the attachment leg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignees: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshitake Kitagawa, Makoto Sakai, Daigo Suzuki, Michinobu Inoue
  • Patent number: 8866392
    Abstract: A two-level LED security light with a motion sensor. At night, the LED is turned on for a low level illumination. When the motion sensor detects any intrusion, the LED is switched from the low level illumination to a high level illumination for a short duration time. After the short duration time, the LED security light returns to the low level illumination for saving energy. The LED security light includes a power supply unit, a light sensing control unit, a motion sensing unit, a loading and power control unit, and a lighting-emitting unit. The lighting-emitting unit includes one or a plurality of LEDs which may be turned-on or turned-off according to the sensing results from the light sensing control unit. When the motion sensing unit detects an intrusion, the illumination of the LED security light can be immediately turned on to the high level to scare away the intruder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Inventor: Chia-Teh Chen
  • Patent number: 8853962
    Abstract: A circuit configuration for powering electrical loads, especially light emitting diodes, using a DC voltage converter with controllable switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hella KGAA
    Inventor: Dieter Neitfeld
  • Patent number: 8847515
    Abstract: A system and method includes a controller that is configured to coordinate (i) a low impedance path for a dimmer current, (ii) attaching a dimmer to a power converter system at the leading edge of a phase-cut, rectified input voltage, (iii), control of switch mode power conversion, and (iv) an inactive state to, for example, reduce the dimmer current while allowing a dimmer to function normally from cycle to cycle of an alternating current (AC) supply voltage. In at least one embodiment, the dimmer functions normally when the dimmer conducts at a correct phase angle indicated by a dimmer input setting and avoids prematurely resetting while conducting. In at least one embodiment, by coordinating functions (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) the controller controls a power converter system that is compatible with a triac-based dimmer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. King, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 8847510
    Abstract: An LED AC driving circuit capable of adjusting operating voltage has a rectifying unit, an LED unit, a voltage-controlled transistor, a current detecting unit and a current regulating unit to form a power loop. Further, a resistance adjusting unit is connected to the voltage-controlled transistor in parallel. The current regulating unit detects the operating power of the voltage-controlled transistor. When the detected operating power is zero, the resistance of the resistance adjusting unit is increased for increasing the current flowing through the voltage-controlled transistor. When the detected operating power becomes larger than a maximum rated power, the resistance of the resistance adjusting unit is decreased to reduce the current. Thus, the operating power is maintained between zero and the maximum rated power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Luxul Technology Incorporation
    Inventor: Cheng-Hung Pan
  • Patent number: 8841847
    Abstract: An electronic device is provided, which comprises one or more light groupings, each light grouping including one or more light sources, and audio processing circuitry adapted for interpreting an audio file. The audio file includes one or more instrument definitions exclusively assigned to a corresponding one of the one or more light groupings. The audio file further includes one or more note definitions associated with at least one of the one or more instrument definitions exclusively assigned to the corresponding one of the one or more light groupings, where a value associated with each of the one or more note definitions controls the color displayed by the one or more light sources within the associated exclusively assigned light grouping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: David B Cranfill, David S Brenner, Michael E Caine
  • Patent number: 8836233
    Abstract: A light source driving apparatus including a voltage converting unit, a switching unit, a feedback unit and a control unit is provided. The voltage converting unit provides a driving current to drive a light source module. The switching unit is controlled to be conducted or not by a switch signal. The feedback unit detects a load status of the light source module, and provides a feedback signal accordingly. The control unit modulates pulse widths of the switch signal according to the feedback signal, a signal upper limitation, and a signal lower limitation, so as to control the switching unit to be conducted. The voltage converting unit includes an energy storage element. When the switching unit is conducted, the energy storage element stores a part of energy provided by the input power source. When the switching unit is not conducted, the energy storage element provides the driving current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Lung-Pin Chung, Jui-Feng Huang, Chun-Chuan Lin
  • Patent number: 8836231
    Abstract: A modularized LED lamp is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention provide an LED lamp in which digital and/or analog communication takes place between the LED module and the power supply unit (PSU) of the lamp. A controller in the LED module sends signals to the PSU, allowing separation of the two parts so that each part can be manufactured independently as opposed to being manufactured as a calibrated, matched pair. The LED module, by way of its controller, provides information to the PSU that allows the power supply to adjust its drive current appropriately. The PSU controller can also respond to operating temperature variations of the LEDs in order to provide thermal shutdown, brightness compensation, and other control if needed. In some embodiments, a controller in the PSU also responds to an external dimming input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Everett Bradford
  • Patent number: 8829819
    Abstract: Enhanced active preload circuits for an LED driver implementing phase-angle dimming are disclosed. The enhanced active preload circuits may be used with any type of phase-angle control dimmer that either controls the leading edge or trailing edge of the line voltage cycle. In one example, the enhanced active preload circuitry may be used with an isolated or non-isolated LED driver converter having a Triac leading edge phase-angle control dimmer by directly sensing (e.g., by sensing the dimming level using an output/load voltage signal or output/load current signal) or indirectly sensing (e.g., by sensing a signal of output or bias winding) the Triac conduction angle. The enhanced active preload circuitry may advantageously improve performance of the LED driver by extending the dimming ratio at deep dimming and by adjusting the preload sinking current in response to a preload control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Power Integrations, Inc.
    Inventors: Christian P. Angeles, Marvin C. Espino, Jose R. Del Carmen, Jr., Chunming Guo
  • Patent number: 8829806
    Abstract: A variable output module provides accurate full range dimming or adjustment of power output. The variable output module utilizes the characteristics of an AC or other periodic signal rather than its power output to accurately determine the level of dimming a user desires. In this manner, the variable output module provides accurate full range dimming without the need for calibration to specific AC signals. The variable output module can detect the period of an AC signal allowing the driver to be used with various frequencies without the need for calibration. In one or more embodiments, the driver compares the pulse widths of a dimmed AC signal to the period of the AC signal to determine the desired level of dimming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Magtech Industries Corporation
    Inventors: Itai Leshniak, John Koteles
  • Patent number: 8829821
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to lighting fixtures for use in a lighting network where the lighting fixtures and other elements are able to communicate with each other via wired or wireless communication techniques. When the lighting network is being formed or modified, the lighting fixtures may be able to communicate with each other and automatically determine a single lighting fixture to act as a coordinator during a commissioning process. The lighting fixtures can exchange their communication addresses, such as MAC addresses, wherein the lighting fixture with the lowest (or highest) normal communication address becomes the coordinator. The coordinator may also be configured to assign short addresses to use for communications once the lighting network is formed instead of the longer MAC, or like, addresses. The short addresses can reduce routing overhead, and thus make the routing of messages including control information, sensor data, and the like, more efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Chobot, John J. Trainor
  • Patent number: 8823278
    Abstract: A DC power source unit 37 is provided which boosts source voltage from a power source portion 36. A lighting circuit 38 is provided which supplies DC voltage to loads, the DC voltage being obtained by stepping down output current of the DC power source circuit 37. A control circuit 39 is provided which controls the lighting circuit 38 in accordance with at least either voltage or current of LEDs 25 and controls the DC power source unit 37 so that a ratio of output voltage to voltage of the LEDs 25 becomes a preset fixed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Naoko Iwai, Toshihiko Sasai, Masahiko Kamata, Hiroshi Terasaka, Toru Ishikita, Hitoshi Kawano, Masatoshi Kumagai
  • Patent number: 8823279
    Abstract: A lighting module has at least one array of solid-state lighting elements, a variable resistor having an input of an intensity control voltage for the array of solid-state lighting elements, the variable resistor having an output electrically connected to an input of the array of solid-state lighting elements, and a voltage regulator electrically connected to the output of the variable resistor, the voltage regulator having an output connected to an input of the array of solid-state lighting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Salvatore T. Battaglia
  • Patent number: 8816589
    Abstract: Provided is an LED driving apparatus. The LED driving apparatus includes a plurality of LED groups each comprising one or more diodes, a switch group comprising a plurality of switch units connected respectively to the LED groups to drive the connected LED group when a control signal is activated, and a switch controlling unit configured to compare an input voltage of the LED groups with an output voltage of the LED groups, calculate a comparison value, and generate the control signal according to the comparison value. Accordingly, the LED driving apparatus drives the LED groups selectively according to the difference between the input voltage of the LED group and the output voltage of the LED group, thereby overcoming the problem of heat generation by forward voltage distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youn Joong Lee, Deuk Hee Park, Sang Hyun Cha, Jae Shin Lee, Chang Seok Lee
  • Patent number: 8816600
    Abstract: Various embodiments relate to a method for driving a light emitting diode (LED) flash including: measuring a junction temperature of the LED by applying a test current to the LED and measuring the LED forward voltage; determining the drive current based upon the measured junction temperature and measured data characteristics of the LED; and applying the drive current to the LED for a specified length of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventor: Joseph Scott Elder
  • Patent number: 8816590
    Abstract: A lighting device with adjustable color temperature includes a power, a driver, and a plurality of branches. The power is electrically connected to the driver for supplying power to the driver. Each of the branches includes a light source and an adjustor connected in series. The adjustor controls the color temperature of the light source in a corresponding branch by adjusting the voltage through the corresponding branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Advanced Optoelectronic Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Te-Wen Kuo
  • Patent number: 8810154
    Abstract: A multiple location load control system comprises a main device and remote devices, which do not require neutral connections, but allow for visual and audible feedback at the main device and the remote devices. The main device and the remote devices are adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between an AC power source and an electrical load, and to be further coupled together via an accessory wiring. The remote devices can be wired on the line side and the load side of the load control system, such that the main device is wired “in the middle” of the load control system. The main device is operable to enable a charging path to allow the remote devices to charge power supplies through the accessory wiring during a first time period of a half-cycle of the AC power source. The main device and the remote devices are operable to communicate with each other via the accessory wiring during a second time period of the half-cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: James P. Steiner, Cyril Baby, Christopher Buck, Daniel F. Carmen
  • Patent number: 8810160
    Abstract: A switched mode power converter is disclosed, together with a method for operating the same. The power converter is adapted to be operable in the boundary conduction mode, and operation is interruptible in the absence of any load requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Gian Hoogzaad, Peter Hubertus Franciscus Deurenberg
  • Patent number: 8803859
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display driving circuit and a display driving system, and more particularly, to a display driving circuit having a half-VDD power supply circuit built therein and a display driving system including the same, in which the display driving circuit is further provided with a half voltage VDD terminal in addition to the highest voltage VDD terminal and the lowest voltage VSS terminal, and the half voltage, which is between the highest voltage and the lowest voltage, is generated and supplied by the half voltage power supply from the inside of the display driving circuit, rather than being supplied from an external power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Works Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun Ho Cho, Yong Bok Kim, Pyung Sik Ma, An Young Kim, Yong Icc Jung, Joon Ho Na
  • Patent number: 8796956
    Abstract: A driving device comprises a first transistor (B13), a second transistor (B14), and a resistance element. The first transistor (B13) has one terminal receiving a pulsed current and a control terminal connected to the one terminal. The second transistor (B14) has one terminal connected to at least one load, the other terminal connected to a reference potential together with the other terminal of the first transistor (B13), and a control terminal connected to the control terminal of the first transistor (B13). The resistance element is connected between the control terminal of the first transistor (B13) and the other terminal of the first transistor (B13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Kawata, Yoichi Kajiwara