Patents Examined by Dylan C White
  • Patent number: 10291229
    Abstract: A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a programmable fabric, a plurality of input/output (I/O) blocks, and a plurality of high voltage power field effect transistors (FETs). The PLD can be programmed to connect one or more of the plurality of I/O blocks, one or more of the plurality of high voltage power transistors via the programmable fabric. Each of the plurality of high voltage power transistors includes a drain pad and a source pad that are exposed via external pins of the PLD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: AnDAPT, Inc.
    Inventors: Kapil Shankar, Thomas Chan, Patrick J. Crotty, John Birkner
  • Patent number: 10289970
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described for efficient resource management using mobile devices and wearable devices. A server determines an event causing unavailability of a center in a distributed network. The server determines an expected demand for service from the distributed network during an upcoming time period and identifies a mobile device and a wearable device associated with each staff member assigned to work at one of the plurality of centers that is available. The server retrieves location data from the mobile device and biometric data from the wearable device. The server identifies staff members capable of working and initiates a communication to the mobile device associated with each staff member capable of working. The server receives a response from the mobile device indicating whether the staff member has accepted and determines whether the expected demand from the distributed network during the upcoming time period is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: FMR LLC
    Inventors: Xinxin Sheng, John C. McDonough
  • Patent number: 10278269
    Abstract: A lighting system that includes a lighting device and a dimming controller. The lighting device has a support structure that supports multiple lighting zones. Each lighting zone including one or more lighting sources. The dimming controller is in communication with multiple dimmers supported by the lighting device. Each of the lighting sources is coupled to a corresponding dimmer from the multiple dimmers. The dimming controller is configured to communicate a controlled setting for one or more of the lighting zones to the multiple dimmers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: DOLAN DESIGNS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Patrick S. Dolan
  • Patent number: 10276107
    Abstract: A semiconductor device with low power consumption is provided. The semiconductor device includes a controller, a register, and an image processing portion. The image processing portion has a function of processing image data using a parameter. The image processing portion takes the image data from a frame memory and takes the parameter from the register. The frame memory has a function of retaining the image data while power supply is stopped. The register has a function of retaining the parameter while power supply is stopped. The controller has a function of controlling power supply to the register, the frame memory, and the image processing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 10269526
    Abstract: A miniature Hall current plasma source apparatus having magnetic shielding of the walls from ionized plasma, an integrated discharge channel and gas distributor, an instant-start hollow cathode mounted to the plasma source, and an externally mounted keeper, is described. The apparatus offers advantages over existing other Hall current plasma sources having similar power levels, including: lower mass, longer lifetime, lower part count including fewer power supplies, and the ability to be continuously adjustable to lower average power levels using pulsed operation and adjustment of the pulse duty cycle. The Hall current plasma source can provide propulsion for small spacecraft that either do not have sufficient power to accommodate a propulsion system or do not have available volume to incorporate the larger propulsion systems currently available. The present low-power Hall current plasma source can be used to provide energetic ions to assist the deposition of thin films in plasma processing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Colorado State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rafael A. Martinez, John D. Williams, Joel A. Moritz, Jr., Casey C. Farnell
  • Patent number: 10271405
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a light source, a housing coupled to the light source, communications circuitry, and control circuitry. The housing includes an opening through which light from the light source is provided. The control circuitry includes a memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the control circuitry cause the lighting fixture to adjust one or more light output parameters of the light source, and store fixture location information describing a location of the lighting fixture in response to receipt of the fixture location information from the communications circuitry. By storing fixture location information describing the location of the lighting fixture, the location of the lighting fixture may be used to send messages to lighting fixtures in the same location and/or retrieve data from lighting fixtures in the same location, which may be beneficial in many circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Deese, James McBryde, William L. Dungan, John J. Trainor, Robert Bowser, Nathan R. Snell
  • Patent number: 10263617
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit including: a circuit block having an internal voltage line; an annular rail line forming a closed annular line around the circuit block and supplied with one of a power supply voltage and a reference voltage; and a plurality of switch blocks arranged around the circuit block along the annular rail line, the plurality of switch blocks each including a voltage line segment forming a part of the annular rail line and a switch for controlling connection and disconnection between the voltage line segment and the internal voltage line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromi Ogata
  • Patent number: 10263119
    Abstract: A novel semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a programmable logic device including a programmable logic element, a control circuit, and a detection circuit. The programmable logic device includes a plurality of contexts. The control circuit is configured to control selection of the contexts. The detection circuit is configured to output a signal corresponding to the amount of radiation. The control circuit is configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode in accordance with the signal corresponding to the amount of radiation. The first mode is a mode in which the programmable logic device performs processing by a multi-context method, and the second mode is a mode in which the programmable logic device performs processing using a majority signal of signals output from the logic element multiplexed by the plurality of contexts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nakagawa, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Munehiro Kozuma
  • Patent number: 10232764
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a plurality of lighting devices having: a first control component, which is connected to a first lighting device or is formed integrally with a first lighting device; at least one second control component, which is connected to a second lighting device or is formed integrally with a second lighting device; at least one main control device, which is connected to the first and to the second control component and is configured to supply the control components with an operating voltage; and at least one data communications line, which is connected to the two control components and to the main control device. The main control device is is able to transmit a first position coding signal for the position coding of the first control component and at least one second position coding signal for the position coding of the second control component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Bernd-Ulrich Hagemeier
  • Patent number: 10236888
    Abstract: Disclosed are a circuit and method for implementing a switching function. In an embodiment, the circuit includes a first logic circuit, a second logic circuit, and a Correlated electron switch (CES) element. The CES element is configurable to have a non-volatile state to enable or disable an electrical connection between the first logic circuit and the second logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ARM Ltd.
    Inventors: Vikas Chandra, Robert Campbell Aitken
  • Patent number: 10217612
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing vessel; a carrier wave group generating unit configured to generate a carrier wave group including multiple carrier waves having different frequencies belonging to a preset frequency band centered around a predetermined center frequency; and a plasma generating unit configured to generate plasma within the processing vessel by using the carrier wave group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinji Kubota
  • Patent number: 10219332
    Abstract: A power supply includes an AC input power connector; an AC-DC converter circuit coupled to the AC input power connector; a constant-current constant-voltage control unit configured to receive DC power from the AC-DC converter circuit; a light emitting diode (LED) lamp unit configured to receive power from the constant-current constant-voltage control unit; and a capacitor coupled in parallel with the LED lamp unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GARDENIA INDUSTRIAL LIMITED
    Inventor: Shu Rong Ouyang
  • Patent number: 10211832
    Abstract: An example apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes first and second voltage terminals, and first, second, and third circuit nodes. A potential of the first circuit node is changed based on an input signal. A flip-flop circuit includes first and second inverters cross-coupled to each other. The first inverter is coupled between the first voltage terminal and the second circuit node. A first transistor is coupled between the second and third circuit nodes, and the first transistor has a control electrode coupled to the first circuit node. A first current control circuit is coupled between the third circuit node and the second voltage terminal, and an amount of current flowing through the first current control circuit being controlled based on a first code signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsuno, Shuichi Tsukada
  • Patent number: 10210469
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for supporting a person at a site, venue, or location where the person may have a requirement. The method and system include storing a requirement code in a handheld device, and storing the requirement code and at least one characteristic relating to the requirement code in a requirement certification database. The requirement code is transmitted from the handheld device to a sensor at the site, and action data is received by a facility of the site from the requirement certification database. The action data is indicative of an action to be performed by the facility, dependent on the requirement code and the at least one characteristic, such that the facility adapts its function to a requirement of the person having the requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ann K. Balchin, Susanna Baldi, Cristina Bonanni, Audrey D. Borden, Timothy I. Brown, Giuseppe Longobardi, Gabriella Santoro, Lisa Marie Towles
  • Patent number: 10206254
    Abstract: A stabilizing circuit is disclosed, which may be employed with lighting systems, such as with lighting system power supply operations. The circuit comprises a monitoring circuit configured to detect a characteristic of a power supply, and a switching controller configured to disconnect a primary load from the power supply and connect an auxiliary load to the power supply when the detected characteristic fails to meet a specified parameter. This is done to ensure compatibility and stability of both the power supply and the primary load. For example, when an AC mains voltage providing power to the power supply becomes unstable, the stabilizing circuit may be configured to prevent the power supply from remaining in a self-protection mode that may cause the primary load to become unstable. A method for stabilizing a circuit is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: GE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Truong-Khoa Nguyen, Christian Poirier, Tung Ngoc Nguyen
  • Patent number: 10205453
    Abstract: There is disclosed a self-timed processor. The self-timed processor includes a plurality of functional blocks comprising null convention logic. Each of the functional blocks outputs one or more multi-rail data values. A global acknowledge tree generates a global acknowledge signal provided to all of the plurality of functional blocks. The global acknowledge signal switches to a first state when all of the multi-rail data values output from the plurality of functional blocks are in respective valid states, and the global acknowledge signal switches to a second state when all of the multi-rail data values output from the plurality of functional blocks are in a null state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Eta Compute, Inc.
    Inventors: Chao Xu, Gopal Raghavan, Ben Wiley Melton, Vidura Manu Wijayasekara, Bryan Garnett Cope, David Cureton Baker, John Whitaker Havlicek
  • Patent number: 10198683
    Abstract: An electronic device randomly modifies a current profile of a logic circuit by using an auxiliary circuit. The logic circuit includes a first terminal coupled to a supply voltage terminal, a second terminal coupled to a reference voltage terminal and an output terminal configured to deliver a signal in a high state or a low state. The auxiliary circuit is coupled between the first terminal and the second terminal and is configured to randomly generate or not generate an additional current between the first terminal and the second terminal on each change of state of the signal on the output terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics (Rousset) SAS
    Inventors: Alexandre Sarafianos, Thomas Ordas, Yanis Linge, Jimmy Fort
  • Patent number: 10194509
    Abstract: A lighting system controller. The lighting system controller includes a housing, a power supply, a wireless transceiver configured to send signals to and receive signals from a lighting system via a wireless network, a recessed area disposed on the housing, the recessed area adapted to removably secure a smartphone therein, and a plurality of buttons, each button of the plurality of buttons configured to control an individual operation of the lighting system. The smartphone display is configured to display properties of the lighting system, such as the position and brightness of individual lights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventor: Angela Jorgensen
  • Patent number: 10189399
    Abstract: A light system includes at least one time-of-flight image sensor configured to generate at least one zone distance measurement. At least one control unit is configured to receive the at least one zone distance measurement and to generate at least one control signal based on the at least one zone distance measurement. At least one light unit is configured to adapt an output of the light unit based on the at least one control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED
    Inventor: Bruce Rae
  • Patent number: 10178727
    Abstract: A control circuit includes an input terminal for receiving an input signal, which maybe either a digital input signal or an analog input signal, and the control circuit is configured to provide a digital control signal in response to the input signal. The control circuit may include a mode detection circuit for determining whether the input signal is a digital signal or an analog signal and providing a mode signal, a multiplexer circuit configured to select either a digital reference signal or an analog reference signal in response to the mode signal, and a comparator configured for comparing the input signal with the reference signal selected by the multiplexer to provide the PWM control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Diodes Incorporated
    Inventors: Adrian Wang, Chien-Jen Su, Welton Shih