Patents Examined by Haiss Philogene
  • Patent number: 8427081
    Abstract: A driving method of a light-emitting diode (LED) adapted to a driving apparatus is provided. The driving method includes detecting whether the driving apparatus performs dimming, and if the driving apparatus performs dimming, determining whether a predetermined requirement for dimming control is met or not. When the predetermined requirement for dimming control is not met, respective current magnitudes of a plurality of driving currents are regulated, and each of the driving currents is output for a full time of a period. Conversely, when the predetermined requirement for dimming control is met, each of the driving currents is output for a partial time of a period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Kuo-Ching Hsu, Chin-Hsun Hsu, Tsung-Hau Chang, Ting-Wei Liao
  • Patent number: 8421368
    Abstract: A method and circuit to control the intensity of lights, illumination fixtures, and displays using pulses of a fixed duration and a fixed frequency (FD/FF) is provided. In particular, the method may be used to control one more light sources. By varying the number of pulses in a control burst, the total current flowing through the light source may be precisely controlled providing greater accuracy than other methods, such as, for example, PWM or variable pulse frequency. The FD/FF technique may be used in conjunction with any number of light sources, and finds particular application in LED displays and for any type of LED illumination fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: LSI Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bassam D. Jalbout, Brian Wong
  • Patent number: 8419249
    Abstract: A cooling liquid can be circulated in a liquid cooling system, so that a light source unit and a control unit can be forcedly cooled by the cooling liquid. Thus, a temperature increase in these components can be suppressed, thereby achieving an increase in the output power of a liquid-cooled LED lighting device. The liquid-cooled LED lighting device can include a housing, a light source unit having LEDs as light sources, a liquid cooling system, and a control unit to control the light source unit to be turned on. The liquid cooling system can include a heat receiving jacket, a radiator, a circulation pump and a fan. The light source unit and the control unit can be disposed with the heat receiving jacket of the liquid cooling system interposed therebetween. Further, one surface of the control unit can be brought in close contact with the heat receiving jacket while a heat radiation portion (e.g., fins or pins) can be provided at an other surface of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Yatsuda, Yasushi Hiramoto, Teruo Koike
  • Patent number: 8421371
    Abstract: An LED drive circuit in which an alternating voltage is input and an LED is driven, and which can be connected to a phase control dimmer The LED drive circuit is provided with an edge detector for detecting an edge of the output voltage of the phase control dimmer; and a current extractor for extracting a current from a current feed line for feeding an LED drive current to the LED; wherein the value of the current extracted from the current feed line by the current extractor is varied in accordance with the detection results of the edge detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Shimizu, Hirohisa Warita, Atsushi Kanamori, Mitsuru Mariyama
  • Patent number: 8421376
    Abstract: A modular light emitting apparatus includes a light emitting device, a connector to couple to an AC power source, an AC to DC converter, circuitry, on a first electronics module, to drive the light emitting device, and a support structure arranged to position and hold a second electronics module that conforms to a predetermined form factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Greenwave Reality PTE Ltd.
    Inventor: Karl Jonsson
  • Patent number: 8410717
    Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for providing AC line power to lighting devices such as light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). A representative apparatus comprises: a plurality of LEDs coupled in series to form a first plurality of segments of LEDs; a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of segments of LEDs to switch a selected segment into or out of a series LED current path in response to a control signal; a current sensor; and a controller which, in response to a first parameter and during a first part of an AC voltage interval, generates a first control signal to switch a corresponding segment of LEDs into the series LED current path; and during a second part of the AC voltage interval, generates a second control signal to switch the corresponding segment of LEDs out of the first series LED current path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Point Somee Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Anatoly Shteynberg, Dongsheng Zhou, Harry Rodriguez, Mark Eason, Bradley M. Lehman, Stephen F. Dreyer, Thomas J. Riordan
  • Patent number: 8400079
    Abstract: An LED drive circuit in which an alternating voltage from a phase control dimmer is input and an LED is driven. The LED drive circuit comprises a phase angle detector for detecting the phase angle at which a phase control element inside the phase control dimmer switches from off to on; a switching power supply for feeding a current to the LED; a switching element connected in series to the LED; and a controller for controlling the switching power supply and the switching element in accordance with the output of the phase angle detector; wherein the controller places the switching element in an always-on state in a case in which the phase angle detected by the phase angle detector is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the controller pulse-drives the switching element in a case in which the phase angle detected by the phase angle detector is greater than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Kanamori, Hirohisa Warita
  • Patent number: 8384314
    Abstract: An electromagnetic wave having a phase velocity and an amplitude is provided by an electromagnetic wave source to a traveling wave linear accelerator. The traveling wave linear accelerator generates a first output of electrons having a first energy by accelerating an electron beam using the electromagnetic wave. The first output of electrons can be contacted with a target to provide a first beam of x-rays. The electromagnetic wave can be modified by adjusting its amplitude and the phase velocity. The traveling wave linear accelerator then generates a second output of electrons having a second energy by accelerating an electron beam using the modified electromagnetic wave. The second output of electrons can be contacted with a target to provide a second beam of x-rays. A frequency controller can monitor the phase shift of the electromagnetic wave from the input to the output ends of the accelerator and can correct the phase shift of the electromagnetic wave based on the measured phase shift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Accuray, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Dennis Treas, Roger Heering Miller, Juwen Wang
  • Patent number: 8378582
    Abstract: A plasma lighting system is disclosed. Interference with an electronic device using the same band as that of the plasma lighting system can be avoided by changing the shape of vanes constituting a magnetron, and a filament current of the magnetron at an initial starting stage and that in a normal state are adjusted to be different, thus avoiding interference with a wireless LAN and attenuating noise, and a resonator has a mash form to increase efficiency. Because a rectangular waveguide is bent substantially at a right angle, and the magnetron and the resonator are disposed at one side on the basis of a waveguide space of the waveguide, thus reducing the size and an installation space of the plasma lighting system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeongwon Kim, Jonggil Jun, Seok Heo, Yongkwang Kim, Gyusuk Hwang, Jungsu Park, Changsin Park, Hyeonsoo Jung, Jingon Chang, Hoon Kim, Youngchul Chae, Ilgyu Kang, Kyunghoon Park, Sungkyeom Kim
  • Patent number: 8373363
    Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods reduce harmonic distortion of a excitation current by diverting the excitation current substantially away from a number of LEDs arranged in a series circuit until the current or its associated periodic excitation voltage reaches a predetermined threshold level, and ceasing the current diversion while the excitation current or voltage is substantially above the predetermined threshold level. In an illustrative embodiment, a rectifier may receive an AC (e.g., sinusoidal) voltage and deliver unidirectional current to a string of series-connected LEDs. An effective turn-on threshold voltage of the diode string may be reduced by diverting current around at least one of the diodes in the string while the AC voltage is below a predetermined level. In various examples, selective current diversion within the LED string may extend the input current conduction angle and thereby substantially reduce harmonic distortion for AC LED lighting systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Once Innovations, Inc.
    Inventor: Zdenko Grajcar
  • Patent number: 8358090
    Abstract: A driver circuit has a Light Emitting Diode (LED) driver having an input and output. A switching device is coupled to an output of the LED driver. An edge detector is coupled to the LED driver. A timing device is coupled to the edge detector. A latch is coupled to the edge detector, the timing device and the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Supertex, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Mednik, Rohit Tirumala
  • Patent number: 8350495
    Abstract: Driving circuits are provided that compensate for devices having characteristics that change with age. A correction circuit has a reference device having an output that changes with age in a known manner over a time span similar to the expected lifetime of the driven device. The output of reference device provides an indication of the current age of driven device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Light-Based Technologies Incorporated
    Inventors: Yohann Sulaiman, Milen Moussakov, Jeanette Jackson
  • Patent number: 8339071
    Abstract: A particle accelerator system for producing a charged particle beam having pulses of charged particles that have different energy levels from pulse to pulse. The system enables independent adjustment of the RF power delivered to first and second accelerating sections thereof without adjustment of the RF power generated by an RF source. Such independent adjustment enables the RF power provided to the first accelerating section to be maintained at a level appropriate for optimal particle capturing therein and for producing a tightly bunched beam of particles having different energy levels from pulse to pulse, while enabling the RF power provided to the second accelerating section to be varied in order to vary the energy levels of the charged particles of the charged particle beam from pulse to pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: ScanTech/IBS IP Holding Company, LLC
    Inventors: Alexandre A. Zavadtsev, Gary F. Bowser
  • Patent number: 8327796
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma processing apparatus having a coaxial waveguide structure in which characteristic impedance of an input side and characteristic impedance of an output side are different. A microwave plasma processing apparatus, which plasma-processes a substrate by exciting a gas by using a microwave, includes: a processing container; a microwave source, which outputs a microwave, a first coaxial waveguide, which transmits the microwave output from the microwave source; and a dielectric plate, which is adjacent to the first coaxial waveguide while facing an inner side of the processing container, and emits the microwave transmitted from the first coaxial waveguide into the processing container. A thickness ratio between an inner conductor and an outer conductor of the first coaxial waveguide is not uniform along a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Masaki Hirayama, Tadahiro Ohmi
  • Patent number: 8330822
    Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for setting a depth camera light source operating temperature in a thermal tuning mode executed during a depth camera manufacturing process. One embodiment of a method includes illuminating a target with light from a light source at a plurality of light source temperatures; for each light source temperature, sensing an intensity of reflected light received at a light sensor through a light filter positioned intermediate the target and the light sensor; approximating a frequency response relationship between a light filter cutoff frequency and a light source emission wavelength based on a comparison of the sensed intensities and stored reference data; generating a temperature set point so that the light source emission wavelength does not overlap the light filter cutoff frequency by more than a predetermined overlap threshold; and programming a temperature controller to control the light source to the temperature set point during depth camera operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott McEldowney, Prafulla Masalkar, Yun Fang
  • Patent number: 8314753
    Abstract: A plasma display device having a first diode with an anode coupled to an electrode. A first switch is coupled between a cathode of the first diode and a first voltage source that supplies a first voltage. A first inductor and a second switch are coupled in series between a power recovery capacitor and the cathode of the first diode, and a third switch is coupled between the anode of the first diode and a second voltage source that supplies a second voltage lower than the first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joo-Yul Lee
  • Patent number: 8314433
    Abstract: A flexible thermal energy dissipating and LED mounting arrangement includes a plurality of LEDs and a flexible thermally conductive sheet. The thermally conductive sheet defines a plurality of openings therethrough each sized to receive and securely hold therein a different one of the plurality of LEDs with the flexible thermally conductive sheet about the opening in physical, thermally conductive contact with the at least one side portion of the encapsulating material. The flexible thermally conductive sheet absorbs thermal energy generated within each of the plurality of LEDs as a result of current flow through the LED circuit and rejects the absorbed thermal energy to an ambient environment surrounding the thermally conductive sheet. The flexible thermally conductive sheet is formable to direct radiation from the plurality of LEDs in multiple directions while securely holding each of the plurality of LEDs within a corresponding one of each of the plurality of openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: CID Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Alexander C. Christy
  • Patent number: 8314574
    Abstract: A control circuit of an LED lamp includes a voltage regulator, at least a photo resistor and a feedback circuit. The voltage regulator includes an output terminal and a feedback terminal. The feedback circuit includes an amplifier having a first input end, a second input end and an output end. The LED lamp is connected between the first input end of the amplifier and the output terminal of the voltage regulator. The at least a photo resistor can sense a change of brightness level of an environment surrounding the LED lamp and a resistance of the at least a photo resistor increases along with a decrease of the brightness level. The change of resistance of the photo resistor is fed back to the voltage regulator via the amplifier, to thereby control an electric current flowing through the LED lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignees: Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd., Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Long Ku, Huai-Qing Zheng
  • Patent number: RE44007
    Abstract: A spectroscopic ellipsometer comprising a light source (1) emitting a light beam, a polarizer (2) placed on the path of the light beam emitted by the light source, a sample support (9) receiving the light beam output from the polarizer, a polarization analyzer (3) for passing the beam reflected by the sample to be analyzed, a detection assembly which receives the beam from the analyzer and which comprises a monochromator (5) and a photodetector (4), and signal processor means (6) for processing the signal output from said detection assembly, and including counting electronics (13). Cooling means (12) keep the detection assembly at a temperature below ambient temperature, thereby minimizing detector noise so as to remain permanently under minimum photon noise conditions. It is shown that the optimum condition for ellipsometric measurement is obtained by minimizing all of the sources of noise (lamps, detection, ambient).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Fahrenheit Thermoscope LLC
    Inventor: Frederic Ferrieu
  • Patent number: RE44133
    Abstract: A method of driving a lamp that uses a DC to AC inverter that is connected to a primary winding of a transformer is disclosed. The inverter frequency is variable, and in one embodiment, may be controlled by a voltage controlled oscillator. Circuitry is included that monitors the phase relationship between a voltage across a secondary of the transformer and a current through the primary of the transformer. The circuitry monitors the phase relationship and adjusts the inverter frequency, such as by adjusting voltage controlled oscillator, so that the phase relationship is maintained at a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Moyer, Timothy J. Rust