Patents Examined by Jianzi Chen
  • Patent number: 9913333
    Abstract: A light source and method for making the same are disclosed. The light source includes a plurality of Segmented LEDs connected in parallel to a power bus and a controller. The power bus accepts a variable number of Segmented LEDs. The controller receives AC power and provides a power signal on the power bus. Each Segmented LED is characterized by a driving voltage that is greater than 3 times the driving voltage of a conventional LED fabricated in the same material system as the Segmented LED. The number of Segmented LEDs in the light source is chosen to compensate for variations in the light output of individual Segmented LEDs introduced by the manufacturing process. In another aspect of the invention, the number of Segmented LEDs connected to the power bus can be altered after the light source is assembled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: BRIDGELUX INC.
    Inventors: Ghulam Hasnain, Syn-Yem Hu, Steven D. Lester
  • Patent number: 9888534
    Abstract: A trigger circuit includes an off-time controller configured to receive a sensing voltage by sensing a driving current and to compare the sensing voltage to first and second certain voltages that are close to a zero voltage value and symmetrical to the zero voltage value to control a turn-off time of a driving switch in order for the sensing voltage to correspond to the zero voltage value at the turn-on time point of the driving switch and a switching controller configured to provide a switching control signal for turning on the driving switch at the turn-on time point of the driving switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Magnachip Semiconductor, Ltd.
    Inventor: Seung Woo Hong
  • Patent number: 9884634
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source disposed inside of a vehicle, an external light sensor that detects illuminance of light outside of the vehicle, and a controller that controls the light source such that a lower light intensity ratio of the light source is set for higher illuminance detected by the external light sensor. The controller performs a light intensity ratio maintaining control that maintains the light intensity ratio of the light source even when the illuminance changes from a low state to a high state during a period from when a change amount of the illuminance exceeds a predetermined value until a predetermined period elapses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: LECIP HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoyuki Takagi
  • Patent number: 9871075
    Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor component includes a first functional region having an active zone provided for generating radiation or for receiving radiation, and a second functional region, which is suitable for contributing to the driving of the first functional region. The first functional region and the second functional region are integrated on the same carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Grötsch, Matthias Kiessling, Michael Wittmann, Stefan Gruber
  • Patent number: 9866219
    Abstract: An arithmetic logic operation device including a memory device configured to store a lookup table and receive an input of a bit string N bits long, N being an integer of at least 2, the input bit string representing an address in the lookup table at which is stored multiple-bit data of which a part includes a bit representative of the result of a logical operation performed between the bits included in the input bit string. The memory device is accessed to output the bits included in the data stored at the address represented by the received bit string. The arithmetic logic device achieves arithmetic processing in a relatively short time on a relatively small circuit scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: MEISEI GAKUEN, BUFFALO MEMORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanji Otsuka, Yoichi Sato, Takayuki Okinaga, Shuichiro Azuma
  • Patent number: 9867250
    Abstract: A high intensity, ultra-short LED pulsing driver circuit is developed for use with a system designed to perform real-time time-resolved, transient recording of a fluorescence. Details of the timing circuitry used to pulse the LED and to provide synchronized PMT gating and ADC trigger pulses are also developed. The LED pulses are intended for fluorophores with lifetimes on the order of about 1.6 ns or longer and gating is used to maintain the detector off or partially off during excitation, thereby maximizing the available detector gain without saturation of the detector by the excitation light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
    Inventors: Linda S. Powers, Jerrie V. Fairbanks, Janet M. Roveda
  • Patent number: 9832830
    Abstract: A solid state lighting module is disclosed. In one example, the module comprises a light source and a resistor circuit, wherein an output resistance of the resistor circuit is for conveying to a connected driver information on a desired power to be applied to the solid state light source. A control interface is provided for receiving configuration information from an external configuration device and a control circuit configures the resistor circuit thereby to set the output resistance in response to received configuration information. This approach involves integrating the configuration function in the lighting module instead of in the driver. The output resistance can be determined by existing driver architectures without modification, while at the same time the ability of the user to tailor individual lighting modules to their needs is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Oepts, Haibo Qiao, Duo L. Li
  • Patent number: 9812070
    Abstract: A display apparatus has: a display unit; a light emitting unit for outputting irradiation light; a light detecting unit; an external light intensity specifying unit; and a correcting unit. When the external light intensity is equal to or smaller than an external light determination threshold value and the intensity of light detected by the light detecting unit under irradiating the irradiation light is equal to or smaller than a detected light determination threshold value larger than the external light determination threshold value, an irradiation light intensity is corrected by using a first correcting method. When the external light intensity is larger than the external light determination threshold value or the intensity of light detected by the light detecting unit under irradiating the irradiation light is larger than the detected light determination threshold value, the irradiation light intensity is not corrected or corrected by using a second correcting method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Daisuke Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 9806604
    Abstract: The current invention relates to a power conversion device (10), for supplying a load (11) with a PWM signal through an inductive output filter (105). The power conversion device (10) comprises a power conversion module (101) supplied by a DC input voltage (Vin) and is configured for providing a plurality of output signals (PWM1, . . . , PWMn) having a level amplitude that is a fraction of the input voltage (Vin) level. Each output signal is floating with a bias component equally split in a plurality of steps ranging from a determined lowest fraction level amplitude to a determined highest fraction level amplitude. The power conversion device (10) further comprises a multiplexer (103) receiving as a plurality of inputs the plurality of output signals (PWM1, . . . , PWMn). The multiplexer is configured for outputting one output signal (PWMx) selected from the plurality of inputs, whereby the output signal (PWMx) of the multiplexer (103) is connected to the output filter (105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Julia Delos Ayllon, Toni Lopez, Machiel Antonius Martinus Hendrix, Eduardo-Jose Alarcon-Cot
  • Patent number: 9807830
    Abstract: An LED driver apparatus provides discrete output current configuration. User interfaces such as dip switches enable user selection of output current settings. LED driver circuitry includes an inverter, a primary transformer winding coupled to the inverter switches and providing resonant inductance, and a secondary transformer winding coupled on a first end to an output rectifier. Various circuit branches are coupled in parallel between the output rectifier and the secondary winding, each including a switching element driven between open and closed states associated with the user-selected output current setting. The circuit branches may be coupled to respective secondary winding taps, wherein output current is regulated according to an effective turns ratio defined by the closed circuit branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: UNIVERSAL LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Xiong, John Helms
  • Patent number: 9803816
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a street lighting device with a first light source for illuminating the street plane from above is provided. The device may include a second light source located at a closer position to the street plane than said first light source; a sensor sensitive to the occurrence of conditions of reduced ambient visibility; and a controller connected to said sensor and capable of activating said second light source in the presence of said conditions of reduced ambient visibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventors: Alessandro Bizzotto, Simone Capeleto, Matteo Toscan
  • Patent number: 9801239
    Abstract: A system and method for operating one or more light emitting devices is disclosed. In one example, the intensity of light provided by the one or more light emitting devices is adjusted responsive to follow a step change in requested lighting output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Phoseon Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Ognyan Moore, Paul Eddy
  • Patent number: 9788371
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to semiconductor lighting technology, and more particularly, to a lamp holder with a LED driving power supply integrated therein. The lamp holder according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing, including: a base made of insulation material; a side wall fixed with the base, at least a part of which is made of conductive material; an electrical contact member fixed at the bottom of the base; and a LED driving power supply, including: a baseplate being fixed in a space defined by the base and the side wall; a LED driving circuit arranged on the baseplate; a first input electrode and a second input electrode arranged on the baseplate and electrically connected to the side wall and the electrical contact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Inventor: Yijun Zhao
  • Patent number: 9787303
    Abstract: There are provided a driver circuit, a method of driving a power switch, and a ballast circuit. For example, there is provided a driver circuit configured to receive a control signal and operate a power switch. The driver circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, and a capacitor coupled to control terminals of the first and second switches. The driver circuit further includes a first diode coupled to a first bias terminal of the driver circuit and to the capacitor. Furthermore, the driver circuit includes a second diode coupled to a second bias terminal of the driver circuit and to a terminal of the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Yehuda Daniel Levy, Ramanujam Ramabhadran
  • Patent number: 9781795
    Abstract: Alight fixture receives AC power via a light switch to drive light emission of a light emitting module, and is switchable among multiple states that include a brightness selecting state and a selected brightness state. The light fixture causes the light emitting module to cyclically emit light according to multiple brightness levels in sequence in the brightness selecting state, and to emit light according to one of the multiple brightness levels in the selected brightness state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Inventor: Pin-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 9781786
    Abstract: A control circuit of a LED driver utilizes a counter to acquire a cycle and a conduction time or a non-conduction time of an AC phase-cut voltage outputted by a TRIAC dimmer. A bleeding signal is determined according to the cycle and the conduction time or the non-conduction time and used for adjusting a bleeding current so as to avoid a flickering of the LED. The control circuit does not need extra pins for coupling a large capacitor, but the bleeding signal can be still acquired. Preferably, the present invention is suitable for an IC of low pin numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: RICHTEK TECHNOLOGY CORP.
    Inventors: Jyun-Che Ho, Isaac Y. Chen, Yi-Wei Lee
  • Patent number: 9781782
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus, such as an LED lighting apparatus, includes at least one light-emitting device, a rectifier circuit having an input configured to be coupled to an AC source, and a driver circuit coupled to an output of the rectifier circuit and to the at least one light emitting device. The apparatus further includes an active current limiter circuit coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit and configured to limit a current provided to the driver circuit, such as a current drawn by an EMI filter of the driver circuit, which may cause erratic operation of a dimmer controlling the lighting apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Ihor Lys
  • Patent number: 9769894
    Abstract: An LED driver circuit provides dimming control in LED lighting applications that can accommodate an AC/DC constant voltage converter. The driver circuit provides a dimming control signal that is used to directly control the DC output current of a downstream DC/DC converter driving an LED array. The dimming control signal tracks the AC or DC output from a dimming controller such that variations in the AC or DC voltage are reflected in the dimming control signal. This dimming control signal is then provided to the downstream DC/DC converter, bypassing the AC/DC constant voltage converter to directly control dimming of the LED array. Such an arrangement lets lighting design engineers deploy the familiar and well-understood constant voltage converter topology in LED lighting applications while retaining the ability to control dimming in the LED lighting applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Towfiq Chowdhury, Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 9763308
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computing device that may obtain data indicative of light reflected from a surface and sensed by a light sensor of a mobile computing device. In various embodiments, the reflected light may be created from light emitted by a lighting unit, and the computing device may determine that, based on the data representing one or more properties of the reflected light, a property of the reflected light fails to satisfy a lighting property criterion. In various embodiments, the computing device may cause calibration of light emitted by the lighting unit so that the reflected light satisfies the lighting property criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Dzmitry Viktorovich Aliakseyeu, Tatiana Aleksandrovna Lashina, Bartel Marinus Van De Sluis, Philip Steven Newton, Tim Dekker
  • Patent number: 9754766
    Abstract: A resonance frequency is adjusted or optimized by shifting the resonance frequency without reducing an impedance function or a withstand voltage characteristic against a high frequency noise, when blocking, by using a multiple parallel resonance characteristic of a distributed constant line, the high frequency noise introduced into a line such as a power feed line or a signal line from an electrical member other than a high frequency electrode within a processing vessel. Regarding winding pitches, each of the solenoid coils 104(1) and 104(2) is divided to multiple sections K1, K2, . . . in a coil axis direction, and, a winding pitch pi in each section Ki (i=1, 2, . . . ) is set independently. Comb teeth M inserted into winding gaps of both solenoid coils 104(1) and 104(2) are formed on inner surfaces of multiple rod-shaped comb-teeth member 114 provided adjacent to the solenoid coils 104(1) and 104(2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Naohiko Okunishi