Patents Examined by Jimmy Vu
  • Patent number: 9470406
    Abstract: Light sources with arrangements of multiple LEDs (or other light-emitting devices) disposed at or near the focus of a reflecting optic having multiple segments facilitate varying the angular distribution of the light beam (e.g., the beam divergence) via the drive currents supplied to the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: TerraLUX, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony W. Catalano
  • Patent number: 9469242
    Abstract: In a headlamp light distribution control device, a light source configured by a pair of lamps mounted in a forward vehicle is extracted from an image of the forward vehicle if a distance to the forward vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and the number of the extracted light sources is judged. When the number of the extracted light sources is two, an irradiation direction of a headlamp is controlled such that a shielded area is set in an irradiation area to prevent an area including the lamp of the forward vehicle from being irradiated. When the number of the extracted light sources is one, the irradiation direction is controlled such that a shielded area is set in the irradiation area to have a margin in right and left directions larger than the shielded area set when the number of the extracted light sources is two.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Imaeda, Kentarou Shiota
  • Patent number: 9474117
    Abstract: An AC LED lighting apparatus using a voltage edge detector is provided. The AC LED lighting apparatus includes: a rectification unit configured to rectify an AC voltage to output a DC rectified voltage; an LED unit including a first light emitting group and a second light emitting group each including at least one LED; and an LED driving control unit configured to control a serial/parallel connection relationship between the first light emitting group and the second light emitting group by comparing a voltage level of the rectified voltage input from the rectification unit with a reference voltage. The LED driving control unit sets the reference voltage by detecting a slope of the rectified voltage and simultaneously detecting the voltage level of the rectified voltage and the detected slope of the rectified voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Glow One Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong Bok Yoon, Dae Won Kim, Jong-Bum Kim
  • Patent number: 9467039
    Abstract: A ripple suppression circuit has a filter circuit and a follower circuit. The filter circuit has a first input terminal coupled to a signal source to receive a ripple signal and an output terminal to output a filter signal which is the sum of the average value of the ripple signal and a positive bias signal. The follower circuit has a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal, wherein the first input terminal is coupled to the signal source to receive the ripple signal, the second input terminal is coupled to the output terminal of the filter circuit to receive the filter signal, the follower circuit provides an output signal at the output terminal, the output signal at least partially follows the filter signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: CHENGDU MONOLITHIC POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naixing Kuang, Zilin Fan, Yuancheng Ren
  • Patent number: 9468063
    Abstract: There is provided a light source driving device including: an interface circuit configured to receive a PWM dimming instruction signal or a DALI dimming instruction signal as a dimming instruction signal and generate a serial signal in accordance with the dimming instruction signal; a dimming controller configured to determine whether the serial signal generated by the interface circuit is based on the PWM dimming instruction signal or the DALI dimming instruction signal and to generate a dimming signal according to a result of the determination; and a drive circuit configured to drive a light source according to the dimming signal generated by the dimming controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kunihiko Hatta
  • Patent number: 9462646
    Abstract: To provide a light-emitting device whose amount of light can be adjusted, or the like. The amount of light emitted from the light-emitting device can be adjusted by controlling the magnitude of the constant current pulse by a control signal. Specifically, the light-emitting device includes a constant current supply configured to be supplied with a control signal and a control pulse signal and configured to supply a constant current pulse; a control device configured to supply the control signal; a driver circuit configured to supply the control pulse signal; and a light-emitting panel configured to be supplied with the constant current pulse. The control signal is a signal for controlling the magnitude of the constant current pulse. The light-emitting panel includes a light-emitting element. The current density of the light-emitting element is greater than or equal to 10 mA/cm2 and less than or equal to 1000 mA/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daiki Nakamura, Nobuharu Ohsawa, Hisao Ikeda, Akihiro Kaita, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9462658
    Abstract: The present invention provides an LED lighting device, which can be directly connected to a socket for a fluorescent lamp without revising the socket to a dedicated LED Light circuit. The LED lighting device may be prevented from being damaged by the overvoltage generated in the stabilizer and introduced into the driving circuit, and this device is reactivated when a normal voltage is introduced. For this purpose, the LED lighting device includes first and second power input units, first and second rectification units, a smoothing unit, an overvoltage protection unit, and a driving voltage generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: TEKLUX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: JaeHoon Kim, Kiho Nam
  • Patent number: 9462645
    Abstract: An LED driver circuit with stepwise adjustable power and an LED lighting tube. The LED driver circuit comprises a constant current IC chip U1, a power supply unit connecting to the constant current IC chip U1, a switch control unit and a driving unit. The driving unit connects to the switch control unit. The LED driver circuit also comprises a power regulation unit. The power regulation unit connects to the constant current IC chip U1, the switch control unit and the driving unit. The present invention uses 12 W, 15 W, 18 W (or) more stepwise adjustable power. It is applicable to LED lighting tubes, ceiling lights, panel lights and all types of LED stepwise adjustable power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventors: Haibin Cai, Wenhong Ling
  • Patent number: 9452706
    Abstract: A maneuvering aid for a vehicle has a lighting device configured to at least partially illuminate at least an underlying surface under the vehicle and/or a vehicle bodywork. A control device configured to control the lighting device in order to activate and/or deactivate same. The control device is configured to control the lighting device at least as a function of a vehicle speed and/or of a vehicle acceleration and/or of a distance of the vehicle from a roadway boundary or an obstacle in the roadway. A corresponding method, a corresponding vehicle, and a headlight assembly are described as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG
    Inventors: Walter Schwertberger, Markus Brummer, Daniel Heyes, Christoph Resch
  • Patent number: 9455709
    Abstract: A dynamic logic circuit in which the number of elements is reduced, the layout area is reduced, the power loss is reduced, and the power consumption is reduced is provided. A semiconductor device including a dynamic logic circuit includes a first transistor in which a channel is formed in silicon and a second transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor. Here, a structure in which the second transistor is provided over the first transistor can be employed. A structure in which an insulating film is provided over the first transistor, and the second transistor is provided over the insulating film can be employed. A structure in which a top surface of the insulating film is planarized can be employed. A structure in which the second transistor has a region overlapping with the first transistor can be employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Ohmaru, Hidetomo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9451662
    Abstract: Disclosed is an AC light emitting device. The AC light emitting device is electrically connected to an AC power, and the AC power is rectified by a rectification module and inputs an input voltage. The AC light emitting device comprises a buck module, a switching unit, a control module and an AC lighting emitting module. The buck module is electrically connected to the rectification module. The switching unit is electrically connected to the rectification module and the buck module. The control module is electrically connected to the switching unit and the buck module. The AC lighting emitting module is electrically connected to the switching unit. The control module outputs a pulse waveform signal to the switching unit according to the input voltage and a dimming signal, and the switching unit turns on or off the AC lighting emitting module according to the pulse waveform signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: PARAGON SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chia-Tin Chung, Shih-Neng Tai
  • Patent number: 9451663
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for driving a light emitting diode. The apparatus for driving the light emitting diode according to the present invention comprises a rectifier circuit for accessing an Alternating Current (AC) voltage source to rectify an AC voltage of the AC voltage source, a light emitting diode array connected to an output side of the rectifier circuit and including a plurality of light emitting diode array blocks, and a charging/discharging circuit configured to be charged by a voltage output from the rectifier circuit, wherein the apparatus for driving the light emitting diode comprises a discharging switch, a block switch circuit, and a controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: J&C TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Min Jun Jang, Woo Jun Jang
  • Patent number: 9441815
    Abstract: A retrofit canopy light system is provided that has a multi-output power supply assembly in electrical communication with a plurality of luminaire assemblies through a plurality of distribution wires. In one embodiment, each luminaire assembly may receive an electric current from a respective distribution wire extending from the power supply assembly. The power supply assembly may convert high-voltage AC to low-voltage, regulated DC. Each luminaire assembly may comprise a light source and a low profile, heat-dissipating frame in thermal and mechanical communication with the light source. The heat-dissipating frame may be constructed of a thermally conductive material, and may include a plurality of heat sink fins and bars. The heat-dissipating frame may present a substantially flat surface configured for flush mounting adjacent to an existing canopy fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation
    Inventors: Fredric S. Maxik, David E. Bartine, James Lynn Schellack, Addy S. Widjaja
  • Patent number: 9445475
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system includes a first string of first LEDs emitting light having a first color. A second string of second LEDs emits light having a second color and connected in series with the first string of first LEDs; A first switch and a second switch are connected in series. A regulator module is configured to modulate the first switch and the second switch to provide a desired current ratio. The desired current ratio corresponds to a ratio of a first current through the first string of first LEDs to a second current through the second string of second LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Sehat Sutardja, Pantas Sutardja, Wanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9438123
    Abstract: Push-pull circuits are described that are suitable for the driving of LEDs and that reduce the voltage stress on the switching transistors that is caused by the output transformer. The push-pull arrangement caters to reducing the size of the transformer as it eliminates the DC magnetic bias of the transformer core and it also caters to the integration of the semiconductor content of the circuit requiring only low side DMOS to be implemented in the monolithic, junction isolated process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: General Electronics Applications, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Pernyeszi
  • Patent number: 9433067
    Abstract: A multi-lamp fluorescent light fixture includes a plurality of replaceable fluorescent lamp starter units. Each starter unit has a built-in microcontroller, an RF (Radio-Frequency) receiver, and communicates wirelessly with a master unit. The plurality of starter units can be wirelessly controlled to dim the multi-lamp fixture. Each starter unit receives a DIM command. Each starter unit identified as a dimmer starter unit responds to the DIM command by turning off coupled fluorescent lamps. Starter units not identified as dimmer starter units respond by leaving coupled lamps turned on, or alternatively, turning off and quickly restarting coupled lamps. Systems of existing light fixtures are retrofitted with such wireless starter units, and thereby made controllable by a master unit so that the master unit can dim the lights if room occupancy is not detected or if sufficient ambient light is available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: IXYS Intl Limited
    Inventors: Kamlapati Khalsa, Yefim Gluzman, Quyen Tran, David D. Eaton
  • Patent number: 9433047
    Abstract: A single inductor multiple LED string driver comprises a switch control circuit and a current-sensing control circuit. The switch control circuit generates a plurality of digital control signals that are used to control a plurality of switches coupled to a plurality of strings of LEDs. Each switch is selectively turned on and off by each corresponding digital control signal. The current-sensing control circuit determines an integrated charge amount provided by each current that flows from an input voltage through each LED string, through each switch, through a common inductor, and through a main switch to ground. In response to the determined integrated charge amount, the current-sensing control circuit generates an on-time control signal that controls the on-time of each switch such that the average current flowing across each LED string is equal to each other. Furthermore, the total current flowing across each LED string is regulated to a predefined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Active-Semi, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Huynh, Cuong Van Pham
  • Patent number: 9426866
    Abstract: A system and method map dimming levels of a lighting dimmer to light source control signals using a predetermined lighting output function. The dimmer generates a dimmer output signal value. At any particular period of time, the dimmer output signal value represents one of multiple dimming levels. In at least one embodiment, the lighting output function maps the dimmer output signal value to a dimming value different than the dimming level represented by the dimmer output signal value. The lighting output function converts a dimmer output signal values corresponding to measured light levels to perception based light levels. A light source driver operates a light source in accordance with the predetermined lighting output function. The system and method can include a filter to modify at least a set of the dimmer output signal values prior to mapping the dimmer output signal values to a new dimming level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: John L. Melanson, John J. Paulos
  • Patent number: 9426873
    Abstract: The embodiments of the invention include a method for controlling plasma conditions of a glow discharge system using the integrated electron (or ion) pulse area extracted from the total lamp current. The method of using an integrated electron/ion pulse area for controlling plasma conditions allows for controlled analysis of conductive, non-conductive and layered materials without the need for estimation of plasma voltages. The method allows for control of sputter rates and plasma emissions that cannot be achieved using other methods such as capacitive divider calculations where actual thicknesses and dielectric constants are not known or predefined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Leco Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J Casper, Sara K Casper, Kim Marshall
  • Patent number: 9420679
    Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are directed to generators that can be used to sustain a plasma in a driven mode and in an oscillation mode and optionally in a hybrid mode. In some embodiments, the generator is configured to switch between the two modes during operation. In certain instances, the plasma may be ignited when the generator is in a driven mode and may be used to analyze samples when the generator is in an oscillation mode or driven mode or hybrid mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Tak Shun Cheung, Chui Ha Cindy Wong