Patents by Inventor Alois Braun

Alois Braun has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8941334
    Abstract: A method for minimizing the insulation stress of a high-pressure discharge lamp system, with an operating device, which generates a high voltage for starting the high-pressure discharge lamp, wherein a starting voltage time sum applied during lamp starting is minimized, the starting voltage time sum is the sum of all time segments Zi during which the magnitude of the starting voltage exceeds a starting voltage limit, and the starting voltage limit is defined as the factor range of a maximum value, in terms of magnitude, of the applied high voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Joachim Mühlschlegel
  • Patent number: 8760069
    Abstract: A method for operating a high pressure discharge lamp, with the high pressure discharge lamp being operated by a current inverter with a square wave lamp current having a positive phase with positive current flow and a negative phase with negative current flow, and with the current inverter being controlled by a control arrangement wherein the method comprises the steps of measuring a value for the positive current flow representing the lamp wattage or the square wave lamp current, measuring a value for the negative current flow representing the lamp wattage or the square wave lamp current; calculating a predetermined setpoint value in each case from a guide variable of a lamp wattage or of the square wave lamp current and the measured value for the phase with positive current flow; calculating a predetermined setpoint value in each case from a guide variable of a lamp wattage or of the square wave lamp current and the measured value for the phase with negative current flow; and outputting the two predetermin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Patent number: 8618739
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating discharge lamps is provided with an input, to which an AC system voltage from a power supply system can be connected, an output, to which at least one discharge lamp can be connected, a backup capacitance, which is arranged between the input and the output, and a switch, which is in a charging current path of the backup capacitance. The circuit arrangement may include a driver configured to clock the switch for a predetermined period of time when the circuit arrangement is switched on for periodically interrupting the charging current path of the backup capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Patent number: 8531122
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a circuit arrangement may include a voltage-measuring device embodied to measure an output voltage, wherein the voltage-measuring device is embodied to provide at its output a signal which is correlated with the measured output voltage, wherein the voltage-measuring device is coupled to a control device for the purpose of transmitting said signal to the control device, and wherein the control device is embodied to vary an off-time as a function of the measured output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Patent number: 8492994
    Abstract: A method for making a lamp wattage available for operating at least one gas discharge lamp depending on a dimming signal which is input into a wattage factor correction circuit, having a switch element that is switched on clocked by a switch-on time, wherein the wattage factor correction circuit emits an intermediate circuit voltage which in turn is input into a converter that makes the lamp wattage available, comprising the steps of: in an operating phase in which the dimming signal has no phase leading edge and no phase trailing edge, the wattage factor correction circuit and the converter are regulated independently of each other using a separate regulating circuit in each case; and in an operating phase in which the dimming signal has a phase leading edge or a phase trailing edge, the two independent regulating circuits are coupled to each other via a higher-order third regulating circuit such that the lamp wattage of the converter is adjusted such that the switch-on time of the switch element in the watt
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20120286693
    Abstract: A circuit assembly for operating a discharge lamp (5) comprising a full-bridge assembly (1), which supplies the discharge lamp (5), wherein the circuit assembly can operate the discharge lamp (5) at a low-frequency and at a high-frequency voltage, and the circuit assembly is configured: to operate the discharge lamp (5) directly after starting the lamp at a high-frequency voltage, and to operate the discharge lamp (5) above a predetermined lamp voltage (UT) at a low-frequency voltage, wherein the full-bridge assembly (1) always operates in discontinuous conduction mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Patent number: 8089220
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a high pressure discharge lamp includes a bridge circuit with at least two switches, a control device controlling the switches. The bridge circuit is a half-bridge circuit having exactly two switches. The control device switches on and off in an alternating manner, the first switch and the second switch of the bridge circuit having a first frequency. When the first switch is switched off for controlling the other switch with a rectangular signal of a second frequency which is greater than the first frequency and a predeterminable connection duration. The circuit also includes a tension measuring device measuring an actual value of tension over the high pressure discharge lamp. A reference device provides at least one upper threshold value for the voltage via the high pressure discharge lamp. A comparison device compares the actual voltage over the high pressure discharge lamp with the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Mühlschlegel
  • Publication number: 20110221354
    Abstract: A method for making a lamp wattage available for operating at least one gas discharge lamp depending on a dimming signal which is input into a wattage factor correction circuit, having a switch element that is switched on clocked by a switch-on time, wherein the wattage factor correction circuit emits an intermediate circuit voltage which in turn is input into a converter that makes the lamp wattage available, comprising the steps of: in an operating phase in which the dimming signal has no phase leading edge and no phase trailing edge, the wattage factor correction circuit and the converter are regulated independently of each other using a separate regulating circuit in each case; and in an operating phase in which the dimming signal has a phase leading edge or a phase trailing edge, the two independent regulating circuits are coupled to each other via a higher-order third regulating circuit such that the lamp wattage of the converter is adjusted such that the switch-on time of the switch element in the watt
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20110221357
    Abstract: A method for operating a high pressure discharge lamp, with the high pressure discharge lamp being operated by a current inverter with a square wave lamp current having a positive phase with positive current flow and a negative phase with negative current flow, and with the current inverter being controlled by a control arrangement wherein the method comprises the steps of measuring a value for the positive current flow representing the lamp wattage or the square wave lamp current, measuring a value for the negative current flow representing the lamp wattage or the square wave lamp current; calculating a predetermined setpoint value in each case from a guide variable of a lamp wattage or of the square wave lamp current and the measured value for the phase with positive current flow; calculating a predetermined setpoint value in each case from a guide variable of a lamp wattage or of the square wave lamp current and the measured value for the phase with negative current flow; and outputting the two predetermin
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20110169427
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a circuit arrangement may include a voltage-measuring device embodied to measure an output voltage, wherein the voltage-measuring device is embodied to provide at its output a signal which is correlated with the measured output voltage, wherein the voltage-measuring device is coupled to a control device for the purpose of transmitting said signal to the control device, and wherein the control device is embodied to vary an off-time as a function of the measured output voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: OSRAM GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRAENKTER HAFTUNG
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20110018459
    Abstract: A method for minimizing the insulation stress of a high-pressure discharge lamp system, with an operating device, which generates a high voltage for starting the high-pressure discharge lamp, wherein a starting voltage time sum applied during lamp starting is minimized, the starting voltage time sum is the sum of all time segments Zi during which the magnitude of the starting voltage exceeds a starting voltage limit, and the starting voltage limit is defined as the factor range of a maximum value, in terms of magnitude, of the applied high voltages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Joachim Mühlschlegel
  • Publication number: 20100277093
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating discharge lamps is provided with an input, to which an AC system voltage from a power supply system can be connected, an output, to which at least one discharge lamp can be connected, a backup capacitance, which is arranged between the input and the output, and a switch, which is in a charging current path of the backup capacitance. The circuit arrangement may include a driver configured to clock the switch for a predetermined period of time when the circuit arrangement is switched on for periodically interrupting the charging current path of the backup capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: OSRAM GESELLSCHAFT MIT BESCHRAENKTER HAFTUNG
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Maximilian Schmidl
  • Publication number: 20090295302
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating a high pressure discharge lamp includes a bridge circuit with at least two switches, a control device controlling the switches. The bridge circuit is a half-bridge circuit having exactly two switches. The control device switches on and off in an alternating manner, the first switch and the second switch of the bridge circuit having a first frequency. When the first switch is switched off for controlling the other switch with a rectangular signal of a second frequency which is greater than the first frequency and a predeterminable connection duration. The circuit also includes a tension measuring device measuring an actual value of tension over the high pressure discharge lamp. A reference device provides at least one upper threshold value for the voltage via the high pressure discharge lamp. A comparison device compares the actual voltage over the high pressure discharge lamp with the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Osram Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Mühlschlegel
  • Patent number: 7541744
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast and to an operating method for high-pressure discharge lamps. During a current measurement, in particular for current regulation, only switching phases of a specific polarity of the current are taken into consideration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Osram Gesellschaft mit Beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Mühlschlegel, Markus Ziegler
  • Patent number: 7145293
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast, to an illumination device including the electronic ballast and an associated high-pressure discharge lamp, and to a corresponding operating method for a high-pressure discharge lamp, in which resonance excitation is used to generate a voltage-increased power for a transfer phase of the lamp Lp after starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur Elektrisch Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Young G. Kang, Walter Limmer, Joachim Muhlschlegel
  • Patent number: 7116084
    Abstract: A step-up converter has a power factor correction, has an input for connection to a supply voltage, in particular a rectified AC voltage; an inductor, a diode and a storage capacitor, which are coupled in a series arrangement between the input and the output, in which the voltage that is dropped across the storage capacitor is provided at the output; a switch, which is coupled between a junction point between the inductor and the diode, on the one hand, and a reference potential, on the other hand; and a drive circuit for the switch which controls the times for which the switch remains closed and open; the drive circuit being designed to control the time for which the switch remains closed as a function of the freewheeling time of the inductor. A method for operating such a step-up converter is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fuer Elertrische Glubhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Mühlschlegel
  • Publication number: 20060186828
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast and to an operating method for high-pressure discharge lamps. During a current measurement, in particular for current regulation, only switching phases of a specific polarity of the current are taken into consideration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: PATEN-TREUHAND-GESELLSCHAFT FUR ELEKTRISCH GLUHLAMPEN MBH
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Muhlschlegel, Markus Ziegler
  • Publication number: 20050225260
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast, to an illumination device including the electronic ballast and an associated high-pressure discharge lamp, and to a corresponding operating method for a high-pressure discharge lamp, in which resonance excitation is used to generate a voltage-increased power for a transfer phase of the lamp Lp after starting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Applicant: PATENT-TREUHAND-GESELLSCHAFT FUR ELECTRISCH GLUHLAMPEN MBH
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Young Kang, Walter Limmer, Joachim Muhlschlegel
  • Publication number: 20050083022
    Abstract: A step-up converter has a power factor correction, has an input for connection to a supply voltage, in particular a rectified AC voltage; an inductor, a diode and a storage capacitor, which are coupled in a series arrangement between the input and the output, in which the voltage that is dropped across the storage capacitor is provided at the output; a switch, which is coupled between a junction point between the inductor and the diode, on the one hand, and a reference potential, on the other hand; and a drive circuit for the switch which controls the times for which the switch remains closed and open; the drive circuit being designed to control the time for which the switch remains closed as a function of the freewheeling time of the inductor. A method for operating such a step-up converter is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicant: PATENT-TREUHAND-GESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Alois Braun, Walter Limmer, Joachim Muhlschlegel
  • Patent number: PP15261
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a variety of an apple tree obtained by branch mutation and by selection of the variety ‘Fuji’. The present invention variety exhibits an appropriate distinguishability, homogeneity, uniformity, and stability. The vigor of the tree is strong. The tree type is ramified. The habit of the apple tree is drooping. The pubescence on an upper half of a shoot is weak. The thickness as measured by the diameter at the center is medium for a dormant one year old shoot. The number of lenticels is many for one year old dormant shoot. The color of an unopened flower is light pink in a balloon stage. The surface of the fruit is colored red with a large number of small yellowish dots. Frequently the dots are disposed on curved lines with each line counting from about 4 to 8 dots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Kiku G.m.b.H - S.r.l.
    Inventor: Alois Braun