Patents by Inventor Brent J. Eastwood

Brent J. Eastwood 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).

  • Method of operating a lamp with a power controller having current limited RMS regulated output
    Patent number: 7462996
    Abstract: A method for converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes providing a control circuit which includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to establish an RMS load voltage for the lamp. The load voltage of the lamp is sensed and the sensed load voltage is compared in the microcontroller to a reference RMS voltage. Operation of the switch is adjusted in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over a first operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at non-zero line voltages less than the first operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest C. Weyhrauch, Matthew B. Ballenger, George B. Kendrick, Brent J. Eastwood
  • Lamp containing power controller having current limited RMS regulated output
    Patent number: 7375475
    Abstract: A lamp contains a voltage conversion circuit that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest C. Weyhrauch, Matthew B. Ballenger, George B. Kendrick, Brent J. Eastwood
  • Method of operating a lamp with a power controller having current limited RMS regulated output
    Publication number: 20080106213
    Abstract: A method for converting a line voltage to an RMS load voltage in a lamp includes providing a a control circuit which includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to establish an RMS load voltage for the lamp. The load voltage of the lamp is sensed and the sensed load voltage is compared in the microcontroller to a reference RMS voltage. Operation of the switch is adjusted in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over a first operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at non-zero line voltages less than the first operating range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
    Inventors: Ernest C. Weyhrauch, Matthew B. Ballenger, George B. Kendrick, Brent J. Eastwood
  • Lamp containing power controller having current limited RMS regulated output
    Publication number: 20080088246
    Abstract: A lamp contains a voltage conversion circuit that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
    Inventors: Ernest C. Weyhrauch, Matthew B. Ballenger, George B. Kendrick, Brent J. Eastwood
  • Power controller having current limited RMS regulated output
    Patent number: 7301291
    Abstract: A power controller converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage for a lamp, and includes a switch and a microcontroller that operates the switch to define the RMS load voltage. The microcontroller senses a load voltage of the lamp, compares the sensed load voltage to a reference RMS voltage, and operates the switch in response to the comparison so that the RMS load voltage is substantially constant at the reference RMS voltage over an operating range of the line voltage and so that the RMS load voltage decreases with decreasing line voltage at line voltages less than the operating range. The operating range of the line voltage is defined to have a minimum that is a non-zero line voltage at which a load current is a predetermined maximum. The voltage conversion circuit may be a phase clipping circuit or a pulse width modulation circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest C. Weyhrauch, Matthew B. Ballenger, George B. Kendrick, Brent J. Eastwood