Patents by Inventor Bruce Richard Roberts

Bruce Richard Roberts 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).

  • Publication number: 20120326508
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing one or more operating voltages and currents to one or more auxiliary loads by tapping an LED array driven by an LED driver providing a drive voltage to the LED array, and/or supplying an operating voltage to the LED driver itself using such a tap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Bruce Richard ROBERTS
  • Patent number: 8334659
    Abstract: An electronic driver apparatus and methods are disclosed for driving power an organic LED or other large area solid state light source, in which a switch mode DC current source provides DC current to drive the light source according to a control input and a controller provides a ramped pulse modulated control input to the current source for at least some values of a dimming setpoint signal or value to mitigate damaging current spikes by controlling di/dt of the drive current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Deeder Aurongzeb, Bruce Richard Roberts
  • Publication number: 20120286680
    Abstract: Solid-State lighting devices and fixtures are presented in which capacitor plates are formed in the fixture and in the lighting device to form AC coupling capacitors with one or more intervening dielectrics when the lighting device is placed in the fixture to power a driver circuit of the lighting device while providing a fixture with no exposed live wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, Josip Brnada
  • Publication number: 20120283878
    Abstract: Flexible and shape adjustable solid state lighting devices and control circuits are presented in which the control circuit selectively phase cuts AC power supplied to the lighting device to send a plurality of data symbols of a message to the lighting device indicating a physical adjustment command or value, and an actuator selectively sets or adjusts a physical condition of the lighting device according to the message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, David Joseph Tracy
  • Publication number: 20120280636
    Abstract: Lighting devices and operating methods are presented in which voltage or current perturbations of an OLED caused by a user pressing the OLED are monitored while the OLED is providing general lighting, and one or more lighting control signals are generated based on the sensed perturbations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, Josip Brnada
  • Publication number: 20120256813
    Abstract: A lighting assembly includes a light source having a first generally planar, light source including a perimeter edge. A backsheet is disposed in substantially parallel relation with the light source, and includes at least one electrical feedthrough region extending through the backsheet and substantially covered by a contact patch disposed in substantially planar relation between the backsheet and the light source. A generally planar, connector cable extends over the backsheet and has connector pad(s) positioned thereon to associate with each feedthrough and to the light source through the contact patch. A low temperature solder material is disposed between each connector pad and contact patch for establishing electrical connection with the light source, wherein one or more of the light source, connector cable, backsheet, or any portion thereof is constructed of one or more plastics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: James Michael Kostka, Deeder Aurongzeb, Bruce Richard Roberts, Josip Brnada
  • Patent number: 8072163
    Abstract: A knowledge-based driver is provided for powering a solid-state light source with a constant current, including a memory that stores lumens per amp and volts per amp performance characterizations of the light source over time, and a controller that operates in a test mode to estimate the light source degradation based on voltage feedback obtained at a predetermined test current value, and to adjust the drive current in normal operating mode according to the estimated device degradation to implement constant lumens control without external optical feedback components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, Kevin Carr Payne
  • Publication number: 20110147768
    Abstract: A light panel includes a light source having a generally planar, light emitting surface and a perimeter edge. A backsheet is disposed in substantially parallel relation with the light emitting surface, and an electrical feed-through region extends through the backsheet at a location spaced inwardly from the perimeter. A generally planar, flexible connector cable extends over the backsheet from the perimeter to the electrical feed-through region for establishing electrical connection with the light source. Openings in conductive pads provided in the flexible cable permit a conductive material to be inserted there through and mechanically and electrically interconnect the cable and the light panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, James Michael Kostka
  • Publication number: 20110140626
    Abstract: An electronic driver apparatus and methods are disclosed for driving power an organic LED or other large area solid state light source, in which a switch mode DC current source provides DC current to drive the light source according to a control input and a controller provides a ramped pulse modulated control input to the current source for at least some values of a dimming setpoint signal or value to mitigate damaging current spikes by controlling di/dt of the drive current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Deeder Aurongzeb, Bruce Richard Roberts
  • Patent number: 7960922
    Abstract: A high efficiency low power DC driver apparatus is presented for powering a light source, with a capacitive divider circuit receiving an AC input and providing a divided AC output, a rectifier provide a DC output below ten watts, output terminals coupleable to one or more light sources, and a linear regulator coupled in series with the light source to regulate a drive current flowing through the series circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Louis Robert Nerone
  • Publication number: 20110089867
    Abstract: A high efficiency low power DC driver apparatus is presented for powering a light source, with a capacitive divider circuit receiving an AC input and providing a divided AC output, a rectifier provide a DC output below ten watts, output terminals coupleable to one or more light sources, and a linear regulator coupled in series with the light source to regulate a drive current flowing through the series circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Louis Robert Nerone
  • Publication number: 20110089855
    Abstract: A knowledge-based driver is provided for powering a solid-state light source with a constant current, including a memory that stores lumens per amp and volts per amp performance characterizations of the light source over time, and a controller that operates in a test mode to estimate the light source degradation based on voltage feedback obtained at a predetermined test current value, and to adjust the drive current in normal operating mode according to the estimated device degradation to implement constant lumens control without external optical feedback components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, Kevin Carr Payne
  • Publication number: 20110089853
    Abstract: An electronic driver apparatus is provided for driving power an organic LED, including a switchable inductance circuit and a controller to connect an inductance between a power source and the OLED during a startup period as power is first applied to the OLED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Deeder Aurongzeb, Bruce Richard Roberts