Patents by Inventor Christoph Vonach

Christoph Vonach 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: 12199391
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connection expansion module (2) for a component (1) of a lighting system, having a securing means (22 . . . 25, 29) for securing the connection expansion module to the component, at least one contact element (7 . . . 10) for contacting an electric connection (L, N, S1, S2) of the component (1), and multiple connections (12 . . . 19) connected to the contact element (7 . . . 10) in order to connect electric lines to the connection expansion module (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Publication number: 20220311195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a connection expansion module (2) for a component (1) of a lighting system, having a securing means (22 . . . 25, 29) for securing the connection expansion module to the component, at least one contact element (7 . . . 10) for contacting an electric connection (L, N, S1, S2) of the component (1), and multiple connections (12 . . . 19) connected to the contact element (7 . . . 10) in order to connect electric lines to the connection expansion module (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 10602576
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating device for loads in the form of lighting means, particularly for LEDs, comprising: a clocked converter (B) having a switching element (20); a control unit (C) for switching the switching element (20) with an operating frequency, the operating frequency of the converter (B) being modulated as a forward or feedforward control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 10236782
    Abstract: The invention relates to a module for operating at least one illuminant, preferably at least one LED, said module having at least one electrically insulating barrier, which separates a primary side that can be supplied, originating from a mains voltage, from a secondary side of the module, from which the at least one illuminant can preferably be supplied. A secondary-side passive circuit is provided, which is connected in a supply path to a primary-side control circuit across the barrier via a galvanically isolated converter. The primary-side control circuit is designed to apply a test signal with predetermined temporal development to the secondary-side passive circuit (via the converter) and simultaneously to monitor a measurement signal generated thereby on the secondary side and fed back into the supply path, more particularly to monitor an increase of current in the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Mathias Dunser, Christoph Vonach, Martin Mohr
  • Patent number: 10231310
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a module for operating at least one lighting means, preferably at least one LED, said module having at least one electrically insulating barrier that separates a primary side, which can be supplied from a mains voltage, from a secondary side of the module, from which secondary side preferably the at least one LED can be supplied. On the secondary side are arranged a control circuit and a passive circuit which is connected to a single input of the control circuit and has at least two resistors, at least one of which is connected in series to a capacitor, the input being selectively connectable via a switch of the control circuit, and the control circuit being designed to detect at least two measurement signals at the input after switching of the switch depending on the degree of loading of the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Günter Marent, Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 9727070
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying power to an illuminant can be configured for use for different illuminants, a configuration can be chosen by a resistor on a secondary side of the apparatus. A primary side has at least one switch and a control device. The control device is set up to bring about clocked switching of the at least one switch in an operating phase in order to take a measured variable captured during the operating phase on the primary side, the measured variable is dependent on the resistor, as a basis for identifying a configuration stipulated by the resistor. The control device is set up in order to control the apparatus in a further operating phase on the basis of the identified stipulated configuration. A method for controlling the apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 9681503
    Abstract: A galvanically isolated transformer (59) for energizing a lamp (5) comprises a primary circuit (60) including a half-bridge circuit that has two reciprocally clocked switches (21, 22), and including an LLC resonant circuit (25-27). The transformer (59) further comprises a secondary circuit (30) including an output (35) for supplying energy to the lamp (5). A control device (14) is designed to control the half-bridge circuit in accordance with a control variable (ipeak) detected in the primary circuit (60) in order to adjust a current intensity supplied to the lamp (5) by the secondary circuit (30) to a desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Eduardo Pereira
  • Patent number: 9603224
    Abstract: An interface circuit (1) is provided for an operating device (2) of the domestic appliance technology, in particular for an operating device for lighting means (3), for bi-directional communication with a bus (4) via a respective transmitting opto-coupler (9) and a receiving opto-coupler (8), wherein a node point (P) of the interface circuit (1) is impinged upon with a driver voltage (VT) in such a way that the transmitting opto-coupler (9) switches through and thus sends a signal to the bus (4), and wherein, at the same node point (P), the state of the receiving opto-coupler (8) can be detected so that a signal can be received from the bus (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 9554427
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (1) for lamps, in which a galvanic isolator (4) between a primary side, which comprises at least one circuit (2), and a secondary side, which comprises at least one circuit (3), is bridged by a radio channel (5). The lamps are supplied on the secondary side with respect to the galvanic isolator and the primary side is designed for connection to a voltage supply, in particular a mains voltage. The primary-side circuit (2) and the secondary side circuit (3) have a respective radio interface (2A, 3A) for establishing the unidirectional or bidirectional radio channel (5). The radio channel (5) lies preferably within a preferably metal housing (6) of the operating unit (1). Communication from the primary side to the secondary side and vice versa can be effected via radio through the radio channel (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph Vonach
  • Patent number: 9516708
    Abstract: An LLC resonant transformer (19) for a lamp (5) comprises a primary circuit (19) and a secondary side (30) galvanically isolated therefrom. During operation of the LLC resonant transformer (19), a first switch (21) and a second switch (22) of a half-bridge to which an LLC resonant circuit (25-27) of the primary circuit (19) is connected are actuated in a clocked fashion. A load (5) to which an output (35) on the secondary side (30) supplies energy is detected on the basis of a measured variable (iavg) acquired in the primary circuit (20). The half-bridge (21, 22) is variably controlled on the basis of the measured variable (iavg) that is acquired in the primary circuit (20) and indicates the load (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Eduardo Pereira
  • Publication number: 20160105121
    Abstract: The invention relates to a module for operating at least one illuminant, preferably at least one LED, said module having at least one electrically insulating barrier, which separates a primary side that can be supplied, originating from a mains voltage, from a secondary side of the module, from which the at least one illuminant can preferably be supplied. A secondary-side passive circuit is provided, which is connected in a supply path to a primary-side control circuit across the barrier via a galvanically isolated converter. The primary-side control circuit is designed to apply a test signal with predetermined temporal development to the secondary-side passive circuit (via the converter) and simultaneously to monitor a measurement signal generated thereby on the secondary side and fed back into the supply path, more particularly to monitor an increase of current in the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Mathias Dunser, Christoph Vonach, Martin Mohr
  • Publication number: 20160073472
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a module for operating at least one lighting means, preferably at least one LED, said module having at least one electrically insulating barrier that separates a primary side, which can be supplied from a mains voltage, from a secondary side of the module, from which secondary side preferably the at least one LED can be supplied. On the secondary side are arranged a control circuit and a passive circuit which is connected to a single input of the control circuit and has at least two resistors, at least one of which is connected in series to a capacitor, the input being selectively connectable via a switch of the control circuit, and the control circuit being designed to detect at least two measurement signals at the input after switching of the switch depending on the degree of loading of the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Günter MARENT, Christoph VONACH
  • Patent number: 9247617
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method for operating an actively clocked PFC circuit (2) having a directly or indirectly connected load circuit (5) at the output of the PFC circuit (2), wherein the load circuit (5) has at least one luminous means, in particular one or more LEDs (4), wherein the PFC circuit (2) is controlled by a PFC controller (30) in such a manner that the PFC controller (30) determines a control parameter, in particular a switched-on time period (ton), for the clocking of the PFC circuit (2) on the basis of at least one first controller setting (RE_fast) and one second controller setting (RE_slow), wherein the time of a change from the first controller setting (RE_fast) to the second controller setting (RE_slow) is dependent on the directly or indirectly determined average value of the control parameter, in particular the switched-on time period (ton).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Hans Auer
  • Publication number: 20150342009
    Abstract: The invention relates to an interface circuit (1) for an operating device (2) of the domestic appliance technology, in particular for an operating device for lighting means (3), for bi-directional communication with a bus (4) via a respective transmitting opto-coupler (9) and a receiving opto-coupler (8), wherein a node point (P) of the interface circuit (1) is impinged upon with a driver voltage (VT) in such a way that the transmitting opto-coupler (9) switches through and thus sends a signal to the bus (4), and wherein, at the same node point (P), the state of the receiving opto-coupler (8) can be detected so that a signal can be received from the bus (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventor: Christoph VONACH
  • Publication number: 20150334797
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating device for loads in the form of lighting means, particularly for LEDs, comprising: a clocked converter (B) having a switching element (20); a control unit (C) for switching the switching element (20) with an operating frequency, the operating frequency of the converter (B) being modulated as a forward or feedforward control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph VONACH
  • Publication number: 20150331436
    Abstract: An apparatus (2) for supplying power to an illuminant (3) can be configured for use for different illuminants, wherein a configuration can be chosen by a resistor (15) on a secondary side (8) of the apparatus (2). A primary side (7) has at least one switch (21, 22) and a control device (14). The control device (14) is set up to bring about clocked switching of the at least one switch (21, 22) in an operating phase in order to take a measured variable (isns) captured during the operating phase on the primary side (7), which measured variable is dependent on the resistor (15), as a basis for identifying a configuration stipulated by the resistor (15). The control device (14) is set up in order to control the apparatus (2) in a further operating phase on the basis of the identified stipulated configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventor: Christoph VONACH
  • Publication number: 20150312979
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating unit (1) for lamps, in which a galvanic isolator (4) between a primary side, which comprises at least one circuit (2), and a secondary side, which comprises at least one circuit (3), is bridged by a radio channel (5). The lamps are supplied on the secondary side with respect to the galvanic isolator and the primary side is designed for connection to a voltage supply, in particular a mains voltage. The primary-side circuit (2) and the secondary side circuit (3) have a respective radio interface (2A, 3A) for establishing the unidirectional or bidirectional radio channel (5). The radio channel (5) lies preferably within a preferably metal housing (6) of the operating unit (1). Communication from the primary side to the secondary side and vice versa can be effected via radio through the radio channel (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Christoph VONACH
  • Publication number: 20150237702
    Abstract: The invention proposes a method for operating an actively clocked PFC circuit (2) having a directly or indirectly connected load circuit (5) at the output of the PFC circuit (2), wherein the load circuit (5) has at least one luminous means, in particular one or more LEDs (4), wherein the PFC circuit (2) is controlled by a PFC controller (30) in such a manner that the PFC controller (30) determines a control parameter, in particular a switched-on time period (ton), for the clocking of the PFC circuit (2) on the basis of at least one first controller setting (RE_fast) and one second controller setting (RE_slow), wherein the time of a change from the first controller setting (RE_fast) to the second controller setting (RE_slow) is dependent on the directly or indirectly determined average value of the control parameter, in particular the switched-on time period (ton).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Hans Auer
  • Publication number: 20150077003
    Abstract: An LLC resonant transformer (19) for a lamp (5) comprises a primary circuit (19) and a secondary side (30) galvanically isolated therefrom. During operation of the LLC resonant transformer (19), a first switch (21) and a second switch (22) of a half-bridge to which an LLC resonant circuit (25-27) of the primary circuit (19) is connected are actuated in a clocked fashion. A load (5) to which an output (35) on the secondary side (30) supplies energy is detected on the basis of a measured variable (iavg) acquired in the primary circuit (20). The half-bridge (21, 22) is variably controlled on the basis of the measured variable (iavg) that is acquired in the primary circuit (20) and indicates the load (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Eduardo Pereira
  • Publication number: 20150028761
    Abstract: A galvanically isolated transformer (59) for energizing a lamp (5) comprises a primary circuit (60) including a half-bridge circuit that has two reciprocally clocked switches (21, 22), and including an LLC resonant circuit (25-27). The transformer (59) further comprises a secondary circuit (30) including an output (35) for supplying energy to the lamp (5). A control device (14) is designed to control the half-bridge circuit in accordance with a control variable (ipeak) detected in the primary circuit (60) in order to adjust a current intensity supplied to the lamp (5) by the secondary circuit (30) to a desired value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Christoph Vonach, Eduardo Pereira