Patents by Inventor Daniel Ross Herrington

Daniel Ross Herrington 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: 10904977
    Abstract: A light emitting diode system allows for high current end user LED matrix applications while mitigating internal damage to control circuitry that may be caused by excess current flow. In one example, multiple switches operate in parallel across an LED. When an overvoltage condition is detected in a first switch, a logic circuit determines those switches programmed to operate in parallel and causes them to conduct current. This reduces the amount of current flowing through any one switch and mitigates harm to the device. The parallel configuration of switches may be driven by a single pulse width modulated current. This allows the drive current to be divided between parallel transistors, limiting the damaging effects that can be caused by high currents flowing through the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael James Drake, Daniel Ross Herrington, Sumeet Prakash Kulkarni, Vahid Yousefzadeh, James Michael Patterson, James Harbison Masson
  • Publication number: 20190306938
    Abstract: A light emitting diode system allows for high current end user LED matrix applications while mitigating internal damage to control circuitry that may be caused by excess current flow. In one example, multiple switches operate in parallel across an LED. When an overvoltage condition is detected in a first switch, a logic circuit determines those switches programed to operate in parallel and causes them to conduct current. This reduces the amount of current flowing through any one switch and mitigates harm to the device. The parallel configuration of switches may be driven by a single pulse width modulated current. This allows the drive current to be divided between parallel transistors, limiting the damaging effects that can be caused by high currents flowing through the transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Michael James Drake, Daniel Ross Herrington, Sumeet Prakash Kulkarni, Vahid Yousefzadeh, James Michael Patterson, James Harbison Masson
  • Patent number: 10306731
    Abstract: A light emitting diode system allows for high current end user LED matrix applications while mitigating internal damage to control circuitry that may be caused by excess current flow. In one example, multiple switches operate in parallel across an LED. When an overvoltage condition is detected in a first switch, a logic circuit determines those switches programmed to operate in parallel and causes them to conduct current. This reduces the amount of current flowing through any one switch and mitigates harm to the device. The parallel configuration of switches may be driven by a single pulse width modulated current. This allows the drive current to be divided between parallel transistors, limiting the damaging effects that can be caused by high currents flowing through the transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Michael James Drake, Daniel Ross Herrington, Sumeet Prakash Kulkarni, Vahid Yousefzadeh, James Michael Patterson, James Harbison Masson
  • Patent number: 10070491
    Abstract: A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7, 704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is detected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph V. DeNicholas, Perry Tsao, Christoph Goeltner, Daniel Ross Herrington, James Masson, James Patterson, Werner Berns
  • Patent number: 9944413
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Publication number: 20180044040
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Patent number: 9832828
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Publication number: 20170325300
    Abstract: A light emitting diode system allows for high current end user LED matrix applications while mitigating internal damage to control circuitry that may be caused by excess current flow. In one example, multiple switches operate in parallel across an LED. When an overvoltage condition is detected in a first switch, a logic circuit determines those switches programmed to operate in parallel and causes them to conduct current. This reduces the amount of current flowing through any one switch and mitigates harm to the device. The parallel configuration of switches may be driven by a single pulse width modulated current. This allows the drive current to be divided between parallel transistors, limiting the damaging effects that can be caused by high currents flowing through the transistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Michael James Drake, Daniel Ross Herrington, Sumeet Prakash Kulkarni, Vahid Yousefzadeh, James Michael Patterson, James Harbison Masson
  • Publication number: 20160088699
    Abstract: A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7, 704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is detected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Joseph V. DeNicholas, Perry Tsao, Christoph Goeltner, Daniel Ross Herrington, James Masson, James Patterson, Werner Berns
  • Patent number: 9253850
    Abstract: A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7, 704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is defected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated, Texas Instruments Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Joseph V. DeNicholas, Perry Tsao, Christoph Goeltner, Daniel Ross Herrington, James Masson, James Patterson, Werner Berns
  • Publication number: 20160014863
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Patent number: 9084319
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Publication number: 20140125239
    Abstract: Method and circuits for balancing a first waveform used to drive an LED are disclosed herein. The first waveform has a first cycle with a first amplitude and a second cycle with a second amplitude. An embodiment of the method includes adjusting the first amplitude of the first cycle to match the second amplitude of the second cycle, the result being a second waveform. The LED is driven with the second waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Sullivan, Daniel Ross Herrington
  • Publication number: 20130313973
    Abstract: A light system (FIG. 2) is disclosed. The light system includes a plurality of series connected light emitting diodes (240-246). Each of a plurality of switching devices (230-236) has a control terminal and each has a current path coupled in parallel with a respective LED. A plurality of fault detector circuits (220-226) are each coupled in parallel with a respective light emitting diode. Each fault detector circuit has a first comparator (FIG. 7, 704) arranged to compare a voltage across the respective light emitting diode to a respective first reference voltage (708). When a fault is defected, a control signal is applied to the control terminal to turn on a respective switching device of the plurality of switching devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Joseph V. DeNicholas, Perry Tsao, Christoph Goeltner, Daniel Ross Herrington, James Masson, James Patterson, Werner Berns