Abstract: A device to provide sterilized surfaces and skin with the application of multiple bactericidal agents in combinations accentuating each agent's efficacy. UV, IR, and potentially others, in conjunction with minimal Ozone levels conditioned to rapidly move through the air surface/boundary layer for effective and timely activation of oxidizing effects on bacterial agents and secondarily through surface layer absorption for continued bacterial inactivation/oxidation after the stenlization event has occurred.

Abstract: A circuit serving as a power source for light-emitting diode (LED) lighting applications, the circuit comprising a boost converter comprising a pair of boost field-effect transistors (FETs) and a boost inductor coupled to the pair of boost FETs, wherein an input voltage feeding the boost converter has a sinusoidal waveform, and wherein a half cycle of the input voltage is represented by a plurality of time slices, and a controller coupled to the boost converter and configured to determine a current time slice in the plurality of time slices, generate one or more output signals based at least in part on the current time slice and without a need to compute any multiplier function involving the input voltage, and control states of the boost FETs using the one or more output signals.

Abstract: A circuit serving as a light source, the circuit comprising a first group of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a second group of LEDs connected in anti-parallel with the first group of LEDs, wherein each of the first group of LEDs and the second group of LEDs comprises at least one LED, and a capacitor connected in parallel with the first group of LEDs and the second group of LEDs.

Abstract: A lamp having a light emitting diode, a Peltier device, a heat sink, a translucent, thermally conductive window, and an optical fluid. The Peltier device is in thermal communication with the light emitting diode and converts a waste thermal energy discharged by the light emitting diode into an electrical energy. Conductors transfer the electrical energy from the Peltier device to a boost circuit which converts a level of a voltage associated with the electrical energy output from the Peltier device to a higher, more useful value. The heat sink transfers a second thermal energy from the Peltier device. The optical fluid is located between the translucent, thermally conductive window and the light emitting diode. The optical fluid has an angle of diffraction having an intermediate value relative to an angle of diffraction associated with the light emitting diode and an angle of diffraction associated with the translucent, thermally conductive window.

Abstract: A circuit serving as a power source for light-emitting diode (LED) lighting applications, the circuit comprising a boost converter comprising a pair of boost field-effect transistors (FETs) and a boost inductor coupled to the pair of boost FETs, wherein an input voltage feeding the boost converter has a sinusoidal waveform, and wherein a half cycle of the input voltage is represented by a plurality of time slices, and a controller coupled to the boost converter and configured to determine a current time slice in the plurality of time slices, generate one or more output signals based at least in part on the current time slice and without a need to compute any multiplier function involving the input voltage, and control states of the boost FETs using the one or more output signals.

Abstract: The operation of gas discharge devices involves stabilizing drive stage with a highly dynamic load exhibiting both negative resistance and non-linear behavior. Stabilization is typically accomplished by inserting impedance in series with the plasma load so the combination impedance has a voltage division that is characterized by the intersection of the linear series impedance and the instantaneous voltage-current. This is stable as long as there is an ample excess of voltage driving the plasma/series impedance complex. However providing series impedance that insures stable operation over varying power levels, lamp types/chemistries and changes resulting from aging can lead to inefficient operation as a result of either high voltage/power drops in the series impedance or a high source voltage driving smaller impedance.

Abstract: A lamp having a light emitting diode, a Peltier device, a heat sink, a translucent, thermally conductive window, and an optical fluid. The Peltier device is in thermal communication with the light emitting diode and converts a waste thermal energy discharged by the light emitting diode into an electrical energy. Conductors transfer the electrical energy from the Peltier device to a boost circuit which converts a level of a voltage associated with the electrical energy output from the Peltier device to a higher, more useful value. The heat sink transfers a second thermal energy from the Peltier device. The optical fluid is located between the translucent, thermally conductive window and the light emitting diode. The optical fluid has an angle of diffraction having an intermediate value relative to an angle of diffraction associated with the light emitting diode and an angle of diffraction associated with the translucent, thermally conductive window.

Abstract: A lamp having a light emitting diode, a Peltier device, a heat sink, a translucent thermally conductive window, and an optical fluid. The Peltier device is in thermal communication with the light emitting diode and converts a waste thermal energy discharged by the light emitting diode into an electrical energy. Conductors transfer the electrical energy from the Peltier device to a boost circuit which converts a level of a voltage associated with the electrical energy output from the Peltier device to a higher, more useful value. The heat sink transfers a second thermal energy from the Peltier device. The optical fluid is located between the translucent, thermally conductive window and the light emitting diode. The optical fluid has an angle of diffraction having an intermediate value relative to an angle of diffraction associated with the light emitting diode and an angle of diffraction associated with the translucent, thermally conductive window.

Abstract: A device and method for dissipating heat from a source of heat is described. A plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials receives a flow of heat from a source of heat. A first layer of the plurality of layers receives the flow of heat from the source of heat and redirects and transfers the flow of heat to a second of the plurality of layers. Each layer has a separate preselected thermal impedance to control a desired temperature change across the plurality of layers and to maintain a desired operating temperature of the source heat.

Abstract: A power supply for a non-linear load such as a light emitting diode load uses a voltage dynamic of a fly-back topology to correct for a rippling of an unfiltered rectified line voltage. Efficiency is optimized by utilizing a magnetic core bi-directionally. A transformer has two primaries 11,12 that are nearly identical. The connection of the primaries is phase add. The two primaries 11,12 are electrically connected in series but isolated by a capacitor C1 (14). This capacitor (14) both isolates and controls the rate of change of current with time and, therefore, the voltage on the secondary, SEC2 (16). For maximum efficiency, the capacitor (14) is select to provide the lowest rise of voltage across the switch during the instant just after being biased off.

Abstract: A device and method for dissipating heat from a source of heat is described. A plurality of layers of thermally conductive materials receives a flow of heat from a source of heat. A first layer of the plurality of layers receives the flow of heat from the source of heat and redirects and transfers the flow of heat to a second of the plurality of layers. Each layer has a separate preselected thermal impedance to control a desired temperature change across the plurality of layers and to maintain a desired operating temperature of the source heat.

Abstract: A method of determining the quality of a sensed signal has capturing, comparing, categorizing, and a decision-making steps. The capturing step is used to capture a plurality of signals. A magnitude of each of the plurality of signals is compared to a predetermined value to determine a relationship between each of the plurality of signals to the predetermined value. A result of each comparison is categorized according to one of a plurality of predetermined criteria. The categorizing step is repeated at least until a predetermined number of results has been reached in at least one of the plurality of predetermined criteria. A decision is made based on which of the plurality of predetermined criteria reaches the predetermined number.

Abstract: A lamp having a light emitting diode, a pettier device, a heat sink, a translucent thermally conductive window, and an optical fluid. The pettier device is in thermal communication with the light emitting diode and converts a waste thermal energy discharged by the light emitting diode into an electrical energy. Conductors transfer the electrical energy from the pettier device to a boost circuit which converts a level of a voltage associated with the electrical energy output from the pettier device to a higher, more useful value. The heat sink transfers a second thermal energy from the pettier device. The optical fluid is located between the translucent thermally conductive window and the light emitting diode. The optical fluid has an angle of diffraction having an intermediate value relative to an angle of diffraction associated with the light emitting diode and an angle of diffraction associated with the translucent thermally conductive window.

Abstract: The operation of gas discharge devices involves stabilizing drive stage with a highly dynamic load exhibiting both negative resistance and non-linear behavior. Stabilization is typically accomplished by inserting impedance in series with the plasma load so the combination impedance has a voltage division that is characterized by the intersection of the linear series impedance and the instantaneous voltage-current. This is stable as long as there is an ample excess of voltage driving the plasma/series impedance complex. However providing series impedance that insures stable operation over varying power levels, lamp types/chemistries and changes resulting from aging can lead to inefficient operation as a result of either high voltage/power drops in the series impedance or a high source voltage driving smaller impedance.

Abstract: Apparatus (10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20) for conversion of a rotary drive force such as from a drive motor (22) into a vectored linear force m a known, controlled and predictable manner. The vectored linear force may be used for lifting/moving objects, pushing objects through water or into space. The vectored linear force is generated without the expulsion of mass or reaction with an external material or medium. As a consequence, the force generating apparatus may be embodied within an enclosed system having an energy source for generating the rotary drive force that can sourced from ordinary means such as an electrical generator, or from hydraulic or other mechanical sources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus suited to operate a lamp in a manner that addresses the problems of the prior art. The luminosity at each lamp is individually monitored to maintain an optimum lumen level for the lamp. The sensor used to monitor the lamp is powered by the same light source(s) it detects.

Abstract: Intermittent electrical power is applied to a lamp ballast to achieve reliable ignition within specifications of the related hardware. The operating state of the lamp is sensed to facilitate application of the power during lamp ignition. Control circuitry associated with a ballast is operable to interrupt the ionizing potential once prior to the lamp's reaching an igniting state. That is, an ignition cycle associated with the ionizing potential may be intermittent, having an interruption, or “off” period. For example, a ten-second ignition cycle may include a one-second “on” period, followed by nine-seconds of no ionizing potential. The ignition sequence and associated intermittent ionizing potential supply will repeat as necessary to achieve lamp ignition. The intermittent nature of the ballast output enables the lamp to achieve an ignited state in manner that obviates the need for large, damaging voltage spikes.

Abstract: Intermittent electrical power is applied to a lamp ballast to achieve reliable ignition within specifications of the related hardware. The operating state of the lamp is sensed to facilitate application of the power during lamp ignition.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and circuitry for igniting high frequency operated, high intensity discharge lamps by means of a dual resonant circuit driven by a nonsinusoidal waveform; typically a square wave in the preferred embodiment. A capacitor in series with the lamp is selected to resonate at the fundamental frequency of the applied waveform when the lamp is in the on condition, providing thereby the high frequency power to the lamp for its normal operation. A capacitor in parallel with the lamp is chosen to resonate at a higher harmonic of the applied frequency, typically the third harmonic, when the lamp is in the off condition. Hysteresis heating causes the ignition voltage of the lamp to decrease as higher frequency power is applied, leading to ignition of the lamp at the third harmonic without applying to the lamp one or more pulses of high voltage.

Abstract: The present invention utilizes the natural damping of acoustic compression waves within an gas discharge tube, typically a high intensity discharge ("HID") lamp, to avoid resonant acoustic waves having sufficient amplitude to affect adversely the performance or lifetime of the HID lamp. The energy delivered to the HID lamp during each half-cycle of driving power is measured and adjusted such that the total time-averaged power delivered to the lamp remains constant at the lamp's rated power level, but the energy delivered to the discharge gas during each half-cycle is maintained below that level of half-cycle energy delivery at which acoustic resonance will overcome damping and build to harmful levels of amplitude. This is accomplished according to the present invention by varying the frequency of the applied electrical power. For a constant time-averaged power delivered to the lamp, increasing the frequency necessarily entails a reduction in the energy delivered per cycle.