Patents by Inventor Eric Bretschneider

Eric Bretschneider 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: 12267921
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a first light source and a second light source, the first and second light source operatively configured to provide amounts of light independently controllable during operation; and an optical system having an input aperture system and an output aperture system. The output aperture system is displaced by a predetermined distance along a forward direction from the input aperture system. The optical system is operatively coupled with the first and second light source and configured to direct light received at the input aperture system to the output aperture system. The output aperture system is configured to output light from the first light source in first directions and light from the second light source in second directions at least in part different from the first directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Andrew Stuart Gladwin
  • Publication number: 20250089136
    Abstract: A system includes two or more phosphor-containing white LEDs (or other color-shifting artificial light sources) selected so that their combined color shift over at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation is less than at least one of the LED's (or the other color-shifting artificial light source's) color shift over that time. Here, the combined color shift (?u?v?) over the at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation can be less than 0.007 (e.g., 0.006 or less, 0.005 or less, 0.004 or less, 0.003 or less, 0.002 or less, 0.001 or less, 0.0005 or less).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20250027624
    Abstract: A device includes a LED die having a peak emission at a blue or shorter wavelength, a LED die having a peak emission at a red, orange, yellow, green, or cyan wavelength, and a homogenous light conversion material positioned to receive light emitted from the LED dies. The light conversion material including: (i) a first phosphor compound having a peak emission at a green wavelength; (ii) a second phosphor compound having a peak emission at an orange wavelength; and (iii) a third phosphor compound having a peak emission at a red, orange, yellow, green, or cyan wavelength. The device is a packaged LED device and a relative concentration of the phosphor compounds and a relative luminosity of the LED dies are selected so the device emits white light satisfying a preference P1 and a fidelity F3 according to a TM-30 standard for color rendering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Cary Nevin Eskow, Andrew Stuart Gladwin, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 12169066
    Abstract: An illumination device includes multiple light-emitting elements operatively arranged to emit light during operation, and a transparent elongate optical element including one or more cavities. The optical element is arranged to receive light from the light-emitting elements. The one or more cavities are arranged along an extension of the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
  • Patent number: 12135126
    Abstract: A luminaire includes multiple light-emitting elements (LEEs); a base supporting the LEEs; and a first wall and a second wall each extending along a first direction from a respective first end facing the LEEs to a respective second end. The first and second walls have light-reflective surfaces facing each other. In one or more cross-sectional planes parallel to the first direction, the light-reflective surfaces of the first and second walls have first portions that curve in opposite directions, second portions that are parallel, and third portions that curve in like directions. The first portions are arranged facing the LEEs to provide an input aperture that receives light from the LEEs. The third portions are arranged to provide an exit aperture that outputs output light into an ambient environment. The first and second walls are configured to propagate light from the input aperture to the exit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 12130464
    Abstract: A luminaire includes alight source (110), an optical system (111), and a luminous areal element (LAE) (150a, 150b). The optical system (111) is configured to receive light from the light source (110) and output the light into a first far-field light distribution (145). The optical system includes one or more optical elements arranged to direct light from an input aperture (118) of the optical system to an output aperture (132) of the optical system, and one or more output surfaces at the output aperture through which light is emitted. The surface has a first dimension T. The LAE (150a, 150b) is spaced from the output aperture (132), and is configured to output light according to a second far-field light distribution (155a, 155b). The LAE has a light emission surface through which light is emitted having a second dimension W greater than T. The first and the second light distributions at least in part overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
  • Patent number: 12085747
    Abstract: A luminaire module includes light-emitting elements (LEEs) arranged to provide light; a light guide including a receiving end and an opposing end, the receiving end arranged to receive light provided by the LEEs, a core including a first transparent material with a first refractive index, the core having a pair of opposing side surfaces extending along a length of the light guide between the receiving and opposing ends, and a cladding including a second material having a second smaller refractive index, the cladding extending across and being in contact with at least a portion of the opposing side surfaces forming a cladding-core interface. The cladding-core interface is optically smooth. Additionally, the luminaire module includes an optical extractor arranged to receive guided light from the opposing end of the light guide and configured to output into the ambient environment at least some of the received guided light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 11991801
    Abstract: A system includes two or more phosphor-containing white LEDs (or other color-shifting artificial light sources) selected so that their combined color shift over at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation is less than at least one of the LED's (or the other color-shifting artificial light source's) color shift over that time. Here, the combined color shift (?u?v?) over the at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation can be less than 0.007 (e.g., 0.006 or less, 0.005 or less, 0.004 or less, 0.003 or less, 0.002 or less, 0.001 or less, 0.0005 or less).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20230408748
    Abstract: A luminaire module includes light-emitting elements (LEEs) arranged to provide light; a light guide including a receiving end and an opposing end, the receiving end arranged to receive light provided by the LEEs, a core including a first transparent material with a first refractive index, the core having a pair of opposing side surfaces extending along a length of the light guide between the receiving and opposing ends, and a cladding including a second material having a second smaller refractive index, the cladding extending across and being in contact with at least a portion of the opposing side surfaces forming a cladding-core interface. The cladding-core interface is optically smooth. Additionally, the luminaire module includes an optical extractor arranged to receive guided light from the opposing end of the light guide and configured to output into the ambient environment at least some of the received guided light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Publication number: 20230184407
    Abstract: A luminaire includes multiple light-emitting elements (LEEs); a base supporting the LEEs; and a first wall and a second wall each extending along a first direction from a respective first end facing the LEEs to a respective second end. The first and second walls have light-reflective surfaces facing each other. In one or more cross-sectional planes parallel to the first direction, the light-reflective surfaces of the first and second walls have first portions that curve in opposite directions, second portions that are parallel, and third portions that curve in like directions. The first portions are arranged facing the LEEs to provide an input aperture that receives light from the LEEs. The third portions are arranged to provide an exit aperture that outputs output light into an ambient environment. The first and second walls are configured to propagate light from the input aperture to the exit aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Publication number: 20230109630
    Abstract: A system includes two or more phosphor-containing white LEDs (or other color-shifting artificial light sources) selected so that their combined color shift over at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation is less than at least one of the LED's (or the other color-shifting artificial light source's) color shift over that time. Here, the combined color shift (?u?v?) over the at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation can be less than 0.007 (e.g., 0.006 or less, 0.005 or less, 0.004 or less, 0.003 or less, 0.002 or less, 0.001 or less, 0.0005 or less).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 11561337
    Abstract: A luminaire module (100) includes light-emitting elements (LEEs) (110) arranged to provide light; a light guide (130) including a receiving end (131a) and an opposing end (131b), the receiving end (131a) arranged to receive light provided by the LEEs (110), a core (134) including a first transparent material with a first refractive index (n1), the core (134) having a pair of opposing side surfaces (132a, 132b) extending along a length of the light guide (130) between the receiving and opposing ends (131a, 131b), and a cladding (136) including a second material having a second smaller refractive index (n2), the cladding (136) extending across and being in contact with at least a portion of the opposing side surfaces (132a, 132b) forming a cladding-core interface. The cladding-core interface is optically smooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 11391438
    Abstract: A luminaire (100) includes a base (102) supporting multiple light-emitting elements (LEEs) (122); and a first wall (150-i) and a second wall (150-o) each extending along a first direction (101). The first and second walls (150-i, 150-o) have light-reflective surfaces facing each other and forming a hollow channel (152). The light-reflective surfaces have first portions (120) that curve in opposite directions, second portions (130) that are parallel, and third portions (140) that curve in like directions. The first portions (120) are arranged facing the LEEs (110) to provide an input aperture (122) that receives light from the LEEs (110). The third portions (140) are arranged to provide an exit aperture (142) that outputs output light into an ambient environment. The first and second walls (150-i, 150-o) are configured to propagate light from the input aperture (122) to the exit aperture (142).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Publication number: 20220187527
    Abstract: A luminaire includes alight source (110), an optical system (111), and a luminous areal element (LAE) (150a, 150b). The optical system (111) is configured to receive light from the light source (110) and output the light into a first far-field light distribution (145). The optical system includes one or more optical elements arranged to direct light from an input aperture (118) of the optical system to an output aperture (132) of the optical system, and one or more output surfaces at the output aperture through which light is emitted. The surface has a first dimension T. The LAE (150a, 150b) is spaced from the output aperture (132), and is configured to output light according to a second far-field light distribution (155a, 155b). The LAE has a light emission surface through which light is emitted having a second dimension W greater than T. The first and the second light distributions at least in part overlap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
  • Patent number: 11337282
    Abstract: A system includes two or more phosphor-containing white LEDs (or other color-shifting artificial light sources) selected so that their combined color shift over at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation is less than at least one of the LED's (or the other color-shifting artificial light source's) color shift over that time. Here, the combined color shift (??v?) over the at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation can be less than 0.007 (e.g., 0.006 or less, 0.005 or less, 0.004 or less, 0.003 or less, 0.002 or less, 0.001 or less, 0.0005 or less).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20210381675
    Abstract: An illumination device includes multiple light-emitting elements operatively arranged to emit light during operation, and a transparent elongate optical element including one or more cavities. The optical element is arranged to receive light from the light-emitting elements. The one or more cavities are arranged along an extension of the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
  • Publication number: 20210341129
    Abstract: A luminaire (100) includes a base (102) supporting multiple light-emitting elements (LEEs) (122); and a first wall (150-i) and a second wall (150-o) each extending along a first direction (101). The first and second walls (150-i, 150-o) have light-reflective surfaces facing each other and forming a hollow channel (152). The light-reflective surfaces have first portions (120) that curve in opposite directions, second portions (130) that are parallel, and third portions (140) that curve in like directions. The first portions (120) are arranged facing the LEEs (110) to provide an input aperture (122) that receives light from the LEEs (110). The third portions (140) are arranged to provide an exit aperture (142) that outputs output light into an ambient environment. The first and second walls (150-i, 150-o) are configured to propagate light from the input aperture (122) to the exit aperture (142).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Publication number: 20210055472
    Abstract: A luminaire module (100) includes light-emitting elements (LEEs) (110) arranged to provide light; a light guide (130) including a receiving end (131a) and an opposing end (131b), the receiving end (131a) arranged to receive light provided by the LEEs (110), a core (134) including a first transparent material with a first refractive index (n1), the core (134) having a pair of opposing side surfaces (132a, 132b) extending along a length of the light guide (130) between the receiving and opposing ends (131a, 131b), and a cladding (136) including a second material having a second smaller refractive index (n2), the cladding (136) extending across and being in contact with at least a portion of the opposing side surfaces (132a, 132b) forming a cladding-core interface. The cladding-core interface is optically smooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Publication number: 20200374995
    Abstract: A luminaire includes a first light source and a second light source, the first and second light source operatively configured to provide amounts of light independently controllable during operation; and an optical system having an input aperture system and an output aperture system. The output aperture system is displaced by a predetermined distance along a forward direction from the input aperture system. The optical system is operatively coupled with the first and second light source and configured to direct light received at the input aperture system to the output aperture system. The output aperture system is configured to output light from the first light source in first directions and light from the second light source in second directions at least in part different from the first directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Andrew Stuart Gladwin
  • Publication number: 20200037412
    Abstract: A system includes two or more phosphor-containing white LEDs (or other color-shifting artificial light sources) selected so that their combined color shift over at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation is less than at least one of the LED's (or the other color-shifting artificial light source's) color shift over that time. Here, the combined color shift (??v?) over the at least 8,000 hours (e.g., at least 10,000 hours, at least 20,000 hours, at least 30,000 hours, at least 40,000 hours, up to 200,000 hours, up to 100,000 hours, up to 80,000 hours) of operation can be less than 0.007 (e.g., 0.006 or less, 0.005 or less, 0.004 or less, 0.003 or less, 0.002 or less, 0.001 or less, 0.0005 or less).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg