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).
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Patent number: 12267921Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 10, 2019Date of Patent: April 1, 2025Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Andrew Stuart Gladwin
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Publication number: 20250089136Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2024Publication date: March 13, 2025Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
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Publication number: 20250027624Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2022Publication date: January 23, 2025Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Cary Nevin Eskow, Andrew Stuart Gladwin, Louis Lerman
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Patent number: 12169066Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: December 17, 2024Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventor: Eric Bretschneider
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Patent number: 12135126Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 15, 2022Date of Patent: November 5, 2024Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Patent number: 12130464Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 21, 2020Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventor: Eric Bretschneider
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Patent number: 12085747Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 18, 2023Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Patent number: 11991801Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 11, 2022Date of Patent: May 21, 2024Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
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Publication number: 20230408748Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2023Publication date: December 21, 2023Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Publication number: 20230184407Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2022Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Publication number: 20230109630Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2022Publication date: April 6, 2023Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
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Patent number: 11561337Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 12, 2019Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Patent number: 11391438Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Publication number: 20220187527Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
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Patent number: 11337282Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: Quarkstar LLCInventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
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Publication number: 20210381675Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: December 9, 2021Inventor: Eric Bretschneider
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Publication number: 20210341129Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Publication number: 20210055472Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2019Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Ferdinand Schinagl
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Publication number: 20200374995Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Andrew Stuart Gladwin
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Publication number: 20200037412Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Inventors: Eric Bretschneider, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg