Patents by Inventor Frank Lochmann

Frank Lochmann 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).

  • Publication number: 20230397316
    Abstract: A device (1) of a lighting technology network (2) is provided. The device (1) comprises one or more antenna units (102) being configured to communicate in respective preferential directions (103). The device (1) further comprises a processing unit (101). The processing unit (101) is configured to determine, in a commissioning phase of the device (1), an association of each further device (1) of the lighting technology network (2) with a respective preferential direction (103) of a respective one of the antenna units (102) that enables a radio connectivity between the device (1) and the respective further device (1). The processing unit (101) is further configured to communicate, in an operating phase of the device (1), to the further devices (1) using the associated one of the antenna units (102) in the associated preferential direction (103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Patrik Yves Koch, Markus Mayrhofer, Lukas Simma, Thomas Zengerle, Patrick Schnell
  • Publication number: 20230265990
    Abstract: A housing for a luminaire or an operating device for the luminaire, wherein the housing is configured to accommodate at least one electronic component and/or a light source, and comprising a conductive housing component (2). The housing includes at least one line (1, 1?, 1?, 1??, 1??) for transmitting electric high frequency signals or for transmitting and/or receiving radio waves. The transmission line is formed by arranging a dielectric layer (4, 4a, 4b, 9) and a conductor (3, 3 . . . 3c, 7) on the housing component (2) such that the conductive housing component (2) serves as a reference plane, and the conductive housing component (2) and the conductor (3, 3 . . . 3c, 7) sandwich the dielectric layer (4, 4a, 4b, 9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Applicants: ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING GMBH, TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Marek Kuban, Stefan Lorenz, Markus Mayrhofer, Mario Pöhs, Thomas Zengerle, Patrik Yves Koch, Frank Lochmann, Patrick Schnell, Lukas Simma
  • Patent number: 11711011
    Abstract: A switched power converter (102) is arranged for supplying lighting means (108) as a load, having at least one (M40, M41) switch controlled by a control unit (106), wherein the control unit (106) comprises: a feedback controller, such as an ASIC or microcontroller, generating a switch control signal based on a feedback signal (Imeas), such as e.g. the load current (ILED), and a separate sweep block, supplied with a signal representing a characteristic of the load (LED), such as e.g. the load voltage (VLED), and modulating the switch control signal (tout-ctrl) by a cyclic sweep, wherein the modulated switch control signal (tout-sweep) is provided directly or indirectly to the at least one switch (M40, M41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Harald Netzer, Ludwig Erasmus De Clercq, Frank Lochmann
  • Patent number: 11683877
    Abstract: The invention proposes a communication adaptor, comprising within one casing: a transmission antenna, a wired control interface connected to wired control interface terminals, a control circuitry for converting wirelessly received wireless communication signals into wired control interface signals and vice versa, wherein the adaptor is designed such that it can be brought in close contact with a reception antenna of a converter for lighting mean, such as e.g. LEDs, in order to establish a wireless communication, wherein the control circuitry and the wired control interface are powered by means of the wired control interface terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Lochmann, Fabio Romano
  • Publication number: 20220364714
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a luminaire having at least one illuminant (6), a luminaire housing (1), and at least one operating device (4), arranged in the luminaire housing (1), for the at least one illuminant (6), wherein the operating device (4) has an antenna (5) for transmitting and receiving a radio signal, and the luminaire housing (1) has at least one slot antenna (2) that is coupled to the antenna (5) of the operating device (4) by means of radiation coupling, a waveguide, or a cavity resonator in order to transmit the radio signal to outside the luminaire housing (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Patrik Yves Koch, Frank Lochmann, Markus Schertler, Patrick Schnell, Lukas Simma, Patrick Walch, Markus Mayrhofer, Thomas Zengerle
  • Publication number: 20220272812
    Abstract: A switched power converter (102) is arranged for supplying lighting means (108) as a load, having at least one (M40, M41) switch controlled by a control unit (106), wherein the control unit (106) comprises: a feedback controller, such as an ASIC or microcontroller, generating a switch control signal based on a feedback signal (Imeas), such as e.g. the load current (ILED), and a separate sweep block, supplied with a signal representing a characteristic of the load (LED), such as e.g. the load voltage (VLED), and modulating the switch control signal (tout-ctrl) by a cyclic sweep, wherein the modulated switch control signal (tout-sweep) is provided directly or indirectly to the at least one switch (M40, M41).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Harald Netzer, Ludwig Erasmus De Clercq, Frank Lochmann
  • Publication number: 20220007485
    Abstract: The invention proposes a communication adaptor, comprising within one casing: a transmission antenna, a wired control interface connected to wired control interface terminals, a control circuitry for converting wirelessly received wireless communication signals into wired control interface signals and vice versa, wherein the adaptor is designed such that it can be brought in close contact with a reception antenna of a converter for lighting mean, such as e.g. LEDs, in order to establish a wireless communication, wherein the control circuitry and the wired control interface are powered by means of the wired control interface terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Lochmann, Fabio Romano
  • Patent number: 10936523
    Abstract: The invention relates to a communication module for connecting a lighting bus system (1) to a network (3) based on an internet protocol, wherein each component (2a . . . 2f) coupled to the bus system (1) is assigned a unique bus address, the communication module (4) is assigned a plurality of network addresses, at least one of the plurality of network addresses contains the bus address of a component (2a . . . 2f) and the communication module (4) is designed to receive data transmitted to the at least one network address from the network (3), to extract the bus address of the component (2a . . . 2f) from the network address, to determine data to be transmitted to the component (2a . . . 2f) by using the extracted bus address on the basis of the received data, and to transmit the determined data to the component (2a . . . 2f) having the extracted bus address via the bus system (1), or to provide the data generated autonomously by a component (2a . . .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Markus Ender, Frank Lochmann, Dieter Severin
  • Patent number: 10728974
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting system for at least one light-emitting means (24), in particular for light-emitting diodes, comprising a light fixture (22, 43, 61), in which the light-emitting means (24) and mechanical components like a housing, cooling element, reflector, etc. are located; comprising a convertor (23) for operating the light-emitting means (24); comprising an operating unit (10) having a charge storage (11), like a smart phone, for example, for changing a mode of operation of the lighting system (20), wherein in a first mode of operation, light is emitted across a first light exit surface by the lighting system (20), and in a second mode of operation, light is emitted across a second light exit surface, wherein the first light exit surface and the second light exit surface have different light emission characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Florian Moosmann, Frank Lochmann, Rainer Troppacher, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann
  • Publication number: 20200183867
    Abstract: The invention relates to a communication module for connecting a lighting bus system (1) to a network (3) based on an internet protocol, wherein each component (2a . . . 2f) coupled to the bus system (1) is assigned a unique bus address, the communication module (4) is assigned a plurality of network addresses, at least one of the plurality of network addresses contains the bus address of a component (2a . . . 2f) and the communication module (4) is designed to receive data transmitted to the at least one network address from the network (3), to extract the bus address of the component (2a . . . 2f) from the network address, to determine data to be transmitted to the component (2a . . . 2f) by using the extracted bus address on the basis of the received data, and to transmit the determined data to the component (2a . . . 2f) having the extracted bus address via the bus system (1), or to provide the data generated autonomously by a component (2a . . .
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Markus Ender, Frank Lochmann, Dieter Severin
  • Patent number: 10375802
    Abstract: The invention relates to a building equipment-based communication system (1) comprising at least one building equipment-based device as a master unit (20), in particular a light fixture, to which at least one slave unit (13, 14), in particular a sensor and/or actuator, can be connected via a network, preferably in a wireless manner; the slave unit (13) is designed to communicate with the master unit (10) via the network connection either directly or indirectly by way of other slave units (14); and the master unit (10) is designed to send, via a communication interface (18), information received from the at least one slave unit (13,14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Johannes Bachmann, Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Florian Moosmann, Daniel Oblak, Rainer Troppacher
  • Patent number: 10257912
    Abstract: Ballast for luminous means, in particular LEDs, having a microprocessor with at least one memory unit and a printed circuit board, having at least one programming interface which is preferably accessible from outside the ballast and at least one signaling interface which is likewise preferably accessible from outside the ballast, wherein the microprocessor can be configured via the programming interface, and wherein at least one item of application software which can be executed by the microprocessor can be transmitted to the at least one memory unit via the programming interface, wherein the application software influences at least one of the following functionalities of the ballast: interaction with sensors, evaluation of signals transmitted to the signaling interface, control of the luminous means, activation/deactivation of interfaces of the ballast, activation/deactivation of communication protocols, acquisition, setting and/or evaluation of operating data and/or operating parameters of the ballast, sett
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Markus Mayrhofer, Frank Lochmann, Florian Moosmann
  • Publication number: 20180270932
    Abstract: Ballast for luminous means, in particular LEDs, having a microprocessor with at least one memory unit and a printed circuit board, having at least one programming interface which is preferably accessible from outside the ballast and at least one signaling interface which is likewise preferably accessible from outside the ballast, wherein the microprocessor can be configured via the programming interface, and wherein at least one item of application software which can be executed by the microprocessor can be transmitted to the at least one memory unit via the programming interface, wherein the application software influences at least one of the following functionalities of the ballast: interaction with sensors, evaluation of signals transmitted to the signaling interface, control of the luminous means, activation/deactivation of interfaces of the ballast, activation/deactivation of communication protocols, acquisition, setting and/or evaluation of operating data and/or operating parameters of the ballast, sett
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Markus Mayrhofer, Frank Lochmann, Florian Moosmann
  • Patent number: 10064249
    Abstract: The invention relates to a converter for light sources, comprising an LLC resonant circuit, from the secondary side of which light sources, e.g. an LED path, can be energized; the LLC resonant circuit includes a half-bridge circuit with two series-connected switches that are triggered by a control circuit, and further includes a resonant circuit that is energized from a central point between the two switches, as well as a transformer which is supplied with AC voltage from an output of the resonant circuit and on the secondary side of which two separate current paths for the two polarities of the AC voltage are provided; a detection circuit is provided which detects a signal representing currents in the two current paths and/or the ratio between the two currents, and the control circuit adjusts the timing of the two switches of the half-bridge circuit in accordance with the signal detected by the detection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Patrick Marte, Frank Lochmann
  • Patent number: 10057950
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ballast (101) for lighting means, comprising an actively switched power factor correction stage (102), which is implemented in a Totem Pole boost topology, comprising a control circuit (103), which issues control signals for driving switches of the PFC stage (102), wherein the control circuit (103) is on a floating potential and galvanically isolated from a ground potential of the ballast (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Mayrhofer, Janosch Marquart, Simon Nigsch
  • Patent number: 9930736
    Abstract: An LED converter (3) comprises a converter circuit (11) with potential separation (12). The converter circuit (11) has at least one controllable switching means (15). A control device (16) for switching the at least one controllable switching means (15) in a clocked manner is configured to modulate a switching frequency of the at least one controllable switching means (15) in order to transmit information across a potential barrier (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG, TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Horn, Reinhold Juen, Frank Lochmann, Günter Marent, Florian Moosmann, Peter Pachler
  • Publication number: 20180027620
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ballast (101) for lighting means, comprising an actively switched power factor correction stage (102), which is implemented in a Totem Pole boost topology, comprising a control circuit (103), which issues control signals for driving switches of the PFC stage (102), wherein the control circuit (103) is on a floating potential and galvanically isolated from a ground potential of the ballast (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Mayrhofer, Janosch Marquart, Simon Nigsch
  • Publication number: 20180027621
    Abstract: The invention relates to a converter for light sources, comprising an LLC resonant circuit, from the secondary side of which light sources, e.g. an LED path, can be energized; the LLC resonant circuit includes a half-bridge circuit with two series-connected switches that are triggered by a control circuit, and further includes a resonant circuit that is energized from a central point between the two switches, as well as a transformer which is supplied with AC voltage from an output of the resonant circuit and on the secondary side of which two separate current paths for the two polarities of the AC voltage are provided; a detection circuit is provided which detects a signal representing currents in the two current paths and/or the ratio between the two currents, and the control circuit adjusts the timing of the two switches of the half-bridge circuit in accordance with the signal detected by the detection circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Patrick Marte, Frank Lochmann
  • Patent number: 9854649
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transmitting information from an operating device (K) for lamps (L), in particular a converter for LEDs, to a control unit (ST) connected to the operating device (K) via voltage supply lines (8, 9) thereof, having the following steps: the control unit (ST) preferably periodically temporarily interrupts an AC supply voltage (Vin) of the operating device (K), and the operating device (K) applies a voltage signal (V2) to the voltage supply lines (8, 9) during the interruption of the AC supply voltage (Vin) which is evaluated by the control units (ST) as information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann
  • Publication number: 20170325309
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lighting system for at least one light-emitting means (24), in particular for light-emitting diodes, comprising a light fixture (22, 43, 61), in which the light-emitting means (24) and mechanical components like a housing, cooling element, reflector, etc. are located; comprising a convertor (23) for operating the light-emitting means (24); comprising an operating unit (10) having a charge storage (11), like a smart phone, for example, for changing a mode of operation of the lighting system (20), wherein in a first mode of operation, light is emitted across a first light exit surface by the lighting system (20), and in a second mode of operation, light is emitted across a second light exit surface, wherein the first light exit surface and the second light exit surface have different light emission characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Florian Moosmann, Frank Lochmann, Rainer Troppacher, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann