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).
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Publication number: 20230397316Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2021Publication date: December 7, 2023Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Frank Lochmann, Patrik Yves Koch, Markus Mayrhofer, Lukas Simma, Thomas Zengerle, Patrick Schnell
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Publication number: 20230265990Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2021Publication date: August 24, 2023Applicants: ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING GMBH, TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Marek Kuban, Stefan Lorenz, Markus Mayrhofer, Mario Pöhs, Thomas Zengerle, Patrik Yves Koch, Frank Lochmann, Patrick Schnell, Lukas Simma
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Patent number: 11711011Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Harald Netzer, Ludwig Erasmus De Clercq, Frank Lochmann
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Patent number: 11683877Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Lochmann, Fabio Romano
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Publication number: 20220364714Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: November 17, 2022Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Patrik Yves Koch, Frank Lochmann, Markus Schertler, Patrick Schnell, Lukas Simma, Patrick Walch, Markus Mayrhofer, Thomas Zengerle
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Publication number: 20220272812Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2020Publication date: August 25, 2022Applicant: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Harald Netzer, Ludwig Erasmus De Clercq, Frank Lochmann
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Publication number: 20220007485Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: January 6, 2022Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Lochmann, Fabio Romano
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Patent number: 10936523Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Markus Ender, Frank Lochmann, Dieter Severin
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Patent number: 10728974Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 30, 2015Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Florian Moosmann, Frank Lochmann, Rainer Troppacher, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann
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Publication number: 20200183867Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Markus Ender, Frank Lochmann, Dieter Severin
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Patent number: 10375802Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 16, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Johannes Bachmann, Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Florian Moosmann, Daniel Oblak, Rainer Troppacher
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Patent number: 10257912Abstract: 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, settType: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Markus Mayrhofer, Frank Lochmann, Florian Moosmann
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Publication number: 20180270932Abstract: 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, settType: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2016Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Markus Mayrhofer, Frank Lochmann, Florian Moosmann
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Patent number: 10064249Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 13, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Patrick Marte, Frank Lochmann
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Patent number: 10057950Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 12, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Mayrhofer, Janosch Marquart, Simon Nigsch
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Patent number: 9930736Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 11, 2014Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignees: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG, TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBHInventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Horn, Reinhold Juen, Frank Lochmann, Günter Marent, Florian Moosmann, Peter Pachler
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Publication number: 20180027620Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2016Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Mayrhofer, Janosch Marquart, Simon Nigsch
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Publication number: 20180027621Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2016Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Patrick Marte, Frank Lochmann
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Patent number: 9854649Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 11, 2015Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KGInventors: Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann
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Publication number: 20170325309Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2015Publication date: November 9, 2017Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KGInventors: Florian Moosmann, Frank Lochmann, Rainer Troppacher, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann