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: 20170325322
    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: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Johannes Bachmann, Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Florian Moosmann, Daniel Oblak, Rainer Troppacher
  • Patent number: 9743485
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for operating LEDs, comprising a driver module and an LED module (11), which is controlled by the driver module (10) and has at least one LED. The LED module (11) is fed a current by the driver module (10) via a first connection (1), and a second connection (2) is present, preferably as a ground connection (GND). The device is characterized in that the LED module (11) is connected to the driver module (10) by means of a third connection (3), which is designed as a data channel, a voltage fed by the driver module (10) being applied to the data channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignees: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG, TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH
    Inventors: Mathias Dunser, Florian Moosmann, Norbet Kleber, Christian Nesensohn, Frank Lochmann, Reinhold Juen, Gunter Marent, Frank Horn, Peter Pachler, John Schonberger, Steffen Riemer
  • Patent number: 9655182
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating circuit for at least one LED, said operating circuit being supplied with DC voltage or with rectified alternating voltage and providing a supply voltage for at least one LED by means of a coil (L1) and a first switch (S1) clocked by a control/regulation unit (SR). When the first switch (S1) is activated energy is temporarily stored in the coil (L1) and when the first switch (S1) is deactivated said energy is discharged via a diode (D1) and via at least one LED. The control/regulation unit (SR) activates the first switch (S1) when a reactivation condition has been met, and the control/regulation unit (SR) deactivates the first switch (S1) when a deactivation condition has been met. Said reactivation condition and/or deactivation condition can be set in accordance with the current dimming level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Schertler
  • Publication number: 20170111977
    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: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Patrick Marte, Johannes Bachmann
  • Patent number: 9585233
    Abstract: The invention relates to a digital bus interface for an operating device for a lighting means comprising: a transmitting branch and a receiving branch, wherein the receiving branch has a current source (Q90, Q95, R90, R91), which can be fed from a bus that carries voltage in the idle state, wherein the current source supplies at least the transmitting branch with energy and the transmitting branch has an optocoupler (U91), wherein an electrical energy store (C95) is provided in the receiving branch, which electrical energy store is charged by the current source and discharges via a resistor (100) in series with the secondary side of the optocoupler (U91) of the transmitting branch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Schertler
  • Publication number: 20160316530
    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: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicants: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG, TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Barth, Frank Horn, Reinhold Juen, Frank Lochmann, Günter Marent, Florian Moosmann, Peter Pachler
  • Patent number: 9462652
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating LEDs (13), comprising a driver module (10) and an LED module (11) having at least one LED (13), which LED module (11) is controlled by the driver module (10), wherein the driver module (10) has a first connection (1), which is designed to feed the LED module (11) with a current, and has a second connection (2) is present as earth connection (GND), wherein the LED module (11) is fed with a current by the driver module (10) via a first connection (1) and a second connection (2) is present as earth connection (GND), characterized in that the driver module (10) temporarily lowers the voltage at the first connection (1) and monitors the voltage at the first connection (1) and is designed to evaluate a change in the voltage at said connection as a transfer of information from the LED module (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignees: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG, TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH
    Inventors: Mathias Dunser, Florian Moosmann, Norbert Kleber, Christian Nesensohn, Frank Lochmann, Reinhold Juen, Gunter Marent, Frank Horn, Peter Pachler, Steffen Riemer
  • Patent number: 9433060
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit (11) comprises an input for receiving an input voltage (UIN), an inductance (21) coupled to the input, a switching means (24) that is coupled to the inductance (21) and that is controllable in order to either charge or discharge the inductance (21), and a control device (14). The control device (14) is set up in order to produce a control signal (Ctrl) for controlling the switching means (24) on the basis of a parameter value. The control device (14) is set up in order to ascertain the parameter value on the basis of an arithmetic sign of a time derivation for the input voltage (UIN).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Peter Lampert, Hans Auer
  • Publication number: 20160234918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a digital bus interface for an operating device for a lighting means comprising: a transmitting branch and a receiving branch, wherein the receiving branch has a current source (Q90, Q95, R90, R91), which can be fed from a bus that carries voltage in the idle state, wherein the current source supplies at least the transmitting branch with energy and the transmitting branch has an optocoupler (U91), wherein an electrical energy store (C95) is provided in the receiving branch, which electrical energy store is charged by the current source and discharges via a resistor (100) in series with the secondary side of the optocoupler (U91) of the transmitting branch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Frank LOCHMANN, Markus SCHERTLER
  • Patent number: 9320119
    Abstract: What is proposed is: an operating device for operating in particular a light-emitting means (12), having: —supply terminals (16, 17) for connecting the operating device to a supply voltage provided by a supply source (20), —output terminals (10) for controlling the light-emitting means (12), —an interface (21) for connection to a bus (2), and—a transmission path which is coupled to the interface (21), wherein the transmission path is designed to connect the received supply voltage to the bus (2) selectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Karlheinz Fenkart, Markus Kostner
  • Publication number: 20160081150
    Abstract: The invention relates to an operating circuit for at least one LED, said operating circuit being supplied with DC voltage or with rectified alternating voltage and providing a supply voltage for at least one LED by means of a coil (L1) and a first switch (S1) clocked by a control/regulation unit (SR). When the first switch (S1) is activated energy is temporarily stored in the coil (L1) and when the first switch (S1) is deactivated said energy is discharged via a diode (D1) and via at least one LED. The control/regulation unit (SR) activates the first switch (S1) when a reactivation condition has been met, and the control/regulation unit (SR) deactivates the first switch (S1) when a deactivation condition has been met. Said reactivation condition and/or deactivation condition can be set in accordance with the current dimming level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Markus Schertler
  • Patent number: 9247592
    Abstract: Operating device (A) for a luminous means, the operating device having at least one driver circuit for operating at least one luminous means (Last), an energy store (Cbulk) which supplies the driver circuit, a power factor correction circuit which is in the form of a boost converter, supplies the energy store (Cbulk) and has a storage inductor (Lb), an actively clocked switch (S) and a rectifier diode (D), wherein the storage inductor (Lb) has a secondary winding which is arranged in such a manner that said winding is magnetically coupled to the primary winding of the storage inductor (Lb) and is connected in series with a coupling capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Florian Moosmann, Rainer Troppacher, Frank Lochmann
  • Publication number: 20150351173
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for operating LEDs, comprising a driver module and an LED module (11), which is controlled by the driver module (10) and has at least one LED. The LED module (11) is fed a current by the driver module (10) via a first connection (1), and a second connection (2) is present, preferably as a ground connection (GND). The device is characterised in that the LED module (11) is connected to the driver module (10) by means of a third connection (3), which is designed as a data channel, a voltage fed by the driver module (10) being applied to the data channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicants: TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH, TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Mathias DUNSER, Florian MOOSMANN, Norbet KLEBER, Christian NESENSOHN, Frank LOCHMANN, Reinhold JUEN, Gunter MARENT, Frank HORN, Peter PACHLER, John SCHONBERGER, Steffen RIEMER
  • Publication number: 20150351186
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating LEDs (13), comprising a driver module (10) and an LED module (11) having at least one LED (13), which LED module (11) is controlled by the driver module (10), wherein the driver module (10) has a first connection (1), which is designed to feed the LED module (11) with a current, and has a second connection (2) is present as earth connection (GND), wherein the LED module (11) is fed with a current by the driver module (10) via a first connection (1) and a second connection (2) is present as earth connection (GND), characterised in that the driver module (10) temporarily lowers the voltage at the first connection (1) and monitors the voltage at the first connection (1) and is designed to evaluate a change in the voltage at said connection as a transfer of information from the LED module (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicants: TRIDONIC JENNERSDORF GMBH, TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Mathias DUNSER, Florian MOOSMANN, Norbert KLEBER, Christian NESENSOHN, Frank LOCHMANN, Reinhold JUEN, Gunter MARENT, Frank HORN, Peter PACHLER, Steffen RIEMER
  • Publication number: 20150181675
    Abstract: A power factor correction circuit (11) comprises an input for receiving an input voltage (UIN), an inductance (21) coupled to the input, a switching means (24) that is coupled to the inductance (21) and that is controllable in order to either charge or discharge the inductance (21), and a control device (14). The control device (14) is set up in order to produce a control signal (Ctrl) for controlling the switching means (24) on the basis of a parameter value. The control device (14) is set up in order to ascertain the parameter value on the basis of an arithmetic sign of a time derivation for the input voltage (UIN).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Frank LOCHMANN, Peter LAMPERT, Hans AUER
  • Publication number: 20140346965
    Abstract: Operating device (A) for a luminous means, the operating device having at least one driver circuit for operating at least one luminous means (Last), an energy store (Cbulk) which supplies the driver circuit, a power factor correction circuit which is in the form of a boost converter, supplies the energy store (Cbulk) and has a storage inductor (Lb), an actively clocked switch (S) and a rectifier diode (D), wherein the storage inductor (Lb) has a secondary winding which is arranged in such a manner that said winding is magnetically coupled to the primary winding of the storage inductor (Lb) and is connected in series with a coupling capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Florian Moosmann, Rainer Troppacher, Frank Lochmann
  • Publication number: 20130043805
    Abstract: What is proposed is: an operating device for operating in particular a light-emitting means (12), having: —supply terminals (16, 17) for connecting the operating device to a supply voltage provided by a supply source (20), —output terminals (10) for controlling the light-emitting means (12), —an interface (21) for connection to a bus (2), and—a transmission path which is coupled to the interface (21), wherein the transmission path is designed to connect the received supply voltage to the bus (2) selectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Frank Lochmann, Karlheinz Fenkart, Markus Kostner