Patents by Inventor George R. Brandes

George R. Brandes 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: 10107487
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 9933148
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 9781803
    Abstract: A thermal management system for reducing or eliminating heat-mediated degradation of LED performance and/or operating life. The system may include a thermal controller arranged to respond to an LED operating condition, and to responsively limit temperature in the LED. The thermal controller in one implementation includes a bypass circuit containing a bypass control element, such as a varistor, Zener diode, or antifuse device, and arranged to divert current from flowing to the LED so that the LED remains in a cool state, e.g., below 75° C. The system may be arranged to (I) at least partially attenuate the power supplied to an LED so as to reduce heat generation in such LED and maintain the LED below a threshold temperature and/or (II) remove heat from the LED to maintain temperature of the LED below a threshold temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: CREE, INC.
    Inventor: George R. Brandes
  • Publication number: 20170186913
    Abstract: A method of forming an AlInGaN alloy-based electronic or optoelectronic device structure on a nitride substrate and subsequent removal of the substrate. An AlInGaN alloy-based electronic or optoelectronic device structure formed on a nitride substrate is freed from the substrate on which it was grown.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventor: George R. Brandes
  • Patent number: 9414454
    Abstract: Solid state lighting apparatuses and related methods are described. In certain embodiments, a solid state lighting apparatus adapted to operate with alternating current (AC) received from an AC power source is provided. The lighting apparatus can include a substrate and an array of solid state light emitters arranged on or supported by the substrate. Multiple solid state light emitter sets of the array can be arranged to be activated and/or deactivated at different times relative to one another during a portion of an AC cycle. The lighting apparatus can also include at least one reflective structure arranged between one or more solid state light emitters and at least one driver circuit component, to reduce or eliminate absorption by the driver circuit component(s) of light generated by the solid state light emitter(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Robert D. Underwood
  • Publication number: 20150252998
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 8970131
    Abstract: Solid state lighting apparatuses are adapted to operate with alternating current (AC) received directly from an AC power source. An exemplary apparatus includes a substrate and multiple sets of one or more solid state light emitters disposed over the substrate. Multiple sets of solid state light emitters are configured to be activated and/or deactivated at different times relevant to one another during portions of an AC cycle, and optionally have different duty cycles. Emitter configurations, color combinations, and/or circuit components reduce perceivable flicker, color shifts, and/or spatial variations in luminous flux. Color temperature and/or beam pattern are adjustable. Multiple emitters are arranged along non-coplanar substrate portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Robert D. Underwood, Bernd P. Keller
  • Publication number: 20140355270
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 8858029
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 8847478
    Abstract: A multi-chip lighting emitting device (LED) lamp for providing white light includes a submount including first and second die mounting regions thereon. A first LED chip is mounted on the first die mounting region, and a second LED chip is mounted on the second die mounting region. The LED lamp is configured to emit light having a spectral distribution including at least four different color peaks to provide the white light. For example, a first conversion material may at least partially cover the first LED chip, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first color and re-emit light of a third color. In addition, a second conversion material may at least partially cover the first and/or second LED chips, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first and/or second colors and re-emit light of a fourth color. Related light fixtures and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr., Mark Terrence McClear, Bernd P. Keller, George R. Brandes, Ronan P. LeToquin
  • Publication number: 20140232289
    Abstract: Solid state lighting apparatuses and related methods are described. In certain embodiments, a solid state lighting apparatus adapted to operate with alternating current (AC) received from an AC power source is provided. The lighting apparatus can include a substrate and an array of solid state light emitters arranged on or supported by the substrate. Multiple solid state light emitter sets of the array can be arranged to be activated and/or deactivated at different times relative to one another during a portion of an AC cycle. The lighting apparatus can also include at least one reflective structure arranged between one or more solid state light emitters and at least one driver circuit component, to reduce or eliminate absorption by the driver circuit component(s) of light generated by the solid state light emitter(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Robert D. Underwood
  • Publication number: 20140232288
    Abstract: Solid state lighting apparatuses are adapted to operate with alternating current (AC) received directly from an AC power source. An exemplary apparatus includes a substrate and multiple sets of one or more solid state light emitters disposed over the substrate. Multiple sets of solid state light emitters can be configured to be activated and/or deactivated at different times relevant to one another during portions of an AC cycle, and may optionally have different duty cycles. Emitter configurations, color combinations, and/or circuit components may reduce perceivable flicker, color shifts, and/or spatial variations in luminous flux. Color temperature and/or beam pattern may be adjusted. Multiple emitters may be arranged along non-coplanar substrate portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Robert D. Underwood, Bernd P. Keller
  • Patent number: 8698286
    Abstract: The present invention relates to various switching device structures including Schottky diode, P-N diode, and P-I-N diode, which are characterized by low defect density, low crack density, low pit density and sufficient thickness (>2.5 um) GaN layers of low dopant concentration (<1E16 cm?3) grown on a conductive GaN layer. The devices enable substantially higher breakdown voltage on hetero-epitaxial substrates (<2 KV) and extremely high breakdown voltage on homo-epitaxial substrates (>2 KV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Flynn, George R. Brandes, Robert P. Vaudo
  • Publication number: 20140043825
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techniques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Patent number: 8643283
    Abstract: An electronic device including series-connected open failure-susceptible components and re-routing assemblies for directing current through an ancillary current path to maintain operability of the series array despite an open-failed component therein. The re-routing assembly can be constituted as an ancillary circuit containing a bypass control element arranged to maintain the ancillary circuit in a non-current flow condition when none of the open failure-susceptible components has experienced open failure, and to re-route current from a main circuit around an open-failed component therein and through the ancillary circuit and back to the main circuit, to bypass the open-failed component so that all non-failed series components of the main circuit remain operative when electrically energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: George R. Brandes
  • Patent number: 8596821
    Abstract: LED light bulbs include openings in base or cover portions, and optional forced flow elements, for convective cooling. Thermally conductive optically transmissive material may be used for cooling, optionally including fins. A LED light engine may be fabricated from a substrate via planar fabrication techiques and shaped to form a substantially rigid upright support structure. Mechanical, electrical, and thermal connections may be made between a LED light engine and a LED light bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: George R. Brandes, Julio A. Garceran
  • Publication number: 20130249434
    Abstract: A multi-chip lighting emitting device (LED) lamp for providing white light includes a submount including first and second die mounting regions thereon. A first LED chip is mounted on the first die mounting region, and a second LED chip is mounted on the second die mounting region. The LED lamp is configured to emit light having a spectral distribution including at least four different color peaks to provide the white light. For example, a first conversion material may at least partially cover the first LED chip, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first color and re-emit light of a third color. In addition, a second conversion material may at least partially cover the first and/or second LED chips, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first and/or second colors and re-emit light of a fourth color. Related light fixtures and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: CREE, INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Medendorp, JR., Mark Terrence McClear, Bernd P. Keller, George R. Brandes, Ronan P. LeToquin
  • Patent number: 8513873
    Abstract: A light emission device includes multiple electrically activated solid state emitters (e.g., LEDs) having differing spectral output from one another; and/or phosphor material including one or more phosphors arranged to receive spectral output from at least one of the solid state emitters and to responsively emit a phosphor output, to provide spectral output. In one arrangement, multiple LEDs and multiple phosphors have different peak wavelengths and provide aggregated light output with less than four light emission peaks. In one arrangement, a plot of aggregated output emissions (light intensity versus wavelength) has a non-negative slope between more than two wavelength peaks. In one arrangement, a light emission device generates a user-perceptible transition in color of light at a predetermined time period as an indicative of a need to perform at least one selected task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: George R. Brandes
  • Patent number: 8410680
    Abstract: A multi-chip lighting emitting device (LED) lamp for providing white light includes a submount including first and second die mounting regions thereon. A first LED chip is mounted on the first die mounting region, and a second LED chip is mounted on the second die mounting region. The LED lamp is configured to emit light having a spectral distribution including at least four different color peaks to provide the white light. For example, a first conversion material may at least partially cover the first LED chip, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first color and re-emit light of a third color. In addition, a second conversion material may at least partially cover the first and/or second LED chips, and may be configured to absorb at least some of the light of the first and/or second colors and re-emit light of a fourth color. Related light fixtures and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr., Mark Terrence McClear, Bernd P. Keller, George R. Brandes, Ronan P. LeToquin
  • Patent number: 8390101
    Abstract: The present invention relates to various switching device structures including Schottky diode, P-N diode, and P-I-N diode, which are characterized by low defect density, low crack density, low pit density and sufficient thickness (>2.5 um) GaN layers of low dopant concentration (<1E16 cm?3) grown on a conductive GaN layer. The devices enable substantially higher breakdown voltage on hetero-epitaxial substrates (<2 KV) and extremely high breakdown voltage on homo-epitaxial substrates (>2 KV).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Flynn, George R. Brandes, Robert P. Vaudo