Patents by Inventor Graham Christensen

Graham Christensen 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).

  • Electronic control systems and methods
    Patent number: 7005762
    Abstract: An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Black, Graham Christensen, Benjamin Aaron Johnson, Shawn L. Leichliter, Robert C. Newman, Jr., Stephen Spencer Thompson, Chenming Wu
  • Electronic control systems and methods
    Patent number: 6969959
    Abstract: An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Black, Graham Christensen, Benjamin Aaron Johnson, Shawn L. Leichliter, Robert C. Newman, Jr., Stephen Spencer Thompson, Chenming Wu
  • Electronic control systems and methods
    Patent number: 6720744
    Abstract: An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Richard L. Black, Graham Christensen, Benjamin Aaron Johnson, Shawn L. Leichliter, Robert C. Newman, Jr., Stephen Spencer Thompson, Chenming Wu
  • Electronic control systems and methods
    Publication number: 20030178892
    Abstract: An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Richard L. Black, Graham Christensen, Benjamin Aaron Johnson, Shawn L. Leichliter, Robert C. Newman, Stephen Spencer Thompson, Chenming Wu
  • Electronic control systems and methods
    Publication number: 20030006710
    Abstract: An apparatus in an electronic control system allows two or three wire operation. A power supply can supply power to the enclosed circuitry in both two and three wire installations. Two separate zero cross detectors are used such that timing information can be collected in both two and three wire installations. Both zero cross detectors are monitored and are used to automatically configure the electronic control. Over voltage circuitry senses an over voltage condition across a MOSFET which is in the off state and turns the MOSFET on so that it desirably will not reach the avalanche region. Over current circuitry senses when the current through the MOSFETs has exceeded a predetermined current threshold and then turns the MOSFETs off so they do not exceed the MOSFETs' safe operating area (SOA) curve. Latching circuitry is employed to keep the protection circuitry in effect even after a fault condition has cleared.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 9, 2003
    Inventors: Richard L. Black, Graham Christensen, Benjamin Aaron Johnson, Shawn L. Leichliter, Robert C. Newman, Stephen Spencer Thompson, Chenming Wu