Patents by Inventor Jack Lula

Jack Lula 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: 11949201
    Abstract: A method for assembling a module configured to limit power surge exposure to an electrical device may include providing a carrier configured to receive at least one electrical conductor and at least one surge protection component. A lug defining a hollow space is provided in a pocket of the carrier, and an electrical lead of a surge protection component and an electrical conductor are provided in the hollow space of the lug. The method includes crimping the lug onto the electrical lead of the surge protection component and the electrical conductor such that the electrical lead and the electrical conductor are physically and electrically coupled to one another. The carrier may include multiple pockets receiving multiple lugs, and the multiple lugs may be crimped substantially simultaneously to physically and electrically couple corresponding pairs of electrical leads and conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Christopher Smith, Jack Lula, Robert Zamora, Anthony Mangiaracina
  • Patent number: 11895745
    Abstract: A power supply may provide a constant source of DC power through a first inductor-capacitor network, across a two-line conductor, and through a second inductor-capacitor network to a remote load. A modulator at the supply may modulate a carrier frequency with an information signal containing control data and may pass a modulated signal to the load via the conductor with the DC power. At the load, a demodulator may extract the control data, and operation of the load, such as a bank of LEDs subjected to dimming, may be modified based on the control data. The inductor-capacitor networks enable decoupling of the DC power and data for simple and low-cost implementations at comparatively low frequencies. In examples, the carrier frequency is at least 10 times the rate of the information signal yet below typical communication frequencies such as 525 KHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Lula, Robert Zamora
  • Publication number: 20220216626
    Abstract: A method for assembling a module configured to limit power surge exposure to an electrical device may include providing a carrier configured to receive at least one electrical conductor and at least one surge protection component. A lug defining a hollow space is provided in a pocket of the carrier, and an electrical lead of a surge protection component and an electrical conductor are provided in the hollow space of the lug. The method includes crimping the lug onto the electrical lead of the surge protection component and the electrical conductor such that the electrical lead and the electrical conductor are physically and electrically coupled to one another. The carrier may include multiple pockets receiving multiple lugs, and the multiple lugs may be crimped substantially simultaneously to physically and electrically couple corresponding pairs of electrical leads and conductors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Simon Christopher Smith, Jack Lula, Robert Zamora, Anthony Mangiaracina
  • Patent number: 11153947
    Abstract: A dimming and color mixing apparatus for light emitting diodes (LEDs) combines constant current distribution with reduced pulse widths. A current source provides a constant source of LED drive current to at least a pair of switches under command of an LED controller. A predefined fraction of the LED rated current that will ensure uniform light output between the LEDs is selected as a minimum drive current to be supplied from the constant current source. The LED controller causes the switches to provide alternating pulses between at least two channels of LEDs according to a switching rate for color mixing, and the current source decreases the LED drive current linearly for dimming. For dimming levels below the minimum drive current, the LED controller decreases the pulse widths in conjunction with the decreased drive current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Lula, Robert Zamora
  • Publication number: 20210234289
    Abstract: A surge protection module configured to limit power surge exposure to an electrical device may include a carrier defining a first end and a second end opposite the first end and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. The surge protection module may also include at least two electrical conductors coupled to the carrier. The surge protection module may also include a surge protection component electrically coupled to the at least two electrical conductors and configured to limit power surge conducted to an electrical device to which the at least two electrical conductors are electrically coupled. The carrier may include at least one conductor channel extending between ends of the carrier and configured to receive at least one electrical conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Simon Christopher Smith, Jack Lula, Robert Zamora, Anthony Mangiaracina
  • Publication number: 20210203231
    Abstract: A power supply with first and second stage outputs includes a low-power mode that enables continuous operation at increased power efficiency. A flyback converter is driven by a flyback controller that has a reference input. A voltage divider at the reference input sets a reference voltage for operation of the flyback controller. A low-power-mode circuit may include a switch that modifies the voltage divider depending on a selected power mode. In low-power mode, the reference voltage is increased, causing the output voltage of the flyback converter to decrease. At least a DC-DC converter as part of the second stage output may operate more efficiently when powered at the decreased voltage in the low-power mode, while loads on the first stage output requiring higher voltage are powered off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Inventors: Jack Lula, Robert Zamora
  • Publication number: 20210185780
    Abstract: A dimming and color mixing apparatus for light emitting diodes (LEDs) combines constant current distribution with reduced pulse widths. A current source provides a constant source of LED drive current to at least a pair of switches under command of an LED controller. A predefined fraction of the LED rated current that will ensure uniform light output between the LEDs is selected as a minimum drive current to be supplied from the constant current source. The LED controller causes the switches to provide alternating pulses between at least two channels of LEDs according to a switching rate for color mixing, and the current source decreases the LED drive current linearly for dimming. For dimming levels below the minimum drive current, the LED controller decreases the pulse widths in conjunction with the decreased drive current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Jack Lula, Robert Zamora
  • Publication number: 20210168913
    Abstract: A power supply may provide a constant source of DC power through a first inductor-capacitor network, across a two-line conductor, and through a second inductor-capacitor network to a remote load. A modulator at the supply may modulate a carrier frequency with an information signal containing control data and may pass a modulated signal to the load via the conductor with the DC power. At the load, a demodulator may extract the control data, and operation of the load, such as a bank of LEDs subjected to dimming, may be modified based on the control data. The inductor-capacitor networks enable decoupling of the DC power and data for simple and low-cost implementations at comparatively low frequencies. In examples, the carrier frequency is at least 10 times the rate of the information signal yet below typical communication frequencies such as 525 KHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Lula, Robert Zamora
  • Patent number: 10508767
    Abstract: A system for mounting an electrical device to an electrical junction box may include a mounting plate configured to be coupled to a junction box, and a coupler plate configured to be coupled to the mounting plate and an electrical device. The mounting plate may include at least one a curved slot, and the coupler plate may include at least one pin. The mounting plate and the coupler plate may be configured to be coupled to one another via insertion of the at least one pin into the at least one curved slot, and rotating the coupler plate and the mounting plate relative to one another, so that the at least one pin follows the at least one curved slot and deflects and passes a locking clip of the mounting plate, such that the mounting plate and the coupler plate are coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Zamora, Jack Lula, Simon Christopher Smith, Frederic Perry Phillips
  • Patent number: 10480708
    Abstract: A system for mounting an electrical device to an electrical junction box may include a mounting plate configured to be coupled to a junction box, and a coupler plate configured to be coupled to the mounting plate and an electrical device. The mounting plate may include at least one a curved slot, and the coupler plate may include at least one pin. The mounting plate and the coupler plate may be configured to be coupled to one another via insertion of the at least one pin into the at least one curved slot, and rotating the coupler plate and the mounting plate relative to one another, so that the at least one pin follows the at least one curved slot and deflects and passes a locking clip of the mounting plate, such that the mounting plate and the coupler plate are coupled to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Robert Zamora, Jack Lula, Simon Smith, Frederic Perry Phillips
  • Patent number: 10297996
    Abstract: A junction box assembly may include a junction box base and a junction box cover. The junction box base may define a junction box internal recess. The junction box cover may include a mounting flange, a cover barrier spaced from the mounting flange, and a wall extending between the mounting flange and the cover barrier and defining a junction box cover recess. The junction box cover may be configured to be alternatively coupled to a backing panel to form a junction box, such that either (1) the cover barrier of the junction box cover is received in the junction box internal recess and defines a first junction box space, or (2) the cover barrier is spaced from the backing panel and on a side of the backing panel opposite the junction box base and defines a second junction box space larger than the first junction box space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Viza Electronics Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Simon Christopher Smith, Robert Zamora, Jack Lula
  • Publication number: 20180320817
    Abstract: A system for mounting an electrical device to an electrical junction box may include a mounting plate configured to be coupled to a junction box, and a coupler plate configured to be coupled to the mounting plate and an electrical device. The mounting plate may include at least one a curved slot, and the coupler plate may include at least one pin. The mounting plate and the coupler plate may be configured to be coupled to one another via insertion of the at least one pin into the at least one curved slot, and rotating the coupler plate and the mounting plate relative to one another, so that the at least one pin follows the at least one curved slot and deflects and passes a locking clip of the mounting plate, such that the mounting plate and the coupler plate are coupled to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Zamora, Jack Lula, Simon Christopher Smith, Frederic Perry Phillips