Patents by Inventor John Henry Covington

John Henry Covington 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: 6031749
    Abstract: A switch-mode power converter uses a digital signal processor (DSP) to control operation of power semiconductors through gate drive amplifiers, further using the DSP's internal analog-to-digital converters to measure necessary currents, voltages and timings within the main power circuit. Using values captured by the A-to-D converters, software controlling the DSP manipulates duty cycle and timing parameters of the main semiconductor switches to provide at least three different modes of operation for serving a wide range of lighting loads. This power system reduces the size, cost, and weight, of circuitry needed to operate stage lighting equipment. The DSP's microprocessor eliminates most of the complex and dedicated analog circuitry commonly used for electronic power conversion, and a common power circuit topology provides an identical hardware platform for each luminaire circuit. Overall reliability is enhanced because of the reduction in circuit complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Vari-Lite, Inc.
    Inventors: John Henry Covington, Thomas Edwin Walsh, John Mark Newell
  • Patent number: 5640061
    Abstract: A modular lamp power supply is adapted to provide lamp power supply signals to a plurality of different lamps, each lamp having different power requirements. The power supply can be reconfigured to supply power to a new group of lamps simply by replacing the power circuit modules within the supply chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1997
    Assignee: Vari-Lite, Inc.
    Inventors: James Martin Bornhorst, John Henry Covington, Randall Dean Garrett