Patents by Inventor Kay Schmidtmann

Kay Schmidtmann 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: 8134297
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic ballast for discharge lamps (LA) which have preheatable electrodes (E1, E2). The electronic ballast has a measuring apparatus (M), which is designed to measure, during the preheating process, a variable, which is correlated with the electrode temperature increased by the preheating, of at least one of the electrodes (E1, E2) of a connected discharge lamp (LA), and a control apparatus (C), which is designed to match the electrode temperature, during the preheating process, in response to the measurement by adjusting an operational parameter of the electronic ballast. Furthermore, the electronic ballast is designed to detect cross discharges or a sufficient operating temperature of one of the electrodes (E1, E2) and possibly to ignite the discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Patent number: 7863830
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast device for operating an electric lamp (2), comprising a first (21) and a second lamp filament (22), wherein the lamp filaments (21, 22) are electrically connected to a heating circuit (3) during a pre-warming phase for the electric lamp (2) said heating circuit (3) being of such a form that the heating current generated by the heating circuit (3) during an operational phase of the electric lamp (2) amounts to between 20% and 60% of the lamp current of said electric lamp (2). The invention further relates to a method for operation of an electric lamp with an electronic ballast device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann
  • Patent number: 7786683
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one electric lamp and at least one LED including: an inverter having a bridge circuit having at least one first bridge transistor and one second bridge transistor arranged in series with one another, a center point of the bridge circuit being defined between the first and second bridge transistors; a lamp supply unit for supplying the electric lamp with energy from the bridge circuit, which includes a supply line with an inductance, via which the center point (M) of the bridge circuit is coupled to a first connection for the electric lamp; the lamp supply unit including an LED supply unit, which is designed to supply the at least one LED with energy. Moreover, it relates to an operating method for at least one electric lamp and at least one LED using such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: OSRAM Gesellschaft mit beschraenkter Haftung
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20100156299
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic ballast for discharge lamps (LA) which have preheatable electrodes (E1, E2). The electronic ballast has a measuring apparatus (M), which is designed to measure, during the preheating process, a variable, which is correlated with the electrode temperature increased by the preheating, of at least one of the electrodes (E1, E2) of a connected discharge lamp (LA), and a control apparatus (C), which is designed to match the electrode temperature, during the preheating process, in response to the measurement by adjusting an operational parameter of the electronic ballast. Furthermore, the electronic ballast is designed to detect cross discharges or a sufficient operating temperature of one of the electrodes (E1, E2) and possibly to ignite the discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20090267518
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic ballast device for operating an electric lamp (2), comprising a first (21) and a second lamp filament (22), wherein the lamp filaments (21, 22) are electrically connected to a heating circuit (3) during a pre-warming phase for the electric lamp (2) said heating circuit (3) being of such a form that the heating current generated by the heating circuit (3) during an operational phase of the electric lamp (2) amounts to between 20% and 60% of the lamp current of said electric lamp (2). The invention further relates to a method for operation of an electric lamp with an electronic ballast device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: OSRAM GESELLCHAFT MIT BESCHRAENKTER HAFTUNG
    Inventors: Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann
  • Patent number: 7327094
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one electric lamp (LP) having a drive circuit (16), which has at least one terminal for a system voltage (UN) on the input side and at least one terminal for the at least one electric lamp (LP) on the output side; the drive circuit (16) having a control unit (18) and a step-up converter having a step-up converter inductor (L2) and a switch (S1), and the control unit (18) being designed to operate the step-up converter in a discontinuous mode, in which the current (IN) through the step-up converter inductor (L2) has gaps, the duration (?t) of these gaps being varied. It also relates to an operating method for at least one electric lamp (LP) using such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft fur Elektrische Gluhlampen mbH
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Patent number: 7309963
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic ballast for discharge lamps, for example low-pressure discharge lamps, having a converter having a switching element and a two-part lamp inductor which is connected upstream and downstream of the discharge lamp. An electronic ballast according to the invention has a smoothing circuit which reduces voltage jumps caused by switching operations in the converter at the lamp terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Patent-Treuhand-Gesellschaft für elektrische Glühlampen mbH
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20070210719
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one electric lamp and at least one LED including: an inverter having a bridge circuit having at least one first bridge transistor and one second bridge transistor arranged in series with one another, a center point of the bridge circuit being defined between the first and second bridge transistors; a lamp supply unit for supplying the electric lamp with energy from the bridge circuit, which includes a supply line with an inductance, via which the center point (M) of the bridge circuit is coupled to a first connection for the electric lamp; the lamp supply unit including an LED supply unit, which is designed to supply the at least one LED with energy. Moreover, it relates to an operating method for at least one electric lamp and at least one LED using such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20070018592
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating at least one electric lamp (LP) having a drive circuit (16), which has at least one terminal for a system voltage (UN) on the input side and at least one terminal for the at least one electric lamp (LP) on the output side; the drive circuit (16) having a control unit (18) and a step-up converter having a step-up converter inductor (L2) and a switch (S1), and the control unit (18) being designed to operate the step-up converter in a discontinuous mode, in which the current (IN) through the step-up converter inductor (L2) has gaps, the duration (?t) of these gaps being varied. It also relates to an operating method for at least one electric lamp (LP) using such a circuit arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20060290299
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for operating at least one LED and at least one electric lamp having at least one first filament and one second filament, includes first and second terminals for the corresponding filaments; and a lamp supply unit supplying power to the electric lamp; it also including an LED supply unit coupled to the second terminal for the second filament of the electric lamp and designed to supply power to the at least one LED. Also described is an operating method for the circuit arrangement operating at least one LED and at least one electric lamp as described. The circuit arrangement also includes an LED supply unit, which is coupled to the second terminal for the second filament of the electric lamp and supplies power to the at least one LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni
  • Publication number: 20060284572
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electronic ballast for discharge lamps, for example low-pressure discharge lamps, having a converter having a switching element and a two-part lamp inductor which is connected upstream and downstream of the discharge lamp. An electronic ballast according to the invention has a smoothing circuit which reduces voltage jumps caused by switching operations in the converter at the lamp terminals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Markus Heckmann, Reinhard Lecheler, Alfons Lechner, Siegfried Mayer, Thomas Pollischansky, Bernd Rudolph, Bernhard Schemmel, Kay Schmidtmann, Harald Schmitt, Thomas Siegmund, Arwed Storm, Horst Werni