Patents by Inventor Kazutoshi Suganuma

Kazutoshi Suganuma 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: 10004116
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power converter and a controller. The power converter includes a transformer having primary, secondary and tertiary windings, and a switching device electrically connected in series with the primary winding. The controller is configured to measure a signal simulating a primary current flowing through the primary winding based on a voltage occurring across the tertiary winding and detect timing for turning the switching device off based on the signal simulating the primary current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukui, Kazutoshi Suganuma, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9894721
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power converter, a second switching element and a microcomputer. The power converter is configured to convert DC power that is received from a power supply, and supply an output obtained by the conversion to a load. The second switching element is configured to short-circuit at least one LED of a plurality of LEDs, as part of the load. The microcomputer is configured to control the power converter, and control switching on/off of the second switching element. The microcomputer is configured to reduce an output current of the power converter, in a case where a power supply voltage of the battery is a reference voltage or less. A reduction amount of the output current in an on-state of the second switching element is lower than the reduction amount of the output current in an off-state of the second switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukui, Kazutoshi Suganuma, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9462647
    Abstract: A lighting device includes first to third output terminals, a power converter, a bypass switch, and a controller. A first light source is connected between the first and third output terminals. A second light source is connected between the second and third output terminals. The bypass switch is connected between the second and third output terminals. The controller switches the bypass switch between ON-state and OFF-state. The controller controls the power converter to adjust an output current. The controller includes a voltage meter for measuring a voltage corresponding to an output voltage of the power converter. The controller compares a measured voltage of the voltage meter with a first threshold voltage while keeping the bypass switch in OFF-state. The controller compares the measured voltage with a second threshold voltage while keeping the bypass switch in ON-state. The second threshold voltage is smaller than the first threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Fukui, Toshifumi Tanaka, Kazutoshi Suganuma
  • Publication number: 20160262232
    Abstract: A lighting device includes first to third output terminals, a power converter, a bypass switch, and a controller. A first light source is connected between the first and third output terminals. A second light source is connected between the second and third output terminals. The bypass switch is connected between the second and third output terminals. The controller switches the bypass switch between ON-state and OFF-state. The controller controls the power converter to adjust an output current. The controller includes a voltage meter for measuring a voltage corresponding to an output voltage of the power converter. The controller compares a measured voltage of the voltage meter with a first threshold voltage while keeping the bypass switch in OFF-state. The controller compares the measured voltage with a second threshold voltage while keeping the bypass switch in ON-state. The second threshold voltage is smaller than the first threshold voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Takahiro FUKUI, Toshifumi TANAKA, Kazutoshi SUGANUMA
  • Patent number: 9126530
    Abstract: A microcomputer is configured to perform a first control and a second control. The first control is of: starting operation of a power converter, when a first power supply voltage exceeds a starting voltage; and stopping the operation of the power converter, when the first power supply voltage is below a maintaining voltage. The second control is of: switching off a second switching element, when a second power supply voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage; maintaining an off-state of the second switching element until the second power supply voltage is below a second threshold voltage; and switching on the second switching element, when the second power supply voltage is below the second threshold voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Toshifumi Tanaka, Takahiro Fukui
  • Publication number: 20150069907
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power converter and a controller. The power converter includes a transformer having primary, secondary and tertiary windings, and a switching device electrically connected in series with the primary winding. The controller is configured to measure a signal simulating a primary current flowing through the primary winding based on a voltage occurring across the tertiary winding and detect timing for turning the switching device off based on the signal simulating the primary current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro FUKUI, Kazutoshi SUGANUMA, Toshifumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150069909
    Abstract: A microcomputer is configured to perform a first control and a second control. The first control is of: starting operation of a power converter, when a first power supply voltage exceeds a starting voltage; and stopping the operation of the power converter, when the first power supply voltage is below a maintaining voltage. The second control is of: switching off a second switching element, when a second power supply voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage; maintaining an off-state of the second switching element until the second power supply voltage is below a second threshold voltage; and switching on the second switching element, when the second power supply voltage is below the second threshold voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kazutoshi SUGANUMA, Toshifumi TANAKA, Takahiro FUKUI
  • Publication number: 20150069908
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a power converter, a second switching element and a microcomputer. The power converter is configured to convert DC power that is received from a power supply, and supply an output obtained by the conversion to a load. The second switching element is configured to short-circuit at least one LED of a plurality of LEDs, as part of the load. The microcomputer is configured to control the power converter, and control switching on/off of the second switching element. The microcomputer is configured to reduce an output current of the power converter, in a case where a power supply voltage of the battery is a reference voltage or less. A reduction amount of the output current in an on-state of the second switching element is lower than the reduction amount of the output current in an off-state of the second switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro FUKUI, Kazutoshi SUGANUMA, Toshifumi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20130271003
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device includes a power converter configured to receive a power from a power source, convert it into a voltage required by a discharge lamp and supply the voltage to the discharge lamp; and a controller which controls the power converter to drive the discharge lamp. The controller controls the power supplied to the discharge lamp according to a predetermined power curve. The controller controls the power curve to change based on at least one of a source voltage of the power source, an ambient temperature, a device temperature, a discharge lamp temperature and a discharge lamp voltage, and sets a sustained period of a max power value to a predetermined time period when the lighting of the discharge lamp is performed in a state where the discharge lamp temperature is equal to or less than a reference temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutoshi SUGANUMA, Toshiaki NAKAMURA, Masahiro NISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8502632
    Abstract: A transformer in this invention comprises substrates constructing a primary winding, substrates constructing the secondary winding, and a core member disposed around the substrates. The substrates defining the primary winding are provided with insertion holes for passing a middle leg portion of the core member, and patterned conductors having one turn. The transformer further comprises an interlayer connection member. The interlayer connection member is located inwardly of the patterned conductors of the substrates defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is located on the same side of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is configured to establish the electrical connection of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Tomoyuki Nakano, Toshiaki Nakamura, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110037405
    Abstract: A transformer in this invention comprises substrates constructing a primary winding, substrates constructing the secondary winding, and a core member disposed around the substrates. The substrates defining the primary winding are provided with insertion holes for passing a middle leg portion of the core member, and patterned conductors having one turn. The transformer further comprises an interlayer connection member. The interlayer connection member is located inwardly of the patterned conductors of the substrates defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is located on the same side of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding. The interlayer connection member is configured to establish the electrical connection of the patterned conductors defining the primary winding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Tomoyuki Nakano, Toshiaki Nakamura, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7368881
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Takashi Kanbara, Toshifumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20070138975
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Suganuma, Takashi Kanbara, Toshifumi Tanaka