Patents by Inventor Lothar Seif

Lothar Seif 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: 10917949
    Abstract: A light module for a motor vehicle, including a first electrical assembly on a first carrier, which harbours a plurality of branches that are connected in parallel, each branch including light sources, preferably light-emitting diodes. The module includes a second carrier which includes a control unit for controlling the supply of electrical power to the light sources, the control unit including a feedback loop from a reference branch. The light module allows the number of connections between the two carriers of the assembly to be decreased and reliability thereof to be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Sebastian Krick, Lothar Seif
  • Patent number: 10845022
    Abstract: A light-emitting module for a motor vehicle. The light-emitting module includes a substrate including a curved main section, light-emitting elements arranged on a face of the substrate and configured to generate light rays, a curved screen arranged facing the face of the substrate and away from the face, an area of the screen being suitable for being illuminated by the light rays emitted by the light-emitting elements, the screen having scattering properties with respect to the light emitted by the light-emitting elements, each light-emitting element being arranged on the substrate in a given zone, each light-emitting element furthermore being arranged to emit the corresponding light rays in a main emission direction that is angularly offset from a local direction that is normal to the substrate in the given zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Vincent Godbillon, Franck Millon, Jean-Didier Kinfack, Lothar Seif, Natacha Audy, Lingxuan Zhu, Patrice Collot, Arnaud Abala
  • Patent number: 10645774
    Abstract: A method of managing the power dissipated by an electroluminescence light source including electroluminescent rods having submillimeter dimensions protruding from a substrate and split into a plurality of identical groups. By using the measures of the invention, it becomes possible to manage the dissipation of power from the light source when faced with instantaneous variations in the strength of the electric current that powers the latter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Zdravko Zojceski
  • Publication number: 20200041094
    Abstract: A light-emitting module for a motor vehicle. The light-emitting module includes a substrate including a curved main section, light-emitting elements arranged on a face of the substrate and configured to generate light rays, a curved screen arranged facing the face of the substrate and away from the face, an area of the screen being suitable for being illuminated by the light rays emitted by the light-emitting elements, the screen having scattering properties with respect to the light emitted by the light-emitting elements, each light-emitting element being arranged on the substrate in a given zone, each light-emitting element furthermore being arranged to emit the corresponding light rays in a main emission direction that is angularly offset from a local direction that is normal to the substrate in the given zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Vincent GODBILLON, Franck MILLON, Jean-Didier KINFACK, Lothar SEIF, Natacha AUDY, Lingxuan ZHU, Patrice COLLOT, Arnaud ABALA
  • Patent number: 10516087
    Abstract: The invention notably relates to a light-emitting module of a terrestrial vehicle having at least one semiconductor light source including a mostly semiconductor material substrate, the substrate having a first face and a second face. The light source further includes electroluminescent elements with submillimeter dimensions extending from the first face of the substrate, and at least one heatsink cooperating with the second face of the substrate to evacuate the heat produced by the light source. The invention therefore offers an improved light-emitting module for terrestrial vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Christine Roucoules, Gilles Briand, Benoit Reiss, Zdravko Zojceski
  • Publication number: 20190268988
    Abstract: A light module for a motor vehicle, including a first electrical assembly on a first carrier, which harbours a plurality of branches that are connected in parallel, each branch including light sources, preferably light-emitting diodes. The module includes a second carrier which includes a control unit for controlling the supply of electrical power to the light sources, the control unit including a feedback loop from a reference branch. The light module allows the number of connections between the two carriers of the assembly to be decreased and reliability thereof to be increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Sebastian KRICK, Lothar SEIF
  • Patent number: 10290617
    Abstract: An electroluminescent light source including light-emitting diodes arranged on a substrate made of silicon. The light source integrates an electronic circuit performing a function that is necessary for controlling the light-emitting diodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Zdravko Zojceski, Vanessa Sanchez, Gilles Le Calvez
  • Patent number: 10165641
    Abstract: A light emission module, in particular for a motor vehicle. The module includes a substrate comprising a curved main portion extending in a longitudinal direction. A plurality of electroluminescent elements is arranged on the substrate and configured to emit light rays when supplied with electrical energy. The electroluminescent elements are distributed along the longitudinal direction, and a control assembly suitable for regulating the electrical energy supplied to the electroluminescent elements. The control assembly has a mode of operation in which the control assembly is configured to supply the electroluminescent elements with respective electrical energies and/or powers determined at least as a function of respective main directions of light emission of the electroluminescent elements to obtain at least two maximum light intensities emitted by the electroluminescent elements in the corresponding main direction of emission which are different along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Vincent Godbillon, Patrice Collot, Franck Millon, Jean-Didier Kinfack, Lothar Seif, Arnaud Abala, Lingxuan Zhu, Natacha Audy
  • Publication number: 20180255615
    Abstract: A method of managing the power dissipated by an electroluminescence light source including electroluminescent rods having submillimeter dimensions protruding from a substrate and split into a plurality of identical groups. By using the measures of the invention, it becomes possible to manage the dissipation of power from the light source when faced with instantaneous variations in the strength of the electric current that powers the latter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar SEIF, Zdravko ZOJCESKI
  • Publication number: 20180254265
    Abstract: An electroluminescent light source including light-emitting rods of submillimetric size projecting from a substrate and distributed into a plurality of identical groups. The light source integrates means for measuring the temperature of the light-emitting rods. By using the provisions of the invention, it becomes possible to obtain accurate and local measurements of the temperature of the rods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar SEIF, Zdravko ZOJCESKI
  • Publication number: 20180254266
    Abstract: An electroluminescent light source including light-emitting diodes arranged on a substrate made of silicon. The light source integrates an electronic circuit performing a function that is necessary for controlling the light-emitting diodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar SEIF, Zdravko ZOJCESKI, Vanessa SANCHEZ, Gilles LE CALVEZ
  • Publication number: 20180092180
    Abstract: A light emission module, in particular for a motor vehicle. The module includes a substrate comprising a curved main portion extending in a longitudinal direction. A plurality of electroluminescent elements is arranged on the substrate and configured to emit light rays when supplied with electrical energy. The electroluminescent elements are distributed along tje longitudinal direction, and a control assembly suitable for regulating the electrical energy supplied to the electroluminescent elements. The control assembly has a mode of operation in which the control assembly is configured to supply the electroluminescent elements with respective electrical energies and/or powers determined at least as a function of respective main directions of light emission of the electroluminescent elements to obtain at least two maximum light intensities emitted by the electroluminescent elements in the corresponding main direction of emission which are different along the longitudinal direction of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Vincent GODBILLON, Patrice COLLOT, Franck MILLON, Jean-Didier KINFACK, Lothar SEIF, Arnaud ABALA, Lingxuan ZHU, Natacha AUDY
  • Publication number: 20180023779
    Abstract: The invention notably relates to a light-emitting module of a terrestrial vehicle having at least one semiconductor light source including a mostly semiconductor material substrate, the substrate having a first face and a second face. The light source further includes electroluminescent elements with submillimeter dimensions extending from the first face of the substrate, and at least one heatsink cooperating with the second face of the substrate to evacuate the heat produced by the light source. The invention therefore offers an improved light-emitting module for terrestrial vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar SEIF, Christine Roucoules, Gilles Briand, Benoit Reiss, Zdravko Zojceski
  • Patent number: 9374871
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for controlling a plurality of light modules in a lighting and/or signaling system by deactivating a light emission from at least one of the plurality of light modules in the event of a failure of another of the plurality of light modules. The method or system has a first light module suitable for performing a part of a first regulatory lighting and/or signaling function, and a second light module suitable for performing a part of a second regulatory lighting and/or signaling function separate from the first function. A third light module is also provided for selectively performing at least another part of the first function and at least another part of the second function. Light emission from the first and second light modules is deactivated in the event of failure of the third light module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Romuald Gagelin
  • Publication number: 20150271895
    Abstract: A method for controlling a lighting and/or signaling system, this system including at least a first light module suitable for performing a part of a first regulatory lighting and/or signaling function; a second light module suitable for performing a part of a second regulatory lighting and/or signaling function separate from the first function; and a third module suitable for selectively performing at least another part of the first function and at least another part of the second function; the method comprising the following step: deactivating the light emission from the first and second modules in the event of failure of the third module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Romuald Gagelin
  • Patent number: 9096173
    Abstract: An electrical control circuit for a lighting and/or signaling module handling at least two functions from one and the same network of light sources of LED type. The function selection is handled by one or more input signals on the monitoring unit. If a branch or section connected to a defective LED fails, the monitoring unit can either deactivate all the branches or sections, or keep the remaining branches or sections active, and do so according to the function that is present. One or more functions can thus be compared to the single-section type despite the presence of a number of sections when the monitoring unit is configured to deactivate all the sections if one of the sections fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventor: Lothar Seif
  • Publication number: 20130020938
    Abstract: An electrical control circuit for a lighting and/or signaling module handling at least two functions from one and the same network of light sources of LED type. The function selection is handled by one or more input signals on the monitoring unit. If a branch or section connected to a defective LED fails, the monitoring unit can either deactivate all the branches or sections, or keep the remaining branches or sections active, and do so according to the function that is present. One or more functions can thus be compared to the single-section type despite the presence of a number of sections when the monitoring unit is configured to deactivate all the sections if one of the sections fails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: VALEO VISION
    Inventor: Lothar SEIF
  • Patent number: 6767118
    Abstract: A device for adjusting a light emission direction of a motor vehicle headlight has a unit for executing a pivoting movement of at least one part of the motor vehicle headlight that is held by a suspension and which effects the light emission direction, about an axis of rotation that is approximately parallel to a vertical axis of the motor vehicle, the unit for executing the pivotal movement having at least one electric motor selected from the group consisting of a direct current motor and an alternating current motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Automotive Lighting Reutlingen GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Ulrich Neubauer, Ernst-Olaf Rosenhahn, Gustav Klett
  • Publication number: 20030133309
    Abstract: A device for adjusting a light emission direction of a motor vehicle headlight has a unit for executing a pivoting movement of at least one part of the motor vehicle headlight that is held by a suspension and which effects the light emission direction, about an axis of rotation that is approximately parallel to a vertical axis of the motor vehicle, the unit for executing the pivotal movement having at least one electric motor selected from the group consisting of a direct current motor and an alternating current motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Lothar Seif, Ulrich Neubauer, Ernst-Olaf Rosenhahn, Gustav Klett