Patents by Inventor Louis Lerman

Louis Lerman 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: 10393944
    Abstract: A solid-state luminaire module includes one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs) and a light guide. The light guide includes a receiving end and an opposing end, the receiving end being arranged to receive the light provided by the LEEs; a pair of opposing side surfaces, extending along a length of the light guide between the receiving end and the opposing end, to guide the received light in a forward direction; and a plurality of redirecting interfaces spaced apart from each other and distributed along a portion of the length of the light guide adjacent the opposing end. The redirecting interfaces are configured to reflect a portion of the guided light in a backward direction as return light, such that the return light can transmit through the pair of opposing side surfaces into the ambient as output light of the luminaire module, the output light to propagate in backward directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10288229
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an LED lamp has a generally bulb shape. The LEDs are low power types and are encapsulated in thin, narrow, flexible strips. The LEDs are connected in series in the strips to drop a desired voltage. The strips are affixed to the outer surface of a bulb form to provide structure to the lamp. The strips are connected in parallel to a power supply, which may be housed in the lamp. Since many low power LEDs are used and are spread out over a large surface area, there is no need for a large metal heat sink. Further, the light emission is similar to that of an incandescent bulb. In other embodiment, there is no bulb form and the strips are bendable to have a variety of shapes. In another embodiment, a light sheet is bent to provide 360 degrees of light emission. Many other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Robert V. Steele, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Wilson Dau, Jacqueline Teng, George Lerman
  • Publication number: 20190129087
    Abstract: The present technology relates to luminaires including a housing and a luminaire module disposed within the housing, where the housing has apertures through which light that is output by the luminaire module exits the luminaire towards one or more target areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Allan Brent York, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20190124854
    Abstract: A plant growth lighting system (500) includes a plant support (503) and a light guide luminaire module (501), the plant support being configured to hold one or more plants (502). The light guide luminaire module includes at least one light-emitting element (LEE) (510), a light guide (511) arranged to receive light emitted by the at least one LEE at a first end of the light guide and guide the received light in a forward direction to a second end thereof, and an extractor (512) arranged to receive light from the second end of the light guide and configured to output light. The light guide luminaire module is disposed relative to the plant support such that at least a portion of the light output by the extractor impinges on the plants in predetermined directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg, Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 10274167
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices are disclosed that are configured to output light provided by a light-emitting element (LEE). In general, embodiments of the light-emitting devices feature two or more light-emitting elements, a scattering element that is spaced apart from the light-emitting elements, an extractor element coupled to the scattering element, and a reflective element that is configured and arranged to reflect light emitted from the light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Publication number: 20190113180
    Abstract: A solid state lamp, such as one that can replace an incandescent light bulb, has a base portion having an electrical connector for connection to a source of power, such as an Edison-type connector for connection to the mains voltage. An AC/DC converter in the base converts the mains voltage to a suitable light emitting diode (LED) drive voltage. A plurality of receptacles on the base connects to electrodes of plug-in modules. Each plug-in module supports a plurality of low power LEDs connected in series. The strings of LEDs on different modules are connected in parallel when connected to the receptacles. The modules and base are configured to allow a user to operate the lamp with different combinations of modules to generate a desired light output from the lamp. For example, the user can recreate the lumens equivalent of a 20 W, 40 W, or 60 W bulb by using one, two, or three modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Robert V. Steele, Jacqueline Teng, George Lerman
  • Publication number: 20190072820
    Abstract: Display devices (100) include a solid state-based light guide illumination device (101), one or more tertiary reflectors (170?), and a display panel (180?). The illumination device and tertiary reflectors provide a backlight for a display panel in the display device. Components of some of the disclosed displays are configured such that the one or two tertiary reflectors uniformly illuminate the rear of the display panel, so that all areas of the display panel have a uniform brightness when viewed by an observer, e.g., directly in front, and along an optical axis, of the display device. Moreover, components of some of the disclosed display devices are configured such that the rear of the display panel is uniformly illuminated regardless of whether the display panel receives the illumination from the illumination device directly, or from the one or two tertiary reflectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Inventors: Louis LERMAN, Allan Brent YORK
  • Publication number: 20190056088
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices are disclosed that are configured to output light provided by a light-emitting element (LEE). In general, embodiments of the light-emitting devices feature two or more light-emitting elements, a scattering element that is spaced apart from the light-emitting elements, an extractor element coupled to the scattering element, and a reflective element that is configured and arranged to reflect light emitted from the light-emitting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10203446
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light-emitting element (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end LEE light and to guide the light to the second end, such that divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier optically coupled to the light guide at the second end to receive the guided light, to modify the divergence of the guided light, such that the light provided by the light divergence modifier has a modified divergence different from the divergence of the guided light; and an optical extractor optically coupled to the light divergence modifier, to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20190041036
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices for general illumination utilizing solid state light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes) are disclosed. In general, the devices include a scattering element in combination with an extractor element. The scattering element, which may include elastic and/or inelastic scattering centers, is spaced apart from the light source element. Opposite sides of the scattering element have asymmetric optical interfaces, there being a larger refractive index mismatch at the interface facing the light emitting element than the interface between the scattering element and the extractor element. Such a structure favors forward scattering of light from the scattering element. In other words, the system favors scattering out of the scattering element into the extractor element over backscattering light towards the light source element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Roland H. Haitz, George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Louis Lerman
  • Publication number: 20190033510
    Abstract: A variety of illumination devices are disclosed that are configured to manipulate light provided by one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs). In general, embodiments of the illumination devices feature one or more optical couplers that redirect illumination from the LEEs to a reflector which then directs the light into a range of angles. In some embodiments, the illumination device includes a second reflector that reflects at least some of the light from the first reflector. In certain embodiments, the illumination device includes a light guide that guides light from the collector to the first reflector. The components of the illumination device can be configured to provide illumination devices that can provide a variety of intensity distributions. Such illumination devices can be configured to provide light for particular lighting applications, including office lighting, task lighting, cabinet lighting, garage lighting, wall wash, stack lighting, and downlighting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Robert C. Gardner, George Lerman, Louis Lerman, Christopher H. Lowery, Brian D. Ogonowsky, George E. Smith, Ingo Speier, Robert V. Steele, Jacqueline Teng, Allan Brent York, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20190027646
    Abstract: A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. A transparent top substrate is then formed over the bottom substrate. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. In one method, the top substrate contains a conductor pattern that connects to LED electrodes and conductors on the bottom substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Michael David Henry, Robert V. Steele, Brian D. Ogonowsky
  • Publication number: 20190018182
    Abstract: An illumination device includes light-emitting elements (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and to guide the received light to the second end; and an optical extractor coupled to the second end to receive the guided light. The optical extractor is formed from a transparent, solid material and includes a first output surface including a transmissive portion arranged and shaped to transmit a first portion of the guided light to the ambient in a forward angular range and a reflective portion arranged and shaped to reflect via TIR all the guided light incident on the reflective portion; and a second output surface arranged to transmit, to the ambient in a backward angular range, light reflected by the reflective portion of the first output surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 10180240
    Abstract: Illumination devices with adjustable optical elements configured to provide a variable illumination pattern of an area are described. The adjustable optical elements of the illumination devices can be traversed relative to a surface (e.g., a ceiling of a room) to vary the light distribution and/or intensity to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Tien-Man Ng, Ingo Speier, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20190003683
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices for general illumination utilizing solid state light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes) are disclosed. In general, the devices include a scattering element in combination with an extractor element. The scattering element, which may include elastic and/or inelastic scattering centers, is spaced apart from the light source element. Opposite sides of the scattering element have asymmetric optical interfaces, there being a larger refractive index mismatch at the interface facing the light emitting element than the interface between the scattering element and the extractor element. Such a structure favors forward scattering of light from the scattering element. In other words, the system favors scattering out of the scattering element into the extractor element over backscattering light towards the light source element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Roland H. Haitz, George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10162098
    Abstract: A luminaire includes (i) light-emitting elements (LEEs), (ii) couplers to receive light from the LEEs and to redirect the received light, and (iii) a light guide including input and output ends and a pair of opposing surfaces both extending along an axis of the light guide. The light guide receives light from the couplers at the input end and guides light along the axis to the output end. The luminaire includes (iv) a diffuser adjacent the light guide to diffuse at least a portion of the light output by the light guide, and (v) a reflector to receive the light emitted from the output end of the light guide, such that light output by the light guide without impinging on the diffuser impinges on only one of the surfaces of the reflector. When operated, the luminaire outputs light within first and second output angular ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Publication number: 20180364413
    Abstract: Illumination devices are described for illuminating a target area, e.g., floors of a room, using solid-state light sources. In general, an illumination device includes a first light guide extending along a first plane, the first light guide to receive light from first light emitting elements (LEEs) and guide the light in a first direction in the first plane; a second light guide extending along the first plane, the second light guide to receive light from second LEEs and guide the light in a second direction in the first plane opposite to the first direction; a first redirecting optic to receive light from the first light guide and direct the light in first and second angular ranges; and a second redirecting optic to receive light from the second light guide and direct the light in third and fourth angular ranges, where the first, second, third and fourth angular ranges are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Ingo Speier
  • Patent number: 10146002
    Abstract: The present technology relates to luminaires including light-emitting elements (LEEs), a luminaire module, and at least one optical modifier, where the optical modifier is arranged relative to the luminaire module to receive a fraction of light emitted by the LEEs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 10132466
    Abstract: A bidirectional light sheet including at least first and second arrays of bare LED chips having top and bottom electrodes, where the arrays of LEDs are sandwiched between at least two transparent substrates having conductors bonded to the electrodes without wires, forming light sheets to emit light from opposite surfaces of the light sheet to create a bidirectional light sheet. The light sheet may be suspended from a ceiling to be non-parallel to the ceiling A reflector or a plurality of lenses may be included in the light sheet to emit light at any peak intensity angle to achieve a predetermined light emission pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York
  • Patent number: 10132986
    Abstract: Illumination systems are described for illuminating a target area, e.g., a floor of a room, using active illumination devices in optical communication with passive illumination devices. The active and passive illumination devices of the illumination system are configured and arranged relative to each other in a variety of ways so a variety of intensity distributions can be provided by the illumination system. Such illumination system is implemented to provide light for particular lighting applications, including office lighting, garage lighting, or cabinet lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Robert C. Gardner, Ingo Speier, Allan Brent York