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: 10107456
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Robert V. Steele, Jacqueline Teng, George Lerman
  • Publication number: 20180299100
    Abstract: A luminaire module delivers light with a beam angle of ?. The luminaire module includes a light emitting module and a reflector positioned symmetrically about an axis. Light produced by the light emitting module exits the light emitting module from one or more spatially-extended light emitting portions. The light emitting portion(s) is (are) fully contained within a spatially extended notional design envelope which is used to guide the design of reflector and its corresponding reflective surface, such that when any light exiting the light emitting portions through the design envelope strikes the reflective surface of the reflector, the light does not return to the source and escapes from the luminaire module within a beam angle ?, with no more than a single reflection from a reflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10094969
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and to guide the received light to the second end; an optical extractor optically coupled to the second end to receive the guided light, the optical extractor including a redirecting surface to reflect a first portion of the guided light, the reflected light being output by the optical extractor in a backward angular range, and the redirecting surface having one or more transmissive portions to transmit a second portion of the guided light in the forward direction; and one or more optical elements optically coupled to the transmissive portions, the optical elements to modify the light transmitted through the transmissive portions and to output the modified light in a forward angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau
  • Publication number: 20180210136
    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: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Robert C. Gardner, Ingo Speier, Allan Brent York
  • Publication number: 20180210140
    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: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    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: 20180196189
    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: March 9, 2018
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    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
  • Patent number: 9983345
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Allan Brent York, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Publication number: 20180106952
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and to guide the received light to the second end; an optical extractor optically coupled to the second end to receive the guided light, the optical extractor including a redirecting surface to reflect a first portion of the guided light, the reflected light being output by the optical extractor in a backward angular range, and the redirecting surface having one or more transmissive portions to transmit a second portion of the guided light in the forward direction; and one or more optical elements optically coupled to the transmissive portions, the optical elements to modify the light transmitted through the transmissive portions and to output the modified light in a forward angular range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau
  • Patent number: 9945534
    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: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York
  • Publication number: 20180100961
    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: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 9915410
    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: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 9891371
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 9863605
    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: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Roland H. Haitz, George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 9846272
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Ingo Speier
  • Publication number: 20170357048
    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: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 9822948
    Abstract: A luminaire module delivers light with a beam angle of ?. The luminaire module includes a light emitting module and a reflector positioned symmetrically about an axis. Light produced by the light emitting module exits the light emitting module from one or more spatially-extended light emitting portions. The light emitting portion(s) is (are) fully contained within a spatially extended notional design envelope which is used to guide the design of reflector and its corresponding reflective surface, such that when any light exiting the light emitting portions through the design envelope strikes the reflective surface of the reflector, the light does not return to the source and escapes from the luminaire module within a beam angle ?, with no more than a single reflection from a reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 9733414
    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: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Robert C. Gardner, Ingo Speier, Allan Brent York
  • Patent number: 9664839
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and to guide the received light to the second end; an optical extractor optically coupled to the second end to receive the guided light, the optical extractor including a redirecting surface to reflect a first portion of the guided light, the reflected light being output by the optical extractor in a backward angular range, and the redirecting surface having one or more transmissive portions to transmit a second portion of the guided light in the forward direction; and one or more optical elements optically coupled to the transmissive portions, the optical elements to modify the light transmitted through the transmissive portions and to output the modified light in a forward angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Hans Peter Stormberg, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau
  • Patent number: 9658382
    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: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Publication number: 20170138543
    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: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: Robert V. Steele, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Wilson Dau, Jacqueline Teng, George Lerman