Patents by Inventor Marc Hoffknecht

Marc Hoffknecht 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: 9134714
    Abstract: The system helps facility managers and other users to efficiently navigate through a building or complex of buildings, and quickly gather information for (and control) individual building systems or groups of systems. A method includes displaying an image representing at least a portion of a building; and displaying a gradient indicator representing a parameter associated with a zone of the building, wherein the gradient indicator is displayed with the image in accordance with the zone for the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Stefan Warner, Deane VanLuven
  • Patent number: 9037918
    Abstract: Systems for helping identify faults on a bus, as well as to determine the topology of a bus network, are disclosed. A system according to one embodiment includes a bus interface for connecting to a bus and a switch coupled to the bus interface, the switch configured to alternate between an open state and a closed state. The system is connected to the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the closed state, and the system is disconnected from the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Publication number: 20150123575
    Abstract: A system according to various embodiments of the disclosure includes a bus and a plurality of devices coupled to the bus, the devices configured to communicate with each other via the bus. The system further includes a power supply coupled to the bus, the power supply for supplying power to the plurality of devices via the bus. The power supply is configured to detect an event, and in response to the event, alternately supply power to the plurality of devices via the bus at a first current level or at a second current level, the second current level less than the first current level. Among other things, embodiments in this disclosure help allow additional devices to be used on a bus, even where the total power consumption of the devices would normally exceed a maximum defined by a bus architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Publication number: 20140359373
    Abstract: Systems for helping identify faults on a bus, as well as to determine the topology of a bus network, are disclosed. A system according to one embodiment includes a bus interface for connecting to a bus and a switch coupled to the bus interface, the switch configured to alternate between an open state and a closed state. The system is connected to the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the closed state, and the system is disconnected from the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Patent number: 8843788
    Abstract: Systems for helping identify faults on a bus, as well as to determine the topology of a bus network, are disclosed. A system according to one embodiment includes a bus interface for connecting to a bus and a switch coupled to the bus interface, the switch configured to alternate between an open state and a closed state. The system is connected to the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the closed state, and the system is disconnected from the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Patent number: 8694817
    Abstract: A power supply according to various embodiments of the disclosure is configured to detect an event and, in response to the event, alternately supply power to a plurality of provided devices via a provided bus at a first current level or at a second current level, the second current level less than the first current level. Among other things, embodiments in this disclosure help allow additional devices to be used on a bus, even where the total power consumption of the devices would normally exceed a maximum defined by a bus architecture. Furthermore, various embodiments help allow a single gauge of wire to be used throughout a bus network (even where long lengths of wire are required) while still providing sufficient power to the devices connected to the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Patent number: 8658929
    Abstract: A switch according to various embodiments of the disclosure comprises a mechanical actuator configured to control a function associated with the switch and a face coupled to the actuator. The face is configured to depress in response to a force applied to at least a portion of the face, whereby depression of the face engages the actuator to control the function associated with the switch. The face includes a plurality of segments, each segment for controlling a respective additional function associated with the switch. A respective capacitive touch sensor is coupled to each respective segment of the plurality of segments, wherein each capacitive touch sensor is configured to control the function associated with its respective segment in response to detecting human skin in contact with the segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Peter Reist, Javier Orlando Rojas, Timothy J. Poupore, Steve Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20120323399
    Abstract: A system according to various embodiments of the disclosure includes a bus and a plurality of devices coupled to the bus, the devices configured to communicate with each other via the bus. The system further includes a power supply coupled to the bus, the power supply for supplying power to the plurality of devices via the bus. The power supply is configured to detect an event, and in response to the event, alternately supply power to the plurality of devices via the bus at a first current level or at a second current level, the second current level less than the first current level. Among other things, embodiments in this disclosure help allow additional devices to be used on a bus, even where the total power consumption of the devices would normally exceed a maximum defined by a bus architecture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Publication number: 20120318657
    Abstract: A switch according to various embodiments of the disclosure comprises a mechanical actuator configured to control a function associated with the switch and a face coupled to the actuator. The face is configured to depress in response to a force applied to at least a portion of the face, whereby depression of the face engages the actuator to control the function associated with the switch. The face includes a plurality of segments, each segment for controlling a respective additional function associated with the switch. A respective capacitive touch sensor is coupled to each respective segment of the plurality of segments, wherein each capacitive touch sensor is configured to control the function associated with its respective segment in response to detecting human skin in contact with the segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Peter Reist, Javier Orlando Rojas, Timothy J. Poupore, Steve Armstrong
  • Publication number: 20120324257
    Abstract: A power supply according to various embodiments of the disclosure is configured to detect an event and, in response to the event, alternately supply power to a plurality of provided devices via a provided bus at a first current level or at a second current level, the second current level less than the first current level. Among other things, embodiments in this disclosure help allow additional devices to be used on a bus, even where the total power consumption of the devices would normally exceed a maximum defined by a bus architecture. Furthermore, various embodiments help allow a single gauge of wire to be used throughout a bus network (even where long lengths of wire are required) while still providing sufficient power to the devices connected to the bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Publication number: 20120324296
    Abstract: Systems for helping identify faults on a bus, as well as to determine the topology of a bus network, are disclosed. A system according to one embodiment includes a bus interface for connecting to a bus and a switch coupled to the bus interface, the switch configured to alternate between an open state and a closed state. The system is connected to the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the closed state, and the system is disconnected from the bus via the bus interface when the switch is in the open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Javier Orlando Rojas, Liam John O'Hagan
  • Publication number: 20120293527
    Abstract: The system helps facility managers and other users to efficiently navigate through a building or complex of buildings, and quickly gather information for (and control) individual building systems or groups of systems. A method includes displaying an image representing at least a portion of a building; and displaying a gradient indicator representing a parameter associated with a zone of the building, wherein the gradient indicator is displayed with the image in accordance with the zone for the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Stefan Warner, Deane VanLuven
  • Publication number: 20120297346
    Abstract: The system helps facility managers and other users to efficiently navigate through a building or complex of buildings, and quickly gather information for (and control) individual building systems or groups of systems. A method includes displaying an image representing at least a portion of a building, wherein at least part of the image is a three-dimensional representation; and displaying a representation of a device associated with the building, wherein the representation of the device is selectable through the user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Stefan Warner, Deane VanLuven
  • Publication number: 20070061050
    Abstract: A lighting energy management system and method for controlling lighting fixtures in an area a, uses an energy control unit to receive information from the occupancy sources to determine an optimal brightness command for each lighting fixture using a coordinated system of zone and fixture representation. Each zone representation is associated with a physical or logical fixture representation is associated with a light fixture. Each zone representation ensures that lighting level is adjusted when a physical or logical zone is unoccupied. Each fixture representation receives and prioritizes the adjustment command from the first and second zone representations to determine the optimal brightness command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: Encelium Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Marc Hoffknecht
  • Patent number: D653627
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Peter Reist, Timothy J. Poupore, Steve Armstrong
  • Patent number: D654030
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Peter Reist, Timothy J. Poupore, Steve Armstrong
  • Patent number: D664101
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Hoffknecht, Peter Reist, Timothy J. Poupore, Steve Armstrong
  • Patent number: D723961
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Treadwell, Sabolch Feigler, Marc Hoffknecht