Patents by Inventor Mark A. Taipale
Mark A. Taipale 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).
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Publication number: 20210344222Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew R. Blakeley, Johnathan P. Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Patent number: 11071186Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Publication number: 20200214109Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2020Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Mark Taipale, Mathew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Patent number: 10616973Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2017Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLCInventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Patent number: 9955547Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Publication number: 20180103525Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2017Publication date: April 12, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Patent number: 9392675Abstract: A two-way load control system comprises a power device, such as a load control device for controlling an electrical load receiving power from an AC power source, and a controller adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the power device. The load control system may be installed without requiring any additional wires to be run, and is easily configured without the need for a computer or an advanced commissioning procedure. The power device receives both power and communication over two wires. The controller generates a phase-control voltage and transmits a forward digital message to the power device by encoding digital information in timing edges of the phase-control voltage. The power device transmits a reverse digital message to the controller via the power wiring.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Mark Taipale, Timothy P. Gredler, Akshay Bhat
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Publication number: 20140265880Abstract: A two-way load control system comprises a power device, such as a load control device for controlling an electrical load receiving power from an AC power source, and a controller adapted to be coupled in series between the source and the power device. The load control system may be installed without requiring any additional wires to be run, and is easily configured without the need for a computer or an advanced commissioning procedure. The power device receives both power and communication over two wires. The controller generates a phase-control voltage and transmits a forward digital message to the power device by encoding digital information in timing edges of the phase-control voltage. The power device transmits a reverse digital message to the controller via the power wiring.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Mark Taipale, Timothy P. Gredler, Akshay Bhat
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Publication number: 20140265897Abstract: A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load may include a rectifier circuit configured to receive a phase-control voltage and produce a rectified voltage. A power converter may be configured to receive the rectified voltage at an input and generate a bus voltage. An input capacitor may be coupled across the input of the power converter. The input capacitor may be adapted to charge when the magnitude of the phase control voltage is approximately zero volts. The power converter may be configured to operate in a boost mode, such that the magnitude of the bus voltage is greater than a peak magnitude of the input voltage. The power converter may be configured to operate in a buck mode to charge the input capacitor from the bus voltage when the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is approximately zero volts.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventors: Mark Taipale, Matthew Robert Blakeley, Johnathan Paul Ross, Russell L. MacAdam
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Patent number: 8354803Abstract: A hybrid light source comprises a discrete-spectrum lamp (for example, a fluorescent lamp) and a continuous-spectrum lamp (for example, a halogen lamp). A control circuit individually controls the amount of power delivered to the discrete-spectrum lamp and the continuous-spectrum lamp in response to a phase-controlled voltage generated by a connected dimmer switch, such that a total light output of the hybrid light source ranges throughout a dimming range. The continuous-spectrum lamp is driven by a continuous-spectrum lamp drive circuit, which is operable to conduct a charging current of a power supply of the dimmer switch and to provide a path for enough current to flow through the hybrid light source, such that the magnitude of the current exceeds rated latching and holding currents of a thyristor of the dimmer.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2012Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Keith Joseph Corrigan, Aaron Dobbins, Mehmet Ozbek, Mark Taipale, Joel S. Spira
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Patent number: 8111008Abstract: A ballast having a microprocessor embedded therein is controlled via four inputs. The ballast includes a high-voltage phase-controlled signal provided by a dimmer and an infrared (IR) receiver through which the ballast can receive data signals from an IR transmitter. The ballast can also receive commands from other ballasts or a master control on the serial digital communication link, such as a DALI protocol link. The fourth input is an analog signal, which is simply a DC signal that linearly ranges in value from a predetermined lower limit to a predetermined upper limit, corresponding to the 0% to 100% dimming range of the load. The output stage of the ballast includes one or more FETs, which are used to control the current flow to the lamp. Based on these inputs, the microprocessor makes a decision on the intensity levels of the load and directly drives the FETs in the output stage.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2009Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Dragon Veskovic, Robert A. Anselmo, Mark A. Taipale, Matthew Skvoretz, Joel S. Spira
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Patent number: 7619539Abstract: A ballast having a microprocessor embedded therein is controlled via four inputs. The ballast includes a high-voltage phase-controlled signal provided by a dimmer and an infrared (IR) receiver through which the ballast can receive data signals from an IR transmitter. The ballast can also receive commands from other ballasts or a master control on the serial digital communication link, such as a DALI protocol link. The fourth input is an analog signal, which is simply a DC signal that linearly ranges in value from a predetermined lower limit to a predetermined upper limit, corresponding to the 0% to 100% dimming range of the load. The output stage of the ballast includes one or more FETs, which are used to control the current flow to the lamp. Based on these inputs, the microprocessor makes a decision on the intensity levels of the load and directly drives the FETs in the output stage.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2004Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Dragan Veskovic, Robert A. Anselmo, Mark Taipale, Matthew Skvoretz, Joel S. Spira
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Publication number: 20090273286Abstract: A ballast having a microprocessor embedded therein is controlled via four inputs. The ballast includes a high-voltage phase-controlled signal provided by a dimmer and an infrared (IR) receiver through which the ballast can receive data signals from an IR transmitter. The ballast can also receive commands from other ballasts or a master control on the serial digital communication link, such as a DALI protocol link. The fourth input is an analog signal, which is simply a DC signal that linearly ranges in value from a predetermined lower limit to a predetermined upper limit, corresponding to the 0% to 100% dimming range of the load. The output stage of the ballast includes one or more FETs, which are used to control the current flow to the lamp. Based on these inputs, the microprocessor makes a decision on the intensity levels of the load and directly drives the FETs in the output stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2009Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventors: Dragan Veskovic, Robert A. Anselmo, Mark Taipale, Matthew Skvoretz, Joel S. Spira
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Publication number: 20090273296Abstract: A ballast having a microprocessor embedded therein is controlled via four inputs. The ballast includes a high-voltage phase-controlled signal provided by a dimmer and an infrared (IR) receiver through which the ballast can receive data signals from an IR transmitter. The ballast can also receive commands from other ballasts or a master control on the serial digital communication link, such as a DALI protocol link. The fourth input is an analog signal, which is simply a DC signal that linearly ranges in value from a predetermined lower limit to a predetermined upper limit, corresponding to the 0% to 100% dimming range of the load. The output stage of the ballast includes one or more FETs, which are used to control the current flow to the lamp. Based on these inputs, the microprocessor makes a decision on the intensity levels of the load and directly drives the FETs in the output stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2009Publication date: November 5, 2009Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Dragan Veskovic, Robert A. Anselmo, Mark Taipale, Matthew Skvoretz, Joel S. Spira
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Patent number: 7312582Abstract: An electronic ballast for driving at least one lamp comprising a rectifying circuit operatively connectable to an AC line; a current drawing circuit connected across said rectifying circuit; and an inverter circuit connected to said rectifying circuit that supplies a lamp current to said at least one lamp; wherein said current drawing circuit draws current from said AC line when the instantaneous voltage of said AC line nears zero to reduce the total harmonic distortion of the input current drawn by said ballast.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2006Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Stuart DeJonge, Mark Taipale, Dominick Travaglini, Joel S. Spira
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Patent number: 7285919Abstract: An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp includes a rectifier, a valley-fill circuit, an inverter having first and second series-connected controllably conductive switches having complementary duty cycles, a control circuit for controlling the controllably conductive switches, and an independent cat ear power supply to provide power to the ballast control circuits. The result is a ballast having substantially improved power factor, THD, and current crest factor. In a preferred embodiment, the valley-fill circuit includes an energy storage device that stores energy in response to a controllably conductive switch. In an especially preferred embodiment, the controllably conductive switch of the valley-fill circuit is also one of the switches of the inverter.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2001Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Stuart DeJonge, Mark Taipale, Dominick Travaglini, Joel S. Spira
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Publication number: 20070188111Abstract: An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp avoids mercury pumping in the lamp by adaptively changing an operating frequency of an inverter of the ballast when operating near high-end. The inverter of the ballast generates a high-frequency AC voltage, which is characterized by the operating frequency and an operating duty cycle. The ballast also comprises a resonant tank for coupling the high-frequency AC voltage to the lamp to generate a present lamp current through the lamp, and a current sense circuit for determining the magnitude of the present lamp current. A hybrid analog/digital control circuit controls both the operating frequency and the operating duty cycle of the inverter with closed-loop techniques. The control circuit adjusts the duty cycle of the inverter in response to a target lamp current and the present lamp current. To avoid mercury pumping, the control circuit attempts to maximize the duty cycle of the inverter when operating at high-end.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2006Publication date: August 16, 2007Inventor: Mark Taipale
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Publication number: 20070132401Abstract: An electronic dimming ballast comprises a filament turn-off circuit for controlling the magnitudes of filament voltages supplied to the filaments of a gas discharge lamp. Each of a plurality of filament windings is directly coupled to one of the filaments and is operable to supply a small AC filament voltage to the filaments. The plurality of filament windings and a control winding are loosely magnetically coupled to a resonant inductor of an output circuit of the ballast. A controllably conductive device is coupled across the control winding. When the controllably conductive device is conductive, the voltage across the control winding and the filament windings falls to zero volts. The controllably conductive device is driven with a pulse-width modulated (PWM) signal so as to control the magnitudes of the filament voltages. The filament voltages are provided to the filaments before striking the lamp, and when dimming the lamp near low end.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2006Publication date: June 14, 2007Inventors: Brent Gawrys, Jecko Arakkal, Mark Taipale, Dragan Veskovic, Mark Fisher
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Publication number: 20060279221Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for measuring cathode fall within a fluorescent lamp that contains an electrode and a gas. A level of cathode fall associated with the electrode may be identified based on an intensity and wavelength of radiation emitted by the gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2006Publication date: December 14, 2006Inventors: John Waymouth, Robert Nachtrieb, Farheen Khan, Mark Hartfield, Mark Taipale, Renzo DeMeo, Russell MacAdam
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Publication number: 20060279224Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for measuring cathode fall within a fluorescent lamp that contains an electrode and a gas. A level of cathode fall associated with the electrode may be identified based on an intensity and wavelength of radiation emitted by the gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2006Publication date: December 14, 2006Inventors: John Waymouth, Robert Nachtrieb, Farheen Khan, Mark Hartfield, Mark Taipale, Renzo DeMeo, Russell MacAdam