Patents by Inventor Mark Charles Fischer

Mark Charles Fischer 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: 7843139
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Gawrys, Jecko J. Arakkal, Mark S. Taipale, Dragan Veskovic, Mark Charles Fischer
  • Publication number: 20090273299
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Brent Gawrys, Jecko J. Arakkal, Mark S. Taipale, Dragan Veskovic, Mark Charles Fischer
  • Patent number: 7586268
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Gawrys, Jecko J. Arakkal, Mark S. Taipale, Dragan Veskovic, Mark Charles Fischer
  • Patent number: 6286127
    Abstract: A control circuit is provided which includes a single programmable terminal for controlling a plurality of modes, functions or parameters in a programmable circuit with a minimum of program elements connected to the single programmable terminal. The program elements may illustratively be resistors, capacitors, inductors or other circuit components. In a first mode, for example, two program elements control a signal generating function in the programmable circuit. In a second mode, a voltage provided internally forces a condition at the programmable terminal to control another signal generating function. In both first and second modes, the values of the program elements, selectable by the user, also determine the particular frequencies of the respective generated signals. In a third mode, the signals generated in the first and second modes are compared to provide a control function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ken Richard King, Mark Charles Fischer
  • Patent number: 6072708
    Abstract: A switching regulator device for charging applications includes a transformer (18) which receives an AC input signal from an AC source (12) which is then rectified with a bridge rectifier (24). A regulation control circuit (26) is provided for regulating the output level of the bridge circuit (24) to a load (20). The regulation circuit (26) includes a switching element (62) which is operable to draw current from the AC source (12) in a periodic manner. The on/off duty cycle of the control to the switching element (62) will allow energy to be stored in a leakage inductance (36) of the transformer (18). The transformer (18) therefore comprises the switching inductance of a switching power supply with the leakage inductance (36) designed to provide adequate regulation for the voltage and current supplied to the load (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Benchmarq Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Charles Fischer