Patents by Inventor Michael James Harris

Michael James Harris 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).

  • Publication number: 20180220514
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventor: Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9980350
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a module for adding a defined functionality to a lighting fixture. In one embodiment, the module is configured to provide wireless communication capability to a lighting fixture. The module may include a housing that is removably attachable to the lighting fixture. The module may also include electronics that are contained within the housing and adapted to communicate with a driver module of the lighting fixture and wirelessly communicate with at least one remote entity to provide wireless communication capability to the lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Harris, Spencer Scott Pratt
  • Patent number: 9967928
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes a driver module and a separate light engine module, which has a solid-state light source and light engine memory. The driver module is electrically coupled to the light engine module and configured to drive the solid-state light source based on drive data. The drive data defines how the driver module should drive the solid-state light source to generate light with at least one defined lighting characteristic. The drive data may define or be used to identify the signal characteristics, such as drive currents, voltages, waveforms, and the like that must be provided by the driver module to drive the solid-state light source. The drive data is stored in the light engine memory of the light engine module, and the driver module is configured to retrieve the drive data from the light engine memory and drive the solid-state light source based on the drive data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael James Harris
  • Publication number: 20180041681
    Abstract: An LED-based lighting fixture sets or adjusts a parameter of a drive signal that is used to drive its LEDs to be more compatible with the camera system; the camera system sets or adjusts an image capture parameter to be more compatible with the LED-based lighting fixture, or a combination thereof. The drive signal may be a PWM signal with a variable PWM frequency and/or duty cycle, a variable DC signal, or any combination thereof. The parameter of the drive signal that may be set or adjusted includes, but is not limited to, a PWM period, PWM frequency, PWM duty cycle, amplitude of the active and inactive portions of the PWM signal, and the like. The image capture parameter that may be adjusted includes, but is not limited to, frame rate, frame period, integration time, gain, shutter type (i.e. rolling shutter, global shutter, etc.), and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Daniel J. Pope, Michael James Harris, John Roberts, Ashish Ekbote, Robert D. Underwood
  • Publication number: 20180042092
    Abstract: A fixture configuration module comprises range control circuitry and fixture control circuitry. The range control circuitry is configured to store a range of a lighting parameter. The range identifies at least a subset of values of the lighting parameter supported by the light fixture to produce light. The fixture control circuitry is communicatively coupled to the range control circuitry and is configured to control the light fixture to produce the light in accordance with the range stored by the range control circuitry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Bowser, John Roberts, Kory Liszt, Michael James Harris, Paul Pickard
  • Publication number: 20180014394
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9795016
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9713211
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a string with a plurality of serially-connected light emitting device sets, each set comprising at least one light emitting device. The apparatus further includes at least one controllable bypass circuit configured to variably bypass current around at least one light emitting device of a set of the plurality of light emitting device sets responsive to a control input. The control input may include, for example, a temperature input, a string current sense input and/or an adjustment input. The control input may be varied, for example, to adjust a color point of the string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Michael James Harris, Paul Kenneth Pickard, Joseph Paul Chobot, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 9699856
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes an outer frame, a solid-state light source, a lens, and a sensor module connector. Driver circuitry is coupled to the outer frame and provides one or more drive signals for powering the light source. The lens is supported by and attached to the outer frame. The solid-state light source is mounted to the outer frame and at least partially surrounded by the lens, such that at least a portion of the light provided by the solid-state light source is transmitted through the lens towards an area of interest. The sensor module connector is mounted to the outer frame and configured to accept a connector from a sensor module such that when the sensor module is installed in the lighting fixture, a surface of the sensor module faces the area of interest towards which light from the solid-state light source is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: John Roberts, James Michael Lay, Michael James Harris, Randy Bernard, Nathan R. Snell, Ethan Creasman
  • Publication number: 20170150584
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9572226
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting fixture that includes a driver module and at least one other module that provides a lighting fixture function, such as a sensor function, lighting network communication function, gateway function, and the like. The driver module communicates with the other modules in a master/slave scheme over a communication bus. The driver module is configured as a slave communication device, and the other modules are configured as master communication devices. As such, the other modules may initiate communications with the driver to send information to or retrieve information from the driver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnold Motley, Joseph P. Chobot, Daniel J. Pope, John J. Trainor, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 9474111
    Abstract: A solid state lighting apparatus can include a first string of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) that is configured to operate in response to a rectified ac voltage having a cycle including a null time interval when the first string is off and a second string of LEDs, that is separate from the first string of LEDs, and can be configured to emit light during at least a portion of the null time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael James Harris
  • Publication number: 20160286619
    Abstract: A lighting fixture includes an outer frame, a solid-state light source, a lens, and a sensor module connector. Driver circuitry is coupled to the outer frame and provides one or more drive signals for powering the light source. The lens is supported by and attached to the outer frame. The solid-state light source is mounted to the outer frame and at least partially surrounded by the lens, such that at least a portion of the light provided by the solid-state light source is transmitted through the lens towards an area of interest. The sensor module connector is mounted to the outer frame and configured to accept a connector from a sensor module such that when the sensor module is installed in the lighting fixture, a surface of the sensor module faces the area of interest towards which light from the solid-state light source is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: John Roberts, James Michael Lay, Michael James Harris, Randy Bernard, Nathan R. Snell, Ethan Creasman
  • Patent number: 9383088
    Abstract: A lighting device is disclosed comprising a plurality of light emitters and a heat spreader plate thermally coupled to the plurality of light emitters, wherein the plurality of solid state emitters provides a thermal load upon application of an operating current and voltage, the heat spreader plate dissipating substantially all of the thermal load to an ambient air environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Kenneth Pickard, Nicholas W. Medendorp, Jr., Michael James Harris, James Michael Lay
  • Patent number: 9345091
    Abstract: Light emitting device (LED) light fixture control systems and related methods are disclosed. A system and method in one aspect can include at least one LED configured to emit light at an illumination output level and at least one light sensor configured to measure the illumination output level of light emitted by the LED. A system and method can also include a control unit configured to detect the illumination output level emitted by the at least one LED falling below an original illumination output level and to increase the illumination output level by the at least one LED to produce a predetermined lighting level associated with the original illumination output level in an area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul K. Pickard, Michael James Harris, Gary D. Trott
  • Publication number: 20150264780
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, a lighting fixture is configured as a power over Ethernet (PoE) powered device (PD), which is capable of facilitating Ethernet-based communications with and receiving power from a PoE device, such as a PoE switch, over a single cable. In a second embodiment, a lighting fixture is configured as a PoE power source equipment (PSE) device, which is capable of facilitating Ethernet-based communications with and supplying power to one or more control elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventors: Michael James Harris, Nicholas William Medendorp, JR., James McBryde, Jennifer West
  • Publication number: 20150195883
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, a lighting fixture is configured as a power over Ethernet (PoE) powered device (PD), which is capable of facilitating Ethernet-based communications with and receiving power from a PoE device, such as a PoE switch, over a single cable. In a second embodiment, a lighting fixture is configured as a PoE power source equipment (PSE) device, which is capable of facilitating Ethernet-based communications with and supplying power to one or more control elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Michael James Harris, Nicholas William Medendorp, JR.
  • Patent number: 8975827
    Abstract: A lighting network where control of the lighting fixtures in the network may be distributed among the lighting fixtures. The lighting fixtures may be broken into groups that are associated with different lighting zones. Certain lighting fixtures will have or be associated with one or more sensors, such as occupancy sensors, ambient light sensors, and the like. Within the lighting network or the various lighting zones, lighting fixtures may share sensor data. Each lighting fixture may process sensor data provided by its own sensor, a remote standalone sensor, or lighting fixture, and process the sensor data according to the lighting fixture's own internal logic to control operation. The lighting fixtures may also receive control input from other lighting fixtures, control nodes, light switches, and commissioning tools. The control input may be processed along with the sensor data according to the internal logic to further enhance control of the lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph P. Chobot, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: 8890414
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a lighting module wherein a DC-DC converter and an LED module are provided as an integral part of the lighting module, and an AC-DC module is provided separately from the lighting module. The AC-DC module is effectively a remote power supply that can be easily replaced without having to replace, reconfigure, or otherwise modify the lighting module. With this configuration, the DC-DC module may be tuned for the particular LED module of the lighting module, and in the case of a failure of the AC-DC module, the AC-DC module can be replaced without having to replace or retune the DC-DC module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Rowlette, Jr., Ashish Ekbote, Michael James Harris
  • Patent number: D744669
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael James Harris, Spencer Scott Pratt