Patents by Inventor Phillip R. Whitt

Phillip R. Whitt 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).

  • Electronic ballast having current waveform control within the half wave
    Patent number: 8076866
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include an electronic ballast and method for controlling current through a lamp to produce various current waveforms through the lamp. In one embodiment, the ballast samples and adjusts the current through the lamp on a micro-second time scale within each half-cycle of the current waveform (i.e., at least twice within a period of a reference waveform). The ballast can accommodate different lamp types, provide arbitrary current waveforms, operate a lamp at multiple power levels, and provide power to the lamp as a function of an operational state of a lamp. For example, in one embodiment, the ballast increases power to the lamp and adjusts the current waveform provided to the lamp as the lamp ages to minimize luminous flux loss caused by darkening of lamp walls and changes in lamp chemistry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: OSRAM Sylania Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip R. Whitt, Alan L. Lenef
  • ELECTRONIC BALLAST HAVING CURRENT WAVEFORM CONTROL WITHIN THE HALF WAVE
    Publication number: 20100171438
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention include an electronic ballast and method for controlling current through a lamp to produce various current waveforms through the lamp. In one embodiment, the ballast samples and adjusts the current through the lamp on a micro-second time scale within each half-cycle of the current waveform (i.e., at least twice within a period of a reference waveform). The ballast can accommodate different lamp types, provide arbitrary current waveforms, operate a lamp at multiple power levels, and provide power to the lamp as a function of an operational state of a lamp. For example, in one embodiment, the ballast increases power to the lamp and adjusts the current waveform provided to the lamp as the lamp ages to minimize luminous flux loss caused by darkening of lamp walls and changes in lamp chemistry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: OSRAM SYLVANIA INC.
    Inventors: Phillip R. Whitt, Alan L. Lenef