Patents by Inventor Reinhard Böckle

Reinhard Böckle 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: 9451673
    Abstract: A device is provided for controlling an illumination device (50), including a control circuit (110) having an input (102) for coupling to a network voltage conductor (30) and an output (104) for coupling to a supply voltage conductor (40) of the illumination device (50). The control circuit (110) is designed to supply a supply voltage and control signals modulated onto the supply voltage to the illumination device (50) via the output (104). A button (120) influences the generation of the control signals. The control circuit (110) produces an internal supply voltage (Vint) from a voltage which reduces between the input (102) and the output (104) of the control circuit. In the non-actuated state, the button (120) bypasses the input (102) and the output (104) of the control circuit (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Böckle
  • Patent number: 9179521
    Abstract: An operating device (1) for light-emitting device (5), where the operating device (1) has an interface circuit (2) and a drive circuit (3), where the interface circuit (2) generates an interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51) depending on a control signal (Vn, 10), and where the drive circuit (3) drives at least one light-emitting device (5) depending on the interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51). The control signal (Vn, 10) is an AC voltage control signal generated outside the operating device (1). The interface circuit (2) detects overshooting of an upper threshold value of only one of two half-waves of the control signal (Vn, 10), and the interface circuit (2) generates a first signal pulse (22, 55) in the interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51) for each detection of overshooting of an upper threshold value and identifies overshooting of a lower threshold value for the other half-wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Böckle
  • Patent number: 8996733
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for allocating an operating address to an operating device for luminous means, in which the operating address is transmitted to the operating device in digitally coded form via an interface which is configured to connect a light sensor. The operating address is allocated by a user using a handheld device to transmit optical digital signals to a light sensor or infrared sensor which is connected to the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Patrick Zueger, Andre Mitterbacher, Reto Sprenger, Markus Kuenzli, Reinhard Boeckle, Roger Kistler
  • Patent number: 8810148
    Abstract: In examples of the embodiment, a surge-proof interface circuit (100) comprises a rectifier circuit (20) which is configured to produce a rectified rectifier output voltage at the rectifier output terminals (20c, 20d), in accordance with a rectifier input voltage at the rectifier input terminals (20a, 20b), and a Darlington circuit (30) which comprises at least two transistors (Q3, Q4). Said Darlington circuit (30) comprises a current path (35) which can be controlled on the output side in accordance with a control signal (62) and said current path (35) which can be controlled on the output side is coupled between the rectifier output connections (20c, 20d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Tridonic GmbH and Co. KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Boeckle
  • Publication number: 20140103834
    Abstract: A device is provided for controlling an illumination device (50), including a control circuit (110) having an input (102) for coupling to a network voltage conductor (30) and an output (104) for coupling to a supply voltage conductor (40) of the illumination device (50). The control circuit (110) is designed to supply a supply voltage and control signals modulated onto the supply voltage to the illumination device (50) via the output (104). A button (120) influences the generation of the control signals. The control circuit (110) produces an internal supply voltage (Vint) from a voltage which reduces between the input (102) and the output (104) of the control circuit. In the non-actuated state, the button (120) bypasses the input (102) and the output (104) of the control circuit (110).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Böckle
  • Publication number: 20130293132
    Abstract: An operating device (1) for light-emitting device (5), where the operating device (1) has an interface circuit (2) and a drive circuit (3), where the interface circuit (2) generates an interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51) depending on a control signal (Vn, 10), and where the drive circuit (3) drives at least one light-emitting device (5) depending on the interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51). The control signal (Vn, 10) is an AC voltage control signal generated outside the operating device (1). The interface circuit (2) detects overshooting of an upper threshold value of only one of two half-waves of the control signal (Vn, 10), and the interface circuit (2) generates a first signal pulse (22, 55) in the interface signal (21, 31, 41, 51) for each detection of overshooting of an upper threshold value and identifies overshooting of a lower threshold value for the other half-wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Böckle
  • Patent number: 8358088
    Abstract: The transmission branch of an interface circuit has a transformer. On the input side there are applied to the transformer, for example from a controller, high-frequency impulses. The output side of the transformer controls a switch, such as for example a power transistor, which modulates the desired digital signals onto a connected bus line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Tridonic Atco GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Boeckle
  • Publication number: 20120102235
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for allocating an operating address to an operating device for luminous means, in which the operating address is transmitted to the operating device in digitally coded form via an interface which is configured to connect a light sensor. The operating address is allocated by a user using a handheld device to transmit optical digital signals to a light sensor or infrared sensor which is connected to the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: TRIDONIC GMBH & CO.KG
    Inventors: Patrick Zueger, Andre Mitterbacher, Reto Sprenger, Markus Kuenzli, Reinhard Boeckle, Roger Kistler
  • Patent number: 7733796
    Abstract: A method for the monitoring of transmissions in a transmission branch of a bidirectional interface, which besides the transmission branch has a reception branch standing in connection with the transmission branch, has the steps a) sending out of information by means of the transmission branch, and b) evaluation of defined characteristics of the sent information via the reception branch of the same interface, whereby preferably depending on the evaluation of the sent information a setting of parameters of the transmission branch is effected, so that future information is sent out with use of these parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: TridonicAtco GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Boeckle, Carsten Strietzel, Reinhold Juen
  • Publication number: 20090034420
    Abstract: A method for the monitoring of transmissions in a transmission branch of a bidirectional interface, which besides the transmission branch has a reception branch standing in connection with the transmission branch, has the steps a) sending out of information by means of the transmission branch, and b) evaluation of defined characteristics of the sent information via the reception branch of the same interface, whereby preferably depending on the evaluation of the sent information a setting of parameters of the transmission branch is effected, so that future information is sent out with use of these parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Reinhard Boeckle, Carsten Strietzel, Reinhold Juen
  • Publication number: 20090003417
    Abstract: The transmission branch of an interface circuit has a transformer. On the input side there are applied to the transformer, for example from a controller, high-frequency impulses. The output side of the transformer controls a switch, such as for example a power transistor, which modulates the desired digital signals onto a connected bus line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: TridonticAtco GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Reinhard Boeckle
  • Patent number: 6826059
    Abstract: A circuit and a method for controlling light emitting diodes (D1, D2) for illumination involve an inverter whose output frequency can be varied. The inverter includes two electronic switches (S1, S2) which convert an applied direct current voltage (Uo) into an alternating voltage. A load circuit is connected to the output of the inverter and includes a resonance element and at least one light emitting diode (D1, D2) whose brightness is controlled by altering the output frequency of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: TridonicAtco GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Böckle, Peter Hein
  • Patent number: 6400095
    Abstract: Process for the recognition of the rectifier effect appearing in a gas discharge lamp (G1, G2) and an electronic ballast, for the operation of gas discharge lamps (G1, G2), with which such a process finds employment. The electronic ballast includes a monitoring or control circuit (IC2) which monitors an operating parameter of a load circuit (E) of the electronic ballast, whereby this operating parameter corresponds to the lamp voltage or is dependent thereon. The monitoring circuit (IC2) integrates this monitored operating parameter over a full period and determines upon the presence of a rectifier effect if the integration result deviates from a predetermined integration desired value. Further, for the recognition of the rectifier effect, the duration of the positive and negative half-waves of the monitored parameter can be compared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Tridonic Bauelemente GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Primisser, Reinhard Böckle, Stefan Koch, Stefan Rhyner