Patents by Inventor Robert William Lenig

Robert William Lenig 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: 9991075
    Abstract: A load control device may control power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source. The load control device may include a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, a zero-cross detect circuit configured to generate a zero-cross signal representative of the zero-crossings of an AC voltage. The zero-cross signal may be characterized by pulses occurring in time with the zero-crossings of the AC voltage. The load control device may include a control circuit operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device and the zero cross detect circuit. The control circuit may be configured to identify a rising-edge time and a falling-edge time of one of the pulses of the zero-cross signal, and may control a conductive state of the controllably conductive device based on the rising-edge time and the falling-edge time of the pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert William Lenig, Michael Sizemore, Joshua Wilson Thaler, Russell L. MacAdam
  • Patent number: 9307622
    Abstract: A three-way load control device may be coupled to a circuit including an AC power source, an electrical load, and an external single-pole double-throw (SPDT) three-way switch. The load control device may include a three-way switching circuit comprising an internal SPDT switch, a relay coupled to the internal SPDT switch, a turn-on delay circuit responsive to a voltage at a movable contact of the internal SPDT switch, and a turn-off delay circuit responsive to voltages at fixed contacts of the internal SPDT switch. The turn-on delay circuit renders the relay conductive after a turn-on delay from when either the internal SPDT switch or the external three-way switch is actuated to turn the electrical load on. The turn-off delay circuit renders the relay non-conductive after a turn-off delay from when either the internal SPDT switch or the external three-way switch is actuated to turn off the electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Robert William Lenig
  • Publication number: 20160057841
    Abstract: A three-way load control device may be coupled to a circuit including an AC power source, an electrical load, and an external single-pole double-throw (SPDT) three-way switch. The load control device may include a three-way switching circuit comprising an internal SPDT switch, a relay coupled to the internal SPDT switch, a turn-on delay circuit responsive to a voltage at a movable contact of the internal SPDT switch, and a turn-off delay circuit responsive to voltages at fixed contacts of the internal SPDT switch. The turn-on delay circuit renders the relay conductive after a turn-on delay from when either the internal SPDT switch or the external three-way switch is actuated to turn the electrical load on. The turn-off delay circuit renders the relay non-conductive after a turn-off delay from when either the internal SPDT switch or the external three-way switch is actuated to turn off the electrical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Robert William Lenig
  • Publication number: 20150098164
    Abstract: A load control device may control power delivered to an electrical load from an AC power source. The load control device may include a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection between the AC power source and the electrical load, a zero-cross detect circuit configured to generate a zero-cross signal representative of the zero-crossings of an AC voltage. The zero-cross signal may be characterized by pulses occurring in time with the zero-crossings of the AC voltage. The load control device may include a control circuit operatively coupled to the controllably conductive device and the zero cross detect circuit. The control circuit may be configured to identify a rising-edge time and a falling-edge time of one of the pulses of the zero-cross signal, and may control a conductive state of the controllably conductive device based on the rising-edge time and the falling-edge time of the pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Robert William Lenig, Michael Sizemore, Joshua Wilson Thaler, Russell L. MacAdam
  • Patent number: 6347028
    Abstract: A load control circuit having an overload circuit capable of protecting a switching element from overload conditions over a wide range of operating conditions. The overload circuit limits the maximum average power dissipation of the switching element in accordance with a comparison of an average voltage across the switching element over a half-cycle and a variable threshold. The variable threshold is determined based on an ON-state resistance of the switching element and the environment in which the switching elements are operating. The variable threshold accounts for the squared term (V2 or I2) in determining power dissipation and allows power to be determined based on average voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Donald F. Hausman, Jr., Walter Steven Zaharchuk, Robert William Lenig, Stuart DeJonge