Patents by Inventor Steven J. Kober
Steven J. Kober 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).
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Publication number: 20190141805Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2019Publication date: May 9, 2019Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Patent number: 10251231Abstract: A load control device (e.g., an LED driver) for controlling the intensity of a lighting load (e.g., an LED light source) may provide a wide output range and flicker-free adjustment of the intensity of the lighting load. The load control device may comprise a load regulation circuit, a control circuit, and a filter circuit (e.g., a boxcar filter circuit) that operates in a different manner in dependence upon a target current. When the intensity of the lighting load is near a low-end intensity, the control circuit may adjust an operating frequency of the load regulation circuit in response to the target current, and may control the filter circuit to filter a current feedback signal during a filter window that repeats on periodic basis. When the intensity of the lighting load is near a high-end intensity, the control circuit may control the filter circuit to constantly filter the current feedback signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2018Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventors: Stuart W. DeJonge, Steven J. Kober, Mark S. Taipale
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Publication number: 20190098716Abstract: A load control device (e.g., an LED driver) for controlling the intensity of a lighting load (e.g., an LED light source) may provide a wide output range and flicker-free adjustment of the intensity of the lighting load. The load control device may comprise a load regulation circuit, a control circuit, and a filter circuit (e.g., a boxcar filter circuit) that operates in a different manner in dependence upon a target current. When the intensity of the lighting load is near a low-end intensity, the control circuit may adjust an operating frequency of the load regulation circuit in response to the target current, and may control the filter circuit to filter a current feedback signal during a filter window that repeats on periodic basis. When the intensity of the lighting load is near a high-end intensity, the control circuit may control the filter circuit to constantly filter the current feedback signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Stuart W. DeJonge, Steven J. Kober, Mark S. Taipale
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Patent number: 10219337Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Publication number: 20180376556Abstract: A load control device for regulating an average magnitude of a load current conducted through an electrical load may operate in different modes. The load control device may comprise a control circuit configured to activate an inverter circuit during an active state period and deactivate the inverter circuit during an inactive state period. In one mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the inactive state period while keeping the active state period constant. In another mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the active state period while keeping the inactive state period constant. In yet another mode, the control circuit may keep a duty cycle of the inverter circuit constant and regulate the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a target load current conducted through the electrical load.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Kober
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Publication number: 20180302962Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Patent number: 10098196Abstract: A load control device for regulating an average magnitude of a load current conducted through an electrical load may operate in different modes. The load control device may comprise a control circuit configured to activate an inverter circuit during an active state period and deactivate the inverter circuit during an inactive state period. In one mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the inactive state period while keeping the active state period constant. In another mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the active state period while keeping the inactive state period constant. In yet another mode, the control circuit may keep a duty cycle of the inverter circuit constant and regulate the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a target load current conducted through the electrical load.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.Inventor: Steven J. Kober
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Publication number: 20180249543Abstract: A load control device may be configured to turn on lighting loads to obtain a fast turn-on time that may be substantially consistent across lighting loads that have different load voltages. The load control device may comprise a power converter circuit configured to produce a voltage across a capacitor, and a control circuit configured to control the power converter circuit to generate the voltage across the capacitor. The control circuit may determine a learned voltage from the magnitude of the voltage across the capacitor. For example, the control circuit may measure the magnitude of the voltage and store the measured voltage as the learned voltage. The control circuit may determine an operating parameter for the power converter circuit as a function of the learned voltage, and control the power converter circuit according to the operating parameter to charge the capacitor until the magnitude of the voltage exceeds a threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2018Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Steven J. Kober, Soma Sekhara Roa Konijeti, Rajesh Krishna Thottumkara, Keertana Veeranki
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Patent number: 10009969Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2017Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Publication number: 20180084616Abstract: A load control device for regulating an average magnitude of a load current conducted through an electrical load may operate in different modes. The load control device may comprise a control circuit configured to activate an inverter circuit during an active state period and deactivate the inverter circuit during an inactive state period. In one mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the inactive state period while keeping the active state period constant. In another mode, the control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the active state period while keeping the inactive state period constant. In yet another mode, the control circuit may keep a duty cycle of the inverter circuit constant and regulate the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a target load current conducted through the electrical load.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventor: Steven J. Kober
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Publication number: 20170150561Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether an LED driver for an LED light source is responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected LED driver and/or LED light source. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the LED driver and/or LED light source using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the LED driver and/or LED light source is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2017Publication date: May 25, 2017Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Patent number: 9595880Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether the electrical loads (e.g., drivers for lighting loads) are responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected driver and/or lighting load. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the connected driver and/or lighting load using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the driver and/or lighting load is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONIC CO., INC.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III
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Publication number: 20160028320Abstract: A control module is able to be installed with electrical devices, such as, for example electrical loads (e.g., lighting loads) and/or load regulation devices. The control module may determine whether the electrical loads (e.g., drivers for lighting loads) are responsive to one or more of a plurality of control techniques. The control module may be able to automatically determine an appropriate control technique to use to control the connected driver and/or lighting load. The control module may sequentially attempt to control the connected driver and/or lighting load using each of the plurality of control techniques and determine if the driver and/or lighting load is responsive to the present control technique. The plurality of control techniques may include one or more analog control techniques and one or more digital control techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.Inventors: Galen Edgar Knode, Steven J. Kober, Daniel Curtis Raneri, Richard M. Walsh, III