Patents by Inventor Terry Given

Terry Given 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: 10264637
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a string of serially-connected light emitting devices and a bypass circuit coupled to first and second nodes of the string and configured to variably conduct a bypass current around at least one of the light-emitting devices responsive to a temperature and/or a total current in the string. In some embodiments, the bypass circuit includes a variable resistance circuit coupled to the first and second nodes of the string and configured to variably conduct the bypass current around the at least one of the light-emitting devices responsive to a control voltage applied to a control node and a compensation circuit coupled to the control node and configured to vary the control voltage responsive to a temperature and/or total string current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    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: 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: 9398654
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a first substrate including a switching circuit, the switching circuit including a first port, a second port and a current control circuit configured to generate a current at the second port of the current control circuit responsive to a varying voltage at the first port. The apparatus further includes a second substrate mounted on the first substrate and including at least two LEDs electrically coupled to the second port of the current control circuit of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 9131569
    Abstract: A diode selection circuit for a light emitting apparatus according to some embodiments includes a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in series. The diode selection circuit includes a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage, a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current to the plurality of light emitting diodes that is proportional to the rectified AC input signal, and a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20140268778
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a first substrate including a switching circuit, the switching circuit including a first port, a second port and a current control circuit configured to generate a current at the second port of the current control circuit responsive to a varying voltage at the first port. The apparatus further includes a second substrate mounted on the first substrate and including at least two LEDs electrically coupled to the second port of the current control circuit of the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 8742671
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a first substrate including a switching circuit, the switching circuit including a first port, a second port and a current control circuit configured to generate a current at the second port of the current control circuit responsive to a varying voltage at the first port. The apparatus further includes a second substrate mounted on the first substrate and including at least two LEDs electrically coupled to the second port of the current control circuit of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20130285564
    Abstract: A diode selection circuit for a light emitting apparatus according to some embodiments includes a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in series. The diode selection circuit includes a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage, a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current to the plurality of light emitting diodes that is proportional to the rectified AC input signal, and a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 8476836
    Abstract: A diode selection circuit for a light emitting apparatus according to some embodiments includes a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in series. The diode selection circuit includes a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage, a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current to the plurality of light emitting diodes that is proportional to the rectified AC input signal, and a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 8421372
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting control circuit comprising a duty cycle detection circuit, an averaging circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The duty cycle detection circuit generates a first periodic waveform having a duty cycle and frequency corresponding to an input waveform duty cycle and frequency. The averaging circuit generates a first signal having a voltage level corresponding to the duty cycle of the first periodic waveform. The waveform generator outputs a second periodic waveform having a frequency different from the input waveform frequency. The comparator circuit compares the second periodic waveform with the first signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to the input waveform duty cycle and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the second periodic waveform. Also, there are provided methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Jay Myers, Michael Harris, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20130026925
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a first substrate including a switching circuit, the switching circuit including a first port, a second port and a current control circuit configured to generate a current at the second port of the current control circuit responsive to a varying voltage at the first port. The apparatus further includes a second substrate mounted on the first substrate and including at least two LEDs electrically coupled to the second port of the current control circuit of the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 8115419
    Abstract: A lighting control circuit comprises a dimming level detection circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The dimming level detection circuit is configurable to generate a first voltage level signal corresponding to a selected one of at least two different types of dimming signals selected from among an AC phase cut dimming signal, a DC voltage level dimming signal or a PWM dimming signal. The waveform generator is configured to output a periodic waveform. The comparator circuit is configured to compare the periodic waveform with the first voltage level signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to a dimming level of the one of the at least two different input dimming signals and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the periodic waveform. Also, methods of controlling lighting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Given, Michael Harris, Peter Jay Myers
  • Publication number: 20110273102
    Abstract: A diode selection circuit for a light emitting apparatus according to some embodiments includes a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in series. The diode selection circuit includes a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage, a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current to the plurality of light emitting diodes that is proportional to the rectified AC input signal, and a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20110273095
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting control circuit comprising a duty cycle detection circuit, an averaging circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The duty cycle detection circuit generates a first periodic waveform having a duty cycle and frequency corresponding to an input waveform duty cycle and frequency. The averaging circuit generates a first signal having a voltage level corresponding to the duty cycle of the first periodic waveform. The waveform generator outputs a second periodic waveform having a frequency different from the input waveform frequency. The comparator circuit compares the second periodic waveform with the first signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to the input waveform duty cycle and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the second periodic waveform. Also, there are provided methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Jay Myers, Michael Harris, Terry Given
  • Patent number: 8040070
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting control circuit comprising a duty cycle detection circuit, an averaging circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The duty cycle detection circuit generates a first periodic waveform having a duty cycle and frequency corresponding to an input waveform duty cycle and frequency. The averaging circuit generates a first signal having a voltage level corresponding to the duty cycle of the first periodic waveform. The waveform generator outputs a second periodic waveform having a frequency different from the input waveform frequency. The comparator circuit compares the second periodic waveform with the first signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to the input waveform duty cycle and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the second periodic waveform. Also, there are provided methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Jay Myers, Michael Harris, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20110068701
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a string of serially-connected light emitting devices and a bypass circuit coupled to first and second nodes of the string and configured to variably conduct a bypass current around at least one of the light-emitting devices responsive to a temperature and/or a total current in the string. In some embodiments, the bypass circuit includes a variable resistance circuit coupled to the first and second nodes of the string and configured to variably conduct the bypass current around the at least one of the light-emitting devices responsive to a control voltage applied to a control node and a compensation circuit coupled to the control node and configured to vary the control voltage responsive to a temperature and/or total string current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Michael James Harris, Paul Kenneth Pickard, Joseph Paul Chobot, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20110068702
    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: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: Antony P. van de Ven, Gerald H. Negley, Paul Kenneth Pickard, Joseph Paul Chobot, Michael James Harris, Terry Given
  • Publication number: 20090184662
    Abstract: A lighting control circuit comprises a dimming level detection circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The dimming level detection circuit is configurable to generate a first voltage level signal corresponding to a selected one of at least two different types of dimming signals selected from among an AC phase cut dimming signal, a DC voltage level dimming signal or a PWM dimming signal. The waveform generator is configured to output a periodic waveform. The comparator circuit is configured to compare the periodic waveform with the first voltage level signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to a dimming level of the one of the at least two different input dimming signals and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the periodic waveform. Also, methods of controlling lighting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Cree LED Lighting Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry GIVEN, Michael HARRIS, Peter Jay MYERS
  • Publication number: 20090184666
    Abstract: There is provided a lighting control circuit comprising a duty cycle detection circuit, an averaging circuit, a waveform generator and a comparator circuit. The duty cycle detection circuit generates a first periodic waveform having a duty cycle and frequency corresponding to an input waveform duty cycle and frequency. The averaging circuit generates a first signal having a voltage level corresponding to the duty cycle of the first periodic waveform. The waveform generator outputs a second periodic waveform having a frequency different from the input waveform frequency. The comparator circuit compares the second periodic waveform with the first signal to generate an output waveform having a duty cycle corresponding to the input waveform duty cycle and a frequency corresponding to the frequency of the second periodic waveform. Also, there are provided methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Cree LED Lighting Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Jay MYERS, Michael Harris, Terry Given