Patents by Inventor Timothy James Herklots

Timothy James Herklots 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: 9072138
    Abstract: A color correcting device driver is configured to vary the equivalent current into light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) with the frequency of the AC input current (e.g., 120 Hz). In implementations that include a fly-back controller with a power factor correction (PFC) controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver performs the method of: 1) turning on the loads (e.g., white and CA strings of LEDs); 2) determining if the voltage supplied to the loads has dropped by a first threshold amount; 3) turning off the loads; and 4) determining if the voltage supplied to loads has recovered by a second threshold amount (or waiting for a fixed amount of time). The method is repeated. In implementations that do not include a PFC controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver can create a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Patent number: 9013110
    Abstract: In one novel aspect, driving a string of light emitting elements, such as LEDs, includes applying a drive signal to circuitry that regulates a voltage appearing at a source of a transistor whose drain is coupled to one end of the string of light emitting elements and whose source is coupled to ground through a resistive element. Sequencing of the drive signal and a voltage supply signal for the light emitting elements is controlled such that the voltage supply signal is not increased above a predetermined allowable voltage for the transistor until the transistor is turned on, and such that the supply voltage is not decreased below the allowable voltage for the transistor until the transistor is turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean S. Chen, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Patent number: 8952623
    Abstract: The disclosed multi-channel driver equalizer circuit matches currents in multiple strings of illumination devices at low current levels by using an analog equalizer to sequentially couple the output of a reference amplifier in series with each current source amplifier in a current limit loop of the driver equalizer circuit to correct the offsets of the current source amplifiers, resulting in the matching of string currents on average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Sean S. Chen, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Publication number: 20140055047
    Abstract: A color correcting device driver is configured to vary the equivalent current into light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) with the frequency of the AC input current (e.g., 120 Hz). In implementations that include a fly-back controller with a power factor correction (PFC) controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver performs the method of: 1) turning on the loads (e.g., white and CA strings of LEDs); 2) determining if the voltage supplied to the loads has dropped by a first threshold amount; 3) turning off the loads; and 4) determining if the voltage supplied to loads has recovered by a second threshold amount (or waiting for a fixed amount of time). The method is repeated. In implementations that do not include a PFC controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver can create a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Patent number: 8604699
    Abstract: The disclosed implementations utilize the voltage drop inherent in the device string to power a device control IC. In some implementations, current is drawn from the bottom of the device string and applied to a voltage supply pin of the device control IC. In some implementations, current is drawn from some other location in the device string (e.g., near the bottom or midpoint of the device string) using a switch. In some implementations, current is drawn from near the bottom and the bottom of the device string at different times, such that less current is drawn from the bottom of the device string as the duty cycle of the device string increases and more current is drawn from near the bottom of the device string as the duty cycle of the device string increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots, Charles Cai
  • Patent number: 8575863
    Abstract: A color correcting device driver is configured to vary the equivalent current into light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) with the frequency of the AC input current (e.g., 120 Hz). In implementations that include a fly-back controller with a power factor correction (PFC) controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver performs the method of: 1) turning on the loads (e.g., white and CA strings of LEDs); 2) determining if the voltage supplied to the loads has dropped by a first threshold amount; 3) turning off the loads; and 4) determining if the voltage supplied to loads has recovered by a second threshold amount (or waiting for a fixed amount of time). The method is repeated. In implementations that do not include a PFC controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver can create a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Publication number: 20130147358
    Abstract: The disclosed implementations utilize the voltage drop inherent in the device string to power a device control IC. In some implementations, current is drawn from the bottom of the device string and applied to a voltage supply pin of the device control IC. In some implementations, current is drawn from some other location in the device string (e.g., near the bottom or midpoint of the device string) using a switch. In some implementations, current is drawn from near the bottom and the bottom of the device string at different times, such that less current is drawn from the bottom of the device string as the duty cycle of the device string increases and more current is drawn from near the bottom of the device string as the duty cycle of the device string increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots, Charles Cai
  • Publication number: 20130134889
    Abstract: In one novel aspect, driving a string of light emitting elements, such as LEDs, includes applying a drive signal to circuitry that regulates a voltage appearing at a source of a transistor whose drain is coupled to one end of the string of light emitting elements and whose source is coupled to ground through a resistive element. Sequencing of the drive signal and a voltage supply signal for the light emitting elements is controlled such that the voltage supply signal is not increased above a predetermined allowable voltage for the transistor until the transistor is turned on, and such that the supply voltage is not decreased below the allowable voltage for the transistor until the transistor is turned off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean S. Chen, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Publication number: 20130113381
    Abstract: A color correcting device driver is configured to vary the equivalent current into light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) with the frequency of the AC input current (e.g., 120 Hz). In implementations that include a fly-back controller with a power factor correction (PFC) controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver performs the method of: 1) turning on the loads (e.g., white and CA strings of LEDs); 2) determining if the voltage supplied to the loads has dropped by a first threshold amount; 3) turning off the loads; and 4) determining if the voltage supplied to loads has recovered by a second threshold amount (or waiting for a fixed amount of time). The method is repeated. In implementations that do not include a PFC controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver can create a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Publication number: 20130099697
    Abstract: The disclosed multi-channel driver equalizer circuit matches currents in multiple strings of illumination devices at low current levels by using an analog equalizer to sequentially couple the output of a reference amplifier in series with each current source amplifier in a current limit loop of the driver equalizer circuit to correct the offsets of the current source amplifiers, resulting in the matching of string currents on average.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: ATMEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean S. Chen, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Patent number: 8373364
    Abstract: System(s) and method(s) are provide to efficiently assess performance of a set of light emitting diode (LED) strings in an illumination system. A multiplexer component collects input signal from the one or more LED strings via a first set of one or more monitoring pins, processes the collected input signal, and extracts at least one output signal. The at least one output signal is conveyed to a demultiplexer component through a second set of one or more monitoring pins, wherein the number of elements in the second set of monitoring pins is equal to or smaller than the number of monitoring pins in the first set. The collected input signal is processed in accordance with at least one mode of operation of the multiplexer component, the mode of operation autonomously configured by the demultiplexer component. The multiplexer component can autonomously generate intelligence on operating status of the set of LED strings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Hendrik Santo, Dilip Sangam, Timothy James Herklots, Kien Vi, Ronald William Young, Matthew D. Schindler
  • Publication number: 20130019039
    Abstract: A method for transmitting data on a data line of a two-wire bus wherein the bus includes a data line and a clock line includes the step of pulling the data line of the two-wire bus low to define a start condition. Next, a first group of fixed data bits enabling a slave device to determine a clock signal for an address portion of a transmission of data are transmitted between a master device and the slave device. An address of the slave device is transmitted from the master device in a second group of data bits. A third group of fixed data bits enabling the slave device to determine the clock signal for a data portion of the transmission of data between the master device and the slave device are transmitted from the master device to the slave device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: INTERSIL AMERICAS LLC
    Inventor: Timothy James HERKLOTS
  • Publication number: 20110156600
    Abstract: System(s) and method(s) are provide to efficiently assess performance of a set of light emitting diode (LED) strings in an illumination system. A multiplexer component collects input signal from the one or more LED strings via a first set of one or more monitoring pins, processes the collected input signal, and extracts at least one output signal. The at least one output signal is conveyed to a demultiplexer component through a second set of one or more monitoring pins, wherein the number of elements in the second set of monitoring pins is equal to or smaller than the number of monitoring pins in the first set. The collected input signal is processed in accordance with at least one mode of operation of the multiplexer component, the mode of operation autonomously configured by the demultiplexer component. The multiplexer component can autonomously generate intelligence on operating status of the set of LED strings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: MSILICA INC
    Inventors: Hendrik Santo, Dilip S, Timothy James Herklots, Kien Vi, Ronald William Young, Matthew D. Schindler