| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090261746 | CONTROL OF LIGHT INTENSITY USING PULSES OF A FIXED DURATION AND FREQUENCY - A method and circuit to control the intensity of lights, illumination fixtures, and displays using pulses of a fixed duration and a fixed frequency (FD/FF) is provided. In particular, the method may be used to control one more light sources. By varying the number of pulses in a control burst, the total current flowing through the light source may be precisely controlled providing greater accuracy than other methods, such as, for example, PWM or variable pulse frequency. The FD/FF technique may be used in conjunction with any number of light sources, and finds particular application in LED displays and for any type of LED illumination fixture. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20100072907 | Power Line Preconditioner for Improved LED Intensity Control - A switched preconditioner circuit is provided at the power input end of a light source to effectively drop the voltage of the light source to zero volts whenever the light source is required to be in an OFF state thereby eliminating the problem of unwanted current through the light source. The preconditioner circuit may include a terminal connected to a first power potential, a terminal connected to a power node at the power input end of the light source, and an input to receive a preconditioner control signal to place the preconditioner circuit in one of an ON state and an OFF state. The preconditioner circuit supplies the voltage to the power node in its ON state and effectively eliminates the voltage to the power node in its OFF state. The preconditioner circuit also may include a bleed path connected between the power node and a second or ground potential to shunt all power supplied to the power node when the preconditioner circuit input receives a signal to place the preconditioner circuit in the OFF state. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100231699 | 3D VIDEO SCREEN WITH POLARIZED PANEL - Screens for three-dimensional (3D) viewing are described that can include a plurality of light sources used as a video screen in conjunction with a switching polarization filter or panel. The polarization panel can be used to synchronize the left and right views interleaved on the screen. Separate left and right video signals can be interleaved into a single continuous digital video signal, for example a DVI signal, which can be displayed by the video screen. By switching the polarization panels in front of the video screen in synchronization with the interleaved data, the images can be directed to the left and right eye of a viewer. A processor can be used to accomplish the interleaving of the signals while providing the necessary synchronization signal for the polarizing screen. Related methods are also described. The light sources can include LEDs, plasma screen, LCD screen, and spatially discrete sub groups of such. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100231700 | 3D SCREEN WITH MODULAR POLARIZED PIXELS - Modular light source are described with polarized states and a video screen including a matrix of the modular light sources. Each modular light source may constitute a pixel of the screen. Each pixel may be controlled to emit light in a polarized state. As a result, the screen may generate images with different polarities at any pixel, at any time, in addition to generating non-polarized pixels or images if desired. Using a viewing device, such as glasses, having a lenses with different polarization characteristics, a viewer may perceive an image generated by the screen as having three dimensions. Related methods and computer program products are also described. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100244929 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING ELECTRICAL POWER TO DC LOADS - Fixed Frequency, Fixed Duration power controls methods and systems are described for application of power to electrical loads. FFFD techniques according to the present disclosure utilize power train pulses with fixed-frequency fixed-duration pulses to control power applied to a load. The load can be any type of DC load. FFFD techniques allows for controlled variation of the fixed length of the ON pulse, the Fixed length of the OFF or recovery period, the total time period for one cycle, and/or the number of pulses in that time period. Applications to electric motors, electric lighting, and electric heating are described. Related circuits are also described. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100264313 | Lighting Techniques for Wirelessly Controlling Lighting Elements - Disclosed are lighting techniques, including systems, apparatus, and methods, that employ optical transmission of two-dimensional control signals to manipulate lighting elements. The lighting apparatus can include a projector with an IR LED array to wirelessly transmit pixel information onto a target space. The pixel information controls lighting elements within the target space. The two-dimensional control signals can includes subareas corresponding to lighting elements in a control array. The lighting elements can be lights of desired wavelengths including infrared and/or visible wavelengths. LEDs can be used as light sources in exemplary embodiments. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100264314 | Lighting Techniques for Wirelessly Controlling Lighting Elements - Disclosed are lighting techniques, including systems, apparatus, and methods, that employ optical transmission of two-dimensional control signals to manipulate lighting elements. The lighting apparatus can include a projector with an IR LED array to wirelessly transmit pixel information onto a target space. The pixel information controls lighting elements within the target space. The two-dimensional control signals can includes subareas corresponding to lighting elements in a control array. The lighting elements can be lights of desired wavelengths including infrared and/or visible wavelengths. LEDs can be used as light sources in exemplary embodiments. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100265100 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTELLIGENT LIGHTING - Systems and methods are disclosed for the intelligent lighting of large areas and structures such as parking garages. Ultrasonic distance measuring sensors can be used to obtain occupancy data for the area or structure, such as a parking garage, and to control the intensities of the individual lights in the system for energy conservation. Persons in the area, e.g. parking their cars, can be shown the path to the exit by specific preset intensity level and/or color of light. In parking garage embodiments, persons in the process of parking their cars are shown the empty spots by lights of a specific intensity and/or color. The addition of passive infrared motion detectors enables the system to illuminate the area around a moving person, and alarm if a person is behaving unexpectedly. A controller can communicate with sensors and/or lighting elements by wireless or wire (cable) communication. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20110106350 | TRACTION SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICALLY POWERED VEHICLES - Fixed frequency, fixed duration pulse streams are used to control power switches for one or more electrical motors of electrically powered vehicles or hybrid vehicles having one or more electric motors. The advantages of a pulse system are increased power efficiency and system simplicity over analog systems. The capability of system calibration with a single pulse allows the system to be used under any conditions, and real time adaptation to changes in conditions. Such system and methods provide much improved acceleration over other electrical systems, by making the best use of the coefficient of starting or static friction. The systems and methods provide a non slip traction control system, and the use of an off state in the pulse stream is superior to the use of braking systems for the same purpose, which waste power and cause mechanical wear. In addition, related computer program products are described. | 05-05-2011 |
