The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 17, 2012
Filed:
Aug. 06, 2009
Kentarou Murakami, Shizuoka, JP;
Masayasu Ito, Shizuoka, JP;
Kentarou Murakami, Shizuoka, JP;
Masayasu Ito, Shizuoka, JP;
Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A dimming control systemincludes: light source units each having a respective LED; and a control unit connected to the light source units via power supply lines. The control unit is connected to each of the light source units in series. The control unit includes: switch portions that control dimming of the LEDs by repeating an ON/OFF operation in a predetermined cycle; current detection circuits and voltage detection circuits that detect a current or a voltage supplied via the power supply lines; and a CPU that determines there is an abnormality in the power supply lines or the light source units when a value of the detected current or voltage exceeds a predetermined range while the switch portions are ON.