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:
Jan. 01, 2013
Filed:
Jan. 18, 2007
Thomas J. Ribarich, Laguna Beach, CA (US);
Edgar Abdoulin, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
Thomas J. Ribarich, Laguna Beach, CA (US);
Edgar Abdoulin, Woodland Hills, CA (US);
International Rectifier Corporation, El Segundo, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and circuit are provided for matching the brightness of a plurality of lamps driven by an AC drive current. The method may comprise the steps of: determining a brightness of each of said plurality of lamps, while said plurality of lamps are on, by using a current sensing device; selecting a first lamp having a lowest brightness from said plurality of lamps; and reducing a brightness of a second lamp to match said lowest brightness of the first lamp by interrupting the AC drive current in said scond lamp periodically for a predetermined number of half-cycles of said AC drive current. According to another implementation, a reference brightness maybe selected, or optionally a reference AC current level, and the method may reduce the drive current periodically so as to set the lamp brightness in relation to the reference brightness or optionally the reference AC current level.