Dan E Rothenbuhler

US Patent:

20130058695, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Sep 1, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/224010

Inventors:

Clinton Jensen - Caldwell ID, US
Dan Rothenbuhler - Boise ID, US
Linden M. Boice - Boise ID, US

International Classification:

B41J 11/44
H05K 7/20

US Classification:

400 76, 361720

Abstract:

A printed circuit assembly includes a printed circuit board, a heat generating component attached to the printed circuit board at a first location, a formed conductive substrate including a protrusion extending toward the printed circuit board corresponding to the heat generating component, and a thermally conductive pad disposed between the printed circuit board and the protrusion of the formed substrate. The formed conductive substrate is configured to flex the protrusion to relieve stress at the heat generating component attachment.

US Patent:

20130176399, Jul 11, 2013

Filed:

Nov 29, 2010

Appl. No.:

13/822235

Inventors:

Dan Rothenbuhler - Boise ID, US
Peter Majewicz - Boise ID, US
Kenneth K. Smith - Boise ID, US

Assignee:

HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P. - Houston TX

International Classification:

H04N 13/02

US Classification:

348 46

Abstract:

A system includes a light source configured to illuminate a subject with a pattern, a first optical sensor configured to capture a first pattern image and a first object image of the subject, and a processing unit configured to determine elevation data of the subject based on the first pattern image and create a three-dimensional image file based on the first object image and the elevation data of the subject.

US Patent:

57083304, Jan 13, 1998

Filed:

Sep 19, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/530563

Inventors:

Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID
Samuel A. Johnson - Eagle ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

H05B 3700

US Classification:

315244

Abstract:

A voltage-boosting and current-regulating circuit delivers energy from a high voltage resonant circuit source to a fluorescent lamp. A controllable switch is connected in series with the lamp cathodes and is triggered into conduction during a predetermined conductive time interval within each half-cycle of current conducted through the plasma from the resonant circuit. A charging current which flows during the conductive time interval stores energy in the resonant circuit which is subsequently released as a boosted voltage and as increased current flow through the plasma. The boosted voltage allows higher efficiency illumination lamps to the used, and regulation of the conductive time interval achieves the optimal current conduction through the lamp.

US Patent:

55043984, Apr 2, 1996

Filed:

Mar 16, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/404880

Inventors:

Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

H05B 3702

US Classification:

315209R

Abstract:

A control module controls the illumination intensity of a fluorescent lamp. A controller controls a switch to conduct current through cathodes of the lamp, and the switch ceases conducting current when commutated into non-conduction. The switch is triggered into conduction at a predetermined extinguishing point within and prior to the end of each half-cycle of applied AC current. The switch is thereafter commutated into non-conduction at a predetermined ignition point when the applied AC current reaches a predetermined level near the zero crossing point of each half-cycle of applied AC current. The current level at commutation creates a sufficiently high di/dt effect to cause an ignition pulse of voltage from the ballast across the lamp cathodes sufficient to ignite the ionized medium into an illumination plasma. The switch extinguishes the plasma. The illumination intensity of the lamp is related to the time between the ignition point and the extinguishing point.

US Patent:

59558474, Sep 21, 1999

Filed:

Mar 2, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/033503

Inventors:

Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

H05B 3702

US Classification:

315289

Abstract:

The illumination intensity of a fluorescent lamp which has cathodes and an ionizable medium separating the cathodes is controlled by a method in which the lamp is ignited once during each half-cycle of applied AC current and is thereafter extinguished during that same half-cycle. The lamp is ignited by creating and applying an ignition voltage pulse of a magnitude greater than a characteristic operating voltage of the ionizable medium between the lamp cathodes. The lamp is extinguished by reducing the voltage between the cathodes to a value less than the operating voltage, at a point prior to a zero crossing of the applied AC current half-cycle in which the lamp was illuminated. Because the extinguishing point occurs prior to the end of the applied AC current half-cycle, the illumination intensity is reduced during each half cycle. The characteristics of the ignition pulse reliably ignite the lamp, thereby allowing extinguishing control on a half-cycle by half-cycle basis. The current which flows through the cathodes between the occurrence of the extinguishing point and the ignition point in each applied AC current half-cycle keeps the cathodes warm.

US Patent:

57571457, May 26, 1998

Filed:

Mar 15, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/616541

Inventors:

Samuel A. Johnson - Eagle ID
Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

G05F 100

US Classification:

315308

Abstract:

The illumination intensity of a fluorescent lamp is controlled in response to control signals generated at a remote location on the power supply conductors of a lamp circuit and decoding those control signals at the fluorescent lamp to control the illumination intensity. A dimming controller is connected in the lamp circuit remote from the lamp and generates first and second control signals indicative of a request to increase or decrease, respectively, the lamp illumination intensity. The control module is connected in the lamp circuit to fluorescent lamp and the control module receives the control signals. The control module continually increases and decreases the illumination intensity of the lamp in response to the first and second control signals, respectively. The illumination intensity is controlled by adjusting a time point within each half-cycle of applied power where the lamp is extinguished. A third control signal generated by the dimming controller and decoded by the control module ceases the adjustment in the extinguishing point.

US Patent:

57368171, Apr 7, 1998

Filed:

Sep 19, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/530673

Inventors:

Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID
Samuel A. Johnson - Eagle ID
Glenn A. Noble - Nampa ID
Jon P. Seubert - Caldwell ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

H05R 3702

US Classification:

315106

Abstract:

The cathodes of a fluorescent lamp are preheating and the medium between the cathodes is ignited into a plasma by heating the cathodes for a predetermined warm-up time period by conducting current from a supply power source through the cathodes for a conductive time interval, and applying a relatively high voltage starting pulse to the cathodes at the end of the conductive time interval or alternatively suppressing the high voltage starting pulse during the predetermined warm-up time period. Suppressing the high voltage starting pulse during the warm-up time period, thereby preventing erosion the thermionic coating of the cathodes due to positive ion bombardment. A controllable semiconductor switch is connected to the cathodes to control the current flow through them. The high voltage starting pulse is derived from commutating the semiconductor switch into a nonconductive state when the applied current level drops to the characteristic holding current value of the switch. The high voltage starting pulse is suppressed by triggering the semiconductor switch at the time when it would otherwise be commutating to the nonconductive state.

US Patent:

55370101, Jul 16, 1996

Filed:

Jun 10, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/258007

Inventors:

Samuel A. Johnson - Eagle ID
Dan E. Rothenbuhler - Meridian ID

Assignee:

Beacon Light Products, Inc. - Meridian ID

International Classification:

H05B 3700

US Classification:

315289

Abstract:

A starter for a fluorescent lamp selectively conducts current from an AC power source through a ballast and cathodes of the lamp during one half cycle of conducted current from the AC power source. Thereafter and during the same on half cycle of current the starter ceases conducting current substantially instantaneously when the current is of a predetermined level. The resulting di/dt generates a starting voltage pulse from the ballast sufficient to ignite the plasma. The starting pulse occurs when the AC voltage across the cathodes exceeds an ignition voltage of the plasma. Preferably the starter employs a thyristor which has a predetermined holding current at least equal to the predetermined level to allow the inherent commutation of the thyristor to create the di/dt. The current conducted by the thyristor heats the cathodes prior to igniting the plasma. A voltage sensing capability associated with the starter triggers the thyristor into conduction only when the voltage across the cathodes exceeds the ignition voltage of the plasma, which occurs when the fluorescent lamp is not lighted, and therefore automatically starts the lamp.