# US 9,049,758 B2 · Multiple-filament tungsten-halogen lighting system having managed tungsten redeposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,049,758 B2 - Document ID: US9049758B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/653,882 - Filed: 2012-10-17 - Published: 2014-04-17 - Granted: 2015-06-02 - Earliest claimed: 2012-10-17 - Assignees: Elwha LLC - Applicants: Elwha LLC - Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde; Jordin T. Kare; Charles Whitmer; Lowell L. Wood, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9049758B2 ## CPC - H05B 39/04: Controlling - H05B 47/16: by timing means - Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract Described embodiments include a tungsten-halogen lighting system and a method. A described system includes a sealed glass envelope containing a halogen gas. The system includes at least two tungsten filaments enclosed within the glass envelope. Each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments is configured to generate light in response to a flow of electric current. The system includes a controller circuit configured to manage the at least two tungsten filaments in response to a tungsten filament management schedule. The tungsten filament management schedule includes controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tungsten-halogen lighting system comprising: a sealed glass envelope containing a halogen gas; at least two tungsten filaments enclosed within the glass envelope, each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments configured to generate light in response to a flow of electric current; and a controller circuit configured to manage the at least two tungsten filaments in response to a tungsten filament management schedule, the tungsten filament management schedule includes controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes initiating a first light-production duty cycle for a first filament of the at least two filaments in response to a first user-activation of the tungsten-halogen lighting system, and initiating a second light-production duty cycle for a second filament of the at least two filaments in response to a second user-activation of the tungsten-halogen lighting system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least two tungsten filaments include at least two tungsten wire filaments. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the halogen gas includes halogen gas molecules having a chemical structure forming tungsten oxyhalide and promoting scavenging of tungsten material evaporated from the at least two filaments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least two tungsten filaments are arranged within the glass envelope so that tungsten evaporated from a first filament is available for scavenging by a second filament of the at least two filaments. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 4, wherein the at least two tungsten filaments are symmetrically arranged within the glass envelope. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the halogen regenerative cycle includes depositing tungsten evaporated from a first tungsten filament onto a second tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least two tungsten filaments are structured and arranged within the glass envelope to facilitate tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle across the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes applying a light-production duty cycle to a filament of the at least two filaments. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 8, wherein the light-production duty cycle of the filament is a function of an estimated useful life of the filament. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes applying a light-production duty cycle to a filament of the at least two filaments in response to a signal received from an outside source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes applying a light-production duty cycle to a filament of the at least two filaments as a function of a characteristic temporal behavior of the halogen regenerative cycle with respect to the filament. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes flowing a first electric current through a first tungsten filament and flowing a second electric current through a second tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments, the second electric current less than the first electric current, and the second electric current sufficient to make the second filament active in the halogen regenerative cycle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the filament management schedule further includes managing a respective flow of electric current through each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments so that not all of the at least two tungsten filaments are generating light at any one time. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the filament management schedule further includes maintaining a substantially uniform level of light generation by the at least two filaments. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the filament management schedule further includes removing a failed tungsten filament from management by the tungsten filament management schedule. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 1, wherein the filament management schedule further includes removing a tungsten filament undergoing an incipient failure from management by the tungsten filament management schedule. ### Claim 17 A tungsten-halogen lighting system comprising: a sealed glass envelope containing a halogen gas; at least two tungsten filaments enclosed within the glass envelope, each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments configured to generate light in response to a flow of electric current; a sensor configured to detect an indicia of tungsten redeposition on each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments and to generate a sensor signal indicative of the indicia; and a controller circuit configured to manage the at least two tungsten filaments in response to a tungsten filament management schedule, the tungsten filament management schedule includes controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments at least partially based on the sensor signal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the sensor signal indicates a current flow rate through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the sensor signal indicates a temperature of a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the sensor signal indicates a color temperature of a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the sensor signal indicates a measure of light generated by a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes adjusting a scheduled flow of electric current through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments at least partially based on the sensor signal. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes reducing a scheduled flow of electric current through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments at least partially based on a sensor signal indicative of a rate of thickening of the tungsten filament exceeding a predetermined rate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes increasing a scheduled flow of electric current through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments at least partially based on a sensor signal indicative of a rate of thickening of the tungsten filament being below a predetermined rate. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes terminating a flow of electric current through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments at least partially based on a sensor signal indicative of a thickening of the tungsten filament exceeding a predetermined value. ### Claim 26 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes terminating a flow of an electric current through a tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments in response to a sensor signal indicative of a temporal increase in electric current exceeding a predetermined value. ### Claim 27 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the tungsten filament management schedule further includes managing a respective flow of electric current through each tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments so that not all of the at least two tungsten filaments are generating light at any one time. ### Claim 28 (depends on 17) The tungsten-halogen lighting system of claim 17, wherein the tungsten filament management schedule further includes maintaining a substantially uniform level of light generation by the at least two tungsten filaments. ### Claim 29 A method comprising: electronically initiating in response to a tungsten filament management schedule a first electric current flow through a first tungsten filament enclosed within a sealed glass envelope of a tungsten-halogen light and generating a first light; electronically terminating the first electric current flow upon completion of a first light-production duty cycle specified for the first tungsten filament by the tungsten filament management schedule, the first light-production duty cycle controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on the first tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments; electronically initiating in response to the tungsten filament management schedule a second electric current flow through a second tungsten filament enclosed within the sealed glass envelope and generating a second light; and electronically managing the terminating the first electric current flow and the initiating the second electric current flow to maintain a substantially uniform level of light generated by the tungsten-halogen light. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: electronically terminating the second electric current flow upon completion of a second light-production duty cycle specified for the second filament by the filament management schedule, the second light-production duty cycle controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on the second tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments; and electronically initiating in response to the filament management schedule the first electric current flow through the first filament and generating the first light. ### Claim 31 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: receiving a sensor signal indicative of an aspect of the first tungsten filament; modifying based upon the received sensor signal the first electric current flow scheduled by the filament management schedule; and electronically initiating in response to the filament management schedule the modified first electric current flow through the first filament. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the modifying the first electric current includes extending the light-production duty cycle of the first filament. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31, wherein the modifying the first electric current includes shortening the light-production duty cycle of the first filament. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: electronically maintaining a substantially uniform level of light generated by the tungsten-halogen light. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising: electronically managing the respective flow of electric current through each filament of the at least two filaments so that not all of the at least two tungsten filaments are generating light at any one time. ### Claim 36 A system comprising: means for electronically initiating in response to a tungsten filament management schedule a first electric current flow through a first tungsten filament enclosed within a sealed glass envelope of a tungsten-halogen light and generating a first light; means for electronically terminating the first electric current flow upon completion of a first light-production duty cycle specified for the first tungsten filament by the tungsten filament management schedule, the first light-production duty cycle controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on the first tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments; means for electronically initiating in response to the tungsten filament management schedule a second electric current flow through a second tungsten filament enclosed within the sealed glass envelope and generating a second light; and means for electronically managing the terminating the first electric current flow and the initiating the second electric current flow to maintain a substantially uniform level of light generated by the tungsten-halogen light. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The system of claim 36, further comprising: means for electronically terminating the second electric current flow upon completion of a second light-production duty cycle specified for the second filament by the filament management schedule, the second light-production duty cycle controlling tungsten redeposition by the halogen regenerative cycle on the second tungsten filament of the at least two tungsten filaments; and means for electronically initiating in response to the filament management schedule the first electric current flow through the first filament and generating the first light. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, further comprising: means for receiving a sensor signal indicative of an aspect of the first tungsten filament; means for modifying based upon the received sensor signal the first electric current flow scheduled by the filament management schedule; and means for electronically initiating in response to the filament management schedule the modified first electric current flow through the first filament. ### Claim 39 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, further comprising: means for electronically maintaining a substantially uniform level of light generated by the tungsten-halogen light. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) The method of claim 36, further comprising: means for electronically managing the respective flow of electric current through each filament of the at least two filaments so that not all of the at least two tungsten filaments are generating light at any one time. ### Claim 41 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes switching to a different filament and duty cycle upon each user-activation of the tungsten-halogen lighting system. ### Claim 42 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling tungsten redeposition includes switching to a different filament and duty cycle upon every second user-activation of the tungsten-halogen lighting system.