US 8093830

Here's a concise summary of US patent 8093830:

US Patent 8,093,830: Semiconductor Light Source Driving Apparatus and Semiconductor Light Source Driving Method

• Title: Semiconductor light source driving apparatus and semiconductor light source driving method
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corp [cite: The full patent text]
• Current Assignee: Bishop Display Tech LLC [cite: The full patent text]
• Inventor: Shuji Inoue [cite: The full patent text]
• Filing Date: 2009-07-01 [cite: The full patent text]
• Issue Date: 2012-01-10 [cite: The full patent text]

Abstract:
The patent describes a semiconductor light source driving apparatus that includes a semiconductor light source, a voltage source, an output voltage controlling circuit, an output current detecting circuit, a current command circuit, a current comparing circuit, and an impedance detecting circuit. The key innovation is that the output voltage controlling circuit adjusts the voltage source's output based on both the comparison of the detected current with a reference value and the detected impedance of the semiconductor light source. This design aims to achieve stable and consistent light control performance, regardless of changes in the drive current, which often cause instability in conventional systems due to the non-linear electrical characteristics of semiconductor light sources. [cite: The full patent text]

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Apparatus): This claim describes a semiconductor light source driving system. It includes a semiconductor light source (like an LED or laser diode), a power supply (voltage source) to drive it, a component to control the output voltage of the power supply (output voltage controlling section), and a sensor to measure the actual current flowing through the light source (output current detecting section). There's also a part that sets the desired current (current command section) and a comparator to find the difference between the desired and actual current (current comparing section). Crucially, the system also has a component that measures the electrical resistance (impedance) of the semiconductor light source (impedance detecting section). The control of the power supply's output voltage is then based on both the difference between the desired and actual current and the detected impedance of the light source. [cite: The full patent text]

• Independent Claim 5 (Method): This claim describes a method for driving a semiconductor light source using an apparatus that includes a semiconductor light source, a voltage source, and an output voltage controlling section. The method involves several steps: first, measuring the current flowing through the semiconductor light source; second, comparing this measured current to a pre-set desired current value; third, measuring the impedance (electrical resistance) of the semiconductor light source; and finally, adjusting the output voltage of the power supply based on both the comparison result (the difference between measured and desired current) and the detected impedance of the semiconductor light source. [cite: The full patent text]

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
As of April 26, 2026, authoritative information regarding specific 2026 dockets for US patent 8093830 at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) could not be found through direct searches. While the patent's Google Patents page indicates "Family has litigation" and lists several US cases filed in the Texas Eastern District Court and PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) cases, these do not specifically refer to active CAFC dockets for 2026. [cite: The full patent text]