Abstract: A differential coupling path is provided for power measurement communication between a host device and a line side device. The line side device couples to AC power grid to extract voltage signals and current signals using various voltage and current sensors. The extracted voltage signal and current signal are converted to digital signals by internal A/D converters within the line device and then sent to the host device through the differential coupling path coupled between the host device and the line side device. The host device may couple to one or more line side devices via multiple differential coupling paths.

Abstract: A differential coupling path is provided for power measurement communication between a host device and a line side device. The line side device couples to AC power grid to extract voltage signals and current signals using various voltage and current sensors. The extracted voltage signal and current signal are converted to digital signals by internal A/D converters within the line device and then sent to the host device through the differential coupling path coupled between the host device and the line side device. The host device may couple to one or more line side devices via multiple differential coupling paths.

Abstract: Lighting circuits and luminaires and methods are disclosed which are operable with a phase-cut dimmer, A circuit can include a rectifier having a low side output and a high side output, a switched mode converter including a switch and an inductor, having a high side input connected to a bus rail, and having a configuration to draw current across a complete mains cycle a controller for the switched mode converter, a filter circuit connected between the rectifier high side output and the bus rail and including a capacitor connected between the high side output of the mains rectifier and ground, and a resistance connected between the low side output of the rectifier and ground. The value of the resistance may be such the RC time constant of the resistor and filter circuit is greater than the time required for any ringing in the circuit to fall to no more than 20 mA.

Abstract: A battery protection IC applied to a battery charging system is provided, where the battery charging system includes a charger and a switch, the switch is coupled between the charger and a battery when the battery is put into the battery charging system, and the battery protection IC includes a voltage divider, a comparator and a controller. The voltage divider is coupled to a first node of the switch, and is utilized for dividing a voltage of the first node to generate a divided voltage, whereat least one resistor of the voltage divider is formed by two different types of fuses. The comparator is utilized for comparing the voltage with a reference voltage to generate a comparison result. The controller is utilized for generating a control signal according to the comparison result, where the control signal is utilized for switching on or switching off the switch.

Abstract: A thyristor is disclosed comprising: a first region of a first conductivity type; a second region of a second conductivity type and adjoining the first region; a third region of the first conductivity type and adjoining the second region; a fourth region of the second conductivity type and comprising a first segment and a second segment separate from the first segment, the first segment and second segment each adjoining the third region; a first contact adjoining the first region; a second contact adjoining the first segment; and a trigger contact adjoining the second segment and separate from the second contact.

Abstract: A discharge balancing device, for balancing a plurality of electric energy storage units connected in series in a discharge stage, comprising a plurality of bypass units, respectively connected to the plurality of electric energy storage units in parallel, configured to drain bypass currents from the plurality of electric energy storage units according to control signals; an energy condition measurement circuit, coupled to the plurality of the electric energy storage units, configured to measure energy conditions of the plurality of electric energy storage units; and a balancing control unit, coupled to the energy condition measurement circuit and the plurality of bypass units, configured to generate each of the control signals according to the energy conditions measured by the energy condition measurement circuit, so as to control each of the plurality of bypass units whether to drain a bypass current from a corresponding electric energy storage unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a driving circuit (100) connected to a conventional phase-cut dimmer. A LED light source (30) is driven by a switched mode power supply (26), which is powered by the mains voltage through a phase-cut dimmer (10) and a rectifier (22). The current through the LED light source (30) is reduced according to the voltage level of the average rectified voltage Vin detected by a voltage sensor (24) and the on time limitation of the switched mode power supply (26). The current amplitude will be increasingly reduced towards the low voltage levels of Vin, namely towards the low dimmer knob levels. Thereby, the invention allows a LED light source driving circuit (100) connected to a conventional phase-cut dimmer to readily make the dimming curve of the LED light source (30) non-linear for being more compatible with the human eye sensitivity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a driver for driving a series arrangement being a variable number of strings of LEDs wherein each string has a capacitance connected in parallel with the respective string; the driver comprising: a controllable current source adapted to be connected in series between the series arrangement and a rectified AC supply to and source a controllable current (Istr) through the series arrangement; and a current source controller adapted to control the controllable current source; wherein the current source controller is operable to source a relatively lower current (ILED?) when a difference (Vstr3A) between the voltage across the series arrangement and the voltage of the rectified AC supply is relatively higher and a relatively higher current (ILED) when the difference is relatively lower. Associated driver circuits and lighting circuits, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A bleeder circuit controller (11) configured to control a bipolar junction transistor (10) having a collector (12) configured to be connected to an output of a phase cut dimmer (2) for receiving a bleed current, an emitter (13) for connecting to ground and a base (14), the bleeder circuit controller configured to generate a control signal for controlling the bleed current through the bipolar junction transistor (10) and measure a signal indicative of the current flow through the dimmer (2) and apply a current limit to a base-emitter current flow as a function of the measured signal.

Abstract: A switched mode power supply comprising: a rectified voltage terminal and a rectified ground terminal for receiving a phase-cut rectified voltage; a power switch and an inductive element connected in series between the rectified voltage terminal and the rectified ground terminal; a switch controller having a floating ground terminal and a dimming input terminal, wherein the dimming input terminal is for receiving a dimming voltage signal indicative of a required dimming level, wherein the switch controller is configured to control the switch in accordance with the dimming voltage signal and wherein the inductive element is connected between the rectified ground terminal and the floating ground terminal; and a dimming level controller configured to set the dimming voltage signal in accordance with the rectified phase-cut voltage with respect to the floating ground terminal.

Abstract: Lighting circuits and luminaires and methods are disclosed which are operable with a phase-cut dimmer. A circuit includes a rectifier having a low side output and a high side output, a switched mode converter including a switch and an inductor, having a high side input connected to a bus rail, and having a configuration to draw current across a complete mains cycle, a controller for the switched mode converter, a filter circuit connected between the rectifier high side output and the bus rail and including a capacitor connected between the high side output of the mains rectifier and ground, and a resistance connected between the low side output of the rectifier and ground. The value of the resistance may be such the RC time constant of the resistor and filter circuit is greater than the time required for any ringing in the circuit to fall to no more than 20 mA.

Abstract: A control circuit is disclosed for lighting applications having a load and an AC leading-edge phase-cut dimmer comprising a phase-cutting switch, the circuit comprising: a detection circuit for detecting a deadlock state of the dimmer; and an activation circuit configured to, in response to the detection circuit detecting a deadlock state of the dimmer, supply a DC current to the dimmer to exit the deadlock state by activating the dimmer. A method of operating such a control circuit is also disclosed.