Abstract: A digital load side transmission lighting control apparatus has at one least control gear for controlling at least one lighting source. The control gear includes a period timer to establish an inter-transition time period between each transition within each data packet frame. An inter-transition comparator is in communication with the period timer and configured to compare each of the inter-transition periods with valid inter-transition periods between each transition of the bi-phase encoded data for determining if the inter-transition periods represent valid patterns or are an error has occurred. A data extractor is configured to receive valid bi-phase encoded data from the inter-transition comparator for extracting transmitted data from within the data packet frames. A command formatter is configured to receive the extracted frame data from the data extractor for assembling the telegram bit data pattern for transfer for the subsequent processing.

Abstract: A controller for a driver circuit of a solid state lighting (SSL) device is described. The driver circuit comprises a power converter to transfer energy from AC mains voltage to the SSL device. The controller determines a dim level for the SSL device. The controller also determines a synchronization signal by comparing a voltage derived from the input voltage with a pre-determined threshold. The controller determines a sequence of PWM pulses based on the synchronization signal. The controller operates the power converter in a first operation mode for supplying energy to the SSL device at a first energy level within the sequence of PWM pulses, and operates the power converter in a second operation mode in between the PWM pulses. The second energy level is lower than the first energy level and the first energy level and/or a width of the PWM pulses depend on the dim level.

Abstract: A communication system with SSL light bulb assemblies comprises a first and a second transceiver. The first transceiver comprises a magnet, and the second transceiver comprises a switched-mode power converter which comprises an inductor element with an inductor core material having a magnetic field dependent permeability. The magnet and the inductor core material of the inductor element are magnetically coupled. The first transceiver is configured to modulate a magnetic field generated by the magnet to generate a modulated downstream magnetic field indicative of downstream data, and the second transceiver is configured to extract the downstream data from a measurement signal from the power converter. The measurement signal is dependent on an inductor value of the inductor element.

Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.

Abstract: A modulated current of an LED device provides a capability to dim of the light produced by a string of LED device. The current modulation takes the form of pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse density modulation (PDM). The modulation is produced on the primary side of a transformer and coupled to the string of LED diodes that are coupled to the secondary side of the transformer. The modulation is varied to change the current of the LED devices and therefore the light intensity of the LED devices.

Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.

Abstract: A controller for a driver circuit of a solid state lighting (SSL) device is described. The driver circuit comprises a power converter to transfer energy from AC mains voltage to the SSL device. The controller determines a dim level for the SSL device. The controller also determines a synchronization signal by comparing a voltage derived from the input voltage with a pre-determined threshold. The controller determines a sequence of PWM pulses based on the synchronization signal. The controller operates the power converter in a first operation mode for supplying energy to the SSL device at a first energy level within the sequence of PWM pulses, and operates the power converter in a second operation mode in between the PWM pulses. The second energy level is lower than the first energy level and the first energy level and/or a width of the PWM pulses depend on the dim level.

Abstract: Driver circuits to reduce or remove flicker of SSL devices are presented. A controller for a power converter which converts electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is described. The controller is configured to determine whether the input voltage is greater or smaller than a pre-determined voltage threshold; to operate a first switcher stage to transfer electrical power from the input of the power converter to the output of the power converter, during a first time period when the input voltage is greater than the pre-determined voltage threshold; and to operate a second switcher stage to transfer electrical power from the reservoir capacitor to the output of the power converter, during a second time period when the input voltage is smaller than the pre-determined voltage threshold.

Abstract: A control logic of a switched DC-to-DC converter allows continuous switching to bring the DC-to-DC converter to a final output value during a startup phase, it allows skipping of clock switching pulses if they are not needed and allows burst mode of switching pulses dependent on a load applied to the output voltage of the DC-to-DC converter. No digital or analog regulator is required for the control logic.

Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.

Abstract: Measurement circuits which are configured to measure wide ranges of the input voltage using a sensed input voltage of the driver circuits for solid state lighting (SSL) devices are presented. The measurement circuit comprises a first resistor which is coupled at a first side to the input voltage. The measurement circuit comprises current mirror circuitry coupled at an input to a second side of the first resistor, and which translates an input current at the input of the current mirror circuitry into an output current at an output of the current mirror circuitry, such that the output current is proportional to the input current by a current mirror ratio. The measurement circuit comprises a second resistor coupled to the output of the current mirror circuitry and to provide the sensed input voltage, when the input voltage is coupled to the first side of the first resistor.

Abstract: A digital load side transmission lighting control apparatus has at one least control gear for controlling at least one lighting source. The control gear includes a period timer to establish an inter-transition time period between each transition within each data packet frame. An inter-transition comparator is in communication with the period timer and configured to compare each of the inter-transition periods with valid inter-transition periods between each transition of the bi-phase encoded data for determining if the inter-transition periods represent valid patterns or are an error has occurred. A data extractor is configured to receive valid bi-phase encoded data from the inter-transition comparator for extracting transmitted data from within the data packet frames. A command formatter is configured to receive the extracted frame data from the data extractor for assembling the telegram bit data pattern for transfer for the subsequent processing.

Abstract: A modulated current of an LED device provides a capability to dim of the light produced by a string of LED device. The current modulation takes the form of pulse width modulation (PWM) or pulse density modulation (PDM). The modulation is produced on the primary side of a transformer and coupled to the string of LED diodes that are coupled to the secondary side of the transformer. The modulation is varied to change the current of the LED devices and therefore the light intensity of the LED devices.

Abstract: Driver circuits to reduce or remove flicker of SSL devices are presented. A controller for a power converter which converts electrical power at an input voltage into electrical power at an output voltage is described. The controller is configured to determine whether the input voltage is greater or smaller than a pre-determined voltage threshold ; to operate a first switcher stage to transfer electrical power from the input of the power converter to the output of the power converter, during a first time period when the input voltage is greater than the pre-determined voltage threshold; and to operate a second switcher stage to transfer electrical power from the reservoir capacitor to the output of the power converter, during a second time period when the input voltage is smaller than the pre-determined voltage threshold.

Abstract: A pass device configured from a common gate transistor, wherein an input voltage is applied to the source and an output at the drain is applied to a load. The input resistance of the pass device increases as the input voltage is reduced and limits the useful range of the input voltage. Increasing the gate to source voltage (Vgs) by applying a negative voltage to the gate reduces the input resistance and increases the range of operation of the pass device.

Abstract: A pass device configured from a common gate transistor, wherein an input voltage is applied to the source and an output at the drain is applied to a load. The input resistance of the pass device increases as the input voltage is reduced and limits the useful range of the input voltage. Increasing the gate to source voltage (Vgs) by applying a negative voltage to the gate reduces the input resistance and increases the range of operation of the pass device.

Abstract: A driver circuit using a power converter allows free-wheeling detection and/or provision of supply voltage. A circuit controls a switching state of a power switch. A first port of the switch is coupled to an inductor. The circuit is coupled to a control port of the switch wherein the control port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch. The circuit comprises a unit generating a signal for controlling the switching state of the switch wherein the signal is provided to the control port of the switch. Furthermore, the circuit comprises free-wheeling sensing means to detect an oscillation of a voltage at a measurement port of the switch wherein the measurement port of the switch is different from the first port of the switch and wherein the oscillation of the voltage at the measurement port indicates free-wheeling of the inductor.

Abstract: A communication system with SSL light bulb assemblies comprises a first and a second transceiver. The first transceiver comprises a magnet, and the second transceiver comprises a switched-mode power converter which comprises an inductor element with an inductor core material having a magnetic field dependent permeability. The magnet and the inductor core material of the inductor element are magnetically coupled. The first transceiver is configured to modulate a magnetic field generated by the magnet to generate a modulated downstream magnetic field indicative of downstream data, and the second transceiver is configured to extract the downstream data from a measurement signal from the power converter. The measurement signal is dependent on an inductor value of the inductor element.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a display driver having an internal non-volatile memory in order to save memory storage and computation effort of a host processor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the display driver is applied for an electronic paper display. Contained within the display driver are user-definable display graphics bitmaps, multiple stored bitmaps used to assemble complex display images, and multiple phase tables, each table of arbitrary length. The invention removes the requirement for a host processor to store display images and/or display image decodes of numerical data and simplifies the process required to construct a display image from stored bitmaps. Furthermore the invention provides pre-programmed multiple phase tables (phase/delay waveform definitions), allowing a simple mechanism to alter the waveform generation, required for example to accommodate temperature variations, blanking the display before updating an image, etc.

Abstract: Circuits and methods to achieve a switch interface circuit for a single pole, single throw (SPST) momentary push-button switch consuming a few tens of nanoamps whilst the push-button switch is closed, having low impedance input path when the switch is open in order to eliminate RFI interference have been achieved. The two states of the push-button switch, open and closed, maintain a low impedance path to one of the power supplies. The supply current is zero when the switch is open and is minimized whilst the switch is closed. The asynchronous edge triggered detection of the switch event allows an extended switch open to closed transition operation.