Abstract: A method provides thermal protection for an IC device that has multiple components. For each component, temperatures are sensed, each of which associated with a different area of the respective component and a respective temperature sense signal is output indicative of the highest sensed temperature of the respective component. For each of the components, the respective temperature sense output signal is sampled to produce a sequence of discrete sampled temperature values. A sequence of differences between a reference temperature value and each of the discrete sample temperatures is integrated over time to compute, for each of the components, a respective integration output. The respective integration output computed for each of the switches is compared to a threshold value. An action related to the thermal protection function is initiated upon the integration output of an affected component exceeding the threshold value.

Abstract: A method (50, 70, 600) provides thermal protection for an IC device that has multiple components. For each component, temperatures are sensed (51), each of which associated with a different area of the respective component and a respective temperature sense signal is output indicative of the highest sensed temperature of the respective component. For each of the components, the respective temperature sense output signal is sampled (52) to produce a sequence of discrete sampled temperature values. A sequence of differences between a reference temperature value and each of the discrete sample temperatures is integrated (53) over time to compute, for each of the components, a respective integration output. The respective integration output computed for each of the switches is compared (54) to a threshold value. An action related to the thermal protection function is initiated (55) upon the integration output of an affected component exceeding the threshold value.

Abstract: A lighting circuit constituted of: a single dimming input; a pulse width modulation acceptance circuit arranged to convert a pulse width modulated dimming signal received at the single dimming input into a local dimming signal, the local dimming signal exhibiting a predetermined format; an analog voltage level acceptance circuit arranged to convert an analog voltage dimming signal received at the single dimming input into the local dimming signal exhibiting the predetermined format; and a luminaire driving circuit responsive to the local dimming signal.

Abstract: A synchronizer constituted of a first and second set of three serially coupled latches coupled to a common clocking signal, the first and the ultimate latch of the first set responsive to a first edge of a common clocking signal and the penultimate latch responsive to an opposing edge of the common clocking signal, the second set being respectively responsive to the respective complementary edges of the clocking signal; an input lead arranged to receive a signal to be synchronized, the input lead coupled to the input of the first latch of the first set and to the input of the first latch of the second set; and a filter arranged to pass the output of each of the first set and the second set responsive to the penultimate latch of the set exhibiting a consistent output for two consecutive opposing edges.

Abstract: A chipset for powering and controlling a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings. The chipset includes a controller having a pulse width modulating (PWM) functionality and a data transfer interface circuitry; and at least one dissipative active element array comprising a plurality of dissipative active elements. The dissipative active element array(s) are packaged to be thermally separate from the controller. The PWM functionality is arranged to individually pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the LED strings. Each of the plurality of dissipative active elements is associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and is arranged to limit the current flow of the pulse width modulated current that flows through the particular LED string to a value, the value being responsive to a value output by the controller via the data transfer interface circuitry.

Abstract: A synchronizer constituted of a first and second set of three serially coupled latches coupled to a common clocking signal, the first and the ultimate latch of the first set responsive to a first edge of a common clocking signal and the penultimate latch responsive to an opposing edge of the common clocking signal, the second set being respectively responsive to the respective complementary edges of the clocking signal; an input lead arranged to receive a signal to be synchronized, the input lead coupled to the input of the first latch of the first set and to the input of the first latch of the second set; and a filter arranged to pass the output of each of the first set and the second set responsive to the penultimate latch of the set exhibiting a consistent output for two consecutive opposing edges.

Abstract: A lighting circuit constituted of: a single dimming input; a pulse width modulation acceptance circuit arranged to convert a pulse width modulated dimming signal received at the single dimming input into a local dimming signal, the local dimming signal exhibiting a predetermined format; an analog voltage level acceptance circuit arranged to convert an analog voltage dimming signal received at the single dimming input into the local dimming signal exhibiting the predetermined format; and a luminaire driving circuit responsive to the local dimming signal.

Abstract: An automated method of sampling an electrical condition of each of a plurality channels, the method comprising: driving each of the plurality of channels with a modulated signal; providing a settable flag associated with each of the plurality of channels; selecting one of the plurality of channels; identifying if the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is set; and in the event that the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is not set, and a function of the modulated signal of the selected one of the plurality of channels is active and stable: sampling an electrical condition of the selected one of the plurality of channels; and setting the provided settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: An optical sampling and control element for use with a luminaire exhibiting a cycle and a frame, the optical sampling and control element being constituted of a color sensor in optical communication with the luminaire; and a sampler connected to the outputs of the color sensor, the sampler comprising an integrator arranged to integrate the outputs of the color sensor over a predetermined period less than the frame.

Abstract: A chipset for powering and controlling a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings. The chipset includes a controller having a pulse width modulating (PWM) functionality and a data transfer interface circuitry; and at least one dissipative active element array comprising a plurality of dissipative active elements. The dissipative active element array(s) are packaged to be thermally separate from the controller. The PWM functionality is arranged to individually pulse width modulate a current flow through each of the LED strings. Each of the plurality of dissipative active elements is associated with a particular one of the plurality of LED strings and is arranged to limit the current flow of the pulse width modulated current that flows through the particular LED string to a value, the value being responsive to a value output by the controller via the data transfer interface circuitry.

Abstract: A method of controlling the luminance of a luminaire on an individual frame basis, without affecting a slow acting color loop controlling the color temperature of the luminaire, the method comprising: receiving a reference value representative of a target color; receiving a luminance signal defining the luminance of the luminaire per frame; adjusting a modulated signal driving the luminaire directly responsive to the received luminance signal, thereby controlling the luminance of the luminaire per frame; sampling the optical output of the luminaire per frame; comparing a value responsive to the sampled optical output with a value responsive to the received reference value to output a difference signal; and further adjusting the modulated signal driving the luminaire responsive to the compared value so as to reduce the difference signal.

Abstract: An automated method of sampling an electrical condition of each of a plurality channels, the method comprising: driving each of the plurality of channels with a modulated signal; providing a settable flag associated with each of the plurality of channels; selecting one of the plurality of channels; identifying if the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is set; and in the event that the settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels is not set, and a function of the modulated signal of the selected one of the plurality of channels is active and stable: sampling an electrical condition of the selected one of the plurality of channels; and setting the provided settable flag associated with the selected one of the plurality of channels.

Abstract: A method of controlling the luminance of a luminaire on an individual frame basis, without affecting a slow acting color loop controlling the color temperature of the luminaire, the method comprising: receiving a reference value representative of a target color; receiving a luminance signal defining the luminance of the luminaire per frame; adjusting a modulated signal driving the luminaire directly responsive to the received luminance signal, thereby controlling the luminance of the luminaire per frame; sampling the optical output of the luminaire per frame; comparing a value responsive to the sampled optical output with a value responsive to the received reference value to output a difference signal; and further adjusting the modulated signal driving the luminaire responsive to the compared value so as to reduce the difference signal.

Abstract: An optical sampling and control element for use with a luminaire exhibiting a cycle and a frame, the optical sampling and control element being constituted of a color sensor in optical communication with the luminaire; and a sampler connected to the outputs of the color sensor, the sampler comprising an integrator arranged to integrate the outputs of the color sensor over a predetermined period less than the frame.