Periodic Switch In The Primary Circuit Of The Supply Transformer Patents (Class 315/219)
  • Patent number: 9967935
    Abstract: The invention relates to a LED light source comprising: input terminals for connection to a mains voltage supply source, a rectifier coupled to the input terminals for rectifying the mains supply voltage supplied by the mains supply voltage source and comprising rectifier output terminals, a DC-DC converter for generating a DC current out of the rectified mains supply voltage, comprising converter input terminals connected to the rectifier output terminals and comprising a first converter output terminal and a second converter output terminal, a LED load with an anode coupled to the first converter output terminal via a first current control element for blocking a current flowing from the anode of the LED load to the first converter output terminal, and with a cathode coupled to the second converter output terminal via a first controllable switch having a control electrode coupled to first control circuitry for rendering the controllable switch non-conductive in case the LED light source is in standby mode
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: PHILIPS LIGHTING HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Fokko Jan Willem Hulshof, Wilhelmus Josephus Cornelissen
  • Patent number: 9936552
    Abstract: In one example, a system includes a controller, a transformer including at least a primary winding and an auxiliary winding, a voltage supply, and a driver. The controller is configured to output an indication of a target current or a target power. The voltage supply is configured to receive an electrical current having a constant average current over time from the auxiliary winding and to output variable electrical current for supplying the controller. The voltage supply includes a capacitor for storing energy and a current sink for consuming a current. The driver is configured to selectively energize the primary winding for supplying one or more load devices based on the target current or the target power and selectively energize the primary winding for operating the voltage supply based on an indication of a voltage at the voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Marcus Schaemann
  • Patent number: 9899911
    Abstract: A power source circuit includes first and second input terminals; first, second, and third inductors; first and second switching devices; first and second capacitors; and first and second output terminals. A first end of the second inductor is connected to a path that connects the first input terminal and the first node, a second end of the second capacitor is connected to a path that connects the second input terminal and the second node, and the first inductor and the second inductor are magnetically coupled with each other. A first end of the third inductor and a second end of the second inductor are connected to each other. A second end of the third inductor and a first end of the second capacitor are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Taiki Nishimoto, Akira Minegishi
  • Patent number: 9894727
    Abstract: A LED driver having at least one Integrated Circuit (IC), the IC programmable using a hardware description language; a first electronic switch operable to provide a first switching time period to control power factor voltage, the first switching time period programmable by the at least one IC; and a second electronic switch operable to provide a second switching time period to regulate ripple free constant DC electrical current flowing into the at least one LED, the second switching time period is programmable by the at least one IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: OPULENT ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD
    Inventors: Kai Fook Francis Wee, Chye Boon Tan, Hai Boon Tan, Andrea Stona, Soon Thiam Chan
  • Patent number: 9877367
    Abstract: An LED lamp comprises one or more LEDs and an LED driver receiving an input signal from a dimmer switch indicative of an amount of dimming for the LED lamp. The LED driver controls regulated current through the one or more LEDs based on the input signal such that an output light intensity of the one or more LEDs substantially corresponds to the amount of dimming for the LED lamp. A regulated output provides operating power for the LED driver. A controller regulates the regulated output to power the LED driver. The controller selects a power source for charging the regulated output from two or more power sources, and the regulated output is charged using the power source selected by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Chuanyang Wang, Chenglong Zhang, Nan Shi, Clarita C. Knoll, Guang Feng
  • Patent number: 9854630
    Abstract: A flicker-free dimming circuit for non-point light source has a TRIAC module, an input module, a conversion module and an output module. The TRIAC module adjusts the voltage phase of an external power supply for the input module to export an input voltage, and the conversion module in a boost circuit structure is provided with a conversion coil and a converter to receive and raise the voltage value of the input voltage to a voltage value of an operating voltage and then supplies the operating voltage to the output module. The output module adopts a fly-back circuit structure and induces the operating voltage to form a driving voltage in a constant value and then outputs the driving voltage to a lamp with a relatively wide light source area. In this way, the panel lamp can meet high safety standards and enhance its product adaptability and competiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsien Wu, Kai-Cheng Chuang, Cheng-Han Hung
  • Patent number: 9799263
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power supply circuit and an OLED display device, belongs to the field of OLED display technology, and can solve the problem that existing power supply circuits have low efficiency when brightness of the OLED display panel is low. The power supply circuit is used for proving an anode voltage and a cathode voltage for an OLED display panel, a difference between the anode voltage and the cathode voltage being a driving voltage, and the power supply circuit includes: a current detection unit for generating a control signal according to a driving current of the OLED display panel; and a driving voltage unit for generating, according to the control signal, a driving voltage positively correlated with the driving current, and including an anode voltage unit for generating an anode voltage and a cathode voltage unit for generating a cathode voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chenggeng Zhang, Boya Zhang
  • Patent number: 9769418
    Abstract: Return loss due to excessive signal reflection into a cable television (CATV) network from an inoperative or abnormally operative terminal adapter is minimized, to communicate enhanced passive downstream signals to passive subscriber devices such as “life-line” telephone sets. A predetermined termination impedance is substituted for an active branch circuit of the terminal adapter whenever reduced input voltage, over-current or under-current conditions exist in the terminal adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: PPC BROADBAND, INC.
    Inventor: Chad T. Wells
  • Patent number: 9748769
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a serially connected micro-inverter (SCMI) system comprising a plurality of power sources for producing DC power, a plurality of micro-inverters, where each micro-inverter is coupled to at least one power source of the plurality of power sources, for converting the DC power into AC power, an AC bus for coupling the plurality of micro-inverters in series to form a string and for coupling the AC power an AC line; and a controller, coupled to the string, for measuring an output signal of one or more strings of series coupled micro-inverters, comparing the measured output signal to a desired signal for the string; and adjusting a phase angle of an output from each micro-inverter in the one or more strings until a difference between the measured output signal and the desired signal is less than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Fornage
  • Patent number: 9686834
    Abstract: An LED lamp comprises one or more LEDs and an LED driver receiving an input signal from a dimmer switch indicative of an amount of dimming for the LED lamp. The LED driver controls regulated current through the one or more LEDs based on the input signal such that an output light intensity of the one or more LEDs substantially corresponds to the amount of dimming for the LED lamp. A regulated output provides operating power for the LED driver. A controller regulates the regulated output to power the LED driver. The controller selects a power source for charging the regulated output from two or more power sources, and the regulated output is charged using the power source selected by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Chuanyang Wang, Chenglong Zhang, Nan Shi, Clarita Knoll, Guang Feng
  • Patent number: 9668309
    Abstract: An LED driver provides constant output power with wide range output current and voltage. A parallel resonant tank configuration is supplemented by resonant gain clamping circuit configured to partially cancel voltage across the resonant capacitor during half-bridge switching operation. Voltage between the resonant components is clamped to one-half a driver input voltage, ensuring inductive switching of the half-bridge. An output transformer has a primary winding coupled across the resonant capacitor, with a center tap defining first and second portions. An output voltage clamping circuit is coupled across the DC input power source and to the center tap, wherein maximum voltage across the primary is clamped based on a relationship between respective numbers of turns in the first and second portions, and maximum voltage across a secondary winding is clamped based on a relationship between the respective numbers of turns in the secondary winding and the first and second portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Xiong, Danny Pugh, Candice Ungacta
  • Patent number: 9644800
    Abstract: A LED linear lamp that eliminates the cave effect by transmits the majority of its light downwardly in a main illumination direction and a lesser amount of light upwardly in a secondary illumination direction that is in a direction opposite to the main illumination direction. The LED linear lamps of the invention have one or more circuit boards with LEDs positioned thereon. These circuit boards with LEDs are positioned in a light transparent or translucent tube. Down lighting in the main illumination direction is provided by having some LEDs facing downwardly in the primary illumination direction, while up lighting is provided by having some LEDs facing upwardly or by provision of light transmission holes in the circuit board to permit some light leakage upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ELB ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Steven Purdy
  • Patent number: 9648690
    Abstract: A dimmable instant-start ballast for a plurality of LED lamps and/or a plurality of fluorescent lamps is provided, which includes an isolated dimming interface, a duty control device, a dimming switch, and an inverter circuit. The isolated dimming interface receives a dimming signal to generate a dimming voltage. The duty control device generates an operation signal according to the dimming voltage. The dimming switch periodically couples a first node to a ground according to the operation signal. The inverter circuit receives a rectified voltage and is coupled to the first node. When the first node is coupled to the ground terminal, the inverter circuit provides a lamp current for the LED lamps and/or the fluorescent lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Delta Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Ho Chou, Yung-Chuan Lu
  • Patent number: 9590493
    Abstract: An example apparatus may include a power supply circuit comprising a first stage, the first stage comprising a current-fed topology and a transformer for isolating a primary side of the first stage from a secondary side of the first stage; a control module configured to provide control signals to one or more switches of the power supply circuit and to perform startup operations comprising: determining a peak line voltage value of an AC input voltage to the power supply circuit; initiating, when the power supply circuit is started, a hard-switching method; determining a center tap voltage of the transformer; stopping the hard-switching method, when the center tap voltage crosses a fraction of the peak line voltage value; and initiating, when the hard-switching method stops, a zero-voltage switching method with peak current mode control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Bose Corporation
    Inventor: Manoel Soares
  • Patent number: 9572207
    Abstract: Representative implementations of devices and techniques provide a dimming arrangement for a variable load, such as a lamp. The dimming arrangement is coupled to a drive circuit for the load and arranged to reduce a drive current associated with the drive circuit, based on a control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies Austria AG
    Inventors: Tiam Poh Lau, Zhongfang Wang
  • Patent number: 9554440
    Abstract: A dimmable LED lighting apparatus including a power input unit generating drive voltage through rectification of received AC power and outputting the generated drive voltage to the drive controller, an insulation type signal transceiver receiving a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal output from a PWM dimmer and outputting the PWM signal to the drive controller, while electrically insulating the PWM dimmer from the drive controller, a first LED group to an nth LED group, n being a positive integer of 2 or greater, receiving the drive voltage and sequentially operating under control of the drive controller, and a drive controller controlling sequential operation of the first LED group to the nth LED group according to a voltage level of the drive voltage, determining a dimming level based on the received PWM dimming signal, and controlling dimming of the first LED group to the nth LED group based on the determined dimming level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keon Young Lee
  • Patent number: 9554432
    Abstract: System and method for dimming control. The system includes a system controller, a transistor, and a resistor. The system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The transistor includes a first transistor terminal, a second transistor terminal and a third transistor terminal. The resistor including a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal. The first transistor terminal is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the second controller terminal. The first resistor terminal is coupled to the second transistor terminal. The second resistor terminal is coupled to the third transistor terminal. The system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal and to generate an output signal at the second controller terminal. The transistor is configured to receive the output signal at the first transistor terminal and to change between a first condition and a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liqiang Zhu, Jun Zhou, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9547319
    Abstract: A lighting control device can include a control module and a processing module. The control module can provide a driving signal. The driving signal can modify a control voltage on a control interface. The control voltage can control a controllable ballast or driver. The processing module can determine a duty cycle of the driving signal. The control module and the processing module can receive power via the control interface and a power supply on the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC
    Inventors: Dalibor Zulim, Richard L. Westrick, Jr., Stephen Haight Lydecker
  • Patent number: 9538610
    Abstract: Circuits to provide phase-cut analog dimming of solid state light sources are presented. Each circuit comprises an anchoring circuit to communicate with a dimming controller circuit, the anchoring circuit having a proportional direct current (DC) voltage input, a biasing voltage input, a connection to a ground reference, and an output in communication with a dimming controller circuit. The anchoring circuit provides a reference voltage to permit phase cut dimming to be operable at a plurality of line voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Chaim Becerra, Biju Antony, Ashwani Guleria
  • Patent number: 9532414
    Abstract: A trigger-signal-output part sets a burst time cycle to a time period N (integer of two or more) times as long as a constant first cycle, and outputs a trigger signal M (positive integer of N or less) times during an operation period so as to synchronize it with the first cycle, and does not output the trigger signal during a stop period except the operation period of the burst time cycle. Alternatively, a trigger-signal-output part sets a burst time cycle to a time period N times as long as an output cycle of a trigger signal in an operation period, and sets the operation period to a time period M times as long as the output cycle, and sets a stop period except the operation period of the burst time cycle to a time period generated by multiplying the output cycle by a difference between N and M.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kumada, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yuji Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 9516722
    Abstract: A power supply includes an alternating current input, a rectifier operable to generate a rectified signal based on the alternating current input, a voltage multiplier operable to generate a multiplied voltage based on the alternating current input, and an output operable to yield an electrical current based on the rectified signal from the rectifier and on the multiplied voltage from the voltage multiplier. The rectified signal from the rectifier is connected to the output when a voltage of the rectified signal is higher than the multiplied voltage, and the multiplied voltage from the voltage multiplier is connected to the output when the multiplied voltage is higher than the voltage of the rectified signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Inventor: Laurence P. Sadwick
  • Patent number: 9502986
    Abstract: A voltage conversion device includes a voltage conversion unit and a control unit. The voltage conversion unit includes an input rectifier circuit, a storage capacitor, a storage inductor, a transformer, a switch, and a rectifier component. A first end of the storage inductor is electrically coupled to a first output end of the input rectifier circuit. A first end of the transformer is electrically coupled to a second output end of the input rectifier circuit. A second end of the transformer is electrically coupled to a second end of the storage inductor. The switch is electrically coupled to a third end of the transformer. The control unit is configured to provide a control signal to the switch according to a current passing through the switch and at least one of an output voltage and an output current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventors: Xiao-Ping Fu, Xing-Hua Zhang
  • Patent number: 9496844
    Abstract: In accordance with systems and methods of the present disclosure, an apparatus may include a variable bandwidth filter having an input for receiving an input signal and an output for receiving an output signal, wherein the output signal is generated by filtering the input signal in conformity with a variable bandwidth of the variable bandwidth filter and the variable bandwidth is set based on an integrated error between the input signal and the output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kost, Eric J. King
  • Patent number: 9490708
    Abstract: Disclosed are a multiple-output DC/DC converter and a power supply having the same. The multiple-output DC/DC converter includes a converter including a transformer and a first surge absorbing module, wherein the transformer includes a first switch provided to a primary side and outputs a first voltage to a secondary side, and the first surge absorbing module is connected to the primary side of the transformer and absorbs a surge voltage formed at the first switch by a leakage inductance of the transformer; and a first energy converting module to receive output energy supplied from the first surge absorbing module and output a second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chunfeng Jin, Dong Young Huh, Jae Sam Lee, Hyun Woo Lee, Jung Hwan Choi
  • Patent number: 9462645
    Abstract: An LED driver circuit with stepwise adjustable power and an LED lighting tube. The LED driver circuit comprises a constant current IC chip U1, a power supply unit connecting to the constant current IC chip U1, a switch control unit and a driving unit. The driving unit connects to the switch control unit. The LED driver circuit also comprises a power regulation unit. The power regulation unit connects to the constant current IC chip U1, the switch control unit and the driving unit. The present invention uses 12 W, 15 W, 18 W (or) more stepwise adjustable power. It is applicable to LED lighting tubes, ceiling lights, panel lights and all types of LED stepwise adjustable power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Inventors: Haibin Cai, Wenhong Ling
  • Patent number: 9419514
    Abstract: A high power factor DC power supply with low output ripple uses a variable gain DC to DC converter and fast averaging control loop to eliminate the need for a large electrolytic capacitor at the output of the PFC circuit. A resonant tank circuit of the DC to DC converter is sized to provide a predetermined output voltage to the load when the PFC circuit output is at its minimum. A closed loop control circuit varies an operational frequency of the DC to DC converter (i.e., an inverter of the DC to DC converter driving the resonant tank circuit) to compensate for voltage ripple on the DC power rail provided to the DC to DC converter from the PFC circuit. An optional clamping circuit limits output from the resonant tank to the load to further reduce ripple in the power provided to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 9414472
    Abstract: An electronic dimming ballast that accommodates miswiring of fluorescent lamp filaments (e.g., miswiring the corresponding lamp sockets) is disclosed. The electronic dimming ballast may drive a plurality of gas discharge lamps. Each gas discharge lamp may have a respective filament. The electronic dimming ballast, via the filament miswire protection element, may establish the same voltage across a first of the filaments regardless of whether the filaments are wired in series or in parallel. The filament miswire protection element may have an impedance that is approximately equal to an impedance of at least one of the filaments. The filament miswire protection element may include one or more capacitors, inductors, and/or resistors. The filament miswire protection element may include only a capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventor: Brent M. Gawrys
  • Patent number: 9408273
    Abstract: A system for driving a plurality of high powered LED units, the system comprising a single driver for providing ripple free constant direct current to a plurality of high powered LED lamp units, wherein the single driver comprises a digital controller programmable to adjust the ripple free constant direct current at every predetermined time interval based on detection and computation of the duration taken for the energy to be discharged to the LED lamp unit to adjust the ripple free constant direct current. The above system achieves a one driver to many LED lamp units such that it alleviates or eliminates the need to have a driver attached to each LED lamp unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: OPULENT ELECTRONICS INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD.
    Inventors: Kai Fook Francis Wee, Chye Boon Tan, Hai Boon Tan, Andrea Stona, Soon Thiam Chan
  • Patent number: 9385621
    Abstract: An electronic transformer stabilization circuit includes a detection circuit and a reactive load. The detection circuit may be configured to receive a transformer output or a transformer signal derived from the transformer output. The detection circuit may determine whether the transformer that generated the transformer output is an electronic transformer. The determination may be made based on the presence of absence of high frequency components in the transformer output. Responsive to determining that an electronic transformer generated the transformer output, the stabilization circuit may operate a switch to connect the reactive load across an output of the transformer. The reactive load may include an inductor and may be configured to draw a stabilization current from the transformer. The stabilization current may ensure that the total current drawn from the transformer exceeds an oscillation current required to maintain reliable operation of the electronic transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kost, Eric J. King, John L. Melanson, Kan Wang, Ramin Zanbaghi
  • Patent number: 9351362
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to dimming circuit and method for LEDs. The dimming circuit obtains a DC voltage from an external AC power supply by using a TRIAC, an electronic transformer, and a rectifier bridge sequentially. The dimming circuit comprises a first power stage circuit, a second power stage, a first control circuit, and a second control circuit. The first power stage circuit has an input terminal configured to receive the DC voltage. The second power stage has an input terminal coupled to an output terminal of the first power stage and an output terminal coupled to an LED load. The first control circuit is configured to generate a first control signal in accordance with a first output voltage generated at the output terminal of the first power stage circuit, a first reference voltage and an upper threshold voltage to maintain an average value of the first output voltage to be consistent with the first reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) Ltd.
    Inventors: Feng Yu, Hongfeng An
  • Patent number: 9326343
    Abstract: An integrated LED controller drives and reads a passive dimmer and controls a power circuit for the LED. The integrated LED controller detects changes in the position of the passive dimmer and causes the power circuit to brighten or dim the LED accordingly. These functions are normally performed by multiple discrete components. However, the integrated LED controller is implemented as a single integrated circuit, thus reducing the size and cost of the LED dimming system. The integrated LED controller can also include a unified timing controller that coordinates the timing of multiple functions within the controller in a manner that reduces the noise sensitivity of the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Dialog Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Yan, Clarita C. Poon, Yimin Chen, Mark Eason, Chuanyang Wang
  • Patent number: 9320100
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting apparatus which stably performs dimming control on a lamp implemented with light emitting diodes (LEDs) or the like. The lighting apparatus may improve power efficiency by driving power supplied to a lamp in a current regulation method, perform constant current control such that the lamp maintains constant brightness, perform dimming control for controlling the brightness of the lamp, commonly supply the power provided to the lamp to peripheral circuit modules, and perform constant voltage control such that a driving voltage supplied as power is maintained at a predetermined level or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SILICON WORKS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yong Geun Kim, Dong Il Kim, Sang Young Lee, Ki Chul An
  • Patent number: 9306463
    Abstract: A full-bridge quasi-resonant DC-DC converter is provided, including a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a full-bridge converting circuit electrically connected with the primary winding of the transformer, a resonant capacitor provided between the full-bridge converting circuit and the primary winding, a rectifier circuit electrically connected with the secondary winding of the transformer, and a resonant inductor connected in series with the rectifier circuit. Therefore, the full-bridge quasi-resonant DC-DC converter reduces the switching losses of the switching elements and effectively reduces the size of the converter, while increases the conversion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Shu-Syuan Huang, Pao-Chuan Lin, Po-Li Chen
  • Patent number: 9301349
    Abstract: System and method for dimming control. The system includes a system controller, a transistor, and a resistor. The system controller includes a first controller terminal and a second controller terminal. The transistor includes a first transistor terminal, a second transistor terminal and a third transistor terminal. The resistor including a first resistor terminal and a second resistor terminal. The first transistor terminal is coupled, directly or indirectly, to the second controller terminal. The first resistor terminal is coupled to the second transistor terminal. The second resistor terminal is coupled to the third transistor terminal. The system controller is configured to receive an input signal at the first controller terminal and to generate an output signal at the second controller terminal. The transistor is configured to receive the output signal at the first transistor terminal and to change between a first condition and a second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Liqiang Zhu, Jun Zhou, Lieyi Fang
  • Patent number: 9295121
    Abstract: Various embodiments may relate to a circuit arrangement and a method for operating and dimming at least one LED. In this case, the LEDs are supplied from a bridge arrangement, wherein, in order to dim the at least one LED, the frequency of the control signals is increased with increasing dimming until a predefinable dimming threshold value. In order to adjust dimming values which are below the predefinable dimming threshold value, the output signal of the bridge arrangement is short-circuited by means of a short-circuit device during predefinable periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: OSRAM GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Krummel
  • Patent number: 9271366
    Abstract: Disclosed are dimmable LED driver circuits and methods. A dimmable LED driver can include: an SCR, an electronic transformer, and a rectifier bridge to convert an AC voltage to a DC voltage signal; a power stage circuit that receives the DC voltage signal, and outputs a constant current to drive an LED load, where the power stage circuit includes first and second power stage circuits, the first power stage circuit receiving the DC voltage signal, and generating a first output voltage to the second power stage; and an input current control circuit that receives an input current of the first power stage circuit and the first output voltage, and generates a first control signal to control the input current as a square wave signal during an on time of the SCR, and the input current is substantially zero during an off time of the SCR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: (A) Silergy Semiconductor Technology (Hangzhou) LTD
    Inventors: Feng Yu, Xiaodong Huang
  • Patent number: 9232627
    Abstract: A starter is provided for a self-oscillating radio frequency oscillation circuit for high-power applications used for plasma generation in an ICP emission spectrometer or for other purposes. A secondary winding of a starting transformer is arranged in an LC resonance circuit including an induction coil, capacitor and other elements. A starter, e.g. a Clapp oscillator circuit, is connected to a primary winding magnetically coupled with the secondary winding. A radio-frequency current is induced in the LC resonance circuit by energizing the starter for a certain period of time in a starting phase. As a result, electric current flows through the secondary windings in a full-bridge drive circuit which are magnetically coupled with primary windings, whereby voltage is developed between the gate and source of MOSFETs, causing these MOSFETs to begin an ON/OFF operation, whereby the self-oscillation is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshiya Habu
  • Patent number: 9226377
    Abstract: A circuit for controlling a lighting load may operate to minimize flicker in the lighting load and electromagnetic interference (EMI) noise generated on an AC voltage supply for the lighting load. The circuit comprises a bus-voltage-generating circuit for generating a bus voltage, a load regulation circuit having an inverter circuit, and a high speed control circuit characterized by a cutoff frequency much greater than a frequency of a voltage ripple on the bus voltage. The control circuit may comprise an error amplifier circuit configured to spread the frequency of operation of the inverter circuit at a set intensity level of the lighting load into a spread spectrum of frequencies to reduce the time average of peaks of the spectrum of frequencies and peak EMI levels. The circuit may also comprise a non-linear amplifier circuit amplifying a lamp-current-feedback signal representative of the magnitude of the load current through the lighting load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Robert C. Newman, Jr., Robert T. Nachtrieb
  • Patent number: 9210743
    Abstract: A lighting device including: a lighting circuit; a drive circuit; a dimmer control circuit; and an LPF, the drive circuit for increasing on-time as a pulse height increases when an inputted PWM signal satisfies a first condition where a pulse height is greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold greater than the first threshold, and making the on-time for which a switching element is on when the switching element turns on and off once in a burst period, constant in a second condition where the height pulse is greater than the second threshold, the LPF generating a smoothed PWM signal which has a first time period satisfying the first condition and a second time period satisfying the second condition in a signal interval indicating a duty ratio, and outputting the smoothed PWM signal to the drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Ando, Tatsumi Setomoto
  • Patent number: 9192016
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a lighting circuit (e.g., an LED lighting circuit) and a driver circuit having an output coupled to the lighting circuit and an input configured to be coupled to a power source, such as a phase cut dimmer, that provides a varying voltage waveform. The driver circuit includes an electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression inductor configured to be coupled in series with the power source and a bypass circuit configured to divert current from the EMI filter inductor to limit a current in the EMI filter inductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Praneet Jayant Athalye, Michael McIntyre
  • Patent number: 9167645
    Abstract: A driver circuit adopting a primary side regulating architecture and an isolation transformer for improving LED flickers includes a transformer, a primary side regulating module, a feedback portion, a driving module and a dimming portion. The transformer includes an input coil, an auxiliary coil, a driving coil, and a dimming coil. The primary side regulating module is electrically coupled to the input coil; the feedback portion is electrically coupled to the auxiliary coil and the primary side regulating module; the driving module is electrically coupled to the driving coil; the dimming portion is electrically coupled to the dimming coil and the driving module. When a dimming signal inputted to the dimming portion has a voltage of 1V-10V, and the driver circuit is applied to a panel light, the LED flicker is improved effectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Unity Opto Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Hsien Wu, Wei Chang, Huan-Ying Lu, Kai-Cheng Chuang, Che-Hao Kuo
  • Patent number: 9167640
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an AC-direct-type LED-lighting device including compensation circuit for AC input compensation, including a compensation inductor and first compensation capacitor parallelly connected to one terminal of AC input and a second compensation capacitor connected in series; rectifying unit for rectifying output from second compensation capacitor terminals to obtain direct current; and LED array driven by the rectifying unit output, wherein capacities of the first and second compensation capacitors and the compensation inductor and LED array output voltage are determined to cause 0.9 or larger cosine value of a phase, with respect to the AC input voltage, of resulting current obtained by dividing AC input voltage by sum of (i) parallel value of an equivalent impedance Re of the rectifying unit and LED array and an impedance of the second compensation capacitor and (ii) parallel value of impedances of the compensation inductor and first compensation capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignees: Korea Advanced Institute Of Science and Technology, OPTOMIND INC.
    Inventors: Chun-taek Rim, Eun-Soo Lee, Bo-hwan Choi, Bong-cheol Kim
  • Patent number: 9125259
    Abstract: An LED driver circuit is provided for driving a multi-channel LED string with constant and balanced current. The driver circuit includes a half-bridge inverter and a resonant tank circuit in a power stage. An isolating (first) transformer includes a primary winding coupled between a resonant tank output and circuit ground and a plurality of secondary windings, while a balancing (second) transformer includes a plurality of balancing windings. A plurality of output stages each provide an output power to a respective load, and each of the output stages further includes one of the balancing windings of the balancing transformer and one of the secondary windings of the isolating transformer coupled in series, and a rectifier circuit coupled to an output end of the series coupled windings. In an embodiment, an impedance value of the balancing transformer is further configured to be greater than three times a maximum load impedance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wei Xiong
  • Patent number: 9066405
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an LED-based lighting component that can control the color rendering capability of its generated light based on the presence or characteristics of ambient light. In one embodiment, the lighting component may employ at least two different types of LEDs to generate light. Control circuitry of the lighting component is able to monitor ambient light and drive the LEDs based on an ambient light characteristic that is indicative of the CRI of the ambient light. If the ambient light characteristic is indicative of the ambient light having a lower CRI, the control system will drive the LEDs to emit light with a defined CRI. If the ambient light characteristic is indicative of the ambient light having a higher CRI, the control system will drive the LEDs to emit light with a reduced CRI, which is lower than the defined CRI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Antony Paul van de Ven
  • Patent number: 9054463
    Abstract: In an audio system my balanced interface audio connector couples an audio driver device and an audio receiver device by means of a cable containing a pair of conductive differential lines within a shield. The balanced interface audio connector comprises an electronic filter and a manually operable switch by means of whose displacement between a first position and a second position, the electronic filter can be activated or deactivated. In the first position of the switch, the electronic filter is deactivated and the shield is connected to the audio connector's ground contact pin. In the second position of the switch, the electronic filter is activated and the shield is connected through the electronic filter prior to connection with the connector's ground contact pin. The method of using my balanced interface audio connector functions as a ground lift to safely break a ground current loop and simultaneously suppresses radio and electro-magnetic frequencies from contaminating the final audio program signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Inventor: Avedis Kifedjian
  • Patent number: 9035563
    Abstract: A system for configuring at least one output parameter of a lighting load power supply, the lighting load power supply having a programmable controller for regulating the output parameter to a target value and having a memory for storing a variable for setting the target value of the output parameter, the power supply having a communication port for receiving data for setting the target value, the system comprising a computer executing software allowing a user to select a target value of an output parameter of the lighting load power supply and having a first port providing data related to the selected output parameter; and a programming device having a second port in communication with the first port of said computer and for providing data relating to said selected output parameter in a form usable by said lighting load power supply to said communication port of said lighting load power supply for programming said programmable controller to set the output parameter to the selected target value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: LUTRON ELECTRONICS CO., INC.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Nuhfer, Thomas M. Shearer, Venkatesh Chitta
  • Patent number: 9000675
    Abstract: Various embodiments of systems for transmitting and receiving digital and/or analog signals across a single isolator, solid state lighting systems, or DC/DC converter feedback regulation control systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first signal may be modulated into a first modulated signal. The first modulated signal is then modulated into a second modulated signal in accordance to a second signal. The second modulated signal is in turn, modulated into a third modulated signal in accordance to a third signal. At least some of the apparatuses, circuits, systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented using conventional CMOS design and manufacturing techniques and processes to provide, for example, at least one or more integrated circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwee Chong Chang, Jia Peng, Gek Yong Ng, Kok Keong Richard Lum
  • Patent number: 8981660
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electronic ballast for operating a gas discharge lamp which includes (i) a rectifier bridge circuit; (ii) a power factor correction (PFC) network that includes an electrolytic capacitor that charges by means of a circuit comprised by an inductor, diode and capacitor; and (iii) a switched inverter circuit that converts rectified DC voltage to a high frequency current AC voltage. The electronic circuit has a switch that switches on the aforementioned electronic elements making the (PFC) circuit consume energy continuously from the network, while the electrolytic capacitor remains connected to the voltage of the rectifier bridge, through the inductor and the diode, even if the inductor has no energy stored. From the storage capacitor the inverter is powered by a constant voltage and noise-free, allowing the inverter to power the luminous load properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panacea Quantum Leap Technology LLC
    Inventor: Francisco Javier Velasco Valcke
  • Patent number: 8981654
    Abstract: The invention provides a light emitting diode (LED) centralized DC (direct-current) power supply system and operating methods thereof. The proposed DC power supply system comprises a three-phase AC (alternating-current) input interface, a DC power supply output interface, N+1 three-phase PWM (pulse width modulation) rectifier modules, LED cluster loads and a power supply management module. The proposed operating methods are described as following: the power supply management module adjusts the duty ratio of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, based on the control signals formed by synthesizing the information about voltage and current of the positive and negative output buses, the three-phase AC input ends, control signals and output of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, hence AC voltage of power grid can be directly converted into adjustable DC voltage by the PWM rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: South China University of Technology
    Inventors: Bo Zhang, Guidong Zhang, Wenxun Xiao, Dongyuan Qiu
  • Patent number: 8970122
    Abstract: A LED driver comprising: a power switch; a transformer comprising a primary winding coupled to the power switch, a secondary winding and a third winding; a current sense circuit configured to sense a current flowing through the power switch and generates a current sense signal; a zero cross detecting circuit configured to detect a current flowing through the secondary winding, and generates a zero cross detecting signal; a compensation circuit configured to compensate the current sense signal based on the current flowing through the third winding; a control circuit configured to receive the compensated current sense signal and the zero cross detecting signal, and wherein the control circuit generates a control signal to control the power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Chengdu Monolithic Power Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naixing Kuang, Haigang Cao, Zhijun Ye