With Power Factor Control Device Patents (Class 315/247)
  • Publication number: 20140077722
    Abstract: Disclosed is an LED lamp system designed to fit into a fluorescent lamp fixture and to utilize a fluorescent lamp power supply contained in the fixture and receiving power from AC mains. The LED lamp system includes an LED driver which comprises a power factor corrected driver circuit for achieving a power factor of at least about 0.8. The LED driver further comprises a current control circuit, responsive to the presence of a three-wire magnetic ballast in the fluorescent lamp power supply, for increasing the LED operating current above the nominal rated LED operating current and to a level sufficient to achieve power factor of the LED driver of at least about 0.8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Energy Focus, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo A. Takacs, Roger F. Buelow, Tomislav Kralj
  • Patent number: 8674605
    Abstract: A solid state light source driver circuit, system and method are provided. The driver circuit includes a rectifier circuit, an energy storage element coupled thereto, a current bleeder circuit coupled thereto, and a switch. The rectifier circuit receives AC input and provides unregulated DC voltage. The switch closes to couple some of the unregulated DC voltage to the energy storage element, and opens to transfer energy to drive the light source. A power factor controller circuit provides an output signal to control the switch. The current bleeder circuit provides supply voltage to the power factor controller circuit within a range and maintains a current flow associated with the AC input that exceeds a predetermined threshold. A constant off-time controller circuit provides a switching frequency control signal to the power factor controller circuit. An EMI filter reduces generated EMI noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM SYLVANIA Inc.
    Inventors: Voravit Puvanakijjakorn, Sean Lei, Arunava Dutta
  • Patent number: 8674609
    Abstract: An LED lighting device includes a first luminescent device for providing light according to a first current, a second luminescent device coupled in series to the first luminescent device for providing light according to a second current, an impedance device for limiting the second current within a predetermined range when a voltage established across the first luminescent device and the second luminescent device exceeds a first predetermined value, and a two-terminal current controller coupled in parallel with the first luminescent device and in series to the second luminescent device and configured to regulate the second current according to a voltage established across the two-terminal current controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: IML International
    Inventors: Yung-Hsin Chiang, Yi-Mei Li
  • Patent number: 8674622
    Abstract: A light-emitting diode (LED) module includes a body assembly, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having LEDs, and a power conditioning board having a controller. The PCBA and power conditioning board are encapsulated by the body assembly. The power conditioning board is driverless, i.e., characterized by an absence of a switching power supply, and includes a rectifier and reducer. The reducer detects an AC waveform zero-crossing and phase angle of AC line power, reduces the rectified voltage, and selectively turns the LEDs on or off using corresponding signals. The controller receives the reduced peak-to-peak rectified voltage from the reducer, adjusts operating parameters of the reducer in response to the phase angle and zero-crossing to illuminate or extinguish some/all of the LEDs and increase the power factor of the LED module, and adjusts the limiter to provide a constant power level to the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sparton Corporation
    Inventors: Giacinto Vigilante, Russ Lawson, Lynn M. Hurt
  • Patent number: 8674620
    Abstract: A driver circuit includes a buck converter associated with each LED chain for supplying a load current thereto. The buck converter receives an input voltage and is configured to provide a supply voltage to the associated LED chain such that the resulting load current of the LED chain matches at least approximately a predefined reference current value. The driver circuit further includes a switching converter that receives a driver supply voltage from a power supply and provides, as an output voltage, the input voltage for the buck converters. The switching converter is configured to provide an input voltage to the buck converters such that the maximum of the ratios between the input voltage and the supply voltages provided to the LED chains matches a predefined tolerance reference ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Giovanni Capodivacca, Fabrizio Cortigiani, Andrea Scenini
  • Patent number: 8664877
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a light driving apparatus which may stably drive an LED light at a normal operation by feeding back the output voltage of the LED light and stably drive the LED light at an abnormal operation by feeding back the voltage supplied to the LED light, and the light driving apparatus includes: a rectifier circuit; a transformer circuit; a power factor correction circuit; a smoothing circuit; a constant-current driving circuit; a dimming control circuit; a photo-coupler; a sample and hold circuit; a first photo-coupler driving circuit for feeding back the voltage output from the sample and hold circuit and applying the feedback voltage as a driving voltage of the photo-coupler; and a second photo-coupler driving circuit for feeding back the voltage output from the smoothing circuit and supplied to the LED module and supplying the feedback voltage as a driving voltage of the photo-coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Dongwoon Anatech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Ho Jin, Hyun Il Park, Ju Seong Kim
  • Patent number: 8664886
    Abstract: Timer-based switching circuit synchronization in an electrical dimmer is provided. The energizing of a switching circuit in a dimmer is synchronized with an AC wave to facilitate providing by the dimmer electrical power to a load. The synchronizing includes starting a timer having a predetermined timeout, responsive to receipt of a zero-crossing signal. Responsive to receipt of a subsequent zero-crossing signal prior to reaching the timeout, the timer is restarted, and responsive to expiration of the timeout, a switching circuit is energized at a predetermined firing angle with respect to the zero-crossing signal to supply electrical power to the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Ostrovsky
  • Patent number: 8664884
    Abstract: An LED (Light-Emitting Diode) driving circuit to drive an LED module is provided. The LED driving circuit includes a converting circuit and a feedback control circuit. The converting circuit is coupled to the LED module, and converts an input voltage into an output voltage according to at least one control signal. The feedback control circuit generates the control signal to control the converting circuit to perform voltage conversion according to a feedback signal. In addition, the feedback control circuit receives a dimming signal, and is operated in a first state or a second state in response to the dimming signal, wherein the feedback control circuit adjusts the duty cycle of the control signal to have the duty cycle larger than or equal to a predetermined duty cycle in a predetermined period right after the feedback control circuit is operated from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Green Solution Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hai-Po Li, Shian-Sung Shiu, Li-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 8664895
    Abstract: A controller for controlling power to a light source includes a first sensing pin, a second sensing pin, a third sensing pin, and a driving pin. The first sensing pin receives a first signal indicating an instant current flowing through an energy storage element. The second sensing pin receives a second signal indicating an average current flowing through the energy storage element. The third sensing pin receives a third signal indicating whether the instant current decreases to a predetermined current level. The driving pin provides a driving signal to a switch to control an average current flowing through the light source to a target current level. The driving signal is generated based on one or more signals selected from the first signal, the second signal and the third signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventors: Tiesheng Yan, Youling Li, Feng Lin, Xinhe Su, Ching-Chuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 8659231
    Abstract: Various embodiments provide an electronic ballast for operation of at least one discharge lamp, with the electronic ballast having an apparatus for power factor correction with a voltage converter. The voltage converter itself includes an inductance, a diode and a switch. A control apparatus, which produces a square-wave signal as a control signal to the switch of the apparatus for power factor correction, includes an I regulator. This produces a first component of the on time of the control signal. In order to react to short-term power demands in the load circuit for example on ignition of the discharge lamp, an electronic ballast furthermore may include a power determining apparatus, which is coupled to the control apparatus, with the control apparatus being designed to vary the control signal as a function of the power consumed in the discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Osram AG
    Inventors: Olaf Busse, Siegfried Mayer
  • Patent number: 8659239
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a circuit and a method for providing absolute information for floating grounded integrated circuit. The method includes: receiving an absolute information sense signal carrying absolute information; converting the absolute information sense signal to a current signal; and generating an internal reference signal according to the current signal, wherein the internal reference signal or a relationship between the internal reference signal and a floating ground level is related to the absolute information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Richtek Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Liao, Roland Van Roy, Jing-Meng Liu, Leng-Nien Hsiu
  • Publication number: 20140042926
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system includes a PFC and output voltage controller and a LED lighting power system. The controller advantageously operates from an auxiliary voltage less than a link voltage generated by the LED lighting power system. The common reference voltage allows all the components of lighting system to work together. A power factor correction switch and an LED drive current switch are coupled to the common reference node and have control node-to-common node, absolute voltage that allows the controller to control the conductivity of the switches. The LED lighting system can utilize feed forward control to concurrently modify power demand by the LED lighting power system and power demand of one or more LEDs. The LED lighting system can utilize a common current sense device to provide a common feedback signal to the controller representing current in at least two of the LEDs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Melanson
  • Publication number: 20140035474
    Abstract: Disclosed is a high-efficiency LED driver chip and a driver circuit of the chip, and the driver chip includes a detection unit, a comparison unit and a correction unit. The LED detection unit detects the operating current of the LED driver circuit by an external sensing resistor and an internal current mirror to output a setup signal, and the comparison unit detects the driving current of at least one LED by an external comparing resistor to output an initialization signal, so that the correction unit can output a correction signal according to the setup signal and the initialization signal to reduce the power loss of the circuit while maintaining the driving current constant, so as to improve the illumination quality and the service life of the LED.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Anwell Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: CHUN-CHIEH KUO, KE-HORNG CHEN, SHAO-WEI CHIU
  • Patent number: 8643300
    Abstract: A control system and method for automatically and seamlessly providing optimal power and/or voltage levels to an integrated, connected or other designated light fixture. In particular, the control system comprises corresponding boost, buck and feedback circuitry cooperatively utilized to intelligently increase, decrease or maintain the signal or power delivered to the light fixture at an optimal level, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity of the light fixture and allowing the light fixture to operate even in the event of a severely degraded signal due to resistance or impedance resulting from a lengthy power wire or other factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventors: Dale B. Stepps, Jose Luis Suarez
  • Patent number: 8638045
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a LED lighting system and method. A transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding. A plurality of LED strings are coupled to the secondary winding of the transformer. At least one switch is coupled to at least one of the plurality of LED strings. A controller is coupled to the at least one switch and configured to control the operation of the at least one switch such that current flows through the plurality of LED strings in an alternating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: David Kunst, Barry Loveridge
  • Patent number: 8638042
    Abstract: A lamp ballast is provided for igniting and operating an HID lamp. A buck inverter circuit includes a pair of high-frequency and a pair of low-frequency switches. A capacitor and an inductor are series-connected between a first node between the low frequency switches and a second node between the high frequency switches. A lamp igniting circuit is coupled between the first node and a first lamp output terminal, and a second lamp output terminal is coupled to a third node between the capacitor and the inductor. A control circuit turns on and off the switches to regulate low frequency square wave voltage generated across the lamp output terminals to be less than an input DC voltage from the positive rail, wherein the buck inverter operates in either of a critical discontinuous mode or a discontinuous mode during an open circuit operation, and in a critical discontinuous mode during other operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Universal Lighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yiyoung Tony Sun, Kenichi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 8638049
    Abstract: A driving device, a light emitting diode (LED) driving device and a method thereof are provided. The driving device includes a driving unit and a plurality of selection units. The driving unit produces a driving signal to drive a light emitting diode. The selection units are coupled to the driving unit and respectively correspond to a current value. The driving unit selects one of the selection units according a first pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. The current value corresponding to the selected selection unit is taken as the current value of the driving signal. The driving unit generates a duty cycle of a second PWM signal according to the duty cycle of the first PWM signal to serve as a duty cycle of the driving signal. In this way, power consumption of the LED is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Feng Yang, Cheng-I Wu, Li-Wei Mao
  • Patent number: 8633655
    Abstract: An LED (Light-Emitting Diode) output power adjusting device includes an analog/digital conversion and detection circuit, a computation and control unit, a digital/analog conversion control circuit, and a power supply circuit. The analog/digital conversion and detection circuit is connected to an LED based load to detect a forward voltage thereof and converts the forward voltage into an output of digital signal. The computation and control unit perform evaluation and computation on the digital signal of the forward voltage to obtain a digital current control signal indicating a corresponding current. The digital/analog conversion control circuit converts the digital current control signal into an analog current control signal, which is then fed to a constant current drive circuit of the LED based load to adjust an output power of the LED based load to approximate a constant power condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Azurelighting Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Kao, Berton Chuang
  • Patent number: 8633657
    Abstract: A representative apparatus embodiment provides for controlling current supplied to solid state lighting, such as light emitting diodes. A representative apparatus comprises a memory adapted to store a plurality of current parameters, and a control circuit adapted to modulate an energizing cycle time period for providing a substantially constant DC average current to the solid state lighting in response to a selected current parameter from the plurality of current parameters. In a representative embodiment, the control circuit modulates a current provided to the solid state lighting in response to a predetermined minimum current level (IMIN) parameter and a predetermined peak current level (IP) parameter, such that the DC average current level (IO) is substantially proportional to one-half of a sum of a predetermined peak current level (IP) and a predetermined minimum current level IMIN ( I O ? I P + I MI ? ? N 2 ) .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Point Somee Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Anatoly Shteynberg, Harry Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 8629625
    Abstract: A method for providing universal voltage input to a solid state lighting fixture (140) supplied by an AC line voltage includes converting an analog voltage signal corresponding to the line voltage to digital values indicating a waveform of the line voltage (S312) and calculating slopes corresponding to rising edges of the waveform using select values of the digital values (S453). A value of the line voltage is determined based on the calculated slopes (S458).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventors: Gregory Campbell, Igor Shikh
  • Publication number: 20140009082
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to: determine from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer may include determining from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer and selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: CIRRUS LOGIC, INC.
    Inventors: Eric Jerome King, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 8624516
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus for LED is provided. The power supply apparatus for LED includes a detector, a voltage dropper, and a control switch. The detector detects whether an LED is connected to the power supply apparatus. The voltage dropper drops a voltage applied to the LED. The control switch is connected to the voltage dropper in parallel, and changes a path of a power applied to the LED according to the detected result of the detector. Accordingly, the power supply apparatus for LED compensates for a low impedance of an LED to an impedance equal to or higher than a predetermined impedance at a time when connection of the LED is detected, thereby inhibiting an overcurrent from flowing in the LED.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ui Jong Kim, Min Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8618743
    Abstract: The present invention is aimed at providing a dimmer capable of preventing malfunctions due to noise contamination or waveform distortion of the voltage of an AC power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: ELM Inc.
    Inventors: Takakazu Miyahara, Hiroshi Kirihara, Mitsuhiro Hashiguchi
  • Patent number: 8610368
    Abstract: A serial-type LED device includes p light source units and a dimming circuit. Each light source unit includes first and second terminals, m light strings and m current balance units. Each light string includes LEDs coupled in series to have a first terminal coupled to the first terminal of a corresponding light source unit and a second terminal coupled to the second terminal of the corresponding light source unit through a corresponding current balance unit. The first terminal of the first light source unit is coupled to a second DC voltage, and the second terminal of the i-th light source unit is coupled to the first terminal of the (i+1)-th light source unit, where m and p are integers greater than or equal to 2, and i is any integer from 1 to (p?1). The dimming circuit coupled to the second terminal of the p-th light source unit controls the second DC voltage according to a current outputted from the p-th light source unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Top Victory Investments Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Wei Lin, Chen-Chiang Lee, Chi-Hsin Lee
  • Patent number: 8610365
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, the controller senses a leading edge, phase cut AC input voltage value to a switching power converter during a cycle of the AC input voltage. The controller senses the voltage value at a time prior to a zero crossing of the AC input voltage and utilizes the voltage value to determine the approximate zero crossing. In at least one embodiment, by determining an approximate zero crossing of the AC input voltage, the controller is unaffected by any disturbances of the dimmer that could otherwise make detecting the zero crossing problematic. In at least one embodiment, the controller approximates the AC input voltage using a function that estimates a waveform of the AC input voltage and determines the approximate zero crossing of the AC input voltage from the approximation of the AC input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. King, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 8610370
    Abstract: A method and a device for gradually controlling the illuminating light intensity of light-emitting diodes by modulating the width of current pulses of defined duty cycle, using a DC-to-DC voltage converter and a control circuit for switching the supply current of the light-emitting diodes. Prior to switching the power supply of the diodes the DC-to-DC converter is initiated (A), so as to generate voltage pulses of defined duty cycle; the steady state of each pulse is determined (B), so as to generate a voltage pulse (CP) calibrated to a voltage level substantially corresponding to the steady-state level; and then the light-emitting diodes are powered (D) by applying each calibrated pulse to the light-emitting diodes by means of the switchable control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Vision
    Inventors: Sebastian Krick, LoĆÆc Flandre
  • Patent number: 8598812
    Abstract: One embodiment in accordance with the invention can include a circuit for controlling a light emitting diode (LED) lighting fixture via a power line. The circuit can include a power switch coupled to the power line and is for outputting a firing angle. Additionally, the circuit can include a control circuit coupled to the power switch and is for implementing firing angle control of the power switch. Furthermore, the circuit can include a translator coupled to receive the firing angle and for mapping the firing angle to a function of the LED lighting fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Kedar Godbole, Doung Vargha
  • Patent number: 8598800
    Abstract: A soft-start circuit generates a soft-start voltage Vss having a voltage level that rises over time. A pulse width modulator generates a PWM signal having a duty ratio adjusted such that a feedback voltage Vout? that corresponds to the output voltage Vout of the switching power supply matches the soft-start voltage Vss. A driver circuit controls a switching element according to the PWM signal. A capacitor is arranged such that one terminal thereof is set to a fixed electric potential. A current source generates a charge current that flows intermittently in synchronization with the PWM signal so as to charge the capacitor. The soft-start circuit outputs, as the soft-start voltage Vss, a voltage that occurs at the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Uchimoto, Hiroki Kikuchi, Naoki Inoue
  • Patent number: 8598803
    Abstract: A driving circuit of a light emitting diode (LED), including a driving unit, a current pre-charging unit and a feedback unit, is provided. The driving unit outputs a driving power to drive the LEDs and outputs at least one first feedback signal according to the current conducted in the LEDs. The current pre-charging unit is coupled to an output of the driving unit to provide a current path to the driving unit and generates a second feedback signal. One of the at least one first feedback signal is selected to adjust the driving power when the enable signal is at a first logic level; the second feedback signal is selected to adjust the driving power when the enable signal is at a second logic level so as to maintain a current to drive the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: MY-Semi Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Ting Kuo, Chun-Fu Lin, Cheng-Han Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8599119
    Abstract: A resistive element is connected in series to a cathode terminal of an LED light source at a last stage (or an anode terminal of an LED light source at a first stage) of an LED chain, and a resistance value of the resistive element is configured to be variable in resistance value in accordance with a variation of voltage drops of the LEDs connected in series so that a resistance value of a resistive element connected to an LED chain having a large voltage drop has a smaller resistance value then a resistance value of a resistive element connected to an LED chain having a small voltage drop. With this configuration, the power, which has been wasted otherwise as heat in the backlight driver IC, may be dispersed to the resistive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Hosogi, Junichi Maruyama, Misa Owa, Kikuo Ono, Goki Toshima, Masahiro Fukata
  • Patent number: 8599580
    Abstract: A buck converter includes a first electrical switch and a second electrical switch connected in series, a PWM module coupled to the gate of the first electrical switch through a first adjustable resistance module and coupled to the gate of the second electrical switch through a second adjustable resistance module, a filter circuit coupled between the connecting node of the two different electrical switches and an output node, and a control module for adjusting values of the first adjustable resistance module and the second adjustable resistance module and acquiring a voltage value from the connecting node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Qi-Yan Luo, Song-Lin Tong, Peng Chen
  • Patent number: 8593076
    Abstract: An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp includes a power converter for generating a DC bus voltage, where the bus voltage is controlled to different magnitudes during different operating modes of the ballast. The ballast comprises a control circuit that is coupled to the power converter for adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage to a first magnitude when the lamp is off, to a second magnitude when preheating filaments of the lamp, and to a third magnitude when the lamp is on. The control circuit is also operable to preemptively adjust the magnitude of the bus voltage prior to changing modes of operation. For example, when turning the load on, the control circuit first adjusts a power-conversion-drive level of the power converter to begin adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage towards a predetermined magnitude, and then waits for a predetermined time period before attempting to turn the load on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Dragan Veskovic
  • Patent number: 8593079
    Abstract: Various embodiments of an LED dimming driver are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for dimmably driving at least one load includes a power supply having a voltage output, a controller having at least one current setpoint output, and at least one driver channel circuit connected to the voltage output of the power supply and to at least one of the at least one current setpoint outputs, the at least one driver channel circuit having a load output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: InnoSys, Inc
    Inventors: Laurence P. Sadwick, William B. Sackett
  • Patent number: 8593070
    Abstract: A three phase rectifier rectifies received three phase a.c. power to generate a ripple d.e. voltage. A power distribution bus conveys distribution power comprising the ripple d.c. voltage or an a.c. voltage derived therefrom to a location of an LED based lamp that is distal from the three phase rectifier. Additional circuitry disposed with the LED based lamp drives the LED based lamp using the distribution power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jian Wang, Hong Zhao
  • Patent number: 8587211
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system includes a PFC and output voltage controller and a LED lighting power system. The controller advantageously operates from an auxiliary voltage less than a link voltage generated by the LED lighting power system. The common reference voltage allows all the components of lighting system to work together. A power factor correction switch and an LED drive current switch are coupled to the common reference node and have control node-to-common node, absolute voltage that allows the controller to control the conductivity of the switches. The LED lighting system can utilize feed forward control to concurrently modify power demand by the LED lighting power system and power demand of one or more LEDs. The LED lighting system can utilize a common current sense device to provide a common feedback signal to the controller representing current in at least two of the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 8587218
    Abstract: To a constant-current power supply whose output current can be variably set, light emitting modules can be connected in parallel. A control unit recognizes connection information outputted from an information output unit provided in each of the light emitting modules and varies the output current of the constant-current power supply. Drive can be controlled in response to a state of the connected light emitting modules such as the connecting number of light emitting modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Otake, Toshiyuki Hiraoka, Keiichi Shimizu, Nobuo Shibano
  • Patent number: 8587221
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a DC/DC converter. The DC/DC converter includes a transformer, a switch controller and a driver controller. The transformer has a primary winding coupled to a power source, a first secondary winding provides a first output voltage to a first load, and a second secondary winding provides a second output voltage to a second load. The switch controller is coupled to the primary winding and controls a first switch coupled to the primary winding to control input power to the primary winding and to regulate the first output voltage based on a power requirement of the first load. The driver controller is coupled to the second secondary winding and generates a pulse modulation signal to alternately turn on and turn off a second switch coupled to the second secondary winding to regulate the second output voltage based on a power requirement of the second load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: O2Micro, Inc.
    Inventor: Da Liu
  • Patent number: 8587208
    Abstract: A multi-strike ballast to ignite an electrodless lamp is disclosed, and includes an inverter circuit, an output voltage detection circuit (OVDC), and an inverter shutdown circuit. The inverter circuit, upon activation, sends an ignition pulse to the electrodeless lamp. The inverter circuit shut downs upon receiving a deactivation signal, and activates upon receiving an activation signal, triggering another ignition pulse. The OVDC detects an output voltage across the lamp. The inverter shutdown circuit includes a multi-strike diac and receives the detected output voltage. The multi-strike diac breaks upon the output voltage reaching a predetermined level. In response, a deactivation signal is sent to the inverter circuit. The multi-strike diac turns off upon the output voltage falling below the predetermined level. In response, an activation signal is sent to the inverter circuit, triggering a further ignition pulse. The process repeats, providing multiple ignition pulses to the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventors: Nitin Kumar, Shashank Bakre, Ayan Choudhury
  • Patent number: 8587215
    Abstract: Lighting devices and operating methods are presented in which voltage or current perturbations of an OLED caused by a user pressing the OLED are monitored while the OLED is providing general lighting, and one or more lighting control signals are generated based on the sensed perturbations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bruce Richard Roberts, Deeder Aurongzeb, Josip Brnada
  • Patent number: 8587209
    Abstract: A method of operating an LED driver including a power converter to generate an output current for powering an LED and to provide active power factor correction is disclosed. The power converter is coupled between an input to receive a rectified AC voltage and an output for providing the output current to the LED. The method includes operating the power converter at a substantially fixed frequency in an open loop mode based on a current through the inductive element and the rectified AC voltage. LED drivers operable in accordance with the disclosed method are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventor: Antonio R. SoleƱo
  • Publication number: 20130300312
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed at a configurable light emitting diode (LED) driver/dimmer for controlling a set of light fixture loads comprising: a power circuit; a primary digital controller for controlling the power circuit; a set of output current drivers, each of the set of output current drivers connected to one of the set of light fixture loads for controlling the associated light fixture load; a secondary digital controller for controlling the set of output current drivers; wherein the secondary controller transmits LED control information to control outputs of the set of output current drivers; and wherein the secondary digital controller provides digital feedback control information to the primary digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Inventors: David TIKKANEN, Jason NEUDORF, Steven LYONS, Kyle Grahame HATHAWAY
  • Patent number: 8581513
    Abstract: A DMX based wireless, light emitting device and system including wireless modules that are battery powered and wirelessly receive and transmit DMX to other modules or a controller device. The modules can optionally be hard wired to both a DMX signal and external power supply. An integrated processor can independently control a pre-selected lighting effects, channels, addresses, programs and other light effect features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Inventor: Jhansen Reinoso
  • Patent number: 8581515
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a light emitting diode driver that integrates a light emitting diode control function and a power switching control function at a secondary side insulated from a primary side in a power supply circuit, without using a photo coupler to control power switching at the primary side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dae Hoon Han, Jeong In Cheon, Jae Shin Lee
  • Patent number: 8581501
    Abstract: Dimming ballasts and methods are presented for powering a plurality of fluorescent lamps in which at most one of the lamps is selectively dimmed while all the remaining lamps are turned on or off according to a dimming level setpoint to allow dimming to match a user's desired lighting level while maintaining high efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Avi Shertok, Bruce Roberts
  • Patent number: 8581504
    Abstract: In at least one embodiment, a controller allows triac-based dimmer to properly function and dim a load whose voltage is regulated by a switching power converter. In at least one embodiment, the switching power converter includes a switch to control voltage conversion of an input voltage to the switching power converter, wherein phase delays are introduced in the input voltage by a triac-based dimmer during a dimming period. In at least one embodiment, the controller is configured to control the switch of the switching power converter to establish an input resistance of the switching power converter during a dimming portion of the input voltage, wherein the input resistance allows the triac-based dimmer to phase modulate a supply voltage to the dimmer so that an output voltage of the dimmer has a substantially uninterrupted phase delay during each half-cycle of the supply voltage during the dimming period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Kost, Mauro L. Gaetano, John L. Melanson
  • Patent number: 8581508
    Abstract: Provided is an LED driving apparatus capable of improving a power factor through a non-insulation type simplified circuit structure, including: a light emitting unit having at least one LED; a rectifier rectifying an alternate current (AC) voltage applied from external power; a power supply unit supplying driving power to the light emitting unit, and having an inductor connected to an output terminal of the light emitting unit; and a switch controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mamoru Horino
  • Patent number: 8575863
    Abstract: A color correcting device driver is configured to vary the equivalent current into light emitting elements (e.g., LEDs) with the frequency of the AC input current (e.g., 120 Hz). In implementations that include a fly-back controller with a power factor correction (PFC) controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver performs the method of: 1) turning on the loads (e.g., white and CA strings of LEDs); 2) determining if the voltage supplied to the loads has dropped by a first threshold amount; 3) turning off the loads; and 4) determining if the voltage supplied to loads has recovered by a second threshold amount (or waiting for a fixed amount of time). The method is repeated. In implementations that do not include a PFC controller on the primary side, the color correcting device driver can create a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Atmel Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Cai, Jeff Kotowski, Timothy James Herklots
  • Patent number: 8575859
    Abstract: To a constant-current power supply whose output current can be variably set, light emitting modules can be connected in parallel. A control unit recognizes connection information outputted from an information output unit provided in each of the light emitting modules and varies the output current of the constant-current power supply. Drive can be controlled in response to a state of the connected light emitting modules such as the connecting number of light emitting modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Otake, Toshiyuki Hiraoka, Keiichi Shimizu, Nobuo Shibano
  • Patent number: 8575851
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a programmable LED driver to control a plurality of LEDs. The driver comprises an LED driver circuit, a programmable integrated circuit (PIC) such as a microprocessor, and capacitive touch pads. The driver receives a 110 volt AC current and is sized to fit within a standard 110 volt AC outlet box. The programmable integrated circuit is adapted to scan said touch pad array and generate an output signal to said LED driver circuit corresponding to said scan. In an embodiment of the present invention, the touch pad array comprises a plurality of touch pads and the touch pads are the faceplate of a 110 volt AC outlet box. A further embodiment of the present invention comprises a touch pad plate remote from the programmable integrated circuit, the touch plate comprising a plurality of capacitive touch pads wirelessly connected to the programmable integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventor: Farhad Bahrehmand
  • Patent number: 8575849
    Abstract: A driver circuit, solid state light (SSL) source assembly including same, and a method of driving an SSL source are provided. The driver circuit includes a rectifier, an inverter, a transformer, a PFC circuit, and a frequency control. The rectifier receives an AC voltage and provides an unregulated DC voltage. The inverter includes two switches, and receives respective control signals to operate these, to generate a resonate AC signal from the unregulated DC voltage. The transformer includes a primary winding coupled to the inverter, a secondary winding to be coupled to an SSL source through an output stage, and a feedback winding. The PFC circuit controls the inverter in response to signals representative of the unregulated DC voltage and the inverter's current. The frequency control generates the control signals to control the inverter's switching frequency in response to signals representative of the output stage's current and the feedback winding's current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Osram Sylvania Inc.
    Inventor: Victor M. Simi