Load control device for high-efficiency loads
First Claim
1. A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
- a thyristor adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the thyristor having a first main terminal and a second main terminal through which current is conducted to energize the electrical load and a gate terminal through which current is conducted to render the thyristor conductive;
a gate coupling circuit electrically coupled to conduct current through the gate terminal of the thyristor;
a control circuit configured to control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal of the thyristor at a firing time during a present half-cycle of the AC power source to render the thyristor conductive; and
a power supply electrically coupled to conduct current through the electrical load to generate a supply voltage;
wherein the control circuit is further configured to control the gate coupling circuit to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the present half-cycle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A two-wire load control device (such as, a dimmer switch) for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load (such as, a high-efficiency lighting load) includes a thyristor coupled between the source and the load, a gate coupling circuit coupled between a first main load terminal and the gate of the thyristor, and a control circuit coupled to a control input of the gate coupling circuit. The control circuit generates a drive voltage for causing the gate coupling circuit to conduct a gate current to thus render the thyristor conductive at a firing time during a half cycle of the AC power source, and to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct the gate current at any time from the firing time through approximately the remainder of the half cycle, where the gate coupling circuit conducts approximately no net average current to render and maintain the thyristor conductive.
93 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
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a thyristor adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the thyristor having a first main terminal and a second main terminal through which current is conducted to energize the electrical load and a gate terminal through which current is conducted to render the thyristor conductive; a gate coupling circuit electrically coupled to conduct current through the gate terminal of the thyristor; a control circuit configured to control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal of the thyristor at a firing time during a present half-cycle of the AC power source to render the thyristor conductive; and a power supply electrically coupled to conduct current through the electrical load to generate a supply voltage; wherein the control circuit is further configured to control the gate coupling circuit to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the present half-cycle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A load control device for controlling power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
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a thyristor adapted to be electrically coupled between the AC power source and the electrical load, the thyristor having a first main terminal and a second main terminal through which current is conducted to energize the electrical load and a gate terminal through which current is conducted to render the thyristor conductive; a gate coupling circuit electrically coupled to conduct current through the gate terminal of the thyristor; a wireless signal receiver configured to receive a wireless signal; a control circuit configured to control the gate coupling circuit to conduct a pulse of current through the gate terminal of the thyristor at a firing time during a present half-cycle of the AC power source to render the thyristor conductive, the control circuit further configured to determine an amount of power to be delivered to the electrical load in response to the wireless signal; and a power supply electrically coupled to conduct current through the electrical load to generate a supply voltage for powering the control circuit and the wireless signal receiver; wherein the control circuit is further configured to control the gate coupling circuit to allow the gate coupling circuit to conduct at least one other pulse of current after the firing time during the present half-cycle, thereby. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification