Systems and methods for intelligent dimming control using TRIAC dimmers

• US 10,687,397 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2019
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: On-Bright Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Orthosie Investment Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Liqiang, Yang, Jiqing, Li, Zhuoyan, Fang, Lieyi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Crystal L
• Application Number:
  US16/270,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20190327810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/385 using flyback topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Systems and methods for dimming control using TRIAC dimmers are provided. An example apparatus for a power conversion system includes: a process-and-drive component configured to receive an input signal and output a drive signal to a switch to affect a current that flows through a primary winding of a power conversion system. The input signal includes a first pulse associated with a first input period and a second pulse associated with a second input period. The drive signal is associated with a first modulation period for the first input period and a second modulation period for the second input period. The process-and-drive component is further configured to: determine the first modulation period for the first input period; change the drive signal between a first logic level and a second logic level at a modulation frequency during the first modulation period; determine the second modulation period for the second input period.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a power converter, the apparatus comprising:

a process and drive signal generator configured to receive an input signal and generate a drive signal based at least in part on the input signal;

wherein;

the input signal includes a pulse associated with a pulse width; and

the process and drive signal generator is further configured to;

process information associated with the pulse width; and

generate a drive signal based on at least information associated with the pulse width so that a current flowing through one or more light emitting diodes changes non-linearly with the pulse width but a brightness of the one or more light emitting diodes changes linearly with the pulse width.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process-and-drive signal generator includes:

a reference signal generator configured to receive the input signal and generate a reference signal based at least in part on the input signal;

an error amplifier configured to receive the reference signal and generate an amplified signal based at least in part on the reference signal;

a modulation signal generator configured to generate a modulation signal based at least in part on the amplified signal; and

a drive signal generator configured to generate the drive signal based at least in part on the modulation signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the reference signal generator includes:

a first signal generator configured to receive the input signal and generate a first signal based at least in part on the input signal; and

a reference signal modulator configured to receive the first signal and change the reference signal based at least in part on the first signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the drive signal generator includes:

a second signal generator configured to receive the modulation signal and a dimming signal generated by the first signal generator and generate a second signal based at least in part on the modulation signal and the dimming signal; and

a gate driver configured to generate the drive signal based at least in part on the second signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the modulation signal generator includes:

a multiplier configured to receive the amplified signal and the input signal and generate a multiplied signal based at least in part on the amplified signal and the input signal; and

a modulator configured to receive the multiplied signal and a sensing signal and generate the modulation signal based at least in part on the multiplied signal and the sensing signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the error amplifier is further configured to generate the amplified signal with a capacitor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brightness of the one or more light emitting diodes corresponds to a luminance of the one or more light emitting diodes.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the pulse width corresponds to a phase angle; and

the process and drive signal generator is further configured to;

process information associated with the phase angle; and

generate the drive signal based on at least information associated with the phase angle so that the current changes non-linearly with the phase angle but the brightness of the one or more light emitting diodes changes linearly with the phase angle.

9. A method for a power converter, the method comprising:

receiving an input signal including a pulse associated with a pulse width;

processing information associated with the input signal; and

generating a drive signal based at least in part on the input signal;

wherein the processing information associated with the input signal includes processing information associated with the pulse width;

wherein the generating a drive signal based at least in part on the input signal includes generating the drive signal based on at least information associated with the pulse width so that a current flowing through one or more light emitting diodes changes non-linearly with the pulse width but a brightness of the one or more light emitting diodes changes linearly with the pulse width.