DIMMER HAVING A MICROPROCESSOR-CONTROLLED POWER SUPPLY

• US 20090143920A1
• Filed: 02/11/2009
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Newman, Robert C. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/298
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/048 with reverse phase control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 323/905 Lamp dimmer structure

Abstract

A two-wire load control device for control of power delivered to an electrical load from a source of AC voltage, comprising a first controllably conductive device adapted to be operatively coupled to the source of AC voltage and to the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load; a microprocessor coupled to the first controllably conductive device for controlling the first controllably conductive device; and a power supply adapted to be coupled to the source of AC voltage and coupled to the microprocessor for generating a DC voltage to power the microprocessor, the power supply including an energy storage element and a second controllably conductive device for controllably storing energy in the energy storage element; wherein the microprocessor is operatively coupled to the second controllably conductive device to control the second controllably conductive device.

Claims

1. A two-wire load control device for control of power delivered to an electrical load from a source of AC voltage, comprising:

a first controllably conductive device adapted to be operatively coupled to the source of AC voltage and to the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load;

a microprocessor coupled to the first controllably conductive device for controlling the first controllably conductive device; and

a power supply adapted to be coupled to the source of AC voltage and coupled to the microprocessor for generating a DC voltage to power the microprocessor, the power supply including an energy storage element and a second controllably conductive device for controllably storing energy in the energy storage element;

wherein the microprocessor is operatively coupled to the second controllably conductive device to control the second controllably conductive device.

2. A method for generating a DC voltage in a two-wire load control device for controlling the power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load, the method comprising the steps of:

generating the DC voltage across an energy storage element;

providing the DC voltage to a controller of the load control device; and

controlling with the controller of the load control device the time constant with which the energy storage element charges.