Apparatus, Method and System for Providing AC Line Power to Lighting Devices
First Claim
1. A method of providing power to a plurality of light emitting diodes couplable to receive an AC voltage, the plurality of light emitting diodes coupled in series to form a plurality of segments of light emitting diodes each comprising at least one light emitting diode, the plurality of segments of light emitting diodes coupled to a corresponding plurality of switches to switch a selected segment of light emitting diodes into or out of a series light emitting diode current path, the method comprising:
- monitoring a first parameter;
during a first part of an AC voltage interval, when the first parameter has reached a first predetermined level, switching a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes into the series light emitting diode current path; and
during a second part of the AC voltage interval, when the first parameter has decreased to a second predetermined level, switching a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes out of the series light emitting diode current path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, method and system are disclosed for providing AC line power to lighting devices such as light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). An exemplary apparatus comprises: a plurality of LEDs coupled in series to form a first plurality of segments of LEDs; a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of segments of LEDs to switch a selected segment into or out of a series LED current path in response to a control signal; a current sensor; and a controller which, in response to a first parameter and during a first part of an AC voltage interval, generates a first control signal to switch a corresponding segment of LEDs into the series LED current path; and during a second part of the AC voltage interval, generates a second control signal to switch a corresponding segment of LEDs out of the first series LED current path.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method of providing power to a plurality of light emitting diodes couplable to receive an AC voltage, the plurality of light emitting diodes coupled in series to form a plurality of segments of light emitting diodes each comprising at least one light emitting diode, the plurality of segments of light emitting diodes coupled to a corresponding plurality of switches to switch a selected segment of light emitting diodes into or out of a series light emitting diode current path, the method comprising:
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monitoring a first parameter; during a first part of an AC voltage interval, when the first parameter has reached a first predetermined level, switching a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes into the series light emitting diode current path; and during a second part of the AC voltage interval, when the first parameter has decreased to a second predetermined level, switching a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes out of the series light emitting diode current path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus couplable to receive an AC voltage, the apparatus comprising:
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a rectifier to provide a rectified AC voltage; a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled in series to form a plurality of segments of light emitting diodes; a plurality of switches correspondingly coupled to the plurality of segments of light emitting diodes to switch a selected segment of light emitting diodes into or out of a series light emitting diode current path; a current sensor to sense a light emitting diode current level; and a controller coupled to the plurality of switches and to the current sensor, the controller, during a first part of a rectified AC voltage interval and when the light emitting diode current level has increased to a first predetermined current level, to switch a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes into the series light emitting diode current path; and
during a second part of a rectified AC voltage interval and when the light emitting diode current level has decreased to a second predetermined current level, the controller to switch the corresponding segment of light emitting diodes out of the series light emitting diode current path. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. An apparatus couplable to receive an AC voltage, the apparatus comprising:
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a first plurality of light emitting diodes coupled in series to form a first plurality of segments of light emitting diodes; a first plurality of switches coupled to the first plurality of segments of light emitting diodes to switch a selected segment of light emitting diodes into or out of a first series light emitting diode current path in response to a control signal; a current sensor to determine a light emitting diode current level; and a controller coupled to the plurality of switches and to the current sensor, the controller, during a first part of an AC voltage interval and in response to the light emitting diode current level, to generate a first control signal to switch a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes of the first plurality of segments of light emitting diodes into the first series light emitting diode current path; and
during a second part of the AC voltage interval and in response to the light emitting diode current level, to switch a corresponding segment of light emitting diodes of the first plurality of segments of light emitting diodes out of the first series light emitting diode current path. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification