CONTROL APPARATUS WITH CALIBRATION FUNCTIONALITY AND LIGHTING APPARATUS INCORPORATING CONTROL APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A control apparatus adapted for use with a dimmer, the dimmer comprising a variable impedance and an interface operable to change the variable impedance, the variable impedance in series with a capacitor coupled between a connection node and a reference ground, the control apparatus comprising:
- a signal generation circuit coupled to the dimmer at the connection node and operable to generate an output signal whose period is dictated at least in part by the impedance of the variable impedance;
a lighting controller operable;
to receive the output signal from the signal generation circuit;
detect a first period of the output signal when the interface of the dimmer is adjusted to a first extreme value by a user;
detect a second period of the output signal when the interface of the dimmer is adjusted to a second extreme value by a user; and
control an aspect of light output from a lighting apparatus based at least partially on the period of the output signal relative to the first and second periods.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Control apparatus for controlling an aspect of an apparatus are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the control apparatus comprises a dimmer that includes a variable impedance. In certain embodiments of the invention, the dimmer may be a TRIAC dimmer having a voltage at a gate electrode of the TRIAC that is always below a trigger voltage for the TRIAC such that the TRIAC never turns on and the remaining components within the TRIAC dimmer can be used as discreet components in a larger circuit. In the control apparatus, the dimmer may be coupled to a signal generation circuit that may generate an output signal whose frequency (period) is dictated at least in part by an impedance of the variable impedance. The output signal may be used to control an aspect of an apparatus such as the intensity, color or color temperature for a lighting apparatus.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A control apparatus adapted for use with a dimmer, the dimmer comprising a variable impedance and an interface operable to change the variable impedance, the variable impedance in series with a capacitor coupled between a connection node and a reference ground, the control apparatus comprising:
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a signal generation circuit coupled to the dimmer at the connection node and operable to generate an output signal whose period is dictated at least in part by the impedance of the variable impedance; a lighting controller operable; to receive the output signal from the signal generation circuit; detect a first period of the output signal when the interface of the dimmer is adjusted to a first extreme value by a user; detect a second period of the output signal when the interface of the dimmer is adjusted to a second extreme value by a user; and control an aspect of light output from a lighting apparatus based at least partially on the period of the output signal relative to the first and second periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A control apparatus adapted for use with a dimmer comprising an interface, the interface being adjustable and having a present value representative of the state of the interface, the control apparatus comprising:
a lighting controller adapted to receive an output signal representative of the present value of the interface of the dimmer and operable to; determine a maximum value of the output signal; determine a minimum value of the output signal; and control an aspect of light output from a lighting apparatus based at least partially on the value of the interface relative to the maximum and minimum values. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A control apparatus for use with a dimmer, the dimmer comprising a variable impedance and an interface operable to change the variable impedance, the variable impedance in series with a capacitor coupled between a connection node and a reference ground, the control apparatus comprising:
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a signal generation circuit coupled to an impedance matching circuit and operable to generate an output signal whose period is dictated at least in part by the impedance of the variable impedance of the dimmer; the impedance matching circuit coupled between the connection node of the dimmer and the signal generation circuit, wherein the impedance matching circuit is calibrated to define a predetermined maximum period and a predetermined minimum period of the output signal; and a lighting controller operable to receive the output signal and control an aspect of light output from a lighting apparatus based at least partially on the period of the output signal relative to the predetermined maximum and minimum periods. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A control apparatus for use with a dimmer, the dimmer comprising an interface, the interface being adjustable and having a present value representative of the state of the interface, the control apparatus comprising:
a lighting controller coupled to the dimmer and operable to; detect a first value when the interface dimmer is adjusted to a first extreme value by a user; detect a second value when the interface dimmer is adjusted to a second extreme value by a user; and control an aspect of light output from the lighting apparatus based at least partially on the present value of the interface relative to the first and second values.
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24. A method of controlling a lighting apparatus, the lighting apparatus comprising a dimmer comprising an interface, the interface being adjustable and having a value representative of the state of the interface, comprising the steps of:
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determining a maximum value of the value of the interface; determining a minimum value of the value of the interface; and controlling an aspect of light output from the lighting apparatus based at least partially on the value of the interface relative to the maximum and minimum values. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification