Switching Power Converter Control With Triac-Based Leading Edge Dimmer Compatibility

• US 20120299501A1
• Filed: 06/05/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: John L. Melanson, Mauro L. Gaetano, Michael A. Kost
• Inventors: Kost, Michael A., Gaetano, Mauro L., Melanson, John L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,581,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/224
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3575 by means of dummy loads or bleeder circuits, e.g. for dimmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/44 with an active control inside an LED matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

In at least one embodiment, a controller allows triac-based dimmer to properly function and dim a load whose voltage is regulated by a switching power converter. In at least one embodiment, the switching power converter includes a switch to control voltage conversion of an input voltage to the switching power converter, wherein phase delays are introduced in the input voltage by a triac-based dimmer during a dimming period. In at least one embodiment, the controller is configured to control the switch of the switching power converter to establish an input resistance of the switching power converter during a dimming portion of the input voltage, wherein the input resistance allows the triac-based dimmer to phase modulate a supply voltage to the dimmer so that an output voltage of the dimmer has a substantially uninterrupted phase delay during each half-cycle of the supply voltage during the dimming period.

Claims

1. A controller to control a switching power converter and provide compatibility between the switching power converter and a triac-based dimmer, wherein the switching power converter includes a switch to control voltage conversion of an input voltage to the switching power converter, the controller comprising:

one or more components to control the switch of the switching power converter to establish an input resistance of the switching power converter during a dimming portion of the input voltage, wherein the input resistance allows the triac-based dimmer to generate a phase modulated input voltage to the switching power converter having a substantially uninterrupted phase delay during each half-cycle of the input voltage during a dimming period.

2-25. -25. (canceled)