SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A TYPE OF TRANSFORMER TO WHICH A LOAD IS COUPLED

• US 20140009082A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Melanson, John L., King, Eric Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 9,072,125 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/247
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/315 Reverse phase-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

An apparatus may include a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to: determine from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer may include determining from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer and selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to;

determine from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and

select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and

determine that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is lesser than a second predetermined threshold frequency.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to detect occurrence of alternating phases of the transformer secondary signal responsive to determining from the transformer secondary signal that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to:

measure an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and

based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensate for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load comprises a lamp.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.

10. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer comprising:

determining from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and

selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and

determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is less than a second predetermined threshold frequency.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting occurrence of alternating phases of the transformer secondary signal responsive to determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

measuring an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and

based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensating for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the load comprises a lamp.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to;

determine from a signal indicative of a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and

select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and

determine that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is lesser than a second predetermined threshold frequency.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller is further configured to detect occurrence of alternating phases of the signal responsive to determining from the signal that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller is further configured to:

measure an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and

based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensate for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the load comprises a lamp.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.

28. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer comprising:

determining from a signal indicative of a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and

selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising determining whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the signal.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

determining that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and

determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is less than a second predetermined threshold frequency.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising detecting occurrence of alternating phases of the signal responsive to determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

measuring an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and

based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensating for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the load comprises a lamp.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.