CONFIGURABLE LED POWER SUPPLY WITH WIRELESS INTERFACE

• US 20160098046A1
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Published: 04/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Bel Fuse Limited (Bel Fuse)
• Original Assignee: Bel Fuse Limited (Bel Fuse)
• Inventors: Jutras, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,274,980 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/46 wherein the variable actually regulated by the final control device is dc G05F1/625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A power supply includes power circuitry configured to provide DC power to a separate load, and wireless communication circuitry for wirelessly communicating with an external control device such as a smart phone. A controller is configured to (1) conduct communications with the external control device via the wireless communication circuitry to receive configuration parameters, and (2) incorporate the configuration parameters into a control scheme for operation of the power supply. The power supply may be used with an LED lamp including a series of LEDs, and the configuration parameters establish desired operating characteristics including selection of constant-current or constant-voltage operation, and/or parameters for a dimming curve applied in dimming operation of the LED lamp. The power supply may be used in other applications including battery charging applications.

Claims

1. A power supply, comprising:

power circuitry configured and operative to provide DC power to a separate load;

wireless communication circuitry operative to wirelessly communicate with an external control device; and

a controller configured and operative to (1) conduct communications with the external control device via the wireless communication circuitry to receive configuration parameters, and (2) incorporate the configuration parameters into a control scheme for operation of the power supply.

2. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is one of a plurality of types of load for which corresponding distinct operating modes of the power supply are required, and wherein the configuration parameters reflect selection among the distinct operating modes of the power supply based on the type of the load.

3. The power supply of claim 2, wherein the distinct operating modes include a constant-voltage mode and a constant-current mode, the constant-voltage mode maintaining a predetermined constant value of the output voltage over a range of values of the output current, the constant-current mode maintaining a predetermined constant value of the output current over a range of values of the output voltage.

4. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power circuitry includes primary-side power switching circuitry operable at a variable duty cycle according to a control signal received from the controller via a DC-isolating device, variation of the duty cycle causing corresponding variation of the output voltage and/or output current of the power supply, and wherein the controller is a secondary-side controller having the output voltage DC-coupled thereto as a sensing voltage and performs constant-voltage operation in which the controller generates the control signal in a manner maintaining a constant value of the output voltage as represented by the sensing voltage, and wherein the configuration parameters received via the wireless communications establish the constant value of the output voltage maintained by the controller.

5. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power circuitry includes primary-side power switching circuitry operable at a variable duty cycle according to a control signal received from the controller via a DC-isolating device, variation of the duty cycle causing corresponding variation of the output voltage and/or output current of the power supply, and wherein the controller is a secondary-side controller having a current-sense signal DC-coupled thereto, the current-sense signal developed directly from output current of the power supply, the controller performing constant-current operation in which the controller generates the control signal in a manner maintaining a constant value of the output current as represented by the current-sense signal, and wherein the configuration parameters received via the wireless communications establish the constant value of the output current maintained by the controller.

6. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is an LED lamp including a series of LEDs, and wherein the configuration parameters include parameters for a dimming curve applied in dimming operation of the LED lamp.

7. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the power supply has a constant-current mode and a constant-voltage mode, the constant-current mode providing a constant value of the output current over a range of values of the output voltage, the constant-voltage mode providing a constant value of the output voltage over a range of values of the output current, and wherein the load includes a rechargeable battery requiring the constant-current mode of operation of the power supply.

8. The power supply of claim 1, wherein the load is a battery whose charging requirements are communicated to the power supply via the wireless communications, and the power supply incorporates operating parameters for the charging requirements to establish multiple modes of operation, a first A providing a first constant current value until the output voltage reaches a defined voltage level;

a second mode B providing a different constant current value until the output reaches a second defined voltage level;

a third mode C being a constant-voltage mode providing a constant voltage level until the output current tapers to a defined value; and

a fourth mode D providing a final constant voltage level.