A Driver for a Light Source

• US 20160286633A1
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helvar Oy Ab (Helvar Merca Oy Ab)
• Original Assignee: Helvar Oy Ab (Helvar Merca Oy Ab)
• Inventors: JUSLEN, Henri
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/38 Controlling the intensity of light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/31 Phase-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/59 for reducing or suppressing flicker or glow effects
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission

Abstract

An arrangement for driving one or more light sources is provided. According to an example embodiment, the arrangement includes observing durations of active periods, wherein an active period corresponds to a continuous period of operating power being supplied to a driver apparatus, selecting one of a plurality of lighting programs for the driver apparatus in accordance with the observed durations of one or more active periods, wherein a lighting program defines the desired characteristics of light provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time for a subsequent active period, and controlling, in response to an active period, provision of operating power from the driver apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program.

Claims

1. An apparatus for driving one or more light sources, the apparatus comprising

a monitoring portion configured to observe durations of active periods, wherein an active period corresponds to a continuous period of operating power being supplied to the apparatus,

a mode setting portion configured to select one of a plurality of lighting programs for the apparatus in accordance with the observed durations of one or more active periods,

wherein a lighting program defines the desired characteristics of light provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time for a subsequent active period, and

a control portion configured to, in response to an active period, control provision of operating power from the apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lighting program defines the desired light intensity provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lighting program comprises a plurality of temporally adjacent segments, each segment having predetermined characteristics of light and duration defined therefor.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control portion is configured to determine at least one of:

a starting time of a currently applied lighting program and an ending time of at least one segment of a currently applied lighting program in accordance with a predetermined rule on basis of the observed duration of one or more completed active periods.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said one or more completed active periods are completed active periods having duration that exceeds a first predetermined threshold duration.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode setting portion is configured to select, in response to a first active period having duration falling below a second predetermined threshold duration, the operating mode in accordance with the duration of said first active period.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the second threshold duration comprises two or more non-overlapping sub-ranges, and

wherein the mode setting portion is configured to

determine the sub-range within which the duration of the first active period falls, and select the lighting program associated with said determined sub-range.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mode setting portion is configured to modify, in response to determining the duration of the first active period to fall within a predetermined sub-range, at least one characteristic of one or more of said plurality of lighting programs in accordance with durations of one or more second active periods following the first active period.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control portion is configured to provide operating power from the apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program in response to a third active period having duration exceeding a third predetermined threshold duration, which third threshold duration is longer than or equal to said second predetermined threshold duration.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mode setting portion is configured to

compute the value of the remainder of the duration of a completed active period divided by a predetermined divisor, and

select the lighting program in accordance with the value of the remainder.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the range of possible values of the remainder is divided into two or more non-overlapping sub-ranges, each sub-range associated with a respective lighting program, and

wherein the mode setting portion is configured to select the lighting program associated with the sub-range within which the value of the remainder falls.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the apparatus comprises an energy storage, and

the apparatus is configured to drive said one or more light sources with energy taken from said energy storage during an interruption between two consecutive active periods.

13. A lighting system, comprising:

one or more apparatuses, and

a control entity configured to controllably divide operating power delivered to said apparatuses into active periods separated by temporary interruptions;

wherein at least one of said apparatuses comprises;

a monitoring portion configured to observe durations of active periods, wherein an active period corresponds to a continuous period of operating power being supplied to the apparatus,

a mode setting portion configured to select one of a plurality of lighting programs for the apparatus in accordance with the observed durations of one or more active periods,

wherein a lighting program defines the desired characteristics of light provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time for a subsequent active period, and

a control portion configured to, in response to an active period, control provision of operating power from the apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program.

14. A method for driving one or more light sources, the method comprising observing durations of active periods, wherein an active period corresponds to a continuous period of operating power being supplied to a driver apparatus,

selecting one of a plurality of lighting programs for the driver apparatus in accordance with the observed durations of one or more active periods, wherein a lighting program defines the desired characteristics of light provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time for a subsequent active period, and

controlling, in response to an active period, provision of operating power from the driver apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program.

15. A computer program for driving one or more light sources, the computer program including, stored on a nonvolatile storage medium, one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a driver apparatus to at least perform the following:

observe durations of active periods, wherein an active period corresponds to a continuous period of operating power being supplied to the driver apparatus,

select one of a plurality of lighting programs for the driver apparatus in accordance with the observed durations of one or more active periods, wherein a lighting program defines the desired characteristics of light provided by the one or more light sources as a function of time for a subsequent active period, and

control, in response to an active period, provision of operating power from the driver apparatus to the one or more light sources in accordance with the most recently selected lighting program.