Unified 0-10V and DALI dimming interface circuit

• US 8,072,164 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ilyes, Laszlo S., Roberts, Bruce, Elek, Joseph G., Aboumrad, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): A, Minh D
• Application Number:
  US12/259,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/279, 315/282, 315/292
• US Class Current: 315/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/36 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3921 with possibility of light intensity variations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate switching a lamp ballast between DALI and analog control states as a function of control state information stored prior to the ballast being powered of and control information received by an interface circuit for the ballast circuit. A depolarization circuit is coupled to the interface circuit and ensures consistent polarity across a rectifier circuit regardless of the polarity of two control wires coupled to a miswiring protection circuit in the interface circuit. In this manner, a single interface circuit provides dual 0-10V analog and DALI control for dimming a lighting device regardless of whether a wall-mounted controller coupled to the interface circuit is an analog or a DALI type controller, thereby mitigating a need to switch out a ballast circuit coupled to the lighting device when changing between DALI and analog type controllers.

Claims

1. A method of providing dual 0-10V analog and DALI control of a ballast circuit for dimming a lighting device, comprising:

powering ON the ballast circuit;

reading control state information stored in memory and describing a control state of the ballast circuit prior to entering an OFF state;

determining whether the ballast circuit was in a DALI control state prior to entering the OFF state;

employing received DALI commands to control the ballast circuit if the ballast circuit was in a DALI control state prior to entering the OFF state; and

employing received analog control commands to control the ballast circuit if the ballast circuit was in an analog control state prior to entering the OFF state.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising monitoring incoming control signals for DALI control commands when the ballast is in the analog control state.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, further comprising detecting a valid incoming DALI control command.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3, further comprising updating the control state information in the memory to indicate that the ballast circuit is in the DALI control state upon detection of the valid DALI control command.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising monitoring incoming control signals for analog control commands when the ballast is in the DALI control state.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising detecting an incoming analog control command.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, further comprising updating the control state information in the memory to indicate that the ballast circuit is in the analog control state upon detection of the analog control command.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein detecting an incoming analog control command comprises:

comparing an analog voltage associated with an incoming control command to a predetermined threshold voltage V1;

determining whether the analog voltage is less than the predetermined threshold voltage V1 for a predetermined time period T1; and

identifying the incoming control command as an analog control command if the analog voltage is less than the predetermined threshold voltage V1 for at least the predetermined time period T1.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the predetermined threshold voltage V1 is approximately 9 volts.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the predetermined time period approximately 20 ms.

11. A method of providing dual 0-10V analog and DALI control of a ballast circuit for dimming a lighting device, comprising:

reading, upon powering ON a lighting device ballast circuit, control state information stored in memory and describing a control state of the ballast circuit prior to entering an OFF state;

determining whether the ballast circuit was in a DALI control state prior to entering the OFF state;

employing received DALI commands to control the ballast circuit if the ballast circuit was in a DALI control state prior to entering the OFF state;

employing received analog control commands to control the ballast circuit if the ballast circuit was in an analog control state prior to entering the OFF state;

monitoring incoming control signals for DALI control commands when the ballast is in the analog control state;

updating the control state information in the memory to indicate that the ballast circuit is in the DALI control state upon detection of the valid DALI control command;

monitoring incoming control signals for analog control commands when the ballast is in the DALI control state; and

updating the control state information in the memory to indicate that the ballast circuit is in the analog control state upon detection of the analog control command.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising

comparing an analog voltage associated with an incoming control command to a predetermined threshold voltage V1;

determining whether the analog voltage is less than the predetermined threshold voltage V1 for a predetermined time period T1; and

identifying the incoming control command as an analog control command if the analog voltage is less than the predetermined threshold voltage V1 for at least the predetermined time period T1.