Power supply for a load control device

• US 8,334,663 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Carmen, Daniel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho, James H
• Application Number:
  US12/846,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 315/307, 315/116, 315/129, 315/130, 315/DIG.7, 315/194, 315/294, 315/241.R
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/07 using capacitors charged and discharged alternately by semiconductor devices with control electrode , e.g. charge pumps
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load includes a power supply having an energy storage capacitor and a charge pump circuit adapted to conduct an input charging current through the load and to conduct an output charging current through the energy storage capacitor to thus generate a DC supply voltage across the energy storage capacitor, where the output charging current has a magnitude greater than the input charging current. The charge pump circuit includes a switched capacitor operable to charge through the load during a first half-cycle, and to discharge into the energy storage capacitor in a second, subsequent half-cycle. The charge pump circuit operates at line frequency and the magnitude of the input charging current is substantially small so as to avoid generating noise in a noise-sensitive circuit of the load control device.

Claims

1. A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load;

a controller operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive; and

a power supply coupled in parallel with controllably conductive device for generating a DC supply voltage for powering the controller when the controllably conductive device is non-conductive, the power supply comprising an energy storage capacitor and a charge pump circuit adapted to conduct an input charging current through the electrical load and to conduct an output charging current through the energy storage capacitor to thus generate the DC supply voltage across the energy storage capacitor, the output charging current having a magnitude greater than the input charging current, the charge pump circuit operating at a switching frequency equal to approximately a line frequency of the AC power source.

2. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the charge pump circuit comprises a first switched capacitor that is operable to charge by conducting the input charging current through the electrical load in a first half-cycle, and to discharge into the energy storage capacitor in a second, subsequent half-cycle, such that the energy storage capacitor conducts the output charging current.

3. The load control device of claim 2, wherein the first switched capacitor is operable to charge during the positive half-cycles of the AC power source, and to discharge into the energy storage capacitor during the negative half-cycles.

4. The load control device of claim 3, wherein the charge pump circuit further comprises a second switched capacitor that is operable to charge during the negative half-cycles, and to discharge into the energy storage capacitor during the positive half-cycles.

5. The load control device of claim 4, further comprising:

a first switching device coupled between the first switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor, the first switching device rendered conductive during the negative half-cycles, such that the first switched capacitor discharges into the energy storage capacitor during the negative half-cycles; and

a second switching device coupled between the second switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor, the second switching device rendered conductive during the positive half-cycles, such that the second switched capacitor discharges into the energy storage capacitor during the positive half-cycles.

6. The load control device of claim 5, wherein the second switching device is rendered conductive in response to the first switched capacitor conducting the input charging current during the positive half-cycles.

7. The load control device of claim 2, wherein the charge pump circuit comprises a second switched capacitor coupled to the first switched capacitor, such that the first and second switched capacitors conduct the input charging current to charge in series during the first half-cycle.

8. The load control device of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second switched capacitors are operable to conduct a discharge current to discharge in parallel during the negative half-cycles, the energy storage capacitor operable to conduct the discharge current of each of the switched capacitors during the negative half-cycles, such that the energy storage capacitor conducts the output charging current, which is the sum of the discharge currents of the switched capacitors.

9. The load control device of claim 2, further comprising:

a switching device coupled between the first switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor, the switching device rendered conductive in response to the first switched capacitor conducting the input charging current during the second half-cycle, such that the first switched capacitor discharges into the energy storage capacitor during the second half-cycle.

10. The load control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a current limit circuit coupled in series with the charge pump circuit for limiting the magnitude of the input charging current conducted through the electrical load.

11. The load control device of claim 10, wherein the electrical load comprises a lighting load and the current limit circuit limits the magnitude of the input charging current to a maximum input charging current such that the lighting load is not illuminated when the relay is non-conductive.

12. The load control device of claim 11, wherein the maximum input charging current is less than approximately one milliamp.

13. The load control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an in-line power supply coupled in series with the relay, the in-line power supply further coupled to the energy storage capacitor for controlling when the energy storage capacitor charges in order to generate the DC supply voltage across the energy storage capacitor when the relay is conductive;

wherein a voltage developed across the in-line power supply when the energy storage capacitor is charging has a substantially small magnitude as compared to a peak voltage of an AC line voltage of the AC power source, the energy storage capacitor adapted to conduct a load current conducted through the relay for at least a portion of a line cycle of the AC power source when the relay is conductive.

14. The load control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an occupancy detection circuit for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the space around the electronic switch;

wherein the controller is operable to turn the electrical load off in response to the occupancy detection circuit detecting the absence of the occupant in the space.

15. The load control device of claim 14, wherein the controller is operable to turn the electrical load on in response to the occupancy detection circuit detecting the presence of the occupant in the space.

16. The load control device of claim 1, wherein the controllably conductive device comprises a relay adapted to be electrically coupled between the source and the electrical load, the relay rendered conductive to turn the electrical load on and rendered non-conductive to turn the electrical load off, the power supply operable to generate the DC supply voltage when the electrical load is off.

17. A power supply for a two-wire load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the power supply comprising:

at least two switched capacitors adapted to be electrically coupled in series during a first half-cycle, such that the series-connected capacitors conduct a first charging current, the switched capacitors further adapted to be electrically coupled in parallel during a second, subsequent half-cycle, such that each of the capacitors conduct an individual discharge current; and

an energy storage capacitor operable to store a DC supply voltage and to conduct the discharge currents of each of the switched capacitors during the second half-cycle, such that the energy storage capacitor conducts a second charge current, which is the sum of the discharge currents of the switched capacitors and has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of the first charging current.

18. The power supply of claim 17, further comprising:

a switching device operatively coupled between the switched capacitors and the energy storage capacitor and rendered conductive during the second half-cycle, such that the switched capacitors conduct the discharge currents into the energy storage capacitor when the switching device is conductive during the second half-cycle.

19. The power supply of claim 17, wherein the energy storage capacitor is coupled in series with the switched capacitors during the first half-cycle to conduct the first charging current.

20. The power supply of claim 17, further comprising:

two additional switched capacitors adapted to be electrically coupled in series with each other during the second half-cycle, such that the additional series-connected switched capacitors conduct a third charging current, the additional switched capacitors further adapted to be electrically coupled in parallel during the first half-cycle to each conduct discharge currents into the energy storage capacitor;

wherein, during the first half-cycle, the energy storage capacitor conducts a fourth charge current that has a magnitude greater than the magnitude of the first charging current.

21. A power supply for a two-wire load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the power supply comprising:

a first switched capacitor operable to charge during the positive half-cycles of the AC power source;

a second switched capacitor operable to charge during the negative half-cycles of the AC power source;

an energy storage capacitor for storing a DC supply voltage, the energy storage capacitor coupled to the first and second switched capacitors, such that the first and second switched capacitors are operable to discharge into the energy storage capacitor during the negative and positive half-cycles, respectively, and the DC supply voltage is produced across the energy storage capacitor;

a first switching device operatively coupled in between the first switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor and rendered conductive during the negative half-cycles, such that the first switched capacitor is operable to discharge into the energy storage capacitor during the negative half-cycles; and

a second switching device operatively coupled in between the second switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor and rendered conductive during the positive half-cycles, such that the second switched capacitor is operable to discharge into the energy storage capacitor during the positive half-cycles;

wherein the second switching device is rendered conductive in response to the first switched capacitor charging during the positive half-cycles.

22. The power supply of claim 21, further comprising:

a third switched capacitor electrically coupled in series with the first switched capacitor during the positive half-cycles, such that the first and third switched capacitors conduct a first charging current, the first and third switched capacitors further adapted to be electrically coupled in parallel when the first switching device is rendered conductive during the negative half-cycles, such that the first and third switching capacitors are operable to discharge into the energy storage capacitor in parallel; and

a fourth switched capacitor electrically coupled in series with the second switched capacitor during the negative half-cycles, such that the second and fourth switched capacitors conduct a second charging current, the second and fourth switched capacitors further adapted to be electrically coupled in parallel when the second switching device is rendered conductive during the positive half-cycles, such that the second and fourth switching capacitors are operable to discharge into the energy storage capacitor in parallel.

23. A power supply for a load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the power supply comprising:

an energy storage capacitor for storing a DC supply voltage;

a switched capacitor circuit comprising a switched capacitor and a switching device, the switched capacitor operable to conduct a charging current through the electrical load when the switching device is non-conductive and a discharge current into the energy storage capacitor when the switching device is conductive, the switching device rendered conductive and non-conductive at a predetermined frequency, such that the DC supply voltage is produced across the energy storage capacitor; and

a current limit circuit coupled in series with the switched capacitor circuit for limiting the magnitude of the charging current.

24. The power supply of claim 23, wherein the predetermined frequency comprises a line frequency of the AC power source.

25. The power supply of claim 24, wherein the switching device is coupled between the switched capacitor and the energy storage capacitor and is rendered conductive during the negative half-cycles of the AC power source.

26. A load control device adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and an electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load, the load control device comprising:

a controllably conductive device adapted to be coupled between the source and the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the electrical load;

a controller operatively coupled to a control input of the controllably conductive device for rendering the controllably conductive device conductive and non-conductive;

a noise-sensitive circuit coupled to the controller, such that the controller is responsive to the noise-sensitive circuit; and

a power supply coupled in parallel with controllably conductive device for generating a DC supply voltage for powering the controller and the noise-sensitive circuit when the controllably conductive device is non-conductive, the power supply comprising an energy storage capacitor and a switched capacitor circuit adapted to conduct a leakage current through the electrical load and to conduct a discharge current through the energy storage capacitor at a predetermined switching frequency to thus generate the DC supply voltage across the energy storage capacitor;

wherein the magnitude of the leakage current and the predetermined switching frequency are both substantially small so as to avoid generating noise in the noise-sensitive circuit.

27. The load control device of claim 26, wherein the predetermined frequency comprises a line frequency of the AC power source.

28. The load control device of claim 27, wherein the magnitude of the leakage current is less than approximately one milliamp.

29. The load control device of claim 26, further comprising:

a current limit circuit coupled in series with the charge pump circuit for limiting the magnitude of the leakage current conducted through the electrical load.

30. The load control device of claim 26, wherein the noise-sensitive circuit comprises an occupancy detection circuit for detecting the presence or absence of an occupant in the space around the electronic switch, the controller operable to turn the lighting load off in response to the occupancy detection circuit detecting the absence of the occupant in the space.