Method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment

• US 8,405,317 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everspring Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Everspring Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Cheng-Hung, Zhuo, Chia-Liang, Chuang, Shih-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THAI N
• Application Number:
  US12/534,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,333 Days
• Field of Search: 315/200.R, 315/209.R, 315/246, 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/DIG.2, 315/DIG.4, 315/DIG.5
• US Class Current: 315/246
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/04 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/044 continuously H05B39/042 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

The present invention primarily relates to a method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment by detecting and determining through an algorithm whether a flicker of light may occur during the period of initiating or dimming the lighting equipment. The method further calculates to obtain a current compensation ratio that the current level need be elevated to prevent the occurrence of flicker and performs a real-time compensation for the electrical current, when necessary. The method according to the invention will initiate the lighting equipment at an electrical current level used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment, so as to further prevent the occurrence of flicker of light during the initiation of the lighting equipment and achieve the energy saving purpose.

Claims

1. A method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment, comprising the steps of:

a. turning on lighting equipment at a maximum lighting level according to specification required by an original manufacturer by applying a first alternating current (AC) current, provided that no first AC current used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored;

b. performing a dimming operation to modulate a power load of the lighting equipment from the first AC current down to a second AC current and detecting whether a flicker of light may occur due to a fluctuation in AC current, wherein the detecting comprises detecting and analyzing consecutive AC wave peaks supplied to the lighting equipment using an analog-to-digital converter, followed by comparing the maximum peak value with the minimum peak value;

c. if detecting that a flicker of light may occur, storing and setting a lighting level of the lighting equipment provided by the second AC current as a minimum lighting level;

d. calculating to obtain a current compensation value that the second AC current must be increased to a third AC current to prevent the occurrence of flicker and performing immediately a current compensation by applying the third AC current to prevent the occurrence of flicker; and

e. allowing the lighting equipment to stably operate at the third AC current and storing the third AC current for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

2. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 1, further comprising steps of:

reversing a dimming direction if the lighting equipment is dimmed during the dimming operation in step b to a level higher than a previously stored minimum lighting level and if it is determined that no flicker of light occurs, and

maintaining a resultant AC current to allow a stable operation of the lighting equipment and further storing the resultant AC current for initiating the lighting equipment next time.

3. The method for initiating and controlling a lighting equipment according to claim 1, wherein the step a further comprises, before initiating the lighting equipment, determining whether any AC current used during a previous stable operation of the lighting equipment is stored, and, if there is a first AC current stored, initiating the lighting equipment by applying the first AC current.