Control circuit and control method for dimming LED lighting circuit

• US 8,643,297 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2011
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: System General Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Ta-Yung, Lin, Li, Chen, Hung-Chun, Lo, Chi-Yin, Huang, Kuo-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/223,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/224, 315/294, 315/297, 315/DIG.4, 315/276, 315/283, 315/219
• US Class Current: 315/219
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3575 by means of dummy loads or bleeder circuits, e.g. for dimmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]

Abstract

The present invention provides a control circuit for dimming LED lighting. The control circuit comprises a voltage divider, a controller and an adaptive bleeder. The voltage divider receives an input voltage from an input terminal to generate a dimming signal. The controller generates a switching signal in response to the dimming signal. The controller further generates a control signal in response to the input voltage. The adaptive bleeder receives the control signal and draws a bleeder current from the input terminal in response to the control signal.

Claims

1. A control circuit for dimming LED lighting circuit, comprising:

a voltage divider, receiving an input voltage from an input terminal to generate a dimming signal;

a controller, generating a switching signal in response to said dimming signal, wherein said controller further generates a control signal in response to said input voltage; and

an adaptive bleeder, receiving said control signal and drawing a bleeder current from said input terminal in response to said control signal.

2. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control signal decreases in response to an increment of said input voltage.

3. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adaptive bleeder comprises:

a first transistor, receiving said control signal;

a bleeding resistor, coupled to said first transistor, wherein said first transistor associates with said bleeding resistor to draw said bleeder current from said input terminal in response to said control signal; and

a second transistor, being cascaded with said first transistor for clamping a maximum operating voltage for said first transistor.

4. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a constant current source coupled to said voltage divider for determining a minimum level of said dimming signal.

5. The control circuit as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a first zener diode coupled to said first transistor to limit a maximum level of said bleeder current, wherein said first transistor is a low-voltage device.

6. The control circuit as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a second zener diode coupled to said second transistor to limit a maximum operating voltage for said first transistor, wherein said second transistor is a high-voltage device.

7. The control circuit as claimed in claim 3, further comprising an operating resistor coupled to said first transistor and said second transistor to determine a minimum level of said bleeder current.

8. The control circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein said adaptive bleeder comprises:

a first transistor, receiving said control signal;

a bleeding resistor, coupled to said first transistor, wherein said first transistor associates with said bleeding resistor to draw said bleeder current from said input terminal in response to said control signal; and

a second transistor, cascaded with said first transistor for clamping a maximum operating voltage for said first transistor.

9. The control circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power transistor coupled to said controller for generating a driving current for LEDs from said input terminal in response to said switching signal.

10. The control circuit as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a first zener diode, coupled to said first transistor to limit a maximum level of said bleeder current; and

a second zener diode, coupled to said second transistor to limit the maximum operating voltage for said first transistor.

11. The control circuit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an operating resistor coupled to said first transistor and said second transistor to limit a minimum level of said bleeder current.

12. A control method for dimming LED lighting circuit, comprising:

generating a dimming signal by a voltage divider in response to an input voltage from an input terminal;

generating a switching signal and a control signal by a controller in response to said dimming signal and said input voltage respectively;

drawing a bleeder current from said input terminal by an adaptive bleeder in response to said control signal.

13. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said control signal decreases in response to an increment of said input voltage.

14. The control method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising determining a minimum level of said dimming signal by a constant current source coupled to said voltage divider.

15. The control method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said adaptive bleeder comprises:

a first transistor, receiving said control signal;

a bleeding resistor, coupled to said first transistor, wherein said first transistor associates with said bleeding resistor to draw said bleeder current from said input terminal in response to said control signal; and

a second transistor, being cascaded with said first transistor for clamping a maximum operating voltage for said first transistor.

16. The control method as claimed in claim 15, further comprises:

clamping a maximum operating voltage for said first transistor by a second transistor.

17. The control method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising limiting a maximum level of said bleeder current by a first zener diode coupled to said first transistor.

18. The control method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising limiting the maximum operating voltage for said first transistor by a second zener diode coupled to said second transistor.

19. The control method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising limiting a minimum level of said bleeder current by an operating resistor coupled to said first transistor and said second transistor.