Systems and methods for selecting a compatibility mode of operation for a lamp assembly

• US 8,933,648 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Xie, Yanhui, Kost, Michael, Pina, Jean Charles, Putman, Richard Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US14/037,001
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 315/209.R, 315/276, 315/291, 315/307, 315/308, 315/312
• US Class Current: 315/308
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/382 with galvanic isolation between input and output
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

According to systems and methods of this disclosure, a controller may be configured to: operate in a first compatibility mode of operation, determine from an input signal of the lamp assembly during operation in the first compatibility mode whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, select the first compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation as a compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, and select a second compatibility mode of operation from the plurality of modes of operation as the compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation does not provide compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure to which it is coupled.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller for selecting a compatibility mode of a lamp assembly, wherein the compatibility mode provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, and the power infrastructure includes at least one of a type of dimmer and a type of transformer and coupled to the lamp assembly, and wherein the controller is configured to;

operate in a first compatibility mode of operation;

determine from an input signal of the lamp assembly during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure;

select the first compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation as a compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure; and

select a second compatibility mode of operation from the plurality of modes of operation as the compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation does not provide compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure based on whether, during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation, the controller is able to synchronize itself to the input signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure based on whether, during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation, the input signal indicates an inability of an electronic transformer integral to the power infrastructure to maintain oscillation in the first compatibility mode of operation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure based on a measured half-line cycle of the input signal during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to the measured half-line cycle being less than a predetermined maximum threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to the measured half-line cycle being more than a predetermined minimum threshold.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to a magnitude of a difference between the measured half-line cycle and a previously-measured half-line cycle being less than a predetermined maximum threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lamp assembly comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lamp assembly comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.

10. A method for selecting a compatibility mode of a lamp assembly, wherein the compatibility mode provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, and the power infrastructure includes at least one of a type of dimmer and a type of transformer and coupled to the lamp assembly, and the method comprising:

operating the lamp assembly in a first compatibility mode of operation;

determining from an input signal of the lamp assembly during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure;

selecting the first compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation as a compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure; and

selecting a second compatibility mode of operation from the plurality of modes of operation as the compatibility mode responsive to determining that the first compatibility mode of operation does not provide compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure comprises determining whether, during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation, the lamp assembly is able to synchronize itself to the input signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure comprises determining whether the input signal indicates an inability of an electronic transformer integral to the power infrastructure to maintain oscillation in the first compatibility mode of operation.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure comprises measuring a measured half-line cycle of the input signal during operation in the first compatibility mode of operation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to the measured half-line cycle being less than a predetermined maximum threshold.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to the measured half-line cycle being more than a predetermined minimum threshold.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining that the first compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure responsive to a magnitude of a difference between the measured half-line cycle and a previously-measured half-line cycle being less than a predetermined maximum threshold.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the lamp assembly comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the lamp assembly comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a controller for selecting a compatibility mode of a lamp assembly, wherein the compatibility mode provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, and the power infrastructure includes at least one of a type of dimmer and a type of transformer and coupled to the lamp assembly, and wherein the controller is configured to;

sequentially operate the lamp assembly in at least a first compatibility mode of operation and a second compatibility mode of operation;

determine whether either of the first compatibility mode of operation or the second compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure; and

select a compatibility mode of operation based on whether either of the first compatibility mode of operation or the second compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure.

20. A method for selecting a compatibility mode of a lamp assembly, wherein the compatibility mode provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and a power infrastructure to which it is coupled, and the power infrastructure includes at least one of a type of dimmer and a type of transformer and coupled to the lamp assembly, and the method comprises:

sequentially operating the lamp assembly in at least a first compatibility mode of operation and a second compatibility mode of operation;

determining whether either of the first compatibility mode of operation or the second compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure; and

selecting a compatibility mode of operation based on whether either of the first compatibility mode of operation or the second compatibility mode of operation provides compatibility between the lamp assembly and the power infrastructure.