System and method for programming a configurable load control device

• US 9,035,563 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lutron Technology Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Lutron Electronics Company Incorporated (Lutron Electronics)
• Inventors: Nuhfer, Matthew W., Shearer, Thomas M., Chitta, Venkatesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US14/155,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20140125244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 489 Days
• Field of Search: 315/246, 315/254, 315/297, 315/209.R, 315/212, 315/291
• US Class Current: 315/219
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/385 using flyback topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/397 Current mirror circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/44 with an active control inside an LED matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/155 Coordinated control of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A system for configuring at least one output parameter of a lighting load power supply, the lighting load power supply having a programmable controller for regulating the output parameter to a target value and having a memory for storing a variable for setting the target value of the output parameter, the power supply having a communication port for receiving data for setting the target value, the system comprising a computer executing software allowing a user to select a target value of an output parameter of the lighting load power supply and having a first port providing data related to the selected output parameter; and a programming device having a second port in communication with the first port of said computer and for providing data relating to said selected output parameter in a form usable by said lighting load power supply to said communication port of said lighting load power supply for programming said programmable controller to set the output parameter to the selected target value.

Claims

1. An LED driver for controlling an LED light source, the LED driver comprising:

a power converter circuit operable to receive a rectified AC voltage and to generate a DC bus voltage;

an LED drive circuit operable to receive the bus voltage, the LED drive circuit comprising a regulation transistor adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection with the LED light source, the LED drive circuit operable to control both the magnitude of a load current conducted through the LED light source and the magnitude of a load voltage produced across the LED light source; and

a control circuit coupled to the LED drive circuit for controlling the regulation transistor to adjust the magnitude of the load current conducted through the LED light source when operating in a current load control mode, the control circuit further operable to adjust the magnitude of the load voltage produced across the LED light source when operating in a voltage load control mode;

wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor using a pulse-width modulation technique to adjust the intensity of the LED light source when operating in the voltage load control mode.

2. The LED driver of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is coupled to the power converter circuit for adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage.

3. The LED driver of claim 2, wherein the power converter circuit comprises a flyback converter including a flyback transformer, a flyback switching transistor coupled in series with a primary winding of the flyback transformer, and a flyback controller for controlling the flyback switching transistor to be conductive and non-conductive to generate the bus voltage across a secondary winding of the flyback transformer, the flyback controller powered by a first low-voltage DC supply voltage.

4. The LED driver of claim 3, wherein the power converter comprises a flyback power supply coupled to a supply winding of the flyback transformer and operable to generate the first DC supply voltage, the power converter further comprising a startup power supply operable to receive the rectified voltage and to generate the first DC supply voltage before the flyback controller starts up.

5. The LED driver of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor into the saturation region, and to adjust the magnitude of the bus voltage to thus control the magnitude of the load voltage produced across the LED light source when operating in the voltage load control mode.

6. The LED driver of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication circuit coupled to the control circuit, such that the control circuit is operable to receive a digital message including at least one parameter for the LED driver.

7. The LED driver of claim 6, wherein the parameter defines whether the control circuit should operate in the current load control mode or in the voltage load control mode.

8. The LED driver of claim 7, wherein the control circuit begins to operate in the current load control mode in response to the parameter, the parameter further defining a target current to which the control circuit will control the magnitude of the load current.

9. The LED driver of claim 7, wherein the control circuit begins to operate in the voltage load control mode in response to the parameter, the parameter further defining a target voltage to which the control circuit will control the magnitude of the load voltage.

10. The LED driver of claim 1, wherein the LED drive circuit comprises a switching regulator.

11. The LED driver of claim 10, wherein the LED drive circuit comprises a buck converter.

12. An LED driver for controlling an LED light source, the LED driver comprising:

a power converter circuit operable to receive a rectified AC voltage and to generate a DC bus voltage;

an LED drive circuit operable to receive the bus voltage, the LED drive circuit comprising a regulation transistor adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection with the LED light source, the LED drive circuit operable to control both the magnitude of a load current conducted through the LED light source and the magnitude of a load voltage produced across the LED light source; and

a control circuit coupled to the LED drive circuit for controlling the regulation transistor to adjust the magnitude of the load current conducted through the LED light source when operating in a current load control mode, the control circuit further operable to adjust the magnitude of the load voltage produced across the LED light source when operating in a voltage load control mode; and

wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor to operate as a controllable-impedance circuit coupled in series with the LED light source to adjust the magnitude of the load current through the LED light source when operating in the current load control mode.

13. The LED driver of claim 12, wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor to operate in the linear region to thus control the magnitude of the load current conducted through the LED light source when operating in the current load control mode.

14. The LED driver of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor using a constant current reduction technique to adjust the intensity of the LED light source when operating in the current load control mode.

15. The LED driver of claim 13, wherein the control circuit is operable to control the regulation transistor using a pulse-width modulation technique to adjust the intensity of the LED light source when operating in the current load control mode.

16. The LED driver of claim 12, wherein the LED drive circuit comprises a linear regulator.

17. An LED driver for controlling an LED light source, the LED driver comprising:

a power converter circuit operable to receive a rectified AC voltage and to generate a DC bus voltage;

an LED drive circuit operable to receive the bus voltage, the LED drive circuit comprising a regulation transistor adapted to be coupled in series electrical connection with the LED light source, the LED drive circuit operable to control both the magnitude of a load current conducted through the LED light source and the magnitude of a load voltage produced across the LED light source; and

a control circuit coupled to the LED drive circuit for controlling the regulation transistor to adjust the magnitude of the load current conducted through the LED light source when operating in a current load control mode, the control circuit further operable to adjust the magnitude of the load voltage produced across the LED light source when operating in a voltage load control mode;

wherein the control circuit is coupled to the power converter circuit for adjusting the magnitude of the bus voltage;

wherein the power converter circuit comprises a flyback converter including a flyback transformer, a flyback switching transistor coupled in series with a primary winding of the flyback transformer, and a flyback controller for controlling the flyback switching transistor to be conductive and non-conductive to generate the bus voltage across a secondary winding of the flyback transformer, the flyback controller powered by a first low-voltage DC supply voltage;

wherein the secondary winding of the flyback transformer comprises a center tap that produces a center tap voltage, the power converter comprising a first power supply operable to receive the center tap voltage and to generate a second low-voltage DC supply voltage at an output when the center tap voltage is above a cutover voltage, the power converter further comprising a second power supply having an output coupled to the output of the first power supply, the second power supply operable to receive the bus voltage and to generate the second DC supply voltage when the center tap voltage is below approximately the cutover voltage, the power converter further comprising a linear regulator operable to receive the second DC supply voltage and to generate a third low-voltage DC supply voltage for powering the control circuit.