Systems and methods for controlling a power controller

• US 9,341,358 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: King, Eric J., Baker, Daniel J., Melanson, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKIBINSKI, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US13/903,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20140167652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 315/307, 315/209.R, 315/228, 315/247, 315/254, 315/297, 315/186, 315/294, 315/291, 315/127, 315/239, 315/279, 315/308, 315/310, 363/20, 363/16, 363/37, 363/126, 327/79, 327/77, 327/78, 340/331
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• 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

Abstract

In accordance with systems and methods of the present disclosure, an apparatus may include a power converter and a controller. The controller may be configured to monitor a voltage at an input of the power converter, cause the power controller to transfer energy from the input to a load at a target current, decrease the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is less than or equal to an undervoltage threshold, and increase the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold voltage.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a power converter; and

a controller configured to;

monitor a voltage of a secondary winding of a transformer at an input of the power converter;

cause the power controller to transfer energy from the input to a load at a target current;

decrease the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is less than or equal to an undervoltage threshold; and

increase the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold voltage greater than the undervoltage threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input is coupled to an energy storage device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the energy storage device is a capacitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power converter stage comprises a buck converter.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller implements a low-pass filter and increases or decreases the target current via the low-pass filter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load is a light source.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the load, the power converter, and the controller are integral to a single lamp assembly.

9. A method, comprising:

monitoring a voltage of a secondary winding of a transformer at an input of a power converter;

causing the power controller to transfer energy from the input to a load at a target current;

decreasing the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is less than or equal to an undervoltage threshold; and

increasing the target current responsive to determining that the voltage is greater than or equal to a maximum threshold voltage greater than the undervoltage threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the input is coupled to an energy storage device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the energy storage device is a capacitor.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the power converter stage comprises a buck converter.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising increasing or decreasing the target current via a low-pass filter.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the load is a light source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the light source comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the load, the power converter, and the controller are integral to a single lamp assembly.