Systems and methods for intelligent control related to TRIAC dimmers
First Claim
1. A system controller for a lighting system, the system controller comprising:
- a first controller terminal configured to receive a first signal;
a second controller terminal configured to output a second signal to a diver component, the driver component being configured to receive a first current and provide one or more drive currents to one or more light emitting diodes in response to the second signal;
a third controller terminal configured to output a third signal to a current sink, the current sink being configured to receive a second current in response to the third signal; and
a fourth controller terminal configured to receive a fourth signal, the fourth signal being related to a third current that flows through a leading-edge TRIAC dimmer or a trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer;
wherein the system controller is configured to;
process information associated with the first signal;
determine a first time period for the first signal to increase from a first threshold to a second threshold; and
determine a second time period for the first signal to decrease from the second threshold to the first threshold;
wherein the system controller is further configured to;
in response to the second time period minus the first time period being larger than a predetermined positive value, determine the first signal to be associate with the leading-edge TRIAC dimmer;
in response to the first time period minus the second time period being larger than the predetermined positive value, determine the first signal to be associate with the trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer; and
in response to an absolute value of the first time period minus the second time period being smaller than the predetermined positive value, determine the first signal not to be associated with any TRIAC dimmer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System controller and method for a lighting system. The system controller includes a first controller terminal configured to receive a first signal, and a second controller terminal configured to output a second signal to a diver component. The driver component is configured to receive a first current and provide one or more drive currents to one or more light emitting diodes in response to the second signal. Additionally, the system controller is configured to process information associated with the first signal, determine a first time period for the first signal to increase from a first threshold to a second threshold, and determine a second time period for the first signal to decrease from the second threshold to the first threshold.
124 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system controller for a lighting system, the system controller comprising:
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a first controller terminal configured to receive a first signal; a second controller terminal configured to output a second signal to a diver component, the driver component being configured to receive a first current and provide one or more drive currents to one or more light emitting diodes in response to the second signal; a third controller terminal configured to output a third signal to a current sink, the current sink being configured to receive a second current in response to the third signal; and a fourth controller terminal configured to receive a fourth signal, the fourth signal being related to a third current that flows through a leading-edge TRIAC dimmer or a trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer; wherein the system controller is configured to; process information associated with the first signal; determine a first time period for the first signal to increase from a first threshold to a second threshold; and determine a second time period for the first signal to decrease from the second threshold to the first threshold; wherein the system controller is further configured to; in response to the second time period minus the first time period being larger than a predetermined positive value, determine the first signal to be associate with the leading-edge TRIAC dimmer; in response to the first time period minus the second time period being larger than the predetermined positive value, determine the first signal to be associate with the trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer; and in response to an absolute value of the first time period minus the second time period being smaller than the predetermined positive value, determine the first signal not to be associated with any TRIAC dimmer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system controller for a lighting system, the system controller comprising:
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a first controller terminal configured to receive a first signal associated with a TRIAC dimmer; a second controller terminal configured to output a second signal to a current sink, the current sink being configured to receive a first current in response to the second signal; a third controller terminal configured to output a third signal to a driver component, the driver component being configured to receive a second current and provide one or more drive currents to one or more light emitting diodes in response to the third signal; and a fourth controller terminal configured to receive a fourth signal, the fourth signal being related to a third current that flows through the TRIAC dimmer; wherein the system controller is configured to; process information associated with the first signal; determine the TRIAC dimmer is turned on at a first time based at least in part on the first signal; after the first time, with a first delay, decrease a duty cycle of the second signal from a first predetermined value until the fourth signal indicates that the TRIAC dimmer is turned off at a second time; and in response to the fourth signal indicating that the TRIAC dimmer is turned off at the second time, set a first threshold for the fourth signal, the first threshold being related to a holding current of the TRIAC dimmer; wherein the system controller is further configured to; process information associated with the first signal; determine the TRIAC dimmer is turned on at a third time based at least in part on the first signal; after the third time, with a second delay, change the second signal from a first logic level to a second logic level and keep the second signal at the second logic level until a fourth time; and at the fourth time, change the second signal to a modulation signal to regulate the fourth signal at a second threshold in order to keep the fourth signal larger than the first threshold and keep the third current larger than the holding current of the TRIAC dimmer; wherein; the second threshold is larger than the first threshold; and the modulation signal changes between the first logic level and the second logic level. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for a lighting system, the method comprising:
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receiving a first signal; processing information associated with the first signal; determining a first time period for the first signal to increase from a first threshold to a second threshold; determining a second time period for the first signal to decrease from the second threshold to the first threshold; processing information associated with the first time period and the second time period; in response to the second time period minus the first time period being larger than a predetermined positive value, determining the first signal to be associate with a leading-edge TRIAC dimmer; in response to the first time period minus the second time period being larger than the predetermined positive value, determining the first signal to be associate with a trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer; in response to an absolute value of the first time period minus the second time period being smaller than the predetermined positive value, determining the first signal not to be associated with any TRIAC dimmer; and receiving a second signal, the second signal being related to a current that flows through the leading-edge TRIAC dimmer or the trailing-edge TRIAC dimmer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for a lighting system, the method comprising:
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receiving a first signal associated with a TRIAC dimmer; receiving a second signal related to a first current that flows through the TRIAC dimmer; processing information associated with the first signal; determining the TRIAC dimmer is turned on at a first time based at least in part on the first signal; after the first time, with a first delay, decreasing a duty cycle of a third signal from a first predetermined value until the second signal indicates that the TRIAC dimmer is turned off at a second time; setting a first threshold for the second signal in response to the second signal indicating that the TRIAC dimmer is turned off at the second time, the first threshold being related to a holding current of the TRIAC dimmer; determining that the TRIAC dimmer is turned on at a third time based at least in part on the first signal; after the third time, with a second delay, changing the third signal from a first logic level to a second logic level and keep the third signal at the second logic level until a fourth time; and at the fourth time, changing the third signal to a modulation signal to regulate the second signal at a second threshold in order to keep the second signal larger than the first threshold and keep the first current larger than the holding current of the TRIAC dimmer; wherein; the second threshold is larger than the first threshold; and the modulation signal changes between the first logic level and the second logic level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification