Driver device and driving method for driving a load, in particular a light unit

• US 9,603,216 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Radermacher, Harald Josef Gnther, Deixler, Peter, Deurenberg, Peter Hubertus Franciscus
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Crystal L
• Application Number:
  US14/415,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20150208479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0022 the disturbance parameters being input voltage fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/14 by determining electrical parameters of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a driver device (10) for driving a load (14), in particular a light unit (14) having one or more light emitters, comprising input terminals for receiving an input voltage (V10) from an external power source (12), output terminals for providing electrical power to the load for powering the load (14), a driver stage (16) connected to the input terminals and to the output terminals, wherein the driver stage (16) is adapted to control an input current (I1) drawn from the external power supply (12) and to control the electrical power provided to the output terminal shaving a predefined level, a detection device (24) for measuring at least one electrical parameter (V10, V12, I2, V20) of the driver stage (16) and for determining an input voltage deviation from predefined supply conditions on the basis of the electrical parameter (V10, V12, I2, V20), wherein the driver stage (16) is adapted to control the input current (I1) according to predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation is lower than a threshold level (63) and to allow a deviation of the input current (I1) from the predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation exceeds the threshold level (63).

Claims

1. Driver device for driving a load comprising a light unit having one or more light emitters, comprising:

input terminals for receiving an input voltage from an external power source,

output terminals for providing electrical power to the load for powering the load,

a driver stage connected to the input terminals and to the output terminals, wherein the driver stage is configured to control an input current drawn from the external power supply and to control the electrical power provided to the output terminals having a predefined level,

a control stage connected to the driver stage for controlling the driver stage,

a normal control loop electrically coupled to the external power source, the load, and the driver stage for receiving the input voltage and providing a first control command to the control stage,

a backup control loop electrically coupled to the external power source, the load, and the driver stage for receiving the input voltage and providing a second control command to the control stage,

a detection device configured to measure at least one electrical signal parameter of the driver stage and to determine an input voltage deviation from predefined supply conditions on the basis of the electrical signal parameter,

wherein the control stage is configured to control the driver stage on the basis of the first control command, if the input voltage deviation is lower than the threshold level and on the basis of the second control command or both the first and the second control commands, if the input voltage deviation exceeds the threshold level, and

wherein the driver stage is configured to control the input current according to predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation is lower than a threshold level and to allow a deviation of the input current from the predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation exceeds the threshold level.

2. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control stage is configured to determine the first control command on the basis of the input voltage and the second control command on the basis of the electrical output power level.

3. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control stage is configured to control the driver stage on the basis of the two control commands and on the basis of two weight factors determined according to the detected input voltage deviation from the predefined supply conditions.

4. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control stage is designed to adapt the threshold level on the basis of measured ambient conditions, a power level, an age of the load and/or an age of the driver device.

5. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control stage is designed to adapt the weight factors within a cycle period of the input voltage.

6. Driver device as claimed claim 1, wherein the detection device is connected to the input terminals for detecting the input voltage as the electrical parameter.

7. Driver device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the predefined supply conditions are a time dependent reference function for the input voltage.

8. Driver device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the detection device comprises a sampling device for sampling the input voltage.

9. Driver device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the detection device, comprises a reference generator for generating the reference function and for synchronizing the reference function to the input voltage.

10. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection device is connected to the output terminals for detecting an electrical output parameter of the driver stage as the electrical signal parameter.

11. Driver device as claimed in a claim 1, wherein the electrical signal parameter is determined on the basis of an internal control or sensing signal of the driver stage.

12. Driver device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined conditions for the input current correspond to mains harmonic regulations.

13. A light apparatus comprising:

a light assembly having one or more light units, in particular an LED unit comprising one or more LEDs, and

a driver device for driving said light assembly as claimed in claim 1.

14. Driving method for driving a load comprising a light unit comprising one or more light emitters, the driving method comprising the steps of:

receiving an input voltage from an external power supply at input terminals,

controlling an input current drawn from the external power supply and providing electrical output power to output terminals having a predefined level for powering the load by means of a driver stage,

measuring an electrical signal parameter of the driver stage,

determining an input voltage deviation from predefined supply conditions on the basis of the electrical signal parameter,

controlling the driver stage by a control stage, which receives a first control command generated from a normal control loop that receives the input voltage and a second control command generated from a backup control loop that receives the input voltage, wherein controlling the driver stage comprises controlling the driver stage on the basis of the first control command, if the input voltage deviation is lower than the threshold level and on the basis of the second control command or the first and the second control command, if the input voltage deviation exceeds the threshold level, and

controlling the input current drawn from the external power supply according to predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation is lower than a threshold level and allowing a deviation of the input current from the predefined conditions if the input voltage deviation exceeds the threshold level.