Dimmer output emulation with non-zero glue voltage
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a dimmer output voltage emulator configured to cause a power converter interface circuit to draw current from a capacitor in the power converter interface during a period of time when a dimmer coupled to the power converter interface circuit is non-conducting to generate an emulated dimmer output voltage, wherein;
the emulated dimmer output voltage emulates part of a cycle of a non-zero alternating current dimmer output voltage of the dimmer after a triac of the dimmer prematurely stops conducting that would occur if the triac continued conducting during the part of the cycle; and
the dimmer output voltage emulator comprises a pull-down circuit to pull-down current of the power converter interface circuit and generally decrease the emulated dimmer output voltage during a first period of time and a hold circuit to maintain the emulated dimmer output voltage below a substantially non-zero threshold value during a second period of time.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus may include a dimmer output voltage emulator for causing a power converter interface circuit to draw current from a capacitor in the power converter interface during a period of time when a dimmer coupled to the power converter interface circuit is non-conducting to generate an emulated dimmer output voltage. The emulated dimmer output voltage may emulate part of a cycle of a non-zero AC dimmer output voltage of the dimmer after a triac of the dimmer prematurely stops conducting that would occur if the triac continued conducting during the part of the cycle. The dimmer output voltage emulator may include a pull-down circuit to pull down current of the interface circuit and generally decrease the emulated dimmer output voltage during a first period of time and a hold circuit to maintain the emulated dimmer output voltage below a substantially non-zero threshold value during a second period of time.
111 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a dimmer output voltage emulator configured to cause a power converter interface circuit to draw current from a capacitor in the power converter interface during a period of time when a dimmer coupled to the power converter interface circuit is non-conducting to generate an emulated dimmer output voltage, wherein; the emulated dimmer output voltage emulates part of a cycle of a non-zero alternating current dimmer output voltage of the dimmer after a triac of the dimmer prematurely stops conducting that would occur if the triac continued conducting during the part of the cycle; and the dimmer output voltage emulator comprises a pull-down circuit to pull-down current of the power converter interface circuit and generally decrease the emulated dimmer output voltage during a first period of time and a hold circuit to maintain the emulated dimmer output voltage below a substantially non-zero threshold value during a second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
causing a power converter interface circuit to draw current from a capacitor in the power converter interface during a period of time when a dimmer coupled to the power converter interface circuit is non-conducting to generate an emulated dimmer output voltage, wherein generating the emulated dimmer output voltage comprises; emulating part of a cycle of a non-zero alternating current dimmer output voltage of the dimmer after a triac of the dimmer prematurely stops conducting that would occur if the triac continued conducting during the part of the cycle; and pulling down current of the power converter interface circuit and generally decreasing the emulated dimmer output voltage during a first period of time and maintaining the emulated dimmer output voltage below a substantially non-zero threshold value during a second period of time. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a power converter interface circuit configured to couple to a dimmer; a dimmer output voltage emulator coupled to the power converter interface circuit and configured to cause the power converter interface circuit to generate an emulated dimmer output voltage, wherein; the emulated dimmer output voltage emulates part of a cycle of a non-zero alternating current dimmer output voltage of the dimmer after a triac of the dimmer prematurely stops conducting that would occur if the triac continued conducting during the part of the cycle; and the dimmer output voltage emulator comprises a pull-down circuit to pull-down current of the power converter interface circuit and generally decrease the emulated dimmer output voltage during a first period of time and a hold circuit to maintain the emulated dimmer output voltage below a substantially non-zero threshold value during a second period of time; a power converter coupled to the dimmer output voltage emulator; and a controller coupled to the dimmer output voltage emulator and the power converter, wherein the controller is configured to control the power converter in accordance with the emulated dimmer output voltage. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification