Load control device for a light-emitting diode light source
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a load current conducted through an electrical load, the method comprising:
- when operating in a normal mode, regulating an average magnitude of the load current towards a target current by driving a switching device between different operating states; and
when operating in a burst mode, adjusting the average magnitude of the load current to the target current over a plurality of burst mode periods by driving the switching device between the different operating states during an active state period of each of the plurality of burst mode periods, stopping driving the switching device between the different operating states during an inactive state period of each of the plurality of burst mode periods, and adjusting a length of the inactive state period in at least a subset of the plurality of burst mode periods while holding a length of the active state period constant.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to an electrical load is able to operate in a normal mode and a burst mode. The load control device may comprise a control circuit that activates an inverter circuit during active state periods and deactivates the inverter circuit during inactive state periods. The control circuit may operate in the normal mode to regulate an average magnitude of a load current conducted through the electrical load to be above a minimum rated current. The control circuit may operate in the burst mode to adjust the average magnitude of the load current to be below the minimum rated current. The control circuit may adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting the length of the inactive state periods while holding the length of the active state periods constant.
105 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a load current conducted through an electrical load, the method comprising:
-
when operating in a normal mode, regulating an average magnitude of the load current towards a target current by driving a switching device between different operating states; and when operating in a burst mode, adjusting the average magnitude of the load current to the target current over a plurality of burst mode periods by driving the switching device between the different operating states during an active state period of each of the plurality of burst mode periods, stopping driving the switching device between the different operating states during an inactive state period of each of the plurality of burst mode periods, and adjusting a length of the inactive state period in at least a subset of the plurality of burst mode periods while holding a length of the active state period constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A load control device for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
-
a load regulation circuit configured to control a magnitude of a load current conducted through the electrical load to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the load regulation circuit comprising a switching device; and a control circuit coupled to the load regulation circuit and configured to control the switching device to regulate an average magnitude of the load current, the control circuit configured to operate in a normal mode and a burst mode, the burst mode characterized by a plurality of burst mode periods; wherein, during the normal mode, the control circuit is configured to drive the switching device between different operating states to regulate the average magnitude of the load current, and wherein, during the burst mode, the control circuit is configured to drive the switching device between the different operating states during an active state period within each of the plurality of burst mode periods, and to stop driving the switching device between the different operating states during an inactive state period within each of the plurality of burst mode periods, the control circuit further configured to adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a length of the inactive state period while holding a length of the active state period constant in at least a subset of the plurality of burst mode periods. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A load control device for controlling an amount of power delivered to an electrical load, the load control device comprising:
-
a load regulation circuit configured to control a magnitude of a load current conducted through the electrical load to control the amount of power delivered to the electrical load, the load regulation circuit comprising a switching device; and a control circuit coupled to the load regulation circuit and configured to control the switching device to regulate an average magnitude of the load current, the control circuit configured to operate in a normal mode and a burst mode, the burst mode characterized by a plurality of burst mode periods; wherein, during the normal mode, the control circuit is configured to drive the switching device between different operating states to regulate the average magnitude of the load current, and wherein, during the burst mode, the control circuit is configured to drive the switching device between the different operating states during an active state period within each of the plurality of burst mode periods, and to stop driving the switching device between the different operating states during an inactive state period within each of the plurality of burst mode periods, the control circuit further configured to adjust the average magnitude of the load current by adjusting a length of the inactive state period in one or more of the plurality of burst mode periods while holding a length of the active state period constant, and adjusting both the length of the inactive state period and the length of the active state period in a subsequent one of the plurality of burst mode periods.
-
Specification