GROUND LEAKAGE POWER SUPPLY FOR DIMMING APPLICATIONS

• US 20160149496A1
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: PAPISMEDOV, Levan, LOMBARDI, Alfred, OSTROVSKY, Michael, KESER, Ozgur
• Granted Patent: US 9,812,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/083 for the ignition at the zero crossing of the voltage or the current
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/2573 with control circuit
• 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

A dimmer is provided for controlling power to a load, the dimmer having a ground leakage power supply deriving power from a connection of the dimmer to ground. The power supply may be a switching-mode power supply that can be the sole or primary power supply to power operation of the dimmer, including operation of the controller.

Claims

1. A dimmer for controlling power to a load, the dimmer comprising:

a phase input terminal configured to couple to an AC power source for powering the load;

a ground terminal configured to couple to a ground connection;

a load output terminal configured to couple to the load for supplying power thereto;

a controller for controlling a switching circuit electrically coupled between the line input terminal and the load output terminal to control supply of power to the load; and

a power supply comprising a ground leakage power supply configured to derive power from a connection of the dimmer to the ground terminal, the ground leakage power supply comprising a switching-mode power supply, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured to power operation of the dimmer including operation of the controller.

2. The dimmer of claim 1, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured to derive power solely from current flowing through the connection of the dimmer to ground.

3. The dimmer of claim 2, wherein operation of the dimmer is powered fully by the ground leakage power supply.

4. The dimmer of claim 2, wherein the ground leakage power supply comprises a primary power source for powering operation of the dimmer, and wherein the dimmer comprises one or more secondary power sources.

5. The dimmer of claim 4, wherein the primary power source is configured to provide a majority of the power needed to power the operation of the dimmer.

6. The dimmer of claim 1, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured to power the operation of the dimmer absent a connection of the dimmer to a neutral of the AC power source.

7. The dimmer of claim 2, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured such that the current flowing through the connection of the dimmer to ground is maintained below a threshold current.

8. The dimmer of claim 7, wherein the threshold current comprises 500 microamperes or less.

9. The dimmer of claim 1, wherein powering operation of the dimmer comprises the ground leakage power supply providing a minimum of 5 volts.

10. The dimmer of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform:

controlling clock speed of the controller based on priority of a task selected to run, wherein the controller decreases clock speed based on a task of relatively low priority being selected to run.

11. The dimmer of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform:

providing a signal to the switching circuit to provide power to the load, the signal to the switching circuit comprising a plurality of pulses, and the signal provided starting at a firing angle of a half-cycle of the AC power source.

12. The dimmer of claim 11, wherein providing the signal comprises providing the plurality of pulses to have a duration therebetween of less than an unlatching time of the switching circuit.

13. The dimmer of claim 11, wherein providing the signal comprises providing the plurality of pulses to have a duration of 8-12 microseconds and to have a duration therebetween of 8-12 microseconds.

14. A dimmer for controlling power to a load, the dimmer comprising:

a phase input terminal configured to couple to an AC power source for powering the load;

a ground terminal configured to couple to a ground connection;

a load output terminal configured to couple to the load for supplying power thereto;

a controller for controlling a switching circuit electrically coupled between the line input terminal and the load output terminal to control supply of power to the load, wherein the controller is configured to provide a signal to the switching circuit to provide power to the load, the signal provided starting at a firing angle of a half-cycle of the AC power source, and the signal comprising a plurality of pulses provided during the half-cycle of the AC power source; and

a power supply comprising a ground leakage power supply configured to derive power from a connection of the dimmer to the ground terminal, the ground leakage power supply comprising a switching-mode power supply, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured to power operation of the dimmer including operation of the controller to provide the signal.

15. The dimmer of claim 14, wherein the plurality of pulses have a duration therebetween of less than an unlatching time of the switching circuit.

16. The dimmer of claim 14, wherein the plurality of pulses have a duration of 8-12 microseconds and have a duration therebetween of 8-12 microseconds.

17. A dimmer for controlling power to a load, the dimmer comprising:

a phase input terminal configured to couple to an AC power source for powering the load;

a ground terminal configured to couple to a ground connection;

a load output terminal configured to couple to the load for supplying power thereto;

a controller for controlling a switching circuit electrically coupled between the line input terminal and the load output terminal to control supply of power to the load, wherein the controller is configured to provide a signal to the switching circuit to provide power to the load, the signal comprising a plurality of pulses provided during the half-cycle of the AC power source, and the plurality of pulses having a duration of 8-12 microseconds and having a duration therebetween of 8-12 microseconds; and

a power supply comprising a ground leakage power supply configured to derive power from a connection of the dimmer to the ground terminal, the ground leakage power supply comprising a switching-mode power supply, wherein the ground leakage power supply is configured to power operation of the dimmer including operation of the controller to provide the signal.