AU2023202543A1 - Control assembly for dimming, dimming device and lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control assembly for dimming, a dimming device, and a lighting system. The control assembly comprises: a controller adapted to output a control signal for switching the switching device on and off to a control end of a switching device, the switching device being adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and a lighting device; a first low pass filter adapted to be coupled to the AC power source and adapted to filter a power line signal from the AC power source and to output a first filtered signal; and a first logic unit coupled between the first low pass filter and the controller, the first logic unit being adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the first filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on an output of the first logic unit. The method of the present disclosure effectively and reliably suppresses the effect of ripples in power carrier communications on lighting devices.

Description

CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DIMMING, DIMMING DEVICE AND LIGHTING SYSTEM PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims priority from Chinese Application No 202221229253.2 filed 18 May 2022. The entire contents of this priority application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of lighting technology, and more specifically, to a control assembly for dimming, dimming device, and lighting system.

BACKGROUND

[0003] A dimmer or dimming device may regulate and control the illumination of a lighting device, such as a Light Emitting Diode (LED). For example, by operating a knob or other adjustment component, the dimmer can change the voltage applied to the lighting device as needed to change the light intensity of the lighting device.

[0004] Currently, Power Line Communication (PLC) technology is widely adopted in some countries and regions, i.e., analog or digital signals are transmitted on a power line by means of a carrier wave. With this technique, a frequency of communication ripple can be imposed on the power line to control electrical devices such as water heaters, air conditioners and the like to minimize peak loads. However, the communication ripple in the PLC has a negative impact on the lighting device. For example, such communication ripple on the power line can cause flicker in lighting devices such as LEDs.

[0005] The communication ripple can be suppressed by means of a dimmer, thereby reducing flicker. However, the current means for suppressing communication ripples in dimmers suffer from low reliability, poor performance, etc. and therefore, in some cases, the flicker problem of the lighting devices cannot be effectively solved.

SUMMARY

[0006] To at least partially address the above and other potential problems, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control assembly for dimming, a dimming device, and a lighting system.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a control assembly for dimming. The control assembly comprises: a controller adapted to output a control signal for switching the switching device on and off to a control end of a switching device, the switching device being adapted to be coupled between an AC (alternating current) power source and a lighting device; a first low pass filter adapted to be coupled to the AC power source and adapted to filter a power line signal from the AC power source and to output a first filtered signal; and a first logic unit coupled between the first low pass filter and the controller, the first logic unit being adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the first filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on an output of the first logic unit.

[0008] With the solution of the present disclosure, ripple in power carrier communication can be effectively suppressed, and stable and ripple-free voltage output to lighting equipment can be ensured to avoid the problem of flicker. In addition, the solution can avoid the adverse effects of parameter drift of electrical electronic components or deviation between different batches of electrical electronic components on ripple suppression and improve dimming performance.

[0009] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly further comprises: a second low pass filter coupled between the first logic unit and the controller and filtering an output of the first logic unit and outputting a second filtered signal such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on the second filtered signal. By this embodiment, the higher frequency ripple can be further filtered out, thereby improving the control effect.

[0010] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly further comprises: a second logic unit coupled between the second low pass filter and the controller, the second logic unit being adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the second filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on an output of the second logic unit. In this embodiment, by providing two stages of low pass filtering and logic circuitry, a more accurate adjustment signal can be provided to the controller, thereby achieving a better control effect.

[0011] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the logical operation comprises a NOR operation. By performing the NOR operation, a steep square wave signal with a faster rise and fall can be obtained, thereby improving the control effect.

[0012] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the first low pass filter and the second low pass filter each comprise a filter circuit comprising a capacitor and a resistor and configured to filter out communication ripple transmitted over a power line of the AC power source. With this embodiment, the communication ripple present in the AC power source can be effectively filtered out with a simple hardware circuit.

[0013] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly further comprises: a third low pass filter coupled between the controller and the first logic unit and filtering the control signal output by the controller and outputting to the first logic unit. With this embodiment, the control effect can be further improved.

[0014] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly further comprises: a brightness regulating component coupled to the controller generating the control signal based on a brightness instruction from the brightness regulating component; and a rectifier coupled to the first low pass filter, wherein the rectifier is adapted to be further coupled to the AC power source to output a rectified power line signal to the first low pass filter. With this embodiment, the brightness of the lighting device can be actively adjusted as desired and the overall control effect of the control assembly can be further improved.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a dimming device. The dimming device comprises: a switching device adapted to be coupled between the AC power source and a lighting device; and the control assembly according to the first aspect.

[0016] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a lighting system comprising the AC power source and the lighting device; and the dimming device according to the second aspect.

[0017] In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the lighting device comprises at least one light emitting diode.

[0018] The summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description of Embodiments. The summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, the above and other objectives, features, and advantages of example embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent. In the example embodiments of the present disclosure, the same reference numerals usually refer to the same components.

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a lighting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of a control assembly in a dimming device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more details below with reference to the drawings. Although the drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure can be implemented in various manners and should not be limited to the embodiments explained herein. On the contrary, the embodiments are provided to make the present disclosure more thorough and complete and to fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. Alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] As used herein, the term "includes" and its variants are to be read as open-ended terms that mean "includes, but is not limited to." The term "or" is to be read as "and/or" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term "based on" is to be read as "based at least in part on." The terms "one example embodiment" and "one embodiment" are to be read as "at least one example embodiment." The following text also can include other explicit and implicit definitions.

[0024] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an improved control scheme for dimming. By providing a low pass filter, a logic unit and a controller, communication ripples in the AC power source can be filtered and suppressed, and the control signal for the switching device can be adjusted in real time according to variations in the period and amplitude of the power source voltage such that a stable voltage can still be applied to the lighting device in case of certain fluctuations in the power source voltage due to the ripples. This eliminates or mitigates possible flicker problems of the lighting device.

[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a lighting system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a lighting system 1000 includes an AC power source 200 and a lighting device 300. As an example, the AC power source 200 may be a power source such as a utility grid. For example, a utility grid as the AC power source 200 may provide 220V AC power to the lighting device 300 through live and neutral lines in the power line. In one embodiment, the lighting device 300 includes at least one LED. Compared to other lighting devices, LEDs have many advantages, such as energy saving, long lifetime, high reliability, etc. and are capable of connecting a plurality of LEDs in series and/or in parallel according to requirements to obtain a lighting device capable of irradiating a larger area. However, it will be appreciated that the implementation of the lighting device 300 is not so limited and may include other types of lighting devices such as incandescent lamps, halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, metal halide lamps, sodium lamps, mercury lamps, etc.

[0026] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the lighting system 100 may include a dimming device 100. In particular, the dimming device 100 may be connected between the AC power source 200 and the lighting device 300 to provide a dimming function for the lighting device 300. For example, the dimming device 100 may include input terminals for connection to the live and neutral wires of the AC power source 200, and output terminals for connection to the lighting device 300, whereby the dimming device 100 may deliver appropriate voltage or power to the lighting device 300 as needed to drive the lighting device 300 into operation.

[0027] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the dimming device 100 includes a switching device 120 adapted to be coupled between the AC power source 200 and the lighting device 300. As an example, the switching device 120 may switch on and off a connection loop between the AC power source 200 and the lighting device 300, thereby controlling the voltage or power applied to the lighting device 300 by the AC power source 200 and thus controlling the brightness of the lighting device 300. As an example, the switching device 120 comprises a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), and the MOSFET, which is a fully controlled switching device, can be self switched on and off, thereby achieving more reliable and better performance dimming control. It will be appreciated that the implementation of the switching device 120 is not limited and may be other types of switching devices including, but not limited to, insulated Gate Bipolar Translator (IGBTs), junction Field-Effect Transistor (JFETs), bipolar Junction Transistor

(BJTs), BJT, silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR), TRIode ACsemiconductor switch (TRIAC), gate Turn Off thyristor (GTO), MOS-Controlled Thyristor (MCIT), an Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor (IGCT), a silicon carbide (SiC) switching device or a gallium nitride (GaN) switching device, etc.

[0028] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the dimming device 100 further includes a control assembly 110. As an example, the control assembly 110 may obtain signals such as voltage, current, and/or power from the power line of the AC power source 200 and may control the switching on and off of the switching device 120, thereby enabling adjustment and control of the brightness of the lighting device 300.

[0029] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of the control assembly 110 in a dimming device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 comprises a controller 111 adapted to output a control signal for switching the switching device 120 on and off to a control end of the switching device 120. As an example, the controller 111 may issue a control signal, such as a PWM signal, to the control end of the switching device 120 as needed to control the switching device 120 to be switched on and off. For example, the control signal may control the switching device 120 to switch on at a specific duty cycle within a certain period (e. g., an alternating period of 50 Hz or 60 Hz alternating current), wherein the closer the duty cycle is to one, the longer the switching device 120 turns on and the shorter the switching device 120 turns off within a certain period, and thus the higher the voltage applied to the lighting device 300 and the greater the brightness. On the contrast, the closer the duty cycle is to zero, the shorter the switching device 120 turns on and the longer the switching device 120 turns off within a certain period, and thus the lower the voltage applied to the lighting device 300 and the smaller the brightness. The controller 111 may, for example, calculate and control the duty cycle by a software. In this manner, the dimming device 100 and the control assembly 110 thereof can effectively control and adjust the lighting device 300. Implementations of the controller 111 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application specific standard product (ASSP), a system-on-a-chip (SOC), a load programmable logic device (CPLD), and any suitable processor, microcontroller, etc.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 includes a first low pass filter 112 adapted to be coupled to an AC power source 200 and to filter a power line signal from the AC power source 200 and to output a first filtered signal. As an example, the first low pass filter 110 may filter the power line signal from the AC power source 200. The power line signal from the AC power source 200 includes a main power signal having a fundamental frequency and a communication ripple signal for power carrier communication. By filtering the power line signal, the communication ripple can be appropriately filtered to avoid the adverse effects of the communication ripple on the lighting and its control.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further comprises a first logic unit 113 coupled between the first low pass filter 112 and the controller 111, and the first logic unit 113 is adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the first filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller 111 such that the controller 111 adjusts the control signal based on the output of the first logic unit 113.

[0032] By way of example, by appropriate logical operation of the first filtered signal and the control signal, an adjustment signal may be obtained which reflects real-time variations or fluctuations in the period and amplitude of the voltage signal provided by the AC power source 200, and the variations or fluctuations are caused, for example, by communication ripples of different frequencies. The controller 111 may receive such a signal generated by the above-described logic operation and calculate from the signal an error, e. g., a time error, present in the current control signal, thereby adjusting the control signal in real time to ensure stability of the phase cutting angle and to enable the control signal output by the controller 111 to the switching device 120 to be changed accordingly in accordance with variations or fluctuations in the voltage of the AC power source 200 in terms of period and amplitude. That is, in the event that the power voltage fluctuates due to communication ripple, the controller 111 may dynamically adjust the control signal in real time such that the control signal can be adjusted accordingly with such fluctuations. Thus, under the control of the dynamically adjusted control signal, even if the voltage of the AC power source 200 fluctuates due to different frequency ripples, the switching device 120 can always output or apply a voltage having a stable phase cutting angle to the lighting device 300, which eliminates the possibility of the lighting device 300 flickering due to the power voltage fluctuation. Further, the controller 111 can implement calculation and control using the software to suppress ripple, whereby communication ripple can be suppressed in a combination of hardware filtering and software control. Compared to pure hardware filtering, this way can avoid the influence of parameter drift of electrical and electronic components (such as resistors and operational amplifiers) or deviation between different batches of electrical and electronic components on ripple suppression.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further comprises a second low pass filter 114 coupled between the first logic unit 113 and the controller 111 and filtering the output of the first logic unit 113 and outputting a second filtered signal such that the controller 111 adjusts the control signal based on the second filtered signal. By means of the second low pass filter, the output signal of the first logic unit 113 can be filtered to further filter out ripples of higher frequency, thereby improving the control effect.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first low pass filter 112 and the second low pass filter 114 each comprise a filter circuit comprising a capacitor and a resistor and configured to filter out communication ripple transmitted over a power line of the AC power source 200. Specifically, the first low pass filter 112 and the second low pass filter 114 may be RC filter circuits. In this manner, the communication ripple present in the AC power source 200 can be effectively filtered out with a simple hardware circuit, thereby avoiding adverse effects of communication ripple of different frequency on dimming.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further comprises a second logic unit 115 coupled between the second low pass filter 114 and the controller 111, and the second logic unit 115 is adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the second filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller 111 such that the controller 111 adjusts the control signal based on the output of the second logic unit 115.

[0036] By way of example, the second logic unit 115 functions similarly to the first logic unit 113, i.e., performing the logic operation on the control signal and the second filtered signal. Similar to the first logic unit 113, the signal output by the second logic unit 115 reflects real-time variations or fluctuations in the period and amplitude of the voltage signal provided by the AC power source 200. The controller 111 may dynamically adjust the control signal in real-time based on the signal output by the second logic unit 115 such that the control signal can be adjusted accordingly with real-time variations or fluctuations in the period and amplitude of the power source voltage, thereby preventing the applied voltage of the lighting device 300 from being affected by variations or fluctuations in the power voltage.

It can be seen that the second low pass filter 114 forms a second stage of low pass filtering and logic gate combination with the second logic unit 115, while the first low pass filter 112 forms a first stage of low pass filtering and logic gate combination with the first logic unit 113. Such a two-stage circuit may provide a more accurate regulation signal to the controller 111 than a single-stage circuit, thereby achieving a better control effect.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the logical operation comprises a NOR operation. As an example, the first logic unit 113 and/or the second logic unit 115 may be NOR gate logic devices, or any other suitable device or means capable of NOR operation. By performing the NOR operation, a steep square wave signal having a faster rise and fall can be obtained as the adjustment signal, thereby improving the control effect.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further comprises a third low pass filter 118 coupled between the controller 111 and the first logic unit 113 and filtering the control signal output by the controller 111 and outputting to the first logic unit 113. In this way, high frequency components of the control signal can be filtered out before the first logic unit 113 performs the logic operation or NOR operation on the control signal and the first filtered signal, thereby further improving the control effect.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further comprises a brightness regulating component 116 coupled to the controller 111 generating the control signal based on a brightness instruction from the brightness regulating component 116. By way of example, the brightness regulating component 116 may be a component such as a knob, and an operator may therefore command the controller 111 by simple operation to change the duty cycle of a control signal such as a PWM signal to effect adjustment of the brightness of the lighting device 300. However, it will be appreciated that the implementation of brightness regulating component 116 is not so limited and may be in other suitable forms. For example, brightness regulating component 116 may be implemented in other human computer interactions such as keys, touch screens, etc. or may be implemented as a remote control, or may be an automatically set electronic component capable of, for example, automatically issuing adjustment instructions according to changes in ambient brightness at predetermined settings.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the control assembly 110 further includes a rectifier 117 coupled to the first low pass filter 112, and the rectifier 117 is adapted to be further coupled to the AC power source 200 to output a rectified power line signal to the first low pass filter 112. As an example, the rectifier 117 may rectify a sine wave AC signal from the AC power source 200 into two positive half wave signals to provide the rectified signal to the first low pass filter 112. In this manner, the overall control of the control assembly 110 can be further improved.

[0041] It should be noted that the elements, modules or units illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are merely exemplary, and not limiting, and that other suitable elements, modules, or units may be added as desired, or portions of the elements, modules, or units may be removed or replaced as desired.

[0042] In the aspect of the present disclosure, ripple in the power carrier communication can be effectively suppressed by the combination of the low pass filter, the logic unit, and the controller, and stable and ripple-free voltage output to the lighting device can be ensured to avoid the problem of flicker. Compared to pure hardware filtering, the solution of the present disclosure can avoid the influence of parameter drift of electrical and electronic components or deviation between different batches of electrical and electronic components, ensuring a more stable ripple suppression effect. In addition, the ripple frequency range suppressed or filtered by the improved solution is more targeted than the simple hardware filtering, and more accurate filtering and ripple suppression can be achieved for the communication ripple of the target frequency such that the dimming performance can be improved.

[0043] Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the disclosure are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure. In addition, while the above description and related drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of features and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of features and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, for example, other combinations of features and/or functions different from those expressly described above are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

[0044] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0045] It will be understood that the terms "comprise" and "include" and any of their derivatives (e.g. comprises, comprising, includes, including) as used in this specification, and the claims that follow, is to be taken to be inclusive of features to which the term refers, and is not meant to exclude the presence of any additional features unless otherwise stated or implied.

[0046] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the disclosure is not restricted in its use to the particular application or applications described. Neither is the present disclosure restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that the disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope as set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims (10)

I/We Claim:

1. A control assembly for dimming, comprising: a controller adapted to output a control signal for switching a switching device on and off to a control end of the switching device, the switching device being adapted to be coupled between an AC power source and a lighting device; a first low pass filter adapted to be coupled to the AC power source and adapted to filter a power line signal from the AC power source and to output a first filtered signal; and a first logic unit coupled between the first low pass filter and the controller, the first logic unit being adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the first filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on an output of the first logic unit.

2. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a second low pass filter coupled between the first logic unit and the controller and filtering an output of the first logic unit and outputting a second filtered signal such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on the second filtered signal.

3. The control assembly of claim 2, further comprising: a second logic unit coupled between the second low pass filter and the controller, the second logic unit being adapted to perform a logic operation on the control signal and the second filtered signal and to output an operation result to the controller such that the controller adjusts the control signal based on an output of the second logic unit.

4. The control assembly according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the logical operation comprises a NOR operation.

5. The control assembly of claim 2, wherein the first low pass filter and the second low pass filter each comprise a filter circuit comprising a capacitor and a resistor and configured to filter out communication ripple transmitted over a power line of the AC power source.

6. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a third low pass filter coupled between the controller and the first logic unit and filtering the control signal output by the controller and outputting to the first logic unit.

7. The control assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a brightness regulating component coupled to the controller, the controller generating the control signal based on a brightness instruction from the brightness regulating component; and a rectifier coupled to the first low pass filter, the rectifier being adapted to be further coupled to the AC power source to output a rectified power line signal to the first low pass filter.

8. A dimming device comprising: a switching device adapted to be coupled between the AC power source and a lighting device; and the control assembly of any of claims I to 7.

9. A lighting system, comprising: a AC power source and a lighting device; and the dimming device of claim 8.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one light emitting diode.