EP2208399A1 - Operating lighting means - Google Patents

Operating lighting means

Info

Publication number
EP2208399A1
EP2208399A1 EP08847992A EP08847992A EP2208399A1 EP 2208399 A1 EP2208399 A1 EP 2208399A1 EP 08847992 A EP08847992 A EP 08847992A EP 08847992 A EP08847992 A EP 08847992A EP 2208399 A1 EP2208399 A1 EP 2208399A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
power
modulator
supplied
sensed
voltage
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP08847992A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2208399B1 (en
Inventor
Günter MARENT
Stefan Zudrell-Koch
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tridonic GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Tridonicatco GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Tridonicatco GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Tridonicatco GmbH and Co KG
Priority to EP08847992.8A priority Critical patent/EP2208399B1/en
Publication of EP2208399A1 publication Critical patent/EP2208399A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2208399B1 publication Critical patent/EP2208399B1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/36—Controlling
    • H05B41/38—Controlling the intensity of light
    • H05B41/39—Controlling the intensity of light continuously
    • H05B41/392—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor
    • H05B41/3921—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor with possibility of light intensity variations
    • H05B41/3925—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor with possibility of light intensity variations by frequency variation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/26—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from DC by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage DC
    • H05B41/28—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from DC by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage DC using static converters
    • H05B41/282—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from DC by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage DC using static converters with semiconductor devices
    • H05B41/2825—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from DC by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage DC using static converters with semiconductor devices by means of a bridge converter in the final stage
    • H05B41/2828—Circuit arrangements in which the lamp is fed by power derived from DC by means of a converter, e.g. by high-voltage DC using static converters with semiconductor devices by means of a bridge converter in the final stage using control circuits for the switching elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B41/00—Circuit arrangements or apparatus for igniting or operating discharge lamps
    • H05B41/14—Circuit arrangements
    • H05B41/36—Controlling
    • H05B41/38—Controlling the intensity of light
    • H05B41/39—Controlling the intensity of light continuously
    • H05B41/392—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor
    • H05B41/3921—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor with possibility of light intensity variations
    • H05B41/3927—Controlling the intensity of light continuously using semiconductor devices, e.g. thyristor with possibility of light intensity variations by pulse width modulation
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B45/00—Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
    • H05B45/30—Driver circuits
    • H05B45/37—Converter circuits

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to the supply of electrical power to lighting means, such as for example fluorescent lamps, high intensity discharge lamps, organic or inorganic light emitting diodes, etc.
  • Rapple is top be understood of a variation of a preferably unipolar DC voltage, the variation being smaller than the DC level.
  • the invention proposes a feed-forward control approach.
  • a parameter of the supply voltage for the power modulator is measured and evaluated in order to set a power-determining parameter of the power modulator.
  • the invention proposes a method for supplying these lighting devices with power, to a computer software program product executing such a method when running a computing device, to a power supply unit as well as to an integrated circuitry, such as for example an ASIC for implementing the power supply control method.
  • the DC power is generated on the basis of AC power or varying DC power (e.g. varying battery power), and - the power modulator supplies power to the lighting means, wherein a control unit senses the DC power supplied to the power modulator and controls the power modulator in order to set power-determining parameter of the power modulator depending on the sensed power.
  • a control unit senses the DC power supplied to the power modulator and controls the power modulator in order to set power-determining parameter of the power modulator depending on the sensed power.
  • the control unit may determine a nominal value for power-determining parameter of the power modulator on the basis of the sensed power
  • the power-determining parameter may be the frequency and/or the duty cycle of a controlled switch of the power modulator.
  • the control unit can process digitally the sensed power .
  • the control unit can process the current as wells as at least one past sample value of the sensed power.
  • the power can be sensed on the basis of a DC supply voltage of the power modulator.
  • the power for the power modulator can be supplied without the use of an active PFC.
  • the power supplied to the power modulator can present a ripple with a frequency which is equal to the AC mains frequency or a multiple thereof.
  • the power modulator can be e.g. a half bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, a buck, an/or a boos converter.
  • the lighting means may be one or more LEDs or discharge lamps.
  • a further aspect of the invention relates to an integrated circuitry, such as e.g. a ASIC or a microcontroller, which is designed to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.
  • Figure 1 shows schematically a circuitry- according to the present invention using a half-bridge converter as power modulator
  • FIG. 2 shows schematically a circuitry- according to the present invention using a buck converter as power modulator.
  • a mains voltage supply i.e. a AC voltage having a peak value of e.g. 220V or 240V and a frequency of 50Hz or 60Hz.
  • the mains voltage 1 is rectified e.g. by a bridge rectifier 2 and supplied to a storage capacitor 3.
  • the storage capacitor 3 will supply a DC voltage ("bus voltage”) which may be modulated synchronously to the mains voltage 1.
  • the bus voltage is supplied to a power modulator 4 which supplies power to a light source 7.
  • the invention proposes to detect the mains voltage 1 or the bus voltage 8 supplied to the power modulator (the DC/AC converter being just one example thereof) 4, i.e. the voltage 8 across the storage capacitor 3 and to supply this information to a control unit 5.
  • the control unit 5 will then feed-forward control the power modulator 4, i.e. a power-setting parameter thereof pending on the sensed mains voltage 1 or bus voltage 8.
  • the invention particularly proposes a digital and/or integrated implementation of such a control unit 5.
  • the shown half-bridge DC/AC converter 4 is one example of the power modulator.
  • Other examples are e.g. a buck converter e.g. for supplying power to LEDs (organic or inorganic light emitting diodes) or a Push-Pull converter for use in ballasts for fluorescent lamps with low supply voltage of e.g. 12V.
  • a buck converter e.g. for supplying power to LEDs (organic or inorganic light emitting diodes) or a Push-Pull converter for use in ballasts for fluorescent lamps with low supply voltage of e.g. 12V.
  • a Push-Pull converter for use in ballasts for fluorescent lamps with low supply voltage of e.g. 12V.
  • the power modulator comprises a half bridge DC/AC converter 4 with two serial connected switching elements Sl, S2 (such as for example MOSFETs) and a load comprising a resonance circuitry 6 and the light source 7.
  • an analogue signal 11 is sensed representing at least the time behaviour (not necessarily also the absolute level) of the bus voltage 8 and/or the mains voltage 1.
  • This sensed analogue signal 11 can be digitized by a A/D converter 9 in a N-bit digital value (N being an integer greater than 1 and preferably greater than 2) and then be supplied to a transformation unit 10 of the control unit 5. It is also possible that the analogue signal 11 is sensed representing at least the absolute level of the bus voltage 8 and/or the mains voltage 1.
  • the transformation unit 10 transforms the supplied digital current sample value e(k) and optionally also one or more past values e(k-l) to a power modulating parameter x(k) supplied to the power modulator 4 e.g. via a driver circuitry 12.
  • the transformation can be performed e.g. by using a look-up table stored in a memory 13 or by using a preferably digitally implemented function.
  • the current sample rate e(k) or the transformed value x(k) can be stored in a register 14 for use in the transformation of subsequent values of x(k) .
  • the power modulator 4 is controlled depending on the sensed analogue voltage signal.
  • the value x(k) for the control signal for the power modulator 4 is computed.
  • the power modulator 4, i.e. a power-setting parameter thereof will be controlled by the transformation unit 10 depending on the sensed mains voltage 1 and/or bus voltage 8.
  • the power modulator will set the operational frequency f of the half-bridge converter with connected load circuitry 6 depending on the sensed bus voltage 8 and/or mains voltage 1.
  • the power supply to the light source is a direct function of the frequency control signal supplied to the power modulator, such that the currently supplied power for the light source can be derived from the frequency control value .
  • the data register thus can hold information about the currently delivered power sample value or one or more previous values thereof to the load 6.
  • the transformation unit preferably is not only supplied with the bus voltage or main voltage signal, but also with an output of the data register 14 and thus the current and/or previous power value (s) .
  • the transformation unit 10 will then compute a power setting value depending on the previous data register value and the value of the sensed bus or mains voltage.
  • FIG 2 there is shown a buck converter as an additional example for a power modulator driving a light source LED.
  • This circuit can be supplied by a mains voltage supply, i.e. an AC voltage having a peak value of e.g. 220V or 240V and a frequency of
  • the mains voltage can rectified e.g. by a bridge rectifier and supplied to a storage capacitor.
  • the storage capacitor will supply a DC voltage ("bus voltage") which may be modulated synchronously to the mains voltage.
  • the bus voltage is supplied to the buck converter (power modulator) which supplies power to a light source LED.
  • the power converter (buck converter) with a low supply voltage, e.g. 12V from a battery source.
  • the invention proposes to detect the mains voltage or the bus voltage supplied to the buck converter, i.e. the voltage across the storage capacitor at the midpoint of the resistive voltage divider R9 and RlO and to supply this information Vs to a control unit.
  • the buck converter may be controlled by the control unit depending on the information Vs supplied to the control unit.
  • the power delivered to the light source may be controlled by the control unit depending on the information Vs supplied to the control unit.
  • the power may be varied by modulation of the frequency or the pulse width of the control signal SlD which is controlling the switch Sl.
  • the power supplied to the light source is a direct function of the pulse width control signal supplied to the power modulator, such that the currently supplied power for the light source can be derived from the pulse width control value.
  • the function in the present example would be following: When the voltage Vs is decreasing, the pulse width will be increased in order to maintain the power delivered to the light source LED. When the voltage Vs is increasing, the pulse width will be decreased in order to maintain the power delivered to the light source LED.
  • the power modulator for the drive of a light source may be e.g. a half bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, a push-pull, a buck-boost or a boost converter.
  • a power stage which is supplied by the DC bus voltage which has an input that controls the flow of power delivered to a load (light source, discharge lamp, LED) . Normally the input is a control signal of a power switch.
  • a modulator which has an input that takes information about the power that shall be delivered to the load as well as an output which is connected to the control input of the power stage. Normally the modulator is a PWM unit.
  • a clock which is triggering an update cycle of the data register.
  • a data register which holds information about the power delivered to the load at the current point of time.
  • the input of the data register is connected to a transformation unit.
  • the transformation unit has an input which is connected to the digital signal proportional to the bus voltage and an output which is connected to the input of the data register.
  • the transformation unit can be connected also to a memory or external information (can be a data input or configuration information) .
  • the transformation can be a linear gain or a nonlinear function or a lookup table (LUT) .
  • Embodiment Linear function: > The input of the data register X(k) is generated by a combining the previous data register value X(k-l) with the value of the bus voltage e(k) .
  • the combination is a nonlinear sum
  • the combination may be implemented as software.
  • the load stage is a half bridge with a resonant circuit .
  • the control signal into the modulator is a frequency.
  • the transformation has a positive forward characteristic i.e. the frequency increases with increasing bus voltage.

Landscapes

  • Circuit Arrangement For Electric Light Sources In General (AREA)
  • Dc-Dc Converters (AREA)

Abstract

A method for supplying lighting means with feed-forward controlled power is proposed. Thereby - a power modulator is supplied with DC power, - the DC power is generated on the basis of AC power, and - the power modulator supplies power to the lighting means, wherein a control unit senses the DC power supplied to the power modulator and controls the power modulator in order to set power-determining parameter of the power modulator depending on the sensed power.

Description

Operating lighting means
The present invention generally relates to the supply of electrical power to lighting means, such as for example fluorescent lamps, high intensity discharge lamps, organic or inorganic light emitting diodes, etc.
The requirements as to the allowable harmonics for electronic ballasts for lamps supplied with mains power are lower at lower power ratings, e.g. below 25W in comparison to higher ratings. Therefore, at the lower power ratings, an active PFC (Power Factor Control Unit with controlled switch) is not necessary.
On the other hand, if no such active PFC is provided in the ballast, there can be the problem that a storage capacitor will always charged up to the maximum peak of the mains voltage connected to the electronic ballast, such that the bus voltage will vary synchronously to the mains voltage. To be more precise, the DC voltage across the storage capacitor will show an AC ripple with twice the frequency of the supplying mains voltage.
Now, if for cost reasons, a DC/AC converter supplied with the bus voltage and supplying AC voltage to the lighting means is used, the operational frequency of which can not varied, there is the problem that the power supply to the lighting means and thus the light intensity will vary synchronously to the mains voltage .
Object of the present invention:
It is the object of the invention to propose a technique for reducing the impact of ripple of a DC voltage of a power modulator for lighting means on the characteristics of the lighting means operation. "Ripple" is top be understood of a variation of a preferably unipolar DC voltage, the variation being smaller than the DC level.
Summary of the invention:
This object is achieved by means of the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims develop further the central idea of the present invention.
Generally the invention proposes a feed-forward control approach. A parameter of the supply voltage for the power modulator is measured and evaluated in order to set a power-determining parameter of the power modulator. There is no feedback signal from the lamp circuit (supplied by the power modulator) in order to compensate for the impact of the ripple. This does not exclude the presence of feedback signals for other purposes.
To this regard the invention proposes a method for supplying these lighting devices with power, to a computer software program product executing such a method when running a computing device, to a power supply unit as well as to an integrated circuitry, such as for example an ASIC for implementing the power supply control method.
According to a first aspect of the invention a method for supplying lighting means with feed-forward controlled power is proposed, wherein
- a power modulator is supplied with DC power,
- the DC power is generated on the basis of AC power or varying DC power (e.g. varying battery power), and - the power modulator supplies power to the lighting means, wherein a control unit senses the DC power supplied to the power modulator and controls the power modulator in order to set power-determining parameter of the power modulator depending on the sensed power.
The control unit may determine a nominal value for power-determining parameter of the power modulator on the basis of the sensed power
The power-determining parameter may be the frequency and/or the duty cycle of a controlled switch of the power modulator.
The control unit can process digitally the sensed power .
The control unit can process the current as wells as at least one past sample value of the sensed power.
The power can be sensed on the basis of a DC supply voltage of the power modulator. The power for the power modulator can be supplied without the use of an active PFC.
The power supplied to the power modulator can present a ripple with a frequency which is equal to the AC mains frequency or a multiple thereof.
The power modulator can be e.g. a half bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, a buck, an/or a boos converter.
The lighting means may be one or more LEDs or discharge lamps.
A further aspect of the invention relates to an integrated circuitry, such as e.g. a ASIC or a microcontroller, which is designed to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.
Further features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become evident when reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments when taken in conjunction with the figures of the enclosed drawings.
Figure 1 shows schematically a circuitry- according to the present invention using a half-bridge converter as power modulator, and
Figure 2 shows schematically a circuitry- according to the present invention using a buck converter as power modulator. In figure 1 there is shown a mains voltage supply 1, i.e. a AC voltage having a peak value of e.g. 220V or 240V and a frequency of 50Hz or 60Hz. The mains voltage 1 is rectified e.g. by a bridge rectifier 2 and supplied to a storage capacitor 3. The storage capacitor 3 will supply a DC voltage ("bus voltage") which may be modulated synchronously to the mains voltage 1. The bus voltage is supplied to a power modulator 4 which supplies power to a light source 7.
As shown in figure 1 no actively switched PFC is provided between the rectifier 2 and the storage capacitor 3 such that the DC voltage 8 of the storage capacitor 3 will present an AC ripple with twice the frequency of the mains voltage 1.
The invention proposes to detect the mains voltage 1 or the bus voltage 8 supplied to the power modulator (the DC/AC converter being just one example thereof) 4, i.e. the voltage 8 across the storage capacitor 3 and to supply this information to a control unit 5.
The control unit 5 will then feed-forward control the power modulator 4, i.e. a power-setting parameter thereof pending on the sensed mains voltage 1 or bus voltage 8. The invention particularly proposes a digital and/or integrated implementation of such a control unit 5.
The shown half-bridge DC/AC converter 4 is one example of the power modulator. Other examples are e.g. a buck converter e.g. for supplying power to LEDs (organic or inorganic light emitting diodes) or a Push-Pull converter for use in ballasts for fluorescent lamps with low supply voltage of e.g. 12V. One alternative, being just one example of many, will be explained later on with reference to figure 2.
In the shown example the power modulator comprises a half bridge DC/AC converter 4 with two serial connected switching elements Sl, S2 (such as for example MOSFETs) and a load comprising a resonance circuitry 6 and the light source 7.
As also shown in figure 1, an analogue signal 11 is sensed representing at least the time behaviour (not necessarily also the absolute level) of the bus voltage 8 and/or the mains voltage 1. This sensed analogue signal 11 can be digitized by a A/D converter 9 in a N-bit digital value (N being an integer greater than 1 and preferably greater than 2) and then be supplied to a transformation unit 10 of the control unit 5. It is also possible that the analogue signal 11 is sensed representing at least the absolute level of the bus voltage 8 and/or the mains voltage 1.
The transformation unit 10 transforms the supplied digital current sample value e(k) and optionally also one or more past values e(k-l) to a power modulating parameter x(k) supplied to the power modulator 4 e.g. via a driver circuitry 12. The transformation can be performed e.g. by using a look-up table stored in a memory 13 or by using a preferably digitally implemented function.
The current sample rate e(k) or the transformed value x(k) can be stored in a register 14 for use in the transformation of subsequent values of x(k) .
Thus the power modulator 4 is controlled depending on the sensed analogue voltage signal. Thus, in a digital manner the value x(k) for the control signal for the power modulator 4 is computed. Generally, the power modulator 4, i.e. a power-setting parameter thereof will be controlled by the transformation unit 10 depending on the sensed mains voltage 1 and/or bus voltage 8. In the present illustrative example the power modulator will set the operational frequency f of the half-bridge converter with connected load circuitry 6 depending on the sensed bus voltage 8 and/or mains voltage 1.
In the present example, e.g. the power supply to the light source is a direct function of the frequency control signal supplied to the power modulator, such that the currently supplied power for the light source can be derived from the frequency control value .
The data register thus can hold information about the currently delivered power sample value or one or more previous values thereof to the load 6.
The transformation unit preferably is not only supplied with the bus voltage or main voltage signal, but also with an output of the data register 14 and thus the current and/or previous power value (s) .
Generally the transformation unit 10 will then compute a power setting value depending on the previous data register value and the value of the sensed bus or mains voltage.
In figure 2 there is shown a buck converter as an additional example for a power modulator driving a light source LED. This circuit can be supplied by a mains voltage supply, i.e. an AC voltage having a peak value of e.g. 220V or 240V and a frequency of
50Hz or 60Hz. The mains voltage can rectified e.g. by a bridge rectifier and supplied to a storage capacitor. The storage capacitor will supply a DC voltage ("bus voltage") which may be modulated synchronously to the mains voltage. The bus voltage is supplied to the buck converter (power modulator) which supplies power to a light source LED.
As an alternative it is also possible to supply the power converter (buck converter) with a low supply voltage, e.g. 12V from a battery source.
Similar to figure 1 no actively switched PFC needs to be provided between the rectifier and the storage capacitor such that the DC voltage of the storage capacitor will present an AC ripple with twice the frequency of the mains voltage.
The invention proposes to detect the mains voltage or the bus voltage supplied to the buck converter, i.e. the voltage across the storage capacitor at the midpoint of the resistive voltage divider R9 and RlO and to supply this information Vs to a control unit.
When the switch Sl is closed, a current will flow from the storage capacitor through the light source
LED, the capacitor Cl, the choke Ll and the switch
Sl. The choke Ll will be magnetised. When the switch
Sl is opened, the current through the choke Ll will continue to flow in the freewheeling path through the diode Dl and the light source LED, the capacitor Cl, until either the choke Ll is demagnetised or the switch Sl is closed again.
The buck converter may be controlled by the control unit depending on the information Vs supplied to the control unit. The power delivered to the light source
LED is determined by the switch ratio of the switch
Sl. The power may be varied by modulation of the frequency or the pulse width of the control signal SlD which is controlling the switch Sl.
It is not necessary to use a closed loop control in order to maintain constant power at the light source LED. For example, a current control by measuring the current through the LED needs a high effort for the measurement as the LED is not connected to the ground. When the current through the switch Sl is measured, there is no information about the current through the LED during the time where the switch Sl is open.
It may be sufficient, when the switch Sl is controlled at a given duty ratio (pulse width) and given frequency. As the light source LED and the values of the components contained in the power converter are known, the only variation may be in the supply voltage. By sensing the bus voltage or the supply voltage at the midpoint of the resistive voltage divider R9 and RlO this information Vs can be delivered to the control unit and the control of the switch Sl can be controlled depending on the sensed voltage or power.
In the present example, e.g. the power supplied to the light source is a direct function of the pulse width control signal supplied to the power modulator, such that the currently supplied power for the light source can be derived from the pulse width control value.
The function in the present example would be following: When the voltage Vs is decreasing, the pulse width will be increased in order to maintain the power delivered to the light source LED. When the voltage Vs is increasing, the pulse width will be decreased in order to maintain the power delivered to the light source LED.
The power modulator for the drive of a light source may be e.g. a half bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, a push-pull, a buck-boost or a boost converter.
As illustrated the invention encompasses the following aspects:
> Mains input with AC/DC converter (rectifier) . > Sensor Signal proportional to the DC voltage (= bus voltage) .
> Analogue Sensor Signal is converted into a digital information with >= 1 Bit resolution. > A power stage which is supplied by the DC bus voltage which has an input that controls the flow of power delivered to a load (light source, discharge lamp, LED) . Normally the input is a control signal of a power switch. > A modulator which has an input that takes information about the power that shall be delivered to the load as well as an output which is connected to the control input of the power stage. Normally the modulator is a PWM unit. > A clock which is triggering an update cycle of the data register.
> A data register which holds information about the power delivered to the load at the current point of time. > The input of the data register is connected to a transformation unit.
> The transformation unit has an input which is connected to the digital signal proportional to the bus voltage and an output which is connected to the input of the data register. The transformation unit can be connected also to a memory or external information (can be a data input or configuration information) . The transformation can be a linear gain or a nonlinear function or a lookup table (LUT) .
1. Embodiment: Linear function: > The input of the data register X(k) is generated by a combining the previous data register value X(k-l) with the value of the bus voltage e(k) .
> The combination is implemented as (synchronous) logic
> The combination is a linear gain
> The combination is a linear sum
2. Embodiment: Nonlinear function:
The combination is a nonlinear sum
X{k)= YjKi{e,X\e{k-i)+YjLj{e,X)-X{k-jyi{e,X)
> The combination may be implemented as software.
> The load stage is a half bridge with a resonant circuit .
> The control signal into the modulator is a frequency.
> The transformation has a positive forward characteristic i.e. the frequency increases with increasing bus voltage.

Claims

Claims
1. A method for supplying lighting means with feedforward controlled power, wherein
- a power modulator is supplied with DC power,
- the DC power is generated on the basis of AC power or varying DC power, and
- the power modulator supplies power to the lighting means, wherein a control unit senses the DC power supplied to the power modulator and controls the power modulator in order to set power-determining parameter of the power modulator depending on the sensed power.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines a value for power-determining parameter of the power modulator on the basis of the sensed power
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the power-determining parameter is the frequency and/or the duty cycle of a controlled switch of the power modulator.
4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit processes digitally the sensed power.
5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the control unit processes the current as wells as at least one past sample value of the sensed power.
6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power is sensed on the basis of a DC supply voltage of the power modulator.
7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power for the power modulator is supplied without the use of an active PFC.
8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power supplied to the power modulator presents a ripple with a frequency which is equal to the AC mains frequency or a multiple thereof.
9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the power modulator is one of a half bridge converter, a full-bridge converter, a buck an/or a boost converter.
10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting means are one or more LEDs or discharge lamps.
11.An integrated circuitry, such as e.g. a ASIC or a microcontroller, being designed to perform a method according to any of the preceding claims.
12. A ballast for lighting means, comprising a circuitry according to claim 11. A lamp, comprising a ballast according to claim 12.
EP08847992.8A 2007-11-06 2008-11-06 Operating lighting means Active EP2208399B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08847992.8A EP2208399B1 (en) 2007-11-06 2008-11-06 Operating lighting means

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07120098 2007-11-06
EP08847992.8A EP2208399B1 (en) 2007-11-06 2008-11-06 Operating lighting means
PCT/EP2008/009382 WO2009059772A1 (en) 2007-11-06 2008-11-06 Operating lighting means

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2208399A1 true EP2208399A1 (en) 2010-07-21
EP2208399B1 EP2208399B1 (en) 2013-04-17

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08847992.8A Active EP2208399B1 (en) 2007-11-06 2008-11-06 Operating lighting means

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2208399B1 (en)
CN (1) CN101849439B (en)
AT (1) AT517937B1 (en)
DE (1) DE112008002754T5 (en)
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WO2009059772A1 (en) 2009-05-14
CN101849439B (en) 2013-09-18
EP2208399B1 (en) 2013-04-17
AT517937B1 (en) 2017-06-15
DE112008002754T5 (en) 2010-12-09
CN101849439A (en) 2010-09-29
AT517937A5 (en) 2017-06-15

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