TWI698153B - Dimmer switch interface and led light system - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosed subject matter includes an apparatus including a dimmer switch interface. The switch interface includes a transformer having a first winding that is magnetically coupled to a second winding, the first winding being electrically coupled to a pair of terminals. The switch interface also includes a current source configured to supply the second winding with an intermittent alternating current, the intermittent alternating current having a cyclical waveform, each cycle of the waveform including a first portion during which the current is fixed at a predetermined fixed low value and a second portion during which the current alternates between a high value and a low value.

Description

Dimmer switch interface and LED lighting system

Light-emitting diodes ("LEDs") are commonly used as light sources in various applications. For example, LEDs are more energy-efficient than traditional light sources and provide much higher energy conversion efficiency than incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps. In addition, compared with traditional light sources, LEDs radiate less heat into the illuminated area and provide greater control over brightness, emission color and spectrum. These characteristics make LEDs an excellent choice for various lighting applications ranging from indoor lighting to automotive lighting. Therefore, an improved LED-based lighting system that uses the advantages of LEDs to provide high-quality lighting is needed.

The present invention addresses this need. According to an aspect of the present invention, a lighting system is disclosed, which includes: a lamp including a driver coupled to a light source; a dimmer switch; and a dimmer switch interface, which includes: (i) a transformer , Which has a first winding magnetically coupled to a second winding, the first winding is electrically coupled to the dimmer switch, and the second winding is electrically coupled to the driver of the lamp; and (ii) a current source , Which is configured to use an intermittent alternating current to power the transformer when the current source is energized.

100: lighting system

110: dimmer switch

120: lamps

122: drive

124: light source

130: Dimmer switch interface

132: converter circuit

134: converter circuit

136: Transformer

138: Current Source

201: LED device

201A: pixel

201B: pixel

201C: Pixel

202: substrate

202B: substrate

203: Space

204: Action layer

204B: Active layer

206: wavelength conversion layer

206B: Wavelength conversion layer

207: Waveguide

208: main optics

208B: Primary optics

209: lens

210: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Array

212: Secondary optics

220: lighting system

300: lighting system

310: Dimmer switch

311: Electronic Board

312: Power Module

314: Sensor Module

316: Connectivity and control module

318: Light emitting diode (LED) attachment area

320: lamps

321: substrate

322: drive

324: Light Source

330: Dimmer switch interface

332: converter circuit

334: converter circuit

336: Transformer

338: Current Source

340: control circuit

400A: Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting system

400B: Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting system

400C: Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting system

400D: Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting system

400E: LED lighting system

410: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Array

411A: First channel

411B: second channel

412: AC/DC converter circuit

413: part

414: Sensor Module

415: dimmer interface circuit

416: Connectivity and control module

417: part

418A: Trace

418B: Trace

418C: Trace

419: cycle

431: Trace

432: Trace

433: Trace

434: Trace

435: Trace

440: DC/DC converter

440A: DC-DC converter circuit

440B: DC-DC converter circuit

445A: First surface

445B: second surface

452: Power Module

472: Microcontroller

483: Power Conversion Module

485: Light-emitting diode (LED) driver input signal

490: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Module

491: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Array

493: Embedded light-emitting diode (LED) calibration and setting data

494: LED array

494A: The first light emitting diode (LED) group

494B: second light-emitting diode (LED) group

494C: The third light-emitting diode (LED) group

497: Vin

510: cycle

512: part

514: part

550: System

552: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting System

554: Secondary optics

556: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting System

558: Secondary optics

560: Application Platform

561: beam

561a: Arrow

561b: Arrow

562: beam

562a: Arrow

562b: Arrow

565: line

700: program

710: step

720: step

730: step

740: step

810: control signal

820: Continuous AC signal

910: Control signal

920: Intermittent AC signal

C4: Capacitor

CTRL: Control signal

DIM: voltage signal

N3: Node

PWR: signal

Q1: NPN transistor

Q2: PNP transistor

Q3: Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET)

R4: resistor

R5: resistor

S0: Continuous current signal

S1: Intermittent current signal

T1: Terminal

T2: Terminal

V1: DC voltage source

W1: winding

W2: winding

The drawings described below are for illustration purposes only. Schema is not intended to limit The scope of the invention. The same reference numerals shown in the figures designate the same parts in each embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a lighting system according to an aspect of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a transformer used to drive a dimmer switch interface of the lighting system of FIG. 1 according to an aspect of the present invention A graph of a current signal; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of another example of a lighting system according to an aspect of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a dimming used to drive the lighting system of FIG. 3 according to an aspect of the present invention A diagram of a current signal of a transformer in a switch interface of a dimmer; Fig. 5 is a control signal used to control an operation of a current source in the switch interface of a dimmer of the lighting system of Fig. 3 according to an aspect of the present invention Figure 6 is a circuit diagram of an example of a current source in the dimmer switch interface of the dimmer switch interface of the lighting system according to the aspect of the present invention; Figure 7 is the borrowing of the aspect of the present invention A flowchart of an example of a program executed by a controller that is part of the dimmer switch interface of the lighting system of FIG. 3; FIG. 8 illustrates the aspect of the present invention that can be used by the lighting of FIG. 3. The current source in the switch interface of the dimmer of the system generates a control signal and a plot of a corresponding current signal; FIG. 9 illustrates the aspect of the invention that can be used by the dimmer of the lighting system of FIG. 3 Another control signal generated by the current source in the switch interface and a plot of another corresponding current signal; FIG. 10 is a top view of an electronic board for an integrated LED lighting system according to an embodiment; Figure 11A is a top view of an electronic board, in which, in one embodiment, the LED array is attached to the substrate at the LED device attachment area; Figure 11B is a pair of electronic components mounted on both surfaces of a circuit board A diagram of an embodiment of a channel-integrated LED lighting system; FIG. 11C is a diagram of an embodiment of an LED lighting system, in which the LED array is on an electronic board separate from the driver and control circuit; FIG. 11D is A block diagram of an LED lighting system on an electronic board separated from the driver circuit together with the LED array and some electronic devices; Figure 11E is a diagram showing an exemplary LED lighting system of a multi-channel LED driver circuit; 12 is a diagram of an exemplary application system; FIG. 13A shows a diagram of an LED device; and FIG. 13B shows a diagram of multiple LED devices.

Hereinafter, examples of different lighting systems and/or light emitting diode ("LED") implementations will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. These examples are not mutually exclusive, and features found in one example can be combined with features found in one or more other examples to achieve additional implementations. Therefore, it will be understood that the examples shown in the accompanying drawings are only provided for illustrative purposes and they are not intended to limit the invention in any way. The same element symbols refer to the same elements everywhere.

It will be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms can be used to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first element The element can be referred to as a second element and a second element can be referred to as a first element. As used herein, the term "and/or" can include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region or substrate is referred to as being "on" or extending "on" another element, it can be directly on or extend directly on the other element On this other element, there may also be an intermediate element. In contrast, when a component is said to be “directly on” another component “on” or “directly” extends to another component “on”, there may be no intervening component. It will also be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element and/or connected or coupled to the other element through one or more intervening elements. One component. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another element, there is no intervening element between the element and the other element. It will be understood that in addition to any orientation depicted in the figures, these terms are also intended to cover different orientations of elements.

Relative terms such as "below", "above", "up", "below", "horizontal" or "vertical" may be used in this article to describe an element illustrated in the figure, A layer or region is in a relationship with another element, layer or region. It will be understood that in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures, these terms are also intended to cover different orientations of the device.

In addition, whether LEDs, LED arrays, electrical components, and/or electronic components are accommodated on one, two, or more than two electronic boards may also depend on design constraints and/or applications.

Semiconductor light emitting devices (LED) or optical power emitting devices (such as devices emitting ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) optical power) rank among the most efficient light sources currently available. These devices (hereinafter "LED") may include light emitting diodes, resonant cavity light emitting diodes, vertical cavity laser diodes, edge emitting lasers, or the like. Due to its compact size and lower power requirements, for example In short, LEDs can be attractive candidates for many different applications. For example, they can be used as light sources (for example, flashlights and camera flashes) for handheld battery-powered devices (such as cameras and mobile phones). They can also be used for (for example) automotive lighting, head-up display (HUD) lighting, garden lighting, street lighting, flashlights for video, general lighting (for example, home, shop, office and studio lighting, theater/stage Lighting and architectural lighting), augmented reality (AR) lighting, virtual reality (VR) lighting, backlighting as a display, and IR spectroscopy. A single LED can provide less bright light than an incandescent light source, and therefore multi-junction devices or LED arrays (such as single LED arrays, micro LED arrays, etc.) can be used for applications where greater brightness is desired or required.

The dimmer is used to control the brightness of the light generated by the lamp. Externally, a manually operated dimmer switch can be represented as a knob, and a user can turn the knob to increase or decrease the brightness of a lamp. Internally, the dimmer switch may include a variable resistor coupled to the knob. A variable resistor can be used to adjust the value of a voltage signal provided by the dimmer switch to the lamp.

A dimming system often used in fluorescent and LED lighting is called 0V to 10V dimming. According to this system, the voltage signal provided by a 0V to 10V dimmer switch to a lamp varies between 0V and 10V. When the value of the voltage signal is lower than a certain threshold close to 0V, the lamp can operate at its lowest possible brightness or shut down completely by itself. When the value of the voltage signal exceeds a certain threshold close to 10V, the lamp can operate at its maximum brightness.

When using a 0V to 10V system, the dimmer switch is usually connected to the light source via the dimmer switch interface. A dimmer switch interface is a device that can be inserted between a dimmer switch and a lamp to electrically isolate the dimmer switch and suppress noise. To achieve this function, the dimmer switch interface may include a transformer for driving the dimmer switch and connecting the dimmer switch to the lamp.

One disadvantage of the switch interface of dimmers is that they are often inefficient. A typical dimmer switch interface may consume 100mW or more. This loss is mainly due to the transformer in the dimmer switch interface. This loss may be undesirable because it can increase the cost of operating the switch interface of the dimmer. In addition, the power loss attributed to the transformer in the dimmer switch interface can prevent a lighting system using a dimmer switch interface from complying with various current and future environmental regulations that mandate the limitation of the standby power of the lighting system.

According to aspects of the present invention, a dimmer switch interface with reduced power consumption is disclosed. The dimmer switch interface may include a transformer for magnetically coupling a dimmer switch to a lamp. The transformer can be driven by a current source configured to supply an intermittent current to the transformer. When the transformer is driven with intermittent current, the current supplied to the transformer is switched between a high current value (for example, 10 mA) and a low current value (for example, 0 A). During the period when the intermittent current is switched to a low value (for example, 0A), the transformer is turned off and does not consume any power. Therefore, when the transformer is driven by intermittent current, the power loss of the transformer can be significantly reduced.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a dimmer switch interface is disclosed, which includes: a pair of first terminals for connecting the dimmer switch interface to a dimmer switch; a pair of second terminals, etc. A driver for connecting the dimmer switch to a lamp; a transformer having a first winding magnetically coupled to a second winding, the first winding electrically coupled to the pair of first terminals, and the second winding The winding is electrically coupled to the pair of second terminals; and a current source configured to use an intermittent alternating current to supply power to the transformer when the current source is energized.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a device is disclosed, which includes: a driver for a lamp; and a dimmer switch interface for connecting the driver to a dimmer switch, the dimmer switch The interface includes: (i) a transformer having a first winding that is magnetically coupled to a second winding, and the first winding is electrically coupled to a pair of terminals for the dimmer switch interface Connected to the dimmer switch, and the second winding is electrically coupled to the driver; and (ii) a current source configured to use an intermittent alternating current to power the transformer when the current source is energized.

Fig. 1 is a diagram of an example of a lighting system 100 according to one aspect of the present invention. The lighting system 100 may include a dimmer switch 110, a lamp 120, and a dimmer switch interface 130 that couples the dimmer switch 110 to the lamp 120.

The dimmer switch 110 can be a 0V to 10V dimmer switch and/or any other suitable type of dimmer switch. The dimmer switch 110 may include a variable resistor (for example, a potentiometer) and/or any suitable type of device capable of placing a variable load between the terminals T1 of the dimmer switch interface 130. Additionally or alternatively, the dimmer switch 110 may include any suitable type of semiconductor device capable of changing the voltage between the terminals T1 of the dimmer switch interface 130. In short, according to aspects of the present invention, the dimmer switch 110 can be any suitable type of device capable of generating a voltage signal indicating a desired brightness level of the light output from the lamp 120.

In some implementations, the dimmer switch 110 may include a light sensor configured to measure the level of ambient light near the lamp 120 and generate a level based on the measured ambient light level Voltage signal. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the dimmer switch 110 may include a knob or a slider, which may be used to actuate a potentiometer that is part of the dimmer switch 110. Additionally or alternatively, the dimmer switch 110 may include a wireless receiver (e.g., a ZigBee gateway, a WiFi receiver, a remote control receiver, etc.) that can be accessed from a remote device (e.g., , A user's smart phone or remote control) receives an indication of a desired brightness level and generates a corresponding voltage signal based on the indication.

The lamp 120 may include any suitable type of lamp. The lamp 120 may include a driver 122 and a light source 124 powered by a signal PWR. The light source 124 may include any suitable type of light source, such as a fluorescent light source, an incandescent light source and/or one or more light-emitting diodes (LED). In the example of the present invention, the light source 124 includes one or more LEDs and the signal PWR is generated by the driver 122 based on a DC or a pulse width modulation generated by the driver 122 based on a signal DIM received from the dimmer switch interface 130 ( PWM) signal. The driver 122 may include a DC/DC converter circuit, a tuning engine, or the like.

The signal DIM can be a voltage signal. The level of the signal DIM can determine the DC magnitude and/or duty cycle of the signal PWR. If the signal DIM has a first level (for example, 2V), the driver 122 can assign a first DC value and/or a first duty cycle to the signal PWR. In contrast, if the signal DIM has a second level (for example, 5V), the driver 122 can assign a second DC value different from the first DIM level and/or a second work to the signal PWR cycle. As can be easily understood, the DC magnitude and/or duty cycle of the signal PWR determine the amount of current delivered to the light source 124, which in turn can determine the brightness of the light output from the light source 124.

The dimmer switch interface 130 can provide isolation between the lamp 120 and the dimmer switch 110 to protect the person operating the dimmer switch from electric shock. The dimmer switch interface 130 may include a converter circuit 132 that is coupled to a converter circuit 134 via a transformer 136. The transformer 136 can be driven by a continuous current signal S0 generated by a current source 138. As illustrated in Figure 2, the signal S0 can be an alternating current (AC) signal, and it can be shaped as a continuous square wave. However, in alternative embodiments, the signal S0 can be shaped as a sine wave and/or any other suitable type of wave. In some embodiments, when a current signal has a constant current level, the current signal can be continuous.

The transformer 136 may include a winding W1 and a winding W2 magnetically coupled to the winding W1. The winding W1 may be electrically coupled to the lamp 120 (e.g., via the converter circuit 132). The winding W2 may be electrically coupled to the dimmer switch 110 (eg, via the converter circuit 134). In some implementations, the winding W2 can be electrically coupled to the terminal T1 of the dimmer switch interface 130 (for example, via conversion 器circuit 134). In these examples, the dimmer switch 110 can also be coupled to the terminal T1 to complete the electrical connection between the dimmer switch 110 and the winding W2. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the winding W1 may be electrically coupled to the terminal T2 of the dimmer switch interface 130 (eg, via the converter circuit 132). In these examples, the driver 122 can also be coupled to the terminal T2 of the dimmer switch interface 130 to receive the signal DIM for controlling the brightness of the light source 124.

In operation, the winding W2 carries dimming control information from the dimmer switch 110 via the converter circuit 134. The converter circuit 134 also converts the voltage across the winding W2 into a DC current to supply the dimmer switch 110. As mentioned above, the voltage across the winding W2 can be generated at least in part by the dimmer switch 110. In addition, the voltage across the winding W2 can be transferred to the winding W1 of the transformer 136 through magnetic coupling, and converted into a DC current by the converter circuit 132 to generate the voltage signal DIM. Then, the voltage signal DIM can be used by the driver 122 of the lamp 120 to adjust the brightness of the lamp 120. According to an aspect of the invention, the converter circuit 132 may include any suitable electronic circuit configured to generate a DC signal based on an AC signal received from the winding W1. Furthermore, according to aspects of the invention, the converter circuit 134 may include any suitable electronic circuit configured to form a desired AC signal on the winding W2.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an example of a lighting system 300 with improved power consumption. As discussed further below, improved power consumption is achieved by using a current source that intermittently turns on and off the transformer in the dimmer switch interface of the system in order to reduce the amount of power consumed by driving the transformer. According to the example of FIG. 3, the lighting system 300 may include a dimmer switch 310, a lamp 320, and a dimmer switch interface 330 coupling the dimmer switch 310 to the lamp 320.

The dimmer switch 310 can be a 0V to 10V dimmer switch and/or any other suitable type of dimmer switch. The dimmer switch 310 may include a variable resistor (for example, a Potentiometer) and or any suitable type of device capable of placing a variable load between the terminal T1 of the dimmer switch interface 330. Additionally or alternatively, the dimmer switch 310 may include any suitable type of semiconductor device capable of changing the voltage between the terminals T1 of the dimmer switch interface 330. In short, according to aspects of the present invention, the dimmer switch 310 can be any suitable type of device capable of generating a voltage signal indicating a desired brightness level of the light output from the lamp 320.

In some implementations, the dimmer switch 310 may include a light sensor that is configured to measure the level of ambient light near the lamp 320, and based on the measured ambient light level Generate a voltage signal. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the dimmer switch 310 may include a knob or a slider, which may be used to actuate a potentiometer that is part of the dimmer switch 310. Additionally or alternatively, the dimmer switch 310 may include a wireless receiver (e.g., a ZigBee gateway, a WiFi receiver, a remote control receiver, etc.), which can be accessed from a remote device (e.g., , A user's smart phone or remote control) receives an indication of a desired brightness level, and generates a corresponding voltage signal based on the indication.

The lamp 320 may include any suitable type of lamp. The lamp 320 may include a driver 322 and a light source 324 powered by a signal PWR. The light source 324 may include any suitable type of light source, such as a fluorescent light source, an incandescent light source, and/or one or more light emitting diodes (LED). In the example of the present invention, the light source 324 includes one or more LEDs, and the signal PWR is a DC or a pulse width modulation signal generated by the driver 322 based on a signal DIM received by the driver 322 from the dimmer switch interface 330 .

The signal DIM can be a voltage signal. The level of the signal DIM can determine the DC magnitude and/or duty cycle of the signal PWR. If the signal DIM has a first level (for example, 2V), the driver 322 can assign a first DC value and/or a first duty cycle to the signal PWR. In contrast, if the signal DIM has a second level (for example, 5V), the driver 322 can A second DC value different from the first DIM level and/or a second duty cycle is assigned to the signal PWR. As can be easily understood, the DC magnitude and/or duty cycle of the signal PWR determine the amount of current delivered to the light source 324, which in turn can determine the brightness of the light output from the light source 324.

The dimmer switch interface 330 can provide isolation between the lamp 320 and the dimmer switch 310 to protect the person operating the dimmer switch from electric shock. The dimmer switch interface 330 may include a converter circuit 332 that is coupled to a converter circuit 334 via a transformer 336. The transformer 336 can be driven by a current source 338 generating an intermittent current signal S1. The operation of the current source 338 and the waveform of the intermittent current signal S1 are further discussed in additional details below.

The transformer 336 may include a winding W1 and a winding W2 magnetically coupled to the winding W1. The winding W1 may be electrically coupled to the lamp 320 (e.g., via the converter circuit 332). The winding W2 may be electrically coupled to the dimmer switch 310 (e.g., via the converter circuit 334). In some implementations, the winding W2 may be electrically coupled to the terminal T1 of the dimmer switch interface 330 (eg, via the converter circuit 334). In these examples, the dimmer switch 310 can also be coupled to the terminal T1 to complete the electrical connection between the dimmer switch 310 and the winding W2. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the winding W1 may be electrically coupled to the terminal T2 of the dimmer switch interface 330 (eg, via the converter circuit 332). In these examples, the driver 322 can also be coupled to the terminal T2 of the dimmer switch interface 330 to receive the signal DIM for controlling the brightness of the light source 324.

In operation, the winding W2 carries dimming control information from the dimmer switch 310 via the converter circuit 334, which also converts the voltage across the winding W2 into a DC current to supply the dimmer switch 310. As mentioned above, the voltage across the winding W2 can be generated at least in part by the dimmer switch 310. In addition, the voltage across the winding W2 can be transferred to the winding W1 of the transformer 336 through magnetic coupling, and is converted into a voltage signal DIM by the converter circuit 332. Next, electricity The voltage signal DIM can be used by the driver 322 of the lamp 320 to adjust the brightness of the lamp 320. According to aspects of the present invention, the converter circuit 332 may include any suitable electronic circuit configured to generate a DC signal based on an AC signal received from the winding W1. In addition, according to aspects of the invention, the converter circuit 334 may include any suitable electronic circuit configured to form a desired AC signal on the winding W2.

As described above, the current source 338 can supply power to the transformer 336 with an intermittent current signal S1. The signal S1 can be an alternating current signal. As illustrated in Figure 4, the signal S1 can be periodic in nature. Each period 419 of the signal S1 may include a portion 413 during which the signal S1 has a first current level and a portion 417 during which the signal S1 has a second current level. The second current level may be higher than the first current level. For example, in some implementations, the first current level can be 0A and the second current level can have any value greater than 0A.

The frequency at which the signal S1 switches to the second current level can be referred to as the burst frequency. In some embodiments, the signal S1 may have a burst frequency of 1 Hz. However, alternative implementations are feasible, where the signal S1 has any suitable frequency (eg, 5 Hz, 10 Hz, 0.5 Hz, etc.).

When the signal S1 is at the first current level, the transformer 336 can be turned off (or operated in a reduced power consumption mode). When the signal S1 is at the second current level, the transformer 336 can be turned on and/or operated in a normal power consumption mode. In some implementations, by driving the transformer 336 with an intermittent current signal, the current source 338 can turn the transformer 336 on and off intermittently. This in turn may cause the transformer 336 to supply power only during a small portion of the time when the dimmer switch interface 330 is energized (or used), resulting in a reduction in power consumption.

In some embodiments, the signal S1 may be a PWM signal generated by intermittently changing its duty cycle. For example, during the portion 413 of each period 419, the current The source 338 can switch the duty cycle of the signal S1 to a first value (for example, 0%). As another example, during the portion 417 of each period 419, the current source 338 may switch the duty cycle of the signal S1 to a second value (eg, 50%) greater than the first value.

The duration of each period 419 of the signal S1 can determine the response time of the dimmer switch 310. As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the duration of each cycle 419 may be 1 second. In these examples, the duration of each part 413 of the period 419 may be 900 ms, and the duration of each part 417 of the period 419 may be 100 ms. Alternatively, in some implementations, the duration of each portion 413 may be 980 ms and the duration of each portion 417 may be 20 ms. In short, the present invention is not limited to any specific duration of portions 413 and 417 and/or period 419.

In some implementations, the signal S1 can be generated based on a control signal CTRL supplied to the current source 338 by a control circuit 340. The control circuit 340 may include any suitable type of control circuit. For example, in some implementations, the control circuit may be a square wave generator and/or another type of signal generator. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the control circuit 340 may be a low-power processor and/or a general-purpose processor capable of performing logical operations (such as comparison and branching) (for example, an ARM-based processor) . Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the control circuit 340 may include a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the control circuit 340 may be configured to execute one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the control circuit 340, cause control The circuit 340 executes the program 700, which is discussed further below with respect to FIG. 7. The processor executable instructions may be stored in a memory (not shown) that is part of the dimmer switch interface 330 and/or the control circuit 340. Additionally or alternatively, processor-executable instructions may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a Secure digital (SD) card. Although the control circuit 340 and the current source 338 are depicted as separate components, it will be understood that alternative implementations are possible, where the control circuit 340 and the current source 338 are integrated with each other.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control signal CTRL may be a DC square wave having a period 510. Each period 510 may have a portion 512 in which the signal CTRL has a first duty cycle, and a portion 514 in which the signal CTRL has a second duty cycle greater than one of the first duty cycle. For example, in some implementations, the first duty cycle may be 0% and the second duty cycle may be 50%. In some implementations, the portions 512 of the control signal CTRL may have the same duration as the portions 413 of the current signal S1. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the portions 514 of the control signal CTRL may have the same duration as the portions 417 of the current signal S1. The method of using the control signal CTRL to generate the current signal S1 is further discussed below in relation to FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the internal structure of the current source 338 in further detail according to aspects of the present invention. As illustrated, the current source 338 may include a DC voltage source V1 and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) Q3. The control signal CTRL generated by the control circuit 340 can be applied to the gate of the MOSFET Q3. The drain of MOSFET Q3 can be coupled to the respective bases of an NPN transistor Q1 and a PNP transistor Q2. In addition, the collector of the transistor Q1 can be coupled to the positive terminal of the voltage source V1 (for example, +12V), and the collector of the transistor Q2 can be coupled to the negative terminal of the voltage source V1 (for example, 0V). The emitters of transistors Q1 and Q2 can be coupled to each other at node N3. A resistor R5 and a capacitor C4 can be coupled in series to the node N3, as shown.

The MOSFET Q3 can be turned on when the signal CTRL is high and turned off when the signal CTRL is low. When MOSFET Q3 is turned off, resistor R4 can forward bias NPN transistor Q1 and reverse bias PNP transistor Q2, thereby turning on NPN transistor Q1 and turning off PNP transistor Q2. When transistor Q1 is turned on and PNP transistor Q2 is turned off, since the electrical path between the positive terminal of voltage source V1 and node N3 becomes closed, a positive terminal voltage close to V1 may appear at node N3 ( For example, +12V) one of the high voltages. When MOSFET Q3 is turned on, the common base of transistors Q1 and Q2 is pulled down, thereby turning off NPN transistor Q1 and turning on PNP transistor Q2. When transistor Q1 is turned off and PNP transistor Q2 is turned on, since the electrical path between the negative terminal of voltage source V1 and node N3 becomes closed, a negative terminal voltage close to V1 may appear at node N3 ( For example, 0V) is a low voltage. In other words, by applying the signal CTRL to the gate of the MOSFET Q3, the control circuit 340 can cause a square wave DC voltage at the frequency of the control signal CTRL to appear at the node N3. The capacitor C4 can block the DC component of the DC square wave, thereby turning it into a square AC voltage wave.

According to the examples discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-6, the current source 338 can be configured to always supply the transformer 336 with intermittent current. However, alternative implementations are possible in which the current source 338 is configured to supply intermittent current to the transformer 336 only when the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode. In these examples, when the dimmer switch 310 is not in the standby mode, the current source 338 may be configured to supply continuous current to the transformer 336.

According to aspects of the present invention, when the dimmer switch 310 generates a voltage signal (for example, 0V, 10V, etc.) that causes the driver 322 to completely turn off the light source 324 (for example, by cutting off the supply of current to the light source 324), The dimmer switch 310 may be in a standby mode. Additionally or alternatively, when the dimmer switch 310 generates a voltage signal that is less than (or greater than) a predetermined threshold, the dimmer switch 310 may be considered to be in the standby mode. For example, when the knob on the dimmer switch is always turned in one direction, a manually operated dimmer switch can be in the standby mode.

According to aspects of the present invention, when the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode Being able to supply intermittent current to the transformer 336 can help improve the energy efficiency of the lighting system 300. For example, in some implementations, supplying the switching transformer 336 with an intermittent current having a duty cycle of 10% can reduce power consumption by up to 90%. This reduction can be significant in jurisdictions that require the lighting system 300 to comply with laws and regulations that impose strict standby power limits on the lighting system.

7 is a flowchart of an example of a procedure 700 for selectively switching a transformer with an intermittent current supply when the dimmer switch 310 is placed in the standby mode according to an aspect of the present invention.

In step 710, the control circuit 340 detects the voltage level of the signal DIM. In some implementations, the control circuit 340 can detect the voltage level of the signal DIM by sampling the signal DIM by using an analog-to-digital converter.

In step 720, the control circuit 340 detects whether the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode based on the level of the signal DIM. In some embodiments, the control circuit 340 may compare the level of the signal DIM with a predetermined threshold to detect whether the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode. According to a specific example, when the level of the signal DIM is lower than a threshold value, the control circuit 340 can detect that the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode and proceed to step 740. According to the same example, when the level of the signal DIM is higher than the threshold, the control circuit 340 can detect that the dimmer switch 310 is not in the standby mode, and proceed to step 730. Although the control circuit 340 detects that the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode when the level of the signal DIM is lower than a threshold value in the example of the present invention, alternative implementations are possible, wherein when the level of the signal DIM When it is higher than a threshold value, the control circuit 340 detects that the dimmer switch 310 is in the standby mode.

In step 730, the control circuit 340 supplies a continuous current to the transformer 336. To supply the intermittent current to the transformer 336, the control circuit 340 can provide a first control signal to the current source 338, which causes the current source 338 to output a continuous current. More specifically, control The control circuit 340 can generate a control signal 810 shown in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the control signal 810 can be a square wave with a constant duty cycle. When the control signal 810 is supplied to the current source 338, the current source 338 can generate a continuous alternating current signal 820. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the current signal 820 may be the same as or similar to the signal S0 discussed above with respect to FIG. 2.

In step 740, the control circuit 340 supplies an intermittent current to the transformer 336. To supply continuous current to the transformer 336, the control circuit 340 can provide a second control signal to the current source 338, which causes the current source to output an intermittent current. More specifically, the control circuit 340 can supply one of the control signals 910 shown in FIG. 9 to the current source 338. As illustrated, the control signal 910 may be the same as or similar to the control signal CTRL discussed above in relation to FIGS. 3 to 6. When the control signal 910 is supplied to the current source 338, the current source 338 can output an intermittent alternating current signal 920 also shown in FIG. 9 to the transformer 336. As illustrated, the alternating current signal 920 may be the same as or similar to the signal S1 discussed above in relation to FIGS. 3 to 6.

Figures 1 to 9 are only provided as an example. At least some of the elements discussed with respect to these figures may be arranged in a different order, combined, and/or omitted altogether. For example, although in the example of FIG. 6, the transistors Q1 and Q2 are switched by a MOSFET transistor, alternative implementations are possible in which any other suitable type of switching device is used instead, such as a solid state relay, A PMOS transistor, etc. In addition, although in the example of the present invention, PNP transistors and NPN transistors are used to close the different electrical paths between the voltage source V1 and the current source 338, alternative implementations are possible in which any other suitable type is used instead. Switching devices, such as a solid state relay, a PMOS transistor, etc. The voltage source V1 can include any suitable type of voltage. For example, the voltage source can be a power connector. As another example, the voltage source may be a power adapter configured to convert AC mains voltage to DC voltage. Although the dimmer switch interface 330 and the driver 322 are shown as separate components, it will be understood that in practice, the dimmer switch interface 330 and the driver 322 The drivers 322 can often be integrated with each other.

FIG. 10 is a top view of an electronic board 311 used in an integrated LED lighting system according to an embodiment. In an alternative embodiment, two or more electronic boards can be used for the LED lighting system. For example, the LED array can be on a separate electronic board, or the sensor module can be on a separate electronic board. In the illustrated example, the electronic board 311 includes a power module 312, a sensor module 314, a connection capability and control module 316 and an LED attachment reserved for attaching an LED array to a substrate 321接区318. The dimmer switch interface 330 of FIG. 3 can be part of the power module 312 or can be external to the electronic board 318 and can provide input to the power module 312.

The substrate 321 may be any board capable of mechanically supporting electrical components, electronic components, and/or electronic modules using conductive connectors (such as tracks, traces, pads, vias, and/or wires) and providing electrical coupling to them. . The substrate 321 may include one or more metallization layers disposed between or on one or more layers of non-conductive materials, such as a dielectric composite material. The power module 312 may include electrical and/or electronic components. In an exemplary embodiment, the power module 312 includes an AC/DC conversion circuit, a DC/DC conversion circuit, a dimming circuit, and an LED driver circuit.

The sensor module 314 may include sensors required for an application in which the LED array will be implemented. Exemplary sensors may include optical sensors (for example, IR sensors and image sensors), motion sensors, thermal sensors, mechanical sensors, proximity sensors, or even timers. By way of example, it can be turned off/on based on several different sensor inputs (such as a user's detected presence, detected ambient lighting conditions, detected weather conditions) or based on the time of day/night and / Or adjust the LED in street lighting, general lighting and garden lighting applications. This may include, for example, adjusting the intensity of the light output, the shape of the light output, the color of the light output, and/or turning the lights on or off to save energy. For AR/VR applications, motion sensors can be used to detect users mobile. The motion sensor itself can be an LED, such as an IR detector LED. As another example, for camera flash applications, images and/or other optical sensors or pixels can be used to measure the lighting used for a scene to be captured, so that the color and intensity of the flash can be optimally calibrated Shape and/or shape. In an alternative embodiment, the electronic board 311 does not include a sensor module.

The connectivity and control module 316 may include a system microcontroller and any type of wired or wireless module configured to receive a control input from an external device. By way of example, a wireless module may include Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-wave, mesh, WiFi, Near Field Communication (NFC), and/or may use inter-class modules. The microcontroller can be any type of dedicated computer or processor, which can be embedded in an LED lighting system and configured or configurable to receive input from wired or wireless modules or other modules in the LED system (such as sensor Data from the detector and the data fed back from the LED module) and provide control signals to other modules based on the input. The microcontroller may be part of the control circuit 340 of FIG. 3 or may include the control circuit 340 of FIG. 3, as disclosed herein. The algorithm implemented by the dedicated processor can be implemented in a computer program, software or firmware that is incorporated into a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and executed by a dedicated processor. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage media include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a register, a cache memory, and a semiconductor memory device. The memory can be included as part of a microcontroller or can be implemented on the electronic board 311 or elsewhere outside.

The term module as used herein can refer to electrical and/or electronic components placed on individual circuit boards that can be soldered to one or more electronic boards 311. However, the term module can also refer to electrical and/or electronic components that provide similar functionality but can be individually soldered to one or more circuit boards in the same area or in different areas.

FIG. 11A is a top view of the electronic board 311 in which an LED array 410 is attached to the substrate 321 at the LED device attachment area 318 in one embodiment. Electronic board 311 and LED Together, the array 410 represents an LED lighting system 400A. In addition, the power module 312 receives a voltage input at Vin 497 and receives a control signal from the connectivity and control module 316 via a trace 418B, and provides a driving signal to the LED array 410 via a trace 418A. The LED array 410 is turned on and off by the driving signal from the power module 312. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11A, the connectivity and control module 316 receives sensor signals from the sensor module 314 via the trace 418C.

Figure 11B illustrates an embodiment of a dual-channel integrated LED lighting system with electronic components mounted on both surfaces of a circuit board. As shown in FIG. 11B, an LED lighting system 400B includes a first surface 445A having an input for receiving dimmer signals and AC power signals, and an AC/DC conversion installed on it器circuit 412. The LED system 400B includes a second surface 445B. The second surface 445B has a dimmer interface circuit 415, DC-DC converter circuits 440A and 440B, a connection capability of a microcontroller 472, and a control module 416 (in In this example, a wireless module), and an LED array 410 installed on it. The LED array 410 is driven by two independent channels 411A and 411B. In alternative embodiments, a single channel can be used to provide drive signals to an LED array, or any number of multiple channels can be used to provide drive signals to an LED array. For example, FIG. 11E illustrates an LED lighting system 400E having one of three channels, and is described in further detail below. The dimmer switch interface 330 of FIG. 3 can be part of the dimmer interface circuit 415 and can provide input to the microcontroller 472.

The LED array 410 may include two LED device groups. In an exemplary embodiment, the LED devices of group A are electrically coupled to a first channel 411A, and the LED devices of group B are electrically coupled to a second channel 411B. Each of the two DC-DC converters 440A and 440B can provide a respective driving current for driving one of the respective LED groups A and B in the LED array 410 via a single channel 411A and 411B, respectively. The LEDs in one of the LED groups can be configured to emit Light with a different color point from the LEDs in the second LED group. The composite color point of the light emitted by the LED array 410 can be tuned within a range by controlling the current and/or duty cycle applied by the individual DC/DC converter circuits 440A and 440B via a single channel 411A and 411B, respectively control. Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 11B does not include a sensor module (as described in FIGS. 10 and 11A), an alternative embodiment may include a sensor module.

The illustrated LED lighting system 400B is an integrated system in which the LED array 410 and the circuits for operating the LED array 410 are provided on a single electronic board. The connections between modules on the same surface of the circuit board 499 can be electrically coupled to be interconnected by surface or subsurface (such as traces 431, 432, 433, 434, and 435 or metallization (not shown)) Exchange (for example) voltage, current and control signals between modules. The connections between modules on opposite surfaces of the circuit board 499 can be electrically coupled by through-board interconnections such as vias and metallization (not shown).

Figure 11C illustrates an embodiment of an LED lighting system in which the LED array is on an electronic board separate from the driver and control circuit. The LED lighting system 400C includes a power module 452 on an electronic board separate from an LED module 490. The power module 452 can include an AC/DC converter circuit 412, a sensor module 414, a connection capability and control module 416, a dimmer interface circuit 415, and a DC on a first electronic board. /DC converter 440. The LED module 490 can include embedded LED calibration and setting data 493 and an LED array 410 on a second electronic board. Data, control signals and/or LED driver input signals 485 can be exchanged between the power module 452 and the LED module 490 via wires that can electrically and communicatively couple the two modules. The embedded LED calibration and setting data 493 can include any data needed by other modules in a given LED lighting system to control how to drive the LEDs in the LED array. In one embodiment, the embedded calibration and setting data 493 may include the microcontroller generating or modifying instructing the driver to use (for example) pulse width modulation (PWM) signals to provide power to each Data required for one of the control signals of LED groups A and B. In this example, the calibration and setting data 493 can inform the microcontroller 472 about (for example) the number of power channels to be used, the desired color point of one of the composite lights provided by the entire LED array 410, and/or the AC/ The DC converter circuit 412 provides a percentage of the power supplied to each channel. As disclosed herein, the dimmer switch interface 330 of FIG. 3 may be part of the dimmer interface circuit 415.

Figure 11D illustrates a block diagram of an LED lighting system with an LED array and some electronic devices on an electronic board separate from the driver circuit. An LED system 400D includes a power conversion module 483 and an LED module 481 positioned on a separate electronic board. The power conversion module 483 may include an AC/DC converter circuit 412, a dimmer interface circuit 415, and a DC-DC converter circuit 440, and the LED module 481 may include embedded LED calibration and setting data 493, an LED array 410, The sensor module 414 and the connection capability and control module 416. The power conversion module 483 can provide the LED driver input signal 485 to the LED array 410 via a wired connection between the two electronic boards.

FIG. 11E shows a diagram of an exemplary LED lighting system 400E of a multi-channel LED driver circuit. In the illustrated example, the system 400E includes a power module 452, an LED module 491 including embedded LED calibration and setting data 493, and an LED array 494 including three LED groups 494A, 494B, and 494C. Although three LED groups are shown in FIG. 11E, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that any number of LED groups consistent with the embodiments described herein can be used. In addition, although the individual LEDs in each group are arranged in series, in some embodiments they may be arranged in parallel.

The LED array 494 may include groups of LEDs that provide light with different color points. For example, the LED array 494 may include a warm white light source through a first LED group 494A, a cool white light source through a second LED group 494B, and a third LED group 494C. Neutral white light source. The warm white light source via the first LED group 494A may include one or more LEDs configured to provide white light having a correlated color temperature (CCT) of approximately 2700K. The cool white light source through the second LED group 494B may include one or more LEDs configured to provide white light having a CCT of approximately 6500K. The neutral white light source via the third LED group 494C may include one or more LEDs configured to provide light having a CCT of approximately 4000K. Although various white LEDs are described in this example, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other color combinations consistent with the embodiments described herein are feasible to provide a combination of LED arrays 494 with various overall colors. A composite light output.

The power module 452 can include a tunable light engine (not shown) that can be configured to supply power to the LED array via three separate channels (indicated as LED1+, LED2+, and LED3+ in FIG. 11E) 494. More specifically, the tunable light engine can be configured to supply a first PWM signal to the first LED group 494A (such as a warm white light source) via a first channel, and a second PWM signal via a second channel The signal is supplied to the second LED group 494B, and a third PWM signal is supplied to the third LED group 494C through a third channel. Each signal provided through a respective channel can be used to supply power to the corresponding LED or LED group, and the duty cycle of the signal can determine the overall duration of the on and off state of each respective LED. The duration of the on and off states can result in an overall light effect, which can have duration-based light properties (for example, correlated color temperature (CCT), color point, or brightness). In operation, the tunable light engine can change the relative magnitude of the duty cycle of the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal to adjust the respective light properties of each of the LED groups to provide the desired emission from the LED array 494 The compound light. As described above, the light output of the LED array 491 may have a color point based on the combination (e.g., mixture) of light emission from each of the LED groups 494A, 494B, and 494C.

In operation, the power module 452 can receive user-based and/or sensor-based output The input generates a control input and provides signals through individual channels to control the composite color of the light output by the LED array 494 based on the control input. In some embodiments, a user can provide input to the LED system for control by turning a knob or moving a slider that can be (for example) a part of a sensor module (not shown) DC/DC converter circuit. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, a user can use a smart phone and/or other electronic devices to provide input to the LED lighting system 400E to transmit an indication of a desired color to a wireless module ( Not shown).

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary system 550, which includes an application platform 560, LED lighting systems 552 and 556, and secondary optics 554 and 558. The LED lighting system 552 generates a light beam 561 shown between arrows 561a and 561b. The LED lighting system 556 can generate a light beam 562 between the arrows 562a and 562b. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the light emitted from the LED lighting system 552 passes through the secondary optics 554, and the light emitted from the LED lighting system 556 passes through the secondary optics 558. In an alternative embodiment, the beams 561 and 562 do not pass through any secondary optics. The secondary optics may be or may include one or more light guides. The one or more light guides may be edge illuminated or may have an internal opening defining an inner edge of the light guide. The LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 can be inserted into the inner opening of one or more light guides, so that they can inject light into the inner edge (inner opening light guide) or outer edge (edge illuminating light guide) of one or more light guides. . The LEDs in the LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 can be arranged around the circumference of a substrate that is part of the light guide. According to an embodiment, the substrate may be thermally conductive. According to an embodiment, the substrate may be coupled to a heat dissipation element arranged above the light guide. The heat dissipation element may be configured to receive the heat generated by the LED through the thermally conductive substrate and dissipate the received heat. One or more light guides may allow the light emitted by the LED lighting systems 552 and 556 to be shaped in a desired manner (such as, for example, having a gradient, a chamfer distribution, a narrow distribution, a wide distribution, a corner distribution, or Similar).

In an exemplary embodiment, the system 550 may be a camera flash system, a mobile phone, indoor residential or commercial lighting, outdoor lights (such as street lighting), an automobile, a medical device, an AR/VR device, and a robotic device. The integrated LED lighting system 400A shown in FIG. 11A, the integrated LED lighting system 400B shown in FIG. 11B, the LED lighting system 400C shown in FIG. 11C, and the LED lighting system 400D shown in FIG. 11D illustrate the LEDs in an exemplary embodiment Lighting system 552 and 556.

In an exemplary embodiment, the system 550 may be a camera flash system, a mobile phone, indoor residential or commercial lighting, outdoor lights (such as street lighting), an automobile, a medical device, an AR/VR device, and a robotic device. The integrated LED lighting system 400A shown in FIG. 11A, the integrated LED lighting system 400B shown in FIG. 11B, the LED lighting system 400C shown in FIG. 11C, and the LED lighting system 400D shown in FIG. 11D illustrate the LEDs in an exemplary embodiment Lighting system 552 and 556.

The application platform 560 can provide power to the LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 via a power bus via line 565 or other suitable input, as discussed herein. In addition, the application platform 560 can provide input signals for the operation of the LED lighting system 552 and the LED lighting system 556 via the line 565. The input can be based on a user input/preference, a sensing reading, a preprogramming or autonomous determination Output or similar. One or more sensors may be inside or outside the housing of the application platform 560.

In various embodiments, the application platform 560 sensor and/or the LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 sensor can collect data, such as visual data (eg, LIDAR data, IR data, data collected through a camera, etc. ), audio data, distance-based data, movement data, environmental data, or the like or a combination thereof. The data may be related to a physical item or entity (such as objects, individuals, vehicles, etc.). For example, the sensing device can collect a The object proximity data of ADAS/AV applications can determine the priority of detection and subsequent actions based on a physical item or physical detection. The data can be collected based on the emission of a light signal (such as an IR signal) by, for example, the LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 and collecting data based on the emitted light signal. The data can be collected by a component different from the component that emits the light signal for data collection. To continue the example, the sensing device can be positioned on a car and can use a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) to emit a beam. One or more sensors can sense a response to one of the emitted light beam or any other applicable input.

In an exemplary embodiment, the application platform 560 may represent an automobile and the LED lighting system 552 and the LED lighting system 556 may represent automobile headlights. In various embodiments, the system 550 may represent a car with a steerable light beam, where LEDs can be selectively activated to provide steerable light. For example, an LED array can be used to define or project a shape or pattern or to illuminate only selected sections of a road. In an exemplary embodiment, the infrared camera or detector pixels in the LED lighting system 552 and/or 556 may be a sensor that recognizes a part of a scene (road, crosswalk, etc.) that needs to be illuminated.

FIG. 13A is a diagram of an LED device 201 in an exemplary embodiment. The LED device 201 may include a substrate 202, an active layer 204, a wavelength conversion layer 206, and a main optical device 208. In other embodiments, an LED device may not include a wavelength converter layer and/or main optical device. Individual LED devices 201 may be included in an LED array in an LED lighting system (such as any of the LED lighting systems described above).

As shown in FIG. 13A, the active layer 204 may be adjacent to the substrate 202 and emit light when excited. Suitable materials for forming the substrate 202 and the active layer 204 include sapphire, SiC, GaN, polysilicon oxide, and more specifically, can be formed from the following: a III-V group semiconductor, including (but not limited to) AlN, AlP , AlAs, AlSb, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, InN, InP, InAs, InSb; II-VI semiconductors, including (but not limited to) ZnS, ZnSe, CdSe, CdTe; IV semiconductors, including (but not limited to) Ge, Si, SiC; and mixtures thereof or alloy.

The wavelength conversion layer 206 may be far away from, adjacent to, or directly above the active layer 204. The active layer 204 emits light into the wavelength conversion layer 206. The wavelength conversion layer 206 functions to further modify the wavelength of light emitted by the active layer 204. LED devices that include a wavelength conversion layer are often referred to as phosphor converted LEDs ("PCLEDs"). The wavelength conversion layer 206 may include any luminescent material, such as, for example, a transparent or translucent binder or phosphor particles in a matrix or a ceramic phosphor element, which absorbs light of one wavelength and emits light of a different wavelength .

The main optical device 208 may be on or above one or more of the LED devices 200 and allow light to pass through the main optical device 208 from the active area 204 and/or the wavelength conversion layer 206. The main optical device 208 may be a lens or package configured to protect one or more layers and at least partially shape the output of the LED device 200. The main optical device 208 may include transparent and/or translucent materials. In an exemplary embodiment, the light passing through the main optical device may be emitted based on a Lambertian distribution pattern. It will be appreciated that one or more of the properties of the main optics 208 can be modified to produce a light distribution pattern that is different from the Lambertian distribution pattern.

13B shows a cross-sectional view of an illumination system 220 including an LED array 210 having pixels 201A, 201B, and 201C and a secondary optic 212 in an exemplary embodiment. The LED array 210 includes pixels 201A, 201B, and 201C, each of which includes a respective wavelength conversion layer 206B, an active layer 204B, and a substrate 202B. The LED array 210 may be a single-cell LED array, a micro-LED with a sub-500 micron size, or the like manufactured using wafer-level processing technology. The pixels 201A, 201B, and 201C in the LED array 210 can be formed using array segmentation or alternatively using pick-and-place techniques.

The space 203 displayed between the one or more pixels 201A, 201B, and 201C may include an air gap or may be filled with a material such as a metallic material that may be a contact (eg, n-contact).

The secondary optics 212 may include one or both of the lens 209 and the waveguide 207. It will be appreciated that although the secondary optics are discussed according to the example shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the secondary optics 212 may be used to diffuse the incoming light (divergent optics), or to gather the incoming light into a collimated beam (Collimation optics). In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide 207 may be a light collector and may have any suitable shape to collect light, such as a parabolic shape, a conical shape, an inclined shape, or the like. The waveguide 207 can be coated with a dielectric material, a metallized layer, or the like for reflecting or redirecting incident light. In alternative embodiments, an illumination system may not include one or more of the following: conversion layer 206B; main optical device 208B; waveguide 207; and lens 209.

The lens 209 may be formed of any suitable transparent material, such as (but not limited to) SiC, alumina, diamond, or the like or a combination thereof. The lens 209 can be used to modify a beam of light input to the lens 209 so that the output beam from one of the lenses 209 will efficiently meet a desired luminosity specification. In addition, the lens 209 may be used for one or more aesthetic purposes, such as by determining the illuminated and/or unilluminated appearance of one of the LED devices 201A, 201B, and/or 201C of the LED array 210.

The embodiments have been described in detail, and those familiar with the art will understand that in view of this description, the embodiments described herein can be modified without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments illustrated and described.

300: lighting system

310: Dimmer switch

320: lamps

322: drive

324: Light Source

330: Dimmer switch interface

332: converter circuit

334: converter circuit

336: Transformer

338: Current Source

340: control circuit

CTRL: Control signal

DIM: voltage signal

PWR: signal

S1: Intermittent current signal

T1: Terminal

T2: Terminal

W1: winding

W2: winding

Claims (17)

A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system includes: a plurality of LED devices; a drive circuit electrically coupled to the LED devices; a dimmer switch interface, which includes: a transformer with a first winding And a second winding, wherein the first winding is electrically coupled to at least one input terminal to receive a dimmer input voltage, and the second winding is electrically coupled to the driving circuit to provide a dimmer based on the dimmer input voltage The dimmer outputs voltage to the driving circuit, the first winding is magnetically coupled to the second winding; a current source is electrically coupled to the second winding; and a control circuit is communicatively coupled to the Current source, and configured to: detect the dimmer output voltage; when the dimmer output voltage is lower than a critical value, determine that a dimmer switch is in a standby mode; and when the dimmer switch When in the standby mode, a control signal is provided to the current source, the control signal has a period, the period includes a first part and a second part, wherein the control signal has a first duty cycle in the first part, The control signal has a second duty cycle in the second part, and the second duty cycle is greater than the first duty cycle. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first part of the cycle is shorter than the second part of the cycle. For example, the LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the current source is configured to provide a current to drive the transformer, the current includes a period, the period includes a first part and a second part, and based on the control signal, the first One part has a higher current level than the second part. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the dimmer switch interface further comprises: a first current converter electrically coupled between the at least one input terminal and the first winding; and a second current converter, It is electrically coupled between the second winding and the driver. Such as the LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the dimmer input voltage is 0V to 10V, and the second duty cycle is 10% or less. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein one of the first part of the cycle occurs before the second part of the cycle, and the other of the first part of the cycle occurs after the second part of the cycle . Such as the LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the driving circuit is configured to provide a driving current to the LED devices based on a level of the dimmer output voltage, and the level of the driving current is sufficiently low for When the input voltage of the dimmer is lower than a critical value, the LED devices are turned off. Such as the LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes: an analog-to-digital converter configured to detect the output current of the dimmer; and A square wave generator is configured to generate the control signal. For example, the LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a microprocessor configured to execute a program, and when the microprocessor executes the program, the program causes the microprocessor to detect the dimming The output voltage of the dimmer is determined to be in the standby mode, and the control signal is provided to the current source. A dimmer switch interface, which comprises: at least one input terminal; at least one output terminal; a transformer having a first winding and a second winding, wherein the first winding is electrically coupled to the at least one input terminal to Receiving a dimmer input voltage, the second winding is electrically coupled to the at least one output terminal to provide a dimmer output voltage based on the dimmer input voltage, the first winding is magnetically coupled to the second winding ; A current source, electrically coupled to the second winding; and a control circuit, communicatively coupled to the current source, and configured to: detect the dimmer output voltage; when the dimmer output voltage When the value is lower than a critical value, it is determined that the dimmer switch is in a standby mode; and when the dimmer switch is in the standby mode, a control signal is provided to the current source, the control signal has a period, and the period includes A first part and a second part, the control signal has a first duty cycle in the first part, the control signal has a second duty cycle in the second part, and the second duty cycle is greater than the first Working period. For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, further comprising: a first current converter electrically coupled between the at least one input terminal and the first winding; and a second current converter electrically coupled to the at least one Between an output terminal and the second winding. For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein the current source is configured to provide a current to drive the transformer, the current includes a period, the period includes a first part and a second part, based on the control signal, The first part has a higher current level than the second part. For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to: when the dimmer output voltage is higher than the critical value, determine that the dimmer switch is not in the standby mode; when the dimming When the switch is not in the standby mode, a control signal is provided to the current source, and the current source has a fixed duty cycle. Such as the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein the first part of the period is shorter than the second part of the period. For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein one of the first part of the cycle occurs before the second part of the cycle, and the other of the first part of the cycle occurs at the second part of the cycle Part after. For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein the control circuit includes: an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the output current of the dimmer; and a square wave generator configured to generate the control signal . For example, the dimmer switch interface of claim 10, wherein the control circuit includes a microprocessor configured to execute a program, and when the microprocessor executes the program, the program causes the microprocessor to detect the dimming The output voltage of the dimmer is determined to be in the standby mode, and the control signal is provided to the current source.

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