Interface circuit and method
US6373200B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 31, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02B20/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An interface circuit 10 for coupling a power supply 12 that includes a triac phase modulator 18 with a compact fluorescent lamp converter and lamp load 14. The circuit 10 rectifies the modulated power supply signal with a rectifier 24. A current flowing through a current limiting inductor 112 goes through either a reverse current blocking diode 114 to power the fluorescent lamp or through a transistor 116 to reset/discharge the triac phase modulator 18. Transistor 116 is controlled by an R-S flip-flop. The reset 120 of the R-S flip-flop is connected through a current threshold sensor formed by a pair of resistors 144, 146 and a transistor 142. A high duty cycle oscillator is connected to the set 124 of the R-S flip-flop. Large current variations in the triac phase modulator 18 are prevented by current flowing through transistor 116 when the current no longer flows through the diode 114.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.