Apparatus, method and system for providing AC line power to lighting devices

US8324840B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Point Somee Limited Liability Company · US

Inventors

• Anatoly Shteynberg · San Jose, US
• Dongsheng Zhou · San Jose, US
• Harry Rodriguez · San Jose, US
• Mark Eason · Hollister, US
• Bradley M. Lehman · Belmont, US
• Stephen F. Dreyer · Palo Alto, US
• Thomas J. Riordan · Los Altos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 4, 2009
• Grant date: Dec 4, 2012
• Expiry date: Sep 2, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05B45/56
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and system are disclosed for providing AC line power to lighting devices such as light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). A representative apparatus comprises: a plurality of LEDs coupled in series to form a first plurality of segments of LEDs coupled in series; a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of segments of LEDs to switch a selected segment into or out of a series LED current path in response to a control signal; a memory; and a controller which, in response to a first parameter and during a first part of an AC voltage interval, determines and stores in the memory a value of a second parameter and generates a first control signal to switch a corresponding segment of LEDs into the series LED current path, and during a second part of the AC voltage interval, when a current value of the second parameter is substantially equal to the stored value, generates a second control signal to switch a corresponding segment of LEDs out of the first series LED current path.