Patent · US Active

LED dimming apparatus

US8339053B2 · kind B2 · utility

60Cited by
2References
7Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 2008
Grant dateDec 25, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 8, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02B20/30
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An LED dimming includes: current adjusting means (constant current circuit) for variably controlling a magnitude of a current flowing through an LED load; switching means (transistor) for intermittently controlling the current flowing through the LED load; and dimming controlling means (microcomputer) for controlling the current adjusting means and the switching means upon receiving a dimming signal outputted from a dimmer. In a case where the dimming signal outputted from the dimmer is on a higher brightness side than a predetermined level, the dimming controlling means flows a continuous current though the LED load, and dims the LED load based on a magnitude of the flowing current, and in a case where the dimming signal outputted from the dimmer is on a lower brightness side than the predetermined level, the dimming controlling means flows a pulse current through the LED load, and changes a mean value of waveforms of the pulse current, thereby dims the LED load. In this LED dimming apparatus, noise is less likely to occur even in a case where such an LED current is large, and brightness is less likely to vary even in a case where a dimming degree is increased.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.