Methods and apparatus for encoding information on an A.C. line voltage
US8957595B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2009 |
| Grant date | Feb 17, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 5, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH05B47/185
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An AC line voltage may be encoded with control information, such as dimming information derived from an output signal of a conventional dimmer, so as to provide an encoded AC power signal. One or more lighting units, including LED-based lighting units, may be both provided with operating power and controlled (e.g., dimmed) based on the encoded power signal. In one implementation, information may be encoded on the AC line voltage by inverting some half cycles of the AC line voltage to generate an encoded AC power signal, with the ratio of positive half-cycles to negative half-cycles representing the encoded information. In other aspects, the encoded information may relate to one or more parameters of the light generated by the LED-based lighting unit(s) (e.g., intensity, color, color temperature, etc.).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.