Dimming angle sensing circuit and driving method thereof

1. A dimming angle sensing circuit comprising:

a comparing circuit generating a comparison voltage according to a comparison result of a line voltage and a zener voltage, the line voltage generated by rectifying an AC input passed through a dimmer; and

a filtering circuit generating a sense voltage corresponding to a dimming angle of the dimmer by low-pass filtering the comparison voltage.

2. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 1 , wherein the comparison circuit receives the line voltage through a first resistor and comprises a zener diode being connected when the line voltage is higher than the zener voltage, and the comparison voltage is a voltage of a first node where the first resistor and the zener diode are connected.

3. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first resistor is connected to the line voltage and a cathode of the zener diode, and an anode of the zener diode is connected to the ground.

4. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 1 , wherein the filtering circuit comprises:

a second resistor and a third resistor that divide the comparison voltage; and

a capacitor connected to a second node where the second resistor and the third resistor are connected, and

the sense voltage is a voltage of the second node.

5. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 4 , wherein a first end of the second resistor is connected to the comparison voltage, the third resistor is connected between a second end of the second resistor and the ground, and the capacitor is connected to the third resistor in parallel.

6. A dimming angle sensing circuit receiving an auxiliary voltage generated from an auxiliary coil from a power supply including the auxiliary coil coupled with a predetermined turn ratio to a first coil that is connected to a line voltage rectified from an AC passed through a dimmer, comprising:

a comparing circuit generating a comparison voltage according to a comparison result of a first voltage that depends on the auxiliary voltage with a zener voltage; and

a filtering circuit generating a sense voltage that corresponds to a dimming angle of the dimmer by low-pass filtering the comparison voltage.

7. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 6 , wherein the auxiliary voltage is generated only while the line voltage is provided.

8. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 7 , wherein, while the line voltage is provided, the auxiliary voltage has a polarity that is opposite to that of the line voltage during a turn-on period of the switch and the auxiliary voltage has a polarity that is the same as that of an output voltage of the power supply during a turn-off period of the switch.

9. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 6 , wherein the comparing circuit comprises:

a diode connected by the auxiliary voltage;

a capacitor maintaining a voltage transmitted through the diode as a DC voltage; and

a zener diode being connected when the DC voltage maintained by the capacitor is higher than a zener voltage, and

the comparison voltage is a cathode voltage of the zener diode.

10. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 9 , wherein the comparing circuit further comprises a fourth resistor biasing the zener diode by generating a voltage difference between a cathode of the zener diode and the auxiliary voltage, and the first voltage is obtained by subtracting a both-end voltage of the fourth resistor from the auxiliary voltage.

11. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 9 , wherein the comparing circuit further comprises a fifth resistor connected to the capacitor in parallel and forming a discharging path of the capacitor during a period that no line voltage is provided.

12. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 6 , wherein the filtering circuit comprises:

a second resistor and a third resistor that divide the comparison voltage; and

a capacitor connected to a second node where the second resistor and the third resistor are connected, and

the sense voltage is a voltage of the second node.

13. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 12 , wherein a first end of the second resistor is connected to the comparison voltage, the third resistor is connected between a second end of the second resistor and the ground, and the capacitor is connected to the third resistor in parallel.

14. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 6 , wherein the comparing circuit comprises:

a diode including an anode to which the auxiliary voltage is connected;

a fourth resistor having a first end connected to a cathode of the diode;

a fifth resistor connected between a second end of the fourth resistor and the ground;

a capacitor connected to the fifth resistor in parallel; and

a zener diode connected to the capacitor in parallel.

15. The dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 14 , wherein the first voltage is a voltage passed through the diode and the fourth resistor.

16. A method for driving a dimming angle sensing circuit including a zener diode, comprising:

receiving a line voltage generated from rectification of an AC input passed through a dimmer;

maintaining a comparison voltage as a zener voltage when the line voltage is higher than the zener diode; and

generating a sense voltage corresponding to a dimming angle of the dimmer by low-pass filtering the comparison voltage.

17. The method for driving a dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 16 , wherein when the line voltage is lower than the zener voltage, the comparison voltage depends on the line voltage.

18. A method for driving a dimming angle sensing circuit including a zener diode, comprising:

receiving an auxiliary voltage of an auxiliary coil coupled to a first coil with a predetermined turn ratio, the first coil connected to a line voltage that is rectified from an AC input passed through a dimmer;

generating a comparison voltage according to a comparison result of a first voltage corresponding to the auxiliary voltage and a zener voltage; and

generating a sense voltage corresponding to a dimming angle of the dimmer by low-pass filtering the comparison voltage.

19. The method for driving the dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 18 , wherein the auxiliary voltage is generated during the line voltage is provided, and

while the line voltage is provided, the method for driving the dimming angle sensing circuit further comprises:

generating the auxiliary voltage with a polarity that is opposite to a polarity of the line voltage during a turn-on period of a switch connected to the first coil; and

generating the auxiliary voltage with a polarity that is the same as that of an output voltage of the power supply during a turn-off period of the switch.

20. The method for driving the dimming angle sensing circuit of claim 18 , wherein the generating the comparison voltage comprises:

connecting a diode by the auxiliary voltage;

maintaining a voltage transmitted through the diode as a DC voltage by a capacitor; and

connecting the zener diode when the DC voltage is higher than the zener voltage, and

the comparison voltage is a cathode voltage of the zener diode.