Systems and methods for determining a type of transformer to which a load is coupled
An apparatus may include a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to: determine from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer may include determining from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer and selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and
select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least:
a magnetic transformer compatibility mode, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine from a magnetic transformer secondary signal a period of a half-line cycle of an output signal of the dimmer;
determine from the magnetic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of an end of a phase-cut angle of the dimmer; and
generate a driving signal to the load based on the period and the estimated occurrence of the end of the phase-cut angle; and
an electronic transformer compatibility mode.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and
determine that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is lesser than a second predetermined threshold frequency.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect occurrence of alternating phases of the transformer secondary signal responsive to determining from the transformer secondary signal that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
measure an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and
based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensate for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a lamp.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in the electronic transformer compatibility mode:
predict based on an electronic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of a high-resistance state of the trailing-edge dimmer, wherein the high-resistance state occurs when the trailing-edge dimmer begins phase-cutting an alternating current voltage signal; and
operate in a high-current mode for a period of time immediately prior to the estimated occurrence of the high-resistance state.
11. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer comprising:
determining from a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and
selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least:
a magnetic transformer compatibility mode, wherein the method further comprises:
determining from a magnetic transformer secondary signal a period of a half-line cycle of an output signal of the dimmer;
determining from the magnetic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of an end of a phase-cut angle of the dimmer; and
generating a driving signal to the load based on the period and the estimated occurrence of the end of the phase-cut angle; and
an electronic transformer compatibility mode.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and
determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the transformer secondary signal is less than a second predetermined threshold frequency.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting occurrence of alternating phases of the transformer secondary signal responsive to determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
measuring an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and
based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensating for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the load comprises a lamp.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein in the electronic transformer compatibility mode, the method further comprises:
predicting based on an electronic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of a high-resistance state of the trailing-edge dimmer, wherein the high-resistance state occurs when the trailing-edge dimmer begins phase-cutting an alternating current voltage signal; and
operating in a high-current mode for a period of time immediately prior to the estimated occurrence of the high-resistance state.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a controller to provide compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine from a signal indicative of a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and
select a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least:
a magnetic transformer compatibility mode, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine from a magnetic transformer secondary signal a period of a half-line cycle of an output signal of the dimmer;
determine from the magnetic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of an end of a phase-cut angle of the dimmer; and
generate a driving signal to the load based on the period and the estimated occurrence of the end of the phase-cut angle; and
an electronic transformer compatibility mode.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the signal.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and
determine that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is lesser than a second predetermined threshold frequency.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.
25. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect occurrence of alternating phases of the signal responsive to determining from the signal that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
measure an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and
based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensate for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.
27. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the load comprises a lamp.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.
30. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller is further configured to, in the electronic transformer compatibility mode:
predict based on an electronic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of a high-resistance state of the trailing-edge dimmer, wherein the high-resistance state occurs when the trailing-edge dimmer begins phase-cutting an alternating current voltage signal; and
operate in a high-current mode for a period of time immediately prior to the estimated occurrence of the high-resistance state.
31. A method for providing compatibility between a load and a secondary winding of a transformer driven at its primary winding by a dimmer comprising:
determining from a signal indicative of a transformer secondary signal whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and
selecting a compatibility mode of operation from a plurality of modes of operation based on the determination of whether the transformer comprises a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer, wherein the plurality of modes of operation comprise at least:
a magnetic transformer compatibility mode, wherein the method further comprises:
determining from a magnetic transformer secondary signal a period of a half-line cycle of an output signal of the dimmer;
determining from the magnetic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of an end of a phase-cut angle of the dimmer; and
generating a driving signal to the load based on the period and the estimated occurrence of the end of the phase-cut angle; and
an electronic transformer compatibility mode.
32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising determining whether the transformer is a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer based on a frequency of oscillation of the signal.
33. The method of claim 31 , further comprising:
determining that the transformer is an electronic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is greater than a first predetermined threshold frequency; and
determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer if the frequency of oscillation of the signal is less than a second predetermined threshold frequency.
34. The method of claim 33 , wherein the first predetermined frequency is equal to the second predetermined frequency.
35. The method of claim 33 , further comprising detecting occurrence of alternating phases of the signal responsive to determining that the transformer is a magnetic transformer.
36. The method of claim 35 , further comprising:
measuring an amount of electrical energy delivered to the load in each of the alternating phases; and
based on the measurement of delivered electrical energy, compensating for any imbalance in delivery of electrical energy to each of the alternating phases.
37. The method of claim 31 , wherein the load comprises a lamp.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the lamp comprises a light-emitting diode lamp.
39. The method of claim 37 , wherein the lamp comprises a multifaceted reflector form factor.
40. The method of claim 31 , wherein in the electronic transformer compatibility mode, the method further comprises:
predicting based on an electronic transformer secondary signal an estimated occurrence of a high-resistance state of the trailing-edge dimmer, wherein the high-resistance state occurs when the trailing-edge dimmer begins phase-cutting an alternating current voltage signal; and
operating in a high-current mode for a period of time immediately prior to the estimated occurrence of the high-resistance state.