Configurable LED driver/dimmer for solid state lighting applications
The disclosure is directed at a method and apparatus for configuring and powering light fixture loads for a LED low voltage distribution system. The method and apparatus include converting power being supplied for powering the set of light fixture loads and then limiting this converted power to a set of multiple current outputs supplied to the light fixture loads. The multiple current outputs are then split or regrouped prior to being delivered to the light fixture loads.
1 . A configurable light emitting diode (LED) driver/dimmer for controlling a set of light fixture loads comprising:
a power circuit including:
an inrush current limit;
a DC/DC converter;
a power factor correction (PFC) boost connected to the inrush current limit and the DC/DC converter;
a regulated output voltage bus connected to the DC/DC converter; and
a primary controller for controlling the power circuit;
a set of output current drivers, each of the set of output current drivers connected to one of the set of light fixture loads for controlling the associated light fixture load; and
at least one power limit associated with the set of output current drivers;
a secondary controller for controlling the set of output current drivers;
wherein the secondary controller transmits LED control information to control outputs of the set of output current drivers; and
wherein the secondary controller receives a program comprising an algorithm for converting an input signal to the LED control information and establishes a conversion between the input signal and the LED control information based on the algorithm.
2 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 1 further comprising:
a programming port associated with the secondary controller for configuring the LED driver/dimmer.
3 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 1 further comprising a communication interface for receiving data from an external transmitter and for transmitting the data to the secondary controller wherein the data is a communication protocol.
4 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 3 further comprising an isolation barrier for separating the secondary controller and the communication interface.
5 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 3 wherein the communication interface is either DMX512A, 0-10 Vdc analog control, Zigbee wireless or Remote Device Management (RDM) compatible.
6 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 3 further comprising an auxiliary flyback converter to provide power to the primary controller, secondary controller, and communication interface.
7 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 1 wherein the algorithm is based on one or more parameters of at least one of the power circuit, the set of light fixture loads or the set of output current drivers.
8 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 7 wherein the one or more parameters is/are configurable.
9 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 8 wherein the one or more configurable parameters provided to the secondary controller via the algorithm enables an operating mode of the LED driver/dimmer to be changed.
10 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 1 wherein each of the set of output current drivers comprises a converter with hysteretic control.
11 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 1 further comprising:
a set of in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) ports, each of the set of ICSP ports associated with one of the set of output current drivers for configuration of the set of output current drivers.
12 . A configurable light emitting diode (LED) driver/dimmer for controlling a set of light fixture loads comprising:
a power circuit including:
an inrush current limit;
a DC/DC converter;
a power factor correction (PFC) boost connected to the inrush current limit and the DC/DC converter;
a regulated output voltage bus connected to the DC/DC converter; and
a primary controller for controlling the power circuit;
a set of output current drivers, each of the set of output current drivers connected to one of the set of light fixture loads for controlling the associated light fixture load; and
at least one power limit associated with the set of output current drivers;
a set of load controllers for controlling the set of output current drivers;
wherein the set of load controllers receive LED control information to control outputs of the set of output current drivers; and
wherein the set of load controllers receive a program comprising an algorithm for converting LED control information and establish a conversion between the LED control information and the output power channel based on the algorithm.
13 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 12 further comprising:
a programming port associated with at least one of the set of load controllers for configuring the LED driver/dimmer.
14 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 12 further comprising a communication interface for receiving data from an external transmitter and for transmitting the data to at least one of the set of load controllers, via a secondary controller, wherein the data is a communication protocol.
15 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 14 further comprising an isolation barrier for separating the set of load controllers and the communication interface.
16 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 14 wherein the communication interface is either DMX512A, 0-10 Vdc analog control, Zigbee wireless or Remote Device Management (RDM) compatible.
17 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 14 further comprising an auxiliary flyback converter to provide power to the primary controller and communication interface.
18 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 12 wherein the algorithm is based on one or more parameters of at least one of the set of light fixture loads or the set of output current drivers.
19 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 18 wherein the one or more parameters is/are configurable.
20 . The LED driver/dimmer of claim 19 wherein the one or more configurable parameters provided to at least one of the set of load controllers via the algorithm enables an operating mode of the LED driver/dimmer to be changed.
21. An LED driver/dimmer for controlling a light fixture load comprising:
a power circuit including:
an inrush current limit;
a DC/DC converter;
a power factor correction (PFC) boost connected to the inrush current limit and the DC/DC converter;
a regulated output voltage bus connected to the DC/DC converter; and
at least one power limit connected to the regulated output voltage bus;
a primary controller for controlling the power circuit;
an output current driver coupled to the regulated output voltage bus of the power circuit and configured to be connected to the light fixture load;
a communication interface configured to be connected to an external transmitter; and
a secondary controller coupled to the communication interface and the output current driver and configured to receive an intensity level sent to a first address from the external transmitter through the communication interface and to control an output of the output current driver based on the intensity level.
22. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , further comprising: a programming port associated with the secondary controller for configuring the LED driver/dimmer.
23. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , wherein the communication interface utilizes a DMX512A protocol.
24. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , wherein the communication interface utilizes a Zigbee wireless protocol.
25. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , further comprising an in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) port for configuration of the output current driver.
26. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , wherein the secondary controller is further configured to generate LED control information, based on the intensity level, and use the LED control information to control an output of the output current driver.
27. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 26 , wherein the LED control information is further based on one or more parameters of the light fixture load or the output current driver.
28. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 27 , wherein the one or more parameters is/are configurable.
29. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 28 , wherein the one or more parameters enable an operating mode of the LED driver/dimmer to be changed.
30. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 26 , wherein the output current driver is configured to provide power as pulsed current to the light fixture load based on the LED control information.
31. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 26 , the output current driver comprising a load controller configured to receive the LED control information from the secondary controller and use the LED control information to generate a digital signal to control the output of the output current driver.
32. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , further comprising a second output current driver coupled to the regulated output voltage bus of the power circuit and configured to be connected to a second light fixture load.
33. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 32 , wherein the secondary controller is further configured to control an output of the second output current driver based on the intensity level.
34. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 32 , wherein the secondary controller is further configured to receive a second intensity level sent to a second address from the external transmitter through the communication interface and to control an output of the second output current driver based on the second intensity level.
35. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 21 , further comprising a peak current set point parameter associated with the output current driver, wherein the peak current set point parameter is configurable.
36. The LED driver/dimmer of claim 35 , wherein the output current driver is configured to provide a power signal, based on the intensity level, to the light fixture load as pulsed current having a peak current based on the peak current set point parameter.
37. A method for controlling a light fixture load using an LED driver/dimmer, the method comprising:
receiving AC power at a power circuit of the LED driver/dimmer, the power circuit including an inrush current limit, a DC/DC converter, a power factor correction (PFC) boost connected to the inrush current limit and the DC/DC converter, a regulated output voltage bus connected to the DC/DC converter, and at least one power limit connected to the regulated output voltage bus;
converting the AC power to regulated DC power on the regulated output voltage bus using the power circuit under control of a primary controller;
providing the regulated DC power to an output current driver of the LED driver/dimmer that is connected to the regulated output voltage bus;
receiving, at a secondary controller of the LED driver/dimmer through a communication interface of the LED driver/dimmer, an intensity level sent to a first address by an external transmitter;
controlling, by the secondary controller, the output current driver based on the intensity level; and
providing a power signal from the output current driver to the light fixture load, the power signal having a peak current based on a configurable peak current set point parameter for the output current driver.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the communication interface utilizes a Zigbee wireless or a DMX512A protocol.
39. The method of claim 37 , further comprising providing pulsed current as the power signal provided from the output current driver to the light fixture load.
40. The method of claim 37 , further comprising:
providing the regulated DC power to a second output current driver of the LED driver/dimmer that is connected to the regulated output voltage bus;
receiving, at the secondary controller through the communication interface, a second intensity level sent to a second address by the external transmitter;
controlling, by the secondary controller, a second output current driver based on the second intensity level; and
providing a second power signal from the second output current driver to a second light fixture load, the second power signal having a peak current based on a configurable second peak current set point parameter for the output current driver.
41. The method of claim 37 , further comprising:
providing the regulated DC power to a second output current driver of the LED driver/dimmer that is connected to the regulated output voltage bus;
controlling, by the secondary controller, a second output current driver based on the intensity level; and
providing a second power signal from the second output current driver to a second light fixture load, the second power signal having a peak current based on a configurable second peak current set point parameter for the output current driver.