Dimming control for electronic lamp
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp. Also, the apparatus includes circuitry configured to generate a control signal based on the dimming input. The control signal indicates the dimming level for a converter of the lamp and the converter is configured to interpret the control signal to control to the dimming level of the lamp using a sinusoidal signal.
1. An apparatus comprising:
circuitry that receives a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp; and
circuitry that generates a control signal being a sinusoidal signal, the control signal based on the dimming input, wherein the control signal indicates the dimming level for a converter of the lamp, the converter interprets the control signal to control the dimming level of the lamp using the sinusoidal signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry that generates the control signal is configured to modulate an input signal using a modulation signal that is generated based on the dimming input, the modulation signal including dimming information for the dimming level.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the modulation signal comprises a first time period in a line cycle including a sinusoidal waveform, wherein the converter uses characteristics of the first time period to determine the dimming level.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control signal comprises a pattern based on a non-conduction angle to indicate a start signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control signal comprises:
a first half of a line cycle having a non-conduction angle of a first value; and
a second half of the line cycle of the control signal having a non-conduction angle of a second value, wherein the first value and the second value indicate a start signal.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the line cycle is a first line cycle, and
the control signal comprises an off time in a second line cycle after the first line cycle, wherein the off time is used by the converter to determine the dimming level.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the off time is used to determine the non-conduction angle, wherein a ratio of the non-conduction angle in the first half or the second half of the first line cycle to the non-conduction angle of the second line cycle is used by the converter to determine the dimming level.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lamp comprises an electronic lamp.
9. An apparatus comprising:
circuitry that receives a control signal being a sinusoidal signal, the control signal based on a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp;
circuitry that interprets the control signal to determine the dimming level for a converter of the lamp; and
circuitry that controls the dimming level of the lamp by adjusting a dimming level for a load of the lamp using the sinusoidal signal.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the circuitry that interprets the control signal is configured to determine a modulation signal in the control signal, the modulation signal including dimming information for the dimming level.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the modulation signal comprises a first time period in a line cycle including a sinusoidal waveform, wherein the converter uses characteristics of the first time period to determine the dimming level.
12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control signal comprises a pattern based on a non-conduction angle to indicate a start signal.
13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the control signal comprises:
a first half of a line cycle having a non-conduction angle of a first value; and
a second half of the line cycle of the control signal having a non-conduction angle of a second value, wherein the first value and the second value indicate a start signal.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein:
wherein the line cycle is a first line cycle, and
the control signal comprises an off time in a second line cycle after the first line cycle, wherein the off time is used by the converter to determine the dimming level.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the off time is used to determine the non-conduction angle, wherein a ratio of the non-conduction angle in the first half or the second half of the first line cycle to the non-conduction angle of the second line cycle is used by the converter to determine the dimming level.
16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the lamp comprises an electronic lamp.
17. A method comprising:
receiving a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp; and
generating a control signal being a sinusoidal signal, the control signal based on the dimming input, wherein the control signal indicates the dimming level for a converter of the lamp, the converter interprets the control signal to control the dimming level of the lamp using the sinusoidal signal.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the control signal comprises an input signal that is modulated based on the dimming level or a start pattern in a first line cycle followed by a non-conduction angle in a second line cycle that is determined based on the dimming level.
19. A method comprising:
receiving a control signal being a sinusoidal signal, the control signal based on a dimming input to control a dimming level of a lamp;
interpreting the control signal to determine the dimming level for a converter of the lamp; and
controlling the dimming level of the lamp by adjusting a dimming level for a load of the lamp using the sinusoidal signal.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the control signal comprises an input signal that is modulated based on the dimming level or a start pattern in a first line cycle followed by a non-conduction angle in a second line cycle that is determined based on the dimming level.