Energy saving dimmer for LED luminaire driver

1. A dimmer control for use in connection with an LED luminaire, the luminaire having an LED, a current control circuit supplying power to the LED, a driver circuit supplying power to the current control circuit, and an AC source supplying power to the driver circuit, the dimmer control comprising:

a shutdown relay operatively connected between the AC source and the driver circuit, the shutdown relay being responsive to a control voltage;

a dimmer operatively connected to the shutdown relay and to the current control circuit, the dimmer being adapted to supply the control voltage selectively to the shutdown relay and to the current control circuit; and

an input signal source connected to the dimmer for supplying an input voltage.

2. The dimmer control of claim 1 , wherein as the control voltage increases above a predetermined voltage, the shutdown relay will allow power to flow to the driver circuit.

3. The dimmer control of claim 2 , wherein the current through the current control circuit varies directly as the control voltage is varied selectively from approximately the predetermined voltage to a maximum voltage.

4. The dimmer control of claim 3 , wherein the luminous output of the LED varies directly as the control voltage is varied selectively from approximately the predetermined voltage to a maximum voltage.

5. The dimmer control of claim 1 , wherein as the control voltage decreases below a predetermined voltage, the shutdown relay will cut off power flow to the driver circuit, thereby eliminating parasitic losses.

6. The dimmer control of claim 5 , wherein the current through the current control circuit is zero as the control voltage is varied selectively from approximately the predetermined voltage to a minimum voltage.

7. The dimmer control of claim 6 , wherein the luminous output of the LED is zero as the control voltage is varied selectively from approximately the predetermined voltage to a minimum voltage.

8. The dimmer control of claim 1 , wherein the input signal source varies between zero and approximately ten volts.

9. A method of dimming an LED luminaire, the luminaire having an LED, a current control circuit supplying power to the LED, a driver circuit supplying power to the current control circuit, and an AC source supplying power to the driver circuit, the method comprising:

connecting a shutdown relay operatively between the AC source and the driver circuit;

connecting a dimmer operatively to the shutdown relay and to the current control circuit;

supplying a control voltage selectively from the dimmer to the shutdown relay;

supplying the control voltage selectively from the dimmer to the current control circuit;

supplying an input voltage from an input signal source to the dimmer;

allowing power to flow through the shutdown relay to the driver circuit as the control voltage increases above a predetermined voltage; and

stopping power flow through the shutdown relay to the driver circuit as the control voltage decreases below the predetermined voltage.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising increasing the control voltage above the predetermined voltage so as to allow power to flow through the shutdown relay to the driver circuit.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising directly varying the current through the current control circuit by selectively varying the control voltage from approximately the predetermined voltage to a maximum voltage.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising directly varying the luminous output of the LED by selectively varying the control voltage from approximately the predetermined voltage to a maximum voltage.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

decreasing the control voltage below the predetermined voltage so as to cut off power flow from the shutdown relay to the driver circuit; and

eliminating parasitic losses by cutting off power flow from the shutdown relay to the driver circuit.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising stopping the current through the current control circuit by selectively varying the control voltage from approximately the predetermined voltage to a minimum voltage.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising stopping the luminous output of the LED by selectively varying the control voltage from approximately the predetermined voltage to a minimum voltage.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising varying the input signal source between zero and approximately ten volts.