# US 10,485,062 B2 · LED power-supply detection and control

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- Number: US 10,485,062 B2
- Document ID: US10485062B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/948,586
- Filed: 2010-11-17
- Published: 2011-05-26
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2009-11-17
- Assignees: Ledvance GmbH
- Applicants: Daniel J. Harrison; Steven S. Davis
- Inventors: Daniel J. Harrison; Steven S. Davis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10485062B2

## CPC

- H05B 45/50: responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
- H05B 45/3575: by means of dummy loads or bleeder circuits, e.g. for dimmers
- H05B 45/38: using boost topology
- H05B 45/3725: Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
- H05B 45/375: using buck topology
- H05B 45/59: for reducing or suppressing flicker or glow effects
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A circuit detects the type of a power supply driving an LED by analyzing a signal received from the power supply. The circuit controls a behavior of the LED, such as its reaction to a dimmer or to thermal conditions, based on the determined type.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
an analyzer for determining a transformer type based at least in part on a power signal received from a transformer, wherein the determined transformer type corresponds to a magnetic transformer or an electronic transformer; and
a generator for generating a control signal, based at least in part on the determined transformer type, to instruct a regulator IC to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes in accordance with the transformer type, wherein the plurality of operating modes comprise a first mode for accepting a low-frequency input voltage and a second mode for accepting a high-frequency input voltage;
wherein the apparatus is a processor, microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit, or field-programmable gate array.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determined transformer type comprises a manufacturer or a model of the transformer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input/output port for communicating with at least one of the analyzer and the generator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analyzer comprises a frequency analyzer for determining a frequency of the power signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dimmer control circuit for modifying the control signal in accordance with a dimmer setting.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a bleeder control circuit for maintaining the transformer in an operating region by causing a load of the transformer to increase.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a thermal control circuit for modifying the control signal in accordance with an over-temperature condition.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the generated control signal comprises a voltage control signal, a current control signal, or a pulse-width-modulated control signal.