Two-wire dimmer operation

A method for controlling conduction of a supply of power to a lighting load, the method comprising:

• applying a first control pulse to a switching circuit electrically coupled in series between a line input terminal configured to be electrically coupled to a supply of power and a load output terminal configured to be electrically coupled to the lighting load, the switching circuit configured to be selectively controlled via control pulses between an ON state in which the switching circuit conducts the supply of power to the lighting load and an OFF state, the applying the first control pulse to the switching circuit being to switch the switching circuit into the ON state from the OFF state to conduct the supply of power to the lighting load, the first control pulse beginning at a first starting time and extending for a first duration of time that ends at a first ending time;
• applying a second control pulse to the switching circuit to switch the switching circuit into the ON state from the OFF state to conduct the supply of power to the lighting load, the second control pulse beginning at a second starting time, after the first ending time, and extending for a second duration of time that ends at a second ending time;
• detecting levels of current provided to the lighting load during the first duration of time as a result of applying the first control pulse and during the second duration of time as a result of applying the second control pulse;
• comparing a first current level determined based on applying the first control pulse to a second current level determined based on applying the second control pulse;
• based on the comparing, ascertaining a load type of the lighting load;
• and
• selecting, based on the ascertained load type, parameters that control dimming operation of the dimmer.

A computer program product for controlling conduction of a supply of power to a lighting load, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit to perform a method comprising:
• applying a first control pulse to a switching circuit electrically coupled in series between a line input terminal configured to be electrically coupled to a supply of power and a load output terminal configured to be electrically coupled to the lighting load, the switching circuit configured to be selectively controlled via control pulses between an ON state in which the switching circuit conducts the supply of power to the lighting load and an OFF state, the applying the first control pulse to the switching circuit being to switch the switching circuit into the ON state from the OFF state to conduct the supply of power to the lighting load, the first control pulse beginning at a first starting time and extending for a first duration of time that ends at a first ending time;
• applying a second control pulse to the switching circuit to switch the switching circuit into the ON state from the OFF state to conduct the supply of power to the lighting load, the second control pulse beginning at a second starting time, after the first ending time, and extending for a second duration of time that ends at a second ending time;
• detecting levels of current provided to the lighting load during the first duration of time as a result of applying the first control pulse and during the second duration of time as a result of applying the second control pulse;
• comparing a first current level determined based on applying the first control pulse to a second current level determined based on applying the second control pulse;
• based on the comparing, ascertaining a load type of the lighting load;
• and
• selecting, based on the ascertained load type, parameters that control dimming operation of the dimmer.