# US 10,772,170 B2 · TRIAC dimmer detection circuit, chip and method, and LED driving chip and system

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- Number: US 10,772,170 B2
- Document ID: US10772170B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/143,457
- Filed: 2018-09-27
- Published: 2019-05-16
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-11-14
- Assignees: Shanghai Bright Power Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Shanghai Bright Power Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Weijia Yu; Minmin Fan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10772170B2

## CPC

- H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light
- G01R 31/44: Testing lamps
- H05B 45/31: Phase-control circuits
- H05B 45/3575: by means of dummy loads or bleeder circuits, e.g. for dimmers
- Y02B 20/40: Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

Provided are a TRIAC dimmer detection circuit, chip and method, and an LED driving chip and system. A bus voltage reflecting signal is received, and a TRIAC dimmer detection signal is generated according to the bus voltage reflecting signal, a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, the dimmer detection signal being used to detect whether a dimmer exists and to determine the type of the dimmer. The TRIAC dimmer detection circuit, chip and method, and the LED driving chip and system consistent with the present invention can detect whether a TRIAC dimmer is contained in an LED illuminating system, so as to determine a working state of a bleeder, thereby reducing the power consumption of the entire LED illuminating system and improving the efficiency thereof.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dimmer detection circuit comprising:
a sampling unit, coupled to output of a rectifier and configured to output a signal representing a bus voltage;
a first comparator coupled to the sampling unit and configured to receive a first reference voltage and the signal, and generate a first processing signal;
a second comparator coupled to the sampling unit and configured to receive a second reference voltage and the signal, and generate a second processing signal; and
a control unit configured to receive the first processing signal and the second processing signal to detect the slope of the bus voltage change from the first reference voltage to the second reference voltage; wherein
the control unit outputs a dimmer detection result which indicates a leading edge phase cut or a trailing edge phase cut dimmer is present or neither by detects falling edge or rising edge of the first processing signal and the second processing signal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein the sampling unit is a voltage division unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The dimmer detection circuit as in claim 2, wherein the voltage division unit comprises a first resistor and a second resistor, connected in series; one end of the first resistor is connected to a rectified voltage obtained after rectifying an input alternating current, and the other end of the second resistor is grounded; and a connecting node between the first resistor and the second resistor outputs the signal representing the bus voltage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The dimmer detection circuit as in claim 3, wherein the second reference voltage is smaller than R2/(R1+R2)*sqrt(2)*Vac*sin(θmax), where R1 and R2 are a resistance value of the first resistor and a resistance value of the second resistor, respectively, Vac is an input alternating voltage, θmax is a maximum turn-on angle of a dimmer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 4, wherein the first reference voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The dimmer detection circuit as in claim 3, wherein a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit have the same delay duration, which is equal to (arcsin(Vt2*(R1+R2)/R2/sqrt(2)/Vac)-arcsin(Vt1*(R1+R2)/R2/sqrt(2)/Vac))/2, where R1 and R2 are a resistance value of the first resistor and a resistance value of the second resistor, respectively, Vac is an input alternating voltage, Vt1 and Vt2 are a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein:
the control unit comprise a first delay circuit and a second delay circuit;
the first delay circuit delays the rising or falling edge of the first processing signal for a predetermined time and outputs a delayed first processing signal; and
the second delay circuit delays the falling or rising edge of the second processing signal for the predetermined time and outputs a delayed second processing signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 7, wherein the control unit further comprises;
a first logic module, a first counter and a second logic module; the first logic module receives the delayed first processing signal and the second processing signal, logically processes the delayed first processing signal and the second processing signal, and then outputs a first logic signal to a reset end of the first counter; a clock input end of the first counter is connected to an output end of the second logic module, and an output end of the first counter is connected to an input end of the second logic module; and the second logic module generates a dimmer detection signal which indicates whether a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer is present or not.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 8, wherein the first logic module comprises a first D flip-flop, and the second logic module comprises a first OR gate and a NOT gate;
a trigger end C of the first D flip-flop is connected to an output end of the first delay circuit, an input end D is connected to an output end of the second comparator, and an output end Q is connected to a reset end of the first counter; an output end of the first counter is connected to a first input end of the first OR gate; an input end of the NOT gate is connected to an output end of the first comparator, and an output end is connected to a second input end of the first OR gate; and an output end of the first OR gate outputs the dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 8, wherein when the first counter counts to a first preset number, the leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, and counting is stopped.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 7, wherein the control unit further comprises
a third logic module, a second counter, and a fourth logic module;
the third logic module receives the delayed second processing signal and the first processing signal, logically processes the delayed second processing signal and the first processing signal, and then outputs the second logic signals to a reset end of the second counter; a clock input end of the second counter is connected to an output end of the fourth logic module, and an output end of the second counter is connected to an input end of the fourth logic module; and the fourth logic module generates a dimmer detection signal which indicates whether a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer is present or not.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 11, wherein the third logic module comprises a second D flip-flop, and the fourth logic module comprises a second OR gate and a NOT gate;
a trigger end C of the second D flip-flop is connected to an output end of the second delay circuit, an input end D is connected to an output end of the first comparator, and an output end Q is connected to a reset end of the second counter; an input end of the NOT gate is connected to an output end of the first comparator; and a first input end of the second OR gate is connected to an output end of the second counter, a second input end is connected to an output end of the NOT gate, and an output end outputs the dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 11, wherein when the second counter counts to a second preset number, the trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, and counting is stopped.

### Claim 14 (depends on 7)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 7, wherein the control unit comprises a first control unit and a second control unit, which output a first dimmer detection signal and a second dimmer detection signal respectively;
the first control unit comprises the first delay circuit, a first logic module, a first counter and a second logic module; the first logic module receives the delayed first processing signal and the second processing signal, logically processes the delayed first processing signal and the second processing signal, and then outputs a first logic signals to a reset end of the first counter; a clock input end of the first counter is connected to an output end of the second logic module, and an output end is connected to an input end of the second logic module; the second logic module generates a first dimmer detection signal which indicates whether a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer is present or not;
the second control unit comprises the second delay circuit, a third logic module, a second counter and a fourth logic module;
the third logic module receives the delayed second processing signal and the first processing signal, logically processes the delayed second processing signal and the first processing signal, and then outputs a second signals to a reset end of the second counter; a clock input end of the second counter is connected to an output end of the fourth logic module, and an output end is connected to an input end of the fourth logic module; and the fourth logic module generates a second dimmer detection signal which indicates whether a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer present or not.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 14, wherein the first logic module comprises a first D flip-flop, the second logic module comprises a first OR gate and a NOT gate, the third logic module comprises a second D flip-flop, and the fourth logic module comprises a second OR gate;
a trigger end C of the first D flip-flop is connected to an output end of the first delay circuit, an input end D is connected to an output end of the second comparator, and an output end Q is connected to a reset end of the first counter; an output end of the first counter is connected to a first input end of the first OR gate; an input end of the NOT gate is connected to an output end of the first comparator, and an output end is connected to a second input end of the first OR gate; an output end of the first OR gate outputs the first dimmer detection signal;
a trigger end C of the second D flip-flop is connected to an output end of the second delay circuit, an input end D is connected to an output end of the first comparator, and an output end Q is connected to a reset end of the second counter; and a first input end of the second OR gate is connected to an output end of the second counter, a second input end is connected to the output end of the NOT gate, and an output end outputs the second dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 14, wherein when the first counter counts to a first preset number, the leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, and counting is stopped; or wherein when the second counter counts to a second preset number, the trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, and counting is stopped.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 14, wherein the first delay circuit is a rising edge delay unit, which delays a rising edge of the signal representing the bus voltage to a certain delay duration; and the second delay circuit is a falling edge delay unit, which delays a falling edge of the signal representing the bus voltage to a certain delay duration, wherein the delay duration are smaller than a duration in which the signal representing the bus voltage rises from the first reference voltage to the second reference voltage in the absence of a dimmer, and/or are smaller than a duration in which the reflecting signal bus voltage falls from the second reference voltage to the first reference voltage in the absence of a dimmer.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The dimmer detection circuit according to claim 1, wherein
a positive input end of the first comparator is connected to the first reference voltage, and a negative input end is connected to the signal representing the bus voltage, and outputs the first processing signal; and
a positive input end of the second comparator is connected to the second reference voltage, and a negative input end receives the signal representing the bus voltage, and outputs the second processing signal.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

An LED driving system, comprising:
a rectification unit, configured to rectify an input alternating current and then output it to an LED load;
an energy storage unit, connected to an input end and an output end of the LED load;
an LED driving circuit, configured to provide current for the LED load;
a dimmer detection circuit according to claim 1, configured to generate a dimmer detection signal according to a signal representing the bus voltage; and
a bleeder, configured to act in different working modes according to the dimmer detection signal,
wherein when a current of the LED driving circuit is smaller than a minimum current for maintaining an on state of a dimmer, the bleeder turns on based on the dimmer detection signal in the indicative of the presence of a dimmer, to provide an extra current to maintain the on state of the dimmer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The LED driving system according to claim 19, wherein the LED driving circuit and the dimmer detection circuit may be integrated in an LED driving chip, or the LED driving circuit may be integrated in an LED driving chip, and the dimmer detection circuit may be integrated in a dimmer detection chip.

### Claim 21

A dimmer detection method, comprising the following steps:
step 1: acquiring, by a voltage division unit including a first resistance and a second resistance in series, a signal representing the bus voltage; and
step 2: generating, by a dimmer detection circuit, a dimmer detection signal according to the bus voltage reflecting signal, a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage;
wherein step 2 comprises:
generating a first processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage and the first reference voltage, and delaying the first processing signal; generating a second processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage;
generating a dimmer detection signal according to the first processing signal, the second processing signal and the delayed first processing signal, the dimmer detection signal is a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 21, wherein step 2 comprises:
generating a first processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage and the first reference voltage; generating a second processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage and the second reference voltage, and delaying the second processing signal;
generating a dimmer detection signal according to the first processing signal, the second processing signal and the delayed second processing signal, the dimmer detection signal is a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 22, wherein step 2 comprises:
counting a falling edge of the delayed second processing signal, when counting to a second preset number, outputting a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal, and stopping counting, the trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, wherein the second preset number is integers.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 21, wherein step 2 comprises:
generating a first processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage and the first reference voltage, and delaying the first processing signal; generating a second processing signal according to the signal representing the bus voltage and the second reference voltage, and delaying the second processing signal;
generating a first dimmer detection signal according to the first processing signal, the second processing signal and the delayed first processing signal, the first dimmer detection signal is a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal; or generating a second dimmer detection signal according to the first processing signal, the second processing signal and the delayed second processing signal, the second dimmer detection signal is a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 24, wherein step 2 comprises:
counting a rising edge of the delayed first processing signal, when counting to a first preset number, outputting a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal, and stopping counting, the leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective; or counting a falling edge of the delayed second processing signal, when counting to a second preset number, outputting a trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal, and stopping counting, the trailing-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, wherein the first preset number and the second preset number are integers.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 24, wherein the first processing signal and the second processing signal have the same delay duration:
(arcsin(Vt2*(R1+R2)/R2/sqrt(2)/Vac)−arcsin(Vt1*(R1+R2)/R2/sqrt(2)/Vac))/2, where R1 and R2 are a resistance value of the first resistor and a resistance value of the second resistor, respectively, Vac is an input alternating voltage, Vtl and Vt2 are a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, respectively, and the R2 is close to a grounded end.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 26, wherein a delay duration is smaller than a duration in which the bus voltage reflecting signal rises from the first reference voltage to the second reference voltage in the absence of a dimmer, and/or are smaller than a duration in which the bus voltage reflecting signal falls from the second reference voltage to the first reference voltage in the absence of a dimmer.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 21, wherein step 2 comprises:
counting a rising edge of the delayed first processing signal, when counting to a first preset number, outputting a leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal, and stopping counting, the leading-edge phase-cut dimmer detection signal is effective, wherein the first preset number is integers.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 21, wherein step 1 comprises: connecting one end of a first resistor and a second resistor, connected in series, to a rectified voltage obtained after rectifying an input alternating current, and grounding the other end; and outputting, by a connecting point between the first resistor and the second resistor, the signal representing the bus voltage.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The dimmer detection method according to claim 29, wherein the second reference voltage is smaller than R2/(R1+R2)*sqrt(2)*Vac*sin(θmax), where R1 and R2 are a resistance value of the first resistor and a resistance value of the second resistor, respectively, Vac is an input alternating voltage, θmax is a maximum turn-on angle of a dimmer,, and the first reference voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage.