# US 12,016,096 B2 · Controllable-load circuit for use with a load control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,016,096 B2 - Document ID: US12016096B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/348,670 - Filed: 2023-07-07 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-20 - Assignees: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Applicants: Lutron Technology Company LLC - Inventors: Christopher J. Salvestrini; Ryan S. Bedell; Matthew V. Harte - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12016096B2 ## CPC - H05B 45/14: using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules - H02M 1/082: {with digital control} - H02M 5/2576: {with digital control} - H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light - H05B 45/3725: Switched mode power supply [SMPS] - H05B 45/44: with an active control inside an LED matrix - H05B 47/175: by remote control - H05B 47/196: {characterised by user interface arrangements} - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) ## Abstract A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load is operable to conduct enough current through a thyristor of a connected dimmer switch to exceed rated latching and holding currents of the thyristor. The load control device comprises a controllable-load circuit operable to conduct a controllable-load current through the thyristor of the dimmer switch. The load control device disables the controllable-load circuit when the phase-control voltage received from the dimmer switch is a reverse phase-control waveform. When the phase-control voltage received from the dimmer switch is a forward phase-control waveform, the load control device is operable to decrease the magnitude of the controllable-load current so as to conduct only enough current as is required in order to exceed rated latching and holding currents of the thyristor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light-emitting diode (LED) drive system, comprising: input terminals to receive a phase-control voltage from a dimmer switch; output terminals to provide an output voltage; an LED drive control circuit to determine whether the received phase-control voltage comprises a forward phase-control waveform or a reverse phase-control waveform; and a selectively enablable controllable-load circuit conductively coupled in parallel with an LED lighting load coupled to the output terminals and communicatively coupled to the LED drive control circuit, the controllable-load circuit to permit a controllable-load current to flow through the dimmer switch when enabled; wherein, responsive to the determination that the phase-control voltage is a forward phase-control waveform, the LED drive control circuit to: enable the controllable-load circuit; and adjust a magnitude of the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch such that the controllable-load current exceeds at least one of: a rated latching current of the dimmer switch; or a rated holding current of the dimmer switch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electric load control system of claim 1 wherein, responsive to the determination that the phase-control voltage is a reverse phase-control waveform, the LED drive control circuit to further: disable the controllable-load circuit such that the controllable-load circuit does not conduct the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electric load control system of claim 1, the LED drive control circuit to monitor a magnitude of the phase-control voltage received from the dimmer switch to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electric load control system of claim 1, the LED drive control circuit to compare the magnitude of the phase-control voltage to a voltage threshold after detecting a voltage transition of the phase-control voltage to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform, the LED drive control circuit to determine the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform if the magnitude of the phase-control voltage is consistently larger than the voltage threshold. ### Claim 5 A light-emitting diode drive method, comprising: determining, by an LED drive control circuit, whether a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch comprises a forward phase-control waveform or a reverse phase-control waveform; and responsive to the determination that the phase-control voltage is a forward phase-control waveform: selectively enabling, by the LED drive control circuit, a controllable-load circuit, the controllable-load circuit conductively coupled in parallel with an LED lighting load, the controllable-load circuit to permit a controllable-load current to flow through the dimmer switch when enabled; causing, by the LED drive control circuit, an adjustment of the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch such that the controllable-load current exceeds at least one of: a rated latching current of the dimmer switch; or a rated holding current of the dimmer switch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising: selectively disabling, by the LED drive circuit, the controllable-load circuit such that the controllable-load circuit does not conduct the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: monitoring, by the LED drive circuit, a magnitude of the phase-control voltage received from the dimmer switch to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: comparing, by the LED drive control circuit, the magnitude of the phase-control voltage to a voltage threshold responsive to detection of a voltage transition of the phase-control voltage to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform; and determining, by the LED drive control circuit, the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform responsive to the magnitude of the phase-control voltage being consistently larger than the voltage threshold. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by a light-emitting diode (LED) drive control circuit, cause the LED drive circuit to: determine whether a phase-control voltage received from a dimmer switch comprises a forward phase-control waveform or a reverse phase-control waveform; and responsive to the determination by the LED drive control circuit that the phase-control voltage is a forward phase-control waveform: selectively enable a controllable-load circuit, the controllable-load circuit conductively coupled in parallel with an LED lighting load, the controllable-load circuit to permit a controllable-load current to flow through the dimmer switch when enabled; cause an adjustment of the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch such that the controllable-load current exceeds at least one of: a rated latching current of the dimmer switch; or a rated holding current of the dimmer switch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the LED drive control circuitry, cause the LED drive control circuitry to further: selectively disable the controllable-load circuit such that the controllable-load circuit does not conduct the controllable-load current through the dimmer switch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the LED drive control circuitry, cause the LED drive control circuitry to further: monitor a magnitude of the phase-control voltage received from the dimmer switch to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed by the LED drive control circuitry, cause the LED drive control circuitry to further: compare the magnitude of the phase-control voltage to a voltage threshold responsive to detection of a voltage transition of the phase-control voltage to determine whether the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform or the reverse phase-control waveform; and determine the phase-control voltage is the forward phase-control waveform responsive to the magnitude of the phase-control voltage being consistently larger than the voltage threshold.