# US 2014/0197760 A1 · Power control unit and method for controlling electrical power provided to a load, in particular an led unit, and voltage control unit for controlling an output voltage of a converter unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197760 A1 - Document ID: US20140197760A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/241,198 - Filed: 2012-09-05 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-06 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Inventors: Harald Josef Günther Radermacher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197760A1 ## CPC - H05B 45/3725: Switched mode power supply [SMPS] - H05B 45/31: Phase-control circuits - H05B 45/3575: by means of dummy loads or bleeder circuits, e.g. for dimmers - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract The present invention relates to a power control unit (40; 60) for controlling electrical power provided to a load (12), Min particular an LED unit (12) comprising one or more LEDs, said driver device comprising a converter unit (10) having an input terminal (42) for receiving an input voltage (V10) from an external power supply (22) and having an output terminal (44) for providing an output voltage (V14) to power the load (12), wherein the converter unit (10) comprises a switching device (14) for transforming the input voltage (V10) to the output voltage (V14), a control unit (20) for controlling the switching device (14), signal means (46; 62) connected to the output terminal (44) for applying a voltage or current signal to the output terminal (44), wherein the control unit (20) is connected to the signal means (46; 62) and adapted to control the signal means (46; 62). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power control unit for dimming a voltage of an external power supply and for controlling electrical power provided to a load, in particular an LED unit comprising one or more LEDs, said driver device comprising: a converter unit having an input terminal for receiving an input voltage from an external power supply and having an output terminal for providing an output voltage to power the load, wherein the converter unit comprises a switching device for transforming the input voltage to the output voltage, a control unit for controlling the switching device, signal means connected to the output terminal for applying a voltage or current signal to the output terminal, wherein the control unit is connected to the signal means and adapted to control the signal means. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input voltage is an AC voltage provided by mains and the converter unit is a phase cutting device, wherein the switching device is provided for cutting the phase of the AC voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means comprise a current control unit for providing the signal by controlling a current drawn from the output terminal or provided to the output terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power control unit comprises detection means for detecting the output voltage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means are adapted for controlling the course of the output voltage and for setting the slope of the output voltage to a predefined level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted for activating the signal means when the output voltage is cut off by means of the switching device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The power control unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the current control unit comprises a current source, which is activated by the control unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means comprise a controllable switch, which is activated by means of the control unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means are connected to a neutral potential of the external power supply. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means comprise a controllable switch connected to a charge capacitor which is connected to the input terminal, wherein a diode is connected in parallel to the controllable switch for charging the capacitor and wherein the controllable switch is controlled by means of the control unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The power control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means comprise in parallel to the converter unit two charge capacitors each connected in series with one diode, wherein the diodes are arranged in opposite forward-bias directions for charging the capacitors with different polarity, wherein one controllable switch is connected in parallel to each of the diodes and controlled by the control unit. ### Claim 12 Voltage controller for controlling an output voltage of a converter unit for dimming a voltage of an external power supply and for controlling electrical power provided to a load, in particular an LED unit comprising one or more LEDs, comprising a first connection terminal for connecting the voltage controller to an output of the driver device, a second connection terminal for connecting the voltage controller to neutral or an input terminal of the converter unit, signal means for applying a voltage or current signal to the first connection terminal, detection means for detecting a phase cut-off of the output voltage, wherein the detection means are adapted to control the signal means dependent on the detected phase cut-off, wherein the signal means comprise two charge capacitors each connected in series with one diode, wherein the diodes are arranged in opposite forward-bias directions for charging the capacitors with different polarity and wherein the diodes are each connected in parallel to one controllable switch controlled by the detection means. ### Claim at position 13 13-15. (canceled)