Multi-mode control for solid state lighting

A light emitting diode (LED) controller providing a regulated current across a LED from

• an unregulated voltage source, the LED controller comprising:
• a current controller configured to:
• detect an output current at an output of the LED controller, and
• detect a firing angle a voltage waveform output by a dimmer switch, the dimmer switch coupled to receive the unregulated voltage source;
• the current controller further configured to generate a control signal to turn on or turn off a switch, the switch being turned on responsive to the control signal being in a first state and the switch being turned off responsive the control signal being in a second state, the switch configured to receive the control signal and regulate an amount of current to be supplied to the LED based on the control signal, wherein for each switching cycle:
• responsive to the detected firing angle of the voltage waveform output by the dimmer switch being less than a first firing angle threshold, corresponding to a first regulation mode, generate the control signal in the second state when the detected output current at the output of the LED controller satisfies a first output current threshold;
• responsive to the detected firing angle of the voltage waveform output by the dimmer switch being greater than a second firing angle threshold, corresponding to a second regulation mode, generate the control signal in the second state when the detected output current at the output of the LED controller satisfies a second output current threshold;
• and
• responsive to the detected firing angle of the voltage waveform output by the dimmer switch being greater than the first threshold and less than the second threshold, corresponding to a third regulation mode, generate the control signal in the second state when the detected output current at the output of the LED controller satisfies the first output current threshold.