# US 2018/0027618 A9 · Method And Apparatus For Modulating Load By Means Of A Control Command Obtained By Varying The Conduction Angle Of AC Voltage

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- Number: US 2018/0027618 A9
- Document ID: US20180027618A9
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A9
- Application number: 15/080,688
- Filed: 2016-03-25
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-28
- Assignees: Jaguar Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Jaguar Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Fei-Tyh CHUANG; Zhen-Gong Xie; Lu-Ting Huang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180027618A9

## CPC

- H02M 1/081: {wherein the phase of the control voltage is adjustable with reference to the AC source}
- H02M 7/06: using discharge tubes without control electrode or semiconductor devices without control electrode
- H02M 7/155: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M 7/1555: {with control circuit}
- H05B 39/044: {continuously (H05B39/042 takes precedence)}
- H05B 45/14: using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
- H05B 47/185: via power line carrier transmission
- H05B 45/30: Driver circuits
- Y02B 20/00: Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
- 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)
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

A method and apparatus for modulating a load by means of control command obtained by varying conduction angle of AC voltage is provided. Under normal operation, conduction angle of AC is approximate to 180 degrees. When a state change command of the load is to be executed, the angle of conduction angle is changed by a conduction angle modulation circuit of control end. After a conduction angle detection circuit of the load end detects the conduction angle, a control unit decodes the information of the conduction angle, and controls the load to perform a corresponding operation. The method and apparatus do not need to add an extra control wiring for the load, and may use the conduction angle of an AC power supply to effectively perform multifunctional modulations on the load with existing power lines, and the defect of a low power commonly found in a traditional dimmer is overcome.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for modulating a load by means of a control command obtained by varying a conduction angle of an AC voltage, the apparatus comprising a conduction angle modulation circuit electrically connected to an AC power supply for modulating the conduction angle of the AC power supply; wherein the conduction angle is constant during stable operation, and
the conduction angle modulation circuit modulates the conduction angle of multiple cycles of the AC power supply to form a signal sequence so as to control the operation of the load when the state of the load is to be changed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a load end control circuit arranged at a load end, the conduction angle modulation circuit being arranged at a control end, the load end control circuit comprising a conduction angle detection circuit electrically connected to the conduction angle modulation circuit for detecting the conduction angle modulated by the conduction angle modulation circuit so as to output a conduction angle signal, and a control unit electrically connected to the conduction angle detection circuit for decoding the conduction angle signal as a control command.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conduction angle modulation circuit includes:
a triple-pole AC switch comprising a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate, the second terminal being electrically connected to the load end;
a drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch electrically connected to the gate of the triple-pole AC switch;
a rectifying/DC power supply circuit electrically connected to both power supply terminals of the AC power supply for supplying DC power to each of the circuits;
a zero-crossing detection circuit electrically connected to the rectifying/DC power supply circuit for detecting a zero-crossing signal of the alternating current;
a microcontroller circuit electrically connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit and the drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch, the microcontroller circuit being adapted to drive the triple-pole AC switch by controlling the drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch, so as to modulate the conduction angle of the alternating current dependent on the zero-crossing signal of the alternating current provided by the zero-crossing detection circuit; and
a modulation module electrically connected to the microcontroller circuit, the modulation module being configurable to activate the microcontroller circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles in a controlled manner.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the conduction angle modulation circuit comprises:
a triple-pole AC switch having a first terminal, a second terminal and a gate, the second terminal being electrically connected to the load end;
a drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch electrically connected to the gate of the triple-pole AC switch;
a rectifying circuit having an AC terminal electrically connected to the first terminal of the triple-pole AC switch, and a DC terminal electrically connected to the second terminal of the triple-pole AC switch;
a zero-crossing detection circuit electrically connected to the rectifying circuit for detecting a zero-crossing signal of the alternating current;
a microcontroller circuit electrically connected to the zero-crossing detection circuit and the drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch, the microcontroller circuit being adapted to drive the triple-pole AC switch by controlling the drive circuit for the triple-pole AC switch, so as to modulate the conduction angle of the alternating current dependent on the zero-crossing signal of the alternating current provided by the zero-crossing detection circuit;
a DC power supply circuit for supplying DC power to each of the circuits; and
a modulation module electrically connected to the microcontroller circuit, the modulation module being configurable to activate the microcontroller circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles in a controlled manner.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the load end control circuit further comprises:
a rectifying circuit electrically connected between the conduction angle modulation circuit and the conduction angle detection circuit, and
a bleeder circuit electrically connected between the rectifying circuit and the control unit;
wherein the rectifying circuit is adapted to rectify the AC power supply modulated by the conduction angle modulation circuit, and wherein the bleeder circuit is adapted to provide a conduction current for maintaining conduction of the triple-pole AC switch in the conduction angle modulation circuit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the modulation module includes at least one change-over switch which is switchable to activate the microcontroller circuit to control the conduction angle modulation circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the modulation module includes a variable resistor, different voltages being input to the microcontroller circuit by adjusting the variable resistor, whereby the microcontroller circuit is activated to control the conduction angle modulation circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a charging switch circuit for the DC power supply circuit is arranged between the rectifying circuit and the DC power supply circuit to control the conduction time at an input side of the DC power supply circuit, so as to prevent the zero-crossing signal of the load end from distortion, and in turn avoid error in the detection of conduction angle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the bleeder circuit comprises an active bleeder circuit which is adapted to turn on momentarily when the triple-pole AC switch is in a non-conducting state, so that the DC power supply circuit of the conduction angle modulation circuit stores current for each of the circuits.

### Claim 10

A method for modulating a load by means of a control command obtained by varying a conduction angle of an AC voltage, the conduction angle of the alternating current being constant during stable operation, and the conduction angle being modulated only when the state of the load is to be changed, the method includes the steps of:
(A) modulating the conduction angle of multiple cycles of the alternating current to form a signal sequence by means of a conduction angle modulation circuit;
(B) detecting the signal sequence by means of a conduction angle detection circuit, and generating a conduction angle signal; and
(C) controlling the load by means of a control unit based on the conduction angle signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the step of modulating the conduction angle of multiple cycles of the alternating current comprises transmitting the signal sequence repeatedly for several times.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the step of controlling the load further comprises the steps of:
(C1) decoding the conduction angle signal by means of the control unit, and generating a control command in response; and
(C2) controlling the load by means of the control unit according to the control command.

### Claim 13 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the load end control circuit further comprises:
a rectifying circuit electrically connected between the conduction angle modulation circuit and the conduction angle detection circuit; and
a bleeder circuit electrically connected between the rectifying circuit and the control unit,
wherein the rectifying circuit is adapted to rectify the AC power supply modulated by the conduction angle modulation circuit, and wherein the bleeder circuit is adapted to provide a conduction current for maintaining conduction of the triple-pole AC switch in the conduction angle modulation circuit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the modulation module includes at least one change-over switch which is switchable to activate the microcontroller circuit to control the conduction angle modulation circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles.

### Claim 15 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the modulation module includes a variable resistor, different voltages being input to the microcontroller circuit by adjusting the variable resistor, whereby the microcontroller circuit is activated to control the conduction angle modulation circuit to generate AC signals of different combinations of conduction angles.