Microcontroller-based multifunctional electronic switch and lighting apparatus having the same

A microcontroller based electronic switch, comprising:

• a controllable switching circuitry, electrically connected between an LED load and a power source;
• a first detection device, for detecting a first external control signal and converting said first external control signal into a first message carrying sensing signal;
• a second detection device, for detecting a second external control signal and converting said second external control signal into a second message carrying sensing signal;
• and
• a microcontroller designed to interpret and execute said first message carrying sensing signal generated by said first detection device or said second message carrying sensing signal generated by said second detection device;
• wherein said first detection device, said second detection device and said controllable switching circuitry are respectively electrically coupled with said microcontroller;
• wherein said first detection device is configured with a touchless interface to receive and to convert said first external control signal into said first message sensing signal interpretable to said microcontroller;
• wherein said second detection device is configured with a direct touch interface to receive and to convert said second external control signal into said second message carrying sensing signal interpretable to said microcontroller;
• wherein said microcontroller outputs a control signal to control a conduction state or a cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said first message carrying sensing signal or according to said second message carrying sensing signal;
• wherein when said controllable switching circuitry is in said conduction state, said microcontroller further adjusts said control signal to control a conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry to set an electric power transmission level from said power source to said LED load to perform an illumination according to a signal format of said first message carrying sensing signal or a signal format of said second message carrying sensing signal;
• wherein when said microcontroller receives said first message carrying sensing signal or said second message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller manages to activate a corresponding process according to said signal format of said first message carrying sensing signal or said second message carrying sensing signal to perform at least one of illumination performance control modes including at least an on/off switch control mode, an illumination level switching control mode, a dimming control mode;
• wherein when said on/off control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal with a signal time length equal to or shorter than a preset time interval, wherein said microcontroller operates to alternately manage to perform between said conduction state and said cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said first message carrying sensing signal or said second message carrying sensing signal received;
• wherein when said dimming control mode is performed, said signal format is a long voltage signal with a signal time length longer than said preset time interval, wherein upon detecting said long voltage signal with said signal time length said microcontroller successively outputs control signals to gradually increase or decrease said conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry, wherein at a moment when said first message carrying sensing signal or said second message carrying sensing signal ceases, or said signal time length of said long voltage signal expires, a dimming end point is thereby selected for locking in a light intensity level at said dimming end point, wherein said light intensity level selected is memorized by said microcontroller for repetitive performance;
• wherein when said illumination level switching control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal or a constant voltage signal interpretable to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is designed with an illumination level switching scheme comprising a plurality of different said conduction rates of said controllable switching circuitry, wherein when said microcontroller receives said first message carrying sensing signal or said second message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller operates to activate a pick and play process to perform a corresponding illumination level;
• wherein said microcontroller is an integrated circuit programmable for generating the control signal or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) custom made for generating said control signal.

An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

• an LED load, configured with a plurality of LEDs;
• a controllable switching circuitry, electrically connected between a power source and said LED load for delivering and controlling a DC power;
• a detection device, for detecting an external control signal and converting said
• external control signal into a message carrying sensing signal with a signal format;
• and
• a microcontroller, designed to interpret and execute said message carrying sensing signal generated by said detection device;
• wherein said microcontroller is electrically coupled with said controllable switching circuitry and said detection device, wherein said microcontroller controls a conduction state or a cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said message carrying sensing signal generated by said detection device;
• wherein when said controllable switching circuitry is in said conduction state, said
• microcontroller further controls a conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry for adjusting and setting an electric power transmission level from said power source to said LED load according to said message carrying sensing signal received from said detection device;
• wherein said detection device is a touchless interface, wherein when said microcontroller receives said message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller operates to activate a corresponding process according to said signal format of said message carrying sensing signal to perform at least one of illumination performance control modes including at least an on/off switch control mode, a dimming control mode and an illumination level switching control mode;
• wherein when said on/off control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal with a signal time length shorter than a preset time interval, wherein said microcontroller operates to alternately manage to switch between performing said conduction state and performing said cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said message sensing signal received;
• wherein when said dimming control mode is performed, said signal format is a long voltage signal with a signal time length longer than said preset time interval, wherein upon detecting said long voltage signal said microcontroller successively outputs control signals to gradually increase or decrease said conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry, wherein at a moment when said message carrying sensing signal ceases or said signal time length of said long voltage signal expires, a dimming end point is thereby selected for locking in a light intensity level at said dimming end point, wherein said light intensity level selected is memorized by said microcontroller for repetitive performance;
• wherein when said illumination level switching control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal or a constant voltage signal with a voltage value interpretable to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is designed with an illumination level switching scheme comprising a plurality of different said conduction rates of said controllable switching circuitry for respectively performing different illumination levels, wherein when said microcontroller receives said message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller operates to activate a pick and play process to perform a corresponding illumination level in said illumination level switching scheme according to a prearranged sequence of said pick and play process or according to said voltage value of said constant signal defined in said pick and play process;
• wherein said LED load in conjunction with a level setting of said DC power is designed with an adequate combination of said plurality of LEDs in series and/or in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of said LED load remains at an adequate level, and a voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of said LED;
• wherein Vth is a threshold voltage required to trigger said LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across said LED to avoid a thermal damage to an LED construction;
• and
• wherein said microcontroller is a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit.

An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

• an LED load, configured with a plurality of LEDs;
• a controllable switching circuitry, electrically connected between a power source and said LED load for controlling and delivering a DC power;
• a detection device, for detecting an external control signal and converting said
• external control signal into a message carrying sensing signal with a signal format;
• and
• a microcontroller, designed to interpret and execute said message carrying sensing signal received from said detection device;
• wherein said microcontroller is electrically coupled with said controllable switching circuitry and said detection device, wherein said microcontroller controls a conduction state or a cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said message carrying sensing signal received from said detection device;
• wherein when said controllable switching circuitry is in said conduction state, said microcontroller further controls a conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry for adjusting and setting an electric power transmission level from said power source to said LED load according to said message carrying sensing signal received from said detection device;
• wherein said detection device is a direct touch interface, wherein when said microcontroller receives said message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller operates to activate a corresponding process to perform at least one of illumination performance control modes including at least an on/off switch control mode, a dimming control mode and an illumination level switching control mode according said signal format of said message carrying sensing signal;
• wherein when said on/off control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal with a signal time length shorter than a preset time interval, wherein said microcontroller manages to alternately perform between said conduction state and said cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry according to said message sensing signal received;
• wherein when said dimming control mode is performed, said signal format is a long voltage signal with a signal time length longer than said preset time interval, wherein upon detecting said long voltage signal said microcontroller successively outputs control signals to gradually increase or decrease said conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry, wherein at a moment when said message carrying sensing signal ceases or said signal time length of said long voltage signal expires, a dimming end point is thereby selected for locking in a light intensity level at said dimming end point, wherein said light intensity level selected is memorized by said microcontroller for repetitive performance;
• wherein when said illumination level switching control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal or a constant voltage signal with a voltage value interpretable and executable to said microcontroller, wherein said microcontroller is designed with an illumination level switching scheme comprising a plurality of different said conduction rates of said controllable switching circuitry to respectively perform different illumination levels, wherein when said microcontroller receives said message carrying sensing signal, said microcontroller operates to activate a pick and play process to alternately perform a corresponding illumination level in said illumination level switching scheme according to a prearranged sequence of said pick and play process or according to said voltage value of said constant signal defined in said pick and play process;
• wherein said LED load in conjunction with a level setting of said DC power is designed with an adequate combination of said plurality of LEDs in series and/or in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of said LED load remains at an adequate level, and a voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of said LED;
• wherein Vth is a threshold voltage required to trigger said LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across said LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction;
• and
• wherein said microcontroller is a programmable integrated circuit device or an application specific integrated circuit.

An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

• an LED load, configured with a plurality of LEDs;
• a controllable switching circuitry, electrically connected between a power source and said LED load for controlling and delivering a DC power to said LED load;
• and
• a detection device, for detecting an external control signal generated by an external control device and converting said external control signal into a message carrying sensing signal with a signal format;
• wherein said controllable switching circuitry is an application specific integrated circuit designed to perform multi switching functions including a power supply management function, a power loading and control function and a controller function;
• wherein said controllable switching circuitry is electrically coupled with said detection device, wherein said external control device working in conjunction with said detection device controls a conduction state or a cutoff state of said controllable switching circuitry thru said message carrying sensing signal generated by said detection device;
• wherein when said controllable switching circuitry is in said conduction state, said external control device further controls a conduction rate of said controllable switching circuitry for adjusting and setting an electric power level delivered to said LED load thru said message carrying sensing signal generated by said detection device;
• wherein when said controllable switching circuitry receives said message carrying sensing signal, said controllable switching circuitry operates to activate a corresponding process to perform at least one of illumination performance control modes including at least an on/off switch control mode, a dimming control mode and an illumination level switching control mode according said signal format of said message carrying sensing signal;
• wherein when said on/off control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal with a signal time length shorter than a preset time interval, wherein said switching circuitry operates to alternately perform between said conduction state and said cutoff state according to said message sensing signal received;
• wherein when said dimming control mode is performed, said signal format is a long voltage signal with a signal time length longer than said preset time interval, wherein upon detecting said long voltage signal said controllable switching circuitry operates to gradually increase or decrease said conduction rate to adjust said electric power level delivered to said LED load, wherein at a moment when said message carrying sensing signal ceases or said signal time length of said long voltage signal expires, a dimming end point is thereby selected for locking in a light intensity level at said dimming end point, wherein said light intensity level selected is memorized for repetitive performance;
• wherein when said illumination level switching control mode is performed, said signal format is a short voltage signal or a constant voltage signal with a voltage value interpretable and executable to said controllable switching circuitry, wherein said controllable switching circuitry is designed with an illumination level switching scheme comprising a plurality of different said conduction rates of said controllable switching circuitry, wherein when said controllable switching circuitry receives said message carrying sensing signal, said controllable switching circuitry operates to activate a pick and play process to perform a corresponding illumination level according to said format of said message carrying sensing signal;
• wherein said LED load in conjunction with a level setting of said DC power is designed with an adequate combination of said plurality of LEDs in series and/or in parallel connections such that an electric current passing through each LED of said LED load remains at an adequate level, and a voltage V across each LED complies with a constraint of Vth<V<Vmax featuring electrical characteristics of said LED;
• wherein Vth is a threshold voltage required to trigger said LED to start emitting light and Vmax is a maximum operating voltage across said LED to avoid a thermal damage to LED construction.