Apparatus and method for transmitting foward/receiving dimming control signal and up/down encoding manner using a common user power line

An apparatus for receiving a dimming signal in an up/down encoding manner using a common use power line, comprising:

• power supply means connected to an AC single-phase common use power line, for supplying power to the system;
• zero-crossing detection means connected to said power supply means, for detecting a zero phase of a sinusoidal wave on said power line and generating an interrupt signal upon detecting the zero phase;
• clock oscillating means for generating a desired frequency of clock pulse signal;
• control means for performing a control operation in response to the clock pulse signal from said clock oscillating means, the control operation including reading encoded electronic ballast group number up/down information and dimming up/down information received through said AC single-phase common use power line, outputting a digital dimming control signal on the basis of the read electronic ballast group number up/down information and dimming up/down information in response to the interrupt signal from said zero-crossing detection means;
• and
• digital/analog conversion means for converting the digital dimming control signal from the control means into an analog signal.

A method of transmitting a dimming control signal in an up/down encoding manner in a system for remotely controlling electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps using an AC single phase common use power line, comprising the steps of:

• (a) encoding a dimming control value and a number of a desired electronic ballast group into binary data in the up/down manner when they are set by the user and setting the encoded binary data as transmission data;
• (b) calculating time from an interrupt point till a restoration point of an erased portion of a signal waveform on said Ac single phase common use power line and transmitting the transmission data through said AC single phase common use power line for the calculated time;
• and
• (c) receiving the transmission data and performing a dimming control operation on the basis of dimming up/down information and electronic ballast group number up/down information of the received data.