# US 8,786,212 B2 · Lighting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,212 B2 - Document ID: US8786212B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/386,315 - Filed: 2010-07-15 - Published: 2012-10-25 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-07-21 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Noriaki Terazawa - Inventors: Noriaki Terazawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786212B2 ## CPC - H05B 45/14: using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules - H05B 45/10: Controlling the intensity of the light - H05B 45/375: using buck topology - H05B 47/10: Controlling the light source - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A lighting apparatus includes a power unit supplied with power; an emission unit to be lit with power supplied from the power unit, with a light quantity of the emission unit being controlled in accordance with a control signal; and a power control part lighting the emission unit after the control signal is supplied. Since the emission unit may be lit after the control signal is supplied, the emission unit may be lit with a light quantity in accordance with the control signal from an initial stage, and hence a user may be prevented from feeling uncomfortable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lighting apparatus comprising: a power unit supplied with power; a light source to be lit with the power supplied from the power unit, a light quantity of the light source being controlled on the basis of a control signal; a lighting unit lighting the light source after the control signal is supplied; a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source predetermined time after the detected voltage becomes a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is a minimum operation voltage of the light source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED. ### Claim 5 A lighting apparatus comprising: a power unit supplied with power; a light source to be lit with the power supplied from the power unit, a light quantity of the light source being controlled on the basis of a control signal; a lighting unit lighting the light source after the control signal is supplied; a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source when the detected voltage is not less than a set value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the set value is a value of the supply voltage supplied to the power unit when the control signal is supplied. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The lighting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the light source is an LED. ### Claim 9 A lighting apparatus in which a light quantity of a light source to be lit with power supplied from a power unit is controlled on the basis of a control signal, comprising: a lighting unit lighting the light source after the control signal is supplied in order to allow the light source to light with a light quantity in accordance with the control signal from an initial stage; a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source predetermined time after the detected voltage becomes a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The lighting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined value is a minimum operation voltage of the light source. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The lighting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The lighting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the light source is an LED. ### Claim 13 A lighting apparatus in which a light quantity of a light source to be lit with power supplied from a power unit is controlled on the basis of a control signal, comprising: a lighting unit lighting the light source after the control signal is supplied in order to allow the light source to light with a light quantity in accordance with the control signal from an initial stage; a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source when the detected voltage is not less than a set value. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The lighting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the set value is a value of the supply voltage supplied to the power unit when the control signal is supplied. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The lighting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The lighting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the light source is an LED. ### Claim 17 A lighting apparatus comprising: a power unit externally supplied with power; and a light source to be lit with the power supplied from the power unit, with a light quantity of the light source being controlled on the basis of a control signal externally supplied, wherein power supply to the light source from the power unit is delayed, by predetermined time or more, from start of power supply to the power unit, the lighting apparatus further comprising: a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source predetermined time after the detected voltage becomes a predetermined value or more. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined value is a minimum operation voltage of the light source. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the light source is an LED. ### Claim 21 A lighting apparatus comprising: a power unit externally supplied with power; a light source to be lit with the power supplied from the power unit, with a light quantity of the light source being controlled on the basis of a control signal externally supplied, wherein power supply to the light source from the power unit is delayed, by predetermined time or more, from start of power supply to the power unit, the lighting apparatus further comprising: a supply voltage detection part detecting a supply voltage externally supplied to the power unit; and a power control part controlling the power unit for supplying power to the light source in accordance with the detected voltage detected by the supply voltage detection part, wherein the power control part supplies power to the light source when the detected voltage is not less than a set value. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The lighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the set value is a value of the supply voltage supplied to the power unit when the control signal is supplied. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The lighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the power control part gradually increases (or gradually decreases) a current and/or a voltage to be supplied to the light source in accordance with start (or finish) of power supply to the power unit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The lighting apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the light source is an LED.