Systems, methods, and apparatuses for using a high current switching device as a logic level sensor

A method to permit a line voltage switching device operable at a first voltage and a first current to provide, when in an electrically continuous state, an output signal to a high-impedance controller input used to control the delivery of power at the first voltage from a line voltage source to a load device, the method comprising:

• receiving a line voltage signal at a first node, the first node electrically, communicably, coupled to the line voltage switching device, the line voltage signal indicative of the presence of the line voltage switching device in the electrically continuous state;
• communicating a first output at the first voltage and including at least a first portion of the line voltage signal received at the first interface at a second node, the second node electrically, communicably, coupled through at least one first capacitive device to the first node;
• introducing at least a second portion of the line voltage signal received at the first node to a voltage divider electrically, communicably, coupled to the first node, the voltage divider including at least a first resistive device serially electrically coupled to a second resistive device;
• and
• communicating the output signal including at least a portion of the second portion of the line voltage signal to the high-impedance controller input via a third node, the third node electrically, communicably, coupled between the first resistive device and the second resistive device, the output signal at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage and at a second current that is lower than the first current, the output signal indicative of the line voltage switching device in the electrically continuous state.

An apparatus to permit a photosensitive line voltage switching device operated at a first voltage and controlling the operation of a solid state illumination device to provide a first output signal at the first voltage to an electrically coupled circuit and a signal output to a controller high-impedance input, the signal output indicative of the photosensitive line voltage switching device maintaining an electrically continuous state, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one first node that receives a voltage signal at the first voltage and the first current from the photosensitive line switching device when the photosensitive line switching device is placed in at least one electrically continuous state;
• at least one second node that provides the first output signal to the electrically coupled circuit including the solid state illumination device, the at least one second node electrically coupled through at least one first capacitive device to the at least one first interface, the first output signal including at least a first portion of the voltage signal at the first voltage;
• at least one voltage divider that accepts at least a second portion of the voltage signal at the first voltage, the at least one voltage divider electrically coupled to the at least one first interface, the at least one voltage divider including at least a first resistive device serially electrically coupled to a second resistive device;
• at least one third node that provides the signal output indicative of the photosensitive line voltage switching device being placed in the given electrically continuous state to the high-impedance controller input, the at least one third node electrically coupled between the first resistive device and the second resistive device, the signal output at a second voltage that is lower than the first voltage.