Dual mode analog and digital LED dimming via mains voltage

A controller for a lamp assembly, comprising:

• a mains sensing unit arranged to sense a mains voltage supplied to the lamp assembly;
• a waveform evaluation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to generate a light control signal based on the mains voltage waveform;
• a demodulation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to demodulate a digital data signal modulated onto the mains voltage;
• a control unit arranged to generate a drive signal to drive a light source of the lamp assembly based on the determined light control signal or the demodulated digital data signal;
• a load controller coupled with the mains sensing unit and a loading unit to apply a configurable load to the mains voltage, the load controller arranged to control the configurable load based on the mains phase angle,
• and
• an arbitration unit coupled at least with the demodulation unit and arranged to decide an operation mode of the controller, the control unit coupled with the arbitration unit and arranged to generate the drive signal depending on the decided operation mode.

A lamp assembly comprising:

• a controller for a lamp assembly, comprising:
• a mains sensing unit arranged to sense a mains voltage supplied to the lamp assembly;
• a waveform evaluation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to generate a light control signal based on the mains voltage waveform;
• a demodulation unit coupled with the mains sensing unit and arranged to demodulate a digital data signal modulated onto the mains voltage;
• a control unit arranged to generate a drive signal to drive a light source of the lamp assembly based on the determined light control signal or the demodulated digital data signal;
• and
• a load controller coupled with the mains sensing unit and a loading unit to apply a configurable load to the mains voltage, the load controller arranged to control the configurable load based on the mains phase angle;
• a loading unit;
• a switched mode power converter;
• and
• a light source,
• wherein the loading unit and the switched mode power converter have a common transistor element that can be driven in a linear mode to operate the configurable load to the mains voltage and in an on/off mode to control the switched mode power converter.