Abstract:
An LED driver is presented with a sensing circuit and attenuator circuits to provide three-way switched dimming as well as phase-cut dimming to control the output power driving an LED load allowing installation into conventional three-way switched lamp sockets or in sockets wired to a wall or table mounted phase-cutting dimmer control. When installed in a three way socket, the circuit senses the position of the three way switch and changes the lamp current accordingly. The lamp can also be dimmed by a table-top dimmer or a wall dimmer (in a three-way socket or in a conventional dual contact socket) by applying a phase-cut power input, with the driver circuit including circuitry to sense the average value of a phase-cut power line to adjust lamp current.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Three-level switched dimming continues to be popular for incandescent bulbs and associated lamp switches. Three-way incandescent bulbs include two filaments and the corresponding lamp switches provide a switching sequence for off-low-medium-high settings by selectively applying power to one or both of the filaments. For the lowest setting, one filament is powered (e.g., a 50-watt filament). For the next setting, the second filament is powered (e.g., a 100-watt filament), and for the highest light output, both filaments are powered (e.g., for a total of 150 watts in this example). Continuous dimming of incandescent lamps is typically accomplished using triac-equipped wall or table-top dimmer circuits connected in line with the lamp bulb, using so-called “phase cut” dimming where a portion of the line AC waveform is essentially removed in each AC cycle to reduce the light output. Integral electronic lamps such as compact fluorescent designs (CFLs) and LED lamps have recently become more popular in which the lamp includes electronic driver circuitry to generate high frequency AC power to drive a fluorescent light source or DC to drive one or more LEDs. These devices can be used in conventional lamps designed for incandescent bulbs and may include dimming circuitry allowing the light output to be adjusted by phase-cut dimming (triac control), but these phase-cut dimmable electronic lamps cannot be dimmed using a 3-way dimming socket switch. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure provides three-way phase-cut dimmable LED driver circuitry allowing installation into conventional three-way switched lamp sockets or in sockets wired to a wall to table mounted phase-cutting dimmer control. When installed in a three way socket, the circuit senses the position of the three way switch and changes the lamp current accordingly. The lamp can also be dimmed by a table-top dimmer or a wall dimmer (in a three-way socket or in a conventional dual contact socket) by applying a phase-cut power input, with the driver circuit including circuitry to sense the average value of a phase-cut power line to adjust lamp current. 
     An LED driver is provided, with a rectifier circuit with three AC inputs and a power switch driven by a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller to control application of power to an LED light source. The PWM controller includes an amplifier input, a gain input, and a pulse width modulator with a drive output providing a pulse width modulated control signal to the power switch to set the output power level base at least in part on the amplifier input and the gain input. A sensing circuit is coupled with first and third AC inputs and provides a sensor signal to the PWM controller gain input at a first level if an input voltage is applied to the third AC input terminal and at a lower second level if no input voltage is applied to the third AC input terminal. The driver also includes first and second attenuator circuits to selectively attenuate the voltages at the gain input and the amplifier input, respectively. The first attenuator circuit selectively reduces the voltage at the PWM controller gain input if an input voltage is applied to the second AC input terminal to decrease the output power, and the second attenuator reduces the voltage of the amplifier input if an input voltage is applied to the third AC input terminal to increase the power provided to the at least one LED light source. In this manner, the driver sets the LED power according to the application of input voltage to the three input terminals to accommodate dimming control in a three-way switched lamp socket. 
     In certain embodiments, the pulse width modulator provides the pulse width modulated control signal to set a dimmable level of output power if a phase-cut signal is applied to the first and second AC input terminals, thus also accommodating external phase-cut dimming control. 
     In certain embodiments, the sensing circuit includes first and second resistances, with the first resistance coupled between the first AC input terminal and the gain input of the pulse width modulation controller, and the second resistance coupled between the third AC input terminal and the gain input. The sensing circuit in these embodiments provides the sensor signal to the gain input as a half-wave rectified waveform if an input voltage is applied to only one of the second and as a full-wave rectified waveform if an input voltage is applied to both of the second and third AC input terminals. 
     In certain embodiments, the first attenuator circuit includes a resistance and a switching device, with the resistance having a first terminal coupled with the gain input of the pulse width modulation controller. The first attenuator switching device includes a control input terminal operative according to a voltage applied to the second AC input terminal to selectively couple the second terminal of the attenuator resistance to a circuit ground to reduce a voltage of the gain input if an input voltage is applied to the second AC input terminal. 
     In certain embodiments, the second attenuator circuit includes a second attenuator resistance and a second attenuator switching device. The second attenuator resistance has a first terminal coupled with the PWM controller amplifier input, and the second attenuator switching device has a control input terminal operative according to a voltage applied to the third AC input terminal to selectively couple the second terminal of the resistance to ground to reduce a voltage of the amplifier input if an input voltage is applied to the third AC input terminal. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       One or more exemplary embodiments are set forth in the following detailed description and the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary LED driver circuit having three AC input terminals, a sensing circuit and two attenuator circuits for dimming of the LED output power according to power applied by a three-way switched lamp socket or according to phase-cut power applied to two of the inputs; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the LED lamp connected with a phase-cut dimmer for dimming operation; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a three-way dimmable incandescent bulb showing three AC input terminals on an Edison base; 
         FIG. 4  is a table illustrating operation of the LED driver circuit of  FIG. 1  in four switched power conditions of a three-way switched lamp socket; 
         FIG. 5  is a graph showing waveform diagrams of voltages and currents in the driver circuit of  FIG. 1  in four switched power conditions of the three-way switched lamp socket; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating further details of an exemplary PWM controller in the driver circuit of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout and the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale.  FIG. 1  illustrates 
     An exemplary LED driver circuit  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 , which includes a three-terminal AC input stage, a rectifier circuit  104  converting input AC to a DC bus, and a DC-DC converter circuit  106  with a pulse width modulated switch Q 1  switching DC bus power via a transformer T 1  to drive an LED output. The illustrated circuit  100  includes a flyback type DC-DC converter  106  which converts DC power from the rectifier  104  to drive one or more LED light sources  108 , although other forms of pulse width modulation controlled converters  106  can be used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the driver  100  may be powered from a single-phase AC source  101  with dimming control via a phase-cut dimmer  200  coupled in series with the source  101  and the driver  100 . In this case, the socket connections to the driver are via two of three input terminals (e.g., a shell terminal “S” and an eyelet terminal “E” indicated in  FIG. 1 ), and the dimmer control  200  selectively cuts or interrupts current flow in portions of each cycle of the AC source  101  using a triac T 201  to dim the LED light output according to a user-adjustable resistance R 201 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ,  FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary three-way dimmable incandescent bulb  300  with three AC input terminals S, R, and E on an Edison base, which correspond to a shell connection S, a ring connection R, and an eyelet connection E, respectively, with insulation  320  between the contacts. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the bulb  300  has two filaments  301  and  302  connected with the input terminals via wires  311  (S),  312  (R), and  313  (E). A corresponding lamp socket (not shown) provides a switching sequence for off-low-medium-high settings by selective connection of single-phase AC power connections so as to provide input power to one or both of the filaments. These switched power connections are shown in table  400  of  FIG. 4  as settings  410 ,  420 ,  430 , and  440 , respectively. For the low setting  420 , the single phase AC source is connected to the shell S and the inner ring R to power the first filament  301 . For the medium setting  430 , the power is applied to the shell S and the eyelet E to energize the second filament  302 , and the highest setting  440  shorts the ring R to the eyelet E and connects one input to the shell S and the other input to the ring R/eyelet E such that both filaments  301  and  302  are powered for maximum light output. 
     In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the driver circuitry  100  is housed in a structure having an Edison base with three AC input terminals S, R, and E as shown in  FIG. 3 , corresponding to the first, second, and third AC input terminals S, R, and E illustrated in  FIG. 1 , such that the device  100  will operate in the four switch states  410 ,  420 ,  430 , and  440  shown in the table  400  of  FIG. 4 , where the table  400  in  FIG. 4  shows the switched single-phase power connections provided by a three-way dimming socket. In the illustrated embodiments, moreover, the configuration  430  provides the highest light output and the setting  440  provides a medium light output when the disclosed LED driver  100  is used, whereas these logical positions are reversed when a three-way incandescent bulb (such as that of  FIG. 3 ) is used. Such a three-terminal Edison base implementation can also be used in conjunctions with a phase cut dimmer  200  in the configuration shown in  FIG. 2  (in a conventional two-terminal socket or even in a three-terminal switched socket). 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , as illustrated and described below, the driver  100  provides dimming functionality by either or both of the phase-cut dimmer  200  and/or a three-way switchable socket. The driver  100  receives AC power from a single-phase input source, with the input AC power being applied to two or all of the set of three input terminals S, R, and E, where the applied power may be phase-cut. The circuit  100  includes a six-element rectifier bridge BR 1  operative to rectify AC input power applied to two or more of the input terminals S, R, and E to provide a Dc bus voltage across a capacitance C 2 , with a series inductance L 1  and a diode D 4  provided in an upper DC bus path after the capacitance C 2 , and a further capacitor C 24  is coupled across the DC bus after the diode D 4 . 
     A pulse width modulated power circuit  106  receives the DC bus voltage across C 4  and includes a flyback-type DC-DC converter circuit including transformer primary winding TC 1  and a power switch (e.g., MOSFET) Q 1  to generate a DC output to drive one or more LED light sources  108 . Q 1  operates according to a pulse width modulated control input signal applied by a PWM controller U 1  to a control gate G to control application of DC power to the LED load  108 . The controller U 1  includes an amplifier input INV coupled with an internal error amplifier, in this case used as a control to selectively set the internal amplifier output at terminal COMP of U 1 . The controller U 1  also includes a gain input MULT and an internal pulse width modulator with a drive output GD providing the PWM control signal to the gate G of Q 1  to set the output power level based at least in part on the amplifier input INV (as this affects the amplifier output COMP) and the gain input MULT, where  FIG. 6  illustrates internal details of an exemplary transition mode controller U 1 . A secondary circuit converts current from a secondary winding T 1 D of the transformer T 1  to DC output power to drive the LED load  108 . The secondary circuit includes an output capacitor C 9  and a rectifier diode D 8  positioned such that when current flows in the primary winding T 1 C (into the ‘dot’), the corresponding secondary current (out of the ‘dot’) in the winding T 1 D is blocked, causing the flux to build up in the core of the transformer T 1 , and conversely, the secondary current will flow from the winding T 1 D to the capacitor C 9  and the load  108  (and back into the ‘dot’ end of winding T 1 D) once the primary current stops for flyback operation. 
     The switch Q 1  is connected in series between the primary winding T 1 C and the circuit ground GND along with a series-connected sense resistor R 19 . As primary current flows through this series circuit, the current through R 19  provides a corresponding voltage Vs (relative to the circuit ground GND) across the sense resistor R 19  which is used by the controller U 1  for both cycle-to-cycle control of the primary current. The PWM controller U 1  also includes a comparator input CS coupled with an upper (first) terminal of a sense resistor R 19  to receive the sense voltage Vs indicating the primary winding current switched via Q 1 . The drive output GD provides a pulse width modulated control signal via resistor R 18  to the gate of Q 1  at least partially according to the amplifier input INV and the gain input MULT. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 6 , the PWM controller U 1  in certain embodiments is a transition mode power factor correction (PFC) controller such as an L6562 integrated circuit available from Intersil and STMicroeleetronics, providing a totem pole output stage for the PWM driver output GD. The device U 1  includes an on-board error amplifier with an inverting input INV and an output COMP to allow external connection of a compensation network between the INV and COMP pins. In the present embodiment, resistor R 16  and capacitor C 6  are connected as shown in  FIG. 1  with a resistor R 26  connected from the input INV to a circuit supply VDD. The multiplier input MULT is internally connected to a multiplier and THD optimizer circuit in U 1  to provide a sinusoidal inverting input to an internal pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator, with a non-inverting PWM comparator input being derived from the input CS (coupled to sense voltage Vs as seen in  FIG. 1 ). Although this is the usual application of the L6562, the disclosed embodiment in  FIG. 1  uses the multiplier and the error amplifier as simple gain blocks to change the current sense comparator trigger points, which varies the duty cycle of the gate drive signal GS and thus the level of the primary current. In this regard, the illustrated embodiment does not utilize the filter components C 6  and R 16  for compensation. Rather, R 16  and R 21  set the gain according to where in the line voltage is applied in the input bridge rectifier BR 1  by operation of the amplifier attenuation circuit  130 . The exemplary PWM controller U 1 , moreover, includes a PWM driver circuit providing the gate drive output GD based on the PWM comparator output, which is selectively enabled and disabled according to a zero-current detect input ZCD, as seen in  FIG. 6 . 
     In operation, the current flowing in Q 1  is sensed via the resistor R 19 , and the resulting voltage Vs is applied to the CS pin and compared with an internal sinusoidal-shaped reference, generated by the multiplier, to determine the MOSFET&#39;s turn-off. In practice, the gate drive output GD is selectively disabled according to the ZCD input signal status for transition-mode operation, where a negative-going edge triggers the MOSFET&#39;s turn-on. This advantageously allows connection to an optional zero current detection circuit  140  such that the switch Q 1  will turn on when the current through the primary winding T 1 C is zero. The ground pin GND provides a current return path for both the signal part and the gate driver circuitry of U 1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , moreover, the circuit  100  in certain embodiments may also include a zero crossing detection circuit  140  coupled with the transition mode PWM controller U 1 . The zero crossing detection circuit  140  includes sense windings T 1 A and T 1 B which are wound on the core of transformer T 1  and are thus magnetically coupled with the primary winding T 1 C, and the circuit further includes a center node connecting T 1 A and T 1 B with capacitor C 8 . The lower terminal of C 8  is coupled to VCC through diode D 6  and to ground through diode D 7 , and a bypass capacitor C 7  is connected from VCC to ground GND. The zero crossing circuit  130  senses a zero crossing condition of the primary winding T 1 C using the sense windings T 1 A and T 1 B and selectively provides a signal to the zero crossing detect input ZCD of the PWM controller U 1  via resistor R 14  indicating a sensed zero crossing condition of the primary winding T 1 C. 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , moreover, the illustrated embodiment also includes a capacitance C 10  coupled across the upper legs of the primary and secondary windings T 1 C and T 1 D. In addition, the circuit  100  may include a triac compatibility circuit  102  to provide an impedance for electronic type external phase-cut dimmers  200 . The illustrated circuit also includes a circuit at the input of the DC-DC converter stage  106  including a MOSFET Q 2  coupled between the upper DC bus line and VDD via resistor R 13 , with a gate coupled to the upper DC bus by resistor R 12  and to the circuit ground GND via a 15V zener diode D 5 . 
     A sensing circuit  110  ( FIG. 1 ) is coupled with the input terminals S and E and provides a sensor signal to the gain input MULT of U 1 . The MULT input is also selectively attenuated by a multiplier attenuator circuit  120 , where the combined effect of these circuits is seen in the table  400  of  FIG. 4  and in the V MULT curve  504  in the graph  500  of  FIG. 5 . In operation when the circuit  100  is installed in a three-way switched dimming socket, the sensor signal is provided to the gain input MULT at a first level if an input voltage is applied to the input terminal E (e.g., settings  430  and  440  in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and is otherwise provided at a lower second level if no input voltage is applied to terminal E (e.g., settings  410  and  420 ). The sensing circuit  110  in the illustrated embodiment generates the sensor signal via a resistor R 1  coupled between the first AC input terminal S and the gain input MULT and a second resistor R 2  coupled between input terminal E and the gain input MULT, with the resistors R 1  and R 2  forming a voltage divider with a resistor R 15  coupled from the MULT terminal to ground GND, and a filter capacitor C 5  connected in parallel across R 15 . In this manner, the sensing circuit  110  provides the sensor signal to the gain input MULT as a half-wave rectified waveform if the input voltage is connected to only one of the terminals R or E and the sensor signal is a full-wave rectified waveform (of higher amplitude) if an input voltage is applied to both terminals R and E. 
     The multiplier (first) attenuator circuit  120  has an input coupled with the input terminal R and an output coupled with the gain input MULT. The attenuator  120  selectively reduces (attenuates) the gain input voltage at the MULT terminal if an input voltage is applied to the input terminal R, thereby decreasing the PWM duty cycle and thus the LED output power. In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the first attenuator circuit  120  includes a resistor R 6  coupled between the gain input MULT and an attenuator switch Q 3  with Q 3  having a control gate operative according to the voltage applied to the input terminal R to selectively ground the lower terminal of R 6 . The illustrated circuit  120  includes a resistive divider formed by resistors R 3  and R 4  to scale the signal from the R terminal, as well as a filter capacitor C 1  coupled from the gate of Q 3  to ground. In operation, when an input voltage is applied to the AC input terminal R (e.g., the low and medium switch settings  420  and  440  in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), the first attenuator circuit  120  reduces the voltage of the gain input MULT by coupling the lower terminal of R 6  to GND, where this attenuation is combined with the sensing signal provided by the sensing circuit  110  to set the gain input provided to the PWM controller U 1 . 
     The driver  100  of  FIG. 1  also includes a second (amplifier) attenuator circuit  130  with a resistor R 21  coupled between the amplifier inverting input INV and a second attenuator switch Q 4 , with the source of Q 4  grounded. The gate of Q 4  is coupled with the third AC input terminal E via a divider formed by resistors R 7  and R 8  and a filter capacitor C 3 , and Q 4  is operated if a voltage is applied to the terminal E (e.g., the high and medium settings  430  and  440  in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) to selectively ground the lower terminal of R 21 . With R 21  grounded, the voltage at the amplifier input INV remains constant and current flows into R 21 . This current is approximately equal to the internal reference voltage divided by the value of R 21 . The internal reference voltage is about 2.5 Volts for the illustrated L6562 controller. The flow of current through R 21  causes more current to flow through R 16 , thus raising the output voltage of the internal error amplifier, observable at the COMP pin. A higher amplifier output voltage of the internal error amplifier of U 1  increase the threshold level of the internal current sense comparator, increasing the pulse width modulated drive signal duty cycle and thus allowing more current to flow into the LED array  108 . Thus, the voltage at the COMP pin of U 1  changes depending on whether R 21  is grounded (e.g., whether Q 4  is on or off), which in turn is determined by whether or not power is applied to the eyelet input E. In this embodiment, therefore, when power is applied to the E input terminal (high and medium settings  430  and  440  in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ), the COMP terminal of U 1  (driven by the internal error amplifier output) is at its maximum value, and when no power is applied to the E terminal (low setting  420 ), the COMP output is at a level just below the 2.5 volt internal reference due to R 26 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the table  400  in  FIG. 4  shows operation of the circuit  110  in association with a 3-way switched dimming socket having four switching states  410 ,  420 ,  430 , and  440 . As discussed above, these switch states generally correspond to an off-low-medium-high switch sequence for dimming an ordinary dimmable incandescent bulb of the type shown in  FIG. 3 . For the dimmable LED driver  100 , in contrast, the third state  430  provides maximum light output and the fourth state  440  provides a medium light output setting. In each of the three powered states  420 ,  430 , and  440 , moreover, the light output can be further modified by phase-cut dimming. In operation, the gain input MULT and the amplifier input INV of the PWM controller U 1  are modified by operation of the sense circuit  110  and the two attenuator circuits  120  and  130  (with the INV attenuation affecting the COMP voltage as described above) according to the connection of the AC input to certain of the input terminals S, R, E. 
     Regarding the sense circuit  110  and the multiplier attenuator  120 ,  FIG. 5  shows voltage waveforms for the driver  100 , including the drain-source voltage  502  (VDS Q 3 ) across the first attenuator switch Q 3 , and the voltage  504  (VMULT) at the gain input MULT of the PWM controller.  FIG. 5  further shows waveforms associated with operation of the amplifier attenuator  130 , including the drain-source voltage  506  (VDS Q 4 ) across the second attenuator switch Q 4  and the voltage  508  (V COMP) at the amplifier output, as well as the LED output current  510  (I LED). 
     In the first powered setting  420  (for low LED light output), the single-phase AC input voltage is applied across the shell S and ring R terminals, and the nominal sensing circuit output signal is essentially at half gain in certain embodiments based on a half-wave rectified voltage (no voltage is applied to the E terminal in this case), with the multiplier attenuator  120  being activated by the application of power to the R terminal. This first attenuator activation turns Q 3  on, thereby reducing (attenuating) the sense signal from the circuit  110 , with the gain input  504  (V MULT) being at a first level (attenuated half-wave) as shown in  FIG. 5 . Also at the low setting  420 , the amplifier attenuator circuit  130  is inactive (Q 4  off) since no voltage is applied to the E terminal, and the output  508  of the PWM controller error amplifier is just below the internal reference voltage level because of resistor R 26 . Consequently, the LED output current  510  is at a low level at the low socket switch setting  420 . 
     In the high setting  430 , the eyelet and shell terminals E and S are coupled to the AC input. Since the sense circuit  110  is coupled to both these terminals, the nominal sensor output signal is at full gain based on a full-wave rectified voltage. Moreover, since the ring terminal R is not powered, the multiplier attenuator circuit  120  is inactive (Q 3  off), whereby the unattenuated full wave sensor signal  504  is provided at the PWM controller gain input MULT. In addition, the amplifier attenuator circuit  130  is active, with Q 4  being switched on by application of power to the E terminal. This grounds resistor R 21  to cause the COMP signal  508  to rise, thus increasing the driver output power delivered to the LED(s)  108 . The composite effect of the circuits  110 ,  120 , and  130  in this case results in maximum power being provided to the load  108  for the highest light output setting. 
     In the medium setting  440 . the eyelet and shell terminals E and S are again coupled to the AC input and the nominal sensor output signal is at full gain based on a full-wave rectified voltage. However, since the power is also applied to the ring terminal R, the multiplier attenuator circuit  120  is activated, causing Q 3  to turn on and thus attenuate the gain input signal  504  to an attenuated full wave level as seen in  FIG. 5 . In this situation, moreover, the amplifier attenuator  130  is also on, with Q 4  grounding R 21  to cause the COMP voltage  508  to remain at the same high level as in setting  430 . The combined effects of the circuits  110 ,  120 , and  130  in the medium setting  440  thus provides an intermediate output power being delivered by the secondary circuit and the LED(s)  108  provides an intermediate (medium) lumen output. 
     Moreover, in operation with the device  100  installed in a socket coupled to a wall or table mounted dimmer  200  ( FIG. 2 ), the PWM drive signal GD responds to changes in the AC input waveform resulting from phase-cutting by operation of the sensing circuit  110  (whether the AC input power is applied to one or both of the ring and/or eyelet terminals (R, E) in providing the sensor signal to the gain input MULT. Thus, the PWM duty cycle is modified according to the amount of phase-cutting. As a result, with or without switch settings of a switched socket, the pulse width modulator provides the PWM control signal to set the dimmable level of output power based on application of a phase-cut signal to the driver  100 . 
     The above examples are merely illustrative of several possible embodiments of various aspects of the present disclosure, wherein equivalent alterations and/or modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, systems, circuits, and the like), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component, such as hardware, processor-executed software, or combinations thereof, which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the illustrated implementations of the disclosure. Although a particular feature of the disclosure may have been illustrated and/or described with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Furthermore, references to singular components or items are intended, unless otherwise specified, to encompass two or more such components or items. Also, to the extent that the terms “including”, “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, or variants thereof are used in the detailed description and/or in the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising”. The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations.