Patent Publication Number: US-11659640-B2

Title: Lighting apparatus

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention is related to a lighting apparatus, and more particularly related to a lighting apparatus with a flexible control interface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The time when the darkness is being lighten up by the light, human have noticed the need of lighting up this planet. Light has become one of the necessities we live with through the day and the night. During the darkness after sunset, there is no natural light, and human have been finding ways to light up the darkness with artificial light. From a torch, candles to the light we have nowadays, the use of light have been changed through decades and the development of lighting continues on. 
     Early human found the control of fire which is a turning point of the human history. Fire provides light to bright up the darkness that have allowed human activities to continue into the darker and colder hour of the hour after sunset. Fire gives human beings the first form of light and heat to cook food, make tools, have heat to live through cold winter and lighting to see in the dark. 
     Lighting is now not to be limited just for providing the light we need, but it is also for setting up the mood and atmosphere being created for an area. Proper lighting for an area needs a good combination of daylight conditions and artificial lights. There are many ways to improve lighting in a better cost and energy saving. LED lighting, a solid-state lamp that uses light-emitting diodes as the source of light, is a solution when it comes to energy-efficient lighting. LED lighting provides lower cost, energy saving and longer life span. 
     The major use of the light emitting diodes is for illumination. The light emitting diodes is recently used in light bulb, light strip or light tube for a longer lifetime and a lower energy consumption of the light. The light emitting diodes shows a new type of illumination which brings more convenience to our lives. Nowadays, light emitting diode light may be often seen in the market with various forms and affordable prices. 
     After the invention of LEDs, the neon indicator and incandescent lamps are gradually replaced. However, the cost of initial commercial LEDs was extremely high, making them rare to be applied for practical use. Also, LEDs only illuminated red light at early stage. The brightness of the light only could be used as indicator for it was too dark to illuminate an area. Unlike modern LEDs which are bound in transparent plastic cases, LEDs in early stage were packed in metal cases. 
     In 1878, Thomas Edison tried to make a usable light bulb after experimenting different materials. In November 1879, Edison filed a patent for an electric lamp with a carbon filament and keep testing to find the perfect filament for his light bulb. The highest melting point of any chemical element, tungsten, was known by Edison to be an excellent material for light bulb filaments, but the machinery needed to produce super-fine tungsten wire was not available in the late 19th century. Tungsten is still the primary material used in incandescent bulb filaments today. 
     Early candles were made in China in about 200 BC from whale fat and rice paper wick. They were made from other materials through time, like tallow, spermaceti, colza oil and beeswax until the discovery of paraffin wax which made production of candles cheap and affordable to everyone. Wick was also improved over time that made from paper, cotton, hemp and flax with different times and ways of burning. Although not a major light source now, candles are still here as decorative items and a light source in emergency situations. They are used for celebrations such as birthdays, religious rituals, for making atmosphere and as a decor. 
     Illumination has been improved throughout the times. Even now, the lighting device we used today are still being improved. From the illumination of the sun to the time when human can control fire for providing illumination which changed human history, we have been improving the lighting source for a better efficiency and sense. From the invention of candle, gas lamp, electric carbon arc lamp, kerosene lamp, light bulb, fluorescent lamp to LED lamp, the improvement of illumination shows the necessity of light in human lives. 
     There are various types of lighting apparatuses. When cost and light efficiency of LED have shown great effect compared with traditional lighting devices, people look for even better light output. It is important to recognize factors that can bring more satisfaction and light quality and flexibility. 
     Lighting devices are widely used in various places. It is important to provide a flexible control to light devices. 
     Even wireless control is more and more popular in current light device design, it is still very important to keep a wall switch. When the LED technology allows color mixing, it is favorable to provide a control by the wall switch. In addition, the light intensity is usually provided via a rotation switch. 
     It is therefore important to find a way to integrate multiple control methods in a compact light device design. Lighting devices are widely used in various places. It is important to provide a flexible control to light devices. 
     Even wireless control is more and more popular in current light device design, it is still very important to keep a wall switch. When the LED technology allows color mixing, it is favorable to provide a control by the wall switch. In addition, the light intensity is usually provided via a rotation switch. 
     It is therefore important to find a way to integrate multiple control methods in a compact light device design. Lighting devices are widely used in various places. It is important to provide a flexible control to light devices. 
     Even wireless control is more and more popular in current light device design, it is still very important to keep a wall switch. When the LED technology allows color mixing, it is favorable to provide a control by the wall switch. In addition, the light intensity is usually provided via a rotation switch. 
     It is therefore important to find a way to integrate multiple control methods in a compact light device design. Lighting devices are widely used in various places. It is important to provide a flexible control to light devices. 
     Even wireless control is more and more popular in current light device design, it is still very important to keep a wall switch. When the LED technology allows color mixing, it is favorable to provide a control by the wall switch. In addition, the light intensity is usually provided via a rotation switch. 
     It is therefore important to find a way to integrate multiple control methods in a compact light device design. 
     SUMMARY 
     In some embodiments, a lighting apparatus includes a light source, a silicon controlled rectifier, a rectifier and a current source circuit. 
     The light source has multiple LED modules with different light parameters. 
     The silicon controlled rectifier filters a filtering ratio of an input AC power to a filtered AC power. 
     The filtering ratio is associated with a control angle by supplying a control voltage to the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     The control angle determines a volume of the filtered AC power. 
     The rectifier is coupled to the silicon controlled rectifier for converting the filtered AC power to a DC power. 
     The maintainer circuit maintains a working current to the silicon controlled rectifier even when the control angle is large causing the volume of the filtered AC power less than a threshold. 
     The current source circuit receives the DC power. 
     The current source circuit has a wall switch input for connecting to a wall switch. 
     An on-off input pattern of the wall switch is detected by the current source circuit for generating multiple corresponding driving currents respectively supplied to the multiple LED modules to generate a mixed light parameter. 
     In some embodiments, the rectifier is a bridge rectifier with a bridge input end coupled to the filtered AC power of the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier has three terminals. 
     One of the three terminals receives the control voltage. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier is turned on by the control voltage to allow the volume of the filtered AC power to pass through the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     In some embodiments, when the silicon controlled rectifier is turned on, a basic current is needed to keep the silicon controlled rectifier to be turned on. 
     The working current is larger than the basic current. 
     In some embodiments, the working current keeps the silicon controlled rectifier to be stable on turning on even when the volume of the filtered AC power less than the threshold. 
     In some embodiments, the maintainer circuit includes a compatible circuit and a maintaining power circuit. 
     The maintaining power circuit receives the DC power to generate the working current. 
     In some embodiments, the compatible circuit includes a capacitor and a resistor connected in series. 
     In some embodiments, the on-off pattern is a series of predetermined turn-on and turn-off operations applied to the wall switch. 
     In some embodiments, the series of predetermined turn-on and turn-off operations are performed within an operation time period. 
     In some embodiments, there are multiple sets of the on-off patterns corresponding to multiple settings for operating the multiple LED modules. 
     In some embodiments, a different time gap between turn-on and turn-off operations of the wall switch is associated to the different mixed light parameter. 
     In some embodiments, the mixed light parameter is a color temperature setting. 
     In some embodiments, the mixed light parameter is a color setting. 
     In some embodiments, the current source circuit has a controller for determining the multiple driving currents according to a table. 
     The table records parameters of the silicon controlled rectifier and the on-off pattern. 
     In some embodiments, the table is adjustable according to different silicon controlled rectifier and different LED modules. 
     In some embodiments, the current source circuit automatically adjusts the table according to the connected silicon controlled rectifier when the current source circuit is in a reset procedure. 
     In some embodiments, a bypass path is connecting the rectifier and the input AC power to selectively bypass the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier is a TRIAC component. 
     In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus may also include a wireless circuit for receiving an external command to bypass an operation of the wall switch. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a circuit embodiment of a lighting apparatus. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates another circuit embodiment of the lighting apparatus. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a detailed circuit example of a lighting apparatus embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a wall switch mode selection unit. 
         FIG.  5    shows a lighting apparatus circuit example. 
         FIG.  6    shows a control angle diagram. 
         FIG.  7    shows a table control design. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In  FIG.  5   , a lighting apparatus includes a light source  610 , a silicon controlled rectifier  601 , a rectifier  602  and a current source circuit  607 . 
     The light source  610  has multiple LED modules, e.g. the first LED module  608  and the second LED module  609 , with different light parameters. For example, the first LED module  608  and the second LED module  609  emit lights of different colors and/or different color temperatures. By supplying different ratios of currents to the first LED module  608  and the second LED module  609 , a different light parameter is mixed. More than two types of LED modules may be disposed in the light source  610 . 
     The silicon controlled rectifier  601  filters a filtering ratio of an input AC power  600  to a filtered AC power  613 . 
     The filtering ratio is associated with a control angle by supplying a control voltage to the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     Please refer to  FIG.  6   .  FIG.  6    shows a control example of a silicon controlled rectifier. In  FIG.  6   , a control voltage  701  is turned in a desired timing. For AC power source, a repeated sine pattern of voltage changes is illustrated as shown in  FIG.  6   . For each period, there are 360 degrees. Before the control voltage  701  is raised, the silicon controlled rectifier stops the input AC power to pass through. When the control voltage  701  is raised, the input AC power is allowed to pass as a filtered AC power. The filtered AC power is a partial amount of the overall input AC power. Specifically, the input AC power  704  is filtered while the other input AC power  705  is allowed to pass. 
     The filtered AC power is corresponding to the control angle  702 , e.g. 30 degrees, compared with a conductive angle  703 , e.g. 150 degrees. The control angle  702  and the conductive angle  703  together are summed 180 degrees for a half circle of a AC power period. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  6   , the control angle determines a volume of the filtered AC power. 
     In  FIG.  5   , the rectifier  602  is coupled to the silicon controlled rectifier  601  for converting the filtered AC power  613  to a DC power  614 . 
     The maintainer circuit  603  maintains a working current to the silicon controlled rectifier  601  even when the control angle is large causing the volume of the filtered AC power less than a threshold, e.g. less than 10% of a complete input AC power amount. 
     The current source circuit  607  receives the DC power  614 . 
     The current source circuit  607  has a wall switch input  632  for connecting to a wall switch  631 . The wall switch  631  is mounted on a wall with a wire or a wireless connection to the wall switch input  632  of the current source circuit  632 . 
     An on-off input pattern of the wall switch is detected by the current source circuit  607  for generating multiple corresponding driving currents  633 ,  634  respectively supplied to the multiple LED modules  608 ,  609  to generate a mixed light parameter. 
     In some embodiments, the rectifier  602  is a bridge rectifier with a bridge input end coupled to the filtered AC power  613  of the silicon controlled rectifier  601 . 
     Please refer to  FIG.  3   , the rectifier  20  is a bridge rectifier for converting an AC input to a DC output. 
     In  FIG.  1   , the silicon controlled rectifier has three terminals. One of the three terminals  6021  receives the control voltage. The terminal may be connected to a manual switch to generate a continuous value of control voltage. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier is turned on by the control voltage to allow the volume of the filtered AC power to pass through the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     In some embodiments, when the silicon controlled rectifier is turned on, a basic current is needed to keep the silicon controlled rectifier to be turned on. For example, some TRIAC are used and need 3-10 mA to keep a normal operation. Some TRIAC may need 100 to 1000 A to keep a normal operation. 
     The working current is larger than the basic current. 
     In some embodiments, the working current keeps the silicon controlled rectifier to be stable on turning on even when the volume of the filtered AC power less than the threshold. 
     In  FIG.  1   , the maintainer circuit  603  includes a compatible circuit  604  and a maintaining power circuit  605 . 
     The maintaining power circuit  603  receives the DC power to generate the working current. 
     In  FIG.  3   , the compatible circuit  30  includes a capacitor C 1  and a resistor R 1 , R 2  connected in series. 
     In  FIG.  3   , the maintenance power circuit  40  has resistors R 3 , R 4 , R 5  connected in parallel connecting to a chip U 1 . Another two resistors R 6  and R 7  are also connected to the chip U 1  for generating a working current to the silicon controlled rectifier  10 . 
     In  FIG.  3   , the current source circuit  50  has a resistor R 8 , a capacitor C 2 , a capacitor C 3 , resistors R 9 , R 10 , R 11 , R 12  connected to a chip U 2  for generating driving currents. 
     In some embodiments, the on-off pattern is a series of predetermined turn-on and turn-off operations applied to the wall switch. For example, when users turn on and then turn off the wall switch within two seconds, the on-off pattern may be defined and associated with an operation of color temperature switch. Each such on-off pattern may cause the current source circuit to change to a next color temperature setting by supplying different driving currents to different LED modules. 
     In some embodiments, the series of predetermined turn-on and turn-off operations are performed within an operation time period. 
     In some embodiments, there are multiple sets of the on-off patterns corresponding to multiple settings for operating the multiple LED modules. 
     In some embodiments, a different time gap between turn-on and turn-off operations of the wall switch is associated to the different mixed light parameter. For example, a time gap between two consecutive on-off operation may correspond a level of color temperature change. A longer time gap may be associated to a larger change. 
     In some embodiments, the mixed light parameter is a color temperature setting. 
     In some embodiments, the mixed light parameter is a color setting. 
     In some embodiments, the current source circuit has a controller for determining the multiple driving currents according to a table. 
     In  FIG.  7   , a control circuit  706  in the current source circuit may retrieve a table  710 . The table  710  records a parameter  707  of the silicon controlled rectifier, a parameter  708  of a wall switch operation and a corresponding output driving currents  709 . 
     The table records parameters of the silicon controlled rectifier and the on-off pattern. 
     In some embodiments, the table is adjustable according to different silicon controlled rectifier and different LED modules. 
     In some embodiments, the current source circuit automatically adjusts the table according to the connected silicon controlled rectifier when the current source circuit is in a reset procedure. For example, a reset button may be provided to activate the adjustment. 
     In some embodiments, a bypass path is connecting the rectifier and the input AC power to selectively bypass the silicon controlled rectifier. In other words, the input AC power may be supplied to the rectifier instead of passing through the silicon controlled rectifier. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier may be provided by another source and is separate outside the lighting apparatus. 
     In some embodiments, the silicon controlled rectifier is a TRIAC component. 
     In  FIG.  7   , the lighting apparatus may also include a wireless circuit  731  for receiving an external command from a remote device  732  to bypass an operation of the wall switch. 
     In  FIG.  2   , another lighting apparatus embodiment is provided. In  FIG.  2   , a voltage stabilizer circuit  622  and a filter circuit  623  are provided to keep the voltage stable and to remove undesired noise. In addition, a ripple filter  621  is used for removing ripple wave from the current to keep the output light more stable. 
       FIG.  3    shows a Zener diode D 5  used to be the stabilizer circuit  70 .  FIG.  3    shows a capacitor C 7  as the filter circuit  80 . 
       FIG.  3    shows a combination of transistor Q 1 , Zener diodes D 2 , D 3 , D 4 , resistors R 13 , R 14 , capacitors C 4 , C 5  forming the ripple filter  60 . The light source  00  receives multiple driving currents to emit light of mixed light parameters as mentioned above. 
       FIG.  4    shows a mode switch  52  connected to a stabilizer  51  coupled to two resistors R 14 , R 15  for providing a wall switch control. 
     The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, the illustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. 
     The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the techniques and their practical applications. Others skilled in the art are thereby enabled to best utilize the techniques and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
     Although the disclosure and examples have been fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as being included within the scope of the disclosure and examples as defined by the claims.