Patent Publication Number: US-2013241422-A1

Title: Christmas strip lighting control system

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention provides a “Christmas strip lighting control system,” which primarily uses a “micro controller unit” paired with a “PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control voltage and electric current-like switching power supply,” and is applicable for use LED (Light Emitting Diode) strip lighting sets providing diversified output types, enabling more precise control over the output, and further improving production efficiency and reducing production cost. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     In these times of global warming and shortage in energy resources, and the upswing in demand and prices, there has been the general trend for modern technology to focus on saving energy and reducing carbon emission. Hence, improving the usable effectiveness of energy resources and further reducing cost are of comparative importance. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , which shows an adapter connection schematic of a LED Christmas strip lighting currently on sale in the present market, which is provided with a plurality of tandem connected LED light sets, and each tandem connected LED light set can be of a different color (such as: red, green, blue color . . . and so on). However, each tandem connected LED light set must include a tandem connected current limiter. Hence, when connecting each LED light set, an increase in the number of LED light sets results in a corresponding increase in the number of resistances needed, thereby creating senseless waste in energy resources. 
     In light of the aforementioned short comings of the prior art structure, the inventor of the present invention, having accumulated years of experience in related art and design, and through extensive exploration and study of sample trials, as well as repeated modification and improvement, has ultimately designed a new improved Christmas strip lighting control system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the present invention is to use a “micro controller unit” paired with a “PWM control voltage and current-like switching power supply” for application in LED strip lighting sets providing diversified output types to enable more precise control over output power, and further improve production efficiency and reduce production cost. 
     In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, the present invention provides a Christmas strip lighting control system, comprising a switching power supply, a micro controller unit and a LED strip lighting set. The micro controller unit is provided with a pulse width modulation controller and a strip lighting control current limiter. The pulse width modulation controller controls the voltage and electric current of the switching power supply, moreover, the pulse width modulation controller controls whether each strip lighting of the LED strip lighting set is lit or not through use of the strip lighting control current limiter. 
     In the Christmas strip lighting control system of the present invention, the switching power supply is provided with a bridge rectifier, a transformer and a rectifier. 
     In the Christmas strip lighting control system of the present invention, the pulse width modulation controller is a PWM circuit. 
     To enable a further understanding of said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, a brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a circuit schematic diagram ( 1 ) of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a circuit schematic diagram ( 2 ) of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a adapter connection schematic of a Christmas strip lighting of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a adapter connection schematic of a Christmas strip lighting of the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , which show a Christmas strip lighting control system of the present invention, provided with a switching power supply (SPS for short) ( 10 ), a micro controller unit (MCU for short) ( 20 ) and a LED strip lighting set ( 30 ). 
     The switching power supply ( 10 ) comprises a bridge rectifier ( 11 ), a transformer ( 12 ) and a rectifier ( 13 ). The micro controller unit ( 20 ) comprises a pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ) and a strip lighting control current limiter ( 21 ), wherein the pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ) can be a PWM circuit. 
     The main structure of the present invention primarily comprises the switching power supply ( 10 ) assembled from the bridge rectifier ( 11 ), the transformer ( 12 ) and the rectifier ( 13 ), and operates in coordination with the pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ) of the micro controller unit ( 20 ), thereby achieving the protective condition to enable timely adjustment of the strip lighting control current limiter ( 21 ) for diverse states of the LED strip lighting set ( 30 ) providing different color schemes (such as: red, green, blue color . . . and so on). 
     The pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ) of the present invention can be a PWM control voltage and current-like power supply, and with the micro controller unit ( 20 ) operating in coordination with the pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ), the micro controller unit ( 20 ) is able to control the entire behavior of the circuit, and outputs signals to instruct the pulse width modulation controller ( 14 ) to individually control whether each strip lighting of the LED strip lighting set ( 30 ) is lit or not lit. For example: red, green or blue, color . . . and so on, strip lighting of the LED strip lighting set ( 30 ) can be individually controlled to successively light up or simultaneously light up, thereby enabling only one strip lighting control current limiter ( 21 ) to be provided for the LED strip lighting set ( 30 ) to produce every kind of single color scheme (see  FIG. 3 ), and achieving the economic benefit of energy conservation and environmental protection. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is applicable for use in the LED strip lighting set ( 30 ) providing diversified output types, to achieve precise control over output power, enable more stable effectiveness, reduce failure rate to the minimum and prolong serviceable life. Moreover, in the present invention there is no need to series connect current limiters in each of the LED strip lighting sets ( 30 ), thus providing a simple structure, which is able to improve production efficiency and reduce the total production cost. 
     In addition, the following comparative tables together further highlight the evident advancement in effectiveness provided by the present invention compared to structures of the prior art. Because the magnitude of error in the voltage output of the switching power supply ( 10 ) is ±5%≈±10%, this variable factor is the main reason resulting in the uneven brightness in the LED light set. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Comparing the adapter connection method of the present 
               
               
                 invention with a Christmas strip lighting of the prior art 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 New Model 
                 Prior Art 
               
               
                   
                 (24 V) adapter 
                 Model (24 V) adapter 
               
               
                   
                 connection method 
                 connection method 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                 LED strip lighting 
                 Required: strip 
                 Not required: strip lighting 
               
               
                 management 
                 lighting Vf requires 
                 matched with resistance 
               
               
                   
                 classification 
               
               
                 Resistance processing 
                 3 
                 25 
               
               
                 quantity 
               
               
                 Resistance 
                 20 Bins 
                 16 Bina 
               
               
                 classification 
               
               
                 Power source-power 
                 Max: 3.9 W 
                 Max: 4.5 W 
               
               
                 output 
                 Avg: 3.6 W 
                 Avg: 3.6 W 
               
               
                   
                 Min: 3.3 W 
                 Min: 2.8 W 
               
               
                 Production process 
                 simple and accurate 
                 complicated and relatively 
               
               
                   
                   
                 inaccurate 
               
               
                 Product cost 
                 manufacturer&#39;s cost 
                 end product supplier cost 
               
               
                   
                 increased 
                 reduced 
               
               
                 Total cost 
                 relatively low 
                 relatively high 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Resistance matching for prior art structures 
               
               
                 24 V was used as the input voltage, matched with a resistance to obtain a fixed 
               
               
                 electric current for the lighting strip, then 23 V, 25 V were used to measure the new 
               
               
                 electric current value. 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 R 
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                 G, B 
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
               
               
                 LED 
                 23 
                   
                 24 
                   
                 25 
                 LED 
                 23 
                   
                 24 
                   
                 25 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Vf 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 Vf 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 17.0 
                 5.0 
                 1200 
                 5.8 
                 1200 
                 6.7 
                 1200 
                 14.0 
                 5.6 
                 1600 
                 6.3 
                 1600 
                 6.9 
                 1600 
               
               
                 17.2 
                 5.3 
                 1100 
                 6.2 
                 1100 
                 7.1 
                 1100 
                 14.2 
                 5.5 
                 1600 
                 6.1 
                 1600 
                 6.8 
                 1600 
               
               
                 17.4 
                 5.1 
                 1100 
                 6.0 
                 1100 
                 6.9 
                 1100 
                 14.4 
                 5.4 
                 1600 
                 6.0 
                 1600 
                 6.6 
                 1600 
               
               
                 17.6 
                 4.9 
                 1100 
                 5.8 
                 1100 
                 6.7 
                 1100 
                 14.6 
                 5.3 
                 1600 
                 5.9 
                 1600 
                 6.5 
                 1600 
               
               
                 17.8 
                 5.2 
                 1000 
                 6.2 
                 1000 
                 7.2 
                 1000 
                 14.8 
                 5.5 
                 1500 
                 6.1 
                 1500 
                 6.8 
                 1500 
               
               
                 18.0 
                 5.0 
                 1000 
                 6.0 
                 1000 
                 7.0 
                 1000 
                 15.0 
                 5.3 
                 1500 
                 6.0 
                 1500 
                 6.7 
                 1500 
               
               
                 18.2 
                 4.8 
                 1000 
                 5.8 
                 1000 
                 6.8 
                 1000 
                 15.2 
                 5.2 
                 1500 
                 5.9 
                 1500 
                 6.5 
                 1500 
               
               
                 18.4 
                 5.1 
                 900 
                 6.2 
                 900 
                 7.3 
                 900 
                 15.4 
                 5.4 
                 1400 
                 6.1 
                 1400 
                 6.9 
                 1400 
               
               
                 18.6 
                 4.9 
                 900 
                 6.0 
                 900 
                 7.1 
                 900 
                 15.6 
                 5.3 
                 1400 
                 6.0 
                 1400 
                 6.7 
                 1400 
               
               
                 18.8 
                 4.7 
                 900 
                 5.8 
                 900 
                 6.9 
                 900 
                 15.8 
                 5.1 
                 1400 
                 5.9 
                 1400 
                 6.6 
                 1400 
               
               
                 19.0 
                 4.7 
                 850 
                 5.9 
                 850 
                 7.1 
                 850 
                 16.0 
                 5.4 
                 1300 
                 6.2 
                 1300 
                 6.9 
                 1300 
               
               
                 19.2 
                 4.8 
                 800 
                 6.0 
                 800 
                 7.3 
                 800 
                 16.2 
                 5.2 
                 1300 
                 6.0 
                 1300 
                 6.8 
                 1300 
               
               
                 19.4 
                 4.8 
                 750 
                 6.1 
                 750 
                 7.5 
                 750 
                 16.4 
                 5.1 
                 1300 
                 5.8 
                 1300 
                 6.6 
                 1300 
               
               
                 19.6 
                 4.5 
                 750 
                 5.9 
                 750 
                 7.2 
                 750 
                 16.6 
                 5.3 
                 1200 
                 6.2 
                 1200 
                 7.0 
                 1200 
               
               
                 19.8 
                 4.6 
                 700 
                 6.0 
                 700 
                 7.4 
                 700 
                 16.8 
                 5.2 
                 1200 
                 6.0 
                 1200 
                 6.8 
                 1200 
               
               
                 20.0 
                 4.6 
                 650 
                 6.2 
                 650 
                 7.7 
                 650 
                 17.0 
                 5.0 
                 1200 
                 5.8 
                 1200 
                 6.7 
                 1200 
               
               
                 20.2 
                 4.3 
                 650 
                 5.8 
                 650 
                 7.4 
                 650 
                 17.2 
                 5.3 
                 1100 
                 6.2 
                 1100 
                 7.1 
                 1100 
               
               
                 20.4 
                 4.3 
                 600 
                 6.0 
                 600 
                 7.7 
                 600 
                 17.4 
                 5.1 
                 1100 
                 6.0 
                 1100 
                 6.9 
                 1100 
               
               
                 20.6 
                 4.4 
                 550 
                 6.2 
                 550 
                 8.0 
                 550 
                 17.6 
                 4.9 
                 1100 
                 5.8 
                 1100 
                 6.7 
                 1100 
               
               
                 20.8 
                 4.0 
                 550 
                 5.8 
                 550 
                 7.6 
                 550 
                 17.8 
                 5.2 
                 1000 
                 6.2 
                 1000 
                 7.2 
                 1000 
               
               
                 21.0 
                 4.0 
                 500 
                 6.0 
                 500 
                 8.0 
                 500 
                 18.0 
                 5.0 
                 1000 
                 6.0 
                 1000 
                 7.0 
                 1000 
               
               
                   
                 on the 
                   
                 normal 
                   
                 on the 
                   
                   
                 on 
                   
                 normal 
                   
                 on the 
               
               
                   
                 low 
                   
                   
                   
                 high 
                   
                   
                 the 
                   
                   
                   
                 high 
               
               
                   
                 side 
                   
                   
                   
                 side 
                   
                   
                 low 
                   
                   
                   
                 side 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                 side 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 R_LED Maximum deviation value ±33%. 
               
               
                 G_LED &amp; B_LED Maximum deviation value ±17% 
               
            
           
         
       
     
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Resistance matching for the present invention 
               
               
                 A one-to-one adapter matching with the appropriate resistance was carried out, and 
               
               
                 then integrated to form the minimum type of resistance. 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 R 
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                 G, B 
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
                   
                 VCC 
               
               
                 LED 
                 23 
                   
                 24 
                   
                 25 
                 LED 
                 23 
                   
                 24 
                   
                 25 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Vf 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 Vf 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
                 mA 
                 R (Ω) 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 17.0 
                 30 
                 200 
                 30 
                 230 
                 31 
                 260 
                 14.0 
                 60 
                 150 
                 59 
                 170 
                 61 
                 180 
               
               
                 17.2 
                 31 
                 190 
                 30 
                 230 
                 30 
                 260 
                 14.2 
                 59 
                 150 
                 61 
                 160 
                 60 
                 180 
               
               
                 17.4 
                 29 
                 190 
                 30 
                 220 
                 30 
                 250 
                 14.4 
                 61 
                 140 
                 60 
                 160 
                 59 
                 180 
               
               
                 17.6 
                 30 
                 180 
                 30 
                 210 
                 30 
                 250 
                 14.6 
                 60 
                 140 
                 59 
                 160 
                 61 
                 170 
               
               
                 17.8 
                 31 
                 170 
                 30 
                 210 
                 30 
                 240 
                 14.8 
                 59 
                 140 
                 61 
                 150 
                 60 
                 170 
               
               
                 18.0 
                 29 
                 170 
                 30 
                 200 
                 30 
                 230 
                 15.0 
                 62 
                 130 
                 60 
                 150 
                 59 
                 170 
               
               
                 18.2 
                 30 
                 160 
                 31 
                 190 
                 30 
                 230 
                 15.2 
                 60 
                 130 
                 59 
                 150 
                 61 
                 160 
               
               
                 18.4 
                 31 
                 160 
                 29 
                 190 
                 30 
                 220 
                 15.4 
                 58 
                 130 
                 61 
                 140 
                 60 
                 160 
               
               
                 18.6 
                 29 
                 150 
                 30 
                 180 
                 30 
                 210 
                 15.6 
                 62 
                 120 
                 60 
                 140 
                 59 
                 160 
               
               
                 18.8 
                 30 
                 140 
                 31 
                 170 
                 30 
                 210 
                 15.8 
                 60 
                 120 
                 59 
                 140 
                 61 
                 150 
               
               
                 19.0 
                 31 
                 130 
                 29 
                 170 
                 30 
                 200 
                 16.0 
                 58 
                 120 
                 62 
                 130 
                 60 
                 150 
               
               
                 19.2 
                 29 
                 130 
                 30 
                 160 
                 31 
                 190 
                 16.2 
                 62 
                 110 
                 60 
                 130 
                 59 
                 150 
               
               
                 19.4 
                 30 
                 120 
                 31 
                 150 
                 29 
                 190 
                 16.4 
                 60 
                 110 
                 58 
                 130 
                 61 
                 140 
               
               
                 19.6 
                 31 
                 110 
                 29 
                 150 
                 30 
                 180 
                 16.6 
                 58 
                 110 
                 62 
                 120 
                 60 
                 140 
               
               
                 19.8 
                 29 
                 110 
                 30 
                 140 
                 31 
                 170 
                 16.8 
                 56 
                 110 
                 60 
                 120 
                 59 
                 140 
               
               
                 20.0 
                 30 
                 100 
                 31 
                 130 
                 29 
                 170 
                 17.0 
                 60 
                 100 
                 58 
                 120 
                 62 
                 130 
               
               
                 20.2 
                 31 
                 90 
                 29 
                 130 
                 30 
                 160 
                 17.2 
                 58 
                 90 
                 62 
                 110 
                 60 
                 130 
               
               
                 20.4 
                 29 
                 90 
                 30 
                 120 
                 31 
                 150 
                 17.4 
                 62 
                 90 
                 60 
                 110 
                 58 
                 130 
               
               
                 20.6 
                 30 
                 80 
                 31 
                 110 
                 29 
                 150 
                 17.6 
                 60 
                 90 
                 58 
                 110 
                 62 
                 120 
               
               
                 20.8 
                 31 
                 70 
                 29 
                 110 
                 30 
                 140 
                 17.8 
                 58 
                 80 
                 62 
                 100 
                 60 
                 120 
               
               
                 21.0 
                 29 
                 70 
                 30 
                 100 
                 31 
                 130 
                 18.0 
                 63 
                 80 
                 60 
                 100 
                 58 
                 120 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 R_LED current error was 30 ± 1 mA, 3% error. 
               
               
                 G_LED &amp; B_LED current error was 60 ± 2 mA, 3% error. 
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In conclusion. the present invention surely provides the above advantages, and has evident advancement in effectiveness when compared to prior art structures. Moreover, the present invention is characterized in having originality compared to similar products, and thus clearly complies with the essential elements as required for a new patent application. Accordingly, a new patent application is proposed herein. 
     It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.