Patent ID: 8324822

Claim:
An apparatus for supplying power to a luminous load, comprising: a sample and hold (S/H) circuit adapted to temporarily generate a first voltage for a defined time interval, wherein the first voltage is based on an input voltage; a modulator adapted to generate a drive signal including a parameter modulated by the first voltage, wherein the modulator is adapted to restrict modulation of the parameter of the drive signal in response to the input voltage decreasing below a threshold due to a dimmer circuit, whereupon the power delivered to the luminous load varies with the input voltage; a switching device adapted to turn on and off based on the drive signal; a transformer adapted to develop a second voltage in response to current produced in a first winding of the transformer in response to the switching device being turned on and off; and an output circuit adapted to generate a third voltage across the luminous load based on the second voltage.