Patent ID: 8053997

Claim:
A trigger circuit operable to control a semiconductor switch in a load control device, the trigger circuit comprising: a break-over circuit characterized by a break-over voltage and operable to conduct a control current when a voltage across the break-over circuit exceeds the break-over voltage, the semiconductor switch operable to change between the non-conductive and conductive states in response to the control current; and an offset circuit coupled in series with the break-over circuit and comprising an offset capacitor operable to conduct the control current, whereby an offset voltage develops across the offset capacitor; wherein the trigger circuit is characterized by an initial voltage threshold before the break-over circuit and the offset circuit conduct the control current, the initial voltage threshold having a magnitude approximately equal to the magnitude of the break-over voltage, the trigger circuit further characterized by a second voltage threshold after the break-over circuit and the offset circuit conduct the control current, the second voltage threshold having a maximum magnitude approximately equal to the break-over voltage of the break-over circuit plus the offset voltage.