Patent ID: 8902614

Claim:
A method for changing power consumption by a circuit, comprising: providing the circuit, wherein the circuit comprises: a transformer stage having a primary side and a secondary side; a controller responsive to a light signal, the controller being on the primary side of the transformer stage; a current suppression circuit on the secondary side, the current suppression circuit having first and second terminals and a second node, the second node between the first and second terminals of the current suppression circuit, wherein the current suppression circuit includes a first diode having an anode and a cathode, a resistor having first and second terminals, the first terminal of the resistor coupled to the cathode of the first diode, and a capacitor having first and second terminals, the first terminal of the capacitor coupled to the first terminal of the resistor and to the second node; a Zener diode on the secondary side of the transformer stage, the Zener diode having a terminal coupled to the second terminal of the current suppression circuit; and a light emitting diode having a cathode coupled to the terminal of the Zener diode and the second terminal of the current suppression circuit to form a first node; injecting a first current into the first node in response to a first voltage at the second node and in response to a second current drawn from a third node, wherein the first current includes first and second sub-currents; and decreasing the first current in response to the second current drawn from the third node decreasing, wherein the second sub-current remains the same or decreases in response to decreasing the first current, and wherein the second sub-current is configured to maintain a control signal for the controller.