Patent ID: 7049758

Claim:
A method of operating a power controller that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage and that has a circuit that clips or modulates a load voltage to provide the RMS load voltage, the circuit including a time-based signal source that triggers conduction in the circuit independently of line voltage magnitude and a transistor switch whose gate receives signals from the time-based signal source to trigger the circuit, the method comprising the steps of: when starting the power controller, increasing one of a rate and a duration of the signals from the time-based signal source sent to the gate of the transistor switch, the one of the rate and duration increasing in plural steps from a first value to a steady state value that defines the RMS load voltage; and during subsequent operation of the power controller, sending the signals from the time-based signal source at constant time intervals to the gate of the transistor switch to cause the power controller to provide the RMS load voltage independently of line voltage magnitude.