The present invention relates to an illumination driving system, and more particularly to a brightness-adjustable illumination driving system.
Incandescent lamps such as tungsten filament lamps or halogen lamps are widely used as sources of artificial light. In the early stage, incandescent lamps are used for simply providing a bright place. With diversified living attitudes, incandescent lamps having difference brightness are developed. For adjusting brightness of respective incandescent lamp, a brightness-adjustable circuit is used to drive the incandescent lamp and control the brightness of the incandescent lamp.
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In recent years, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) that emit light with high brightness values and high illuminating efficiency have been developed. With the maturity of the LED or CCFL technology, LEDs and CCFLs will replace all conventional lighting devices in many aspects such as home-use lighting devices.
The conventional brightness-adjustable circuit 1, however, is only applicable to the incandescent lamp with the pure resistive property. If the conventional brightness-adjustable circuit 1 is applied to a cold cathode fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode, the cold cathode fluorescent lamp or the light emitting diode fails to be normally operated and is possibly burnt out. In other words, the conventional brightness-adjustable circuit is not feasible to adjust brightness values of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp or the light emitting diode.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved brightness-adjustable illumination driving system so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.
An object of the present invention provides a brightness-adjustable illumination driving system for adjusting the brightness value of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode.
Another object of the present invention provides a brightness-adjustable illumination driving system, in which the control unit including a brightness-adjustable circuit is separated from the base, so that the control unit can remotely control the brightness value of the light-emitting devices.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an illumination driving system for driving at least one light-emitting device and controlling a brightness value of the light-emitting device. The illumination driving system includes a control unit and at least one base. The control unit includes a first converter and a brightness-adjustable circuit. An input AC voltage is converted into a regulated DC voltage by the first converter. The brightness-adjustable circuit is connected to the first converter. The base is separated from the control unit for supporting the at least one light-emitting device. The base includes a second converter. The second converter is connected with the first converter and the light-emitting device for converting the regulated DC voltage into an output voltage. The light-emitting device is driven to illuminate by the output voltage. The brightness-adjustable circuit generates a brightness adjusting signal to the first converter. The magnitude of the regulated DC voltage is adjusted according to the brightness adjusting signal, thereby adjusting the brightness value of the light-emitting device.
The above contents of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention will now be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.
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The bases 21 are separated from the control unit 20 and used for supporting respective light-emitting devices 9. Each base 21 comprises a second converter 24. The second converters 24 of these bases 24 are connected with each other in parallel. The input terminals of the second converters 24 are connected to the output terminals of the first converter 22. The output terminals of the second converters 24 are connected to respective light-emitting devices 9. The regulated DC voltage Vd is received by the second converter 24 and converted into an output voltage Vo for driving illumination of a corresponding light-emitting device 9. Moreover, in a case that the magnitude of the regulated DC voltage Vd is adjusted by the first converter 22, the magnitude of the output voltage Vo is adjusted and thus the brightness value of the light-emitting device 9 is changed.
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The first switching circuit 224 is connected to the inductor L1, the first rectifying and filtering circuit 226, the first PWM controller 225, and a common terminal. Under control of the first PWM controller 225, the first switching circuit 224 is alternately conducted or shut off. In this embodiment, the first switching circuit 224 includes a first switch element Q1.
The first rectifying and filtering circuit 226 is connected to the inductor L1 and the output terminal of the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221. The first rectifying and filtering circuit 226 is used for rectifying and filtering the boost voltage V2, thereby generating the transition DC voltage V3. In this embodiment, the first rectifying and filtering circuit 226 comprises a first diode D1 and a first capacitor C1. The positive end of the first diode D1 is connected to the inductor L1 and the first switching circuit 224. The negative end of the first diode D1 is connected to an end of the first capacitor C1. The other end of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the common terminal.
The input terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221. The transition DC voltage V3 is transmitted from the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221 to the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 and converted into the regulated DC voltage Vd by the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. In this embodiment, the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 is a buck converting circuit, but it is not limited thereto. The DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 comprises a second switching circuit 227, a first transformer T1, a second PWM controller 228 and a second rectifying and filtering circuit 229. The second switching circuit 227 is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221, the second PWM controller 228 and the first transformer T1. Under control of the second PWM controller 228, the second switching circuit 227 is alternately conducted or shut off.
The primary winding assembly Np of the first transformer T1 is connected to the second switching circuit 227 and the common terminal. During the second switching circuit 227 is alternately conducted or shut off, the transition DC voltage V3 is transmitted from the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221 to the primary winding assembly Np of the first transformer T1. The electric energy stored in the primary winding assembly Np is magnetically transmitted to the secondary winding assembly Ns of the first transformer T1. As such, the secondary winding assembly Ns generates a converted voltage V4. The second rectifying and filtering circuit 229 is connected to the secondary winding assembly Ns of the first transformer T1, the feedback circuit 220 and the output terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. The second rectifying and filtering circuit 229 is used for rectifying and filtering the converted voltage V4, thereby generating the regulated DC voltage Vd.
The DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 further comprises a reset capacitor Cc. The reset capacitor Cc is connected to the second switching circuit 227 and the primary winding assembly Np of the first transformer T1. By discharging the electrical energy stored in the reset capacitor Cc, the electric energy of the primary winding assembly Np of the first transformer T1 is reset. The second switching circuit 227 comprises a second switch element Q2 and a third switch element Q3. The second switch element Q2 is connected to the output terminal of the AC-to-DC converting circuit 221, the reset capacitor Cc, the third switch element Q3 and the second PWM controller 228. The third switch element Q3 is connected to the second switch element Q2, the reset capacitor Cc, the second PWM controller 228 and the common terminal. Under control of the second PWM controller 228, the second switch element Q2 and the third switch element Q3 are alternately conducted or shut off. In this embodiment, the second rectifying and filtering circuit 229 comprises a second diode D2, a third diode D3 and a second capacitor C2. The positive ends of the second diode D2 and the third diode D3 are connected to the secondary winding assembly Ns of the first transformer T1. The negative ends of the second diode D2 and the third diode D3 are connected to an end of the second capacitor C2. The other end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to the common terminal.
A first input terminal of the feedback circuit 220 is connected to the output terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. A second input terminal of the feedback circuit 220 is connected to the brightness-adjustable circuit 23. The output terminal of the feedback circuit 220 is connected to the second PWM controller 228 of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. According to the regulated DC voltage Vd issued from the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 and the brightness adjusting signal Vdim issued from the brightness-adjustable circuit 23, the feedback circuit 220 generates a feedback signal Vfb to the second PWM controller 228. According to the feedback signal Vfb, the second PWM controller 228 controls the duty cycle of the second switching circuit 227, thereby adjusting the magnitude of the regulated DC voltage Vd. In this embodiment, the feedback circuit 220 comprises a first resistor R1, a signal controlling circuit 220a and an isolation circuit 220b. A first input terminal of the signal controlling circuit 220a is connected to the output terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. A second input terminal of the signal controlling circuit 220a is connected to the brightness-adjustable circuit 23. The output terminal of the signal controlling circuit 220a is connected to the input terminal of the isolation circuit 220b. According to the regulated DC voltage Vd issued from the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 and the brightness adjusting signal Vdim issued from the brightness-adjustable circuit 23, the signal controlling circuit 220a generates a control signal Vc to the isolation circuit 220b.
In this embodiment, the signal controlling circuit 220a comprises a second resistor R2, a third resistor R3, a third capacitor C3 and a signal amplifier OP. An end of the second resistor R2 is connected to the output terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222. The other end of the second resistor R2 is connected to an end of the third resistor R3. The other end of the third resistor R3 is connected to the common terminal. The negative end of the signal amplifier OP is connected to the node between the second resistor R2 and the third resistor R3. The regulated DC voltage Vd is received by the negative end of the signal amplifier OP through the second resistor R2. The positive end of the signal amplifier OP is connected to the brightness-adjustable circuit 23 for receiving the brightness adjusting signal Vdim. The output terminal of the signal amplifier OP is connected to the input terminal of the isolation circuit 220b. According to the regulated DC voltage Vd and the brightness adjusting signal Vdim, the signal amplifier OP issues the control signal Vc to the isolation circuit 220b. An end of the third capacitor C3 is connected to the second resistor R2, the third resistor R3 and the negative end of the signal amplifier OP. The other end of the third capacitor C3 is connected to the output terminal of the signal amplifier OP.
The input terminal of the isolation circuit 220b is connected to the output terminal of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 and the signal controlling circuit 220a for receiving the regulated DC voltage Vd and the control signal Vc. The output terminal of the isolation circuit 220b is connected to the second PWM controller 228 of the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 and the common terminal. The isolation circuit 220b is used for isolating the signal controlling circuit 220a from the primary winding assembly Np of the first transformer T1. In this embodiment, the isolation circuit 220b is a photo coupler. Due to the voltage difference between the regulated DC voltage Vd and the control signal Vc, the input terminal of the isolation circuit 220b will generate a first current I1. According to the first current I1, the output terminal of the isolation circuit 220b generates a second current I2. An end of the first resistor R1 is connected to the output terminal of the isolation circuit 220b and the second PWM controller 228. The other end of the first resistor R1 is connected to a supply voltage Vcc. According to the magnitude of the second current I2, the first resistor R1 generates the feedback signal Vfb to the second PWM controller 228.
The brightness-adjustable circuit 23 is connected to the feedback circuit 220 for generating the brightness adjusting signal Vdim to the feedback circuit 220. In this embodiment, the brightness-adjustable circuit 23 comprises a fourth resistor R4 and a variable resistor Rvar. An end of the fourth resistor R4 receives the supply voltage Vcc. The other end of the fourth resistor R4 is connected to an end of the variable resistor Rvar and the feedback circuit 220. The other end of the variable resistor Rvar is connected to the common terminal. By adjusting the resistance value of the variable resistor Rvar, the brightness-adjustable circuit 23 will generate various brightness adjusting signals Vdim. As previously described, the control unit 20 further comprises a user operation interface (not shown) such as a knob. Via the user operation interface, the user can control the brightness-adjustable circuit 23 to generate various brightness adjusting signals Vdim.
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The primary winding assembly Np1 of the second transformer T2 is connected to the third switching circuit 241. The secondary winding assembly Ns1 of the second transformer T2 is connected to the light-emitting device 9. During the third switching circuit 241 is alternately conducted or shut off under control of the third PWM controller 243, the regulated DC voltage Vd is transmitted from the DC-to-DC converting circuit 222 to the primary winding assembly Np1 of the second transformer T2. The electric energy stored in the primary winding assembly Np1 is magnetically transmitted to the secondary winding assembly Ns1 of the second transformer T2. As such, the secondary winding assembly Ns generates an output voltage Vo for driving illumination of the light-emitting device 9. In this embodiment, the second converter 24 is a push-pull inverter, but it is not limited thereto. The second converter 24 further comprises at least one current-sharing circuit 242. The current-sharing circuit 242 is connected to the light-emitting device 9 and the secondary winding assembly Ns1 of the second transformer T2. In a case that several light-emitting devices 9 are supported on the same base 21, the currents flowing through these light-emitting devices 9 are substantially identical by means of the current-sharing circuit 242. In this embodiment, the current-sharing circuit 242 includes for example a capacitor.
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From the above embodiment, the brightness-adjustable illumination driving system is capable of adjusting the brightness value of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp or a light emitting diode. Since the control unit is separated from the base, the user can control the brightness-adjustable circuit 23 to generate various brightness adjusting signals via the user operation interface. According to the brightness adjusting signal, the magnitude of the regulated DC voltage is adjusted by the first converter. The regulated DC voltage is converted by the second converters of the bases into corresponding output voltage, thereby driving illumination of the light-emitting devices and adjusting the brightness values of the light-emitting devices.
While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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097145398 | Nov 2008 | TW | national |