A slow-brightening control device for an electric lamp

Abstract

The utility model relates to lighting control technical field, concretely relates to a kind of slow start control device of electric lamp, including slow start control module and drive module, slow start control module input end is connected with electric lamp switch, slow start control module is connected when electric lamp switch, generate the drive signal that slowly strengthens with time, drive module is electrically connected with the output end of slow start control module, and is electrically connected with the input end of electric lamp, drive module controls the brightness of electric lamp according to drive signal, so that the brightness of electric lamp slowly increases from closed state to preset brightness.This application changes the lighting process into slow gradual process, gives human eye pupil enough adaptation time, thereby effectively avoids strong light stimulation, improves visual comfort and protects vision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of lighting control technology, specifically to a slow-start control device for an electric lamp. Background Technology

[0002] With technological advancements, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become the mainstream lighting source due to their high efficiency and long lifespan. However, a common problem with LED-based lamps is that their brightness reaches its maximum instantaneously upon power-on. LEDs have extremely short response times, reaching nanosecond levels, while the human eye requires a certain pupillary contraction time, typically hundreds of milliseconds, to adapt to bright light from darkness. This significant difference in response speed means that when lights are suddenly switched on in a dark environment, excessively bright light can directly stimulate the retina before the pupils constrict in time, causing glare and discomfort, and potentially damaging vision over time.

[0003] To address electrical issues during lamp startup, some existing technologies employ driver circuits with "soft-start" functionality. However, the primary technical purpose of these circuits is to suppress surge currents and overshoot voltages at startup to protect electronic components such as the driver chip and light-emitting elements. Their startup process typically occurs within milliseconds. Therefore, this soft-start function, designed for electrical protection, has a startup time that is too short for the physiological adaptation process of the human eye, failing to effectively address the visual comfort issues caused by strong light stimulation.

[0004] In addition, dimmable light fixtures with adjustable brightness exist on the market, but the dimming function of these fixtures usually requires manual operation by the user after the light is turned on. They cannot automatically and slowly increase the brightness to the preset value the moment the light is turned on, and therefore cannot solve the problem of visual impact when the light is first turned on. Therefore, how to provide a technical solution that can automatically and slowly increase the brightness at a speed suitable for human eye perception when the light is turned on, thereby improving user comfort and protecting eyesight, is a problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a slow-start control device for electric lights to overcome the problems existing in the current technology.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] This application provides a slow-start control device for an electric light, comprising:

[0008] The input terminal of the slow-start control module is connected to the light switch. When the light switch is turned on, the slow-start control module generates a drive signal that increases slowly over time.

[0009] The drive module is electrically connected to the output terminal of the slow-start control module and to the input terminal of the lamp. The drive module controls the brightness of the light-emitting component of the lamp according to the drive signal, so that the lamp gradually increases in brightness from the off state.

[0010] Furthermore, in the device described above, the soft-start control module is an RC charging circuit, which includes a resistor and a capacitor; the driving signal is the charging voltage across the capacitor.

[0011] Furthermore, in the device described above, the slow-start control module includes a microcontroller configured to generate a pulse width modulation signal as the drive signal and control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal to gradually increase over time.

[0012] Furthermore, the device described above also includes an ambient light sensor, which is electrically connected to the microcontroller;

[0013] The microcontroller is also configured to adaptively adjust the rate at which the duty cycle gradually increases over time based on the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor.

[0014] Furthermore, the device described above also includes a non-volatile memory;

[0015] When the light switch is turned off, the microcontroller stores the current brightness information in the non-volatile memory, and when the light switch is turned on again, it reads the brightness information from the non-volatile memory and uses the brightness information as the target brightness.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0017] 1. Improves visual comfort and protects eyesight: By extending the light-on process from an instantaneous event to a slow, gradual transition that matches the physiological adaptation rhythm of the human eye, sufficient pupil contraction time is provided, effectively avoiding discomfort caused by sudden light stimulation in dark environments and protecting the user's visual health. 2. Enhances user experience: This invention solves the common problem of glare when turning on lights in daily life, making the lighting experience softer and more natural, significantly improving the product's human-centered design and user experience. 3. Strong compatibility: The slow-start control device for electric lights proposed in this application can be used as an independent module or easily integrated into existing light drivers or dimming systems. It is easily combined with various types of lighting fixtures (especially LED fixtures) and has good application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric light according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric lamp based on an RC charging circuit.

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a microcontroller-based structure provided in one embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric light according to this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other implementation methods obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric light according to this utility model. Please refer to... Figure 1 This embodiment may include:

[0024] The input terminal of the slow-start control module 10 is connected to the light switch. When the light switch is turned on, the slow-start control module generates a drive signal that increases slowly over time.

[0025] The drive module 20 is electrically connected to the output terminal of the slow-start control module 10 and to the input terminal of the lamp. The drive module 20 controls the brightness of the light-emitting component 30 of the lamp according to the drive signal, so that the lamp gradually increases in brightness from the off state.

[0026] Understandably, the term "slow" here refers to the physiological adaptation time of the human eye, typically indicating a process lasting from several hundred milliseconds to several seconds. This differs conceptually from the soft-start process in traditional circuit protection, which lasts only a few milliseconds. The light-emitting component 30 is the unit in the lamp that realizes light output. For example, it can be an array of LEDs consisting of one or more LEDs, an organic light-emitting diode panel, or any other light source whose brightness can be controlled by an electrical signal. The function of the driving module 20 is to precisely control the electrical energy (e.g., current or voltage) output to the light-emitting component 30 based on the intensity of the driving signal it receives, thereby controlling the actual luminous brightness of the light-emitting component 30.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] Preferably, the slow-start control module 10 is an RC charging circuit, which includes a resistor and a capacitor; the driving signal is the charging voltage across the capacitor.

[0029] Understandable Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric light, based on an RC charging circuit. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the soft-start control module 10 can be specifically implemented as an RC charging circuit consisting of a resistor R and a capacitor C. This RC circuit is typically located after the rectification and filtering stage of the power supply circuit inside the lamp. For example, after the AC mains power is rectified by a bridge rectifier and filtered by the capacitor, a relatively stable DC voltage can be obtained, which serves as the power supply for this RC charging circuit.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the DC power supply charges the electrolytic capacitor C through a current-limiting resistor R. According to circuit principles, the voltage across the capacitor cannot change abruptly. When the system is powered on, the voltage across capacitor C is zero. As the charging process progresses, the charging current flowing through resistor R causes the voltage across capacitor C to gradually rise from 0 volts. This voltage rise follows an exponential law.

[0031] In this design, the voltage across capacitor C, which rises slowly and exponentially over time, is used as the aforementioned "driving signal that increases slowly over time" and is directly fed to the control input of the driving module 20.

[0032] Example 2

[0033] Preferably, the slow-start control module 10 includes a microcontroller 100, which is configured to generate a pulse width modulation signal as a drive signal and control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal to gradually increase over time.

[0034] Understandable Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of a microcontroller-based structure provided in one embodiment of a slow-start control device for an electric light according to this utility model. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the core of the soft-start control module 10 is a microcontroller 100. The microcontroller 100 is a programmable integrated circuit that integrates a central processing unit, memory, and a rich set of input / output peripherals. A low-cost 8-bit or 32-bit microcontroller can meet the requirements of this embodiment. Figure 3 As shown, after the system is powered on, the power supply provides power to the microcontroller 100 and the driver module 20 respectively.

[0035] The microcontroller 100 is configured to generate a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal 110 and output it as a drive signal to the drive module 20. The PWM signal is a square wave signal with a constant period but an adjustable pulse width; the proportion of its high-level time within one period is called the duty cycle. By adjusting the duty cycle, the average voltage value of the PWM signal within one period can be changed.

[0036] Specifically, the core task of the microcontroller 100 is to control the duty cycle of its output pulse width modulation signal 110 to start from 0% and gradually increase to a target value (e.g., 100% or the duty cycle corresponding to a certain preset brightness) linearly or according to other preset curves within a preset time period after the light is turned on.

[0037] In this embodiment, the driving module 20 is typically a switching driving circuit, the core of which can be a power switching transistor, such as a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor. The pulse width modulation signal 110 output by the microcontroller 100 directly drives the gate of the power switching transistor. When the pulse width modulation signal is high, the switching transistor is turned on, and current flows through the light-emitting component 30; when it is low, the switching transistor is turned off, and the current is interrupted. Since the switching frequency of the pulse width modulation signal (typically in the range of several hundred hertz to tens of kilohertz) far exceeds the frequency that the human eye can distinguish, the brightness of the light-emitting component 30 does not exhibit flickering, but rather presents an average brightness that is proportional to the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal.

[0038] Preferably, it also includes an ambient light sensor, which is electrically connected to the microcontroller 100;

[0039] The microcontroller 100 is also configured to adaptively adjust the rate at which the duty cycle gradually increases over time based on the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor.

[0040] Understandably, to make the soft-start control more intelligent, an ambient light sensor (such as a photoresistor or photodiode) connected to the analog-to-digital converter input pin of the microcontroller 100 is added. This ambient light sensor is used to detect the brightness of the surrounding environment when the light is turned on, convert it into an analog voltage signal, and then the analog-to-digital converter peripheral of the microcontroller 100 converts it into a digital value, thereby quantitatively determining the current ambient light intensity.

[0041] Preferably, it also includes non-volatile memory;

[0042] When the light switch is turned off, the microcontroller 100 stores the current brightness information in a non-volatile memory, and when the light switch is turned on again, it reads the brightness information from the non-volatile memory and uses the brightness information as the preset brightness.

[0043] Understandably, during the brightness adjustment and storage phase, when the lamp is normally lit, the user can adjust the brightness via the dimming interface. The microcontroller 100 monitors the input signal in real time and adjusts the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal 110 accordingly. It should be noted that whenever the duty cycle changes and stabilizes, or when the microcontroller detects that the user is about to turn off the light, the microcontroller 100 will immediately write the current duty cycle value representing the brightness into its non-volatile memory.

[0044] During the recovery and soft-start phase when the light is turned on again, the microcontroller 100 first reads the brightness value saved before the light was turned off from the non-volatile memory and uses it as the "target brightness" for this soft-start process. If the read value is invalid, a default maximum brightness value can be used.

[0045] It is understood that the same or similar parts in the above embodiments can be referred to each other, and the contents not described in detail in some embodiments can be referred to the same or similar contents in other embodiments.

[0046] It should be noted that in the description of this utility model, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means at least two.

[0047] Any process or method described in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of the present invention includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order according to the functions involved, as should be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of the present invention pertain.

[0048] It should be understood that the various parts of this utility model can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented using software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the methods in the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, the program includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.

[0050] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this utility model can be integrated into a processing module, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into a module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0051] The storage media mentioned above can be read-only memory, disk, or optical disk, etc.

[0052] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0053] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A slow-start control device for an electric light, characterized in that, include: The input terminal of the slow-start control module is connected to the light switch. When the light switch is turned on, the slow-start control module generates a drive signal that increases slowly over time. The drive module is electrically connected to the output terminal of the slow-start control module and to the input terminal of the lamp. The drive module controls the brightness of the light-emitting component of the lamp according to the drive signal, so that the lamp gradually increases in brightness from the off state. The soft-start control module is an RC charging circuit, which includes a resistor and a capacitor; the driving signal is the charging voltage across the capacitor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The slow-start control module is a microcontroller, which is configured to generate a pulse width modulation signal as the driving signal and control the duty cycle of the pulse width modulation signal to gradually increase over time to a target value, wherein the target value is the duty cycle corresponding to a preset brightness.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes an ambient light sensor, which is electrically connected to the microcontroller; The microcontroller is also configured to adaptively adjust the rate at which the duty cycle gradually increases over time based on the ambient light intensity detected by the ambient light sensor.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes non-volatile memory; When the light switch is turned off, the microcontroller stores the current brightness information in the non-volatile memory, and when the light switch is turned on again, it reads the brightness information from the non-volatile memory and uses the brightness information as the preset brightness.

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