Dimmable LED Module Using Switch Toggling Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing luminaire systems require complex and costly installations for dimming and control, including phase-cut dimmers, specialized control units, and additional wiring, which is inconvenient and expensive, especially for systems without existing dimmer setups.
Innovation Solution
A compact and portable dimmable LED module that uses an existing on/off switch to control LED light sources, allowing for multiple lighting modes by varying the speed of switch toggling, eliminating the need for complex dimmer circuitry and control hardware, and utilizing a single control unit for multiple LED strings with different characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If phase-cut dimmers and specialized control units are installed to achieve dimming and lighting mode control, then lighting control functionality is improved, but installation complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing on/off switch is made multi-functional by detecting different toggling speeds to control multiple LED light sources with different lighting characteristics. A single switch controls both dimming levels and lighting mode selection, eliminating the need for separate control interfaces for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit is designed to universally respond to various switching operations (different toggling speeds) from a standard on/off switch, translating these into different control signals for selecting among multiple LED light sources with varying lighting characteristics, thereby making one switch perform multiple control functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If phase-cut dimmers and control cables are installed to achieve dimming control, then lighting control functionality is improved, but installation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes the existing on/off switch already present in the installation to provide dimming and lighting mode control functions. The switch's natural toggling operation is repurposed to control multiple LED light sources, eliminating the need to purchase and install separate dimmer devices and control cables.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit universally interprets different toggling speeds from the existing on/off switch to control multiple LED light sources with different lighting characteristics, making the existing switch serve multiple control functions and eliminating the need for specialized control hardware.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple luminaire systems are used to achieve light dimming and colour temperature adjustment, then lighting versatility is improved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple LED light sources with different lighting characteristics (different colours, brightness levels, colour temperatures) are merged into a single luminaire system. The control unit combines their control into a unified system that responds to a single on/off switch, allowing one switch to control all lighting modes and eliminating the need to operate multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The on/off switch is designed to universally control multiple LED light sources with different lighting characteristics by detecting toggling speed variations. This single interface provides access to all lighting modes (different colours, brightness, colour temperatures), simplifying operation compared to managing multiple separate luminaire systems.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
A dimmable LED module configured for electrical connection with an AC mains power supply via a switch (9), the dimmable lighting module including a plurality of activatable LED light sources configured for emitting a corresponding lighting characteristic when activated, and, a control unit (4) configured for selectably activating at least one of the plurality of LED light sources in response to a control signal generated by a predetermined switching operation of the switch (9) that is received by the control unit (4) such that a plurality of lighting modes are able to be selectably output from the dimmable LED module corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of LED light sources that are selectably activated by the control unit (4), the plurality of lighting modes being indicative of a resulting lighting characteristic emitted by the at least one of the plurality of selectably activated LED light sources corresponding to the lighting modes, wherein the plurality of lighting modes include at least a first lighting mode and a second lighting mode whereby the second lighting mode is indicative of a resulting lighting characteristic that is relatively dimmed compared to that of the first lighting mode.