The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 11, 2012
Filed:
May. 19, 2010
Ching-chuan Kuo, Taipei, TW;
Yung Lin Lin, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Ching-Chuan Kuo, Taipei, TW;
Yung Lin Lin, Palo Alto, CA (US);
O2Micro, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A dimming controller for controlling power of a light source has a monitoring terminal, a dimming terminal, and a control terminal. The monitoring terminal is operable for receiving a current monitoring signal indicating a current flowing through the light source. The dimming terminal is operable for receiving a ramp signal. The voltage of the ramp signal increases if a power switch coupled between a power source and the light source is turned on. The control terminal is operable for providing a control signal to control a control switch coupled in series with the light source based on the current monitoring signal and the ramp signal. An average current of the light source increases as the ramp signal increases until the average current reaches a predetermined level.