Appliance illumination with zero standby power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10548193-B1
Application number	US-201916455930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

An appliance is provided herein. The appliance may include a power supply configured to receive Alternating Current (AC) power and supply Direct Current (DC) power, a driver circuit configured to receive the DC power and illuminate one or more light emitting diodes (LED), and a fade control circuit configured to direct the driver circuit to fade the one or more LEDs from an on-state to an off-state in a fade-out operation. The appliance may further include a first switching device configured to direct the fade circuit to perform a fade-out operation while the first switching device is in a first state, and a second switching device configured to maintain AC power to the power supply during the fade-out operation, and further configured to sever AC power to the power supply upon completion of the fade-out operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance, comprising:
a power supply configured to receive Alternating Current (AC) power and supply Direct Current (DC) power;
a driver circuit configured to receive the DC power and illuminate one or more light emitting diodes (LED);
a fade control circuit configured to direct the driver circuit to fade the one or more LEDs from an on-state to an off-state in a fade-out operation;
a first switching device configured to direct the fade circuit to perform a fade-out operation while the first switching device is in a first state; and
a second switching device configured to maintain AC power to the power supply during the fade-out operation, and further configured to sever AC power to the power supply upon completion of the fade-out operation.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first switching device is a main switch configured to turn interior appliance illumination on and off.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second switching device is a bilateral triode thyristor (TRIAC).

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the second switching device is a relay connected in series with one or more voltage dropping components.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the one or more voltage dropping components are diodes connected in series with the relay.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising a transistor component in communication with the one or more LEDS, the transistor component configured to signal completion of the fade-out operation.

7. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising an optoelectronic isolation circuit configured to transfer a signal indicative of a state of the first switching device to the fade control circuit.

8. The appliance of claim 7 , further comprising two or more voltage dropping components arranged between the optoelectronic isolation circuit and the first switching device.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the two or more voltage dropping components ensure AC power is supplied from the first switching device while the first switching device is in a second state, and ensure the optoelectronic isolation circuit is in an off state while the first switching device is in the first state.

10. The appliance of claim 1 , further comprising an optoelectronic isolation circuit configured to transfer a signal indicative of completion of the fade-out operation to the second switching device.

11. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the fade control circuit is further configured to direct the driver circuit to fade the one or more LEDs from an off-state to an on-state in a fade-in operation.

12. The appliance of claim 11 , wherein the first switching device is further configured to direct the fade control circuit to perform the fade-in operation while the first switching device is an a second state.

13. A method of illuminating a portion of an appliance with zero standby power use by a power supply, the method comprising:
illuminating a portion of the appliance with one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) using the power supply and a driver circuit;
determining that a main switching device has been opened during illuminating a portion of the appliance with one or more LEDs using the power supply and the driver circuit;
directing the driver circuit to fade the one or more LEDs from an on-state to an off-state in a fade-out operation when the main switching device has been opened;
maintaining a second switching device in a closed position during the fade-out operation; and
severing AC power to the power supply upon completion of the fade-out operation with the second switching device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising directing the driver circuit to fade the one or more LEDs from an off-state to an on-state in a fade-in operation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the fade-in operation is performed responsive to a first switching device being closed.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second switching device is a bilateral triode thyristor (TRIAC).

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second switching device is a relay connected in series with one or more voltage dropping components.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein a transistor component is configured to signal completion of the fade-out operation.

19. The method of claim 13 , further comprising transferring a signal indicative of a state of a first switching device to fade control circuit using an optoelectronic isolation circuit.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising transferring a signal indicative of completion of the fade-out operation to the second switching device using an optoelectronic isolation circuit.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Fattorini Andrea
• Recio Steven Michael

Classifications

• H05B45/37

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• H05B6/6435

  Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus · CPC title

• H02M1/36

  Means for starting or stopping converters · CPC title

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• F24C7/085

  on baking ovens · CPC title