Light dimming system for controlling brightness and rate of change of brightness of lights

Claim 2

A light dimming system including a dimmer unit responsive to a voltage signal for controlling the flow of current through a lamp load, a capacitor coupled to said dimmer circuit for storing a charge to thereby develop thereacross said voltage signal, and at least one control unit coupled to said capacitor for selectively charging and discharging said capacitor, said control unit comprising an operational transconductance amplifier for supplying current to and receiving current from said capacitor to thereby respectively charge and discharge the capacitor, said amplifier having first and second differential input terminals and a control terminal, first adjustable means for controlling voltage applied to said secOnd differential input terminal, and second adjustable means for controlling current applied to said control terminal to thereby control the current supplied to or received from said capacitor by said amplifier.

Claim 3

A light dimming system as in claim 1 wherein said first differential input terminal is coupled to said capacitor.

Claim 4

A light dimming system as in claim 2 wherein said first adjustable means comprises a potentiometer whose tap is connected to said second differential input terminal and wherein said second adjustable means includes a variable resistor.

Claim 5

a light dimming system as in claim 2 further including a power supply means for energizing said control unit and wherein said control unit further comprises a switching device having a pair of power electrodes connected in series with said power supply means and having a control electrode, first manually operable means coupled to the control electrode of said switching device for activating said switching device, and means responsive to the activation of said switching device for supplying current to said first adjustable means to thereby enable said first adjustable means to supply the voltage to said second differential input terminal.

Claim 6

A light dimming system as in claim 4 wherein said control unit further comprises second manually operable switch means coupled between the power electrodes of said switching device for disabling said switching device.

Claim 7

A light dimming system as in claim 4 wherein said control unit further includes a visual indicating means responsive to the activation of said switching device for generating a visual indication.

Claim 8

A light dimming system as in claim 1 further including a field effect transistor whose gate electrode is connected to said capacitor, whose source electrode is connected to said first differential input terminal and to said dimmer circuit, and a power supply means connected to its drain electrode.

Claim 9

a light dimming system including a dimmer circuit responsive to a voltage signal for controlling the flow of current through a lamp load, circuit means connected to said dimmer circuit for producing said voltage signal, and a plurality of control units coupled to the dimmer circuit and each including an operational transconductance amplifier for supplying current to said circuit means to enable said circuit means to produce said voltage signal, said amplifier having first and second differential input terminals and a control terminal, each of said control units further including a first adjustable means for varying voltage applied to said second differential input terminal and second adjustable means for varying current applied to said control terminal.

Claim 10

a light dimming system including a dimmer circuit responsive to a voltage signal for controlling the flow of current through a lamp load, circuit means connected to said dimmer circuit for producing said voltage signal, and a plurality of control units coupled to the dimmer circuit and each including an operational transconductance amplifier for supplying current to said circuit means to enable said circuit means to produce said voltage signal, said amplifier having first and second differential input terminals and a control terminal, each of said control units further including a first adjustable means for varying voltage applied to said second differential input terminal and second adjustable means for varying current applied to said control terminal.

Claim 11

A light dimming system as in claim 8 wherein said circuit means includes a capacitor connected to the output of said amplifier, and a field effect transistor whose gate electrode is connected to said capacitor, whose source electrode is connected to said first differential input terminal and to said dimmer circuit to supply thereto a voltage signal whose value is proportional to a charge stored on said capacitor.

Claim 12

A control unit for controlling the brightness and rate of change of brightness of a lamp load connected to an A.C. source through a light dimming circuit of the type controlled by a D.C. voltage level, which comprises: first and second terminals for connecting to a D.C. source; a controlled switching device; means for connecting said controlled switching device across said source-connecting terminals; means for connecting the dimmer circuit to said second source-connecting terminal; means for triggering said controlled switching device; an adjustable potentiometer; means responsive to the triggering of said controlled switching device for impressing a voltage across said potentiometer; an operational transconductance amplifier having first and second differential input terminals, a control terminal, and aN output terminal, said amplifier producing a current on said output terminal determined by the difference in voltage at said first and second differential input terminals and by the current at said control terminal; means for connecting the output terminal of said amplifier to the light dimming circuit for establishing the control D.C. voltage level; means connecting the tap on said potentiometer to said second differential input terminal of said amplifier to establish a voltage at said second differential input terminal; means coupling said output terminal of said amplifier to said first differential input terminal of said amplifier to establish a voltage at said first differential input terminal to increase or decrease the D.C. control voltage level until said voltage established at said first differential input terminal is substantially equal to the voltage established at said second differential input terminal; a variable resistance connected to said control terminal; and means for impressing a current through said variable resistance when a voltage is impressed across said potentiometer to control the rate at which said D.C. voltage level increases or decreases.

Claim 13

A control unit for controlling the brightness and rate of change of brightness of a lamp load connected to an A.C. source through a light dimming circuit of the type controlled by a D.C. voltage level, which comprises: first and second terminals for connecting to a D.C. source; a controlled switching device; means for connecting said controlled switching device across said source-connecting terminals; means for connecting the dimmer circuit to said second source-connecting terminal; means for triggering said controlled switching device; an adjustable potentiometer; means responsive to the triggering of said controlled switching device for impressing a voltage across said potentiometer; an operational transconductance amplifier having first and second differential input terminals, a control terminal, and aN output terminal, said amplifier producing a current on said output terminal determined by the difference in voltage at said first and second differential input terminals and by the current at said control terminal; means for connecting the output terminal of said amplifier to the light dimming circuit for establishing the control D.C. voltage level; means connecting the tap on said potentiometer to said second differential input terminal of said amplifier to establish a voltage at said second differential input terminal; means coupling said output terminal of said amplifier to said first differential input terminal of said amplifier to establish a voltage at said first differential input terminal to increase or decrease the D.C. control voltage level until said voltage established at said first differential input terminal is substantially equal to the voltage established at said second differential input terminal; a variable resistance connected to said control terminal; and means for impressing a current through said variable resistance when a voltage is impressed across said potentiometer to control the rate at which said D.C. voltage level increases or decreases.

Claim 14

A control unit as set forth in claim 10 and including: a first manually operable switch means in series with said source-connecting terminals for energizing said triggering means to activate said controlled switching device; a commutating capacitor connected between said first manually operable switch means and one side of said controlled switching device; and a second manually operable switch means for connecting said commutating capacitor across said controlled switching device for disabling said switching device when said second manually operable switch means is operated.

Claim 15

A control unit as set forth in claim 10 wherein said means for impressing said voltage across said potentiometer includes: a switching transistor having its emittercollector junction connected in series with said potentiometer and said source-connecting terminals; and means coupling the base of said transistor to said controlled switching device for rendering said transistor conductive when said switching device is triggered.

Claim 16

A control unit as set forth in claim 12 wherein said means coupling said base of said transistor includes visual indicator means actuable in response to the triggering of said controlled switching device.