AC/DC Lighting

In a DC/DC converter, the auxiliary power supply of multiple switching devices requires independent isolated power supplies. Taking a full-bridge converter as an example, the high-side and low-side MOSFETs (HS-FETs and LS-FETs, respectively) of the bridge arm require isolated power supplies for the gate driver circuit. The traditional scheme uses a bootstrap circuit to power supply both the upper ...

In an era characterized by the internet of things (IoT), more connectivity means more outdoor devices are now battery-powered and constantly communicating. In particular, an increasing number of outdoor devices are being powered through solar panels. The charger should be suitable for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in outdoor designs with a solar panel. This article illustrates design tips fo...

Power factor is defined as the ratio of energy a device is capable of transmitting to the output versus the total amount of energy it takes from the input power source. It is a key figure of merit for the design of electrical devices, especially due to the regulations put in place by countries and international organizations like the EU, which define the minimum power factor or maximum level of ha...

Smart lighting is considered to be the new frontier of the global lighting industry, as the trend of smart homes, Internet of Things (IoT), and a connected world are the main driving factors in global electronics growth. In terms of major applications of the smart lighting concept, the industry is currently more focused on light intensity dimming, lighting color temperature adjustment, ambient sen...

Capacitive isolation is a mature solution developed over the past decade to replace optocouplers in signal isolators, isolated gate drivers, isolated transceivers, and other applications1. However, the potential to use capacitive isolation to replace optocouplers in offline adaptors is often neglected. This articles explains why capacitive isolation can be a fundamental building block in future AC...