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Digitally Addressable DALI Dimming Ballast

Cecilia Contenti and Tom Ribarich


Applications Engineer, International Rectifier, Lighting Group,
101S Sepulveda Blv. El Segundo, CA, 90245-4382
tel. (310)726-8927, fax. (310)726-8846, email: cconten1@irf.com

as presented at APEC 2002

Abstract: A digitally addressable digital dimming ballast has ballast control, receiving status information from the ballast
been developed. It conforms to DALI standard requiring very few control and sending status information back to the user.
parts and operates at very low power. Applications include This allows for complete and precise control of an entire
building management or studio lighting where it is desired to lighting environment.
control single or groups of lamps for conserving energy, A typical digital dimming solution includes an ASIC for
performing lamp maintenance or creating prefect light quality. sending and receiving instructions from the micro-controller
The design includes the digital dimming ballast, the code of the and optocouplers for isolating the control input (Figure 3).
micro-controller and a platform to control the ballast by PC. The ASIC contains the necessary functions for controlling
the lamp brightness as well as a digital interface for
communicating with the micro-controller.
I. INTRODUCTION

Digitally addressable lighting is slowly emerging as a


popular means for controlling complete lighting
environments for a wide variety of different applications. Line
Neutral
Individual control of each lamp enables the end user to Earth

precisely deliver the correct amount of light when and


Ethernet
where it is required. Managing the light in this manner Net-to-DALI
Converter

allows for a massive reduction in global energy


consumption due to lighting. Industrial environments can
64 Digital Dimming Ballasts
conserve the total energy required for lighting while
actually increasing light quality in certain areas at given
times.
A complete digital dimming system includes the dimming
ballasts and a digital control unit for converting information Net-to-DALI
Converter

from an Ethernet connection to the communication protocol


required by the micro-controller in each ballast (Figure 1).
64 Digital Dimming Ballasts
Applications for this system include building management
or studio lighting where it is desired to control single or
groups of lamps for conserving energy, performing lamp
maintenance or creating precision lighting effects.
Net-to-DALI
Converter

II. DIGITAL DIMMING


64 Digital Dimming Ballasts

Digital dimming ballasts include an EMI filter, rectifier,


power factor correction, and ballast output stage (Figure 2).
The digital ballast also includes a micro-controller for
sending and receiving information digitally. The micro-
controller functions include storing the ballast address, Figure 1, Typical digital dimming system.
receiving user instructions, setting the dim reference for the

1
on/off, dim level and fade time. Various operating
Digital Dimmable Electronic Ballast
parameters can be changed and stored dynamically within
Line Power
Factor
the ballast memory. For example, scene levels can be set for
Neutral EMI Filter Rectifier
Earth Correction
Ballast
different groups of ballasts. Also, maximum brightness,
Output
Stage Lamp minimum brightness, power-on light level and failure light
Digital
level and several other features can be set as desired.
Isolation Micro- Ballast
Control
Input
Controller Control Another feature is the ability to diagnose problems such as
lamp failures.
The DALI provides 256 levels of brightness between the
Figure 2, Digital dimming ballast block diagram.
minimum and maximum dim levels and also includes a
logarithmic dimming curve (Figure 5). This gives larger
increments in brightness at high dim levels and smaller
This approach requires four primary ICs which include a increments at low dim levels. The result is a dimming curve
power factor controller IC, a micro-controller IC, an ASIC which appears linear to the human eye.
and a driver IC for the output stage.

Digital Dimmable Electronic Ballast


255
Line Power
Neutral EMI Filter Rectifier Factor
Correction
Earth Ballast
Output
Stage Lamp Di
Digital
Control
Opto- Micro- ASIC
High/Low
Side
m
Isolator Controller
Input Driver Val
ue
Figure 3, Typical digital dimming ASIC solution.

A standard solution also exists that includes the IR2159


Dimming IC (Figure 4). With this approach the total number
of ICs has been reduced to three as the IR2159 also includes 0
1 100
the driver circuitry for the ballast output stage. Lamp Brightness [%]

Digital Dimmable Electronic Ballast

Line Power Figure 5, DALI logarithmic dimming curve with 256 brightness levels
Neutral EMI Filter Rectifier Factor
Earth Correction
Ballast
Output
Stage
Lamp IV. IRPLDIM2 REFERENCE DESIGN KIT
Digital Opto- Micro-
Control
Input
Isolator Controller
IR2159 IR and Microchip Jointly developed a solution for
digitally addressable digital dimming ballasts. It conforms to
DALI standard. A fully-functional digitally addressable
Figure 4, Digital dimming solution using the IR2159 Dimming IC.
dimming ballast was designed (Figure 6), built and tested for
performance.
III. DALI

A system known as the Digitally Addressable Lighting


Interface (DALI) exists in Europe which has been widely
adopted by several companies and is in the process of
becoming a standard. This is a two-wire system with a
defined digital communication protocol for sending and
receiving instructions. The DALI includes a bitstream
definition for both forward and backward going messages
(standard prlEC929).
The DALI allows for communication with all of the ballasts
at once, groups of ballasts (16 maximum) or individual Figure 6, IRPLDIM2: Digitally Addressable DALI Dimming Ballast
ballasts (64 maximum). The functions performed include

2
This reference design is a high efficiency, high power •
Programmable Ignition
factor, digital dimming electronic ballast designed to drive a •
High precision Digital Dimming
rapid start fluorescent lamp. The design contains an active •
Logarithmic Dimming
power factor correction circuit for universal voltage input as •
Diagnostic and fault control
well as a ballast control circuit using the IR2159. The •
Lamp Fault Protection
design also includes a PIC16F628 micro-controller and an •
Brownout Protection
isolation circuit for connecting to a Digitally Addressable •
Phase control dimming
Lighting Interface (DALI). Other features include EMI •
Optically Isolated Communications
filtering, transient protection and lamp fault protection This is a good example of merging digital technology
(Figure 8). (innovative software tricks) with high voltage analog
The input stage was designed for high power factor and low technology (innovative hardware tricks) to face the modern
harmonic distortion using a generic PFC IC. The IR2159 market issue of energy saving, reducing complexity and
Dimming Ballast IC was used to provide smooth dimming cost and with an user-friendly design-development kit to
control of the lamp (phase control method, patented by IR). reduce the design time for the customers adopting this
The IR2159 also includes a 0-to-5V analog dimming input, solution.
which is convenient for interfacing to a micro-controller.
The PIC16F628 micro-controller was used for the digital V. CONTROL BALLAST IC/ MICRO-CONTROLLER
control section. The PIC16F628 acts as an interface between
the IR2159 ballast controller and the DALI. Data is The communication between the micro-controller and the
transmitted to the ballast from the DALI and the PIC16F628 IR2159 is done with four signals (Figure 9). These signals
collects the data through an isolation circuit. The PIC16F628 are used for digital dimming (RB3), turning the ballast on or
then interprets the data and sends the appropriate signals off (RB4), and fault detection (RB5 & RB6). The micro-
to the IR2159 if necessary or sends information back to the controller controls the IR2159 by the following 3 pins: pin
DALI. The PIC16F628 also performs lamp fault detection SD for shutdown of the IC (active high), pin FMIN used for
and disables the IR2159 if a lamp fault is present. fault detection (0 if the IC is in fault mode) and pin DIM to
control the brightness. The micro-controller receives lamp
EMI Filter
Rectifier
PFC Output Stage
information by the signal Lamp -out, connected to the lamp.
VDD Lamp Out
Line Input
R17

1 VDC HO 16
PC If 0 Lamo OK R16
Micro Ballast Control If 1 Lamp Fault
light level Half Bridge 2 VCO VS 15
Fade time 1 VDC HO 16 Driver
1 RA2 RA1 18
Fade rate 2 VCO VS 15
C11 3 CPH VB 14
2 17
Lamp

IR2159
RA3 RA0
On/Off 1 RA2 RA118 RDIM
CPH VB
3 14
IR2159

RA4 RA7
3 16
PIC16F62

4 DIM VCC13
Serial Port RA5 RA6 4 DIM VCC 13 2 RA3 RA017
4 15
PIC16F628

Dimming Feedback
5 VSS VDD 14 Fault condition 5 MAX COM 1 2 Preheat Feedback 3 RA4 RA716 5 MAX COM 12
actual level light
RS232-to- 6 RB0 RB7 13
Opto- status ballast 6 MIN LO 11
4 RA5 RA615
DALI 7 RB1 RB6 12 TR data signal 6 MIN L O 11
Isolation 7 FMI CS 10 If 0 IC OFF
converter 8 RB2 RB5 11
N
from the network 5 VSS VDD14 If 1 IC OK
8 IPH SD 9 to the micro 7 FMIN CS 10
9 RB3 RB4 10
Lamp Fault 6 RB0 RB713

8 IPH SD 9
7 RB1 RB612

TURN ON IC
8 RB2 RB511
Interface
RX data signal TURN OFF IC
with from the micro 9 RB3 RB410

Optos to the network

Figure 8, IRPLDIM2 Digitally Addressable Dimming Ballast. R25

C17 1.25V
DALI Signal

Digital Signal CMOS

2.5V

The main advantages of this solution are: VSS 3.75V

1) Low component count (only 92 components!)


2) Low power, low power standby due to an
innovative Shut-down and communication method Figure 9, Micro-controller/IR2159 Communication
(this makes it possible to get 5V from the bus
without an additional input) The shutdown signal (RB4) enables or disables the IR2159.
3) Fast and easy design for customers adopting this When high, the lamp is off and the IR2159 is disabled with
solution (modifying the code for the micro and minimal current flowing. When low, the lamp is on. The
changing the ballast section with the new Ballast PIC16F628 has control of this line and determines if lamp
Designer software) should be on or off based on fault conditions and user
Some others features are: requested settings from the DALI. There are two signals
• Interface DALI (2 wires) used for fault detection, lamp -out (RB6), and fault (RB5).
• High Power Factor/ Low THD The lamp-out signal indicates the presence of a lamp or
• High Frequency Operation lamp fault. When the lamp is removed the lamp -out signal is
• Programmable Lamp Filament Preheating pulled up to VDD by the pull-up resistor R17 and the

3
software forces the IR2159 to shutdown. When the lamp is VI. DALI INTERFACE/MICRO-CONTROLLER
changed, this pin goes to 0 Volts, the micro-controller turns
the IR2159 on again and the lamp re-starts automatically. The Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface is optically
Other fault conditions are indicated by the fault signal (pin isolated from the micro-controller. Figure 11 shows the
FMIN of the IR2159). A low on the fault signal indicates connections between DALI and micro-controller.
that the IR2159 is in a fault state (the IR2159 turns off The two wires from the DALI are converted to four signals.
automatically in fault conditions such us VCC fault, over- Two of the four are the transmit signal (RB2) and receive
current, failure to strike or low AC line and will remain in this signal (RX_DALI). The other two signals are the
FAULT state until the IC is reset. communications-enable (RB0) signal and the receive-drive
The IR2159 requires a 0.5-volt to 5-volt analog voltage (in (RB1) signal. The transmit signal and the receive signal
pin DIM) to perform dimming, thus 0.5 volts corresponds to directly correlate to the levels seen on the Digitally
the 1% arc power level and 5 volts corresponds to the 100% Addressable Lighting Interface. For receiving higher voltage
arc power level. The PIC16F628 provides a pulse width logic on the DALI is translated to 5 volt logic at the micro-
modulated signal on pin RB3 that is filtered with a single RC controller, and for transmission, the 5 volt logic is translated
network (R25 and C17). This provides an analog voltage for to the higher voltage logic on the DALI.
dimming. The micro can change the dim voltage from 0.5V
to 5V by changing the duty cycle and therefore generate
RB0
256 different voltage levels for the IR2159. To conform to ENABLE

the digital dimming requirements, the output is logarithmic RB2 TX_DALI


+
rather than linear. Since the human eye is much more
DALI
sensitive to lower light levels than high levels, the
logarithmic output appears to be linear. Therefore the - RB1 RECEIVE-DRIVE

PIC16F628 is programmed to produce a logarithmic voltage RA1


RX_DALI
and the IR2159 drives the lamp arc power (Figure 10).
RA2

Logarithmic Voltage Output

5 MICRO-CONTROLLER
4
Voltage Output

3
Figure 11, DALI/ Micro-controller communication.
2

0
The ballast achieves very low power by controlling the
85 115 145 175 205 235 communications circuit with the communication-enable
Digital Input
signal and the receive-drive signal. During normal operation
Logarithmic Arc Power Output
the PIC16F628 enables the communication circuitry with the
100
90
communication-enable signal. With this signal there is
% Arc Power Output

80
70
enough current, less than 100uA, to indicate when data is
60
50 being sent to the ballast, but not enough current to
40
30
20
accurately transfer the data. Upon detection (done by a S/H
10
0
built into the PIC16F628) the receive-drive is asserted to raise
85 115 145 175 205 235
Digital Input
the current above 500uA to achieve good signal transfer
across the isolation. The receive-drive signal is only enabled
Figure 10, Dimming Characteristics.
long enough to transfer all the data; then it is disabled
(waveforms in Figure 12). This method strongly reduces the
The micro-controller can also change the fade time by
power/current use. The comparator built into the PIC16F628
controlling the speed in which the duty cycle changes.
is used to set the thre shold for detection of the incoming
The relation between light level and dim level can be tuned
data. The signal RA2 is used as threshold for the comparator.
according to specific needs. The minimum light level can be
With shutdown there are some unique power conditions.
changed by adjusting RMIN, and the maximum level can be
With the shutdown line low and the lamp ignited, the
changed adjusting RMAX. RMIN sets the lower phase
PIC16F628 derives its power from the charge pump of the
boundary corresponding to minimum lamp power when
IR2159. The charge pump provides enough current for the
VDIM = 0.5V, and RMAX sets the upper phase boundary
micro-controller to run at its internal frequency of 4MHz
corresponding to maximum lamp power when VDIM = 5V.
during normal operation. When the shutdown line is
RMAX must be set after RMIN.
asserted the IR2159 is disabled, and the charge pump is no
longer functioning. Current is drawn directly from the high

4
voltage DC line through a high value resistor. The micro-
controller is put to sleep during this time to minimize current Software was written for controlling the ballast from a PC.
draw and power dissipation. To receive data, which requires The software has a graphical user interface for performing
significant current, the PIC16F628 wakes up and starts the all of the DALI functions (Figure 15). The PC sends
charge pump of the IR2159 long enough to process the commands via a serial cable to a RS232-to-DALI converter
command, typically less than 25ms, but not long enough to which then communicates with the ballast via a two-wire
ignite the lamp (waveforms in Figure 12). Doing this unique connection.
management minimizes power dissipation during shutdown.

Receive

Receive-drive
signal

Communications-
enable
Figure 15, Graphical user interface of the digital dimming software.

Pin SD The ballast and software system successfully performed


all DALI functions while giving high-performance dimming
as well.
Pin LO The CD encloses: Layout files, BOM and schematics, AN,
Users manual, micro-controller code and software to drive
the ballast by PC.
Figure 13, Communication Signals between micro-controller/DALI
To adapt the ballast to different lamp types and
configurations you can use the BDA software on our WEB
(www.irf.com) that will give you the new BOM, schematic
VII. REFERENCE DESIGN KIT TOOLS
and Layout files when selecting the kind of lamp, the
number of lamps and the lamp configuration (Figure 16).
The Reference Design Kit (Figure 14) consists of these
following items:
1. IRPLDIM2 - DALI Ballast
2. RS232-DALI Bridge
3. DALI CD with software and design
information

Figure 16, Graphical user interface of the BDA software.

VI. CONCLUSIONS

A digitally addressable digital dimming ballast has been


developed which conforms to the DALI standard. This
reference design (IRPLDIM2) is a high efficiency, high
power factor, digital dimming electronic ballast designed to
drive rapid start fluorescent lamps. Some features are:
1) Low component count (only 92!)
Figure 14, Reference Design Kit Setup.

5
2) Low power, due to an innovative communications Reference Description
and Shut-down method BR1 Bridge Rectifier, 1A, 1000V
3) Fast and easy design for customers adopting this C4, C5, CPH, CVDC Capacitor, 0.47uF, SMT 1206
solution (modifying the code for the micro and C3 Capacitor, 0.01uF, SMT 1206
adapting the ballast section with the new BDA C1 Capacitor, 0.33uF, 275VAC
software) C2, C13 Capacitor, 0.1uF, 400VDC
C7, C8, C11, C18 Capacitor, 0.1uF, SMT1206
C15 Capacitor, 0.22uF, SMT1206
C6 Capacitor, 10uF,
APPENDIX i: Schematics 450VDC,105C
C9 Capacitor, 4.7uF, 25VDC,
105C
+

X3

Capacitor, 10uF, 25VDC,


-

X1
GND
C19
N

L
105C

F1
C10 Capacitor, 220pF, SMT 1206
L1
T1

3 (-)

Capacitor, 1nF, SMT 1206


RV1

C16
CY
BR2

C12 Capacitor, 1nF, 1KV, SMT


R33

C1

1812
2 (+)

BR1
R28

R34

C14 Capacitor, 10nF, 1600VDC


3

D9

C2
OPTO

OPTO
U2

U1

CVCO Capacitor, 47nF, SMT 1206


R3

R1
R2
2

C17 Capacitor, 1uF, SMT 1206


R5
C3

R4
R35

R12

CY Y-Capacitor
R29

R30

C5
R36

R31

R11
C16

D4, D7 Diode, 1N4148, SMT DL35


R32

L2
R9
R8

Diode, 1N4148
R20

D1, D8
R10
TX

PFC
IC1
IC3
R25

D2, D3 Diode, 1A 600V SMB


RB3

RB2

RB0

RA5
RB1

VSS

RA4

RA3

RA2

PIC16F628
5

8
C4

D5 12 V Zener SMT
RB4

RB5

RB6

RB7

VDD 14

RA6

RA7

RA0

RA1
C17

R6
D1
10

11

12

13

15

16

17

18

R7

D9 5.1 V Zener SMT


R16
C11

R17

D6 5.6V Zener SMT


M1
+5V
C15

D2

L1 EMI Inductor, 1x10mH, 0.7A


C6
R22

L2 PFC Inductor, 2.0mH, 2.0Apk


CVDC

RVDC

L3 Inductor, 2.0mH, 2.0Apk


CVCO
CPH
RFMIN

RMAX

RDIM
RIPH

RMIN

M1, M2, M3 Transistor Mosfet


R23

R15 Resistor, 1K Ohm, SMT 1206


IPH

FMIN

MIN

MAX

DIM

CPH

VCO

VDC
D6

IC2

IR2159
C18

R37

R33 Resistor, 470 Ohm, SMT


R24

COM

VCC 13

HO
SD

CS

LO

VB

VS
10

11

12

14

15

16
9

1206
C10

RFMIN Resistor, 39K Ohm, SMT


R26

1206
R15

R14

C8

C7

R13
R18
C19

C9

RDIM, R12, R20, R35, Resistor, 10K Ohm, SMT


D3
M3

M2
R27

R36 1206
R21

D4

C12

Resistor, 18K Ohm, SMT


D7

D8

RIPH
1206
D5
C14

C13

R19

R34 Resistor, 5.1K Ohm, SMT


X2C

X2B

1206
L3

RVDC Resistor, 27K Ohm, SMT


X2A
X2D

X2

1206
RMIN Resistor, 28K Ohm, SMT
1206
RMAX Resistor, 32.4K
Ohm,SMT1206
APPENDIX ii: BOM R1, R2 Resistor, 680KOhm, SMT
1206
R3 Resistor, 7.5K Ohm, SMT
IRPLDIM2E Bill of Materials
1206
Lamp Type: T8/36W, Line Input Voltage: 185 to 265 VAC
R6 Resistor, 22K Ohm, SMT1206

6
R7, R13, R14, R21, Resistor, 22 Ohm, SMT 1206
R24
R9, R16, R30 Resistor, 100KOhm, SMT
1206
R10, R11 Resistor, 820KOhm, SMT
1206
R17 Resistor, 1M Ohm, SMT1206
R8 Resistor, 1 Ohm, ¼ Watt
R18 Resistor, 0.68 Ohm, ¼ Watt
R19 Resistor, 100K Ohm, ¼ Watt
R4 Resistor, 470 K Ohm
R5 Resistor, 1M Ohm
R26, R27 Resistor, 10 Ohm, SMT1206
R22 Resistor, 270 K Ohm, 0.5W
R23 Resistor, 470 KOhm,
SMT1206
R31 Resistor, 360KOhm,
SMT1206
R28 Resistor, 4.7 KOhm, SMT
1206
R29 Resistor, 2.2 KOhm, SMT
1206
R32 Resistor, 75K, SMT 1206
R25, R37 Resistor, 47 KOhm, SMT1206
F1 Resistor, 0.5 Ohm, ½ Watt
IC1 PFC IC for PWR FACTOR
IC2 IC, Dimming Ballast
Controller
U1, U2 Mini-flat package Photo
coupler
U3 Micro-controller PDIP
T1 SOT23 MP Transistor NPN
BR2 .5A 200V Mini SM Bridge
Rect
X1 Connector, 2 terminal
X2 Connector, 4 terminal
X3 Phone Connector RJ11
J1, J2, J3, J4, J5, J6, J7 Jumper
R01, R02, R03, R04, Resistor, 0 Ohm, SMT 1206
R05, R06, R07, R08

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