US Patent 9232596 Mains synchronized PWM dimming

Driver circuits which reduce or remove flicker of solid state lighting SSL devices, notably at relatively low dimming levels are presented. The driver circuit comprises a power converter to transfer energy from an input of the driver circuit to the SSL device. The energy at the input is derived from an AC mains voltage at a mains frequency. A controller determines a dim level for the SSL device. and operates the power converter continuously in a first operation mode for supplying energy to the SSL device at a first energy level, if the dim level is above a pre-determined dim level threshold. The controller operates the power converter in the first operation mode at a time duration of PWM pulses, and operates the power converter in a second operation mode at a time duration in-between the PWM pulses, if the dim level is below the pre-determined dim level threshold.