A digital signal input circuit including an isolating circuit and a voltage determining circuit is presented, where a first port of an input end of the isolating circuit receives a digital signal, an output end of the isolating circuit outputs the digital signal, and when the isolating circuit is open, the isolating circuit is configured to output a first level, or when the isolating circuit is closed, the isolating circuit is configured to output a second level; and the voltage determining circuit is configured to determine, according to a level of the digital signal, whether the isolating circuit is open or closed. According to the digital signal input circuit, the voltage determining circuit determines a level of a digital signal, thereby correctness of digital signal level conversion is increased.

A digital signal input circuit including an isolating circuit and a voltage determining circuit is presented, where a first port of an input end of the isolating circuit receives a digital signal, an output end of the isolating circuit outputs the digital signal, and when the isolating circuit is open, the isolating circuit is configured to output a first level, or when the isolating circuit is closed, the isolating circuit is configured to output a second level; and the voltage determining circuit is configured to determine, according to a level of the digital signal, whether the isolating circuit is open or closed. According to the digital signal input circuit, the voltage determining circuit determines a level of a digital signal, thereby correctness of digital signal level conversion is increased.

Lighting control interface techniques and corresponding circuitry are provided. The techniques include receiving a first signal potentially representative of a first lighting control signal, and receiving a second signal potentially representative of a second lighting control signal, and determining if either of the first and second signals complies with a first or second lighting control protocol. The lighting control signal may be applied to the same interface connector (regardless of the protocol), thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated interface connectors. In some cases, the techniques further include determining that a dummy control signal is manifesting in the first and/or second signals, thereby indicating that no lighting control signal is being applied. Depending on the resulting determination, the techniques may include, for example, setting output lighting power according to a pre-established value, or according to the first or second lighting control protocol.

Lighting control interface techniques and corresponding circuitry are provided. The techniques include receiving a first signal potentially representative of a first lighting control signal, and receiving a second signal potentially representative of a second lighting control signal, and determining if either of the first and second signals complies with a first or second lighting control protocol. The lighting control signal may be applied to the same interface connector (regardless of the protocol), thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated interface connectors. In some cases, the techniques further include determining that a dummy control signal is manifesting in the first and/or second signals, thereby indicating that no lighting control signal is being applied. Depending on the resulting determination, the techniques may include, for example, setting output lighting power according to a pre-established value, or according to the first or second lighting control protocol.

An interface circuit (1) is provided for an operating device (2) of the domestic appliance technology, in particular for an operating device for lighting means (3), for bi-directional communication with a bus (4) via a respective transmitting opto-coupler (9) and a receiving opto-coupler (8), wherein a node point (P) of the interface circuit (1) is impinged upon with a driver voltage (VT) in such a way that the transmitting opto-coupler (9) switches through and thus sends a signal to the bus (4), and wherein, at the same node point (P), the state of the receiving opto-coupler (8) can be detected so that a signal can be received from the bus (4).

A logic gate device comprising a probe structure having an interface contact, a first logic input for receiving a first light pulse having a first carrier-envelope phase that encodes an input state of the first logic input and a second logic input for receiving a second light pulse having a second carrier-envelope phase that encodes an input state of the second logic input. The probe structure is arranged to be irradiated by the first light pulse to generate a first current component within the probe structure that depends on the first carrier-envelope phase and to be irradiated by the second light pulse to generate a second current component within the probe structure that depends on the second carrier-envelope phase. The interface contact is arranged to output a sum current that comprises the first and second current component, wherein the sum current encodes a logic output state of a logic output.