The application requires that sequence number is 60/676,448, " the serial power supply of LED string " by name, the applying date be the priority of U.S.'s pending trial temporary patent application on April 29th, 2005, at this, with its in full content be incorporated herein by reference.
Background technology
With reference to figure 1, show a kind of being used to of the prior art to drive or power to the typical circuit 10 of a plurality of LED.For example, among Fig. 1, circuit 10 is used to drive four LED 22,24,26 and 28.Should find out that LED 22,24,26 and 28 is in parallel.An external voltage source is connected to driver 12, is used for providing voltage vcc to driver 12.Driver 12 has low (LDO) adjuster 14 that reverses, and the voltage Vreg that is used to provide adjusted is to LED 22,24,26 and 28.Adjusted voltage Vreg for example can be 3.3 volts.LED 22,24,26 and 28 is connected respectively to switch 32,34,36 and 38 and resistance 42,44,46 and 48.As shown in fig. 1, LED 22,24,26 and 28, switch 32,34,36 and 38 and resistance 42,44,46 and 48 be connected in series respectively.
For instance, suppose that each all needs the operating current of 10mA in LED 22,24,26 and 28.So, a kind of situation is, the voltage vcc of external voltage source is 30V, and LED 22,24,26 and 28 power requirement are Pw, and wherein the computing formula of Pw is as follows: Pw=30V*4*10mA=1.2W.
In actual use, circuit 10 can be installed in the mancarried device, for example cellular phone, digital camera, laptop computer, electric automobile or portable power tool etc.As illustrated in prior art fig. 1, use single high voltage integrated circuit (IC), and therefore only provide a single high voltage source.No matter load current still flows out from the higher pressure adjuster from low-pressure regulator, the electric current IC that all flows through, and must consume the power of remarkable quantity.This is significant from some angle, and for example, IC design, system power distribute and intrasystem power consumption.
Embodiment
Power with reference to the serial of the LED of embodiment of the present utility model string and to be described in detail.When describing the utility model in conjunction with the embodiments, be appreciated that it can not attempt the utility model is restricted among these embodiment.On the contrary, the utility model is intended to cover all selections, distortion and the equivalent that is included in the spirit and scope of the present utility model that are defined by the following claims.
In addition, in following detailed description of the present utility model, a large amount of details have been stated, to provide to complete understanding of the present utility model.Yet one it will be recognized by those of ordinary skills, and the utility model need not these details and just can implement.In addition, in some cases, cover flesh and blood of the present utility model, known method, processing procedure, element and circuit are not described in detail in order to be unlikely.
Please refer to Fig. 2, its show according to the utility model embodiment be used for drive and the circuit 100 of a plurality of loads (for example LED) is given in power supply.Circuit 100 shown in Figure 2 is used for driving four LED 122,124,126 and 128, and certainly, in other embodiments, the number of load should not be restricted, and circuit 100 can be supported the load of any number, for example n LED (n=2,3,4 ...).For a person skilled in the art, obviously also support among other embodiment of the present utility model to use the load of other type to replace LED 122,124,126 and 128.
As shown in Figure 2, LED 122,124,126 and 128 is one another in series and is connected, and forms a LED string 150.One external voltage source is connected in driver 112, provides voltage vcc in order to give driver 112.Driver 112 has linear regulator, and for example voltage follower, shunt regulator or low (LDO) adjuster 114 that reverses are used for providing adjusted voltage Vreg to LED 122,124,126 and 128.For the person of ordinary skill of the art, obviously voltage vcc is usually above adjusted voltage Vreg, and external voltage source is without overregulating.
LED 122,124,126 after the series connection and 128 connects with resistance 140 and switch 130 jointly.Other has a plurality of switches 132,134,136 and 138 to be parallel to respectively on each LED 122,124,126 and 128, and for example, switch 132 is connected in parallel with LED 122.In one embodiment, the modulated voltage Vreg that regulates via the ldo regulator 114 of driver 112 is output to resistance 140 and LED 122,124,126 and 128, thereby all LED 122,124,126 and 128 are lighted.
Switch 132,134,136 and 138 in parallel with LED 122,124,126 and 128 respectively can be controlled LED122,124,126 and 128 brightness separately separately.Switch 132,134,136 and 138 is used separately as the bypass of the current path of LED 122,124,126 and 128.For example, switch 132 is as the bypass of the current path of LED 122, and switch 134 is as the bypass of the current path of LED 124, and switch 136 serves as the bypass of the current path of LED 126, and switch 138 is as the bypass of the current path of LED 128.As can be seen, when switch 132 by short circuit or when being under an embargo, LED 122 will be closed.
On the contrary, when switch 132 is unlocked or enables, LED 122 will be switched on.Similarly, LED 124,126 and 128 realizes opening and closing respectively under the control of switch 134,136 and 138.
In conjunction with a specific embodiment, the utility model also can further be introduced pulse-width modulation circuit (PWM) control method.In other words, pwm signal can be applied on switch 132,134,136 and 138, with the brightness of independent control LED 122,124,126 and 128.With LED 122 is example, can use a controller (not shown) to produce pwm signal and enable or disable switch 132, so that control the brightness of LED 122 or make the brightness deepening of LED 122.Particularly, when in LED 122,124,126 and 128 any by short circuit or when turn-offing, the brightness of all the other LED also will change.Can use pwm signal to control the switch of all the other LED, change so that suppress its brightness.In addition, when LED 122,124,126 when 128 have different colors, also can use switch 132,134,136 and 138 to eliminate luminance difference between LED 122,124,126 and 128.
According to an embodiment of the present utility model, the electric current of flow through each LED 122,124,126 and 128 can be turned to by switch 132,134,136 and 138.The scope of diverted current of switch of flowing through from 0 to lowest high-current value Id_max, as shown in formula 1:
Id_max=Vled/Ronsw (1)
In formula 1, Vled is the rated voltage of each LED 122,124,126 and 128; And Ronsw be electric current at the resistance 140 of flowing through less than the condition of [Vreg-Nx Vled]/R1 under each switch 132,134,136 and 138 impedance, will describe in detail hereinafter.
In this case, according to an embodiment of the present utility model, electric current is shunted according to the proportional factor of the duty ratio with the pwm signal that is applied to switch.In order to illustrate, adopting LED 122 is example, and when the electric current on resistance 140 was Iex, the voltage of LED 122 was V122, and the impedance of switch 132 is R132.The electric current of switch 132 of flowing through changes to Id_max=V122/R132 from 0, and the electric current of the LED 122 that flows through changes to Iex-(V122/R132) from Iex.If (V122/R132) be greater than or equal to Iex, the electric current of the LED 122 that then flows through changes to 0 from Iex.
Similarly, the flow through electric current of LED 124,126 and 128 can be modulated to 0 by switch 134,136 and 138 from Iex respectively.Therefore, no matter there are what LED to be switched in the given time, the electric current of the LED that flows through can be regulated individually.
When all LED 122,124,126 and 128 need to be switched on, need to introduce an initial current Icc_max, as shown in formula 2:
Icc_max=[Vreg-NxVled]/R1 (2)
In formula 2, NxVled is the voltage sum of LED 122,124,126 and 128; R1 is the resistance value of resistance 140.
According to an embodiment of the present utility model, initial current Icc_max must be less than maximum continuous current, and this maximum continuous current is the maximum demand electric current of LED 122,124,126 and 128 of flowing through.
According to another embodiment of the present utility model, switch 130 can be used for turn-offing all LED 122,124,126 and 128.Equally, also can use switch 130 to control or lower the brightness of the whole LED string 150 of LED 122,124,126 and 128.
Obviously, according to the circuit 100 of an embodiment of the present utility model can power to or drive a plurality of LED (for example, LED 122,124,126 and 128), and the electric current of the LED of any number of the series connection that can reduce to flow through.Therefore, circuit 100 of the present utility model can reduce power consumption significantly.
Please refer to Fig. 3, it shows the method that is used for the driven for emitting lights diode 200 according to embodiment of the present utility model.According to step 210, a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LED) are connected in series.According to step 212, a plurality of first switches are parallel-connected to a plurality of LED respectively, that is, each of a plurality of LED all is parallel-connected in a plurality of first switches one to inductive switch.According to step 214, second switch is connected in series to LED.This switch is controlled the power of a plurality of LED.According to step 216, a power supply is connected to the end of a plurality of LED, with to a plurality of LED transmission powers.According to step 218, regulate power supply to produce a modulated voltage.Modulated voltage is connected to the end of a plurality of LED, is used for powering to LED.According to step 220, a plurality of pulse-width modulations (PWM) signal is connected respectively to a plurality of first switches, is used for controlling individually each the brightness of a plurality of LED.According to step 222, control whole brightness of a plurality of LED by the control second switch.That is, when second switch is closed, power supply will be powered to a plurality of LED; When second switch disconnected, power supply will be to a plurality of LED power supplies.
Above description and accompanying drawing have been represented preferred embodiment of the present utility model.Be appreciated that various increases, distortion and replacement all should be comprised within the protection range of the present utility model under the condition that does not deviate from by the spirit and scope of the defined principle of the present utility model of claims.Those skilled in the art are in actual use the of the present utility model, can use the utility model in the mode of various forms, structure, layout, ratio, material, element and parts or the like distortion, these are only in order to adapt to the needs of specific environment and operation, and do not deviate from principle of the present utility model.For example, can replace LED described in the foregoing description with the load of other types.And for example, pwm signal can be simulation or digital.Therefore current disclosed embodiment is considered to is illustrative in all fields, and nonrestrictive, and scope of the present utility model is specified by claims and its legal equivalents, and is not limited to above-mentioned description.