LED power control methods and apparatus

• US 20050213353A1
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Color Kinetics Incorporated (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Lys, Ihor A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,557,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0012 Control circuits using digital or numerical techniques in DC/DC converters H02M3/157, H02M3/33515; in DC-AC converters H02M7/53873
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0019 the disturbance parameters being load current fluctuations
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/008 Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4225 using a non-isolated boost converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/425 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a high frequency AC output voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4291 by using a Buck converter to switch the input current
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/157 with digital control
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33561 having more than one ouput with independent control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/24 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/305 Frequency-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/355 Power factor correction [PFC]; Reactive power compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/385 using flyback topology
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing and controlling power to loads including one or more LEDs. In one example, a controlled predetermined power is provided to a load without requiring any feedback information from the load (i.e., without monitoring a load voltage and/or load current). In another example, a “feed-forward” power driver for an LED-based light source combines the functionality of a DC-DC converter and a light source controller, and is configured to control the intensity of light generated by the light source based on modulating the average power delivered to the light source in a given time period, without monitoring and/or regulating the voltage or current provided to the light source. In various examples, significantly streamlined circuits having fewer components, higher overall power efficiencies, and smaller space requirements are realized. Based on various power driver configurations, lighting apparatus incorporating one or more power drivers for one or more LED-based loads may be implemented, and multiple such lighting apparatus may be coupled together to form a lighting network in which operating power is efficiently provided throughout the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one first LED; and

at least one first power controller to provide a first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one first LED.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to provide the first controllably variable predetermined power without monitoring either a voltage across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to provide the first controllably variable predetermined power without regulating either a voltage across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one first power controller includes a first single switch;

a DC supply voltage provides a power source to the apparatus;

the at least one first power controller is configured to apply a first converted DC voltage across the at least one first LED; and

the at least one first power controller is further configured to control the first single switch to facilitate a first conversion of the DC supply voltage to the first converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control the first single switch using a discontinuous mode switching technique.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control at least one of a frequency and a duty cycle of multiple switching operations of the first single switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control an effective frequency of the multiple switching operations using a pulse number modulation technique.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control at least one of the frequency and the duty cycle of the multiple switching operations of the first single switch based on at least one of the DC supply voltage and a supply current drawn from the DC supply voltage.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

at least one second LED; and

at least one second power controller configured to provide a second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one second LED.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one second power controller includes a second single switch;

the at least one second power controller is configured to apply a second converted DC voltage across the at least one second LED; and

the at least one second power controller is further configured to control the second single switch to facilitate a second conversion of the DC supply voltage to the second converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED.

11. A method, comprising an act of:

A) providing a first controllably variable predetermined power to at least one first LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one first LED.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the act A) includes an act of:

providing the first controllably variable predetermined power without monitoring either a voltage across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the act A) includes an act of:

providing the first controllably variable predetermined power without regulating either a voltage across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a DC supply voltage provides a power source, wherein a first converted DC voltage is applied across the at least one first LED, and wherein the act A) includes an act of:

B) controlling a first single switch to facilitate a first conversion of the DC supply voltage to the first converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act B) comprises an act of:

controlling the first single switch using a discontinuous mode switching technique.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the act B) comprises an act of:

C) controlling at least one of a frequency and a duty cycle of multiple switching operations of the first single switch.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act C) comprises an act of:

controlling an effective frequency of the multiple switching operations using a pulse number modulation technique.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the act C) comprises an act of:

controlling at least one of the frequency and the duty cycle of the multiple switching operations of the first single switch based on at least one of the DC supply voltage and a supply current drawn from the DC supply voltage.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising an act of:

D) providing a second controllably variable predetermined power to at least one second LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one second LED.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a second converted DC voltage is applied across the at least one second LED, and wherein the act D) includes an act of:

controlling a second single switch to facilitate a second conversion of the DC supply voltage to the second converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one first LED; and

at least one first power controller configured to provide a first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED,

wherein;

the at least one first power controller includes a first single switch;

a DC supply voltage provides a power source to the apparatus;

the at least one first power controller is configured to apply a first converted DC voltage across the at least one first LED; and

the at least one first power controller is further configured to control the first single switch to facilitate a first conversion of the DC supply voltage to the first converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to provide the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one first LED.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to provide the first controllably variable predetermined power without monitoring either the first converted DC voltage applied across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to provide the first controllably variable predetermined power without regulating either the first converted DC voltage applied across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control the first single switch using a discontinuous mode switching technique.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control at least one of a frequency and a duty cycle of multiple switching operations of the first single switch.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control an effective frequency of the multiple switching operations using a pulse number modulation technique.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the at least one first power controller is configured to control at least one of the frequency and the duty cycle of the multiple switching operations of the first single switch based on at least one of the DC supply voltage and a supply current drawn from the DC supply voltage.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

at least one second LED; and

at least one second power controller configured to provide a second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED,

wherein;

the at least one second power controller includes a second single switch;

the at least one second power controller is configured to apply a second converted DC voltage across the at least one second LED; and

the at least one second power controller is further configured to control the second single switch to facilitate a second conversion of the DC supply voltage to the second converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one second power controller is configured to provide the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one second LED.

31. A method, comprising an act of:

A) providing a first controllably variable predetermined power to at least one first LED,

wherein a DC supply voltage provides a power source, wherein a first converted DC voltage is applied across the at least one first LED, and wherein the act A) includes an act of;

B) controlling a first single switch to facilitate a first conversion of the DC supply voltage to the first converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) comprises an act of:

providing the first controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one first LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one first LED.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) includes an act of:

providing the first controllably variable predetermined power without monitoring either the first converted DC voltage applied across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the act A) includes an act of:

providing the first controllably variable predetermined power without regulating either the first converted DC voltage applied across the at least one first LED or a current drawn by the at least one first LED.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the act B) comprises an act of:

controlling the first single switch using a discontinuous mode switching technique.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein the act B) comprises an act of:

C) controlling at least one of a frequency and a duty cycle of multiple switching operations of the first single switch.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the act C) comprises an act of:

controlling an effective frequency of the multiple switching operations using a pulse number modulation technique.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the act C) comprises an act of:

controlling at least one of the frequency and the duty cycle of the multiple switching operations of the first single switch based on at least one of the DC supply voltage and a supply current drawn from the DC supply voltage.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising an act of:

D) providing a second controllably variable predetermined power to at least one second LED,

wherein a second converted DC voltage is applied across the at least one second LED, and wherein the act D) includes an act of;

controlling a second single switch to facilitate a second conversion of the DC supply voltage to the second converted DC voltage and concurrently provide the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the act D) comprises an act of:

providing the second controllably variable predetermined power to the at least one second LED without requiring any feedback information associated with the at least one second LED.