Hybrid-control current driver for dimming and color mixing in display and illumination systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An illumination control circuit comprising:
- a controlling module comprising;
one or more analog output signals producing output control voltages each individually variable within a range of values, andone or more digital output signals producing digital pulses between logic “
1” and
logic “
0”
each with relative duty cycles individually variable within a range of values; and
one or more intensity modules receivingsaid analog output signals and said digital output signals of said controlling module to control one or more illumination sources;
wherein said intensity modules are controlled according to said analog output signals and said digital output signals of said controlling module to vary the intensity of said illumination sources in proportion to the voltage level of said analog output signals, and additionally in proportion to the relative duty cycles of said pulses of said digital output signals.
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Abstract
A control/driver circuit produces variable current output for a lighting system providing improved dimming and color-mixing capability by allowing digital modulation control in addition to analog control over a range of illumination intensities. The circuit and method described is preferably adapted to higher current applications such as LED lighting systems using high-power LEDs. The output current of the circuit varies in proportion to the voltage level of an analog control signal, and additionally in proportion to the relative duty cycle of a digital pulsed control input.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An illumination control circuit comprising:
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a controlling module comprising; one or more analog output signals producing output control voltages each individually variable within a range of values, and one or more digital output signals producing digital pulses between logic “
1” and
logic “
0”
each with relative duty cycles individually variable within a range of values; andone or more intensity modules receiving said analog output signals and said digital output signals of said controlling module to control one or more illumination sources; wherein said intensity modules are controlled according to said analog output signals and said digital output signals of said controlling module to vary the intensity of said illumination sources in proportion to the voltage level of said analog output signals, and additionally in proportion to the relative duty cycles of said pulses of said digital output signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An illumination control circuit comprising:
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a microcontroller adapted to write a digital pulsed modulation signal to a power regulating device, and additionally adapted to write an output control signal to a digital-to-analog converter according to programmed instructions; said digital-to-analog converter having an analog output signal that varies according to said output control signal of said microcontroller; a power regulating device receiving said analog output signal of said digital-to-analog converter to control an illumination source, and receiving said digital pulsed modulation signal of said microcontroller, and regulating the power delivered to an illumination source to control the intensity of said illumination source; wherein said power regulating device is controlled according to the analog output signal of said digital-to-analog converter to vary the intensity of said illumination source over a first range of illumination intensities of said illumination source such that the intensity of the illumination source varies in proportion to the voltage of said analog output signal of said digital-to-analog converter, and a second range of illumination intensities of said illumination source such that the intensity of said illumination source varies in proportion to the voltage of the analog output signal of said digital-to-analog converter and additionally in proportion to the relative duty cycle of said pulsed modulation signal of said microcontroller.
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12. An illumination control circuit comprising:
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a controlling module comprising one or more digital output signals each having a first state and a second state, one or more analog output signals producing output control voltages each individually variable within a range of values; one or more intensity modules receiving said digital output signals and said analog output signals of said controlling module to control one or more illumination sources; wherein said intensity modules are controlled according to said analog output signals of said controlling module to vary the intensity of said illumination sources in proportion to the voltage level of said analog output signals, and additionally in response to a pulsing of said digital output signals between said first state and said second state; and wherein each intensity module comprises a power regulator having in its feedback loop one of said analog output signals from said controlling module, and each having an output connected to one or more of said illumination sources which provides a current to said illumination sources proportional to the voltage level of said analog output signal when said digital output signal is in its first state and provides no current to said illumination sources when said digital output signal is in its second state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification