DRIVING DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20110057575A1
• Filed: 07/25/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fitipower Integrated Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fitipower Integrated Technology Inc.
• Inventors: SHIH, WEN-CHENG, LIN, KAI-PING, YANG, CHUN-HSIN
• Granted Patent: US 8,237,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/279
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits

Abstract

A driving device includes a dimmer, a rectifying-filtering unit, a rectifying-dividing unit, a control unit, and a voltage transforming unit. The dimmer is used for receiving an alternating current (AC) voltage from a power supply, and generating a primary voltage for controlling the brightness of a luminous element. The rectifying-filtering unit is used for rectifying and filtering the primary voltage to generate a secondary voltage. The rectifying-dividing unit is used for rectifying and dividing the primary voltage to generate a detecting voltage. The control unit is used for receiving the secondary voltage, and generating a pulse voltage whose duty cycle is variable with the detecting voltage. The voltage transforming unit is used for transforming the secondary voltage to a driving voltage for driving the luminous element to emit light according to the pulse voltage. A related electronic apparatus is also provided.

Claims

1. A driving device used for receiving an alternating current (AC) voltage from a power supply, and generating a driving voltage to drive a luminous element to emit light, the driving device comprising:

a dimmer for receiving the AC voltage, and generating a primary voltage for controlling the brightness of the luminous element;

a rectifying-filtering unit for rectifying and filtering the primary voltage to generate a secondary voltage;

a rectifying-dividing unit for rectifying and dividing the primary voltage to generate a detecting voltage;

a control unit for receiving the secondary voltage, and generating a pulse voltage whose duty cycle is variable with the detecting voltage; and

a voltage transforming unit for transforming the secondary voltage to the driving voltage according to the pulse voltage.

2. The driving device of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a reference voltage unit for providing a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, a first comparison unit, a second comparison unit, a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit, and a switch connected between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the first comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the first reference voltage, and generating a first level signal if the detecting voltage is larger than the first reference voltage, the second comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the second reference voltage, and generating a control voltage linearly increasing with the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage, the switch is turned on according to the first level signal and establishes an electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the PWM unit is used for receiving the secondary voltage to be powered on, and generating the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is linearly increased with the control voltage when receiving the control voltage.

3. The driving device of claim 2, wherein the second comparison unit outputs the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is larger than the second reference voltage, the PWM unit generates the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is invariable when receiving the detecting voltage.

4. The driving device of claim 2, wherein the first comparison unit generates a second level signal if the detecting voltage is smaller than the first reference voltage, the switch cuts off the electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit according to the second level signal.

5. The driving device of claim 2, wherein the first comparison unit is a first operational amplifier, the second comparison unit is a second operational amplifier, the first operational amplifier comprises a first non-inverting input terminal, a first inverting input terminal, and a first output terminal, the second operational amplifier comprises a second non-inverting input terminal, a third non-inverting input terminal, a second inverting input terminal, and a second output terminal, the first non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second inverting input terminal, the first inverting input terminal is used for receiving the first reference voltage, the first non-inverting input terminal and the second inverting input terminal are connected between the first resistor and the second resistor, the second non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the third non-inverting input terminal is used for receiving the second reference voltage, the switch is connected between the second output terminal and the PWM unit, the first output terminal is used for outputting a control signal to turn on/off the switch, the PWM unit comprises a control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal, the control terminal is connected to the second output terminal through the switch, the first terminal is connected to the rectifying-filtering unit, the second terminal is connected to the voltage transforming unit.

6. The driving device of claim 2, wherein the first reference voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage.

7. The driving device of claim 1, wherein the dimmer comprises a triode for alternating current (TRIAC) and a trigger unit, the TRIAC have an off-state and an on-state, the trigger unit is used for triggering the TRIAC to the off-state or the on-state, when the TRIAC is in the on-state, the AC voltage is provided to the rectifying-filtering unit and the rectifying-dividing unit respectively, when the TRIAC is in the off-state, the AC voltage is not provided to the rectifying-filtering unit and the rectifying-dividing unit.

8. The driving device of claim 7, wherein the TRIAC comprises a base terminal, a first main terminal, and a second main terminal, the base terminal is connected to the trigger unit, the first main terminal is connected to the power supply, the second main terminal is connected to the rectifying-filtering unit and the rectifying-dividing unit.

9. The driving device of claim 1, wherein the rectifying-dividing unit comprises a first diode, a second diode, a first resistor, and a second resistor, an anode of the first diode is connected to the dimmer, a cathode of the first diode is connected to a cathode of the second diode, an anode of the second diode is grounded, one end of the first resistor is connected between the cathode of the first diode and the cathode of the second diode, the other end of the first resistor is grounded through the second resistor, the control unit comprises a terminal connected between the first resistor and the second resistor.

10. A driving device used for receiving an alternating current (AC) voltage from a power supply, and generating a driving voltage to drive a luminous element to emit light, the driving device comprising:

a dimmer for receiving the AC voltage, and generating a primary voltage for controlling the brightness of the luminous element;

a rectifying-filtering unit for rectifying and filtering the primary voltage to generate a secondary voltage;

a rectifying-dividing unit for rectifying and dividing the primary voltage to generate a detecting voltage;

a control unit for comparing the detecting voltage with a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, and generating a pulse voltage whose duty cycle is variable if the detecting voltage is larger than a first reference voltage and smaller than a second reference voltage; and

a voltage transforming unit for transforming the secondary voltage to the driving voltage according to the pulse voltage.

11. The driving device of claim 10, wherein control unit for generating the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is invariable if the detecting voltage is larger than the second reference voltage, and the driving voltage is invariable.

12. The driving device of claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises a reference voltage unit for providing the first reference voltage and the second reference voltage, a first comparison unit, a second comparison unit, a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit, and a switch connected between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the first comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the first reference voltage, and generating a first level signal if the detecting voltage is larger than the first reference voltage, the second comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the second reference voltage, and generating a control voltage linearly increasing with the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage, the switch is turned on according to the first level signal and establishes an electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the PWM unit is used for receiving the secondary voltage to be powered on, and generating the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is linearly increased with the control voltage when receiving the control voltage.

13. The driving device of claim 12, wherein the second comparison unit outputs the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is larger than the second reference voltage, the PWM unit generates the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is invariable when receiving the detecting voltage.

14. The driving device of claim 12, wherein the first comparison unit generates a second level signal if the detecting voltage is smaller than the first reference voltage, the switch cuts off the electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit according to the second level signal.

15. The driving device of claim 12, wherein the first comparison unit is a first operational amplifier, the second comparison unit is a second operational amplifier, the first operational amplifier comprises a first non-inverting input terminal, a first inverting input terminal, and a first output terminal, the second operational amplifier comprises a second non-inverting input terminal, a third non-inverting input terminal, a second inverting input terminal, and a second output terminal, the first non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second inverting input terminal, the first inverting input terminal is used for receiving the first reference voltage, the first non-inverting input terminal and the second inverting input terminal are connected between the first resistor and the second resistor, the second non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the third non-inverting input terminal is used for receiving the second reference voltage, the switch is connected between the second output terminal and the PWM unit, the first output terminal is used for outputting a control signal to turn on/off the switch, the PWM unit comprises a control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal, the control terminal is connected to the second output terminal through the switch, the first terminal is connected to the rectifying-filtering unit, the second terminal is connected to the voltage transforming unit.

16. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a luminous element; and

an driving device for receiving an alternating current (AC) voltage from a power supply and generating a driving voltage to drive the luminous element to emit light, the driving device comprising;

a dimmer for receiving the AC voltage, and generating a primary voltage for controlling the brightness of the luminous element;

a rectifying-filtering unit for rectifying and filtering the primary voltage to generate a secondary voltage;

a rectifying-dividing unit for rectifying and dividing the primary voltage to generate a detecting voltage;

a control unit for receiving the secondary voltage, and generating a pulse voltage whose duty cycle is variable with the detecting voltage; and

a voltage transforming unit for transforming the secondary voltage to the driving voltage according to the pulse voltage.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control unit comprises a reference voltage unit for providing a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, a first comparison unit, a second comparison unit, a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit, and a switch connected between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the first comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the first reference voltage, and generating a first level signal if the detecting voltage is larger than the first reference voltage, the second comparison unit is used for comparing the detecting voltage with the second reference voltage, and generating a control voltage linearly increasing with the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is smaller than the second reference voltage, the switch is turned on according to the first level signal and establishes an electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit, the PWM unit is used for receiving the secondary voltage to be powered on, and generating the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is linearly increased with the control voltage when receiving the control voltage.

18. The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second comparison unit outputs the detecting voltage if the detecting voltage is larger than the second reference voltage, the PWM unit generates the pulse voltage whose duty cycle is invariable when receiving the detecting voltage.

19. The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first comparison unit generates a second level signal if the detecting voltage is smaller than the first reference voltage, the switch cuts off the electrical connection between the second comparison unit and the PWM unit according to the second level signal.

20. The electronic apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first comparison unit is a first operational amplifier, the second comparison unit is a second operational amplifier, the first operational amplifier comprises a first non-inverting input terminal, a first inverting input terminal, and a first output terminal, the second operational amplifier comprises a second non-inverting input terminal, a third non-inverting input terminal, a second inverting input terminal, and a second output terminal, the first non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second inverting input terminal, the first inverting input terminal is used for receiving the first reference voltage, the first non-inverting input terminal and the second inverting input terminal are connected between the first resistor and the second resistor, the second non-inverting input terminal is connected to the second output terminal, the third non-inverting input terminal is used for receiving the second reference voltage, the switch is connected between the second output terminal and the PWM unit, the first output terminal is used for outputting a control signal to turn on/off the switch, the PWM unit comprises a control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal, the control terminal is connected to the second output terminal through the switch, the first terminal is connected to the rectifying-filtering unit, the second terminal is connected to the voltage transforming unit.