MULTI-VOLTAGE AND MULTI-BRIGHTNESS LED LIGHTING DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING SAME

• US 20140153232A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lynk Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lynk Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Miskin, Michael, Kottritsch, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,750,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/227
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/42 Antiparallel configurations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A single chip multi-voltage or multi-brightness LED lighting device having at least two LED circuits. Each of the at least two LED circuits having at least two LEDs connected together in series. Each of the at least two LED circuits are electrically unconnected to each other in a parallel relationship, have a forward operating drive voltage of at least six volts and are monolithically integrated on a single substrate. A method of manufacturing a single chip with two or more LED circuits configurable by means of connecting the circuits so as to provide optional operating voltage level and/or desired brightness level wherein the electrical connection may be achieved and/or completed at the LED packaging level when the single chips are integrated into the LED package. Alternatively, the LED package may have external electrical contacts that match the integrated chips within. Optionally allowable, the drive voltage level and/or the brightness level select-ability may be passed on through to the exterior of the LED package and may be selected by the LED package user, the PCB assembly facility, or the end product manufacturer.

Claims

1. An LED lighting device comprising:

at least two LED circuits, each LED circuit having opposing ends and at least two LEDs;

at least four voltage input electrical contacts, the at least four voltage input electrical contacts being configured so that each opposing end of each of the at least two circuits has one voltage input electrical contact connected thereto,

wherein, each of the at least two LED circuits are electrically unconnected from each other.

2. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits include at least two LEDs connected in series.

3. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits are arranged in a bridge circuit having at least one LED connected across the outputs.

4. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the at least two LEDs in each of the at least two LED circuits are connected in an anti-parallel manner.

5. The LED lighting device of claim 4 wherein the at least four voltage input electrical contacts are configured such that

a first voltage input electrical contact is connected to

an anode of one LED in a first of the at least two LED circuits;

and

a cathode of one LED in the first of the at least two LED circuits;

a second voltage input electrical contact is connected to

an anode of one LED in the first of the at least two LED circuits; and

a cathode of one LED in the first of the at least two LED circuits;

a third voltage input electrical contact is connected to

an anode of one LED in a second of the at least two LED circuits; and

a cathode of one LED in the second of the at least two LED circuits;

a fourth voltage input electrical contact is connected to

an anode of one LED in the second of the at least two LED circuits; and

a cathode of one LED in the second of the at least two LED circuits;

wherein the first voltage input electrical contact is connected to a different anode and a different cathode than the second voltage input electrical contact, and the third voltage input electrical contact is connected to a different anode and a different cathode than the fourth voltage input electrical contact.

6. The LED lighting device of claim 5 wherein the at least two circuits may be connected in

a series relationship

by connecting the first voltage input electrical contact to a first output of a power supply,

connecting the third voltage input electrical contact to a second output of a power supply,

and connecting the second voltage input electrical contact and the fourth voltage input electrical contact to each other;

or

a parallel relationship

by connecting the first voltage input electrical contact and the third voltage input electrical contact to a first output of a power supply, and

and the second voltage input electrical contact and the fourth voltage input electrical contact to a second output of a power supply.

7. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting device is an LED package.

8. The LED lighting device of claim 7 wherein the at least two LED circuits are connected in series or parallel utilizing the at least four voltage electrical input contacts within the LED package.

9. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the at least two LED circuits are integrated on a single chip.

10. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the at least two LED circuits are integrated on discrete chips so that each of the at least two LED circuits is on a separate chip.

11. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the at least two LEDs forming each of the at least two LED circuits are discrete die integrated on a substrate.

12. The LED lighting device of claim 1 wherein the LED lighting device is an LED assembly of discretely packaged LEDs.

13. An LED lighting device comprising:

at least two LED circuits;

at least three voltage input electrical contacts, wherein

a first voltage input electrical contact connected to both of the at least two LED circuits,

a second voltage input electrical contact is connected to a first of the at least two LED circuits, and

a third voltage input electrical contact is connected to a second of the at least two circuits.

14. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits include plurality of LEDs and the at least three voltage input electrical contacts are arranged such that

the first voltage input electrical contact is connected to a cathode of one of the plurality of LEDs in both of the at least two LED circuits;

the second voltage input electrical contact is connected to an anode of one of the plurality of LEDs in the first of the at least two LED circuits;

the third voltage input electrical contact is connected to an anode of one of the plurality of LEDs in the second of the at least two LED circuits.

15. The LED lighting device of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in each of the at least two LED circuits are connected in series.

16. The LED lighting device of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the plurality of LEDs in each of the at least two LED circuits are connected in an anti-parallel configuration.

17. The LED lighting device of claim 16 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits includes

a first portion of the plurality of LEDs connected in a first series string of LEDs,

a second portion of the plurality of LEDs connected in a second series string of LEDs,

the first portion of the plurality of LEDs and the second portion of LEDs connecting at a first branch junction and a second branch junction in an anti-parallel manner.

18. The LED lighting device of claim 17 wherein

the first voltage input electrical contact connects to the first branch junction of both of the at least two LED circuits;

the second voltage input electrical contact connects to the second branch junction of the first of the at least two LED circuits; and

the third voltage input electrical contact connects to the second branch junction of the second of the at least two LED circuits.

19. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits include

a bridge rectifier;

and

at least one LED connected across the output of the bridge rectifier.

20. The LED lighting device of claim 19 wherein the at least three voltage input electrical contacts are arranged such that

the first voltage input electrical contact is connected to a first input of a bridge rectifier in both of the at least two LED circuits;

the second voltage input electrical contact is connected to a second input of the bridge rectifier in the first of the at least two LED circuits; and

the third voltage input electrical contact is connected to a second input of the bridge rectifier in the second of the at least two LED circuits.

21. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein the LED lighting device is an LED package.

22. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein the at least two LED circuits are integrated on a single chip.

23. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein the at least two LED circuits are integrated on discrete chips so that each of the at least two LED circuits is on a separate chip.

24. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein the at least two LEDs forming each of the at least two LED circuits are discrete die integrated on a substrate.

25. The LED lighting device of claim 13 wherein the LED lighting device is an LED assembly of discretely packaged LEDs.

26. An LED chip comprising:

at least two LED circuits, each LED circuit having at least two LEDs, the at least two LEDs in each circuit being connected in an anti-parallel configuration;

at least four voltage input electrical contacts, the at least four voltage input electrical contacts being configured so that one voltage input electrical contact is electrically connected to each opposing end of each of the at least two LED circuits,

wherein, each of the at least two LED circuits are electrically unconnected from each other.

27. An LED package comprising:

at least two LED circuits, each LED circuit having at least two LEDs, the at least two LED circuits each having opposing ends, and the at least two LEDs in each circuit being connected in an anti-parallel configuration;

at least four voltage input electrical contacts, the at least four voltage input electrical contacts being configured so that each opposing end of each of the at least two LED circuits has one voltage input electrical contact electrically connected thereto,

wherein, each of the at least two LED circuits are electrically unconnected from each other.

28. The LED packaged of claim 27 wherein each of the at least two LED circuits are formed on discrete chips, the discrete chips each containing at least two voltage input electrical contacts, the at least two voltage input electrical contacts being configured so that each opposing ends of each LED circuit have one voltage input electrical contact on each chip electrically connected to each opposing end, and the at least two voltage input electrical contacts for each discrete chip are electrically connected to one of the at least four voltage input electrical contacts in the LED package.