Power supply circuit for traffic signal lights utilizing LEDs

• US 6,313,589 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokiwa Dengyo Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tokiwa Dengyo Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yasumasa, Akimoto, Noriko
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US09/676,986
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 315/129, 315/135, 315/246, 315/306, 315/307, 315/309, 323/907, 323/901, 363/49, 340/641, 340/642, 340/660, 340/663, 340/931, 340/907, 362/800
• US Class Current: 315/309
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/56 involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A power supply circuit comprises a rectification section for rectifying AC voltage so as to obtain DC voltage, a voltage regulating circuit section for receiving the DC voltage and outputting a constant voltage, a light-emitting diode driven by the voltage output from the voltage regulating circuit section, and an output voltage detection section for detecting ambient temperature and the voltage output from the voltage regulating circuit section and outputting a voltage suitable for the light-emitting diode to operate at the detected ambient temperature. The voltage regulating circuit section compares the voltage output from the output voltage detection section with a reference voltage so as to obtain a control signal, inputs to a transformer current which is switched in accordance with the control signal, and supplies an output from the transformer to the light-emitting diode.

Claims

1. A power supply circuit for traffic signal lights utilizing LEDs, comprising:

a rectification section configured to rectify AC voltage so as to obtain DC voltage;

a voltage regulating circuit section configured to receive the DC voltage and to output a constant voltage;

a light-emitting diode driven by the constant voltage output from the voltage regulating circuit section; and

an ambient temperature detection section including a parallel circuit of a thermistor and a diode configured to detect an ambient temperature, said ambient temperature detection section configured to output a detection voltage related to the ambient temperature according to temperature characteristics of at least one of the thermistor and the diode,

wherein the voltage regulating circuit section compares the detection voltage from the ambient temperature detection section with a reference voltage so as to obtain a control signal, and outputs the constant voltage in accordance with the control signal to the light-emitting diode.

2. A power supply circuit for traffic signal lights utilizing LEDs, comprising:

a rectification section configured to rectify AC voltage so as to obtain a DC voltage;

a voltage regulating circuit section configured to receive the DC voltage and output a constant voltage; and

a light-emitting diode driven by the constant voltage output from the voltage regulating circuit section, wherein

the voltage regulating circuit section includes an integrated circuit, and a start assist circuit which shortens a rise time of the constant voltage output by increasing speed for supplying voltage to the integrated circuit.

3. A power supply circuit for traffic signal lights utilizing LEDs according to claim 2, wherein the start assist circuit includes a capacitor and a resister connected in series.

4. A power supply circuit for traffic signal lights utilizing LEDs comprising:

a rectification section configured to rectify AC voltage so as to obtain DC voltage;

a voltage regulating circuit section configured to receive the DC voltage and to output a constant voltage;

a light-emitting diode driven by the constant voltage output from the voltage regulating circuit section; and

an ambient temperature detection section including a parallel circuit of a thermistor and a diode configured to detect an ambient temperature and to output a detection voltage related to the ambient temperature according to temperature characteristics of at least one of the thermistor and the diode,

wherein the voltage regulating circuit section compares the detection voltage from the ambient temperature detection section with a reference voltage so as to obtain a control signal, and outputs the constant voltage in accordance with the control signal to the light-emitting diode, the voltage regulating circuit section including an integrated circuit, and a start assist circuit which shortens a rise time of the constant voltage output by increasing speed for supplying voltage to the integrated circuit.