LED driver circuit and method

• US 6,362,578 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Criscione, Marcello, Swanson, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, DAVID HUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/470,900
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 315/307, 315/308, 315/224, 315/129, 315/247, 315/209.R, 363/89
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/58 involving end of life detection of LEDs

Abstract

An LED driver circuit and method are disclosed where an array of light emitting diodes have a transistor connected to each respective array of light emitting diodes. A PWM controller has an input for receiving a voltage reference and an output connected to selected transistors for driving selected transistors and setting a PWM duty cycle for the selected arrays of light emitting diodes to determine the brightness of selected light emitting diodes. An oscillator is connected to the PWM controller for driving the PWM controller.

Claims

1. An LED drive module comprising:

a transistor adapted to be connected to an array of light emitting diodes;

a PWM controller having an input for receiving a voltage reference and an output connected to the transistor for driving the transistor and setting a PWM duty cycle for the array of light emitting diodes to determine the brightness of the light emitting diodes;

an oscillator connected to the PWM controller for driving the PWM controller; and

a feedback loop circuit connected to the array of light emitting diodes, including a switching controller and comparator circuit for comparing a reference and feedback for sensing and regulating load voltage.

2. An LED drive module according to claim 1, and further comprising a lamp outage detection circuit connected to said PWM controller and said transistor for detecting when a selected number of light emitting diodes are inoperative.

3. An LED drive module according to claim 2, wherein said lamp outage detection circuit further comprises a sensing resistor adapted to be connected to the array of light emitting diodes.

4. An LED drive module according to claim 1, and further comprising an input buffer circuit connected to said PWM controller for receiving a voltage signal input controlling operation of the array.

5. An LED drive module according to claim 4, wherein said voltage signal inputs comprise one of at least tail, stop and turn signal inputs.

6. An LED drive module according to claim 1, and further comprising a resistor divider circuit for providing a reference voltage to the PWM controller.

7. An LED drive module according to claim 1, wherein said transistor, PWM controller and oscillator are monolithically formed as one integrated circuit chip.

8. An LED drive module according to claim 1, wherein said transistor comprises a field effect transistor.