Backlight inverter for inductively detecting current

• US 7,282,871 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Jong Rak, Park, Jung Heyn, Kim, Hoy Young
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene; Haissa
• Application Number:
  US11/458,946
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 315/276, 315/277, 315/282, 315/247, 315/224, 315/209.R, 315/244, 315/291, 315/307, 345/102, 345/87, 345/52, 345/212, 363/21.09, 363/40, 363/21.1, 363/41, 363/43, 363/78
• US Class Current: 315/291
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2827 using specially adapted components in the load circuit, e.g. feed-back transformers, piezoelectric transformers; using specially adapted load circuit configurations
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3927 by pulse width modulation H05B41/3922 takes precedence

Abstract

A backlight inverter using electromagnetic induction and full-wave rectification at a second side of a main transformer includes a drive unit for generating a first voltage and a main transformer having first and second coils. The main transformer converts the first voltage from the drive unit into a second voltage, and outputs an AC current of the second voltage to both ends of a lamp. An auxiliary transformer has a first auxiliary coil formed on a current line connecting between the second coil of the main transformer and the lamp and a second auxiliary coil inductively coupled with the first auxiliary coil. The auxiliary transformer detects the current flowing to the lamp. A full-wave rectifier rectifies the current detected by the auxiliary transformer, and a drive controller controls the PWM duty of the first voltage based on a voltage from the full-wave rectifier.

Claims

1. A backlight inverter for inductively detecting a current, comprising:

a drive unit for generating a first voltage controlled in a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) mode;

a main transformer including first and second coils, the main transformer converting the first voltage from the drive unit into a second voltage according to a turn ratio between the first and second coils, and outputting the second voltage in the form of an AC driving current to both ends of a lamp, the both ends of the lamp connected to both ends of the second coil;

an auxiliary transformer including a first auxiliary coil formed on a current line connecting between the second coil of the main transformer and the lamp and a second auxiliary coil inductively coupled with the first auxiliary coil, the auxiliary transformer detecting the current flowing to the lamp according to the turn ratio between the first and second auxiliary coils;

a full-wave rectifier for rectifying the current detected by the auxiliary transformer; and

a drive controller for controlling the PWM duty of the first voltage based on a voltage from the full-wave rectifier.

2. The backlight inverter of claim 1, wherein the full-wave rectifier includes:

a first passive device connected between one end of the second auxiliary coil of the auxiliary transformer and a ground part, the first passive device converting a current from the second auxiliary coil into a voltage;

a second passive device connected between the other end of the second auxiliary coil of the auxiliary transformer and the ground part, the second passive device converting a current from the second auxiliary coil into a voltage;

a first rectifying diode for rectifying the voltage converted by the first passive device; and

a second rectifying diode for rectifying the voltage converted by the second passive device.

3. The backlight inverter of claim 2, wherein the first passive device comprises a first resistor, and the second passive device comprises a second resistor.

4. The backlight inverter of claim 3, wherein the full-wave rectifier further includes:

a first protection diode connected to the first resistor in parallel, and having a cathode connected to a positive end of the first resistor and an anode connected to a negative end of the first resistor; and

a second protection diode connected to the second resistor in parallel, and having a cathode connected to a positive end of the second resistor and an anode connected to a negative end of the second resistor.

5. The backlight inverter of claim 2, wherein the first passive device comprises a first capacitor, and the second passive device comprises a second capacitor.

6. The backlight inverter of claim 1, wherein the full-wave rectifier includes:

a first reference potential diode connected between one end of the second auxiliary coil of the auxiliary transformer and a ground part, the first reference potential diode setting a first reference potential for converting a current from the second auxiliary coil into a voltage;

a second reference potential diode connected between the other end of the second auxiliary coil of the auxiliary transformer and the ground part, the second reference potential diode setting a second reference potential for converting a current from the second auxiliary coil into a voltage;

a first rectifying diode for rectifying the current from the one end of the second auxiliary coil based on the first reference potential set by the first reference potential diode;

a second rectifying diode for rectifying the current from the other end of the second auxiliary coil based on the second reference potential set by the second reference potential diode; and

an output passive device for converting the currents outputted from the first and second rectifying diodes, which are added together and full-wave rectified, into a voltage.

7. The backlight inverter of claim 6, wherein the output passive device comprises a resistor.

8. The backlight inverter of claim 6, wherein the output passive device comprises a capacitor.