LED aviation warning light with fault detection

• US 7,429,917 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Fredericks, Thomas M., Lemieux, Kenneth S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/363,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.45
• US Class Current: 340/464
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/005 for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/54 in a series array of LEDs

Abstract

An embodiment of an LED warning light includes a plurality of LED banks, each including a series of light emitting diodes. LED failure in one or more banks can result in a warning light that appears to be functional, but may not meet relevant standards for light production. The LED warning light monitors current flow through each LED bank to detect failure of an LED and produce a failure signal. The LED warning light includes a microcontroller programmed to evaluate the failure signals and take one or more pre-determined failure mode actions. Failure detection and failure mode actions are defined by program steps taken by firmware running in the microcontroller.

Claims

1. An LED warning light comprising:

a plurality of LED banks, each comprising a series of light emitting diodes;

a bank driver circuit connected to each said LED bank, each said bank driver circuit including a current source and an electronic switch operatively connected to deliver current to one of said LED banks when turned on and interrupt current to said one of said LED banks when turned off;

a bank sense circuit operatively connected to sense current flow through each said LED bank independent of current flow through the other LED banks and produce a first output indicative of normal current flow through said LED bank or a second output indicative of abnormal current flow through said LED bank; and

a microcontroller operatively connected to control the state of said electronic switches and responsive to the presence of said second output to take a predetermined failure mode action.

2. The LED warning light of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to turn on said switches in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to turn off said switches so that no warning light signal is produced.

3. The LED warning light of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to turn on said switches in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to turn on said switches in a different pre-determined pattern, visibly altering said warning light signal.

4. The LED warning light of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to turn on said switches in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to turn on a fault indicator.

5. The LED warning light of claim 1, wherein said failure mode action is determined by a software program running in said microcontroller.

6. The LED warning light of claim 1, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to take said failure mode action only if said second output is present for a pre-determined time.

7. The LED warning light of claim 6, wherein said pre-determined time is adjustable by changing a software program in said microcontroller.

8. An LED warning light comprising:

a plurality of LED banks, each comprising a series of light emitting diodes;

a bank driver circuit responsive to a first input to deliver current and a second input to interrupt current to each of said plurality of LED banks;

a bank sense circuit operatively connected to sense current flow through each said LED bank and produce a first output indicative of normal current flow through said LED bank or a second output indicative of abnormal current flow through said LED bank; and

a microcontroller programmed to produce said first and second inputs and responsive to the presence of said second output to take a predetermined failure mode action.

9. The LED warning light of claim 8, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to produce said first and second inputs in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to stop producing said first input.

10. The LED warning light of claim 8, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to produce said first and second inputs in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to produce said first and second inputs in a different pre-determined pattern, visibly altering said warning light signal.

11. The LED warning light of claim 8, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to produce said first and second inputs in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to turn on a fault indicator.

12. The LED warning light of claim 8, wherein said failure mode action is determined by software running in said microcontroller.

13. The LED warning light of claim 8, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to take said failure mode action only if said second output is present for a pre-determined time.

14. The LED warning light of claim 13, wherein said pre-determined time is adjustable by changing a software program in said microcontroller.

15. An LED warning light comprising:

a plurality of LED banks, each LED bank comprising;

a plurality of LEDs connected in series; and

a bank driver circuit arranged to deliver current to said plurality of

LEDs through an electronic switch;

a bank sense circuit operatively connected to sense current flow through the plurality of LEDs in each said LED bank and produce a first output indicative of normal current flow or a second output indicative of abnormal current flow; and

a microcontroller operatively connected to turn on said electronic switches and responsive to the presence of said second output to take a predetermined failure mode action.

16. The LED warning light of claim 15, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to actuate said electronic switches in a pre-determined pattern, thereby producing a warning light signal and said failure mode action is to turn on a fault indicator.

17. The LED warning light of claim 15, wherein said failure mode action is determined by software running in said microcontroller.

18. The LED warning light of claim 15, wherein said microcontroller is programmed to take said failure mode action only if said second output is present for a pre-determined time.

19. The LED warning light of claim 18, wherein said pre-determined time is adjustable by changing a software program in said microcontroller.