Driver circuit arrangement

• US 7,893,661 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Lier, Wilhemus Johannes Robertus, Derckx, Henricus Petronella Maria, Ackermann, Bernd, Waffenschmidt, Eberhard
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/089,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/112, 320/114, 320/116, 320/128, 320/166, 320/167
• US Class Current: 320/166
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3725 Switched mode power supply [SMPS]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/375 using buck topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

The invention relates to a driver circuit arrangement (1′) for driving a plurality of individually switchable electrical subsystems (A′, B′, C′), such as (arrangements of) LEDs (9-A, 9-B, 9-C). Each subsystem has at least one energy storage device (10-A, 10-B, 10-C), such that when the subsystem is disconnected from the main source (7) of electrical energy, the energy storage device can supply energy to the device(s) of the subsystem. By furthermore providing at least one subswitch (13-A, 13-B, 13-C) in the subsystem, between the energy storage device and an electrical device of the subsystem, control over the device is still possible when the subsystem is disconnected form the main source of electrical energy.

Claims

1. A driver circuit arrangement (1;

1′

;

100), comprising

a connection (3) to a source (7) of electrical energy, and

a plurality of individually switchable electrical subsystems (A, B, C;

A′

, B′

, C′

;

A″

, B″

), each subsystem comprising

a switch (11-A, 11-B, 11-C) for controlling a flow of energy from the source (7) of electrical energy to said subsystem (A′

, B′

, C′

;

A″

, B″

),

an electrical device (9-A, 9-B, 9-C), and

an energy storage device (10-A, 10-B, 10-C) for storing energy, characterized in that each subsystem (A′

, B′

, C′

;

A″

, B″

) comprises a subswitch (13-A, 13-B, 13-C), constructed and arranged to control a flow of stored energy from the energy storage device (10-A, 10-B, 10-C) to the electrical device (9-A, 9-B, 9-C).

2. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a power converter (5).

3. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a switch controller for controlling the switches (11-A, 11-B, 11-C).

4. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a subswitch controller for controlling the subswitches (13-A, 13-B, 13-C).

5. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein the energy storage device (10-A, 10-B, 10-C) comprises a capacitor.

6. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one subsystem (A′

, B′

, C′

;

A″

, B″

) comprises a plurality of electrical devices (9-A) connected in parallel and/or in series.

7. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 6, wherein, in at least one subsystem (A′

, B′

, C′

;

A″

, B″

), each electrical device (9A) is individually switchable and individually energizable.

8. The driver circuit arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one electrical device (9-A, 9-B, 9-C) comprises a LED.