Semiconductor package with incorporated light or temperature sensors and time multiplexing

• US 9,113,533 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Kmetec, Jeffrey Dellert, Vos, Frans Maurits
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOPER, JONATHAN G
• Application Number:
  US12/864,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20120248988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,398 Days
• Field of Search: 315149-154, 257 79-103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/28 using temperature feedback

Abstract

Proposed is a package (10) having at least two pins (11, 12). The package comprises a semiconductor structure (20) having a first function and an electrical circuit (30) comprising at least one circuit element having a second function. The structure (20) and the circuit (30) are electrically connected to the pins (11, 12). Moreover, the package is operable to perform the first and second function by time multiplexing a first (60) and second (70) operating signal through the pins (11, 12). Finally, the first function is a lighting function and the second function is a sensing function. The invention is especially advantageous as it provides a cost effective and versatile miniaturized light emitting package comprising LEDs or laser diodes.

Claims

1. A package having at least two pins, the package comprising:

a semiconductor structure having a lighting function;

an electrical circuit comprising at least one circuit element having a sensing function, said circuit element having a diode property and being arranged anti-parallel to the semiconductor structure; and

wherein the structure and the circuit are electrically connected to the pins;

wherein the package is operable to only alternately perform the lighting function and the sensing function by time multiplexing a first operating signal with a positive polarity and a second operating signal with a negative polarity across the pins.

2. The package according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit comprises at least one DC operated device comprising at least one of a temperature sensor and a light sensor.

3. The package according to claim 1, wherein the circuit further comprises diode arranged anti-parallel to the semiconductor structure.

4. The package according to claim 1, wherein the sensing function comprises one of a flux measurement or a colour point measurement.

5. The package according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the circuit is integrated in the semiconductor structure.

6. The package according to claim 5, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises a sub-mount and the circuit is integrated on the sub-mount.

7. The package according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor structure comprises at least one of a light emitting diode and a laser diode.

8. A light emitting module according comprising a package according to claim 1.

9. The light emitting module according to claim 8, wherein the module further comprises processing means arranged to time multiplex the first and second operating signals.

15. The package according to claim 1, wherein the first operating signal comprises a PWM based drive signal.

16. The package according to claim 1, wherein the first operating signal comprises a PAM based signal.

10. A method of operating a light emitting module, comprising the steps of:

arranging the module to comprise a package having at least two pins;

arranging the package to comprise a semiconductor structure having a lighting function and an electrical circuit comprising at least one circuit element having a sensing function, said circuit element having a diode property and being arranged anti-parallel to the semiconductor structure, wherein the semiconductor structure is arranged to only alternately perform the lighting function and the sensing function;

electrically connecting the structure and the circuit to the pins; and

operating the package to alternately perform the lighting function and the sensing function by time multiplexing a first operating signal with a positive polarity and second operating signal with a negative polarity across the pins.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising driving the semiconductor structure during a first time interval using the first operating signal with the positive polarity.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising driving the at least one circuit element during a second time interval using the second operating signal with the negative polarity.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein performing the sensing function comprises measuring one of temperature and light emitted.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a feedback signal to control and stabilize at least one of the flux and colour point.