Programmable light emitting diode (LED) driver technique based upon a prefix signal

• US 9,179,527 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Yao, Gang, Scheidegger, Nina
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US13/942,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 315/291, 315/360, 315/246
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/395 Linear regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission

Abstract

Provided is a light emitting diode (LED) driver. The LED driver includes a microcontroller for setting a level of an output current of the driver. The driver is configured to receive a prefix as an input, the prefix instructing the microcontroller to enter a programming mode. The microcontroller is responsive to a level signal representative of the level of the output current during the programming mode.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) driver, comprising:

a microcontroller for setting a level of an output current of the driver;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive, within a programming cycle, an instruction signal including (i) a non-analog prefix signal segment instructing the microcontroller to enter an output current programming mode and (ii) an analog programming signal segment in sequence after the prefix signal segment; and

wherein the analog programming signal segment is configured to set a level of the output current responsive to a magnitude of a voltage of the analog programming signal segment.

2. The LED driver of claim 1, wherein the analog programming signal segment signal instructs the microcontroller to set the output current at the level.

3. The LED driver of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller receives the analog programming signal segment within a predetermined amount of time after receiving the prefix signal segment.

4. The LED driver of claim 3, wherein the amount of time is programmable.

5. A method of programming a light emitting diode (LED) driver including a microcontroller configured to set a level of an output current of the driver, the method comprising:

receiving within a programming cycle, in the microcontroller, an instruction signal including (i) a non-analog prefix signal segment instructing the microcontroller to enter an output current programming mode and (ii) an analog programming signal segment in sequence after the prefix signal segment;

wherein the analog programming signal segment is configured to set a level of the output current responsive to a magnitude of the voltage of the analog programming signal segment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the analog programming signal segment instructs the microcontroller to set the output current level.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the microcontroller receives the analog programming segment signal within a predetermined amount of time after the prefix signal segment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the amount of time is programmable.

13. The tangible computer readable media of claim 5, wherein the analog programming signal segment is appended to the prefix signal segment.

9. A tangible computer readable media storing instructions wherein said instructions when executed are configured to execute processes within a computer system, with a method comprising:

receiving within a programming cycle, in the microcontroller, an instruction signal including (i) a non-analog prefix signal segment instructing the microcontroller to enter an output current programming mode and (ii) an analog programming signal segment in sequence after the prefix signal segment;

wherein the analog programming signal segment is configured to set a level of the output current responsive to a magnitude of the analog programming signal segment.

10. The tangible computer readable media of claim 9, wherein the analog programming signal segment instructs the microcontroller to set the output current level.

11. The tangible computer readable computer media of claim 10, wherein the microcontroller receives the analog programming signal segment within a predetermined amount of time after the prefix signal segment.

12. The tangible computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the amount of time is programmable.