Driver method

• US 9,413,237 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Triune Systems, LLC (Semtech Corporation)
• Inventors: Teggatz, Ross E., Chen, Wayne, Atrash, Amer, Smith, Brett, Trichy, Narasimhan, Kohout, James, Knight, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, JIMMY T
• Application Number:
  US14/805,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 315/209.R, 315/291, 315/299, 315/307, 315/308
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/12 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/18 using temperature feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/38 using boost topology
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines

Abstract

The invention provides advances in the arts with useful and novel driver methods. The invention provides circuit driver and control methods for relatively high-current drivers, usable with relatively low-voltage battery power sources. Preferred embodiments include one or more high series resistance capacitors electrically connected with a power source. A low resistance driver circuit regulates power supplied from the capacitors to the load.

Claims

1. A circuit comprising:

a driver circuit;

a controller coupled to the driver circuit and configured to determine a drive current requirement associated with a load and an equivalent series resistance of the driver circuit;

voltage control circuitry coupled to the controller and configured to control a voltage level to produce the drive current requirement associated with the load; and

low resistance drive current circuitry coupled to the load and configured to provide the drive current requirement associated with the load.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to characterize one or more load elements.

3. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to characterize one or more load elements in real time.

4. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to provide one or more current pulses to the load.

5. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to use one or more current pulses to calculate the drive current requirement.

6. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to use one or more low-current pulses to calculate the drive current requirement.

7. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to extract feedback from the load.

8. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to extract temperature data from the load.

9. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to extract light output data.

10. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to store historical data relative to drive current.

11. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to retrieve stored historical data relative to previous drive current.

12. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load comprises one or more LEDs.

13. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein the load comprises one or more flash LEDs.

14. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein a voltage is supplied by one or more batteries.

15. The circuit according to claim 1 wherein a voltage is supplied by one or more capacitors.

16. A circuit comprising:

a controller configured to determine a drive current requirement associated with a load by providing one or more low-current pulses to the load, and a voltage level calculated to produce the drive current required by the load using the one or more low-current pulses; and

a low resistance driver circuit coupled to the controller and configured to provide the required drive current to the load.

17. The circuit of claim 16 wherein the controller is configured to characterize of one or more load elements.

18. The circuit according to claim 16 wherein the controller is configured tp extract feedback from the load.

19. A circuit comprising:

a controller configured to determine a drive current requirement associated with a load;

the controller configured to determine a voltage level to produce the drive current requirement associated with the load;

a low resistance driver circuit coupled to the controller and configured to provide the drive current requirement associated with to the load; and

the controller is configured to retrieve stored historical data relative to previous drive current.

20. The circuit of claim 19 wherein the controller is configured to characterize one or more load elements.

21. The circuit of claim 19 wherein the controller is configured to extract feedback from the load.