Systems and methods for continuous adjustment of reference signal to control chip

• US 9,578,703 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Valois, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fernandez, Pedro C
• Application Number:
  US15/235,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20160353536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/40 Regulating or controlling the amount of current drawn or delivered by the motor for controlling the mechanical load
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/50 Reduction of harmonics
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/14 using electrical feedback from LEDs or from LED modules
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/39 Circuits containing inverter bridges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a solution that provides for continuous adjustment of a reference signal to a control chip to facilitate controlling the average output power. In some aspects, a system may facilitate continuous adjustment of power provided to a device by providing a reference signal with a slope to a control pin (e.g., current control pin) of a control chip (e.g., power regulator or LED driver). Providing a reference signal with a slope (e.g., a triangle or a sinusoidal wave) can increase the control range of the control chip and improve control chip performance. For example, systems and methods of the present disclosure may increase the dimming range of an LED from less than 0.1% to 100%.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an electronic chip having a current control input configured to receive a reference signal, and an output coupled to a power input of a device, the electronic chip configured to provide power to the device based on the reference signal input to the current control input; and

a wave shape generator having an output coupled to the current control input of the electronic chip to provide the generated reference signal, the wave shape generator configured to generate the reference signal comprising a wave with a wave shape having a slope, a first portion of the wave above a minimum threshold to turn on the electronic chip, and a second portion of the wave below the minimum threshold to turn off the electronic chip, wherein at least one of the slope, the first portion, or the second portion is predetermined based on a desired intensity level for the device, and

wherein the electronic chip, to control a level of power delivered to the device, cycles between an on state and an off state in response to the first portion of the wave and the second portion of the wave.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave shape generator is further configured to generate the wave with a triangular wave shape.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave shape generator is further configured to generate the wave with a sinusoidal wave shape comprising the slope.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic chip is further configured to reduce the level of power delivered to the device responsive to the second portion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave shape generator generates the wave with the wave shape comprising a voltage changing slower than a rise-time of the wave.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a current feedback output coupled to the control input of the electronic chip, a signal of the current feedback output being summed or multiplied with the wave.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic chip comprises a light emitting diode (LED) driver, the device comprises an LED, and the level of power comprises a dimming level of the LED.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wave shape generator further comprises an interface, the wave shape generator configured to:

receive an input wave from a wave source; and

condition the input wave to generate the wave such that the wave comprises the slope.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the interface is configured to round at least one edge of the input wave to generate the wave, the interface comprising at least one of:

a transistor push-pull with a resistor and capacitor;

a transistor push up with a resistor pull-down with a resistor and capacitor;

a constant-current source and constant-current sink with a capacitor;

a constant-current source with a resistor pull-down with a capacitor;

a constant-current sink with a resistor pull-up with a capacitor;

an inductor; and

a capacitor.

10. A method, comprising:

generating, by a wave shape generator having an output coupled to a current control input of an electronic chip, a reference signal comprising a wave with a wave shape having a slope, a first portion of the wave above a minimum threshold to turn on the electronic chip, and a second portion of the wave below the minimum threshold to turn off the electronic chip, wherein at least one of the slope, the first portion, or the second portion is predetermined based on a desired intensity level for the device, and

providing, by the wave shape generator via the output, to the current control input of the electronic chip, the generated reference signal comprising the wave; and

cycling, by the electronic chip in response to the first portion of the wave and the second portion of the wave, between an on state and an off state to control a level of power delivered to the device.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

generating, by the wave shape generator, the wave with a triangular wave shape.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising:

generating, by the wave shape generator, the wave with a sinusoidal wave shape comprising the slope.

13. The method of claim 10, comprising:

reducing, by the electronic chip, the level of power delivered to the device responsive to the second portion.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising:

generating, by the wave shape generator, the wave with the wave shape comprising a voltage changing slower than a rise-time of the wave.

15. The method of claim 10, comprising:

outputting, by a current feedback output coupled to the control input of the electronic chip, a signal of the current feedback output summed or multiplied with the wave.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the electronic chip comprises a light emitting diode (LED) driver, the device comprises an LED, and the level of power comprises a dimming level of the LED.

17. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving, by an interface of the wave shape generator, an input wave from a wave source; and

conditioning, by the wave shape generator, the input wave to generate the wave such that the wave comprises the slope.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

rounding, by the interface of the wave shape generator, at least one edge of the input wave to generate the wave, the interface comprising at least one of;

a transistor push-pull with a resistor and capacitor;

a transistor push up with a resistor pull-down with a resistor and capacitor;

a constant-current source and constant-current sink with a capacitor;

a constant-current source with a resistor pull-down with a capacitor;

a constant-current sink with a resistor pull-up with a capacitor;

an inductor; and

a capacitor.