Lighting control circuit for vehicle lighting fixture

• US 20060170287A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Shiotsu, Fuminori, Ito, Masayasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,638,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/005 for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/382 with galvanic isolation between input and output
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits

Abstract

Relative comparison is made between a voltage applied to the whole of the first through eighth LEDs and a voltage applied to the first LED by a comparator. When the voltage applied to the whole of the LEDs has relatively dropped with respect to the voltage applied to part of the LEDs, the comparator outputs a Low Level signal, assumes an abnormality that accompanies a short-circuit fault in any one of the LEDs and causes a ninth LED to illuminate. Meanwhile, relative comparison is made between a voltage applied to the whole of the first through eighth LEDs and a voltage applied to the first LED by another comparator. When the voltage applied to the whole of the LEDs has relatively dropped with respect to the voltage applied to part of the LEDs, the comparator outputs a Low Level signal, assumes an abnormality that accompanies a short-circuit fault in the first LED and causes a ninth LED to illuminate.

Claims

1. A lighting control circuit for a vehicle lighting fixture, comprising:

an energy supply control section which receives power from a power supply, and supplies light emission energy to a plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series with each other as well as controls a current and a voltage for the plurality of semiconductor light sources; and

a fault detection section which makes relative comparison between a voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources and a voltage applied to a part of the semiconductor light sources to detect a fault in any one of the semiconductor light sources.

2. The lighting control circuit for the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1,

wherein the fault detection section detects a fault in any semiconductor light source other than the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources changes with respect to the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources, and detects a fault in the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources changes with respect to the voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources.

7. The lighting control circuit for the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 1,

wherein the part of the semiconductor light sources is the most downstream semiconductor light source or the most upstream semiconductor light source out of the plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series.

3. A lighting control circuit for a vehicle lighting fixture, comprising:

an energy supply control section which receives power from a power supply, and supplies light emission energy to a plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series with each other as well as controls a current and a voltage for the plurality of semiconductor light sources; and

a fault detection section which makes relative comparison between a voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources and a voltage applied to a part of the semiconductor light sources as well as makes relative comparison between the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources and a voltage applied to another part of the semiconductor light sources other than the part of the semiconductor light sources to detect a fault in any one of the semiconductor light sources.

4. The lighting control circuit for the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 3,

wherein the fault detection section detects a fault in any semiconductor light source other than the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources changes with respect to the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources, and detects a fault in the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources changes with respect to the voltage applied to another part of the semiconductor light sources other than the part of the semiconductor light sources.

8. The lighting control circuit for the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 3,

wherein the part of the semiconductor light sources is the most downstream semiconductor light source or the most upstream semiconductor light source out of the plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series.

5. A lighting control circuit for a vehicle lighting fixture, comprising:

an energy supply control section which receives power from a power supply, and supplies light emission energy to a plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series with each other as well as controls a current and a voltage for the plurality of semiconductor light sources; and

a fault detection section which makes relative comparison between a voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources and a voltage applied to a part of the semiconductor light sources as well as makes relative comparison between the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources and a set voltage to detect a fault in any one of the semiconductor light sources.

6. The lighting control circuit for a vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 5,

wherein the fault detection section detects a fault in any semiconductor light source other than the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to all of the semiconductor light sources changes with respect to the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources, and detects a fault in the part of the semiconductor light sources when the voltage applied to the part of the semiconductor light sources is out of the set voltage.

9. The lighting control circuit for the vehicle lighting fixture according to claim 5,

wherein the part of the semiconductor light sources is the most downstream semiconductor light source or the most upstream semiconductor light source out of the plurality of semiconductor light sources connected in series.