Lighting devices

• US 20100289416A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Epistar Corporation
• Original Assignee: Epistar Corporation
• Inventors: Yu, Yu-Chen, Yeh, Wen-Yung, Lin, Jui-Ying
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/192
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/00 Circuit arrangements for operating light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/347 Dynamic headroom control [DHC]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/48 having LEDs organised in strings and incorporating parallel shunting devices

Abstract

Lighting devices capable of being powered by both AC and DC power sources without requiring AC power source to the DC power source conversion are provided, in which a lighting module comprises a plurality of micro-diodes formed on a substrate and a conductive wire pattern connecting to the micro-diodes, wherein the conductive wire pattern has at least three voltage feed points. A selection unit is coupled to a power source and selects at least two of the voltage feed points, such that a portion of the micro-diodes and the power source form at least one loop thereby turning on the micro-diodes in the loop.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a lighting module comprising;

a plurality of micro-diodes formed on a substrate; and

a conductive wire pattern connecting to the micro-diodes, wherein the conductive wire pattern has at least three voltage feed points; and

a selection unit used to be coupled to a power source and selecting at least two of the voltage feed points, such that a portion of the micro-diodes and the power source form at least one loop thereby turning on the micro-diodes in the loop.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the conductive wire pattern connects to the micro-diodes to form at least one series of micro-lighting units each comprising at least two of the micro-diodes, and the two micro-diodes in the each of the micro-lighting units are reversely connected in parallel.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the conductive wire pattern connects to the micro-diodes to form a plurality of series of micro-lighting units each comprising at least two of the micro-diodes, the two micro-diodes in each micro-lighting units are reversely connected in parallel, and the selection unit selects the voltage feed points to turn on one or more series of the micro-diodes according to a power setting signal.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the voltage feed points according to a relationship between the power source and an equivalent withstand voltage of the micro-diodes connected by the conductive wire pattern.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the voltage feed points according to magnitude of the power source.

8. The lighting device of claim 7, wherein the selection unit selects two of the voltage feed points such that a portion of the micro-diodes and the power source form one loop thereby turning on the micro-diodes in the loop when the power source provides a first voltage, and the selection unit selects three of the voltage feed points such that a portion of the micro-diodes and the power source form two loops thereby turning on the micro-diodes in two loops when the power source provides a second voltage which is smaller than the first voltage.

9. The lighting device of claim 7, the selection unit comprises:

an identification unit determining the magnitude of the power source and generating a result signal accordingly; and

an output unit selectively coupling the power source to the at least two voltage feed points in the conductive wire pattern according to the result signal, such that some of the micro-diodes and the power source form at least one loop thereby turning on the micro-diodes in the loop.

10. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the selection unit selects the voltage feed points by determining whether the power source is DC or AC.

11. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the lighting module further comprises a submount, wherein the conductive wire pattern is formed by a plurality of conductive wires on the substrate, a plurality of conductive wires on the submount or combinations thereof.

13. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the selection unit comprises:

at least two DC electrodes and least two AC electrodes electrically connected to the conductive wire pattern; and

an identification unit determining whether the power source is DC or AC and selectively coupling the power source to the DC electrodes or the AC electrodes according to the determined result, such that some of the micro-diodes and the power source form at least one loop by a portion of the voltage feed points in the conductive wire pattern, thereby turning on the micro-diodes in the loop.

14. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the selection unit further comprises a plurality of isolation units controlling a connection between the conductive wire pattern and the DC and AC electrodes according to the determined result of the identification unit.

15. The lighting device of claim 13, wherein the conductive wire pattern connects to the micro-diodes in at least two series.

16. The lighting device of claim 15, wherein when the power source is AC, the selection unit couples the power source to the two series of the micro-diodes through the AC electrodes turns on one of the two series of the micro-diodes during a positive half cycle of the power source and turns on the other of the two series of the micro-diodes during a negative half cycle of the power source

17. The lighting device of claim 16, wherein when the power source is DC, the selection unit couples the power source to the micro-diodes by the DC electrodes, such that a plurality of series of micro-diodes are biased individually by the power source and each series of the micro-diodes has one or more micro-diodes.

2-3. -3. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

18. A lighting device, comprising:

a lighting module comprising;

a plurality micro-diodes formed on a substrate; and

a conductive wire pattern connecting to the micro-diodes;

at least two alternating current (AC) electrodes electrically coupling an AC power source to the micro-diodes by the conductive wire pattern, such that a first portion of the micro-diodes are turned on during a positive half cycle of the AC power source and a second portion of the micro-diode are turned on during a negative half cycle of the AC power source; and

at least two direct current (DC) electrodes, coupling a DC power source to the micro-diodes by the conductive wire pattern.

22. The lighting device of claim 18, wherein the conductive wire pattern comprises a plurality of voltage feed points.

23. The lighting device of claim 22, wherein the AC electrodes are movable thereby controlling a connection between a first set of the voltage feed points and the AC power source.

24. The lighting device of claim 23, wherein the conductive wire pattern connects to the micro-diodes in at least two series of micro-diodes, and the AC electrodes couple the AC power source to the conductive wire pattern such that one of the two series of micro-diodes are turned on during the positive half cycle of the AC power source and the other series of micro-diodes are turned on during the negative half cycle of the AC power source.

25. The lighting device of claim 22, wherein the DC electrodes are movable thereby controlling a connection between a second set of the voltage feed points and the DC power source.

26. The lighting device of claim 25, wherein the DC electrodes and the conductive wire pattern connects the micro-diode in a plurality of series of micro-diodes, such that the plurality of series of micro-diodes are biased individually by the power source and each series of the micro-diodes has one or more micro-diodes.

19-21. -21. (canceled)

27-29. -29. (canceled)