LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT DRIVE APPARATUS AND PORTABLE APPARATUS USING SAME

• US 20150359058A1
• Filed: 08/19/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsuchida, Kazuhito, Saito, Junji, Sudo, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/37 Converter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/46 having LEDs disposed in parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A light emitting element drive apparatus capable of outputting the lowest voltage satisfying drive conditions and having high light emitting efficiency and low power loss, and a portable apparatus using the same, comprising an LED drive apparatus to which LEDs of different drive voltages required for emitting light are connected in parallel and driving one or more LEDs, wherein the LED drive apparatus 10 has drive circuits connected to the corresponding LEDs among a plurality of LEDs and driving the corresponding LEDs with luminances based on set values and power supply circuits for deciding a drive voltage value required for the highest light emission among one or more LEDs driven to emit light based on drive states of drive circuits (for example terminal voltages of the current source) and supplying a drive voltage having at least the decided value to LEDs in parallel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

one or more first light emitting elements for a first portion;

one or more second light emitting elements for a second portion;

a light emitting element drive apparatus to which the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are connected in parallel, the light emitting element drive apparatus driving the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements light,

wherein the light emitting element drive apparatus includes a drive circuit connected to a corresponding light emitting element of the light emitting elements, the drive circuit driving the corresponding light emitting element with luminance based on a set current value,

wherein the luminances of the first and second light emitting elements are individually adjusted and even if the first and second light emitting elements having different forward voltages are simultaneously driven.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first light emitting elements are light emitting diodes.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second light emitting elements are light emitting diodes.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein an illumination of the second portion has a color different from an illumination of the first portion.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the illumination of the second portion is driven by flashing operation.

6. A light emitting apparatus comprising:

a first portion that includes one or more first light emitting elements;

a second portion that includes one or more second light emitting elements; and

a light emitting element drive apparatus that drives the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements to emit light, the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are connected in parallel with respect to the light emitting element drive apparatus,

wherein the light emitting element drive apparatus includes a drive circuit connected to a light emitting element of the first light emitting elements and to a light emitting element of the second light emitting elements,

wherein the drive circuit is configured to drive the light emitting element of the first light emitting elements with a first luminance based on a first set current value,

wherein the drive circuit is configured to drive the light emitting element of the second light emitting elements with a second luminance based on a second set current value, and

wherein the first luminance and the second luminance are individually adjustable even when the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements have different forward voltages and are simultaneously driven.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the first light emitting elements are light emitting diodes.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second light emitting elements are light emitting diodes.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein an illumination of the second portion has a color different from an illumination of the first portion.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the illumination of the second portion is driven by flashing operation.