Power regulation for LED strings
First Claim
1. A power regulator system comprising:
- at least one current regulator configured to maintain a substantially constant current flow through each of at least one series connected light emitting diode (LED) string;
a power converter configured to generate an output voltage to provide power to the at least one current regulator and the at least one series connected LED string; and
a voltage regulator configured to determine a voltage that provides power to the at least one current regulator and to adjust the output voltage to maintain a substantially constant output voltage based on the determined voltage to mitigate power loss due to excessive voltage provided to power the at least one current regulator, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a voltage monitor, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and an error amplifier, the voltage monitor being configured to one of increase and decrease a reference voltage by a predetermined increment, the DAC being configured to convert the reference voltage to an analog reference voltage, and the error amplifier being configured to compare the analog reference voltage with the output voltage and to output a command signal, the command signal is being configured as an error voltage for adjusting the output voltage of the power converter and wherein the output voltage is one of increased by a predetermined increment if the determined voltage of each of the at least one current regulator is below a minimum threshold and decreased by a predetermined increment if each determined voltage of each of the at least one current regulator is above a maximum threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the invention includes a power regulator system. The system comprises at least one current regulator configured to maintain a substantially constant current flow through each of at least one series connected light emitting diode (LED) string. The system also comprises a power converter configured to generate an output voltage to provide power to the at least one current regulator and the at least one series connected LED string. The system further comprises a voltage regulator configured to determine a voltage that provides power to the at least one current regulator and to adjust the output voltage based on the determined voltage to mitigate power loss due to excessive voltage provided to power the at least one current regulator.
100 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A power regulator system comprising:
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at least one current regulator configured to maintain a substantially constant current flow through each of at least one series connected light emitting diode (LED) string; a power converter configured to generate an output voltage to provide power to the at least one current regulator and the at least one series connected LED string; and a voltage regulator configured to determine a voltage that provides power to the at least one current regulator and to adjust the output voltage to maintain a substantially constant output voltage based on the determined voltage to mitigate power loss due to excessive voltage provided to power the at least one current regulator, wherein the voltage regulator comprises a voltage monitor, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and an error amplifier, the voltage monitor being configured to one of increase and decrease a reference voltage by a predetermined increment, the DAC being configured to convert the reference voltage to an analog reference voltage, and the error amplifier being configured to compare the analog reference voltage with the output voltage and to output a command signal, the command signal is being configured as an error voltage for adjusting the output voltage of the power converter and wherein the output voltage is one of increased by a predetermined increment if the determined voltage of each of the at least one current regulator is below a minimum threshold and decreased by a predetermined increment if each determined voltage of each of the at least one current regulator is above a maximum threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for regulating power associated with at least one light emitting diode (LED) string, the method comprising:
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generating an output voltage from a power converter that provides power for illuminating the at least one LED string; regulating a current flow through each of a respective LED string of the at least one LED string via an associated current regulator powered by the output voltage; periodically sampling at least one voltage across each associated current regulator; and adjusting the output voltage based on the sampled at least one voltage across each associated current regulator relative to at least one threshold voltage, wherein adjusting the output voltage comprises; one of adding and subtracting a predetermined increment to a digital representation of the output voltage based on at least one threshold voltage to generate an adjusted output signal; converting the adjusted output signal to analog; and setting the output voltage substantially equal to the adjusted output signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A power regulator system comprising:
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means for generating an output voltage to provide power for illuminating at least one series connected light emitted diode (LED) string; at least one means for regulating a substantially constant current flow through each of the respective at least one series connected LED string; means for periodically sampling voltage associated with powering a respective at least one means for regulating the substantially constant current flow; and means for adjusting the output voltage based on a comparison of the sampled voltages with at least one threshold voltage, wherein the means for adjusting comprises a voltage monitor means, a digital-to-analog converter means (DAC), and an error amplifier means, the means for adjusting being configured to one of increase and decrease a reference voltage by a predetermined increment, the DAC being configured to convert the reference voltage to an analog reference voltage, and the error amplifier means being configured to compare the analog reference voltage with the output voltage and to output a command signal, such that the command signal is being configured as an error voltage for adjusting the output voltage of the output voltage generating means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification