Full-bridge and half-bridge compatible driver timing schedule for direct drive backlight system

• US 7,965,046 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microseumi Corporation
• Original Assignee: Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chiou, Chii-Fa
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; David Hung
• Application Number:
  US12/638,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 315/194, 315/199, 315/196, 315/197, 315/198, 315/224, 315/226, 315/219, 315/220, 315/276, 345/102
• US Class Current: 315/194
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2824 using control circuits for the switching element H05B41/2822 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2825 by means of a bridge converter in the final stage H05B41/285 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2828 using control circuits for the switching elements H05B41/2827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/07 Starting and control circuits for gas discharge lamp using transistors

Abstract

A driver circuit or controller flexibly drives either a half-bridge or a full-bridge switching network in a backlight inverter without modification, redundant circuitry or additional components. The driver circuit includes four outputs to provide four respective driving signals that establish a periodic timing sequence using a zero-voltage switching technique for semiconductor switches in the switching network.

Claims

1. A method to flexibly control a half-bridge or a full-bridge switching network in a backlight inverter, the method comprising generating at least four driving signals with alternating states to control the switching network, wherein the first and the second driving signals are substantially identical with an 180°

phase shift, the third and the fourth driving signals have rising edges that precede respective rising edges of the first and the second driving signals by a first duration, and the third and the fourth driving signals have falling edges that trail respective falling edges of the first and the second driving signals by a second duration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving signals are generated using a pair of input signals and four delay circuits.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the half-bridge network comprises two semiconductor switches and the first and the second driving signals control the two semiconductor switches.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the full-bridge network comprises four semiconductor switches, the first and the fourth driving signals control the two semiconductor switches that complete a first conduction path to deliver power to a load, and the second and the third driving signals control the two semiconductor switches that complete a second conduction path to deliver power to the load.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising driving a transformer with the semiconductor switches wherein the semiconductor switches are coupled to a primary winding of the transformer and the load is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a secondary winding of the transformer powers a load comprising at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp that backlights a liquid crystal display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein four delay circuits generate the first, second, third and fourth driving signals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first driving signal and the second driving signal have variable and substantially identical duty cycles.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling a direct current source to a center tap of a primary winding of a transformer; and

controlling a first N-type field-effect-transistor with first driving signal wherein a first N-type field-effect-transistor is coupled between circuit ground and a first terminal of the primary winding of the transformer; and

controlling a second N-type field-effect-transistor with the second driving signal, wherein the second N-type field-effect-transistor is coupled between circuit ground and a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first driving signal and the third driving signal are generated from a first input signal using two delay circuits, the second driving signal and the fourth driving signal are generated from a second input signal using another two delay circuits.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling a direct current source to a center tap of a primary winding of a transformer; and

controlling a first N-type field-effect-transistor with first driving signal wherein a first N-type field-effect-transistor is coupled between circuit ground and a first terminal of the primary winding of the transformer; and

controlling a second N-type field-effect-transistor with the second driving signal, wherein the second N-type field-effect-transistor is coupled between circuit ground and a second terminal of the primary winding of the transformer.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first driving signal and the third driving signal are generated from a first input signal using two delay circuits, the second driving signal and the fourth driving signal are generated from a second input signal using another two delay circuits.

11. A method to flexibly control a half-bridge or a full-bridge switching network in a backlight inverter, the method comprising:

generating first and the second driving signals are substantially identical with a 180°

phase shift;

generating third and the fourth driving signals have rising edges that precede respective rising edges of the first and the second driving signals by a first duration, and wherein the third and the fourth driving signals have falling edges that trail respective falling edges of the first and the second driving signals by a second duration; and

driving a switching network comprising a plurality of semiconductor switches with the first, second, third and fourth driving signals to convert a direct current source into an alternating current source to power a load.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the driving signals are generated using a pair of input signals and four delay circuits.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the switching network comprises two semiconductor switches and the first and the second driving signals control the two semiconductor switches.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the switching network comprises four semiconductor switches, the first and the fourth driving signals control the two semiconductor switches that complete a first conduction path to deliver power to the load, and the second and the third driving signals control the two semiconductor switches that complete a second conduction path to deliver power to the load.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising driving a transformer with the semiconductor switches wherein the semiconductor switches are coupled to a primary winding of the transformer and the load is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a secondary winding of the transformer powers a load comprising at least one cold cathode fluorescent lamp that backlights a liquid crystal display.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein four delay circuits generate the first, second, third and fourth driving signals.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the first driving signal and the second driving signal have variable and substantially identical duty cycles.