Apparatus and method for a light-emitting diode lamp that simulates a filament lamp

• US 8,390,216 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Video Refurbishing Services, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Video Refurbishing Services, Inc.
• Inventors: Hickey, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Jianzi
• Application Number:
  US12/401,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 315/86, 315/87, 315/88, 315/89, 315/90, 315/297, 315/307, 315/308, 315/7
• US Class Current: 315/307
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/31 Phase-control circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3574 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/40 Details of LED load circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/24 Circuit arrangements for protecting against overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a circuit assembly comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) load in combination with a filament bulb simulation circuit, the filament bulb simulation circuit being configured to simulate a load that would be presented to a monitoring system by a filament bulb. In this manner, a filament bulb can be effectively replaced with one or more LEDs and thereby achieve power consumption savings. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring an LED circuit assembly with a monitoring system to determine whether the LED circuit assembly is deemed operational.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a circuit assembly comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) load, a filament bulb simulation circuit in parallel with the LED load, and a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit, the filament bulb simulation circuit being configured to simulate a load that would be presented to a monitoring system by a filament bulb; and

a legacy aircraft monitoring system in communication with the circuit assembly, the legacy aircraft monitoring system configured to test whether the circuit assembly exhibits a predetermined characteristic to determine whether the circuit assembly is operational;

wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises a rectifier bridge circuit and at least one load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit; and

wherein the legacy aircraft monitoring system comprises a multiplexed monitoring system that is configured to test the circuit assembly for the predetermined characteristic, and wherein the predetermined characteristic comprises a resistance exhibited by a filament bulb load within a predetermined threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit is configured to provide an equivalent series resistance that simulates a presence of an operational filament bulb in the circuit assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit comprises a capacitor in parallel with the LED load.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the capacitor has a capacitance of approximately 47 microfarads.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit consists of a capacitor in parallel with the LED load.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multiplexed monitoring system comprises a continuous-type multiplexed monitoring system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the multiplexed monitoring system comprises a multiplexed monitoring system that is configured to check whether the circuit assembly is operational upon an initial powering up of an aircraft.

8. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the LED load comprises a plurality of LEDs, wherein the plurality of LEDs are clustered with a viewing angle of around 15 degrees.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises a rectifier bridge circuit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the voltage converter circuit further comprises at least one load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the at least one load resistor comprises a first load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit on a first path and a second load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit on a second path.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a housing that encloses the filament bulb simulation circuit and the voltage converter circuit.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a first end portion for exposing an illumination portion of the LED load and a second end portion for connection with a legacy aircraft socket.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a monitoring system in communication with the circuit assembly, the monitoring system being configured for testing whether the circuit assembly exhibits a resistance within a predetermined threshold to determine whether the circuit assembly is operational.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the monitoring system comprises a legacy aircraft monitoring system that is configured to test the circuit assembly for a resistance that corresponds to a resistance of a filament bulb load.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a legacy aircraft socket in which the circuit assembly is located, wherein the monitoring system is configured to communicate with the circuit assembly through the socket.

18. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a monitoring system in communication with the circuit assembly, the monitoring system configured to test whether the circuit assembly exhibits a predetermined characteristic to determine whether the circuit assembly is operational.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the monitoring system comprises a legacy aircraft monitoring system that is configured to test the circuit assembly for the predetermined characteristic, wherein the predetermined characteristic corresponds to a characteristic exhibited by a filament bulb load.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a legacy aircraft socket in which the circuit assembly is located, wherein the monitoring system is configured to communicate with the circuit assembly through the socket.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a housing that encloses the filament bulb simulation circuit and the voltage converter circuit.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a first end portion for exposing an illumination portion of the LED load and a second end portion for connection with the socket.

23. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the LED load comprises at least one LED.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the at least one LED comprises a plurality of LEDs.

25. The apparatus of claim 1

wherein the LED load comprises a plurality of LEDs;

and

wherein the circuit assembly has a weight of around 7.3 grams.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the circuit assembly further comprises a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises a rectifier bridge circuit.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising at least one load resistor connected in series between the rectifier bridge circuit and the LED load.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the at least one load resistor comprises a first load resistor connected in series between the rectifier bridge circuit and the LED load on a first path and a second load resistor connected in series between the rectifier bridge circuit and the LED load on a second path.

30. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising a monitoring system in communication with the circuit assembly, the monitoring system configured to conduct with the circuit assembly if the capacitor exhibits a predetermined capacitive reactance.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the monitoring system comprises a legacy aircraft monitoring system that is configured to test the circuit assembly for the predetermined capacitive reactance, wherein the predetermined capacitive reactance corresponds to a capacitive reactance of a filament bulb load.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 further comprising a legacy aircraft socket in which the circuit assembly is located, wherein the monitoring system is configured to communicate with the circuit assembly through the socket.

33. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the circuit assembly does not include a heat sink.

34. An apparatus comprising:

a circuit assembly comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) load, a filament bulb simulation circuit in parallel with the LED load, and a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit, the filament bulb simulation circuit being configured to simulate a load that would be presented to a monitoring system by a filament bulb; and

a legacy aircraft monitoring system in communication with the circuit assembly, the legacy aircraft monitoring system configured to test whether the circuit assembly exhibits a predetermined characteristic to determine whether the circuit assembly is operational;

wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises a rectifier bridge circuit and at least one load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit; and

wherein the legacy aircraft monitoring system comprises a Triacs-based monitoring system that is configured to test the circuit assembly for the predetermined characteristic, and wherein the predetermined characteristic comprises a predetermined capacitive reactance exhibited by a filament bulb load.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit is configured to provide a capacitive reactance that simulates a presence of an operational filament bulb in the circuit assembly.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit comprises a capacitor in parallel with the LED load.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the capacitor has a capacitance of approximately 1 microfarad.

38. An apparatus for replacing a filament bulb, the apparatus comprising:

a light-emitting diode (LED) load;

a monitoring system configured to monitor whether the LED load is operational;

a capacitor in parallel with the LED load, wherein the capacitor is sized such that the apparatus exhibits at least one of the group consisting of an equivalent series resistance and a capacitive reactance that an operational filament bulb would have exhibited, thereby creating a simulation of the filament bulb for the monitoring system; and

a voltage converter circuit connected between the capacitor and the LED load;

wherein the capacitor and the voltage converter are enclosed within a housing, the housing having a first end for exposing an illumination portion of the LED load and a second end for connecting to a legacy aircraft socket; and

wherein the monitoring system comprises a legacy aircraft multiplexed monitoring system that is in communication with LED load, the voltage converter and the capacitor by way of the socket, and wherein the capacitor is sized such that the apparatus exhibits an equivalent series resistance that an operational filament bulb would have exhibited, thereby creating a simulation of the filament bulb for the monitoring system.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the multiplexed monitoring system comprises a continuous-type multiplexed monitoring system.

40. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the multiplexed monitoring system is configured to check whether the LED load is operational upon an initial powering up of the aircraft.

41. An apparatus for replacing a filament bulb, the apparatus comprising:

a light-emitting diode (LED) load;

a monitoring system configured to monitor whether the LED load is operational;

a capacitor in parallel with the LED load, wherein the capacitor is sized such that the apparatus exhibits at least one of the group consisting of an equivalent series resistance and a capacitive reactance that an operational filament bulb would have exhibited, thereby creating a simulation of the filament bulb for the monitoring system; and

a voltage converter circuit connected between the capacitor and the LED load;

wherein the capacitor and the voltage converter are enclosed within a housing, the housing having a first end for exposing an illumination portion of the LED load and a second end for connecting to a legacy aircraft socket; and

wherein the monitoring system comprises a legacy aircraft Triacs-based monitoring system, and wherein the capacitor is sized such that the apparatus exhibits a capacitive reactance that an operational filament bulb would have exhibited, thereby creating a simulation of the filament bulb for the monitoring system.

42. A method comprising:

installing a light-emitting diode (LED) circuit assembly into a legacy aircraft socket, the LED circuit thereby being electrically connected with the socket, the LED circuit assembly comprising an LED load and a filament bulb simulation circuit in parallel with the LED load;

monitoring the LED circuit assembly through a legacy aircraft monitoring system that is configured for monitoring an operational status for a filament bulb, wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit comprises a capacitor in parallel with the LED load, and wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit is configured such that the LED circuit assembly simulates an operational filament bulb for the monitoring system;

automatically determining, via the monitoring system and in response to the monitoring step, an operational status for the LED circuit assembly;

permitting illumination of the LED load in response to a positive determined operational status for the LED circuit assembly; and

removing a filament bulb from the socket prior to the installing step.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit consists of a capacitor in parallel with the LED load.

44. A method comprising:

monitoring a light-emitting diode (LED) circuit assembly through a legacy aircraft multiplexed monitoring system that is configured for monitoring an operational status for a filament bulb, the LED circuit assembly comprising an LED load and a filament bulb simulation circuit in parallel with the LED load, wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit comprises a capacitor in parallel with the LED load, and wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit is configured such that the LED circuit assembly simulates an operational filament bulb for the monitoring system;

automatically determining, via the monitoring system and in response to the monitoring step, an operational status for the LED circuit assembly; and

permitting illumination of the LED load in response to a positive determined operational status for the LED circuit assembly.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the LED circuit assembly further comprises a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises a rectifier bridge circuit.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the voltage converter circuit further comprises at least one load resistor connected in series between the filament bulb simulation circuit and the rectifier bridge circuit.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein the voltage converter circuit comprises at least one load resistor connected in series with the LED load.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the at least one load resistor comprises a first load resistor connected in series with the LED load on a first path and a second load resistor connected in series with the LED load on a second path.

50. A method comprising:

monitoring a light-emitting diode (LED) circuit assembly through a legacy aircraft Triacs-based monitoring system that is configured for monitoring an operational status for a filament bulb, the LED circuit assembly comprising an LED load and a filament bulb simulation circuit in parallel with the LED load, wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit comprises a capacitor in parallel with the LED load, and wherein the filament bulb simulation circuit is configured such that the LED circuit assembly simulates an operational filament bulb for the monitoring system;

automatically determining, via the monitoring system and in response to the monitoring step, an operational status for the LED circuit assembly; and

permitting illumination of the LED load in response to a positive determined operational status for the LED circuit assembly.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein the LED circuit assembly further comprises a voltage converter circuit connected between the LED load and the filament bulb simulation circuit.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein the LED circuit assembly is electrically connected with a legacy aircraft socket.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising installing the LED circuit assembly into the socket.