Adaptive overvoltage protection for multifunction LED chain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10111299-B2
Application number	US-201615169424-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	May 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 23, 2018
Grant date	Oct 23, 2018

Abstract

In one example, a method includes determining, by a device of a system, a voltage feedback value that represents a voltage level of a power signal being provided to a plurality of load elements that are selectively active. In this example, the method also includes adjusting, by the device and based on a quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, the voltage level of the power signal such that the voltage feedback value remains less than or equal to an overvoltage threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a device of a system, a voltage feedback value that represents a voltage level of a power signal being provided to a plurality of load elements that are selectively active;
scaling, by one or more components of the system that are external to the device, the voltage feedback value based on the quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active; and
adjusting, by the device and based on a quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, the voltage level of the power signal such that the voltage feedback value remains less than or equal to an overvoltage threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprise:
a plurality of resistors selectively included in resistor ladder; and
one or more switches configured to adjust a quantity of resistors of the plurality of resistors included in the resistor ladder based on the quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system includes an output capacitor configured to filter the power signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of load elements comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

5. A system comprising:
a driver device configured to:
determine a voltage feedback value that represents a voltage level of a power signal being provided to a plurality of load elements that are selectively active; and
adjust, based on a quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, the voltage level of the power signal such that the voltage feedback value remains less than or equal to an overvoltage threshold; and

one or more components external to the driver device that are configured to scale the voltage feedback value based on the quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more components comprise:
a plurality of resistors selectively included in resistor ladder; and
one or more switches configured to adjust a quantity of resistors of the plurality of resistors included in the resistor ladder based on the quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active.

7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising:
an output capacitor configured to filter the power signal.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of load elements comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. A system comprising:
a driver device, the driver device comprising:
means for determining a voltage feedback value that represents a voltage level of a power signal being provided to a plurality of load elements that are selectively active; and
means for adjusting, based on a quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, the voltage level of the power signal such that the voltage feedback value remains less than or equal to an overvoltage threshold; and

means for scaling the voltage feedback value based on the quantity of load elements of the plurality of load elements that are active, wherein the means for scaling the voltage feedback value are external to the driver device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the system includes an output capacitor configured to filter the power signal.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of load elements comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Milanesi Paolo
• Penzo Roberto
• Galvano Maurizio
• Fragiacomo Fabio

Classifications

• H05B45/44 Primary

  with an active control inside an LED matrix · CPC title

• H05B45/37 Primary

  Converter circuits · CPC title

• H02H9/041

  using a short-circuiting device · CPC title

• H05B45/50 Primary

  responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits · CPC title

• H05B33/0824

  Electricity · mapped topic