Monitoring an optical converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10389439-B2
Application number	US-201715681912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2017
Priority date	Aug 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

An optical converter is to be simply and reliably monitored. Thereto, a circuit device including a measurement bridge with a measurement branch, a first comparison branch and a second comparison branch is provided. A conductor path loop of the converter can be integrated in the measurement branch. The first comparison branch has a first series resistance variable via a first active element. Similarly, the second comparison branch has a second series resistance variable via a second active element. The first and the second active elements are respectively controllable by the same control signal. The circuit device further has an evaluation circuit with a first comparator and a second comparator, the outputs of which form the control signal and at the same time an output signal of the circuit device in AND-gated manner. Each comparator compares a tap of its respective comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A circuit device for monitoring an optical converter comprising:
a measurement bridge with a measurement branch, a first comparison branch and a second comparison branch, wherein
a conductor path loop of the converter is integrated in the measurement branch,
the first comparison branch has a first series resistance variable via a first active element,
the second comparison branch has a second series resistance variable via a second active element,
the first and the second active element are each controllable by a same control signal,
the circuit device has an evaluation circuit with a first comparator and a second comparator, the outputs of which form the control signal and at the same time an output signal of the circuit device in AND-gated manner, wherein
the first comparator compares a tap of the first comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch and
the second comparator compares a tap of the second comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch.

2. The circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein the first active element is a metal oxide semiconductor.

3. The circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein the second active element is a metal oxide semiconductor.

4. The circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein the first comparison branch has a different reference resistance for a lower threshold value than the second comparison branch for an upper threshold value.

5. The circuit device according to claim 2 , wherein the first active element is a PMOS switch.

6. The circuit device according to claim 2 , wherein the second active element is a metal oxide semiconductor.

7. The circuit device according to claim 6 , wherein the second active element is an NMOS switch.

8. The circuit device according to claim 7 , wherein the first active element is a PMOS switch.

9. The circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the second active element is an NMOS switch.

10. The circuit device according to claim 2 , wherein the first comparison branch has a different reference resistance for a lower threshold value than the second comparison branch for an upper threshold value.

11. The circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the first comparison branch has a different reference resistance for a lower threshold value than the second comparison branch for an upper threshold value.

12. A converter assembly comprising:
an optical converter, on which a conductor path loop for monitoring is disposed; and
a circuit device comprising:
a measurement bridge with a measurement branch, a first comparison branch and a second comparison branch, wherein
a conductor path loop of the converter is integrated in the measurement branch,
the first comparison branch has a first series resistance variable via a first active element,
the second comparison branch has a second series resistance variable via a second active element,
the first and the second active element are each controllable by a same control signal,
the circuit device has an evaluation circuit with a first comparator and a second comparator, the outputs of which form the control signal and at the same time an output signal of the circuit device in AND-gated manner, wherein
the first comparator compares a tap of the first comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch and
the second comparator compares a tap of the second comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch;

wherein the circuit device is connected to the conductor path loop.

13. The converter assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the conductor path loop is formed on a surface of the converter and has the shape of a meander, and at least one partial loop of the meander completely surrounds a circular conversion area of the converter.

14. A lighting device comprising:
a laser diode; and
a converter assembly comprising:
an optical converter, on which a conductor path loop for monitoring is disposed; and
a circuit device comprising:
a measurement bridge with a measurement branch, a first comparison branch and a second comparison branch, wherein
a conductor path loop of the converter is integrated in the measurement branch,
the first comparison branch has a first series resistance variable via a first active element,
the second comparison branch has a second series resistance variable via a second active element,
the first and the second active element are each controllable by a same control signal,
the circuit device has an evaluation circuit with a first comparator and a second comparator, the outputs of which form the control signal and at the same time an output signal of the circuit device in AND-gated manner, wherein
 the first comparator compares a tap of the first comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch and
 the second comparator compares a tap of the second comparison branch to a tap of the measurement branch;

wherein the circuit device is connected to the conductor path loop;

wherein the laser diode is controlled by the output signal of the circuit device.

15. The lighting device according to claim 14 , wherein there are separately connected to supply terminals an anode of the laser diode via a first semiconductor switching element controllable by the output signal and a cathode of the laser diode via a second semiconductor switching element controllable by the output signal.

16. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein the first semiconductor switching element is controlled by the output signal of the circuit device via an inverter.

17. The lighting device according to claim 15 , wherein a supply of the lighting device is ensured via the supply terminals of the laser diode.

18. The lighting device according to claim 16 , wherein a supply of the lighting device is ensured via the supply terminals of the laser diode.

Assignees

• Osram Gmbh

Inventors

• Richter Jens
• Vogt Peter

Classifications

• B60Q11/005 Primary

  for lighting devices, e.g. indicating if lamps are burning or not · CPC title

• G02F2/00

  Demodulating light; Transferring the modulation of modulated light; Frequency-changing of light (G02F1/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F21V25/02

  coming into action when lighting device is disturbed, dismounted, or broken · CPC title

• H04B10/69

  Electrical arrangements in the receiver · CPC title

• G01M11/0278 Primary

  Detecting defects of the object to be tested, e.g. scratches or dust (investigating the presence of flaws or contamination on materials by optical means G01N21/88) · CPC title