Reducing power dissipation in driver circuits

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017367155-A1
Application number	US-201715690793-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Dec 21, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one example, a method includes generating, by a current source of a device, a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements. In this example, a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
generating, by a current source of a device, a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements, wherein a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
adjusting, by the device and based on a current level of the second portion of the power signal, a current level of the first portion of the power signal to maintain a total current level of the power signal.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
preventing, based on a control signal received from an external device, the current source from generating the first portion of the power signal and the one or more components from generating the second portion of the power signal.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein preventing the one or more components from generating the second portion of the power signal comprises:
opening a switch positioned in series with the one or more components.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more components are not active current sources.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprise one or more resistors.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more load elements comprise one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

8 . A driver device comprising:
a current source configured to generate a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements, wherein a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source.

9 . The driver device of claim 8 , further comprising:
a loop controller configured to adjust, based on a current level of the second portion of the power signal, a current level of the first portion of the power signal to maintain a total current level of the power signal.

10 . The driver device of claim 8 , wherein, based on a control signal received from an external device, the loop controller is configured to prevent the current source from generating the first portion of the power signal and prevent the one or more components from generating the second portion of the power signal.

11 . The driver device of claim 10 , wherein, to prevent the one or more components from generating the second portion of the power signal, the loop controller is configured to:
open a switch positioned in series with the one or more components.

12 . The driver device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more components are not active current sources.

13 . The driver device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more components comprise one or more resistors.

14 . The driver device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more load elements comprise one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

15 . A driver device comprising:
means for generating a first portion of a power signal that drives one or more load elements, wherein a second portion of the power signal is generated by one or more components that are external to the device and are in parallel to the current source such that the second portion of the power signal does not flow through the current source; and means for outputting the first portion of the power signal.

16 . The driver device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for adjusting, based on a current level of the second portion of the power signal, a current level of the first portion of the power signal to maintain a total current level of the power signal.

17 . The driver device of claim 16 , further comprising:
means for combining the first portion and the second portion to generate the power signal, wherein the means for outputting comprise means for outputting the power signal.

18 . The driver device of claim 15 , further comprising:
means for preventing, based on a control signal received from an external device, the means for generating from generating the first portion of the power signal and the one or more components from generating the second portion of the power signal.

Assignees

• Infineon Technologies Ag

Inventors

• Cortigiani Fabrizio
• Logiudice Andrea
• Galvano Maurizio
• Pamato Marco

Classifications

• H05B45/37

  Converter circuits · CPC title

• G05F1/56

  using semiconductor devices in series with the load as final control devices (G05F1/461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02M1/00 Primary

  Details of apparatus for conversion · CPC title

• H02M1/08

  Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters · CPC title

• H02M3/156

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title