Granted Patent B2

US 7,816,907 · App. 12/107,802 · Granted Oct 19, 2010

Abstract

Claims (49)

1. An integrated circuit, comprising:

an output terminal to be coupled to a light-emitting diode,

an output circuit coupled to the output terminal, the output circuit being configured to supply an operating signal to the light-emitting diode,

a measuring circuit coupled to the output terminal, the measuring circuit being configured to sense on the output terminal a signal value outside an operating regime of the light-emitting diode, the signal value being a voltage below a forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below a threshold current of the light-emitting diode, and

a control circuit coupled to the measuring circuit, the control circuit being configured to configure at least one function of the integrated circuit when the signal value as sensed by the measuring circuit corresponds to a voltage below the forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below the threshold current of the light-emitting diode.

2. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the output circuit comprises a light-emitting diode driver.

3. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring circuit comprises an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the sensed signal value into a digital value.

4. The integrated circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is configured to receive the digital value from the measuring circuit and comprises a memory configured to store the digital value.

5. The integrated circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring circuit comprises a test signal source coupled to the output terminal, the test signal source being configured to supply a test signal to the output terminal.

6. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the value of the test signal is selected to be below the forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or below the threshold current of the light-emitting diode.

7. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the test signal is a test current, and wherein the measuring circuit is configured to sense a voltage on the output terminal.

8. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the test signal is a test voltage, and wherein the measuring circuit is configured to sense a current flowing through the output terminal.

9. The integrated circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the measuring circuit is configured to sense the signal value on the output terminal at least two different points of time relative to a point of time at which the test signal is activated.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

an integrated circuit, and

a light-emitting diode coupled to an output terminal of the integrated circuit,

wherein the integrated circuit comprises:

an output circuit coupled to the output terminal, the output circuit being configured to supply an operating signal to the light-emitting diode,

a measuring circuit coupled to the output terminal, the measuring circuit being configured to sense on the output terminal a signal value outside an operating regime of the light-emitting diode, the signal value being a voltage below a forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below a threshold current of the light-emitting diode, and

a control circuit coupled to the measuring circuit, the control circuit being configured to configure at least one function of the integrated circuit when the signal value as sensed by the measuring circuit corresponds to a voltage below the forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below the threshold current of the light-emitting diode.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10 , comprising:

a configuration circuit coupled to the output terminal of the integrated circuit, the configuration circuit configured to set the signal value sensed on the output terminal.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein the configuration circuit comprises a configuration resistor.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein a resistance value of the configuration resistor is selected in a range between approximately 100Ω and 100 kΩ.

14. The electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein the configuration circuit comprises a configuration capacitor.

15. The electronic device according to claim 11 , wherein the measuring circuit comprises a test signal source coupled to the output terminal, the test signal source being configured to supply a test signal to the output terminal in such a way that a current through the output terminal substantially flows through the configuration circuit only.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10 , wherein the output circuit comprises a light-emitting diode driver.

17. A method of configuring an integrated circuit, comprising:

coupling a light-emitting diode to an output terminal of the integrated circuit,

sensing on the output terminal a signal value outside an operating regime of the light-emitting diode, the signal value being a voltage below a forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below a threshold current of the light-emitting diode, and controlling at least one function of the integrated circuit when the sensed signal value corresponds to a voltage below the forward voltage of the light-emitting diode or a current below the threshold current of the light-emitting diode.

18. The method according to claim 17 , comprising:

coupling a configuration circuit to the output terminal, the configuration circuit configured to set the signal value sensed on the output terminal.

19. The method according to claim 18 , comprising:

supplying a test signal to the output terminal, the test signal being selected in such a way that a current through the output terminal substantially flows through the configuration circuit only.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the test signal is a current, and wherein the sensed signal value is a voltage level on the output terminal.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the test signal is a voltage, and wherein the sensed signal value is a current flowing through the output terminal.

22. The method according to claim 19 , comprising:

sensing the signal value at least two different points of time relative to a point of time at which the test signal is activated.

23. The method according to claim 17 , comprising:

converting the sensed signal value into a digital value and storing the digital value as configuration data.

24. An integrated circuit, comprising:

a terminal to be coupled to a light-emitting diode,

a light-emitting diode driver coupled to the terminal,

a measuring circuit coupled to the terminal, the measuring circuit being configured to sense a voltage and/or a current generated on the terminal in response to a test signal,

an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the sensed voltage and/or current into a digital value, and

a memory configured to store the digital value as configuration data of the integrated circuit,

wherein the test signal is selected in such a way that the voltage across a light-emitting diode coupled to the terminal is below the forward voltage of the light-emitting diode.

25. The integrated circuit according to claim 24 , comprising:

a controller configured to configure at least one function of the integrated circuit on the basis of the stored configuration data.

Assignments (11)