POWER SUPPLY FOR AN AIRFIELD LED SIGN

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a rectifier for receiving an alternating current having a magnitude;

a boost circuit coupled to the rectifier and receiving the rectified alternating current;

a processor coupled to the boost circuit, the processor operable to control the operation of the boost circuit;

wherein the processor is operable to control the boost circuit to provide a constant, regulated current to a load by controlling a voltage at the output of the boost circuit; and

wherein the predefined constant, regulated current is independent of the magnitude of the alternating current.

2 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a voltage sensor coupled with the boost circuit for providing data representative of a voltage at the boost circuit to the processor.

3 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the load comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

4 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a controllable switching device coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the load, the controllable switching device providing an open circuit indication to the processor.

5 . The apparatus set forth in claim 4 , wherein the controllable switching device is a Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET)

6 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a current sensor coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the plurality of light emitting diodes, the current sensor providing data representative of a current passing through the load to the processor.

7 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the alternating current has a current magnitude selected from a group consisting of a first magnitude, a second magnitude, and a third magnitude; and

wherein the processor adjusts the output of the boost circuit to provide the same regulated current to the load whether the magnitude of the alternating current is the first level, the second level or the third level.

8 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a controllable switching device coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the load;

wherein the processor receives a signal from an external device with data indicating whether the external device has encountered a fault condition; and

wherein the processor signals the controllable switching device to open responsive to receiving a signal indicating the external device has encountered a fault condition.

9 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a controllable switching device coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the load, the controllable switching device providing an open circuit indication at the load to the processor;

a light emitting diode for indicating a fault condition;

wherein the processor switches on the light emitting diode responsive to the controllable switching device providing an open circuit indication.

10 . The apparatus set forth in claim 9 , further comprising an output for indicating a fault condition was detected coupled with the processor; and

wherein the processor asserts a predefined signal on the output responsive to the controllable switching device providing an open circuit indication.

11 . The apparatus set forth in claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to control the boost circuit to provide an initial output voltage at the output of the boost circuit; and

wherein the processor increases the output voltage at the output of the boost circuit until a constant current is achieved through the load.

12 . An airfield lighting device, comprising:

a rectifier for receiving an alternating current;

a boost circuit coupled to the rectifier and receiving the rectified alternating current;

a processor coupled to the boost circuit, the processor operable to control the operation of the boost circuit;

a voltage sensor coupled to the boost circuit operable to provide data representative of a voltage at the boost circuit to the processor;

a plurality of light emitting diodes coupled to the boost circuit;

a controllable switching device coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the plurality of light emitting diodes, the controllable switching operable to providing an output circuit indication to the processor; and

a current sensor coupled interstitial to the boost circuit and the plurality of light emitting diodes, the current sensor providing data representative of a current passing through the plurality of light emitting diodes to the processor;

wherein the processor is operable to control the boost circuit to achieve a predefined constant, regulated current to the plurality of light emitting diodes by controlling the voltage at the output of the boost circuit; and

wherein the predefined constant, regulated current is independent of a magnitude of the alternating current.