Smart FET circuit

1. A lighting module, comprising:

at least one array of solid-state lighting elements;

a variable resistor having an input of an intensity control voltage for the array of solid-state lighting elements, the variable resistor having an output electrically connected to an input of the array of solid-state lighting elements; and

a voltage regulator electrically connected to the output of the variable resistor, the voltage regulator having an output connected to an input of the array of solid-state lighting elements, wherein the voltage regulator comprises an error amplifier electrically connected to the output of the variable resistor, a pulse width modulator generator electrically connected to the error amplifier, a power circuit electrically connected to the pulse width modulator generator, the power circuit having the output connect to the input of the array of solid-state lighting elements, and wherein the error amplifier comprises a summing amplifier receiving as inputs the output of the variable resistor and the output of the power circuit.

2. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the variable resistor comprises one of a field-effect transistor, a bipolar transistor, and a digital potentiometer.

3. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the voltage regulator comprises a buck regulator circuit.

4. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the voltage regulator further comprises a switch arranged to indicate when the array of solid-state light emitting elements is enabled.

5. The lighting module of claim 4 , wherein the switch is arranged to electrically connect to a reference voltage when the array of solid-state lighting elements is not enabled and to cause the error amplifier to only receive the output of the power circuit.

6. The lighting module of claim 4 , wherein the switch is arranged to have a delay, the delay arranged to allow current in the array of light-emitting elements to begin rising prior to receiving the output of the variable resistor.

7. A lighting module, comprising:

at least one array of solid-state light-emitting elements;

a field-effect transistor electrically connected to an intensity control voltage and an input of the array of solid-state light emitting elements; and

a buck regulator circuit electrically connected to the field-effect transistor, the buck regulator circuit comprising:

an error amplifier arranged to receive a signal from the field-effect transistor at a first input;

a pulse width modulation generator electrically connected to the error amplifier; and

a buck power stage electrically connected to the pulse width modulation generator, an output of the buck power stage electrically connected to the array of solid-state light emitting elements and a second input of the error amplifier.

8. The lighting module of claim 7 , wherein the buck regulator circuit further comprises a switch arranged to switch the first input of the error amplifier between the signal from the field-effect transistor and a reference voltage.

9. The lighting module of claim 8 , wherein the switch includes a delay, the delay programmed with a time sufficient to allow current in the array of light-emitting elements to rise prior to connecting the signal from the field-effect transistor to the error amplifier.

10. The lighting module of claim 7 , wherein the error amplifier comprises a summing amplifier.