IP Library Granted Patent US 8,907,580
Granted Patent B2
US 8,907,580 · App. 13/757,780 · Granted Dec 9, 2014

Circuit and method for flicker suppression in light emitting diodes (LEDs)

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,907,580
App. No.
13/757,780
Granted
Dec 9, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) has a latch. The latch has a first state set with a trailing edge of Pulse Width Modulated Dimming (PWMD) pulse, and a second state set delayed with respect to the PWMD trailing edge. A trigger circuit is coupled to the latch. The trigger circuit sends a signal to the latch to change to the second state when a decision point occurs during a time following a duty limit D max of a gate of a LED driver circuit.

Claims (29)

1. A circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) comprising:

a latch, the latch having a first state set with a trailing edge of Pulse Width Modulated Dimming (PWMD) pulse, and a second state set delayed with respect to the PWMD trailing edge; and

a trigger circuit coupled to the latch, the trigger circuit sending a signal to the latch to change to the second state when a decision point occurs during a time following a duty limit D max of a gate of a LED driver circuit, wherein the trigger circuit comprises: a plurality of logic gates, wherein the plurality of logic gates provides the signal to the latch to change to the second state when a decision point occurs during a time following a duty limit Dmax of a gate of a LED driver circuit; and a delay circuit coupled to at last one of the plurality of logic gates.

2. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the trigger circuit has inputs coupled to a clock signal and the PWM pulse and an output coupled to the latch.

3. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the trigger circuit comprises:

a plurality of logic gates; and

a delay circuit coupled to at last one of the plurality o logic gates.

4. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the trigger circuit comprises:

a first logic gate having a first input coupled to a first output of the latch and a second input coupled to a PWM signal of the Led driver circuit;

a delay circuit coupled between the second input of the first logic gate and the PWM signal;

a second logic gate having a first input coupled to a second output of the latch and a second input coupled to the PWM signal of the Led driver circuit;

a third logic gate having a first input coupled to an output of the first logic gate and a second input coupled to an output of the second logic gate; and

a fourth logic gate having a first input coupled to an output of the third logic gate, a second input coupled to a clock signal; and an output coupled to an input of the latch.

5. A circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) comprising:

means for removing a duty cycle limit D max of a gate signal of an LED driver circuit past a decision point (DP) by terminating the gate signal upon meeting a reference signal sent to a comparator of the LED driver circuit, wherein the means comprises: a latch, the latch having a first state set with a trailing edge of Pulse Width Modulated Dimming (PWMD) pulse, and a second state set delayed with respect to the PWMD trailing edge; and a trigger circuit coupled to the latch, the trigger circuit sending a signal to the latch to change to the second state when a decision point occurs during a time following a duty limit Dmax of a gate of a LED driver circuit.

6. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the trigger circuit has inputs coupled to a clock signal and the PWM pulse and an output coupled to the latch.

7. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the trigger circuit comprises:

a plurality of logic gates; and

a delay circuit coupled to at last one of the plurality o logic gates.

8. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the trigger circuit comprises:

a plurality of logic gates, wherein the plurality of logic gates provides the signal to the latch to change to the second state when a decision point occurs during a time following a duty limit D max of a gate of a LED driver circuit; and

a delay circuit coupled to at last one of the plurality o logic gates.

9. The circuit for flicker suppression in a Light Emitting Diode (LED) in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the trigger circuit comprises:

a first logic gate having a first input coupled to a first output of the latch and a second input coupled to a PWM signal of the Led driver circuit;

a delay circuit coupled between the second input of the first logic gate and the PWM signal;

a second logic gate having a first input coupled to a second output of the latch and a second input coupled to the PWM signal of the Led driver circuit;

a third logic gate having a first input coupled to an output of the first logic gate and a second input coupled to an output of the second logic gate; and

a fourth logic gate having a first input coupled to an output of the third logic gate, a second input coupled to a clock signal; and

an output coupled to an input of the latch.

Assignments (17)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 059666/0545 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041675/0617 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2014
From: SUPERTEX LLC
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 034689/0257 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 19, 2014
From: SUPERTEX, INC.
To: SUPERTEX LLC
Reel/Frame 034682/0134 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2013
From: MEDNIK, ALEXANDER
To: SUPERTEX, INC.
Reel/Frame 030428/0958 →