AC driven solid state lighting apparatus with LED string including switched segments

1. A circuit for a light emitting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in a series, the diode selection circuit comprising:

a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage;

a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current that is proportional to a voltage of the rectified AC input signal to the plurality of light emitting diodes in response to the rectified AC input signal; and

a transistor configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from more than one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the voltage controlled current source comprises a first PNP bipolar transistor, an emitter resistor coupled to an emitter of the first PNP bipolar transistor, a diode coupled to a base of the first transistor, a first resistor coupled to a first terminal of the diode and a second resistor coupled to a second terminal of the diode, and a terminal configured to receive the rectified AC input signal coupled to the emitter resistor and to the first resistor.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein a collector of the first PNP bipolar transistor is coupled to the series of light emitting devices.

4. The circuit of claim 2 , further comprising a second transistor including a base coupled to a collector of the first PNP bipolar transistor and a collector coupled to the emitter of the first PNP bipolar transistor.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

an adjustable current sink coupled to the voltage controlled current source.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the adjustable current sink is coupled to the base of the first PNP bipolar transistor.

7. The circuit of claim 6 , wherein the adjustable current sink comprises a third transistor having a collector coupled to the base of the first PNP bipolar transistor and an emitter coupled to ground, and a diode coupled to a base of the third transistor.

8. The circuit of claim 7 , wherein the base of the third transistor is configured to receive a pulse width modulation (PWM) control signal configured to control a conductivity of the third transistor.

9. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the diode selection circuit is configured to shunt current away from the at least one light emitting device in response to a voltage level of the rectified AC input signal being below a threshold level.

10. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the switch comprises a field effect transistor, and wherein the control signal is applied to a gate of the field effect transistor.

11. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the switch further comprises a second transistor coupled in a cascode configuration with the field effect transistor so that conductivity of the second transistor is controlled by the field effect transistor.

12. The circuit of claim 11 , wherein the second transistor comprises a bipolar transistor including a base, a collector and an emitter, and wherein a drain of the field effect transistor is coupled to the emitter of the bipolar transistor, and the collector of the bipolar transistor is coupled to an anode of the at least one light emitting device.

13. The circuit of claim 12 , further comprising a resistor coupled between the drain of the field effect transistor and the emitter of the bipolar transistor.

14. A circuit for a light emitting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in a series, the diode selection circuit comprising:

a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage;

a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current to the plurality of light emitting diodes that is proportional to the rectified AC input signal;

a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal; and

an adjustable current sink coupled to the voltage controlled current source, wherein the adjustable current sink is configured to be controlled in response to a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal.

15. A circuit for a light emitting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting devices coupled in a series, the diode selection circuit comprising:

a comparator configured to receive a rectified AC input signal and a reference voltage and to generate a control signal in response to comparison of the rectified AC input signal with the reference voltage;

a voltage controlled current source configured to supply a current that is proportional to a voltage level of the rectified AC input signal to the plurality of light emitting diodes in response to the rectified AC input signal; and

a switch configured to receive the control signal and to shunt current away from at least one of the plurality of light emitting devices in response to the control signal;

wherein the voltage controlled current source comprises a first PNP bipolar transistor, an emitter resistor coupled to an emitter of the first PNP bipolar transistor, a diode coupled to a base of the first transistor, a first resistor coupled to a first terminal of the diode and a second resistor coupled to a second terminal of the diode, and a terminal configured to receive the rectified AC input signal coupled to the emitter resistor and to the first resistor.