Light emitting diode driver with linearly controlled driving current

1. A driver circuit for a lighting apparatus, comprising:

a current regulator configured to supply a load current to a load;

a control circuit coupled to the current regulator and configured to receive a dimming control signal and to vary an amplitude of the load current in response to the dimming control signal;

a conversion circuit that is configured to generate a control signal in response to the dimming control signal;

a current sense circuit that is configured to generate a current sense signal indicative of the amplitude of the load current;

a combining node that is configured to combine the current sense signal and the control signal; and

an error amplifier that is configured to receive the combined control signal and current sense signal and responsively generate an error signal that controls the current regulator.

2. The driver circuit of claim 1 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a diode and a first resistor, the current sense signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor, and a reference voltage is applied to the noninverting input of the error amplifier.

3. The driver circuit of claim 1 , wherein the dimming control signal comprises a pulse width modulated signal, and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to receive the pulse width modulated dimming control signal and to generate the control signal in response to the pulse width modulated dimming control signal.

4. The driver circuit of claim 3 , wherein the conversion circuit comprises a detector configured to detect the pulse width modulated dimming control signal and a voltage clamp and filler circuit coupled to the detector and configured to clamp and filter an output of the detector.

5. The driver circuit of claim 1 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to a first node through a diode and a first resistor, the current sense signal is coupled to the first node, the first node is coupled to an input of an amplifier, an output of the amplifier is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor, and a reference voltage is applied to the noninverting input of the error amplifier.

6. The driver circuit of claim 1 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to the noninverting input of the error amplifier through a first resistor, and the current sense signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor.

7. The driver circuit of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises:

a microcontroller that is configured to generate a control signal in response to the dimming control signal.

8. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to the noninverting input of the error amplifier through a first resistor, and the current sense signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor.

9. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate a pulse width modulated control signal in response to the dimming control signal, the control circuit further comprising a filter configured to convert the pulse width modulated control signal into a voltage control signal.

10. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller is configured to generate the control signal as a voltage control signal.

11. The driver circuit of claim 10 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to the noninverting input of the error amplifier through a first resistor, and the current sense signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor.

12. The driver circuit of claim 10 , wherein the error amplifier comprises an inverting input and a noninverting input, the control signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a diode and a first resistor, the current sense signal is coupled to the inverting input of the error amplifier through a second resistor, and a reference voltage is applied to the noninverting input of the error amplifier.

13. The driver circuit of claim 10 , wherein the voltage control signal is provided directly to the current regulator as a current regulator control signal.

14. The driver circuit of claim 7 , further comprising a switch coupled to the load, wherein the switch is configured to control a flow of current through the load in response to a gate control signal generated by the microcontroller.

15. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller is further configured to generate an enable signal that selectively enables and disables the current regulator.

16. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the control signal comprises a pulse width modulated switch control signal that controls a control switch within the current regulator.

17. The driver circuit of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller further comprises a data communication interface that receives commands for controlling the load current.

18. A driver circuit for a lighting apparatus, comprising:

a current regulator configured to supply a load current to a load; and

a control circuit coupled to the current regulator and configured to receive a dimming control signal;

a current sense circuit that is configured to generate a current sense signal indicative of the amplitude of the load current;

a combining node that is configured to combine the current sense signal and the dimming control signal; and

an error amplifier that is configured to receive the combined control signal and current sense signal and responsively generate an error signal that controls the current regulator.