IP Library Granted Patent US 10,342,095
Granted Patent B2
US 10,342,095 · App. 15/622,942 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Input voltage stabilization circuit for rear combination lamp, rear combination lamp, and vehicle

Inventors: Sanghyun Park (Seoul, KR); Hongkwon Kim (Seoul, KR); Sangphil Byun (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
H05B33/0896B60Q1/30H05B33/0827Y02B20/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,342,095
App. No.
15/622,942
Granted
Jul 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input voltage stabilization circuit for a rear combination lamp includes: an optical output unit including a plurality of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs); a voltage converter; and a feedback unit. The voltage converter is configured to supply an output voltage for driving the plurality of OLEDs by converting a first voltage supplied by a vehicle battery to the output voltage, the output voltage being different from the first voltage. The feedback unit is configured to provide, as feedback to the voltage converter, information regarding a maximum voltage value for the plurality of OLEDs. The voltage converter is further configured to adjust the output voltage based on the information provided as feedback by the feedback unit regarding the maximum.

Claims (24)

1. An input voltage stabilization circuit for a rear combination lamp, comprising:

an optical output unit comprising a plurality of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs);

a voltage converter configured to supply an output voltage for driving the plurality of OLEDs by converting a first voltage supplied by a vehicle battery to the output voltage, the output voltage being different from the first voltage;

a feedback unit configured to provide, as feedback to the voltage converter, information regarding a maximum voltage value for the plurality of OLEDs; and

a converter protector configured to, upon occurrence of a failure in at least one of the plurality of OLEDs, protect the voltage converter,

wherein the voltage converter is further configured to adjust the output voltage based on the information provided as feedback by the feedback unit regarding the maximum voltage value for the plurality of OLEDs,

wherein the converter protector comprises a first output voltage unit configured to provide, as feedback to the voltage converter, information regarding a first limit voltage value based on a plurality of temperatures sensed at a plurality of points of a circuit board, and

wherein the first output voltage unit further comprises a diode AND gate configured to determine a maximum voltage among a plurality of voltages applied to a plurality of Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistors.

2. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a regulator unit comprising a plurality of regulators individually connected to a respective OLED among the plurality of OLEDs.

3. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising a diode AND gate comprising a plurality of diodes,

wherein the plurality of diodes is individually connected to a respective connection node among a plurality of connection nodes between the plurality of OLEDs and the plurality of regulators.

4. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the diode AND gate is configured to determine the maximum voltage value for the plurality of OLEDs by determining a maximum voltage among a plurality of voltages applied to the plurality of OLEDs.

5. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 4 , wherein the feedback unit comprises a voltage division resistor unit configured to:

divide a voltage output from the diode AND gate; and

output a divided voltage as the information provided as feedback to the voltage converter.

6. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 5 , wherein the feedback unit further comprises a capacitor unit connected in parallel to the voltage division resistor unit.

7. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter is further configured to adjust the output voltage to maintain, at a reference value, the information provided as feedback to the voltage converter.

8. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the converter protector further comprises a second output voltage unit configured to provide, as feedback to the voltage converter, information regarding a second limit voltage value for limiting the output voltage.

9. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the first output voltage unit comprises the plurality of Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistors arranged at the plurality of points of the circuit board.

10. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 8 , wherein the converter protector further comprises a diode OR gate configured to select a greater voltage value among a first voltage value output from the first output voltage unit and a second voltage value output from the second output voltage unit.

11. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a failure sensing unit configured to sense a failure in at least one of the plurality of OLEDs.

12. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor configured to control, for each of the plurality of OLEDs, a respective optical output pattern based on a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal.

13. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 12 , further comprising a power sensing unit configured to sense an abnormal state of a power supply line that supplies power from the vehicle battery.

14. The input voltage stabilization circuit according to claim 13 , further comprising an emergency power connection unit configured to supply a voltage for providing the PWM signal to the voltage converter.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2020
From: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
To: ZKW GROUP GMBH
Reel/Frame 051496/0893 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 13, 2019
From: PARK, SANGHYUN; KIM, HONGKWON; BYUN, SANGPHIL
To: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Reel/Frame 049153/0282 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2016-0073815 · Jun 14, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180014376A1 · Jan 11, 2018