IP Library Granted Patent US 10,545,195
Granted Patent B2
US 10,545,195 · App. 15/649,572 · Granted Jan 28, 2020

Method and system for detecting LED short circuit in LED strings or detecting matching among LED strings

Inventors: Nailong Wang (Beijing, CN); Guanou Yang (Beijing, CN); Yuwen Wang (Hayward, CA)
Assignee: DIALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (TIANJIN) LIMITED
G01R31/44G01R31/025G01R31/2635
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,545,195
App. No.
15/649,572
Granted
Jan 28, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

This specification relates to a method and a system for detecting light emitting diode (LED) short circuit in a plurality of LED strings or detecting matching among the plurality of LED strings, wherein one end of each of the plurality of LED strings is connected to a same output end of a power supply, and the other end is respectively connected to a corresponding switch. According to the present invention, first current of each of LED strings is obtained when the output end of the power supply outputs a first voltage; differences between the minimum of the first currents of LED strings and other first currents are calculated; the differences are compared with a comparing threshold; it is determined that the LED strings corresponding to the other currents for which differences are larger than the comparing threshold include short circuit or mismatch with the LED string corresponding to the minimum current. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the number of pins and area of a control chip.

Claims (12)

1. A system for detecting light emitting diode (LED) short circuit in a plurality of LED strings or detecting matching among the plurality of LED strings, wherein one end of each of the plurality of LED strings is connected to a same output end of a power supply, and the other end is respectively connected to a corresponding drain/collector of a corresponding switch, and wherein a corresponding source/emitter of the corresponding switch is connected to ground via a corresponding resistor, the system comprising:

a plurality of first current obtaining units, configured to obtain first currents in the LED strings respectively when the output end of the power supply outputs a first voltage, wherein each of the plurality of first current obtaining units obtains a corresponding one of the first currents based upon a voltage on a corresponding source/emitter of a corresponding switch;

a calculating unit, configured to calculate differences between a minimum first current in the LED strings and non-minimum other first currents;

a comparing unit, configured to compare the differences with a comparing threshold; and

a determining unit, configured to determine that the LED strings corresponding to those other currents for which differences are larger than the comparing threshold include LED short circuit or mismatch with the LED string corresponding to the minimum first current.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the switches comprise MOSFETs or bipolar transistors, and said other end is connected to drains of respective MOSFETs or collectors of respective bipolar transistors.

3. A method for detecting light emitting diode (LED) short circuit in a plurality of LED strings or detecting matching among the plurality of LED strings, wherein one end of each of the plurality of LED strings is connected to a same output end of a power supply, and the other end is respectively connected to a corresponding switch, and wherein a corresponding source/emitter of the corresponding switch is connected to ground via a corresponding resistor, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a plurality of first current obtaining units, first currents in the LED strings respectively when the output end of the power supply outputs a first voltage, wherein each of the plurality of first current obtaining units obtains a corresponding one of the first currents based upon a voltage on a corresponding source/emitter of a corresponding switch;

calculating differences between a minimum first current in the LED strings and non-minimum other first currents;

comparing the differences with a comparing threshold; and

determining that LED strings corresponding to those other currents for which differences are larger than the comparing threshold include LED short circuit or mismatch with the LED string corresponding to the minimum first current.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the switches comprise MOSFETs or bipolar transistors, and said other end is connected to drains of respective MOSFETs or collectors of respective bipolar transistors.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 048566 FRAME 0335. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 15, 2019
From: WANG, NAILONG; YANG, GUANOU; WANG, YUWEN
To: IWATT INTEGRATED CIRCUITS TECHNOLOGY (TIANJIN) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 049989/0888 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048567 FRAME: 0795. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded May 15, 2019
From: IWATT INTEGRATED CIRCUITS TECHNOLOGY (TIANJIN) LIMITED
To: DIALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (TIANJIN) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 049194/0644 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2019
From: WANG, NAILONG; YANG, GUANOU; WANG, YUWEN
To: IWATT INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (TIANJIN) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048566/0335 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 11, 2019
From: IWATT INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (TIANJIN)
To: DIALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS (TIANJIN) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 048567/0795 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2013 1 0086406 · Mar 18, 2013 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14215943 · Mar 17, 2014
Related Publication 20170307695A1 · Oct 26, 2017