Method and circuits for short-circuit protection of LED systems

1. A circuit for determining a short-circuit condition in one or more LED strings, comprising:

a first circuit module coupled to each of the one or more LED strings for determining a minimum voltage among voltages associated with the cathodes of the one or more LED strings;

a second circuit module coupled to the first circuit module to receive the minimum voltage and to output an enable signal if the minimum voltage is between a lower limit voltage and an upper voltage limit; and

one or more test circuit modules, each coupled to a corresponding LED string and also coupled to the second circuit module, each of the test circuit modules configured to test for a short circuit condition in the corresponding LED string if it receives the enable signal from the second circuit module.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit module comprises:

a plurality of input transistors, each of which having a control terminal configured for controlling a current flow between a first and a second current carrying terminals of the input transistor, the control terminals being configured for coupling to the LED strings;

an output transistor having a control terminal configured for controlling a current flow between a first and a second current carrying terminals of the output transistor, the control terminal of the output transistor being coupled to the first terminals of the plurality of input transistors;

a first current source coupled to the second terminals of the plurality of input transistors; and

a second current source coupled to the first terminal of the output transistor;

wherein the second terminal of the output transistor is configured to provide an output voltage associated with the minimum voltage associated with the voltages at the control terminals of the input transistors.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein each of the input transistors comprises a PNP bipolar transistor and the output transistor comprises an NPN bipolar transistor.

4. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein each of the input transistors and the output transistor comprises an MOS transistor.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second circuit module comprises a comparator circuit having:

an input terminal;

a high voltage reference terminal;

a low voltage reference terminal; and

an output terminal;

wherein the comparator circuit is configured to output an enable signal at the output terminal, if a voltage at the input terminal has a magnitude between those at the high voltage reference terminal and low voltage reference terminal.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the lower limit voltage and the upper limit voltage are associated with the range of LED cathode voltages when each of the LED strings is under a normal operating condition.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a third circuit module for determining the lower limit voltage and the upper limit voltage, the third circuit module being configured to:

determine a reference voltage that is equal to the least of LED cathode voltages when the LED strings are in a normal operating condition;

set the lower limit voltage equal to the reference voltage minus a first offset voltage; and

set the higher limit voltage equal to the reference voltage plus a second offset voltage.

8. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit module, the second circuit module, and the one or more test circuit modules are integrated in a single circuit module.

9. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more test circuit modules comprises:

a first resistive voltage divider circuit for coupling to a cathode terminal of an LED string and for providing a sampled LED cathode voltage;

a second resistive voltage divider circuit for coupling to a voltage supply and providing a short-circuit reference voltage; and

a comparator circuit having:

a first input terminal for receiving the sampled LED cathode voltage;

a second input terminal for receiving the short-circuit reference voltage;

a control terminal for receiving the enable signal; and

an output terminal for outputting a short-circuit indicating signal, if the enable signal is received and if the sampled LED cathode voltage is higher than the short-circuit reference voltage.

10. An LED display system, comprising:

an LED array including one or more LED strings, each of the LED strings having a plurality of LED devices;

a first circuit module coupled to each of the one or more LED strings for determining a minimum voltage among voltages associated with the cathodes of the one or more LED strings;

a second circuit module coupled to the first circuit module to received the minimum voltage and for outputting an enable signal if the minimum voltage is between a lower limit voltage and an upper voltage limit; and

one or more test circuit modules, each coupled to a corresponding LED string and also coupled to the second circuit module, each of the test circuit modules configured to test for a short circuit condition in the corresponding LED string if it receives the enable signal from the second circuit module.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first circuit module comprises:

a plurality of input transistors, each of which having a control terminal configured for controlling a current flow between a first and a second current carrying terminals, the control terminals being configured for coupling to the LED strings;

an output transistor having a control terminal configured for controlling a current flow between a first and a second current carrying terminal, the control terminal of the output transistor being coupled to the first terminals of the plurality of input transistors;

a first current source coupled to the second terminals of the plurality of input transistors; and

a second current source coupled to the first terminal of the output transistor;

wherein the second terminal of the output transistor is configured to provide an output voltage associated with the minimum voltage associated with the voltages at the control terminals of the input transistors.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the second circuit module comprises a comparator circuit having:

an input terminal;

a high voltage reference terminal;

a low voltage reference terminal; and

an output terminal;

wherein the comparator circuit is configured to output an enable signal at the output terminal, if a voltage at the input terminal has a magnitude between those at the high voltage reference terminal and low voltage reference terminal.

13. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein the lower limit voltage and the upper limit voltage are associated with the range of LED cathode voltages when each of the LED strings is under a normal operating condition.

14. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a third circuit module for determining the lower limit voltage and the upper limit voltage, the third circuit module configured to:

determining a reference voltage that is equal to the least of LED cathode voltages when the LED strings are in a normal operating condition;

setting the lower limit voltage equal to the reference voltage minus a first offset voltage; and

setting the higher limit voltage equal to the reference voltage plus a second offset voltage.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the one or more test circuit modules comprises:

a first resistive voltage divider circuit for coupling to a cathode terminal of an LED string and for providing a sampled LED cathode voltage;

a second resistive voltage divider circuit for coupling to a voltage supply and providing a short-circuit reference voltage; and

a comparator circuit having:

a first input terminal for receiving the sampled LED cathode voltage;

a second input terminal for receiving the short-circuit reference voltage;

a control terminal for receiving an enable signal; and

an output terminal for outputting a short-circuit indicating signal if the enable signal is received and if the sampled LED cathode voltage is higher than the short-circuit voltage.