IP Library Granted Patent US 7,589,704
Granted Patent B2
US 7,589,704 · App. 11/440,757 · Granted Sep 15, 2009

Smart talk backlighting system and method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,589,704
App. No.
11/440,757
Granted
Sep 15, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A smart talk mechanism provides feedback information from a driver to a DC-to-DC converter, enabling the DC-to-DC converter to adjust an input voltage for at least one illumination source backlighting the display for increasing the power efficiency.

Claims (15)

1. A circuit to drive a backlight for a display comprising:

a backlight device driver;

a DC-to-DC converter; and

a smart talk mechanism to feed back adjustment information from the driver to the DC-to-DC converter, thereby enabling the DC-to-DC converter to adjust an input voltage for at least one illumination source backlighting the display for increasing the power efficiency;

wherein the smart talk mechanism uses a voltage at the device driver to determine the adjustment information;

wherein the backlight device drives at least one LED for the backlight, the feedback mechanism reducing the voltage at a cathode of the LED;

wherein the reduction of the cathode voltage is done by continuously adjusting an anode voltage;

wherein the driver output is used to produce the adjustment information and feed that back to the DC-to-DC converter; and

wherein if the anode voltage is high, then the DC-to-DC converter will decrease its output to lower the cathode voltage and hence lower the anode voltage as well, if the anode voltage is low, then the DC-to-DC converter will increase its output to raise the cathode voltage and hence raise the anode voltage as well.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the backlight device driver drives the light emitting diode (LED) back light for a liquid crystal display (LCD).

3. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the display includes a liquid crystal display (LCD).

4. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a multi-channel driver.

5. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter adjusts a voltage to the backlight of the display.

6. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein input power is derived from at least one of a battery and an AC adapter.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the DC-to-DC converter comprises a pulse width modulator (PWM).

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2015
From: STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
To: EXAR CORPORATION; CADEKA MICROCIRCUITS, LLC
Reel/Frame 035168/0384 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2014
From: EXAR CORPORATION; CADEKA MICROCIRCUITS, LLC
To: STIFEL FINANCIAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 033062/0123 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2008
From: SIPEX CORPORATION
To: EXAR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021754/0806 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2006
From: GODER, DIMITRY; LEE, GI YOUNG; VAN HUYNTH, QUOI; LEE, CHRIS TZUCHUN
To: SIPEX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017940/0742 →