Patent · US Expired

Light emitting element drive device and electronic device having light emitting element

US6822403B2 · kind B2 · utility

43Cited by
2References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 29, 2003
Grant dateNov 23, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 29, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH05B45/46
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An electronic apparatus is equipped with light emitting elements (21-26) such as LEDs. The light emitting elements are driven by a power supply circuit of the drive device (10) at a high step-up voltage (Vh). The drive device (10) has a multiplicity of constant-current drivers (12-14), a selection circuit (18), and a control circuit (11). The drivers are turned ON or OFF in accordance with respective instruction signals (S1-S3) supplied thereto to provide associated series with currents to activate the series for emission of light when associated drivers are turned ON. The selection circuit (18) selects the lowest one of the voltages impressed on the drivers and outputs the selected lowest voltage as a detection voltage. The control circuit (11) automatically controls the voltage Vh so as to equilibrate the detection voltage with a low reference voltage at which the drivers can perform required constant-current operations. Thus, the drive device can fully activate the light emitting elements for emission of light while suppressing energy loss in the drivers.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.