Circuit detection and light emitting diode controller

Abstract

The invention relates to circuit detection and a light emitting diode controller. An example detection circuitry (120) includes bypass circuitry (152) configured to selectively bypass a series of light emitting diodes (110-116) from a light emitting diode driver (102); a first voltage detection circuitry (154) configured to compare a voltage at a first terminal of the series of light emitting diodes (110-116) with a first reference voltage and output a first indication of the comparison; and logic circuitry (158) configured to output a circuit type based on the first indication.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This specification generally relates to electronic circuits, and more specifically, to circuit detection and light emitting diode controllers. BACKGROUND

[0002] Driver circuits provide power to one or more electrical components. For example, light emitting diode (LED) driver circuits provide power to one or more LEDs. Operation of electrical components powered by a driver circuit can be controlled by a controller. For example, an LED controller can control on / off state, brightness, color, etc. of a string of LEDs, and / or can control individual LEDs or groups of LEDs in a string of LEDs. A string of LEDs can include one or more LEDs connected in series and / or in parallel. SUMMARY

[0003] For circuit detection and light emitting diode controllers, one example detection circuitry includes bypass circuitry configured to selectively disconnect / bypass a series of light emitting diodes from a light emitting diode driver. First voltage detection circuitry is configured to compare a voltage at a first terminal of the series of light emitting diodes to a first reference voltage and output a first indication of the comparison. Logic circuitry is configured to output a circuit type based on the first indication. Other examples are described.

[0004] For circuit detection and light emitting diode controllers, one example detection circuitry includes a switch having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a first terminal of a series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal to be coupled to a second terminal of the series of light emitting diodes. The detection circuitry includes a first comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the second terminal of the series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a first reference voltage. The detection circuitry includes a second comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the first terminal of the series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a second reference voltage. The detection circuitry includes logic circuitry having a first input terminal coupled to an output of the first comparator, a second input terminal coupled to an output of the second comparator, and the logic circuitry is configured to output an indication of a circuit type of a controller of the series of light emitting diodes. Other examples are described.

[0005] For a circuit detection and light emitting diode controller, one example light emitting diode controller includes a current source; a current sink; a driver coupled to the current source and the current sink. The light emitting diode controller includes a transistor coupled to an output of the driver. The light emitting diode controller includes a switch having a first terminal to be coupled to an anode of a series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal configured to be coupled to a cathode of the series of light emitting diodes. The light emitting diode controller includes a first comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the cathode of the series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a first reference voltage. The light emitting diode controller includes a second comparator having a first input terminal coupled to the anode of the series of light emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a second reference voltage. The light emitting diode controller includes logic circuitry having a first input terminal coupled to an output of the first comparator, a second input terminal coupled to an output of the second comparator, and an output to output an indication of a circuit type of a controller of the series of light emitting diodes to the current source and current sink. Other examples are described. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 An example circuit for driving and controlling light emitting diodes (LEDs) as disclosed herein is described.

[0007] Figure 2 Another example circuit for driving and controlling LEDs as disclosed herein is described.

[0008] Figure 3 A truth table for logic of logic circuitry of Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 is described.

[0009] Figure 4 A flowchart of operations of an LED point controller of Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 is described.

[0010] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Generally, the same reference numbers in the drawings indicate same or similar elements and / or parts throughout the specification. Although the drawings depict areas as having clear boundaries and lines, some or all of these boundaries and lines can be idealized. In reality, boundaries or lines can be unobservable, blended, or irregular. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] When two circuits interact with each other, the design and structure of one circuit can affect the operation of the other circuit. For example, a driver circuit for LEDs can be implemented as a current sink type LED driver, a current source type LED driver, etc. An LED controller that controls the LEDs driven by such a driver can need to modify operation depending on the type of driver circuit. For example, an LED controller can include a series of gate drivers connected to a series of transistors (e.g., field effect transistors (FETs)) to control a series of LEDs. Further, the gate drivers can be powered by an internal current source and an internal current sink of the LED controller. The amount of current source versus the amount of current sink varies depending on the type of LED driver and the way in which the current driver supplies power to the LEDs. If the current source and the current sink are not properly balanced based on the type of LED driver circuit, then leakage current can cause the LEDs to partially turn on even when the LED controller is controlling the LEDs to turn off. Leakage current caused by compensating for a mismatch (e.g., an imbalance between current supplied in a circuitry and current sunk in the circuitry) will add up to be significant through the first or last LED in a string of LEDs, resulting in undesirable LED brightness and color shift (e.g., illumination hue, color, etc. output by the LEDs).

[0012] Generally, a front-end LED driver acts as a current regulator to supply current through a string of LEDs. If the LED driver is deactivated, then each LED in the string of LEDs should see zero current. For a current sink type LED driver, such as a floating buck, the anode of the top LED of the string of LEDs is connected to a system VIN. When the ratio N of the internal current source is less than the ratio K of the internal current sink of an LED point controller (e.g., a controller that can control operation of individual LEDs or groups of LEDs), then a mismatch current will flow from the VIN into the string of LEDs to the internal current sink of the point controller. However, for a current source type LED driver, such as a buck driver, the cathode of the bottom LED of the string of LEDs is connected to ground. Thus, when the ratio N of the internal current source is greater than the ratio K of the internal current sink of the point controller, then a mismatch current will flow from the internal current source of the point controller into the string of LEDs to ground.

[0013] The example LED controllers described herein utilize a circuit to detect the type of circuit of an LED driver connected to a series of LEDs and adjust an internal current source and an internal current sink of an LED point controller to compensate for the detected type of circuit. As used herein, a series of LEDs includes any arrangement of multiple LEDs that can be connected in series and / or parallel, such as a string of LEDs, a plurality of LEDs connected in series, a matrix of LEDs connected in rows and columns, or other configuration, etc. While the examples disclosed herein utilize circuit detection in the context of an LED point controller, the detection circuit can be used in other applications that can require circuit detection and / or compensation.

[0014] Figure 1 An example circuit 100 for driving and controlling light emitting diodes (LEDs) is illustrated. The example circuit 100 includes an LED driver 102 that includes an input voltage 104 and a current sink 106. The example circuit 100 further includes a series of LEDs 110-116. In addition, the example circuit 100 includes an LED point controller 120.

[0015] The example LED driver 102 is a current sink type LED driver. The example input voltage 104 is coupled to an anode of a first LED 110. A first terminal of the current sink 106 is coupled to a cathode of a fourth LED 116, and a second terminal of the current sink 106 is coupled to ground. The example LED driver 102 of the illustrated example is an integrated circuit. Alternatively, the LED driver 102 can be implemented with any other structure.

[0016] The LEDs 110-116 are LEDs for matrix lighting (e.g., lighting elements that utilize multiple LEDs to provide, for example, a grid, a row, etc. of lighting sources) used, for example, in stage lighting, surgical lighting, machine vision, etc. Alternatively, the LEDs can be any type of LED. For example, the LEDs 110-116 can be individually controllable LEDs in which brightness, color, etc. can be controlled. The example LEDs 110-116 are connected in series such that the first LED 110 includes an anode connected to the input voltage 104 and a cathode connected to an anode of a second LED 112. The second LED 112 includes a cathode connected to an anode of a third LED 114. The third LED 114 includes a cathode connected to an anode of a fourth LED 116. The fourth LED 116 includes a cathode connected to a first terminal of the current sink 106 of the LED driver 102. The current sink 106 includes a second terminal connected to ground.

[0017] The example LED point controller 120 includes an adjustable current source 122, an adjustable current sink 124, a set of transistors 126-132, a set of drivers 134-140, a pulse generator circuitry 150, a bypass circuitry 152, a first detection circuitry 154, a second voltage detection circuitry 156, and a logic circuitry 158. Although the LED point controller 120 is a point controller, any type of light emitting diode controller can be utilized.

[0018] The adjustable current source 122 of the illustrated example is adjustable because the amount of current supplied by the adjustable current source 122 can be adjusted (e.g., adjusted in response to detecting the circuit type of the LED driver 102). To facilitate adjustment, the example adjustable current source 122 includes an adjustable current mirror, wherein multiple current mirror branches can be selected to control the amount of current supplied. The output of the example current mirror is connected to the positive voltage terminal of each of the set of drivers 134-140.

[0019] The adjustable current absorber 124 of the illustrated example is adjustable because the amount of current absorbed by the adjustable current absorber 124 can be adjusted. To facilitate adjustment, the example adjustable current absorber 124 includes an adjustable current mirror, wherein multiple current mirror branches can be selected to control the amount of current absorbed. The input of the example current mirror is connected to the negative voltage terminal of each of a set of drivers 134-140.

[0020] A set of example transistors 126-132 are field-effect transistors (FETs), each FET including a drain connected to the anode of a corresponding transistor in the set of transistors 126-132, and each including a source connected to the cathode of a corresponding transistor in the set of transistors 126-132. Each of the set of example transistors 126-132 further includes a gate connected to the output of a corresponding driver in a set of drivers 134-140.

[0021] Therefore, the adjustable current source 122 and the adjustable current sink 124 power the drivers in a set of drivers 134-140. The drivers in the set of drivers 134-140 may additionally include one or more inputs to control the operation of the drivers. For example, the inputs may provide indications of brightness, color, enable / disable, etc., and the drivers 134-140 control transistors 126-132 to control the output of LEDs 110-116 respectively.

[0022] Example pulse generator circuit system 150 is a single-trigger circuit system used to generate output pulses. Alternatively, pulse generator circuit system 150 can be any type of element used to control the operation of bypass circuit system 152 and signal to logic 158. For example, pulse generator circuit system 150 can be an output from a controller that selectively enables bypass circuit system 152 and signals to logic 158. Example pulse generator circuit system 150 includes outputs connected to driver inputs for bypass circuit system 152 and latching terminals for logic circuit system 158.

[0023] The example bypass circuitry 152 is a switch that is triggered to close when the pulse generator circuitry 150 is high. Alternatively, the bypass circuitry 152 can be implemented by any other component that can bypass the LED driver 102 from the LEDs 110-116 such that the voltage at the voltage source 104 and the current sink 106 can be measured. The example bypass circuitry 152 includes a first terminal coupled to an anode of the first LED 110 and a second terminal coupled to a cathode of the fourth LED 116. When the bypass circuitry 152 is activated (e.g., the switch is closed), the first terminal is coupled to the second terminal to bypass the LED driver 102 from the LEDs 110-116.

[0024] The example first and second voltage detection circuitry 154, 156 are comparators that compare a voltage at a first terminal (e.g., a positive input terminal) to a voltage at a second terminal (e.g., a negative input terminal) and output a high voltage when the voltage at the positive input terminal is greater than the voltage at the negative input terminal and output a low voltage when the voltage at the positive input terminal is not greater than the voltage at the negative input terminal. The first and second voltage detection circuitry 154, 156 can be implemented by any other type of circuitry to determine a voltage level. While the example LED dot controller 120 includes both the first and second voltage detection circuitry 154, 156, other implementations of the LED dot controller 120 can include a single voltage detection circuitry.

[0025] In one example, the positive terminal of the first voltage detection circuitry 154 is coupled to a first end of the set of LEDs 110-116 (e.g., an anode of the first LED 110) and the negative terminal of the first voltage detection circuitry 154 is coupled to a first reference voltage. The output of the first voltage detection circuitry 154 is coupled to a first input terminal of the logic circuitry 158.

[0026] The positive terminal of the second voltage detection circuitry 156 is coupled to the second end of the set of LEDs 110-116 (e.g., the cathode of the fourth LED 116), and the negative terminal of the second voltage detection circuitry 156 is coupled to a second reference voltage. The output of the second voltage detection circuitry 156 is coupled to a second input terminal of the logic circuitry 158. According to the illustrated example, where the switch 152 is not an ideal switch, such that when the switch 152 is closed there is a parasitic capacitance coupled in parallel with the set of LEDs 110-116, the first reference voltage Vrefi is greater than the second reference voltage Vref2. In one example, Vrefi - Vref2 is between 2V - 3V (e.g., Vrefi - Vref2 = 2.5V). In some cases where the switch 152 is an ideal switch, Vrefi and Vref2 can be configured to be at the same voltage level (e.g., 4V). Vrefi and Vref2 can be configured to ensure that when the LED driver is disabled, the current flowing through the set of LEDs 110-116 due to the type of LED driver can be sensed.

[0027] When the lock input coupled to the pulse generator circuitry 150 goes high, the logic circuitry 158 outputs two values (D_ARC_CS and D_ARC_CK) based on the voltages at the first and second input terminals of the logic circuitry 158. According to the illustrated example, D_ARC_CS is set to a first logic state, e.g., logic high, to indicate that the detected circuit (e.g., the LED driver 102) is a current source type circuit, and D_ARC_CK is set to a first logic state, e.g., logic high, to indicate that the detected circuit is a current sink type circuit. The logic circuitry 158 can be implemented by digital logic circuitry (e.g., AND gates, OR gates, NAND gates, etc.). Alternatively, the logic circuitry 158 can be implemented by a controller, e.g., a microcontroller, a processor, etc. In conjunction with Figure 3 An example truth table for implementing the logic circuitry 158 is described.

[0028] The output of the logic circuitry is coupled to an adjustable current source 122 and an adjustable current sink 124. To avoid leakage current that would cause the LEDs 110-116 to be enabled when they are intended to be disabled or otherwise not operating as expected, the example adjustable current source 122 and the example adjustable current sink 124 can be adjustable to ensure that all current within the circuit 100 is sunk to the current sink 124 and no leakage current is available to the LEDs 110-116. The amount of current to the source and sink depends on the type of LED driver 102. For example, for a current sink type driver 102, the amount of current supplied by the adjustable current source 122 should be greater than the amount of current sunk by the adjustable current sink 124 (e.g., N > K). For example, the adjustable current source 122 can include logic to enable additional current mirror branches when D_ARC_CK is high and D_ARC_CS is low (or other values that indicate the LED driver 102 is a current sink type driver).

[0029] Figure 2 Another example circuit 200 for driving and controlling LEDs as disclosed herein is illustrated. The example circuit 200 includes the same LEDs 110-116 and LED point controller 120. However, the LED driver 202 is a current source type driver circuit that includes a current source 204 and a ground connection 206. The output of the current source 204 is coupled to the anode of the first LED 110 and the ground connection 206 is coupled to the cathode of the fourth LED 116.

[0030] To avoid leakage current that would cause the LEDs 110-116 to be enabled inappropriately, for a current source type driver 202, the amount of current sunk by the adjustable current sink 124 should be greater than the amount of current supplied by the adjustable current source 122 (e.g., K > N). For example, the adjustable current sink 124 can include logic to enable additional current mirror branches when D_ARC_CS is high and D_ARC_CK is low (or other values that indicate the LED driver 102 is a current source type driver).

[0031] Thus, as illustrated by the example circuit 100 and the example circuit 200, the same LED point controller 120 can be utilized with both a current source type LED driver or a current sink type LED driver.

[0032] In Figures 1-2In the example of FIG. 1, transistors 126-132 are n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Alternatively, transistors 126-132 can be n-channel field-effect transistors (FETs), n-channel insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), n-channel junction field-effect transistors (JFETs), NPN bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), or p-type equivalents with minor modifications. Transistors 126-132 can be depletion-mode devices, drain-extended devices, enhancement-mode devices, natural transistors, or other types of device structure transistors. Further, transistors 126-132 can be implemented in / on silicon substrates (Si), silicon carbide substrates (SiC), gallium nitride substrates (GaN), or gallium arsenide substrates (GaAs).

[0033] Figure 3 is illustrative Figure 1 and / or Figure 2 A truth table 300 of example logic of logic circuitry 158. As shown in table 300, when first voltage detection circuit 154 indicates that the measured voltage is high (e.g., greater than the first reference voltage) and second voltage detection circuit 156 indicates that the measured voltage is high (e.g., greater than the second reference voltage), logic circuitry 158 determines that the connected circuit is a current sink type detection circuit. When first voltage detection circuit 154 indicates that the measured voltage is low (e.g., less than the first reference voltage) and second voltage detection circuit 156 indicates that the measured voltage is low (e.g., less than the second reference voltage), logic circuitry 158 determines that the connected circuit is a current source type detection circuit. When first voltage detection circuit 154 indicates that the measured voltage is high (e.g., greater than the first reference voltage) and second voltage detection circuit 156 indicates that the measured voltage is low (e.g., less than the second reference voltage), logic circuitry 158 outputs low for both D_ARC_CK and D_ARC_CS, indicating other / not supported conditions. When first voltage detection circuit 154 indicates that the measured voltage is low (e.g., less than the first reference voltage) and second voltage detection circuit 156 indicates that the measured voltage is high (e.g., greater than the second reference voltage), logic circuitry 158 outputs low for both D_ARC_CK and D_ARC_CS, indicating other / not supported conditions.

[0034] Figure 4 is a flowchart representative of example machine readable instructions and / or example operations 400 that can be executed, instantiated, and / or performed by programmable circuitry to perform example operations that can be used, for example, to adjust circuit type detection of an LED controller. For example, some or all of the operations in operations 400 can be implemented by a controller executing instructions, programmed by the instructions, and / or the like. Figure 4The instance machine-readable instructions and / or instance operation 400 begin at block 402, where the bypass circuitry system 152 bypasses LEDs 110-116 from LED drivers 102 or 202. A first voltage detection circuitry system 152 measures the voltage at a first terminal of LEDs 110-116 (e.g., the anode of the first LED 110) (block 404). A second voltage detection circuitry system 154 measures the voltage at a second terminal of LEDs 110-116 (e.g., the cathode of the fourth LED 116) (block 406).

[0035] Logic circuit system 158 determines whether the output of the first voltage detection circuit system 152 indicates that the voltage at the first terminal of LEDs 110-116 is greater than the first reference voltage (block 408). When the voltage at the first terminal of LEDs 110-116 is greater than the first reference voltage, logic circuit system 158 determines whether the output of the second voltage detection circuit system 154 indicates that the voltage at the second terminal of LEDs 110-116 is greater than the second reference voltage (block 410). When the output of the second voltage detection circuit system 154 indicates that the voltage at the second terminal of LEDs 110-116 is greater than the second reference voltage, the logic circuit system detects that the LED drivers 102 and 202 connected to LEDs 110-116 are current sink type circuits (block 412), and outputs an indication that causes the adjustable current source 122 to be adjusted such that the current it supplies is greater than the current that the adjustable current sink 124 will absorb (block 414), or causes the adjustable current sink 124 to be adjusted such that the current it absorbs is less than the current that the adjustable current source 122 will supply (block 414).

[0036] In one example, the N of the adjustable current source 122 can be configured to a first value, a second value greater than the first value, and a third value greater than the second value. Initially, N is configured to the second value. In response to the logic circuit system 158 detecting that the LED drivers 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 are current sink type circuits (block 412), the adjustable current source 122 sets N to the third value, such that the current supplied by the adjustable current source is greater than the current absorbed by the adjustable current sink 124 (block 414), and in response to the logic circuit system 158 detecting that the LED drivers 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 are current source type circuits (block 418), the adjustable current source 122 sets N to the first value, such that the current supplied by the adjustable current source is less than the current absorbed by the adjustable current sink 124 (block 420).

[0037] In another example, the K of the adjustable current sink 124 can be configured to a fourth value, a fifth value greater than the fourth value, and a sixth value greater than the fifth value. Initially, K is configured to the fifth value. In response to the logic circuitry 158 detecting that the LED driver 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 is a current sink type circuit (block 412), the adjustable current sink 124 sets K to the fourth value such that the current absorbed by the adjustable current sink is less than the current supplied by the adjustable current source 122 (block 414), and in response to the logic circuitry 158 detecting that the LED driver 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 is a current source type circuit (block 418), the adjustable current sink sets K to the sixth value such that the current absorbed by the adjustable current sink is more than the current supplied by the adjustable current source 122 (block 420). The adjustment of the adjustable current source 122 and the adjustable current sink 124 can be performed in parallel in response to the detection, or one of the adjustable current source 122 and the adjustable current sink 124 can be fixed while the other of the adjustable current source 122 and the adjustable current sink 124 can be adjusted in response to the detection. The first to sixth values are configured to ensure that after the adjustment in response to the detection, if the LED driver is disabled or the LED driver is configured to control the current flowing through the set of LEDs 110-116 to be zero, each LED in the set of LEDs 110-116 should see zero current.

[0038] Returning to block 408, when the voltage at the first end of the LEDs 110-116 is not greater than the first reference voltage, the logic circuitry 158 determines whether the output of the second voltage detection circuitry 154 indicates that the voltage at the second end of the LEDs 110-116 is greater than the second reference voltage (block 416). When the output of the second voltage detection circuitry 154 indicates that the voltage at the second end of the LEDs 110-116 is not greater than the second reference voltage, the logic circuitry detects that the LED driver 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 is a current source type circuit (block 418), and outputs an indication for the adjustable current sink 124 to be adjusted such that it absorbs more current than the adjustable current source 122 will supply (block 420).

[0039] Returning to block 416, when the output of the second voltage detection circuitry 154 indicates that the voltage at the second end of the LEDs 110-116 is greater than the second reference voltage, the logic circuitry 158 outputs an indication for the adjustable current sink 124 to be adjusted such that it absorbs approximately the same current as the adjustable current source 122 will supply.

[0040] In an ideal case where the switch 152 is an ideal switch such that the voltage at the anode of the LED 110 and the voltage at the cathode of the LED 116 are the same during the detection when the switch 152 is closed, the first reference voltage Vrefi and the second reference voltage Vref2 are configured to be the same as each other, e.g., 4V. In such a case, it is also feasible to use only one of the first and second voltage detection circuitry 154, 156, i.e., the logic circuitry detects that the LED driver 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 is a current sink type circuit if the sensed voltage is greater than the provided reference voltage (e.g., 4V) (block 412), and the logic circuitry detects that the LED driver 102, 202 connected to the LEDs 110-116 is a current source type circuit if the sensed voltage is less than the provided reference voltage (e.g., 4V) (block 418).

[0041] Figure 4 The operations 400 of the method 400 can be performed and / or instantiated by programmable circuitry to implement all or a portion of the detection circuitry (150-158) and / or the LED dot controller 120. The programmable circuitry can be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, FPGAs, microprocessors, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, or microcontrollers from any desired family or manufacturer. The programmable circuitry can be implemented by one or more semiconductor-based devices, e.g., semiconductor-based devices that include silicon as the semiconductor

[0042] As mentioned above, Figure 4Example operations of the present disclosure can be implemented using executable instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable or machine-readable media (e.g., computer-readable and / or machine-readable instructions). As used herein, the terms non-transitory computer-readable medium, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, non-transitory machine-readable medium, and non-transitory machine-readable storage medium are expressly defined in terms of the express definition of the term computer-readable storage medium or machine-readable storage medium as including any type of computer-readable storage or storage disc, and not including propagating signals and not including transmission media. Examples of such non-transitory computer-readable media, non-transitory computer-readable storage media, non-transitory machine-readable media, or non-transitory machine-readable storage media include one or more of an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a HDD, a flash memory, a read only memory (ROM), a CD, a DVD, a cache, any type of RAM, a register, or any other storage device or storage disc where information is stored for any duration (e.g., for extended periods of time, permanently, for brief instances, temporarily as a buffer, cache, etc.). As used herein, the terms “non-transitory computer-readable storage device” and “non-transitory machine-readable storage device” are defined as including any physical (mechanical, magnetic, electro-mechanical, or electrical) hardware device solely in terms of its physical hardware constitution as opposed to its physical hardware constitution in combination with its non-physical constitution, such as its software constitution. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage devices or non-transitory machine-readable storage devices include one or a combination of: any type of random access memory, any type of read only memory, a solid state memory, a flash memory, an optical disk, a magnetic disk, a disk drive, or a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system. As used herein, the term “device” refers to a physical structure, such as one or a combination of: a mechanical, electro-mechanical, or electrical device, hardware, or circuitry, which can or can not be configured by, or manufactured to execute, computer-readable instructions, machine-readable instructions, etc.

[0043] “Comprise” and “comprising” (and all forms of these terms, i.e., comprising / comprises / composed / comprise) are used herein as open-ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim employs the phrase “comprising” or “including” followed by an element, stand-alone recitation of the element does not exclude additional elements. As examples of the same, when the phrase “comprising A or B” appears, the protection includes A alone, B alone, or A and B together. As used herein, the phrase “at least” followed by a comma precedes an assortment of one or more non-adjacent items, the assortment being separated by commas. In these instances, the phrase “at least” indicates that the resulting array of items can include any combination of the items in the assortment, including only a single item. As examples of the same, in the phrases “at least A, B, and C” or “at least A, B, or C” the selection of at least one of the items A, B, and C is a selection from among A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A and B and C together. The same applies to the phrases “at least A, B, and / or C” or “at least A, B, or C.” As used herein in connection with describing functionality, the term “coupled to” means that a first entity is directly or indirectly connected to a second entity.

[0044] As used herein, singular references (e.g., “a”, “an”, “the”, “first”, “second”, etc.) do not exclude a plurality. As used herein, the term “a” or “an” object refers to one or more of the object. The terms “a”, “an” and “at least one” are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although individually recited, a plurality of components, elements or actions can be implemented by, e.g., a single entity or object. Also, although individual features can be included in different examples or claims, these features can be combinable and the inclusion of them in different examples or claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and / or advantageous.

[0045] As used herein, unless otherwise stated, the term "over" describes a relative position of one portion with respect to another when the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the earth's surface. Likewise, as used herein, when a first portion is closer to the earth's surface than a second portion, the first portion is "under" the second portion. As noted above, a first portion can be over or under a second portion with one or more of the following: having other portions therebetween, having no other portions therebetween, the first and second portions touching, or the first and second portions not directly contacting each other.

[0046] Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, in the context of a semiconductor device (e.g., a transistor), a semiconductor die including the semiconductor device, or an integrated circuit (IC) package including the semiconductor die, during fabrication or manufacturing, "over" does not refer to the earth, but rather to an underlying substrate on which the relevant components are fabricated, assembled, mounted, supported, or otherwise provided. Thus, as used herein, and unless the context otherwise dictates or implies, when a first component is further from an underlying substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer) on which both components are fabricated or otherwise provided than a second component during fabrication / manufacturing, a first component (e.g., a transistor or other semiconductor device) within a semiconductor die is over a second component within the semiconductor die. Similarly, unless the context otherwise dictates or implies, when a first component is further from a printed circuit board (PCB) on which an IC package is to be mounted or attached, a first component (e.g., a semiconductor die) within the IC package is over a second component within the IC package during fabrication. Semiconductor devices are typically used in an orientation different from their orientation during fabrication. Thus, when referring to one or a combination of a semiconductor device (e.g., a transistor), a semiconductor die including the semiconductor device, or an integrated circuit (IC) package including the semiconductor die during use, the definition of "over" in the preceding paragraph (i.e., the term "over" describes a relative position of one portion with respect to another when the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the earth's surface) can predominate based on the context of use.

[0047] As used in this patent, stating that any portion (e.g., layer, film, region, area, or plate) is located on (e.g., positioned on, situated on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another portion in any manner indicates that the referenced portion is in contact with the other portion, or that the referenced portion is over the other portion with one or more intervening portions positioned therebetween.

[0048] As used herein, unless otherwise indicated, a connection reference (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) can include intermediate members between the elements referenced by the connection reference or relative movement therebetween. Thus, a connection reference does not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected or in fixed relation to one another. As used herein, a statement that any portion is “contacted” by another portion is defined as meaning that there are no intermediate portions between the two portions.

[0049] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as used herein, description words such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc. are not meant to indicate priority, physical order, arrangement, or meaning of sequence in a list, but are merely used as labels or arbitrary names to distinguish one element from another, to facilitate understanding of the examples described. In some examples, a description word “first” can be used to refer to an element in a specific implementation, while the same element can be referred to in a claim with a different description word such as “second” or “third.” In such cases, such description words are used only to clearly identify those elements within the context of the discussion (e.g., within a claim), where the elements can otherwise share the same name, for example.

[0050] As used herein, “approximately” and “about” modify a value to identify a potential presence of variation that occurs in real-world applications. For example, “approximately” and “about” can modify a dimension that can not be exact due to at least one of manufacturing tolerances or other real-world defects. For example, unless otherwise specified herein, “approximately” and “about” can indicate that such dimension can be within a + / - 10% tolerance range.

[0051] As used herein, “substantially real-time” means occurring in near-immediate fashion, recognizing that there can be delays in real-world occurrences due to computation time, transmission, etc. Thus, unless otherwise specified, “substantially real-time” means real-time + 1 second.

[0052] As used herein, the phrase “communicate,” including variations thereof, encompasses one or a combination of direct communication or indirect communication through one or more intermediary components, and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication or constant communication, but also includes selective communication at least one of periodic intervals, predetermined intervals, non-periodic intervals, or one-time events.

[0053] As used herein, “programmable circuitry” is defined to include at least one of (i) one or more special-purpose circuits (e.g., application-specific circuits (ASICs)) structured to perform particular operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors), or (ii) one or more general-purpose semiconductor-based circuits that are programmable with instructions to perform one or more particular functions or operations and including one or more semiconductor-based logic devices (e.g., electrical hardware implemented by one or more transistors). Examples of programmable circuitry include programmable microprocessors, such as: central processing unit(s) (CPUs) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations or functions; field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that are programmable with second instructions to configure and / or structure the FPGAs to instantiate one or more operations or functions corresponding to the first instructions; graphics processing unit(s) (GPUs) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations or functions; digital signal processors (DSPs) that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations or functions; XPU; network processing unit(s) (NPUs); one or more microcontrollers that can execute first instructions to perform one or more operations or functions; or integrated circuits, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). For example, an XPU can be implemented by a heterogeneous computing system that includes multiple types of programmable circuitry (e.g., one or more FPGAs, one or more CPUs, one or more GPUs, one or more NPUs, one or more DSPs, etc., and any combination thereof) and orchestration technology (e.g., an application programming interface (API)) that can allocate computing tasks to any one or more types of programmable circuitry of the multiple types of programmable circuitry that are suitable and available to perform the computing tasks.

[0054] As used herein, integrated circuit / circuitry is defined to include one or more semiconductor packages that include one or more circuit elements, such as transistors, capacitors, inductors, resistors, current paths, diodes, etc. For example, an integrated circuit can be implemented as one or more of an ASIC, an FPGA, a chip, a microchip, programmable circuitry, a semiconductor substrate that couples multiple circuit elements, a system on a chip (SoC), etc.

[0055] In this specification, the term “coupled” can encompass a connection, communication, or signal path that enables a functional relationship consistent with this specification. For example, if device A generates a signal to control device B to perform an action, then: (a) in a first instance, device A is coupled to device B by a direct connection; or (b) in a second instance, device A is coupled to device B through intermediate component C, provided that intermediate component C does not alter the functional relationship between device A and device B such that device B is controlled by device A via the control signal generated by device A.

[0056] An apparatus "configured" to perform a task or function can be configured (e.g., programmed and / or hardwired), at a manufacturing or assembly facility, to perform that function after it has been manufactured and / or can be user-configurable (or reconfigurable) both at the time of manufacture and / or after manufacture to perform the described function and / or other additional or alternative functions. The configuration can be performed through at least one of the firmware or software programming of the apparatus, through at least one of the construction or layout of the hardware components and interconnects of the apparatus, or through a combination thereof.

[0057] As used herein, the terms "terminal," "node," "interconnect," "pin," and "lead" are used interchangeably. Unless specifically stated to the contrary, these terms are generally used to mean an interconnect or a terminal end thereof between an element of a device, a circuit element, an integrated circuit, a device, or other electronic device or semiconductor component.

[0058] In this specification and claims, "circuitry" described can include one or more circuits. Circuits or devices described herein as including certain components can alternatively be adapted to couple to those components to form the described circuitry or devices. For example, structures described as including one or more semiconductor elements (e.g., transistors), one or more passive elements (e.g., one or a combination of a resistor, a capacitor, or an inductor), or one or more sources (e.g., voltage and / or current sources) can alternatively include only the semiconductor elements within a single physical device (e.g., at least one of a semiconductor die or an integrated circuit (IC) package), and can be adapted to be coupled to at least some of the passive elements or sources, either at the time of manufacture or after the time of manufacture, such as by at least one of an end user or a third party, to form the described structures.

[0059] The circuits described herein can be reconfigurable to include replacement components to provide functionality at least somewhat similar to the functionality available prior to replacement of the components. Unless otherwise stated, components shown as resistors generally represent any one or more elements coupled in at least one of series or parallel to provide an amount of impedance represented by the shown resistor. For example, a resistor or capacitor shown and described herein as a single component can alternatively be a plurality of resistors or capacitors respectively coupled in parallel between the same nodes. For example, a resistor or capacitor shown and described herein as a single component can alternatively be a plurality of resistors or capacitors respectively coupled in series between the same two nodes as the single resistor or capacitor. While certain elements of the described examples are included in an integrated circuit and other elements are external to the integrated circuit, in other example embodiments additional or fewer features can be incorporated into the integrated circuit. In addition, some or all features illustrated as external to the integrated circuit can be incorporated into the integrated circuit, and some features illustrated as internal to the integrated circuit can be incorporated external to the integrated circuit. As used herein, the term "integrated circuit" means one or more circuits that are at least one of: (i) incorporated in / over a semiconductor substrate; (ii) incorporated in a single semiconductor package; (iii) incorporated into the same module; or (iv) incorporated in the same printed circuit board.

[0060] Use of the phrase "ground" in the preceding description includes at least one of a chassis ground, an earth ground, a floating ground, a virtual ground, a digital ground, a general ground, or any other form of ground connection applicable to or suitable for the teachings of the present specification. Unless otherwise stated, "about," "approximately," or "substantially" preceding a value means + / - 10% of the stated value, or a reasonable range of values near zero if the value is zero.

[0061] Modifications can be made in the described embodiments, and other embodiments are possible, within the scope of the claims.

[0062] In light of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that example systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods have been described that can detect circuit types and / or utilize circuit type detection to configure operation of a controller, such as an LED point controller. The described systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods improve existing controllers by enabling a single controller to be utilized with multiple different circuits, such as different types of LED driver circuits. Moreover, the disclosed controllers can adjust operation to reduce the likelihood of leakage current, such as leakage current flowing through an LED. The described systems, apparatuses, articles of manufacture, and methods also relate to one or more improvements in the operation of machines, such as computers or other electronic, electromechanical, or mechanical devices.

Claims

1. A detection circuit system, comprising: A bypass circuit system configured to selectively bypass a series of light-emitting diodes from the LED driver; A first voltage detection circuit system is configured to compare the voltage at a first terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes with a first reference voltage and output a first indication of the comparison. as well as A logic circuit system configured based on the first indicated output circuit type.

2. The detection circuit system of claim 1, further comprising a second voltage detection circuit system configured to compare the voltage at the second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes with a second reference voltage and output a second indication of the comparison.

3. The detection circuit system of claim 2, wherein the logic circuit system is configured to output the circuit type based on the first indication and the second indication.

4. The detection circuit system according to claim 1, further comprising a pulse generator.

5. The detection circuit system according to claim 4, wherein the pulse generator is a single-trigger circuit system.

6. The detection circuit system of claim 5, wherein the bypass circuit system comprises a switch controlled by the single trigger circuit system.

7. The detection circuit system of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to couple the first terminal to a second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes.

8. A detection circuit system, comprising: A switch having a first terminal configured to be coupled to a first terminal of a series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal to be coupled to a second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes; A first comparator has a first input terminal coupled to the second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a first reference voltage; The second comparator has a first input terminal coupled to the first terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to the second reference voltage; as well as A logic circuit system having a first input terminal coupled to the output of the first comparator, a second input terminal coupled to the output of the second comparator, and the logic circuit system being configured to output an indication of the circuit type of the controller of the series of light-emitting diodes.

9. The detection circuit system of claim 8, further comprising a single trigger circuit system, wherein the switch includes a third terminal coupled to the single trigger circuit system.

10. The detection circuit system of claim 9, wherein the logic circuit system includes a locking terminal coupled to the single trigger circuit system.

11. The detection circuit system according to claim 8, wherein the first terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes is the anode of the first light-emitting diode in the series of light-emitting diodes, and the second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes is the cathode of the second light-emitting diode in the series of light-emitting diodes.

12. The detection circuit system according to claim 8, wherein the first reference voltage is greater than the second reference voltage.

13. The detection circuit system of claim 8, wherein the logic circuit system is configured to output an indication that the circuit type is a current sink when the first comparator indicates that the voltage at the second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes is greater than the first reference voltage.

14. The detection circuit system of claim 8, wherein the logic circuit system is configured to output an indication that the circuit type is a current sink when the first comparator indicates that the voltage at the second terminal of the series of light-emitting diodes is less than the first reference voltage.

15. A light-emitting diode controller, comprising: Current source; Current absorber; A driver, which is coupled to the current source and the current sink; A transistor coupled to the output of the driver; A switch having a first terminal to be coupled to the anode of a series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal configured to be coupled to the cathode of the series of light-emitting diodes; A first comparator has a first input terminal coupled to the cathode of the series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a first reference voltage; The second comparator has a first input terminal coupled to the anode of the series of light-emitting diodes and a second terminal coupled to a second reference voltage; as well as A logic circuit system having a first input terminal coupled to the output of the first comparator, a second input terminal coupled to the output of the second comparator, and an indication of the circuit type of the controller of the series of light-emitting diodes output to the output of the current source and the current sink.

16. The LED controller of claim 15, further comprising an LED driver coupled to the series of LEDs.

17. The light-emitting diode controller of claim 15, wherein the transistor comprises a source coupled to the anode of the series of light-emitting diodes and a drain coupled to the current sink.

18. The LED controller of claim 15, wherein the current source comprises a current mirror.

19. The LED controller of claim 18, wherein the current mirror is configured to adjust in response to the circuit type output by the logic circuit system.

20. The LED controller of claim 18, wherein the current sink includes a current mirror, and the current mirror of the current sink is configured to adjust in response to the circuit type output by the logic circuit system.

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