Low power consumption series-parallel power carrier LED system

Abstract

A low-power-consumption series-parallel power carrier LED system, wherein the system comprises multiple groups of power carrier LED unit groups connected in series with each other, each group of power carrier LED unit groups comprising at least two power carrier LED units connected in parallel, each unit comprising an LED module and a power carrier chip connected thereto, the internal circuit of the power carrier chip not comprising a bypass current path structure for consuming redundant current to maintain voltage consistency, and at least one external clamping circuit being independently connected in parallel between the positive power supply and the negative power supply of each group of power carrier LED unit groups to provide an external bypass current path and clamp the voltage within a predetermined safe range when the LED module is in an off state or the voltage is abnormal. The number of LED units included in different groups of the present disclosure can be different, which significantly reduces unnecessary loss, improves the flexibility of lamp design, and enhances the anti-interference ability and safety.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the fields of LED lighting and power line communication technology, and in particular to a low-power series-parallel power line carrier LED system with an internal power line carrier chip configuration that eliminates the need for a bypass current path. Background Technology

[0002] Power line communication (PLC) technology can be applied to intelligent lighting control systems due to its advantages such as not requiring additional communication lines and easy installation. In existing LED landscape lighting or point light source systems, multiple LEDs are typically driven using a combination of series and parallel connections to adapt to different voltage levels and power requirements.

[0003] However, in typical existing series-parallel power line carrier LED system architectures, to maintain voltage balance between the series stages, the integrated power line carrier chip usually has an internal bypass current path. When the LEDs are off (not lit), the chip must provide a path to dissipate excess current in order to ensure that the operating voltage of each power line carrier LED is basically the same. This design results in each chip still needing to provide a large bypass current in standby mode. The bypass current provided by each power line carrier chip through its bypass current path is usually more than 0.5mA larger than the current required for the LED to operate normally. As the number of LEDs increases, this causes significant power loss and reduces the overall energy efficiency of the system. At the same time, because it relies on the internal bypass of the chip to balance the voltage, existing technologies usually require that the number of power line carrier LEDs in each parallel group must be close, which leads to poor anti-interference capability and limits the flexibility of lamp design. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure proposes a low-power series-parallel power line carrier LED system and method with an internal power line carrier chip configuration that eliminates the need for bypass current paths. The solution is as follows: A low-power series-parallel power line carrier LED system, comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other; Each group of power line carrier LED units includes at least two power line carrier LED units connected in parallel. Each of the power line carrier LED units includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip electrically connected to the LED module; The internal circuit structure of the power line carrier chip is configured to eliminate the need for a bypass current path to consume redundant current. Furthermore, at least one external clamping circuit is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units, wherein... The external clamping circuit is used to provide a shared external bypass current path for all parallel power carrier LED units in the group, so as to clamp the terminal voltage of the group of power carrier LED units within a predetermined safe range, and, The external clamping circuit is also used to provide a current shunt path for the current in the series loop formed by multiple sets of series-connected power line carrier LED units.

[0005] Preferably, the external clamping circuit is selected from any one or a combination of Zener diodes, transient voltage suppressor diodes, or voltage clamping integrated circuits.

[0006] Preferably, the clamping voltage value of the external clamping circuit is configured to be higher than the normal operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit and lower than the maximum withstand voltage of the power line carrier LED unit.

[0007] Preferably, at least one filter circuit consisting of capacitors is connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units.

[0008] Preferably, at least one discharge circuit consisting of a resistor is connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units. The discharge circuit provides a discharge loop for the capacitor in the filter circuit and / or the distributed capacitance in the circuit.

[0009] Preferably, in the multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other, at least two groups contain different numbers of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel.

[0010] Preferably, the number of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel in different series groups is flexibly set by using the conduction shunt current and clamping voltage capabilities of the external clamping circuit as constraints.

[0011] Preferably, the number of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel in any two groups is not required to be exactly equal.

[0012] Furthermore, this disclosure also discloses a shunt power reduction method for a series-parallel power line carrier LED system, the method comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units are connected in series, wherein each group includes multiple parallel power line carrier LED units, and each power line carrier LED unit includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip electrically connected to the LED module. The power line carrier chip does not need to be provided with an internal bypass current path. An external clamping circuit is set between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units to provide a shared bypass current path for all parallel power line carrier LED units in that group. When one or more LED modules in the power line carrier LED unit group are turned off or subjected to abnormally high voltage, the external clamping circuit is used to clamp the terminal voltage of the power line carrier LED unit group within a predetermined safe range, while providing a current diversion path for the current in the series circuit formed by multiple power line carrier LED unit groups connected in series.

[0013] Preferred options also include: Using the conduction shunt current and clamping voltage capabilities of the external clamping circuit as constraints, the number of parallel power line carrier LED units in different series groups can be flexibly set. The number of parallel power line carrier LED units in any two groups is not required to be exactly equal.

[0014] Preferred options also include: In each group of power line carrier LED units, at least one power line carrier LED unit has a capacitor connected in parallel with the external clamping circuit at both ends to filter the power line carrier communication signal and improve the communication anti-interference capability.

[0015] Preferred options also include: At least one power carrier LED unit in each group of power carrier LED units is provided with a resistor connected in parallel with the external clamping circuit at both ends to coordinate the discharge of the capacitor and / or the distributed capacitance of the circuit.

[0016] This disclosure has the following beneficial technical effects: This disclosure can significantly reduce the power consumption of power line carrier LED systems during standby or partial lighting. Compared with the prior art, the bypass current of a single chip is reduced by more than 0.5mA. This disclosure can be applied to large-scale landscape lighting, long-distance LED systems, or LED systems with a certain number of LED beads, which can greatly reduce power consumption and thus simplify power supply configuration. In addition, this disclosure can remove the limitation that the number of LEDs in each group of parallel LEDs must be close, improving the design flexibility of LED systems. Furthermore, this disclosure can also form a filter circuit through the external resistor and capacitor of the power line carrier chip or the distributed capacitance of the circuit to enhance the system's anti-interference capability and reduce the risk of overvoltage. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This disclosure discloses a low-power series-parallel power carrier LED system with an internal power carrier chip configuration that eliminates the need for a bypass current path, as shown in one embodiment. Figure 2This illustration shows a flowchart of a method for shunting and reducing power consumption in a series-parallel power line carrier LED system, as disclosed in one embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enable those skilled in the art to understand the technical solutions disclosed herein, the technical solutions of various embodiments will be described below in conjunction with the embodiments and related drawings. The described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. The reference to "embodiment" herein means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0019] In one embodiment, this disclosure discloses a series-parallel power line carrier LED system, comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other; The power line carrier LED unit group includes at least two power line carrier LED units connected in parallel, and each power line carrier LED unit includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip connected to the LED module; The power line carrier chip is internally configured with a bypass current path structure that eliminates the need for setting a bypass current path. This bypass current path structure is used to consume redundant current to maintain voltage consistency. Between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units, for all parallel power line carrier LED units in the power line carrier LED unit group, each power line carrier LED unit is independently connected in parallel with at least one external clamping circuit. The clamping circuit is used to provide an external bypass current path and clamp the voltage when the LED module is turned off or the voltage is abnormal.

[0020] Because the internal circuitry of the power line carrier chip is specifically configured to not contain (requires setting up) a conventional bypass current path for consuming redundant current to maintain voltage balance, in order to solve the resulting voltage balance and current path problems, at least one external clamping circuit is independently connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each power line carrier LED unit group. This clamping circuit is configured to conduct when the LED module is in the off state (not lit) or when the voltage abnormally increases (such as due to surges or load imbalance), thereby providing a bypass current path and clamping the voltage of that group within a predetermined range.

[0021] In another embodiment, Each LED module includes an LED driver circuit and LED chips. For example, the LED driver circuit includes an LED driver IC and its peripheral circuitry.

[0022] In another embodiment, the clamping circuit is selected from one or more combinations of Zener diodes, transient voltage suppressor diodes, or voltage clamping integrated circuits integrated on the chip.

[0023] In another embodiment, the clamping voltage value of the clamping circuit is configured to match the rated operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit to limit the voltage group and provide bypass current when the power line carrier LED unit is not in operation.

[0024] In another embodiment, at least one filter circuit is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units. The filter circuit consists of at least one capacitor.

[0025] In another embodiment, at least one discharge circuit is connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units. The discharge circuit consists of at least one resistor configured to provide a discharge loop for the capacitor or circuit distributed capacitance.

[0026] It is understood that this disclosure forms a resistor-capacitor filter circuit by using the external resistor and capacitor or circuit distributed capacitance of the power line carrier chip, which not only enhances the system's anti-interference capability, but also uses the resistor to reduce the risk of overvoltage, thus the resistor plays a dual role.

[0027] In another embodiment, the number of power line carrier LED units in different groups of the plurality of power line carrier LED units may be the same or different.

[0028] In another embodiment, this disclosure discloses a low-power series-parallel power line carrier LED system, comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other; Each group of power line carrier LED units includes at least two power line carrier LED units connected in parallel. Each of the power line carrier LED units includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip electrically connected to the LED module; The internal circuit structure of the power line carrier chip is configured to eliminate the need for a bypass current path to consume redundant current. Furthermore, at least one external clamping circuit is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units, wherein: The external clamping circuit is used to provide a shared external bypass current path for all parallel power carrier LED units in the group, so as to clamp the terminal voltage of the group of power carrier LED units within a predetermined safe range, and, The external clamping circuit is also used to provide a current shunt path for the current in the series loop formed by multiple sets of series-connected power line carrier LED units.

[0029] For example, the clamping voltage value of the external clamping circuit is configured to match the rated operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit. Preferably, the predetermined range is between 1.0 and 1.2 times the rated operating voltage.

[0030] In another embodiment, the external clamping circuit is selected from any one or a combination of a Zener diode, a transient voltage suppressor diode, or a voltage clamping integrated circuit.

[0031] In another embodiment, the clamping voltage value of the external clamping circuit is configured to be higher than the normal operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit and lower than the maximum withstand voltage of the power line carrier LED unit.

[0032] In another embodiment, at least one filter circuit consisting of capacitors is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units.

[0033] In another embodiment, at least one discharge circuit consisting of a resistor is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units. The discharge circuit provides a discharge loop for the capacitors in the filter circuit and / or the distributed capacitance in the circuit.

[0034] In another embodiment, in the plurality of power line carrier LED unit groups connected in series with each other, at least two groups contain different numbers of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel.

[0035] In another embodiment, this disclosure discloses a series-parallel power line carrier LED system, which consists of multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other; each power line carrier LED unit group includes at least two power line carrier LED units connected in parallel, wherein each power line carrier LED unit consists of an LED module and a power line carrier chip connected to the LED module; the key is that the power line carrier chip adopts a low-power architecture that eliminates the need for a bypass current path, that is, unlike the conventional bypass circuits used in the prior art to consume redundant current to maintain voltage consistency, this disclosure instead provides at least one clamping circuit independently connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units. The clamping circuit is used to conduct when the LED module is turned off or the voltage rises abnormally to provide a current path and clamp the voltage within a safe or predetermined range.

[0036] For example, the clamping circuit may be selected from a Zener diode, a transient voltage suppressor diode (TVS), or a dedicated voltage clamping integrated circuit that can be integrated inside the chip. The clamping voltage value of the clamping circuit is configured to match the rated operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit.

[0037] In addition, for example, in order to improve the anti-interference capability of the system, at least one filter circuit consisting of a capacitor C can be connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units.

[0038] For example, in order to solve the problem of residual charge after power failure, at least one discharge circuit composed of resistors can be connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power carrier LED units to provide a discharge circuit for the capacitor or for the distributed capacitor in the circuit of each group of power carrier LED units.

[0039] In another embodiment, the system supports asymmetric networking, meaning that the number of power line carrier LED units included in different power line carrier LED unit groups can be the same or different, thus overcoming the limitation in the prior art that the number of units in each group must be close. The number of parallel power line carrier LED units included in each power line carrier LED unit group can be different. The voltage differences between groups are automatically balanced by utilizing the characteristics of the external clamping circuit of the power line carrier LED unit, without relying on the high-power bypass current path inside the power line carrier chip in the power line carrier LED unit as in the prior art.

[0040] In addition, see Figure 2 In another embodiment, this disclosure also discloses a shunting and power consumption reduction method for a series-parallel power line carrier LED system, the method comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units are connected in series, wherein each group includes multiple parallel power line carrier LED units, and each power line carrier LED unit includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip electrically connected to the LED module. The power line carrier chip does not need to be provided with an internal bypass current path. An external clamping circuit is set between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units to provide a shared bypass current path for all parallel power line carrier LED units in that group. When one or more LED modules in the power line carrier LED unit group are turned off or subjected to abnormally high voltage, the external clamping circuit is used to clamp the terminal voltage of the power line carrier LED unit group within a predetermined safe range, while providing a current diversion path for the current in the series circuit formed by multiple power line carrier LED unit groups connected in series.

[0041] In another embodiment, it also includes: Using the conduction shunt current and clamping voltage capabilities of the external clamping circuit as constraints, the number of parallel power line carrier LED units in different series groups can be flexibly set. The number of parallel power line carrier LED units in any two groups is not required to be exactly equal.

[0042] In another embodiment, it also includes: In each group of power line carrier LED units, at least one power line carrier LED unit has a capacitor connected in parallel with the external clamping circuit at both ends to filter the power line carrier communication signal and improve the communication anti-interference capability.

[0043] In another embodiment, it also includes: At least one power carrier LED unit in each group of power carrier LED units is provided with a resistor connected in parallel with the external clamping circuit at both ends to coordinate the discharge of the capacitor and / or the distributed capacitance of the circuit.

[0044] The following examples illustrate this disclosure: Example 1: A standard symmetrical series-parallel system with filtering and discharge functions.

[0045] See Figure 1 This embodiment constructs a system comprising multiple sets of series-connected power line carrier LED unit groups. The system configuration aims to address the issue of additional losses, up to mA, caused by internal bypassing of the chip when each LED is not lit, as seen in existing technologies. Each power line carrier LED unit group (e.g., Figure 1Groups 1 and 2 (and so on) each include 5 parallel power line carrier LED units (n=5). The power line carrier chip (IC) in each unit is selected as a model that does not require an internal bypass current path. Between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply in each group, an independent external circuit combination is set in parallel: a Zener diode (ZD) as a clamping circuit, a capacitor (C) as a filtering circuit, and a resistor (R) as a discharge circuit.

[0046] The specific working principle is as follows: When the LED is working normally, the current mainly flows through the LED and the IC; when a group of LEDs is turned off or bypass current is required, since the IC itself does not have a bypass current path, there is no bypass current path inside the IC, so the current flows through the external parallel Zener diode ZD. The breakdown voltage (Vz) of the Zener diode ZD is slightly higher than the rated operating voltage (Vf) of the LED, ensuring that it does not conduct during normal operation, and only acts as a clamp when the voltage rises due to load changes. The capacitor C is used to filter out high-frequency noise in power line carrier communication and improve anti-interference capability; the resistor R quickly releases the charge on the capacitor C or the distributed capacitance in the circuit after the system is powered off, preventing the accumulation of charge from causing risks.

[0047] The key technical advantages of this embodiment are: compared to existing technologies, by removing or eliminating the bypass current path inside the corresponding chip and adding an external Zener diode, the power consumption of the system in standby or partially off states is significantly reduced. The presence of capacitor C enhances anti-interference capability, reduces communication error rate, and makes communication more stable. Resistor R ensures that the voltage drops to a safe range within a very short time after power failure.

[0048] Example 2: TVS clamping system under asymmetric load configuration.

[0049] This embodiment demonstrates the adaptability of this disclosure under asymmetric loads, aiming to address the pain point in the prior art where "the number of LEDs in each group of power line carriers needs to be close". The system includes two groups of units connected in series: the first group includes 10 parallel power line carrier LED units, thus including 10 LED modules, and the second group includes 3 parallel power line carrier LED units, thus including 3 LED modules.

[0050] Because the current demands of the two load groups differ significantly, a traditional series system would result in severe voltage imbalance. In this embodiment, an externally connected parallel clamping circuit is used to balance the voltage, wherein: The clamping circuit uses transient voltage suppressor diodes (TVS diodes), which have a faster response speed than ordinary Zener diodes. When current flows through the series circuit, the group with fewer parallel LED units (i.e., the second group corresponding to 3 parallel power line carrier LED units) has a relatively larger equivalent resistance due to its smaller number of parallel units compared to the other group. Therefore, based on the principle that the current is the same in a series circuit, it will receive a higher voltage due to its relatively larger equivalent resistance. If the voltage exceeds the preset range, the TVS diodes connected in parallel across this group will conduct faster than the TVS diodes in the other group, thereby shunting the current and forcibly clamping the voltage within a safe range, protecting this group of LEDs from overvoltage breakdown. At the same time, based on the principle that the current is the same in a series circuit, it also ensures that the first group (i.e., the group corresponding to 10 parallel power line carrier LED units) can obtain sufficient operating current.

[0051] The key technical advantage of this embodiment lies in enabling the mixed series use of different numbers of LED groups, greatly increasing the flexibility of lighting design (e.g., decorative lights), and eliminating the need for complex current sharing control circuits. The clamping circuit uses transient voltage suppressor diodes (TVS diodes) to effectively absorb surges and excess current.

[0052] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A low-power series-parallel power line carrier LED system, comprising: Multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series with each other; Each group of power line carrier LED units includes at least two power line carrier LED units connected in parallel. Each of the power line carrier LED units includes an LED module and a power line carrier chip electrically connected to the LED module; The internal circuit structure of the power line carrier chip is configured to eliminate the need for a bypass current path to consume redundant current. Furthermore, at least one external clamping circuit is connected in parallel between the positive and negative power supply terminals of each group of power line carrier LED units, wherein... The external clamping circuit is used to provide a shared external bypass current path for all parallel power carrier LED units in the group, so as to clamp the terminal voltage of the group of power carrier LED units within a predetermined safe range, and, The external clamping circuit is also used to provide a current shunt path for the current in the series loop formed by multiple sets of series-connected power line carrier LED units.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The external clamping circuit is selected from any one or a combination of Zener diodes, transient voltage suppressor diodes, or voltage clamping integrated circuits.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The clamping voltage of the external clamping circuit is configured to be higher than the normal operating voltage of the power line carrier LED unit and lower than the maximum withstand voltage of the power line carrier LED unit.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, At least one filter circuit consisting of capacitors is connected in parallel between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein, Between the positive and negative terminals of the power supply of each group of power line carrier LED units, at least one discharge circuit consisting of a resistor is connected in parallel. The discharge circuit provides a discharge loop for the capacitor in the filter circuit and / or the distributed capacitance in the circuit.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, Among the multiple groups of power line carrier LED units connected in series, at least two groups contain different numbers of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The number of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel in different series groups can be flexibly set by using the conduction shunt current and clamping voltage capabilities of the external clamping circuit as constraints.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein, The number of power line carrier LED units connected in parallel in any two groups is not required to be exactly equal.

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