Configurable LED Driver Circuit for Chip Area Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing driving circuits for light emitting diodes (LEDs) face inefficiencies due to high chip area consumption and wasted functionality when not all channels are used or when power requirements exceed single channel limitations, leading to increased power consumption and thermal dissipation.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with configurable driving means and control units that allow shared use of components across multiple channels, utilizing MOSFET transistors and gate drivers to drive LEDs in parallel or series, reducing chip area and improving power efficiency by reusing components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate driving portions are used for each LED channel, then each channel can be driven independently, but chip area consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a single driving portion that can be configured to drive multiple LED channels through parallel connection. The driving portion includes power transistors and gate drivers that can be shared across channels, with configuration means (multiplexers, control units) enabling dynamic allocation of driving resources to different channels based on operational requirements, thus achieving independent channel control without dedicated driving circuits for each channel.
2Power
If more channels are integrated to handle higher power requirements, then power delivery capability increases, but chip area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple driving portions or channels into a shared driving infrastructure. Multiple power transistors from different channels can be connected in parallel to form a combined power delivery path, allowing the system to achieve higher power capability by aggregating existing driving resources rather than adding separate dedicated paths for each channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving portion is designed with universal functionality to serve multiple channels. The power transistors, gate drivers, and associated control logic can be dynamically allocated to different channels based on power requirements, enabling a single driving portion to provide high power delivery capability when needed while minimizing chip area usage.
3Power
If more channels are integrated to meet power requirements, then power delivery increases, but power consumption and thermal dissipation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple channel driving resources into a shared power delivery path. By connecting power transistors in parallel and sharing gate drivers, the system achieves higher power delivery capability while reducing redundant power consumption that would occur with fully separate driving circuits. The shared infrastructure eliminates duplicate control logic and reduces overall system power consumption.
4Adaptability or versatility
If dedicated driving portions are used for each channel, then channel independence is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal driving portion that can be configured to drive any LED channel through software or control logic rather than requiring dedicated hardware for each channel. The configuration means (multiplexers, control units) provide the necessary channel selection and switching functionality, maintaining channel independence while using a standardized, reusable driving block that reduces overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electronic device for driving at least a first channel and a second channel of light emitting diodes. The electronic device includes driving means having a first and a second driving portion for driving the first and the second channel of light emitting diodes separately, and configuration means for providing configurability of the driving means for using the driving means at least partially in a shared manner for more than one channel of light emitting diodes.