LED Driver Using Power-Line Edge Signals for Single-Wire Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current LED control systems require multiple independent signal lines for controlling LEDs, which limits their application to scenarios where only a power supply line and ground line are available, preventing control via the power supply line.
Innovation Solution
A computing apparatus that uses signal edges from a power supply line to clock operations, integrating an edge-triggered computing unit, charging unit, and initialization unit to perform computations and control LEDs, eliminating the need for additional signal lines by utilizing the power supply line for both power and clock signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple independent signal lines are used for LED control, then control precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and wiring requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines power supply function and clock signal transmission function into a single power supply line. The edge-triggered computing unit uses voltage edges (rising/falling edges) of the power supply signal as clock signals, eliminating the need for separate clock signal lines. This merging reduces wiring complexity while maintaining control reliability through the initialization unit that ensures proper state management.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply line is given multiple functions: it provides both electrical power to the LED control system and serves as the clock signal transmission medium. The edge-triggered computing unit is designed to interpret power supply voltage transitions as timing signals, enabling the single line to perform dual roles effectively.
2Device complexity
If a single power supply line is used for both power and control signals, then wiring is simplified, but signal integrity and control precision may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The initialization unit performs preliminary actions by resetting the edge-triggered computing unit to a known initial state before normal operation begins. This ensures that the system is properly synchronized and ready to accurately detect power supply voltage edges, preventing false triggering and maintaining signal detection precision despite using a shared power line.
Solution Approach 2:
The edge-triggered computing unit uses the inherent characteristics of the power supply signal itself (voltage edges) as its clock source, eliminating the need for separate clock signaling. The system serves itself by deriving timing information directly from the power supply transitions, which naturally occur during normal LED control operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computing apparatus triggered by signal edges from a power supply line includes an edge-triggered computing unit, a charging unit, and an initialization unit. The edge-triggered computing unit is triggered to compute by the signal edges from power supply line, and is used to output computing results; the charging unit is configured to supply power to the edge-triggered computing unit based on the signals from the power supply line; the initialization unit is configured to initialize the edge-triggered computing unit based on the voltage of the power supplied by the charging unit. An LED driver includes the computing apparatus is to configured to control a driving device according to the computing results, thereby achieving display of light from LEDs using the power supply line and ground line without extra control signal line, and facilitating on-chip implementation of LED driving circuits.