Dynamic LED Voltage Control for Manufacturing Variation Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Solid-state lighting systems with LEDs face inefficiencies due to manufacturing and operational variations in electrical characteristics, leading to suboptimal performance and reduced reliability, as existing solutions like sorting and binning are time-consuming and costly.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic control system that evaluates the signature of the load current and applied voltage relationship to adjust the voltage, ensuring optimal operation and efficiency by continuously matching the load to the desired operational result, accommodating variations in electrical characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sorting and binning processes are used to accommodate manufacturing variations in LED electrical characteristics, then reliability and performance consistency are improved, but productivity decreases and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic voltage adjustment that automatically adapts to manufacturing variations in real-time during operation, replacing static sorting and binning processes. The system continuously monitors electrical characteristics and adjusts operating voltage accordingly, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual sorting while maintaining performance consistency across all LEDs regardless of manufacturing variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operating voltage parameter dynamically based on measured electrical characteristics of individual LEDs or groups of LEDs. By adjusting voltage as a variable parameter rather than fixing it at a nominal value, the system accommodates manufacturing variations in forward voltage without requiring sorting or binning, thus maintaining reliability while improving productivity.
2Ease of operation
If nominal voltage values are used for all LEDs, then ease of operation is improved, but efficiency deteriorates due to manufacturing variations
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the electrical characteristics of LEDs and adjust the operating voltage accordingly. This closed-loop control maintains optimal efficiency by compensating for manufacturing variations while keeping the system easy to operate, as the adjustment happens automatically without requiring user intervention or complex manual calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment of operating parameters based on its own measured electrical characteristics. The LEDs essentially configure their own optimal operating conditions through the feedback mechanism, eliminating the need for external sorting or manual adjustment while maximizing efficiency. Each LED group automatically adapts to its specific manufacturing variations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If voltage is increased to accommodate high-end forward voltage variations, then adaptability is improved, but energy consumption increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a fixed high voltage to accommodate all possible variations, the system dynamically adjusts voltage to the minimum necessary value for each specific LED or group based on its actual characteristics. This dynamic approach provides full adaptability across the voltage range while minimizing energy consumption by avoiding unnecessary over-volting of LEDs that happen to have lower forward voltage due to manufacturing variations.
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, a control system for an electronic circuit iteratively applies voltage to and senses current from a load to regulate operation of the load.