Patent ID: 9013188
Filing Date: 2015-04-21
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for sensing a failure of a light emitting diode (LED) string, the apparatus comprising: a current control unit to apply a current to at least one first LED string and at least one second LED string that are connected in parallel with each other; at least one first failure sensor including a first transistor and configured to sense whether a failure occurs with respect to each of the at least one first LED string; at least one second failure sensor including a second transistor and configured to sense whether a failure occurs with respect to each of the at least one second LED string; and a failure result judgment unit including a third transistor and configured to transmit failure information to the current control unit when a failure is sensed with respect to at least one of the at least one first LED string and the at least one second LED string, as a sensing result of the at least one first failure sensor and the at least one second failure sensor, wherein: when a failure of the at least one first LED string is sensed, the first transistor is turned off and the third transistor is turned on, when a failure of the at least one second LED string is sensed, the second transistor is turned off and the third transistor is turned on, and when the failure information is received, the current control unit blocks the entire current that is applied to the at least one first LED string and the at least one second LED string.