Abstract:
The present invention provides an improved power supply circuit for a backlight control of the LCD panel, capable of initiating a plurality of CCFL. The electrical lighting device comprises an switching electronic ballast circuit, a CCFL abnormal detective circuit, an impedance matching device at positive end of balancing current, an adjusting and enabling control device and an auxiliary power source circuit. The circuit of the electrical lighting device is designed to protect the circuit from abnormal conditions such as short-circuit occurred on a seal cover. The impedance matching device at positive end is provided in between negative ends of some cold cathode fluorescence lamps and an anode of secondary winding of the transformer to balance the CCFL current. Detective units and signals are provided to detect anode voltage in order to determine abnormality in the circuit.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a power supply device for a backlight panel of liquid crystal display (LCD). More particularly, the present invention relates to a power supply with a design of current balancing and functions for testing the abnormalities of cold cathode fluorescence lamps (CCFL) and adjusting the intensity thereof.  
       Description of the Related Art  
       [0002]     In the backlight power supply of a liquid crystal display (LCD) a high frequency sine wave is utilized as the power source to provide the energy needed for driving cold cathode fluorescence lamps (CCFL). Thus, the conventional method utilizes normally an inverter circuit to transform the direct current (DC) into the alternate current (AC) in order to achieve the energy transfer. Those conventional inverter circuits are categorized into half-bridge inverter circuits, full-bridge inverter circuits and push-pull inverter circuits according to the circuit topologies.  
         [0003]     Further, the alternate current power of the conventional method has to be converted into direct current power of low voltage. A conventional inverter circuit is then utilized to convert the direct current power of low voltage into alternate current power of high frequency and high voltage for driving the cold cathode fluorescence lamps. The energy conversion of the conventional method has to be carried out twice, which would result energy loss twice and therefore an overall conversion efficiency is reduced. For example, the efficiency of an AC/DC adapter is approximately 90%, the efficiency of an inverter converting the direct current into the alternate current is about 85%, and the overall efficiency that is the product of the these two efficiencies is approximately 76.5%.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of the power supply circuit of high efficiency in a conventional LCD panel. The conventional power supply circuit utilizes a conventional switching electronic ballast circuit of high efficiency, wherein a detective circuit of CCFL abnormality, an impedance matching element at the positive end of CCFL for balancing the current, a delay circuit apparatus and an auxiliary power circuit are also provided in the power supply circuit. The overall efficiency of the structure can reach up to 85% because the energy conversion is performed for only once. But, utilization of optical coupler as a detective device for abnormality can result significantly changes of the current transfer ratio(CTR), which is approximately between 50-400. Such a large range of the CTR could lead to faulty performance. A variable resistor is needed to prevent faulty functions from occurring. Simultaneously, optical couplers as many as the CCFL must be used. Therefore, a large portion of the electrical circuit area would be used for the safety requirements. Since this circuit does not provide the function of adjusting light intensity, it cannot fulfill the basic requirement for a power supply of LCD backlight.  
         [0005]     Refer to  FIG. 1 , the conventional circuit includes a switching electronic ballast circuit  100 , a CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201 , an impedance matching device at positive end  202  for balancing current, a delay circuit  102  and an auxiliary power circuit  101 . The switching electronic ballast circuit  100  produces high frequency alternate sine wave voltage by utilizing the circuit oscillation of the switching circuit SC of a half-bridge or full-bridge topology inverter circuit. The alternate sine wave voltage is converted to the secondary side of the transformer T 1  according to the turn ratio to produce the high frequency alternate wave voltage which is required by CCFL LAMP 1 -LAMPn, in order to supply the energy to the CCFL group  200 . In the CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201 , the photodiode of each optical couplers PH 1 -PHn, is respectively connected to the positive end of each of the lamps LAMP 1 -LAMPn.  
         [0006]     The CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201  detects the abnormality of every lamp LAMP 1 -LAMPn by using the optical couplers PH 1 -PHn, which send signals when the voltage is detected. The transistors connected in series output these signals to operational amplifiers OP 1  and OP 2 . If there is abnormal high voltage or abnormal low voltage, two high voltage are produced as the outputs of the operational amplifiers OP 1  and OP 2 , and the outputs of operational amplifiers OP 1  and OP 2  are respectively connected to diodes D 1  and D 2 . The negative ends of the two diodes D 1  and D 2  are connected. Therefore, no matter whether the detected voltage through the operational amplifiers OP 1  and OP 2  is the abnormal high voltage or the abnormal low voltage, an abnormal signal is produced to the switching electronic ballast circuit  100 , so that the silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) can be locked off and the operation of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  will be stopped. In order to activate the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  again, the power has to be re-switched on.  
         [0007]     Small capacitors C 1 -Cn are used and connected to the positive end of every lamp LAMP 1 -LAMPn in parallel in the impedance matching element at the positive end of CCFL  202  for balancing the current. This is because that the small capacitors C 1 -Cn will produce impedance which is much higher than the lamps LAMP 1 -LAMPn at higher frequency. The problem of unbalance current resulting from unequalled impedance at positive and negative ends of lamps LAMP 1 -LAMPn can be improved. The delay circuit apparatus  102  is used to prevent a light off problem of the lamps from occurring due to a faulty operation by temporarily interrupting the outputting of the abnormal signal output during the initiation and the switch on periods. The auxiliary power circuit  101  produces a stable direct current voltage to supply the power source voltage required by the delay circuit apparatus  102  and the CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201 .  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a power supply device for a LCD backlight panel to resolve the above-mentioned defaults of the conventional circuit. The power supply device for a LCD backlight panel, capable of driving a plurality of cold cathode fluorescence lamps, comprising a switching electronic ballast circuit, a CCFL abnormal detective circuit, an impedance resistant matching device at positive end of balancing current, an adjusting and enabling control device and an auxiliary power source circuit.  
         [0009]     The switching electronic ballast circuit utilizes primary sine wave voltage produced by a switching modulation circuit to provide the primary sine wave voltage via an output of a transformer. The impedance matching device at positive end is provided in between positive ends of each of the cold cathode fluorescence lamps and a positive end of secondary winding of the transformer for balancing the CCFL current. The CCFL abnormal detective circuit comprises a detective unit respectively on every CCFL, wherein the detective unit comprises a voltage detective capacitor and a delay capacitor, every voltage detective capacitor is connected to the corresponding positive end of CCFL to detect positive end voltage of CCFL, one end of the delay capacitor is connected to ground so that it can be charged or discharged through the positive end voltage, a first optical coupler of the CCFL abnormal detective circuit outputs a detective signal according to the positive end voltage to switch on or off the switching electronic ballast circuit.  
         [0010]     The adjusting and enabling control device produces an enabling signal to the switching electronic ballast circuit according to a low frequency signal for adjusting pulse wave width. The signal is used to control the operation timing of the switching electronic ballast circuit. The auxiliary power source circuit can provide a stable direct current voltage to the CCFL abnormal detective circuit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the descriptions, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a power supply circuit in a conventional LCD panel;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with a preferred example of the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with another preferred example of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  illustrates a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with other preferred example of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  illustrates a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with other preferred example of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with other preferred example of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic view of an improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with a preferred example of the present invention. The power supply circuit of a LCD panel comprises a switching electronic ballast circuit  100 , wherein switch circuit SC of half bridge or full bridge topology is provided on the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  and through the resonant circuit to produce alternate sine wave voltage of high frequency. A transformer T 1  will convert the alternate sine wave voltage to the secondary of the transformer T 1  to output the alternate sine wave voltage with high frequency required by CCFL, LAMP 1 -LAMPn in order to supply the energy to the CCFL  200 . The CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201  detects abnormality of every CCFL, LAMP 1 -LAMPn.  
         [0019]     An impedance matching device at positive end  202  is utilized to balance current, and an impedance matching device at negative end  203  can be provided on the circuit to balance current in order to balance the current of every CCFL, LAMP 1 -LAMPn within a required range. An adjusting and enabling control device  103  controls periodic operations of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  via a low frequency adjustable signal LPWM such that the brightness and the timing and order of the operations of the CCFL, LAMP 1 -LAMPn can be controlled. The auxiliary power circuit  101  produces a stable voltage of direct current for providing the required power source to the CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  indicates schematic view of the improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with another preferred example of the present invention. The CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201  of the circuit in  FIG. 3  replaces the diodes D 13 -Dn 3  of  FIG. 2  with transistors, Q 11 -Qn 1  to achieve the same effect. When the output of the transformer T 1  is at the positive period, voltage detective capacitors, C 13 -Cn 3 , operate equivalent functions as the above-mentioned circuit in  FIG. 2 . When the output of the transformer T 1  transfers to the negative direction period, the transistors Q 11 -Qn 1  will be switched on, and the voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  discharge and reversed direction charge through the route of the emitter and the collector of the transistors Q 11 -Qn 1 . Other operations of circuit in  FIG. 3  are identical to those functions of the device&#39;s circuit in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0021]     Refer back to  FIG. 2 , the auxiliary power circuit  101  can produce a stabilized direct current voltage VCC to provide power source required by the CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201 .  FIG. 4  shows schematic view of the improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in special condition according to another example of the present invention. The auxiliary power circuit  101  can be another switching direct current power circuit of the fly-back switching power circuit. No matter whether it is a LCD television or a display product, direct current power source is required to supply the power to other devices. The auxiliary power circuit  101  of the present invention can directly obtain the power from the power source circuit, such as the auxiliary voltage B+ can be shared as direct power source with other devices in order to cut down the cost of the overall power consumption and the surface area of the circuit.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates schematic view of the improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with other preferred example of the present invention. In the circuit of  FIG. 5 , the impedance matching device at positive end  202  and the impedance matching device at negative end  203  used for balance the current are replaced with inductors, L 11 -Ln 1 , L 21 -Ln 2  to achieve the same effect of balancing current in the circuit. The inductors can produce resistant reaction higher than the CCFL during high frequency (Z=j2ΠfL), the problem of unbalanced resistance at both ends of the CCFL can be improved.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is schematic view of the improved power supply circuit of a LCD panel in accordance with other preferred example of the present invention. The circuit of  FIG. 6  eliminates the impedance matching device at negative end  203  so that the size of its LCD board is much smaller. The smaller size of LCD board is, the shorter the lighting tube would be, and the less interference would be on the capacitor affected by a seal cover. As a result, the problem of unequal negative current is less serious. Therefore, the impedance matching device at negative end  203  used for balancing current can be eliminated from the circuit.  
         [0024]     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , the CCFL abnormal detective circuit  201  utilizes the voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  connecting respectively to the anodes of every CCFL, LAMP 1 -LAMPn to determine whether there is abnormal voltage of every CCFL. In a normal condition, the voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  produce alternate current wave from the output of the transformer T 1  to detect the normal voltage via the voltage divider of the diodes D 11 -Dn 1  and a resistor R 12 . The normal voltage is then smoothly filtered through a filter capacitor C 15  to produce direct voltage. Simultaneously, the voltage of the filter capacitor C 15  is lower than the threshold voltage of the transistor Q 3 , the total voltage drop value of the diode D 14  and the Zener diode ZD 1 . The normal voltage signal is sent to the negative end of the lighting diode of the optical coupler PHI. Delay capacitors, C 14 -Cn 4 , output via the transformer T 1  a certain value of voltage that is charged through the resistors R 11 -Rn 1  during the positive period. The voltage is controlled in a normal condition to lower than the threshold voltage of the transistor Q 3 , the total voltage drop value of the diode D 14  and the Zener diode ZD 1 . The voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  discharge and reversed direction charge via the route of the diodes D 13 -Dn 3  when the output of the transformer T 1  is converted to negative direction alternate current wave.  
         [0025]     The voltage of the delay capacitors C 14  -Cn 4  are discharged to a low voltage respectively via the diodes D 13 -Dn 3 . When any of the CCFL is failing to light up, the corresponding voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  will detect the higher voltage when the transformer T 1  outputting positive direction alternate current wave. The voltage divider of the diodes D 11 -Dn 1  and the resistor R 12  is smoothing filtered through the capacitor C 15  to produce direct current voltage. This voltage is higher than the threshold voltage of the transistor Q 3 , the total voltage drop value of the diode D 14  and the Zener diode ZD 1  in such that transistor Q 3  is switched on and a abnormal voltage signal is produced and transferred to the negative end of the lighting diode of the optical coupler PH 1 . The transistor of the optical coupler is switched on so that the silicon control rectifier (SCR) of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  can be switched on and off in order to stop the operations of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100 . The power must be re-started to operate the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  normally.  
         [0026]     The circuit of the present invention is specially designed to protect the circuit from any abnormal condition, such as any of the lamps, LAMP 1 -LAMPn of the CCFL group  200 , occurring abnormal condition, for example, the short-circuit problem. One end of the voltage detective capacitors C 13 -Cn 3  is connected to the zero voltage of the seal cover so that the delay capacitor C 14 -Cn 4  within the abnormal detective units, detect 1 -detectn, of every lamp will continuously being charged and will not have a discharge period. The voltage of the delay capacitor C 14 -Cn 4  will raise above the value of the threshold voltage of the transistor Q 3 , the total voltage drop value of the diode D 14  and the Zener diode ZD 1 . The abnormal detective circuit  201  outputs an abnormal voltage signal via the optical coupler PH 1  to the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  to allow the silicon control rectifier (SCR) of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  can be switched on and off such that the operations of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  can be stopped. The power must be re-started to operate the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  normally.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2 , the impedance matching device at positive end  202  and the impedance matching device at negative end  203  are provided in the circuit, small capacitors C 11 -Cn 1 , C 21 -Cn 2  are connected respectively to anode and positive ends of every lamp LAMP 1 -LAMPn in series. The small capacitors can produce an impedance (Z=1/j2πfC) higher than the CCFL during high frequency, the problem of unbalanced resistance at both ends of the CCFL can be ignored and the condition of unbalancing current of lamp can be improved. The impedance matching device at negative end  203  used for balancing current is suitable for the large size of LCD panel, so that the problem of negative current unbalance can be improved. More particularly, the long length tube are with the different leakage capacitances between every lamp and seal cover resulting the unbalancing current between every CCFL.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the adjustable lighting controlling portion and enabling control device  103  is utilized the low pulse wave modulation signal LPWM to control the operating period of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  so that the lighting of the lamps can be controlled to provide corresponding brightness on the screen under various environmental conditions. The low pulse wave modulation LPWM signal is outputted to adjusting and enabling control device  103  to control the operating period of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  via the function of the optical coupler PH 2 . When the low frequency pulse wave modulation LPWM signal is on a high voltage state, the optical coupler PH 2  is switched on via the diode D 15  to stop the operation of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100 . When the low frequency pulse wave modulation LPWM signal is on a low voltage state, the optical coupler PH 2  is switched off and the operation of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  is continuously operating. The control portion of the adjusting and enabling control device  103  utilizes the enable signal (EN) of direct current voltage to control operation orders of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100 . When direct current voltage unit is on a high voltage state, the optical coupler PH 2  will be switched on through diode D 16  to stop the operation of the switching electronic ballast circuit  100 . When direct current voltage unit is on a low voltage state, the optical coupler PH 2  will be switched off to allow the switching electronic ballast circuit  100  to operate.  
         [0029]     With the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of a preferred example embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements and procedures, and the scope of the appended claims therefore should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements and procedures.