Abstract:
A power supply circuit includes a pre-regulator configured to receive an input voltage and to generate an output voltage, and a switching current regulator coupled to an output of the pre-regulator and configured to regulate a level of current supplied to an output load. The switching current regulator is controlled by a switching signal having a duty cycle. The circuit further includes a controller that generates the switching signal. The controller monitors the duty cycle of the switching signal and controls a level of the output voltage generated by the pre-regulator by providing a control signal in response to the duty cycle of the switching signal.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure generally relates to a power supply, and more particularly, to an LED driver circuit with adaptive controlled output voltage for driving LEDs. 
         [0002]    As a result of continuous technological advances that have brought about remarkable performance improvements, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are increasingly finding use in applications such as traffic lights, automobiles, general-purpose lighting, and liquid-crystal-display (LCD) backlighting. As solid state light sources, LED lighting is poised to replace existing lighting sources, such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps, in the future since LEDs do not contain mercury, exhibit fast turn-on and dimmability, have long life-times, and require low maintenance. Compared to fluorescent lamps, LEDs can be more easily dimmed either by linear dimming or pulse-width modulated (PWM) dimming. 
         [0003]    A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when its p-n junction is forward biased. While the color of the emitted light primarily depends on the composition of the material used, its brightness is directly related to the current flowing through the p-n junction. Therefore, a driver circuit providing a constant current is desired. 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows a lighting apparatus including a plural number of LED strings  1  to n driven by constant currents provided by current regulators  1  to n. Each current regulator receives an input voltage V IN  and provides the (same or different) current through respective LED strings, each of which includes at least one LED. LED strings  1  to n may generate lights of the same color or different color depending on the color output requirements of the lighting apparatus. 
         [0005]    A current regulator may be a linear current regulator, such as the regulators  16 - 1  to  16 - n  shown in  FIG. 2  or a switching current regulator, such as the regulators  18 - 1  to  18 - n  shown in  FIG. 3 . A linear current regulator generally has lower cost than a switching regulator. However a linear current regulator may have lower efficiency than a switching regulator depending on the voltage drop across the regulator. 
         [0006]    In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a power source  12 , which may be DC or AC, provides an input voltage for a switching pre-regulator  14 , which regulates an output voltage V B . Each current regulator  16 - 1  to  16 - n,    18 - 1  to  18 - n,  receives the voltage V B  and regulates the driving current through a respective LED string. The power source  12  can, for example, be a battery or an AC source from the utility power line. The switching pre-regulator  14  can be any type of DC/DC or AC/DC converter, and can be isolated or non-isolated depending on the application requirement. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A power supply circuit according to some embodiments includes a voltage regulator configured to receive an input voltage and to generate an output voltage, and a switching current regulator coupled to an output of the voltage regulator and configured to regulate a level of current supplied to an output load. The switching current regulator is controlled by a switching signal having a duty cycle. The circuit further includes a controller that generates the switching signal. The controller monitors the duty cycle of the switching signal and controls a level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to the duty cycle of the switching signal. 
         [0008]    The voltage regulator receives a control signal and sets the level of the output voltage in response to the control signal, and the controller supplies the control signal to the voltage regulator and controls the level of the output voltage by changing a level of the control signal. 
         [0009]    The controller may reduce the level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is below a threshold value. 
         [0010]    The controller may further compare the duty cycle of the switching signal to a second threshold value, and maintain the level of the output voltage in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is greater than the second threshold value. 
         [0011]    The first threshold value may be lower than the second threshold value. 
         [0012]    The controller may reduce the level of the control signal in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is below the threshold value, causing the voltage output by the voltage regulator to drop and causing the duty cycle of the switching signal to increase. 
         [0013]    The switching current regulator may include a switch having a control terminal that receives the switching signal, a diode coupled between the switch and the output of the voltage regulator, an inductor coupled between the switch and the output load, and a current sensing resistor coupled between the switch and a ground terminal. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the switching current regulator may include a switch having a control terminal that receives the switching signal and having a first terminal coupled to the output of the voltage regulator and having a second terminal coupled to the output load, a diode coupled to the second terminal of the switch, an inductor coupled between the diode and the output load, and a current sensing resistor coupled between the inductor and a ground terminal. 
         [0015]    In further embodiments, the switching current regulator may include a switch having a control terminal that is configured to receive the switching signal and having a first terminal coupled to the output of the voltage regulator and having a second terminal coupled to the output load, a diode coupled to the second terminal of the switch and to a ground terminal, an inductor to the output load, and a current sensing resistor coupled between the inductor and a ground terminal. 
         [0016]    The power supply may further include a voltage divider that is coupled to the output of the voltage regulator and that generates a feedback voltage V FB , and an error amplifier that compares a reference voltage VREF generated by the controller to the feedback voltage VFB and responsively generates a control signal. An output of the error amplifier may be coupled to a feedback input of the voltage regulator, and the voltage regulator may set the level of the output voltage in response to the control signal. 
         [0017]    The controller may generate the reference voltage V REF  in response to the duty cycle of the switching signal. 
         [0018]    The voltage regulator may include a single stage power factor correcting flyback and the switching current regulator may include a buck current regulator. 
         [0019]    A power supply circuit according to some embodiments includes a voltage regulator that receives an input voltage and generates an output voltage, and a plurality of switching current regulators coupled to an output of the voltage regulator and that regulate levels of current supplied to respective output loads. The switching current regulators are controlled by switching signals having respective duty cycles, and the circuit further includes a controller that generates the switching signals. The controller monitors the duty cycles of the switching signals and controls a level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to the a highest one of the duty cycles of the switching signals. 
         [0020]    The voltage regulator may receive a control signal and set the level of the output voltage in response to the control signal, and the controller may supply the control signal to the voltage regulator and control the level of the output voltage by changing a level of the control signal. 
         [0021]    The controller may reduce the level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to determining that the highest one of the duty cycles of the switching signals is below a threshold value. 
         [0022]    The controller may further compare the duty cycles of the switching signals to a second threshold value, and maintain the level of the output voltage in response to determining that the highest one of the duty cycles of the switching signals is greater than the second threshold value. 
         [0023]    Some embodiments provide methods of operating a power supply circuit including a voltage regulator that receives an input voltage and generates an output voltage and a switching current regulator that regulates a level of current supplied to an output load and that is controlled by a switching signal having a duty cycle. The methods include monitoring the duty cycle of the switching signal, and controlling a level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to the duty cycle of the switching signal. 
         [0024]    The voltage regulator may receive a control signal and set the level of the output voltage in response to the control signal, and the methods may further include supplying the control signal to the voltage regulator, and controlling the level of the output voltage by changing a level of the control signal. 
         [0025]    The methods may further include changing the level of the control signal to reduce the level of the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is below a threshold value. 
         [0026]    The methods may further include comparing the duty cycle of the switching signal to a second threshold value, and controlling the level of the control signal to maintain the level of the output voltage in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is greater than the second threshold value. 
         [0027]    The methods may further include controlling the level of the control signal to further decrease the level of the output voltage in response to determining that the duty cycle of the switching signal is not greater than the second threshold value. 
         [0028]    A power supply circuit according to further embodiments includes a voltage regulator that receives an input voltage and generates an output voltage, and a plurality of switching current regulators that regulate levels of current supplied to respective output loads, wherein the switching current regulators are controlled by switching signals having respective duty cycles. The circuit further includes a controller that generates the switching signals and that decreases the output voltage generated by the voltage regulator until a highest one of the duty cycles of the switching signals is greater than a threshold value. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0029]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate certain embodiment(s) of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0030]      FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a solid state lighting apparatus including multiple light emitting diode strings. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram of a solid state lighting apparatus including multiple light emitting diode strings, a pre-regulator and linear current regulators for each string. 
           [0032]      FIG. 3  is a schematic block diagram of a solid state lighting apparatus including multiple light emitting diode strings, a pre-regulator and switching current regulators for each string. 
           [0033]      FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram of a solid state lighting apparatus including multiple light emitting diode strings, a single stage flyback pre-regulator and buck current regulators for each string. 
           [0034]      FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram of the solid state lighting apparatus showing the buck current regulators in more detail. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6  is a graph of power loss versus duty cycle for an LED driver including a single stage flyback pre-regulator and multiple buck current regulators. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7  is a schematic block diagram of a solid state lighting apparatus according to some embodiments. 
           [0037]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart of operations of a current driver according to some embodiments. 
           [0038]      FIGS. 9-11  are schematic block diagrams of solid state lighting apparatus according to further embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0039]    Embodiments of the present inventive concepts are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. The inventive concepts may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventive concepts to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0040]    Embodiments of the present inventive concepts provide methods and apparatus for controlling a voltage level output by a pre-regulator in a switching current regulator. By controlling the level of the voltage output by the pre-regulator, it may be possible to keep the switching duty cycle of a control switch at a desired level. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4  shows a switching mode LED driver using buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  as the current regulators for LED strings  1  to n. The pre-regulator is a single-stage power-factor-correcting (PFC) flyback  114 . Buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  step down the input voltage V B  and provide a constant current to the respective LED string. The voltage V B  is generally set by an internal reference V REF  of the controller of the pre-regulator  114  which is tied to a feedback voltage V FB  provided at a feedback input  115  of the pre-regulator  114  by an external voltage divider  117  including R 1  and R 2  as shown in  FIG. 4 . The voltage V B  can be expressed by Equation (1). 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   
                     V 
                     B 
                   
                   = 
                   
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         1 
                         + 
                         
                           
                             R 
                             2 
                           
                           
                             R 
                             1 
                           
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                      
                     
                       V 
                       REF 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   1 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0042]    That is, the pre-regulator  114  sets the internal reference voltage V REF  to a value equal to the value V FB  input from the voltage divider formed by R 1  and R 2 . The level of the voltage V B  is generated based on the value of V REF . Changing the level of the feedback voltage V FB  will therefore change the value of the voltage V B . 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  shows a more detailed implementation of a buck converter block  118  including multiple buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  in a constant current driver circuit. Buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  each include an inductor L n , a diode D n , a switch Q n , a current sensing resistor R sn  and a buck controller  120 . The buck controller  120  regulates the current through each LED string  1  to n by sensing each of the currents i 1  to i n  passing through the respective strings and controlling the turn on/off of the switches Q 1  to Q n . In order to provide desired driving current for each LED string, buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  need an input voltage higher than the maximum voltage of LED strings  1  to n. Since the LED voltage drop is highly dependent on operating temperature, driving current, and manufacture processes, it is not uncommon for an LED string voltage to vary by ±10% from its nominal value. To accommodate the potentially wide range of LED string voltages, the output voltage V B  of the pre-regulator  114  is generally set to a value higher than the maximum expected value of the LED string. In practical applications, the number and types of color of LEDs in string  1  to n may also be different, which makes the voltage difference between the input voltage V B  and minimum LED string voltage even larger. For a buck converter intended for LED lighting application, a larger difference between the input voltage V B  and LED string voltage generally results in a higher power loss, which is not desired for efficient lighting. This will be explained as follows. 
         [0044]    The power loss of a buck converter  118 - n  is primarily a function of the power loss of the diode D n  and the power loss of the switch Q n . The power loss can be expressed by equation (2) below, by assuming the ripple of LED current is negligible, where P BUCK  is the power loss due to the diode and switch, R SW  is the turn-on resistance of the switch, I is the LED current, D is the ratio of turn-on time to switching period of the switch, and V F  is the forward voltage drop of the diode. 
         [0000]        P   BUCK   =R   SW   I   2   D +(1− D ) IV   F    (2)
 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  shows the power loss of a buck converter vs. switching duty cycle for different driving currents. In particular, curve  102  represents the power loss of a buck converter vs. switching duty cycle for a driving current of 0.3 A, curve  104  represents the power loss of a buck converter vs. switching duty cycle for a driving current of 0.5 A, and curve  106  represents the power loss of a buck converter vs. switching duty cycle for a driving current of 1 A for R SW =0.1 ohm and V F =0.7V. As can be seen from  FIG. 6 , the power loss drops as the switching duty cycle D increases. For higher LED currents, the power loss drops more significantly as the switching duty cycle D increases. Therefore, it may be desirable to increase the switching duty cycle D to reduce the power loss of the buck converter and maximize the overall efficiency. 
         [0046]    As known by those skilled in the art, the switching duty cycle D is a function of the input voltage and LED string voltage, and can be expressed by Equation (3), where V B  is the output voltage of the pre-regulator  114 , i.e., the input voltage of the buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n,  and V LED n is the voltage of the nth LED string. 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   D 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       V 
                       LEDn 
                     
                     
                       V 
                       B 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   ( 
                   3 
                   ) 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0047]    From Equation (3), it can be observed that as voltage V B  decreases, the duty cycle D increases and the power loss of the buck converter decreases according to Equation (2) and  FIG. 6 . In other words, the output voltage V B  of the pre-regulator should be as low as possible to allow the buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  to operate with a high switching duty cycle. In practical applications, the maximum switching duty cycle D is limited to around 0.9 (90%), considering the rising and falling time of the switching control signal output by the buck controller  120 , and reset time of the inductor core of the inductor L n . 
         [0048]    According to some embodiments, an adjustable or adaptive controlled output voltage V B  of the pre-regulator is provided to ensure that voltage V B  tracks the maximum voltage of LED strings and to ensure that the maximum switching duty cycle is around 90%. With an adjustable voltage V B  output by the pre-regulator  114 , the power loss of the buck converters  118 - 1  to  118 - n  can be reduced, and the overall efficiency of the lighting apparatus can be increased. 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  shows a lighting apparatus  200  according to embodiments of the inventive concepts. The lighting apparatus  200  includes a power source  12  (which may be DC or AC), a flyback voltage pre-regulator  214  including a feedback input  215 , and a buck converter block  218  including a digital controller  220  and buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n.  Each of the buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n  includes an inductor L n , a diode D n , a switch Q n , and a current sensing resistor R sn . The power source  12  can be a battery or AC voltage from the utility power line, or any other type of power sources. The voltage pre-regulator  214  can be a boost converter, a buck converter, a flyback converter, or any other type of power converter. The LED strings  1  to n may have the same or different numbers and colors of LEDs in series, parallel, or series/parallel arrangements. 
         [0050]    The digital controller  220  has multiple tasks. The first task is to regulate the current through each LED string by sensing each of the currents i 1  to i n  passing through the strings and controlling the turn on/off of the switches Q 1  to Q n  for a given input voltage V B . The second task is to adjust the output voltage V B  of the voltage pre-regulator  214  by sending a desired control signal V CTL  to the feedback input  215  of the pre-regulator  214  so that the maximum duty cycle D of the buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n  stays around 90%. In this way, the efficiency of the buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n,  hence, the overall efficiency of the lighting apparatus  200  may be increased. 
         [0051]    To accomplish this task, the digital controller  220  monitors the duty cycle of the switching signals provided to the transistors Q 1  to Qn of the buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n.  If the highest duty cycle of the switching signals is below a first predetermined threshold value, e.g. 80%, 85%, etc., the digital controller  220  may reduce the level of the control signal V CTL  that is provided to the feedback input of the pre-regulator  215 . As explained above in connection with Equation (1), reducing the signal at the feedback input  215  of the pre-regulator  214  reduces the voltage V B  output by the pre-regulator  214 . 
         [0052]    As further explained above in connection with Equation (3), reducing the voltage V B  increases the duty cycle of the buck converters  218 - 1  to  218 - n,  which correspondingly decreases the power consumed by the circuit. Once the highest duty cycle of the switching signals has reached a second predetermined threshold, the digital controller  220  may maintain the level of the control signal V CTL . 
         [0053]    The second threshold may be greater than the first threshold so that there is some hysteresis built into the system. For example, the first threshold may be 80% and the second threshold may be 85%. Thus, the controller  220  may not start to regulate the voltage V B  until the highest duty cycle of the switching signals drops below 80%, and may not stop regulating the voltage V B  until the highest duty cycle of the switching signals rises above 85%. 
         [0054]      FIG. 8  is a flowchart that illustrates operations of a digital controller  220  according to some embodiments. As shown therein, the digital controller monitors a duty cycle of a switching signal provided to a converter circuit (block  240 ). At block  242 , the controller  220  checks to see if the duty cycle of the switching signal is less than a first threshold. In some embodiments, the controller  220  may check to see if the highest duty cycle of a plurality of duty cycles of switching signals provided to a plurality of converters is less than the first threshold. 
         [0055]    If not, operations return to block  240 , and the controller  220  continues to monitor the duty cycle(s) of the switching signal(s). 
         [0056]    If the duty cycle drops below the first threshold, then operations proceed to block  244 , where the controller  220  changes the level of the control signal applied to the pre-regulator  214  to cause a voltage output by the pre-regulator  214  to become lower. In some embodiments, the controller  220  may reduce a voltage level of the control signal applied to the pre-regulator  214 . In other embodiments, the control signal may be changed in some other way depending on the design of the pre-regulator  214 . For example, in some embodiments a voltage level of the control signal may be increased, a frequency of the control signal may be changed, a duty cycle of the control signal may be changed, a digital value output as the control signal may be changed, etc. 
         [0057]    Operations then proceed to block  246 , where the controller  220  checks to see if the duty cycle of the switching signal exceeds a second threshold. If not, then the controller  220  may continue to adjust the control signal at block  244 . Otherwise, if the duty cycle of the switching signal exceeds the second threshold, operations may return to block  240 . 
         [0058]    A third task of the digital controller  220  may include detection of faults, such as over temperature, short-circuit, open-circuit, etc., and protection of the lighting apparatus  200  in the event of such a fault. 
         [0059]      FIG. 9  shows a lighting apparatus  300  according to further embodiments of the inventive concepts. The lighting apparatus  300  includes a power source  12 , a voltage pre-regulator (e.g. a flyback)  314 , and a buck converter block  318  including a digital controller  320 , and a buck converters  318 - 1  to  318 - n.  Each of the buck converters  318 - 1  to  318 - n  includes an inductor L n , a diode D n , a switch Q n , and a current sensing resistor R sn . In the embodiments of  FIG. 8 , switches Q 1  to Qn are arranged to be close to the output of the voltage pre-regulator. That is, the switches Q 1  to Q n  are connected between the output node of the pre-regulator  314  at which the voltage V B  is supplied and the cathode terminals of the diodes D 1  to D n . 
         [0060]      FIG. 10  shows a lighting apparatus  400  according to still further embodiments of the inventive concepts. The lighting apparatus  400  includes a power source  12 , a voltage pre-regulator (e.g. a flyback)  414 , and a buck converter block  418  including a digital controller  420  and buck converters  418 - 1  to  418 - n.  Each of the buck converters  418 - 1  to  418 - n  includes an inductor Ln, a diode Dn, a switch Qn, and a current sensing resistor Rsn. 
         [0061]    In the embodiments of  FIG. 10 , switches Q 1  to Q n  are also arranged to be close to the output terminal of the voltage pre-regulator  414 , but the anode of each diode (D 1  to D n ) is connected directly to ground rather than being connected to ground through the current sensing resistor Rsn. Therefore, the current sensing resistors Rsn see the entire current of the LEDs within each switching cycle of the switches, which may result in more power loss. 
         [0062]      FIG. 11  shows a lighting apparatus  500  according to still further embodiments of the inventive concepts. The lighting apparatus  500  includes a power source  12 , a voltage pre-regulator (e.g. a flyback)  514 , and a buck converter block  518  including a digital controller  520  and buck converters  518 - 1  to  518 - n.  Each of the buck converters  518 - 1  to  518 - n  includes an inductor Ln, a diode Dn, a switch Qn, and a current sensing resistor Rsn. 
         [0063]    The apparatus  500  additionally includes a control signal generating circuit  550  that generates the control signal V CTRL  that controls the level of the voltage V B  output by the pre-regulator  514 . The control signal generating circuit  550  is connected to the digital controller  520  and includes an error amplifier  525 , resistors R 1  to R 4 , and an impedance Z 1 . 
         [0064]    In the circuit of  FIG. 11 , the error amplifier  525  compares a sensed output voltage V FB  with a reference voltage V REF  generated by the digital controller  520 . By controlling V REF , V B  may be adjusted and regulated according to Equation (1). Since V REF  is adjustable by the digital controller, V B  can be increased or decreased so that the maximum switching duty cycle D meets the target value, e.g., 90%. 
         [0065]    In some embodiments, capacitors C 1  to C n , may be placed across the LED strings to reduce the ripple current through the LEDs, as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0066]    It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first element could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could be termed a first element, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
         [0067]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the inventive concepts. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0068]    Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. It will be further understood that terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of this specification and the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
         [0069]    Many different embodiments have been disclosed herein, in connection with the above description and the drawings. It will be understood that it would be unduly repetitious and obfuscating to literally describe and illustrate every combination and subcombination of these embodiments. Accordingly, all embodiments can be combined in any way and/or combination, and the present specification, including the drawings, shall be construed to constitute a complete written description of all combinations and subcombinations of the embodiments described herein, and of the manner and process of making and using them, and shall support claims to any such combination or subcombination. 
         [0070]    In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the inventive concepts being set forth in the following claims.