Patent Description:
Luminaires are known which comprise LED modules that are mounted onto a metal surface. This metal surface usually is connected to earth (or neutral wire if no earth is available in the installation). Under normal operating conditions, the LED output is (galvanically) isolated from this mounting surface.

Depending on the construction of the luminaire and the environment conditions, it can occur that this isolation between LED output and mounting surface fails because of high humidity or condense water on the LED modules, for example. Such an isolation fault condition occurring in a metal luminaire due to condense water is, for instance, depicted in <FIG>.

In case of such an isolation fault condition, at least part of the LED current flows into, for example, the metal housing of the luminaire. Thus, the isolation between the LED current path and the metal housing of the luminaire is faulty. In such a case, there is a need to very quickly shut down the operation of the LED driver.

If a non-isolated driver is used, a current can flow through the LED driver and LED module back to the protective earth PE (or neutral wire depending on the structure of the luminaire).

In an installation without ground-fault circuit, there is no element which would limit or stop this fault current from flowing. This could lead to the destruction of the driver or luminaire or in worst case to fire hazard.

State of the art LED drivers or converters have no protection against such an error case and are not capable to react on such an event.

Thus, it is an objective to provide an improved method for detecting an isolation fault condition of a LED module supplied with electrical power by a non-isolated switched LED converter.

A method of analysing a signal indicating the operation frequency of the switch of a switched converter and open-circuiting the power supply if power frequency or power harmonic leakage currents detected therein exceed specified levels and durations is known from <CIT>.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for detecting an isolation fault condition of a LED module supplied with electrical power by a non-isolated switched LED converter, the switched LED converter having a control circuit for issuing a control signal for at least one switch and being supplied with at least one feedback signal from the LED in order to implement a feedback-controlled operation of the LED module, the method comprising the step of: Obtaining and analysing a signal indicating the operation frequency of the switch of the switched converter in order to evaluate the contribution of a harmonic in the frequency range of a mains voltage supplying the converter in said signal, and Stopping or reducing the electrical power supplied to the LED module in case the contribution of said harmonic exceeds a given threshold value during at least a preset time period or preset number of cycles.

This provides the advantage that the fault condition of the LED module can be detected in an easy and efficient manner.

In a preferred embodiment, the LED converter comprises a buck converter, preferably a synchronous buck converter. The LED converter can even comprise a boost-converter or buck-boost converter.

In a preferred embodiment, the signal indicating the operation frequency of the switch of the switched converter is the control signal from the control circuit to the at least one switch.

This provides the advantage that the LED module can accurately be monitored.

In a preferred embodiment, the control circuit is an ASIC and the signal indicating the operation frequency of the switch of the switched converter is analysed by a microcontroller.

This provides the advantage that well-known control circuits can be used. Moreover, this provides the advantage that the signal can efficiently be analysed.

In a preferred embodiment, the step of analysing a signal indicating the operation frequency of the switch of the switched converter comprises the steps of: bandpass-filtering said signal, peak-tracking the filtered signal, and comparing the peak-tracked signal with a preset threshold.

In a preferred embodiment, the electrical power is stopped by shutting down the LED converter.

This provides the advantage that damage to the LED module can be avoided.

In a preferred embodiment, the threshold value is set adaptively by the LED converter or is set via a user interface.

This provides the advantage that the threshold value can easily be set.

In a preferred embodiment, the threshold value is adaptively set by the LED converter as a defined percentage of the average of said signal.

In a preferred embodiment, the threshold is set at at least <NUM>% of the average value of said signal.

In a preferred embodiment, the signal is analysed with a sampling rate at least as high as double of the mains frequency.

In a preferred embodiment, the control circuitry implements a control algorithm to reduce any deviation from the feedback signal, preferably a LED current indicating signal, to a nominal value, such as e.g. a dimming signal value.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a non-isolated switched feedback-controlled LED converter, comprising a microcontroller configured to perform a method according to the first aspect and the implementation forms thereof.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a LED lighting device comprising a LED converter according to the second aspect and a LED module supplied by said converter.

In a preferred embodiment, the LED module is mounted, in a galvanically isolated manner, on a metal surface which is connected to the earth or neutral phase of the mains voltage supplying the LED converter.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a LED luminaire having a LED lighting device according to the third aspect and the implementation form thereof.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein in the context of a method for detecting an isolation fault condition of a LED module supplied with electrical power by a non-isolated switched converter.

'LED luminaire' shall mean a luminaire with a light source comprising one or more LEDs or OLEDs. LEDs are well-known in the art, and therefore, will only briefly be discussed to provide a complete description of the invention.

<FIG> shows an embodiment of a method <NUM> for detecting an isolation fault condition of a LED module <NUM> supplied with electrical power by a non-isolated switched converter <NUM> (see also description of <FIG> and <FIG>).

The switched LED converter <NUM> has a control circuit (e.g. ASIC) <NUM> for issuing a control signal for at least one switch HS FET, LS FET and is supplied with at least one feedback signal <NUM> from the LED module <NUM> in order to implement a feedback-controlled operation of the LED module <NUM>. In the example the feedback signal represents the LED current obtained via a shunt RShunt. Thus, a feedback control of the current through the LED load is obtained. The control circuit <NUM> implements the feedback control by comparing the feedback signal to a reference value and applying e.g. a PI control method on any deviation thereof.

The switched converter is a non-isolated converter, in the present example a synch buck. Other examples are boost, buck, boost-buck, LLC converter etc..

The method <NUM> comprises the following steps: obtaining and analysing <NUM> a signal <NUM>, <NUM> indicating the operation frequency of the switch HS FET, LS FET of the switched converter <NUM> in order to evaluate the contribution of a harmonic in a frequency range of a mains voltage supplying the converter <NUM> in said signal <NUM>, <NUM>, and stopping or reducing <NUM> the electrical power supplied to the LED module <NUM> in case the contribution of said harmonic exceeds a given threshold value during at least a preset time period or preset number of cycles.

This provides the advantage that a fault condition of the LED module <NUM> can easily and efficiently be detected and, thus, avoiding damages to the LED module <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic profile over time of the signal <NUM> representing a normal operation of the LED module <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In particular, the signal <NUM> shown in <FIG> is the output control signal CTRL_OUT signal of the control circuit <NUM>. This CTRL_OUT signal can represent the signal <NUM> indicating the operation frequency of the switch HS_FET, LS_FET of the switched converter <NUM>.

In particular, when looking at the CTRL_OUT signal <NUM>, in normal conditions, a ripple component having a frequency of twice the mains frequency (thus, <NUM> or <NUM>, respectively) is present.

<FIG> shows a profile over time of a signal <NUM> representing a fault operation of a LED module <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In particular, <FIG> shows the case of an isolation fault condition. In this case, the amplitude of the ripple is much bigger than that of the signal <NUM> and there is a substantial ripple component with a frequency identical to the mains frequency, thus, in the order of <NUM> or <NUM>.

Therefore, at normal operation, the signal <NUM> indicating the operation frequency of the switch HS_FET, LS_FET of the switched converter <NUM> (namely, a value proportional to the working frequency of current source) stays at a constant level or with a low ripple at twice the mains frequency. This low ripple is, for instance, caused by a regulation of the PFC bus ripple in order to achieve an output current without a low-frequency ripple. Typically, this ripple is in the range of maximum +/-<NUM>% of its nominal average value with a frequency of twice the mains frequency.

However, as mentioned above, when the fault condition occurs, this ripple increases and changes its frequency from twice the mains frequency to the mains frequency. For example, the ripple is <NUM>% of its nominal average value.

Summarizing, the following criteria can be applied in order to detect a fault condition of the LED module <NUM>:.

<FIG> shows a schematic diagram <NUM> of a fault operation detection of a LED module <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In a first step <NUM>, a periodical readout of the control circuit <NUM> (e.g., an ASIC) output is performed in order to generate the control signal CTRL_OUT or signal <NUM>, <NUM>. This signal <NUM>, <NUM> is subsequently processed <NUM> and fed into two paths: path <NUM> and path <NUM>, respectively.

In path <NUM>, the CTRL_OUT signal is input to a Leaky integrator module <NUM>, which is equivalent to a 1st-order low-pass filter, arranged in the microcontroller <NUM>, which filters out the DC-part of the signal to get its average. Afterwards, the output signal of the module <NUM> is used for a threshold value calculation (step <NUM>). This threshold value is compared <NUM> to the given threshold value and, if this threshold value is higher than the given threshold value, the LED converter <NUM> is shut down in step <NUM>.

The shutdown threshold value can be adjustable as a relative factor to the average value of CTRL_OUT signal <NUM>, <NUM>.

This provides the advantage that the shutdown threshold value is more accurate, because the level depends on the average actual value which does not change in a fault condition case, since only the ripple amplitude changes, as mentioned above.

In path <NUM>, the CTRL_OUT signal or signal <NUM>, <NUM> is given as input to a resonator <NUM> at <NUM>/<NUM> frequency, which acts as a bandpass filter. Afterwards, the filtered signal is provided to a peak tracker <NUM>. Finally, the peak-tracked signal is compared to the preset or given threshold value in step <NUM> and, if the peak-tracked signal is higher than the preset or given threshold value, the LED converter <NUM> is shut down in step <NUM>.

In general, the shutdown level can be calculated as a relative part of the average signal value, e.g., average +<NUM>%.

This means that, if the peak tracked and bandpass filtered input signal exceeds the average +<NUM>%, a shutdown of the LED module <NUM> can be performed.

For example, the given threshold value is adaptively set by the LED converter <NUM> as a defined percentage of the average of said signal <NUM>, <NUM>.

For example, the given or preset threshold value is set at at least <NUM>% of the average value of the signal <NUM>, <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the modules respectively steps <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> perform the same tasks as already described with reference to <FIG> and its description. However, in this embodiment, differently from the one of <FIG>, the shutdown threshold level can be a user definable constant and can be set via a user interface <NUM>.

This provides the advantage that it is a simple implementation which is easy to design and also accurate.

Therefore, the shutdown threshold level can be defined by the user as a fixed constant. If the peak tracked and bandpass filtered input signal exceeds this user defined level, the shutdown can be triggered. The shutdown of the LED module <NUM>, after the given threshold value is exceeded, can be done immediately or after n-consecutive samples.

When the system shuts down, the LED converter <NUM>, e.g. a buck converter, preferably a synchronous buck converter, stops switching, which directly interrupts the current path from mains to the LED module <NUM> and, thus, stopping the flow of the fault current.

It should be noted that, for both embodiments in <FIG> and <FIG>, the CTRL_OUT signal or signal <NUM>, <NUM> is processed in the microcontroller <NUM> (see also <FIG> for more details). Moreover, both embodiments have in common that the input signal, i.e. the signal or CTRL_OUT signal, is processed via a <NUM>/<NUM> resonator bandpass <NUM> which filters out all other frequencies. Furthermore, in a next step, this bandpass filtered signal can be peak-tracked <NUM> to get its amplitude.

The modules and method steps shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> can be implemented, respectively carried out, by the microcontroller <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a schematic diagram of a, LED converter <NUM> with a microcontroller <NUM> and LED module <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the control circuit <NUM> is an ASIC and the signal <NUM>, <NUM> (CTRL_OUT signal) indicating the operation frequency of the switch HS_FET, LS_FET of the switched converter <NUM> is analysed by the microcontroller <NUM>.

For example, the control circuit <NUM> implements a control algorithm to reduce any deviation from the feedback signal <NUM>, preferably a LED current indicating signal, to a nominal value (reference signal), such as e.g. a dimming signal value.

For example, the CTRL_OUT signal or signal <NUM>, <NUM> is periodically sampled by the microcontroller <NUM> from the ASIC <NUM> in discrete time steps (e.g. approx. every <NUM>). It should be noticed that, for applications without ASIC <NUM>, the switching frequency of the LED converter <NUM> could be monitored by the microcontroller <NUM>.

The microcontroller <NUM> can be configured to read the CTRL_OUT signal of the ASIC <NUM> on a regularly basis. This read out interval should be lower than at least twice the mains period. Alternatively, a tracking of the LED converter <NUM> frequency would also be possible, this could directly be done by the microcontroller <NUM>.

As mentioned above, in order to overcome the isolation fault problem and solving it by a quick shutdown of the operation of the LED module <NUM>, the output signal (driving signal or CTRL_OUT signal) <NUM>, <NUM> of the ASIC for the <NUM>/<NUM> harmonic can be monitored. For example, a filter <NUM> for filtering the harmonic in order of <NUM> or <NUM> can be applied to this ASIC readout signal <NUM>, <NUM>, and the magnitude of this <NUM>/<NUM> harmonic can be compared with the given maximum threshold value. In case the detected <NUM>/<NUM> harmonic reaches or exceeds the given maximum threshold for this harmonic, the LED module <NUM> can be immediately shut-down, typically by stopping the operation of one or more switches HS_FET, LS_FET of the LED converter <NUM>. Alternatively the switching frequency and/or duty cycles of the switch(es) may be set such that the power supplied to a connected Led module is at least reduced.

In particular, the signal <NUM>, <NUM> indicating the operation frequency of the switch HS_FET, LS_FET of the switched converter <NUM> is the control signal from the control circuit <NUM> to the at least one switch (HS FET or LS FET). The microcontroller <NUM> can be configured to analyse the signal <NUM>, <NUM> with a sampling rate at least as high as double of the mains frequency.

<FIG> shows a LED lighting device <NUM> according to an embodiment.

The LED lighting device <NUM> comprises the LED converter <NUM> and the LED module <NUM> supplied by said converter <NUM>.

For example, the LED module <NUM> is mounted, in a galvanically isolated manner, on a metal surface which is connected to the earth or neutral phase of the mains voltage supplying the LED converter <NUM>.

All features of all embodiments described, shown and/or claimed herein can be combined with each other.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed embodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalence.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) for detecting an isolation fault condition of a LED module (<NUM>) supplied with electrical power by a non-isolated switched LED converter (<NUM>), the non-isolated switched LED converter (<NUM>) having a control circuit (<NUM>) for issuing a control signal for at least one switch (HS_FET, LS_FET) of the non-isolated switched LED converter (<NUM>) and being supplied with at least one feedback signal (<NUM>) from the LED module (<NUM>) in order to implement a feedback-controlled operation of the LED module (<NUM>), the method (<NUM>) comprising the steps of:
- obtaining and analysing (<NUM>) a signal (<NUM>, <NUM>) indicating the operation frequency of the switch (HS_FET, LS_FET) of the non-isolated switched LED converter (<NUM>) in order to evaluate the contribution of a harmonic in the frequency range of a mains voltage supplying the non-isolated switched LED converter (<NUM>) in said signal (<NUM>, <NUM>), and
- stopping or reducing (<NUM>) the electrical power supplied to the LED module (<NUM>) in case the contribution of said harmonic exceeds a given threshold value during at least a preset time period or preset number of cycles.